*Poof!*
A muffled sound jolted Kakashi awake from his slumber. He turned toward the noise, only to find Asuma had vanished.
"It seems my suspicions were correct." Shikaku said, his voice low and grim.
Even Maito Gai, who was usually slow on the uptake, sensed that something was wrong.
That sound just now—it was unmistakably the noise of a clone dispersing.
"Yeah... I never expected it would be him." Kakashi muttered, his tone heavy.
Asuma was part of their generation. To witness him betraying them firsthand left a bitter taste in Kakashi's mouth.
"So, do we still head to the Iwa shinobi camp?" Gai asked.
His relationship with Asuma had never been particularly close—nothing like his bond with Kakashi. While the revelation unsettled him slightly, it didn't weigh on him as heavily as it did on Kakashi.
Kakashi and Shikaku exchanged glances before nodding in silent agreement.
"We must go. This negotiation was part of our mission from the start. The Iwa shinobi's blockade is already affecting Konoha. If this continues, they might escalate to an outright attack." Kakashi reasoned coldly.
Grief would only make him stronger, not hold him back.
Shikaku picked up where he left off. "If we fail now, we'll be branded as Konoha's failures. The three of us heading there won't guarantee success, but at least we can show our sincerity and buy time until Tsunade-sama responds."
"Got it!"
Maito Gai wasn't about to question the plan of two of Konoha's most brilliant minds.
His role now was simple—protect these two. If the Iwa shinobi resorted to force, it would be time for Maito Gai to unleash the crimson beast within.
"No time to waste. Let's move out now!"
Kakashi stood and quickly packed his things. After a brief pause, he formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
An identical Kakashi appeared beside him.
"Shikaku, Gai, I'll send this clone to report to Tsunade-sama and gather intel. You two proceed with my real self to the Iwa camp. I'll dispel the clone to relay info when I'm done."
"Understood. Go ahead." Shikaku replied, swiftly gathering his own belongings.
Once ready, the three extinguished the campfire and dashed into the distance.
---
Meanwhile, a large ship departed from the port of the Land of Iron.
Standing on the deck, Kazahana Koyuki watched as the harbor slowly faded into the distance, her heart filled with frustration.
"Now I really have to go back... You're all such villains!"
"Koyuki-nee, you don't need to worry. You've got us—Konoha shinobi—protecting you. And trust me, we're plenty strong!" Ino reassured her with a bright smile.
Ino's impression of the Land of Snow was limited to its perpetual winter and little else.
As for its shinobi?
Please. A country without a proper shinobi village couldn't possibly have any real ninja worth mentioning.
Shinobi training wasn't something that happened overnight.
From selecting suitable candidates to years of foundational training, followed by real combat experience and growth—only the Five Great Villages had the resources to cultivate true warriors. Minor villages like Grass or Star barely taught basic chakra control, let alone proper combat techniques. How could they ever compete?
And a place like the Land of Snow, which didn't even have a shinobi village? Aside from a few wandering mercenaries, Ino doubted there'd be any real threats there.
"You don't understand... Kazahana Dotō is too strong!" Koyuki's voice trembled as she recalled that night of slaughter.
It had left a scar she couldn't shake. If she had a choice, she'd never return to that cursed land.
"Strong? Pfft. Is he stronger than Hikari-senpai?" Ino scoffed.
"Ino, that's not the right attitude." Shikamaru chided. "Have you forgotten the shinobi code? Underestimating any opponent is dangerous. That kind of arrogance will get you killed."
Ino shot him an annoyed glare. 'Idiot, can't you see I'm trying to cheer her up?'
Realizing his misstep, Shikamaru quickly added, "Not that I disagree—Hikari-senpai is strong. But overconfidence is still bad."
"You people don't get it at all!"
Koyuki stared at the trio before her—the lazy pineapple-head, the brash blonde, and the gluttonous oaf—she felt nothing but despair.
'Oh heavens, why have you forsaken me? Why send me these... these...'
'Couldn't they have at least assigned someone competent?'
"Princess, it's time for your meal."
Her loyal retainer, Asama Sandayū, approached and bowed respectfully.
"Ugh! Eat, eat, eat—is that all anyone ever thinks about? Can't we do something else for once?" Koyuki snapped, though her body betrayed her as she obediently followed Sandayū into the cabin.
The moment she spotted Kamizuki Hikari sitting there, perfectly at ease, she shot him a glare brimming with resentment.
This villain!
He had thwarted her at every turn, even going so far as to spank her! Such behavior was utterly uncivilized!
Just you wait!
When she became queen, she would make sure he'd pay for this!
"Hikari-senpai!" The Ino-Shika-Chō trio greeted him politely before taking their seats.
"Good, none of you are seasick. That's a relief." Hikari said with a cheerful smile. "Now eat up. Once we're done, it's time for training."
Training?!
Are you a demon?!
We're on a ship!
Even Chōji, who loved food more than anything, suddenly found his meal tasteless.
"You're going to train? Can I watch?"
As both a real-life princess and the star of The Adventures of Princess Gale, Koyuki was deeply curious about shinobi abilities. The idea of watching them train was too intriguing to pass up.
"Of course. In fact, you can even join if you'd like." Hikari replied warmly.
The unusual kindness in his tone made Shikamaru shoot Koyuki a look of pity.
'Girl, I've never seen someone volunteer for torture like this.'
'The man in front of you isn't human—he's a demon in disguise!'
"R-Really?!" Koyuki couldn't believe her ears.
Had this man finally seen the error of his ways? Had her natural charm made him realize how terribly he'd treated her? Was this his way of making amends?
That had to be it!
"Absolutely. Eat quickly—today's training will be very exciting."
Watching the color drain from the Ino-Shika-Chō trio's faces, Hikari nodded in satisfaction.
'Good, good. This fearless spirit is exactly what I want to see.'
'As your teacher, I couldn't be prouder!'
"Then I'll hurry up and eat!"
Koyuki immediately dug into her fish platter with renewed vigor.
At sea, fish would be their staple for a long time to come.
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