Fuji Prince

Faced with the offer of a handshake from Lord Fuji, Tsunade simply snorted, turned away without a word, and strode off. Lord Fuji was left standing there, momentarily stunned, but as he regained his composure, his gaze darkened considerably.

Any man would feel humiliated to be so publicly snubbed, and Fuji, with his prideful nature, could not tolerate rejection—especially not from a woman. Not even if that woman was Tsunade, the Princess of the Leaf.

Shizune, seeing the situation, hurriedly bowed over and over, apologizing profusely to Lord Fuji and Director Yamamoto. “I’m terribly sorry. Lady Tsunade has had nothing but trouble these past few days, so she is in a rather foul mood. I’ll go help her pack her things right away and bring her to the set as soon as possible.”

She wasn’t making excuses—Tsunade truly had been down on her luck recently. Not only had she lost money at the gambling table as always, but she’d also been humiliated by Kisame’s headbutt, and even the treasured Raijin Sword from her family shrine had been stolen. She was more than a little frustrated.

After Shizune hurried after Tsunade, Director Yamamoto turned to Lord Fuji, his face plastered with a servile smile. “Lord Fuji, I am deeply grateful for your support of our film and myself. There’s just a small matter where I could use your help…”

“What is it?” Lord Fuji’s tone was cold, his mood soured by Tsunade’s rejection.

“Well, I’ve found someone perfect to play the villain, but he refuses to take the role…”

“The villain? Is that character really so important? You could just grab someone off the street for a role like that,” Fuji interrupted impatiently. In his view, the leads were the heart of any romance film—and he and Tsunade made a strikingly handsome pair. Audiences went to the cinema to watch beautiful people fall in love. Who cared about the villain?

“Of course, Lord Fuji, you’re absolutely right—the villain I’ve chosen is indeed someone I found off the street!” Yamamoto fawned, eager to please. “In our film, the uglier, nastier, and more loathsome the villain, the more they’ll set off your leading man’s good looks, heroism, and righteousness. Besides, with so many movies coming out these days, audiences are growing tired of the same old cookie-cutter villains.”

He tried his best to persuade Lord Fuji. Though Yamamoto had accepted Fuji’s money and agreed to let him buy his place as the lead, the director still held onto some shred of artistic ambition.

“You make a fair point—you truly are the professional director I had my eye on,” Lord Fuji finally conceded after a moment’s thought. Then, offhandedly, “But is this person really so talented? Is he the only one who can play the villain?”

Yamamoto’s eyes lit up, his excitement barely contained. “Please trust my years of experience. That man barely needs to act—just standing there, he exudes menace. What’s more, he’s a ninja whose skills match the script perfectly. He’s simply irreplaceable. And…” Here, he glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then leaned in to whisper, “I’ve heard a bit of gossip—Tsunade’s bad mood is all because she had an unpleasant run-in with this man. From what I’ve seen over the years, if we channel that real-life animosity into their on-screen rivalry, the shoot could go even smoother, and the final product will be all the more compelling.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lord Fuji’s thoughts shifted. If he brought this man into the cast, perhaps he could help Tsunade settle the score and teach the fellow a lesson. That might just win him her favor. It could even be the opportunity he needed to win her over completely.

Lord Fuji knew Tsunade was nearly a decade older than he was, but he didn’t care—he was attracted to mature, beautiful women, and had nothing but disdain for youthful, inexperienced girls.

With that in mind, he told Director Yamamoto, “Give me the villain’s name. Yamamoto, there’s nothing that money can’t buy in this world.”

“His name is Kisame Hoshigaki, a Chunin from the Hidden Mist,” Yamamoto replied, his face brightening with hope.

“Leave it to me,” Lord Fuji said confidently. If he could recruit Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, what was a mere Mist Chunin in comparison? In his eyes, ninjas were little more than servants to be summoned and dismissed at will—no better than a pack of begging dogs. Most of the ninja he’d encountered would do anything for enough money, utterly lacking in morals or principle. In truth, they were an uncultured, violent lot, good for nothing but fighting and killing. Men like him—kind-hearted tycoons—were the ones truly shaping and changing the world.

“With you handling things, I’m reassured,” Yamamoto replied with a broad, ingratiating smile. He knew that this scion of the Fuji clan received a monthly allowance of thirty million ryo—a sum ordinary people couldn’t even imagine. The Fuji family was well-connected in the Land of Water. A single word from them to the Hidden Mist leadership would surely bring Kisame to the set without complaint.

A few days later, the Hidden Mist party departed the Land of Fire unharmed and returned to the Land of Water, pausing to rest in Coastal Town—the very port where Kisame had once bought a home for Yuki Onna and her child, Haku. The town was a bustling hub for commerce, tourism, and military affairs.

To Kisame’s surprise, Director Yamamoto’s crew had also arrived—their location scouting in the Land of Water had evidently brought them to Coastal Town.

During the break, Kisame planned to check in on Yuki Onna and Haku, but he was suddenly summoned by the Third Mizukage.

The Mizukage explained that the illustrious Fuji family, friends of the Land of Water’s daimyo, had been negotiating investment deals with the Hidden Mist for the past two years and were esteemed guests. Just earlier, Lord Fuji had called, saying he’d watched the recent Chunin Exams and wanted Kisame Hoshigaki, the champion, to serve as his bodyguard in the film crew—and play the villain as well.

The fee for these two jobs was a staggering five million ryo. Even the most difficult S-rank missions rarely began above a million. All Kisame had to do was act as a bodyguard and play a small part, and he’d earn five million—money for nothing. Such was Lord Fuji’s power.

“This assignment must be flawless. You must satisfy Lord Fuji—understand?” the Mizukage ordered, leaving no room for refusal.

“Yes, sir.” Kisame bowed his head, accepting the command. “I’ll make certain Lord Fuji feels… right at home.”

With that, he withdrew from the room.