The shop's lights glowed a warm yellow, and the aroma of pork bone broth filled the air. Teuchi stood behind the counter, methodically slicing roast pork.
Everything was perfectly normal, except for the two people sitting at the counter.
One was a young woman in a light-colored kimono, with long black hair falling over her shoulders, delicate features, and eyes as cold as ice.
A bowl of barely touched salt ramen sat in front of her, her chopsticks resting carelessly across its rim.
Beside her sat a little old man wearing small, round glasses, his hair tied into a little braid. Dressed in a dark blue outer robe, he was speaking quietly to her, his tone so solicitous it bordered on servile.
Kazahana Koyuki. Asama Sandayu.
After lifting the curtain, Shuofang Si thought he had stepped into the wrong timeline. Wasn't she the heroine of the Naruto movie, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow?
He froze for a moment. Huh? That wasn't right, was it? Why was she here? If she'd arrived, the movie's storyline must have started. But that timeline should have come before Sasuke's defection.
Yet while training in the Land of Fire Capital, he had clearly heard that Sasuke had already defected. In the movie, Sasuke had taken part in the escort mission too.
Now they had only appeared in Konoha after Sasuke's defection. Had the timeline changed?
Shuofang Si fell into thought.
The Third Hokage hadn't died, Orochimaru still had the use of both arms, and Tobirama Senju was secretly running things in his reincarnated body.
The combined butterfly effect of those three things was enormous.
Apparently, Sasuke's defection had happened early, and the butterfly effect had thrown the subsequent plot into chaos too. Come to think of it, could Sasuke's defection itself have something to do with Tobirama?
It probably did. There was no way the Second Hokage could remain calm while looking at Sasuke's face. After all, Sasuke looked exactly like his sworn enemy, Uchiha Izuna.
That Second Hokage was the sort of man who would curse the evil Uchiha even when he sneezed.
As his thoughts wandered, he suddenly felt someone watching him.
He looked over and saw Kazahana Koyuki staring at him. Her eyes were full of impatience, with a hint of contempt and numb resignation.
She didn't recognize this man, but ever since entering the ramen shop, he hadn't sat down or ordered. He had simply stood motionless in the doorway, staring at her.
It felt no different from dealing with those fanatical fans before.
Another one of those people.
"They're everywhere I go." Kazahana Koyuki flung down her chopsticks, slamming them against the counter. "I'm done eating. I'm going back to the inn."
She rose a little too abruptly, and her chopsticks flicked up a little broth that landed squarely on Shuofang Si's face.
But she didn't notice-or perhaps she noticed and didn't care. Gathering up the hem of her kimono, she headed for the door.
Shuofang Si felt warmth on his face as the grease from the pork bone broth slid down his cheek.
"The money's here." Asama Sandayu hurriedly stood and settled the bill, then rushed after his princess.
She was a genuine princess, the rightful heir to the Land of Snow. All his plans depended on her, so naturally, he had to keep her happy.
Teuchi of Ichiraku shook his head at the bowl of barely touched salt ramen, his brow creasing slightly.
He didn't mind customers leaving in a hurry, but as a ramen chef, he couldn't help feeling unhappy when food he had carefully prepared was wasted like this.
Shuofang Si's reaction was more direct.
He raised a hand to wipe the broth from his face, then looked at the grime on his fingertips and actually smiled.
He finally remembered: most people in the world of Naruto were absolute menaces.
And in the movie, Kazahana Koyuki had acted like an actress spoiled rotten by the entertainment industry, throwing her weight around and giving everyone attitude.
Just like that bunch of menaces in Konoha who changed their tune faster than turning a page, she needed him to teach her some manners.
And Shuofang Si had never lost when it came to dealing with menaces.
Kazahana Koyuki had just reached his side and had yet to pass him.
Shuofang Si's foot was already flying out.
Of course, he didn't use his full strength, only the force of an ordinary person.
But even that casual kick was more than enough for Kazahana Koyuki.
She cried out, toppled sideways, and landed in an ungainly heap on the floor.
Thud.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Guards!"
For a moment, Kazahana Koyuki couldn't process what had happened. She sat stunned on the floor, staring up at him, her eyes filled with fear and disbelief.
She had grown up as the princess of the Land of Snow, then become the most popular actress in the Land of Fire. And now someone actually dared to hit her?
Sandayu had barely finished shouting when four or five burly young men rushed through the curtain.
They had been sitting in the teahouse across from the ramen shop. Their clothes made them look like ordinary passersby, but their builds were noticeably sturdier than most.
They were the guards Sandayu had hired to accompany them. There were quite a few, but their abilities were nothing beyond those of ordinary men.
A glance from the doorway had already told Shuofang Si that they weren't even samurai, just commoners with a little extra strength.
Still, they were perfect for letting him get used to hand-to-hand combat. His last fight had been back in middle school.
The first burly man charged up and swung a fist at his face.
Shuofang Si sidestepped, his arms darting out in quick succession. He curled his fingers around the man's wrist and tugged downward.
Then, keeping the power of his Heart-Destroying Palm in reserve, he used only five percent of his strength. The burly man dropped to one knee, clutching his arm and screaming.
The second man lunged from the side, trying to grab his lower body and restrict his movement.
Without even looking, Shuofang Si struck the man's chest with a backhand palm. He controlled his force just right-enough to leave him hurting for a few days and teach him a lesson.
The remaining three exchanged glances at the sight, but in the end, they could only grit their teeth and charge together.
Three palm strikes later, all three were on the floor.
Sandayu stood rooted to the spot, looking at the guards groaning on the floor. His expression had shifted from displeasure to unease.
He had only wanted to bring the princess to inspect a filming location and let her relax afterward. How had they ended up provoking a monster like this?
Teuchi stood behind the counter, still holding a cleaning rag, but his earlier displeasure had given way to the unabashed curiosity of a spectator enjoying the show.
He had run his shop in Konoha for years, and outsiders who dared to start a fight right inside the village were a rare sight.
"Everyone, stop." At that moment, the ninja patrolling nearby arrived.
Tsunade sat behind the broad desk in the Hokage's office, one hand propping up her forehead while the other leafed through the mountain of documents before her. Exhaustion filled her face.
Shizune sat at the desk beside her, holding Tonton and helping with the paperwork.
Two groups stood in front of the desk.
On the left was Kazahana Koyuki. She had straightened her kimono, but her eyes were still red. Sandayu stood beside her, quietly urging her to calm down.
On the right was Shuofang Si, traces of ramen broth still staining his cuffs. His expression, however, was perfectly composed.
"So..." Tsunade's voice carried exhaustion and exasperation as she tapped the desk twice.
"Both of you came to Konoha to commission missions?"
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