The Shadow Guard only answers to the Kazekage.
They're his personal guard—his shadows.
Even an ordinary member of the guard, when facing someone like Elder Chiyo, only needs to give a light nod of acknowledgment.
But this woman… this high-ranking operative?
Rasa was fairly certain she'd nearly dropped to her knees before switching to a bow at the last second—perhaps remembering something critical just in time.
After all, while he might be the next Kazekage, it wasn't official yet. Nothing was set in stone.
Even if he did become Kazekage, the Shadow Guard wouldn't greet him with a full kneel every time. A single knee would suffice.
And yet… here she was, holding that ninety-degree bow like a statue, silent as stone.
Rasa started to wonder if she might be… mentally off.
The crowd around them thickened.
Windows that had been tightly shut were now cracked open, suspicious eyes peeking through.
This was turning into a spectacle—and Rasa hated being the center of one.
He could already feel the eyes crawling over him like bugs.
Glancing again at the silent, unmoving woman in front of him, Rasa's patience cracked.
With a twitch of his jaw, he grabbed her gloved, slender left hand—still politely pressed against her side—and yanked her into the house.
SLAM.
The door shut firmly behind them, cutting off the gawking eyes and whispered gossip.
The onlookers outside buzzed even louder.
Before long, whispers began to ripple through the neighborhood.
"Did you see that?"
"That was one of the Shadow Guard, wasn't it?"
"Isn't that… the personal guard of the Kazekage?"
"Wait—does that mean Rasa's going to be the next Kazekage?!"
Sunagakure might find the Shadow Guard mysterious and elite, but the villagers weren't ignorant. Decades of living under their protection had familiarized them with their presence.
What they weren't familiar with, however, was the news of the Third Kazekage's disappearance.
That intel hadn't yet reached the general public—or the lower-ranked ninja.
Back inside, Rasa was just turning to speak when he heard a dull THUMP.
He froze.
No way…
Turning around, he was met with the exact sight he had feared.
The woman was on her knees—both of them.
Her forehead pressed firmly to the floor, gloved hands flat and reverent against the wood.
A textbook five-point prostration.
Her voice followed—soft, gentle, unwavering… and disturbingly fervent:
"Kozuki, Shadow Guard vice-commander, jōnin rank—here to greet Lord Rasa."
Rasa's raised foot paused midstep.
…Kozuki.
That name was far too familiar.
He'd seen it just earlier today—on his system's list of affection levels.
Realization struck Rasa like a flash of lightning.
No wonder I didn't recognize her…
She was the Vice-Commander of the Shadow Guard—which meant she'd seen him, not the other way around. That explained why she had been on the system's list of valid targets for affection points.
A mix of emotions swirled in his chest—part embarrassment, part satisfaction.
Embarrassed, because he hadn't expected someone with just 80-something affection to go so far as to kneel and greet him with full prostration.
Satisfied, because—well, he was still a man.
A man who'd lived in a supposedly "equal" society back home, where things like hierarchy and status were hidden behind niceties… but undeniably present. After experiencing how the real world punished those at the bottom, this moment—having a stunning beauty like Kozuki show him such deference—hit him right in the ego.
It felt good. And he wanted more!
Image of the woman's back bent over naked flashed into mind.
Of course, all these thoughts only took a moment.
In reality, his suspended foot paused in the air for barely half a second before he stepped forward, calm and collected.
He'd never experienced anything like this in real life—but he'd seen enough novels, manga, and games to know how to play along.
He quickly walked up to Kozuki, leaned down with a warm smile, and gently helped her to her feet.
"There's no need for this, Kozuki. I'm just an ordinary jōnin—how could I possibly deserve such a grand display?"
As he grasped her arm to lift her up, a stray thought darted through his head.
Damn, her arm is really soft. Even through the coat and bandages, I can tell her skin's smooth as silk.
Sure, he'd touched her briefly earlier when dragging her inside, but that had been too quick. Now, he had time to appreciate the tactile feedback.
Kozuki, of course, had no idea what was running through Rasa's mind. Not that it would've mattered—at 80+ affection, even if she knew, she wouldn't care in the slightest.
As Rasa helped her up, Kozuki's eyes—normally cold and distant—softened with a flicker of emotion. A twinge of sweetness bloomed in her chest. Her throat tightened. Her indigo eyes shone with a touch of… was that gratitude?
Now standing, Kozuki simply stared at him, unmoving.
Rasa found himself awkwardly smiling under the intensity of her gaze.
Okay… this isn't going how it's supposed to go.
By now, she should've said something, maybe bowed again or exchanged polite words. But instead, she just stood there, staring at him like he'd hung the moon.
Even though she wore a mask, her eyes—slightly red and moist—told the story. She was deeply, emotionally moved.
Rasa did his best to keep a polite smile and gestured toward a nearby chair.
"Please, Kozuki. Have a seat."
To his surprise, Kozuki immediately panicked.
"N-No! Lord Rasa, please… don't address me so formally! I'm not worthy! Just Kozuki is fine. Or whatever you prefer to call me!"
She flailed her hands in a panic, her usually calm voice rising an octave.
Rasa blinked, then nodded with a chuckle. "Alright. Kozuki it is."
Kozuki carefully sat down, back straight, posture perfect. Legs together, hands resting politely on her knees, her every move radiating discipline.
Rasa poured a glass of water and offered it to her with both hands, as was custom.
Kozuki's response was immediate—she leapt up, bowed deeply, and accepted the cup with reverent hands.
"Um… you're not going to take off your mask?" Rasa asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm terribly sorry, Lord Rasa! I've simply become too accustomed to wearing my mask and coat in the presence of others. I'll remove them immediately!"
She reacted as though she had just received a royal decree—perhaps even more fervently than a loyal slave receiving orders from her master
In a flurry of motion, she reached to remove her mask—only to suddenly pause and glance down at her right hand.
Oh. She was still holding the water cup.
Realizing her mistake, Kozuki quickly placed the cup on the table, fumbled with both hands, and peeled off the rabbit mask. Then the coat came off, followed by her gloves, and even the bandages wrapped around her arms.
"Wait, I didn't mean you had to—" Rasa started, but seeing she was already halfway through stripping off layers, he just sighed. "—nevermind."
He waved a hand helplessly. She was just removing outerwear anyway—nothing scandalous.
As the last of the bandages slipped away, Rasa found himself transfixed. The more she removed, the more her natural allure began to emerge.
Kozuki's beauty had been wrapped in layer after layer—coat, mask, bandages, gloves. She was like a ruby buried deep beneath desert sands: radiant, but hidden from the world.
But now?
With each layer peeled away, it was like brushing aside the dust of ages, revealing a gemstone so dazzling you couldn't look away.
She wasn't just beautiful—she was captivating.
And Rasa couldn't help but wonder:
Just how far can this affection system take me…?