"What else did I forget?"
Anko Mitarashi stared with wide eyes at Kurenai Yuhi.
"Did you... pad them with cotton?"
"What cotton?! Look closely, these are the real deal."
"Hehehe! Little Bean, you're never going to catch up to me now!"
Kurenai swayed triumphantly in front of Anko, her enhanced figure practically dancing with every movement. Anko stood there, completely petrified.
"I want it too! Quickly, tell me—how did you do it?!" Anko finally snapped out of it, grabbing Kurenai's arm.
Kurenai smirked. "Hehehe, I'm not telling. From now on, I'm bigger than you and fairer than you. Die of envy! Hahaha!!"
Evening: After School
Raizen arrived at the Ninja Academy to pick up Sasuke and Karin.
"How was it, Karin? Your first day of school—are you settling in okay?" Raizen asked, holding Karin's small hand and smiling warmly.
"It was great! The other students were so enthusiastic; they were all competing to be my friend," Karin replied, her eyes shimmering as she looked up at Raizen.
"No one made fun of you?"
Karin shook her head. "No."
"That's good. If anyone bullies you, you must tell me. I'll make sure justice is served."
"Mhm, I understand. Thank you, Raizen-sama."
Beside them, Sasuke felt a twinge of jealousy watching his uncle treat Karin so tenderly. Before Karin arrived, his uncle held his hand every night on the way home; now it was Karin's turn.
Karin is my sister, and I'm the big brother. I shouldn't be jealous of my own sister, Sasuke told himself. I must be magnanimous!
But I still really want Uncle to hold my hand too!!!
Suddenly, the glint of steel flashed through the air.
A dark shadow descended from above, wielding a massive greatsword, and swung down toward Raizen. An invisible crescent-shaped blade beam—a shockwave of compressed air—whistled through the street.
Without a second thought, Raizen scooped Karin into his arms and rolled to the side.
Having dodged the strike, Raizen set Karin down and stood firmly in front of the two children, eyeing the assailant suspiciously. The sword qi lacked killing intent, and its power wasn't particularly overwhelming. By the time the crescent wave hit the spot where he had just stood, its force had already dissipated.
"Die! You heartless scoundrel!"
A furious female voice rang out. The shadow, a masked girl gripping her greatsword, charged at Raizen.
"Heartless scoundrel? Girl, you must have the wrong person! How could I possibly be a heartless scoundrel?"
Raizen was genuinely confused. He was literally "Seeking Heirs" with heavy rewards; how could he be heartless? If he had actually been with a woman, he would have brought her home and supported her for the sake of the Uchiha revival. He would never abandon someone!
"You promised something and didn't fulfill it. That makes you a heartless scoundrel! I'll cut you down!"
The girl lunged, bringing the heavy blade down toward Raizen's head. Raizen dodged nimbly.
"Sasuke-niisan, should we go get someone to help Raizen-sama?" Karin asked, worried.
Sasuke watched calmly. "I don't think so. Uncle is strong—even I can't beat him. This girl looks like she's just a samurai. She probably won't be able to touch him."
"A female samurai?" Karin stared curiously.
Sasuke analyzed the situation. "Mhm. That outfit is samurai gear. Only samurai use swords that large. Ninjas usually fight with kunai."
Raizen dodged another swing, racking his brain. Who did I abandon?
"Hey! Who are you exactly?! You've got the wrong guy! I don't even know you!"
Raizen felt incredibly wronged. Under the watchful eyes of the village, he couldn't display his true power, so he had to focus entirely on dodging without fighting back.
"You promised to marry me! You didn't come, so you're a heartless scoundrel!" the masked girl shouted.
"Promised to marry you? When did I ever—"
Raizen stopped mid-sentence. It hit him.
The last time he went to the capital, the Daimyo had betrothed his daughter, Princess Tsukihime, to him to settle the Uchiha grievances. Raizen had sent word through the ninja cats that he accepted the arrangement. But after returning to Konoha, he had been so busy that he completely forgot the wedding date.
"Are you... Tsukihime?" Raizen asked tentatively.
"Hmph! Scoundrel! Just die!" The girl didn't answer with words, but with a furious overhead strike.
Bang!
Raizen threw a smoke bomb at the girl's feet. In the ensuing confusion, he scooped up both Sasuke and Karin and bolted.
"Cough, cough!!" The girl emerged from the smoke, coughing, but Raizen was already long gone.
The Hokage Building
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the entire scene through his crystal ball.
"He can't even handle a samurai? Uchiha Raizen truly only has the strength of a Genin."
"It seems I overestimated him."
"This boy has loved business and money since he was a child—a true miser. He has no passion for cultivation; his strength is limited."
Watching Raizen flee "clumsily" from the girl, Hiruzen let out a faint smile. The weaker Raizen was, the more at ease he felt. If Raizen lacked power, he wouldn't dream of causing trouble.
Raizen, you just focus on making babies. When they're old enough for the Academy, I'll personally teach them the Will of Fire.
"But who is this masked girl?" Hiruzen mused. "Someone using a katana... she shouldn't be from the village. An outsider? No one in the Land of Fire really uses samurai blades like that. Could she be from the Land of Iron?"
"Lord Hokage, a special envoy from the Daimyo has arrived," a ninja reported, kneeling.
"An envoy?" Hiruzen stood up. "Where? I'll receive them immediately."
"We are already here." A group of officials in the Daimyo's formal robes strode into the office.
Hiruzen asked, "To what do I owe this sudden visit, Envoy-sama?"
The envoy spoke with a grave tone. "The Princess has run away to Konoha to settle a score with Uchiha Raizen. You must find her immediately; her safety is of the utmost importance."
"The Princess? Which princess?"
"Princess Tsukihime. She is betrothed to Uchiha Raizen. However, the wedding date passed and Raizen failed to send anyone to escort her to the village. In her rage, the Princess took up her weapon and came here to settle the matter personally."
"Envoy-sama... is this her?" Hiruzen pointed to the girl in the crystal ball.
"That build... that outfit... that massive blade... That is indeed Princess Tsukihime!"
"Quickly! Send men to protect her! Nothing must happen to the Princess! If she is harmed, the Hidden Leaf can forget about receiving the Land of Fire's recognition ever again!"