"The date for Danzō's execution has been set."
"Then we'll make sure to squeeze out every benefit we can."
Naruto was suddenly yanked into the office by Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade! Your image!" Shizune scolded.
"Pig~"
"It's fine, Shizune, there's no one else here."
"Um… okay~"
After a while, Naruto sat across from Tsunade, wiping his face with a sigh.
"You only ever call me in like this when it's serious."
Tsunade leaned her cheek against her palm and smiled. "Can't I call you in for nothing?"
"You can, but I know you better than that."
"Alright, there's a mission. An A-rank one, under the name of Team 7 and the authority of the Hidden Leaf."
Shizune placed a scroll in front of him.
"Land of Snow?"
Tsunade nodded. "Princess Koyuki Kazahana has requested an escort back to the Land of Snow."
Shizune added, "That country still hasn't signed the Five Kage Peace Accord. You're being sent not only as an escort, but as an envoy. There's more to this than it seems."
"They're putting a lot of faith in their Chakra Armor tech," Tsunade said, tapping her desk. "It's a mix of technology and ninjutsu. Thought it might interest you."
Naruto set Ton-Ton down and nodded.
"Alright. I'll take the mission myself."
"Sorry to burden you," Shizune said, apologetic. "The others are all on assignment."
"I can handle it solo."
A gloomy sky. Rain misted across the battlefield.
"We… we've got no way out."
"This journey… we won't make it."
"That's it. We should just give up."
Naruto sat in a nearly empty theater, watching Kazahana Koyuki's latest movie play out on the screen. On-screen, her character slowly stood up, wounded but defiant.
"There's still hope. I believe in it…"
The scene was wrapping up. Naruto stood and walked out of the theater before the credits rolled.
Outside, he paused near the wooden gate of the old cinema, gazing up at the cloudy sky.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
The sound of approaching hooves echoed down the street.
"Hyaaah—!"
A white horse burst through the gate, heading straight for Naruto.
The animal skidded to a stop just before trampling him. Its rider flew through the air in a graceful arc.
"Aaah—!"
Thud.
She landed hard at Naruto's feet.
"You!" she groaned, lifting her head—and froze upon seeing Naruto calmly standing before her.
Just then, the stable doors flew open. Dozens of warriors on horseback surged forward, surrounding the woman—Kazahana Koyuki—and Naruto.
This was the mission: escorting the former princess back to the Land of Snow.
The Land of Snow was far from the Land of Fire, and Naruto had another goal beyond escorting royalty—he intended to verify whether the entrance to the Pure Land might lie hidden in its territory.
"Greetings. I am Sandayū Asama, coordinator of this mission," said the aging producer, bowing.
Naruto gave a small nod, then looked toward Koyuki.
"You're insane!" she snapped. "Only a devil would willingly go to the Land of Snow!"
Clearly, she wasn't thrilled to be here.
"Don't you want to see spring return to your homeland?" Naruto asked, calm as ever.
As he spoke, his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun into life.
"Don't worry. I'll help you reclaim your kingdom. That's my mission. Your uncle isn't cooperating. I need a daimyo who will."
"Impossible!" Koyuki hissed. "You have no idea how powerful they are. You'll die if you resist!"
But when Naruto mentioned spring, her gaze flickered with emotion—an old memory surfacing.
Her expression turned fearful again.
"Rest for now," Naruto said.
With a final turn of the Mangekyō, Koyuki's resistance crumbled. She slumped into unconsciousness.
Naruto caught her and hoisted her onto his back.
Facing Sandayū and the old film crew director, he spoke firmly.
"Let's move."
Without waiting, he carried Koyuki to the ship.
As he walked, he glanced at the hexagonal crystal around her neck.
Is this the activation key for the generator?
He shook the thought away and headed to the deck. The crew had nearly finished boarding.
Sandayū followed behind, about to speak—but Naruto raised a hand to stop him.
"The Land of Snow rejected the Five Principles of Peace. This mission is a front—Konoha is intervening in their internal affairs."
"You don't have to explain yourself," Sandayū said, bowing deeply. "Just… promise me that the Land of Snow will finally find peace."
"Your country's technology could change the shinobi world. That's one of the reasons I came myself."
Sandayū fell to his knees.
"I knew it… You're Naruto Uzumaki-sama of the Hidden Leaf! You came in person! We're saved!"
Naruto helped him up, smiling gently.
"Stand up. Bow to your princess if you want—but not to me."
He extended his hand.
Sandayū hesitated for a moment—then took it.
"It's an honor to work with you."
…
Snow Country
"So it's confirmed. Fuji Fuyuki is Kazehana Koyuki."
"No wonder it took ten years of digging."
"She's just one girl. Shouldn't be hard to handle."
"There's a Konoha shinobi guarding her now."
Fenghua Nutao smirked, arms folded. "Another Leaf ninja? This should be fun."
"Those fools are busy with their so-called Peace Conference lately... Ignore them. Just bring the princess back."
The Next Day
Koyuki stirred in her sleep, lashes fluttering.
She slowly opened her eyes to the dull throb of the ship's engine and the creaking ceiling above.
"You're awake."
Koyuki's eyes widened. "You! A Leaf ninja?!"
She scrambled upright, panic and fury flooding her face. "You don't understand what you've gotten yourself into!"
Naruto sat nearby, calm as ever. "You're talking about their strength?"
"They'll kill you all!"
"Relax," Naruto said, raising a hand gently. "You've been traumatized by them—your fear makes them seem invincible."
"Princess Koyuki, I know what happened all those years ago."
He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm here to help you reclaim the Land of Snow. Trust me."
Koyuki hesitated, caught off guard by his calm presence. She looked away, bitterness creeping into her voice.
"I'm no warrior. All I know is how to act."
"Then act brave," Naruto said softly. "Once we help you reclaim your kingdom, I'll need your cooperation."
"If—if you can really take back the Snow Country…" She glared at him, trembling. "I'll do anything!"
But her voice trembled more with dread than defiance.
Then, she lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling again.
"You'll die. One by one. Just like before…"
Naruto didn't argue. He simply stood, walked to her bedside, and pulled her up.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!"
"We've arrived."
They stepped out onto the deck. The icy wind hit them immediately.
In the distance, a massive glacier blocked the ship's path.
The film crew was already on deck, pointing and cheering at the scenery.
But Koyuki's face went pale. Her legs froze in place, eyes locked on the ice.
Flashbacks flickered behind her eyes—memories buried deep.
Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder.
She turned to him, horror etched on her face.
"Calm down," Naruto said. "You'll soon see if my words are empty or not."
"You're insane!" Koyuki shouted, struggling. "What are you planning?!"
Her feet lifted off the ground.
A gust of wind stole the rest of her scream.
"I don't mind your acting. That's your dream," Naruto said, carrying her with ease. "But you're also the rightful heir to the Land of Snow."
"Konoha's Peace Conference wasn't just a show. We need the Snow Country to be the first minor nation to support the Shinobi Union."
"Once you do, others will follow."
"The Snow Country's tech can reshape the shinobi world. And your people only recognize you."
"I don't want to use force, so please—just cooperate."
With that, they landed softly on a stretch of Iceland, facing the wall of ice.
Koyuki fell silent, still processing everything Naruto had just said.
She wasn't ignorant. Even during her acting years, she'd heard whispers of the world beyond the cameras—especially from her Third Attendant, who always muttered warnings into her ear.
After a moment, she looked up and asked quietly, "You're… Uzumaki Naruto, aren't you?"
Naruto gave a slight nod.
Then he pointed to the distance.
"Look. Do you recognize them?"
Three shadowy figures stood atop a jagged glacier, each one wrapped in enhanced chakra armor. Their presence radiated cold, focused menace.
Koyuki gasped.
She instinctively took a step back—then another.
Naruto caught her and pulled her close, gently but firmly.
"You're afraid," he said. "But the only way to conquer fear… is to face it."
"You think they're powerful?"
"They are—but not because of talent. It's the armor. That's why I'm here."
"With enough chakra, even you could match their strength in that armor."
In the sealed space within Naruto's soul, Kurama stirred.
The Nine-Tails flicked an ear, sensing something.
The figure within—the shadow of Naruto—paused in his task of counting explosive tags and looked toward the icy north.
Back outside, Koyuki continued to tremble, her mind stuck in a loop of panic.
"Run… Run! It's not too late!" she screamed.
Naruto frowned, a trace of helplessness flashing across his face.
She's still too trapped in the past…
I tried to guide her gently. Guess it's time to be blunt.
"I wanted to ease you in," he said quietly. "But maybe you need something more shocking."
He stepped closer, his voice low and firm.
"Once those three kneel before you…"
"…and you wear their chakra armor…"
"…you'll understand what I mean."