Mastermind of the Akatsuki

After several days of traveling, Byakuya and Konan finally arrived at the capital of the Land of Fire.

Although the Land of Fire didn't have an official capital, people generally referred to the city where the Land of Fire's daimyo resided as its capital. It was also the city with the highest number of ninja outside of Konoha.

Simply walking down the streets, Byakuya and Konan encountered numerous ninja. Most were from Konoha, with a few wandering rogue ninja mixed in. Amidst the architecture of the daimyo's palace, Byakuya could sense over a dozen unusual chakra presences.

These chakra signatures belonged to the Twelve Guardian Ninja, an elite ninja unit dedicated to the Land of Fire's daimyo. Each member was at least of jonin-level strength, protecting the daimyo from enemy assassinations and also serving as a power check on the daimyo himself.

Enhancing his sensory abilities with chakra, Byakuya quickly located the daimyo's exact position.

The Land of Fire's daimyo was indulging himself within the castle, completely absorbed in luxury. But despite his unseemly behavior, the daimyo remained the highest authority in the Land of Fire and could still command the Hokage.

Byakuya wasn't here to deal with the daimyo, nor did he have any interest in solving Konoha's problems.

With the evolution of the shinobi world, it was only a matter of time before the ninja villages and the daimyo came into conflict. An internal power struggle within the Land of Fire seemed almost inevitable—unless Konoha was willing to halt its development and abandon the centralized model similar to that of Amegakure.

Returning his attention to the present, Byakuya walked toward a movie theater within the city. Posters and banners covered the entrance, advertising a film titled 'The Great Adventure of Princess Gale'.

Seeing this, Konan looked at him with suspicion. Could it be that this Byakuya sought was somehow involved in the cinema?

Despite her curiosity, Konan held back her questions and joined Byakuya to watch the movie, treating it as a rare moment of leisure on their mission.

After the film ended, Byakuya used the Body Flicker Technique to teleport to a nearby hotel.

…

Inside a luxurious hotel suite, a middle-aged man was speaking with a young woman. Interestingly, the man maintained a respectful, kneeling posture throughout their conversation.

"Congratulations, Lady Koyuki. Your debut performance was a great success. If the upcoming films continue to do well, we'll surely gather the funds needed to avenge Lord Kazahana's death."

"Sandayū-san, I haven't really thought that far ahead," she replied with a faint smile.

"But I do enjoy being an actress. As long as the audience is happy with my work, I'm content. Whether or not we gather enough funds to return to our homeland isn't my main concern. Besides, I'm no longer the princess of the Land of Snow. I'm just an ordinary person now. And so, Mr. Sandayū, there's really no need to kneel before me."

At this, Koyuki Kazahana sighed, her eyes filled with memories of the past. She couldn't forget the day her father was murdered, nor the betrayal of her uncle who stole her birthright.

For now, merely evading the Snow Ninja's pursuit was challenging enough. Reclaiming her title as daimyo seemed impossible.

Hearing Koyuki's words, Sandayū showed a relieved smile. It was better for her to forget the position of the daimyo's heir. If the Snow Ninja were to track her down, they would all be in grave danger.

Taking back the daimyo position for Lady Koyuki would require meticulous planning. Overthrowing Doto Kazahana, who successfully usurped the throne, would necessitate substantial funding to hire ninjas and even the support of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Without their assistance, even if Lady Koyuki regained her position, holding onto it would be near impossible.

At that moment, an assistant knocked on the door, and after receiving permission, entered to deliver a message:

"Mr. Sandayū, there's a guest outside claiming to be an investor. He's brought a script and funding and wishes to discuss a movie project with you."

"A script-bearing investor?" Sandayū frowned but agreed to meet with the visitor.

About ten minutes later, Sandayū and Koyuki found themselves in the reception room with two visitors—a man and a woman. The "investors" were none other than Byakuya and Konan in disguise, using the Transformation Technique.

After a pause, Sandayū spoke up, saying, "I assume you two investors are here for 'The Great Adventure of Princess Gale'. While we are indeed short on funds, we cannot collaborate if the script doesn't meet our standards."

Byakuya replied confidently, "Don't worry. We'll make you an offer you can't refuse."

He then looked over at Koyuki Kazahana. She appeared even younger than him, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, yet carried herself with the presence of a true star. It made sense; others might play the role of a princess, but for Koyuki, it was her life.

As Byakuya examined Koyuki, Sandayū suddenly felt a bit uneasy. He carefully asked, "Could you tell us what your script is about and how much you plan to invest?"

Byakuya nodded and pulled a sheet of blank paper from his bag. At the top, it bore a simple title: 'The Princess's Revenge'.

"The Princess's Revenge?!"

Sandayū and Koyuki's faces instantly tensed as they exchanged wary glances, clearly on high alert as they looked at Byakuya and Konan.

Unfazed, Byakuya continued, "Indeed, it's the story of a princess seeking revenge. Think about it: why would a princess, of all people, choose a life of adventure? She must have had a reason, perhaps something that forced her to leave her homeland."

Byakuya's words struck a nerve, leaving both Sandayū and Koyuki visibly shaken. Although Byakuya spoke of a fictional "Princess Gale," his implications were clear—he was referencing Princess Koyuki's real-life escape from the Land of Snow. He seemed to know everything about their past.

They hesitated to flee, for two reasons: neither was a ninja, and they weren't skilled in combat. Additionally, they were unsure of Byakuya's intentions, uncertain if he was friend or foe.

After a long silence, Koyuki spoke, "What do you think the princess should do? Should she remain an adventurer, or return to reclaim her homeland and seek revenge?"

Resting his chin on his hand, Byakuya replied in an unhurried tone, "That depends on the princess herself. If she's given up, then there's no one who can help her."

"But," he added with a smile, "I'd be more than happy to assist a runaway princess. This is an investment that could yield tremendous returns."

Koyuki fell silent, deeply contemplating his words. After a long pause, she finally spoke again, "What kind of assistance can you offer us, and what price would I have to pay?"

Although young, Koyuki was no fool; she understood that Byakuya surely had his own motives.

Byakuya chuckled and answered, "The price is high, of course, but it's still far better than surrendering your entire country to the man who killed your father. Think carefully, and decide whether you need my investment."