You Really Are Only 12?

In Kazahana Koyuki's eyes, Yeyu had somehow brought her back in an instant from more than ten kilometers away.

That proved his strength was definitely beyond that of a Jonin.

A powerful shinobi like him, and so young—he had to be one of the village's top fighters.

How could Asama Sandayu have hired someone like that?

Where would Asama Sandayu get that much money to hire such a powerful shinobi?

"The fee for a shinobi of that caliber can't be less than ten million ryo, right?"

"It's just an escort mission. How could he possibly afford that much?"

As a big star, she earned around thirty million ryo a year.

After taxes, she probably took home only fifteen million.

Asama Sandayu was her manager. There was no way he had ten million ryo to spare.

Kazahana Koyuki had never wanted to go to the Land of Snow, much less take part in filming this movie, so there was no way she had paid the shinobi herself.

Asama Sandayu had paid for everything.

Where had he gotten all that money?

Kazahana Koyuki turned and went back into the room.

Once she had come to her senses, she looked at Yeyu, who was sitting on the windowsill with a calm expression.

"He looks so young. Is he even twelve?"

She frowned.

Asama Sandayu came over and hurriedly introduced him to Kazahana Koyuki again. "Miss Fujikaze, this is the shinobi I hired to protect you during filming. They're from Konoha."

"Jonin Mitaraishi Anko and Chunin Yeyu."

Kazahana Koyuki looked at Yeyu in confusion. "Y-you're only a Chunin?"

"Is that strange? Isn't it normal for someone my age to be a Chunin?" Yeyu didn't see what was so surprising.

Kazahana Koyuki stared at Yeyu, frowning. She simply couldn't believe he was only a Chunin.

"Is Konoha really that powerful? A Chunin knows such a powerful teleportation jutsu?"

Thinking of Kakashi, who had rescued her from the Land of Snow earlier, she wondered if he had been lying to her.

Kakashi hadn't seemed nearly as strong as Yeyu.

But Yeyu was only a Chunin, while Kakashi was a Jonin.

Kazahana Koyuki wasn't the only one who was curious. Asama Sandayu and Anko were, too.

All three of them looked at Yeyu.

"Don't all stare at me like that. It's just one of my jutsu."

Yeyu didn't say which jutsu it was.

Anko was curious, but she didn't ask.

Jutsu were a shinobi's secrets. Even shinobi from the same village generally didn't tell each other everything.

Asama Sandayu and the others weren't from the village, so there was even less reason to tell them.

Kazahana Koyuki walked up to Yeyu and scrutinized him. "How old are you?"

She folded her arms and asked him with a serious expression.

If an ordinary person found themselves speaking at such close quarters with a big star, they would surely be thrilled—maybe even too nervous to speak.

But Yeyu remained calm, and seemed to have little interest in talking to her.

"Mr. Yeyu is twelve. I heard he just graduated from the Ninja Academy. This is his first mission since graduating."

"We're very lucky to be the first people to hire Mr. Yeyu for a mission."

Seeing that Yeyu didn't seem eager to engage with Kazahana Koyuki, Asama Sandayu hurriedly explained for him.

He was afraid the two of them would get into a conflict.

Anko leaned against the wall without saying a word, but wore a mysterious smile.

Kazahana Koyuki frowned. "You just graduated from the Ninja Academy? Yeah, right."

"You can become a Chunin as soon as you graduate? And be that strong, too?"

"Sandayu, you've been swindled, haven't you?"

Kazahana Koyuki asked Asama Sandayu.

Asama Sandayu looked helpless.

He could tell that Kazahana Koyuki seemed displeased.

"Is this because of Mr. Yeyu's attitude?"

"Princess Koyuki's temper is still the same, but that's Mr. Yeyu—not the director or a member of the film crew."

Kazahana Koyuki had a bad temper. Usually, the director and crew had to placate her before filming could go smoothly.

But Yeyu was a shinobi they had hired to protect her.

Asama Sandayu had begged Yeyu to continue with the mission. If Kazahana Koyuki angered him and made him abandon it, he would lose his one and only chance to restore his country.

So Asama Sandayu came over and hurriedly explained. "Miss Fujikaze, Mr. Yeyu is very strong. I've already seen it for myself. Please rest assured that he's fully capable of protecting you."

Kazahana Koyuki stared hard at Yeyu. "Are you really only twelve?"

"I don't believe it!"

Asama Sandayu was beside himself with worry.

What was wrong with Kazahana Koyuki today?

Why was she taking her temper out on Yeyu?

Yeyu turned to look at Kazahana Koyuki. "Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter. You're just the target of my mission. My age has nothing to do with you."

Kazahana Koyuki clenched her fists. No one had ever spoken to her like that before.

Everyone else fawned over her and idolized her.

Who would dare talk back to her?

In the Land of Snow, she had been a princess. Even though she had lost her title, she was still a big star in the Land of Fire.

What was with Yeyu's attitude?

"You—you can't talk to me like that! Sandayu hired you to protect me. Is that how you speak to your employer?"

Yeyu smiled. "Miss Fujikaze, we're shinobi, not your servants. Please understand the difference."

"If you don't want to hire us, we can abandon this mission at any time."

"Mr. Yeyu, please calm down. Miss Fujikaze just hasn't collected herself yet. She didn't mean to offend you." Asama Sandayu was at his wit's end.

Why couldn't the princess watch where she was or who she was dealing with before throwing a tantrum?

Yeyu said coolly, "She doesn't seem to want to hire us. You can end this mission at any time."

Kazahana Koyuki didn't say anything more.

Anko hadn't wanted to take this mission in the first place, so she was certainly not going to step in and smooth things over now.

Asama Sandayu was frantic and apologized to Yeyu several times.

Kazahana Koyuki was angry. She felt that Yeyu didn't respect her.

But as she watched Asama Sandayu apologize to him so humbly, she thought of her country and the past.

"I'm sorry!"

Just as Asama Sandayu was trying to smooth things over with Yeyu, Kazahana Koyuki suddenly apologized to him.

Yeyu glanced at her.

Kazahana Koyuki lowered her head, feeling embarrassed.

It was the first time she had ever apologized to anyone.

Anko glanced at Yeyu. "That kid's pretty impressive. He actually managed to make a big star apologize to him."

Kazahana Koyuki was a hugely popular star in the Land of Fire.

The fact that Hiruzen took a special interest in her said it all.

Who would have thought Yeyu could make her back down and apologize?

And it wasn't even a serious conflict to begin with.

Kazahana Koyuki had simply questioned Yeyu's age at the wrong time.

Yeyu hadn't really cared. He was just a little annoyed that Kazahana Koyuki kept asking about his age.

What was there to question?