After landing in the Land of Snow, Shigure walked ahead with an expression of quiet resignation. Just a few paces behind him trailed Koyuki Kazahana, sticking unusually close.
Every time their eyes met, both their faces flushed red.
Kakashi, of course, noticed the awkward tension between them. His thoughts drifted back to the day on the ship—how Koyuki had entered Shigure's room and never came back out until they were nearly at shore.
Kakashi let out a sigh and muttered to himself.
"Why can't things like that ever happen to me...?"
"Oi, Kakashi-sensei!"
Shigure's voice called from behind. He had gathered Naruto and Sasuke as well.
Taking advantage of the team's short break, Shigure had decided it was time to talk.
"That Yukie Fujikaze is looking for me again," Shigure began.
Kakashi simply nodded, smirking slightly. "I know."
He even winked.
Shigure blinked, thrown off. What's with that face?
Thankfully, Sasuke interrupted before it got weirder. "What does she want you to do?"
Shigure cleared his throat, avoiding Kakashi's gaze. "She wants to issue a new commission."
"A mission?" Naruto's ears perked up immediately. "Really? That's great! More missions mean more rewards!"
"What kind of mission is it?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms.
"She wants us to help her reclaim her country," Shigure said. "Her real name is Koyuki Kazahana. She's the princess of the Land of Snow."
"Princess?!"
Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to look at each other, wide-eyed.
But doubt crept in quickly.
"She says she's a princess... but how do we know it's true?" Naruto muttered.
Before they could question it further, Kakashi stepped in calmly.
"She's telling the truth," he said. "I was the one who rescued her from the Land of Snow years ago."
None of them knew the details of Kakashi's past mission, but the moment he said it, they accepted it without question. If Kakashi said it, then it was fact.
"I didn't expect her to be royalty..." Sasuke muttered, shifting his gaze toward Koyuki, who at that very moment was watching Shigure from a distance.
That small glance made Sasuke frown ever so slightly.
"So, what exactly is this commission?" Naruto asked again, more curious than ever.
Shigure nodded. "She wants us to help her overthrow her uncle—Doto Kazahana—who's currently in control of the Land of Snow. She wants to reclaim her rightful position and restore peace to her country."
Helping a real-life princess reclaim her kingdom?
Naruto's eyes lit up. This sounded like something out of a storybook.
But before he could shout something impulsive, Kakashi coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention.
"Shigure," he said seriously, "a mission like this isn't one you can just accept on a whim. It borders on an S-rank assignment. Restoring a nation means interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign country."
He paused.
"Both Konoha and the Land of Fire would have to carefully assess the consequences before giving approval."
Shigure nodded, already aware of the weight such a request carried.
That was exactly why he'd brought this up—to see what Kakashi's stance was.
Because if official support wasn't possible…
There was only one other way forward.
"Let's just pretend we don't know about this mission," Kakashi said casually. His eyes flicked over to Shigure, who remained unfazed.
Changing the topic, Kakashi continued, "But our mission is to protect Yukie Fujikaze, and that hasn't changed—no matter who she really is."
"A Konoha shinobi must carry out the mission once it's accepted."
Shigure understood immediately.
What Kakashi meant was that there was no need to openly discuss restoring the Land of Snow's monarchy. Their role was to protect Yukie Fujikaze. If anyone came after Koyuki Kazahana, they'd simply eliminate the threat. As long as she had the proper reasons and justification, she was free to pursue her goals.
Shigure nodded in acknowledgment.
Kakashi gave him a teasing glance. "By the way, Koyuki Kazahana has peeked at you thirty-one times. Looks like you're quite the heartthrob, Shigure! That being said, go let Miss Yukie Fujikaze know that we're 'incapable' of helping her restore the country."
That damn Kakashi... He's clearly setting me up here.
Grumbling inwardly, Shigure had no choice but to face Koyuki.
Although he had technically declined the mission to restore the country, just like Kakashi, he had left Koyuki with a hint of encouragement.
The three court physicians standing nearby were dumbfounded by what they'd just heard.
They turned to their princess with astonished expressions.
"Your Highness... you finally—!"
Koyuki Kazahana gave a gentle smile. "If there's hope, of course I won't give up. I just couldn't see any before. But I never expected the Konoha shinobi to be this powerful. With their help, I believe we can—"
Tears welled up in the third physician's eyes at her words.
Just then, the director called out to Koyuki to return to the set.
"All right, Doctor Three," she said softly. "You understood Shigure-kun's message, didn't you? You know where the crew should head next?"
The third doctor beamed. "Of course! Your Highness, leave it to me. I'll tell the director where in the Land of Snow the scenery is most breathtaking. It'll be perfect for filming!"
Koyuki nodded and glanced at Shigure, who was resting nearby.
As she passed him, she whispered, "Thank you, Shigure-kun."
Shigure looked up and smiled. "No need."
"Even though I'm grateful for your help—and for not asking us to pay any extra commission—I must obtain Shigure-kun's kekkei genkai!"
Cough cough cough!
Shigure nearly choked on his own breath.
He could only watch in stunned silence as Koyuki walked off to film another scene.
I'm not sure if this is a blessing... or a curse.
Shigure pulled out a scroll from his pack, examining it quietly. Surely the higher-ups would be interested in this hidden land.
While the crew was busy loading equipment onto the trucks, Shigure made his way to the Snow Country's port and discreetly sent the scroll to a secure destination.
Soon, the crew was ready to set out. A convoy of vehicles began moving toward the Snow Country's interior.
Thanks to the third physician's recommendations, the director was practically dreaming of snowy vistas. With scenes like these, the film was bound to be a blockbuster.
The drive was rough, lasting most of the day, with the trucks jolting over the icy terrain.
During the trip, Shigure quietly worked on refining his Ice Release techniques.
After analyzing the jutsu used by the three snow shinobi, Shigure had to admit—they were pretty well-developed.
With the help of the Great Sage, he had already begun optimizing them into true ninjutsu—Ice Release of a higher order.
These were the new techniques he had mastered:
Ice Release: White Whale
Ice Release: Ice Prison
Ice Release: Icicle
Ice Release: Dragon-Breaking Tiger
Ice Release: Swallow Blowing Snow
Shigure was quite fond of these new jutsu. Combined with his Ice Release affinity and the frozen environment of the Snow Country, their power would be significantly enhanced.
BOOM!
A sudden explosion echoed in the distance.
"Oh no! Everyone, out of the car!" Kakashi shouted.
"Avalanche!!"
At his warning, Shigure, Naruto, and Sasuke leapt from their vehicles without hesitation.
...
TN:
🔟 Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin