✿ One Week Later ✿

"Should we continue to wait?" Sayuri asked Kyle at breakfast time.

"No," Kyle replied, taking the piece of buttered toast Sayuri handed him, "Donnie hasn't done anything other than hiding at the Underworld while Xavier is still going about like normal."

"Ronin didn't allow Donnie to kill Xavier, but it's still strange that he hasn't done something. Hurt isn't killing, right? It's certainly taking too long," Kyle continued, as he munched.

He refilled Sayuri's cup of coffee and placed one teaspoon of sugar in it, just how she liked it.

She stirred the coffee and took a sip, watching Kyle as he continued, "We can't afford to wait until they find a replacement for Xavier. I was hoping that Donnie would rush at least try to do something to Xavier. Get him out of hiding and get revenge or something. At least smoke him out, but I guess he's too loyal to his Master. Pity."

"Did we wait too long then?" Sayuri asked worriedly.

"Can't say," Kyle replied, "But I don't think so. Partly because there has been no activity, and partly because it takes about 10 days for a gunshot wound to heal."

"I don't think Donnie can do anything yet during this time, and it will certainly take time to get a replacement. Still, this is a good time to just start with Plan B. Dang, but Plan A would have been the best," Kyle mused, pursing his lips in annoyance.

Sayuri shook her head.

At least he had several plans in place. There was also Plan C and D, two other possible scenarios should Plan A not be viable anymore. He had been so worried about the variables that he spent so much time thinking of all the possible routes and alternatives.

And each Plan had its own alternate plans as well, though there not as many alternatives as compared to the 'main' plan.

Maybe that's why he's a special kind of stupid when it comes to his own feelings and the way people look at him. His energy and brain juice went all towards his work and kids, so he never thought about himself.

Sayuri brushed the breadcrumbs from the side of his cheek as she got up, taking her plate to the table. Kyle quickly finished up his breakfast and cleared up the table.

First thing's first.

Xavier.

The good thing is that Donnie thought Xavier betrayed them, so the latter has lost his backing. Kyle had the freedom now to do whatever he wanted without fear of any repercussion from their end.

"Wish I had put poison in the bullet as well," Kyle muttered under his breath.

Actually, when he thought about it, Kyle supposed he and Donnie were destined to be enemies for life.

Donnie is a ronin now, which means he does not see himself as a ninja. Having been banished from the Ninja Clan and raised by the samurais, it only made sense. Ironic that a man who had been banished is the enemy of one who entered.

A ninja vs a samurai.

Donnie would probably turn his nose down on Kyle for the use of poisons as it was not 'honourable'. Not that Kyle cared. If it got the job done, what was wrong with it? All this talk about honour thing was pure nonsense.

Kyle wasn't dishonourable.

He wouldn't do something as bad, like stabbing someone in the back … okay, he would. What he meant was, he wouldn't distract the guy to gain the upper hand … no, scratch that. He would.

Alright, so Kyle fought dirty.

He would strike first before the other party was ready. He would do whatever it takes to get the guy down, but those were just fighting techniques. What he meant about 'dishonour' was that he wouldn't hold the guy's family as a hostage or torture them just to make the guy not be able to fight.

Of course, to Donnie, Kyle's 'dirty tactics' went against the grain of any samurai's code of ethics. It also made sense now how Donnie would straightforwardly beat up on Kylie, and the cuts she had received from him.

Thinking of the expert way Donnie had inflicted those wounds on Kylie did cause Kyle a bit of a headache.

Kyle was not confident in his sword skills.

Hand-to-hand, yes. Weapons like guns and throwing knives, yes.

Swords?

He didn't have much experience in it, and thus, is not proficient in them. It's not like he could go around carrying swords on missions now, could he?

This … is going to be tricky.

For the first time since his rebirth, Kyle was nervous about a fight. If it ever got into one with Donnie, he couldn't be sure that he would emerge the victor if Donnie had a sword.

Well, it was a good thing that a sword isn't something you can casually bring around - and, he was still injured. So, for now, he isn't much of a threat.

At least, Kyle hoped so.

✿ Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ✿

The next day, all the major newspaper portals had been given a file containing certain information about a certain Minister.

Although all were excited, none published the news.

Some did not do so because they were afraid of the repercussions, but there were a few that did not do so because they wanted to verify it first. The news may be tantalizing, but it was not worth ruining the good name of their newspaper.

That, and the fact that they didn't want to have to face a lawsuit.

What was the news all about?

Nothing major, really.

Just some scandalous pictures of the Minister in compromising situations with several young girls. It wouldn't have been much of an issue if it was not for the fact that the Minister was married and in conservative Country M?

Such actions were frowned upon. Public outcry can be overwhelming.

It was only the beginning.