Yukie Fujikaze was every bit as beautiful as she appeared on screen, and her acting deserved its reputation. Even Naruto found himself staring for a moment when they met.
Then the small hand clasped in his reminded him who was standing beside him.
Right. I already have someone.
Hinata stole a glance at Yukie, looking a little self-conscious. Naruto smiled and gently ruffled her hair.
Behind the actress's fame, however, was another identity.
Her real name was Koyuki Kazahana, princess of the Land of Snow. More than a decade ago, her uncle, Dotō Kazahana, had staged a coup and killed her father.
Kakashi had been there at the time. He had protected the young princess and helped her escape.
The client for this mission, Sandayū Asama, was both Yukie's manager and a loyal retainer of her late father. He had never abandoned his hope of bringing her home and restoring her rightful position.
With the film crew preparing to shoot in the Land of Snow, he had hired Konoha shinobi to protect her. He also hoped their presence would give him a chance to overthrow Dotō.
Yukie understood what he was trying to do.
She wanted no part of it.
The Land of Snow held nothing but painful memories for her, and she had no faith in his plans to reclaim the country.
So she kept trying to escape.
After chasing her through one attempt after another, Naruto finally caught up with her on horseback. He landed behind her and caught her around the waist before she could get away again.
"Enough already," he said with a sigh. "If you keep this up, I'll have to restrain you."
"Let go! I'm not going to the Land of Snow!"
Yukie twisted around and lashed at him with her riding whip.
The whip cracked.
Naruto pulled her off the saddle, holding her securely with one arm while catching the horse's reins with his free hand.
Hinata and Neji arrived a moment later.
Yukie continued struggling.
Naruto struck the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious. He laid her across the horse's back, then led it toward the ship waiting by the shore.
…
The ship set sail.
Before long, a massive iceberg blocked its course. Rather than waste the opportunity, the director decided to film a scene there while they dealt with the obstruction.
Yukie joined the crew on the ice, dressed for her role.
Naruto stepped onto the frozen surface and glanced at Hinata.
"Hinata, check the area. Find where the enemy is hiding."
"An enemy?"
She blinked in surprise, then quickly activated her Byakugan.
After scanning their surroundings, she stiffened.
"Three of them. One o'clock, three o'clock, and ten o'clock."
Why were enemy shinobi waiting here?
Wasn't this supposed to be an ordinary escort mission for a film crew?
Are they after Yukie-san? But why would anyone want to hurt her?
Beside her, Neji gave a quiet snort and readied himself.
The crew had barely begun filming when three explosive crashes broke the silence.
Three Snow shinobi burst from their hiding places.
"Welcome to the Land of Snow!"
Their leader looked straight at Yukie.
"We've been waiting for you, Princess Koyuki. Did you bring the hexagonal crystal?"
Another of the shinobi laughed.
"Konoha sent three children? They must be eager to get you killed."
Naruto looked them over and smiled dismissively.
"Three chūnin, and you're already acting as if you've won." He turned to his teammates. "Hinata, Neji. Take one each."
"Yes!"
Hinata rushed toward the nearest opponent, Fubuki Kakuyoku.
Neji moved to intercept the heavily built Mizore Fuyukuma.
That left their leader, Nadare Rōga.
"So you're the captain?" Nadare asked, looking Naruto up and down. "You've only just become a chūnin, haven't you?"
"You can recognize a rank. Good." Naruto's smile sharpened. "Now try recognizing when you're outmatched."
"I'll kill you!"
Nadare's hands flashed through a series of seals.
"Ice Release: Wolf Fang Avalanche!"
Snow surged down from the cliff above. Within moments, it took the shape of a pack of wolves, their frozen jaws snapping as they descended on Naruto.
The wolves swallowed him from sight.
"Naruto-kun!"
Hinata's face went pale.
For an instant, she forgot the opponent standing in front of her.
Fubuki seized the opening.
"Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm!"
A flock of sharp-winged ice swallows hurtled toward Hinata.
The barrage struck before she could defend herself, throwing her across the ice.
Blood spilled from her mouth.
Even so, she struggled to her feet. Without looking at Fubuki advancing toward her, she stumbled toward the mass of ice wolves.
"Naruto-kun…!"
"Fool," Neji muttered.
The word was meant for both of them.
You were supposed to be so strong. How could you go down that easily?
He still resented his defeat at Naruto's hands during the Chūnin Exams.
But resentment did not stop him from moving.
Neji broke away from his opponent and reached Hinata just as Fubuki launched another attack.
"Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!"
Chakra whirled around them, knocking the incoming attack aside before it could finish Hinata off.
Nadare sneered.
"Children, after all."
He turned away from the wolves and approached Yukie, who stood motionless on the ice.
"Come along, Princess Koyuki. Your uncle has missed you."
His grin widened as he reached for her.
The uncle he spoke of was the same man who had murdered her father and seized control of the Land of Snow.
Yukie watched him approach.
Her eyes were cold. There was no fear in them—only the quiet certainty of someone looking at a man who was already dead.
"I was going to play along for a little longer," she said. "But you hurt the girl I care about."
Nadare's outstretched hand stopped.
"What…? What are you talking about?"
"It means none of you are leaving alive."
Spinning blue chakra formed in "Yukie's" right hand.
"Rasengan!"
The attack slammed into Nadare's chest.
His chakra armor shattered beneath it. The spiraling force tore through his chest and crushed his heart.
He died before he could utter another word.
A puff of smoke dispersed, revealing Naruto in Yukie's place.
The Naruto swallowed by the wolves had been a shadow clone. The real one had concealed himself with the Transformation Technique.
Across the ice, Fubuki and Mizore stared in disbelief.
Nadare was an elite chūnin. They knew how strong he was, and he had been wearing the latest chakra armor.
Yet this boy had killed him in a single blow.
Naruto turned toward Fubuki.
"You're next."
His gaze settled on her, utterly cold.
"You hurt Hinata. Then you tried to kill her."
Fubuki's heart hammered.
She could almost feel death closing around her.
Without hesitation, she unfolded the wings built into her chakra armor and launched herself into the sky.
The Snow shinobi's armor amplified their ninjutsu and protected them against a range of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and physical attacks. Some suits also had special mechanisms built into them.
Fubuki's wings were one such feature.
Naruto watched her rise.
"Do you think flying will save you? Run as far as you want. I'll still kill you."
He created a shadow clone and sent it to treat Hinata.
Then he leaped into the air.
Wind carried him upward in a sudden rush. He overtook Fubuki, appeared above her, and drove his heel down into her.
The blow sent her crashing onto the ice.
She had barely begun to push herself up when Naruto descended beside her.
A blue Rasengan struck her face.
The impact shattered her skull, scattering blood and brain matter across the frozen ground.
Mizore stood frozen for a moment.
Then he turned and fled.
"Die."
Naruto swept both hands toward him.
Dozens of enormous wind blades formed behind the fleeing shinobi and struck in rapid succession.
Even his chakra armor could not protect his organs from the force of so many impacts.
Mizore was hurled to the ground.
He did not move again.
"Ding! You have killed three chūnin. Reward: 30 points."
Naruto ignored the system notification and hurried to Hinata.
Thankfully, his shadow clone had already treated her. Her injuries were almost completely healed.
He knelt beside her and took her hand.
"I'm sorry, Hinata. I should have told you what I was planning."
He could still see the fear on her face when the wolves had swallowed his clone—the way she had struggled up, bleeding, and tried to reach him.
It reminded him of the original story, when she had rushed to protect Naruto from Pain.
Faced with the thought of losing him, she had forgotten her own safety.
Warmth spread through his chest.
"Hinata… I won't let you get hurt like this again."
As he spoke, he left a Flying Thunder God mark on her right hand.
"N-Naruto-kun, I'm all right. I just… I thought you'd been hurt, so…"
Her cheeks reddened.
With his hand wrapped around hers, she could barely finish the sentence.