Kazahana Koyuki

Kazahana Koyuki stood up abruptly, turned to Issui, and said, "What exactly do you want? Let me tell you, I'm not going with you. Forget about it. I don't need you as my bodyguard. You're so annoying."

Issui's expression froze for a moment. "You're being too willful, making so many people wait for you. You're really a big shot. Speaking of which, I haven't seen any of your movies yet. I've heard you're very famous, but you have a bit of a bad temper."

"Tch, lecturing like an adult. Who do you think you are? You're just a little kid. And my temper is none of your business. Get out of the way, I'm leaving. Don't follow me again, or I won't let you pass next time." Kazahana Koyuki shoved Issui aside, mounted the white horse beside her, and galloped off again.

This Issui stopped running after her and sat directly behind her, saying, "Since I can't be in front, I'll be behind. It's all the same. I don't care where you go, but I still need to consider your safety. Being there for those who need protection at any time, protecting them, and defeating any ill-intentioned enemies is the code of conduct for us ninja guards."

Kazahana Komai gave a light snort, ignoring Issui sitting behind her, she squeezed the horse's flanks with her legs and sped up to run over.

The horse was fast, and Kazahana Koyuki returned to the town, galloping quickly through the streets. Suddenly, several children appeared in front of the horse. Seeing that the horse could not stop, Kazahana Koyuki pulled hard on the reins to stop the white horse from moving forward.

At this moment, Issui used a Body Immobilization Technique on Baima, then jumped to the ground with Kazahana Koyuki in his arms, scaring the children into a cold sweat.

"Ah, it's Princess Gale! It really is! That's great! Can you sign my autograph? I love your movies so much! Princess Gale is amazing!" A little girl recognized Kazahana Koyuki and quickly took out a small notebook and pen from her pocket.

"Me too..."

"I want one too, I like it so much..."

Several children took out pens and paper, hoping to get Princess Gale's autograph.

"No way... Go away, all of you go away..." Kazahana Koyuki was getting impatient, annoyed by being chased by Issui, and in a very bad mood.

"Why? I really like you..." a little girl asked, and the other children nodded in agreement.

"Hmph, all you like is some insignificant, ethereal figure. Even if I sign autographs for you now, you'll just use it to show off, and after a while, you'll put it in some inconspicuous corner and eventually forget about it. When a more famous star appears, you'll turn around and chase after him again. What an incredibly boring game! What do you take me for...?" Kazahana Koyuki continued to mock the children who loved her.

The children fell silent. They had indeed treated celebrities that way before, but it was only natural. No one could stay in the limelight forever, and besides, they really liked the character of Princess Gale. Were they wrong?

Ignoring the children's thoughts, Kazahana Koyuki walked straight ahead, with Issui Zhi Hao following behind. Behind them came the adults' sarcastic remarks, mocking her for being arrogant and showing off. In short, it was a burst of laughter.

"Is this really okay?" Issui grabbed Kazahana Koyuki's arm and asked.

"Hmph, what do you know? You're just a brat who hasn't even grown up yet." Kazahana Koyuki ignored Issui's actions, sarcastically remarked, and quickly ran forward. She was in a very bad mood and needed to find a place to vent her feelings.

Issui was furious. "I'm not even fully grown yet, how do you know?"

In the end, Issui followed Kazahana to a bar, where Kazahana Koyuki ordered a bottle of sake from the waiter and poured herself a drink.

"Boss, give me a bottle of bar too, not too strong." Issui said, sitting down next to Kazahana Koyuki.

"Alright~ Here's your sake, please enjoy." The waiter handed Issui a bottle of sake and a sake glass.

Issui accepted it and thanked the waiter.

"Tch, a little brat trying to drink like an adult? Aren't you afraid of getting drunk and being left alone on the street?" Kazahana Koyuki mocked.

"Haha, how will you know the outcome if you don't try? People in this world always have to face many trials. Separation, death, and all kinds of pain are waiting for us to accept, and you have no idea when it will come. You can only passively accept such things. Being able to actively try something is actually challenging yourself. And whether you fail or succeed, you will gain something. What do you think, Princess Gale?" Issui picked up the wine bottle and poured a glass of sake into it.

"Tch, what nonsense! You think you know so much, like an old man. Tch, some things can't be learned just by trying..." Kazahana Koyuki then picked up the Hexagonal Crystal necklace around her neck and pondered deeply.

A man on the other side of the bar saw the Hexagonal Crystal necklace that Kazahana Koyuki took out, his eyes narrowed, and he got up and pretended to be drunk as he walked out of the bar. Issui noticed his little action. Sure enough, was he Kazahana Dōtō's spy?

"Do you know what I do?" Ignoring the man who was monitoring her, Issui asked Kazahana Koyuki directly.

"Tch, so what if they're ninjas? What's there to be proud of?" Kazayuki Koyuki said sarcastically.

"Well, what do you think of this profession, or what do you think it is?" Issui a sip of sake.

"Tch, a bunch of murderers living in the shadows, plundering the fruits of civilians' labor without ever lifting a finger, yet always getting so much..." Kazahana Koyuki thought of Kazahana Dōtō, ninjas are just a bunch of scoundrels who disrupt the order of the country and its people.

"Ha, so that's how you understand it. That makes sense. What you've seen is just the ninjas' slaughter. Admittedly, there are some scoundrels among the ninjas, but everything has two sides," Issui said calmly.

"What duality? That's just self-praise." Kazahana Koyuki didn't think there was anything praiseworthy about ninjas.

"Do you know? Ninjas are a pitiful group of people, but also a respectable group. They're pitiful because ninjas rely on completing missions to seek revenge in order to survive. But missions are often accompanied by risks, and the benefits are proportional to the risks. Many ninjas have lost many comrades and relatives because of missions, yet they still have to continue to complete them. It's their mission, and they can't refuse. For example, when I was a child, my village was completely wiped out by the Land of Water. My only loving grandfather died protecting me, and that's how I survived under the protection of Konoha. Now I'm a qualified ninja..." Issui said, but was interrupted halfway through.

"Then why are you continuing? Wouldn't it be better if you all stopped?" Kazahana Koyuki asked.

"Indeed, you're right. But this is what I'm going to say next: ninjas are a group of people who protect the safety of their country and people's territory. They fight and struggle for their village and their country, even at the cost of their lives. They can only live in the shadows, fighting for freedom, time, and safety for their country and people. Once you enter this kind of life, you can never escape it for the rest of your life. That's why I say ninjas are also a respectable group of people." Issui took another sip of his drink.

Kazahana Koyuki's eyes widened in surprise, and she said, "If that's the case, why can we only be used as tools? Why can we only live in darkness? Can't this situation be changed?"

"All ninjas are troubled by this: killing and being killed, hatred and resentment, endless slaughter, constantly wanting to hate each other, not wanting to continue existing as tools, but still there is no way. Many people's ideal is to become a powerful ninja, but although I am already a powerful ninja, I also understand the pain of this ninja world more deeply. So I am determined to change the situation of this ninja world and create a ninja world full of emotion and flesh and blood. I have been working hard for this. The people of Konoha call me the Star of Hope. I not only want to give hope to the villagers and ninjas of Konoha, but I also want to give ideals and hope to more people. I will definitely succeed and become a person even more powerful than the ancestor of ninjas, the Sage of Six Paths. Nothing can stop my steps. I firmly believe that I will succeed. You just watch..." Issui smiled and gave Kazahana Koyuki a thumbs up.

Kazahana Koyuki was deeply moved by Issui's speech. She hadn't expected this little boy to have such a dream. Could it really come true? Furthermore, he said he was Star of Hope, a title she'd heard countless times in the Land of Fire —a hero who saved the village, a young genius who defeated all enemies. Perhaps he really could become the Star of Hope he spoke of. With hope already there, how far could success be?

"Don't worry about whether I'll succeed or not, because I can only believe in myself, motivate myself, and move towards hope. I will definitely succeed. Never give up on your dreams. Didn't your movie also say, 'Don't give up'?" Issui said with a smile.

Kazahana Koyuki blushed. "Tch, all that talk, like it's touching. I wonder if she's acting. Not giving up? What good will it do? Kazahana Dōtō's power is immense; going there would only mean certain death..."

"You know what? There are many unpredictable things in this world. Maybe I will die on the road to my dream, but I will still do it without hesitation. In my journey as a ninja, I have almost lost my life several times, but I still move forward with a smile. Do you know why?" Issui smiled faintly.

"Why, why work so hard? Aren't you afraid of dying?" Kazahana Koyuki asked.