After the battle on the iceberg, Yukie's identity could no longer remain a secret..
Everyone now knew that Yukie Fujikaze was actually Koyuki Kazahana, princess of the Land of Snow. Sandayū Asama's explanation also revealed his true purpose: he wanted to overthrow Dotō and restore her rightful position.
Later, in a secluded cabin aboard the ship, Sandayū knelt before Naruto.
"Naruto-kun, I concealed the truth from Konoha. That was my fault," he said, bowing his head. "But I had no other choice. If I had told you everything from the beginning, your village would never have accepted this mission."
Naruto understood.
Konoha was the military power of the Land of Fire. Openly helping to overthrow another country's ruler would draw objections from the other nations. If things went badly enough, it could even lead to war.
With Konoha still recovering from the invasion, there was no chance it would willingly involve itself in such a conflict.
But Naruto did not refuse.
He considered the situation for a while, then checked their surroundings with his senses. No one was close enough to overhear.
"What do I get if I help you?"
Sandayū raised his head.
"What…?"
For a moment, he had no answer.
He was only a retainer. He could not casually make promises on the princess's behalf.
But he had seen Naruto's strength on the iceberg.
Sandayū clenched his jaw.
"What do you want?"
Naruto smiled.
"If the Land of Snow wants to prevent another coup—or defend itself against an invasion—it needs a shinobi force it can rely on."
He looked directly at Sandayū.
"I want control of Yukigakure. I also want control of the research and production of chakra armor."
Sandayū stared at him.
"But you're a Konoha shinobi. What happens if your village discovers what you're doing?"
"I'll send a companion here. She doesn't belong to any hidden village."
Naruto held his gaze and waited.
After a long hesitation, Sandayū nodded.
The arrangement could benefit both sides. Naruto was right: restoring the princess would mean little if they could not protect her government afterward. They needed a dependable hidden village to defend the country.
Entrusting that force to a stranger would be a gamble.
Naruto, at least, had a clear identity. He was a Konoha shinobi, and Sandayū had witnessed his strength firsthand.
Besides, there was little point arguing over their future interests if they never managed to reclaim the country.
Without Naruto's help, they might not even survive their next encounter with Dotō.
Sandayū had already gone too far to turn back.
Naruto tilted his head.
"Can you really make that decision for Yukie?"
"Princess Koyuki hasn't regained the confidence to reclaim her position," Sandayū replied. "Right now, I doubt she would even listen if I brought this up."
He paused, then continued firmly.
"Once we succeed, I'll persuade her. She's still young. I'm sure I can make her see reason."
"Is that so?"
Naruto studied him with an amused expression, then smiled without saying anything more.
If either of them tried to withdraw from the agreement later, he had ways of making them keep it.
His strength would settle the matter.
…
After another hour at sea, the ship reached the mainland of the Land of Snow.
The film crew wasted no time preparing another shoot.
Naruto glanced toward a nearby railway tunnel and raised an eyebrow.
Less than two minutes later, the rumble of an approaching train echoed from within it. As the engine drew closer, a line of tracks emerged from beneath the snow.
"The railway uses chakra to clear the ice from its tracks," Sandayū explained. "It was developed to keep the trains running in this climate."
The Land of Snow had some remarkable technology.
And Naruto knew its greatest achievement was still waiting for them.
The approaching train, however, was no welcome arrival.
It belonged to Dotō Kazahana.
Sandayū immediately hurried toward the nearby mountains, where his followers were already waiting to ambush the usurper.
He had no idea what they were about to face.
That train was a mobile arsenal. Once its weapons opened fire, his men would be cut down before they could reach it.
"Idiot."
Naruto shook his head.
Had Sandayū not already become his partner, he would not have concerned himself with the man's fate.
He remembered what had happened in the original story. Sandayū and his followers had charged the train, only to be riddled with kunai.
Whether the same thing happened here would ordinarily have meant nothing to him.
But now he would need Sandayū's cooperation after Dotō was gone.
A series of metallic clicks rang out.
Panels along both sides of the train folded down, exposing rows of mounted kunai launchers.
At the same time, Sandayū emerged from the mountains in armor, leading his followers toward the train.
It was a ragged force. Many were old or ill; others struggled with injuries or could barely keep pace. They carried swords and wooden staves.
They were charging straight into a massacre.
Naruto created a shadow clone.
"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"
Both slammed their palms against the ground.
The earth shuddered beneath everyone's feet. The film crew scrambled away as the ground under the railway heaved upward.
Huge earthen spears erupted beneath the train.
Metal shrieked. The carriages buckled, and the entire train toppled from the tracks, crashing onto its side.
The mounted launchers were crushed before they could fire.
Both techniques came from the elemental ninjutsu scrolls Naruto had recently obtained from Orochimaru.
Before the dust could settle, an airship appeared overhead.
A rope snare shot down from it and caught Yukie as she fled through the confusion.
The line tightened, hauling her into the air.
Hinata and Neji, who had been guarding her, immediately tried to cut the rope with their kunai.
Neither blade could sever it.
The rope had clearly been specially reinforced.
They watched Yukie disappear into the airship, then turned toward Naruto and gave him a small nod.
The corners of his mouth lifted into a wicked smile.
…
Aboard the airship, Dotō Kazahana looked over his niece with obvious satisfaction.
"Koyuki. It's been years," he said with false affection. "Look how much you've grown. Still the same lovely little princess, though."
Yukie turned her face away and refused to answer.
Dotō spread his hands.
"Very well. Let's stop wasting time. Did you bring the hexagonal crystal?"
With a look of disgust, Yukie drew the crystal from beneath her collar and handed it to him.
Dotō cradled it in both hands.
Then he laughed.
"At last!"
He turned toward his subordinates.
"Take us to the treasure! Immediately!"
Over the years, he had located the place where his brother's treasure was supposed to be hidden. He also knew that the hexagonal crystal was the key.
Now he finally had everything he needed.
What he failed to notice was Yukie's expression.
With her head lowered, she concealed the slight curve of her lips. Her eyes held nothing but mockery.
Soon, the airship reached the site of the supposed treasure.
Dotō dragged Yukie along with him and hurried to the mechanism at its center. He inserted the hexagonal crystal into the waiting slot.
One second passed.
Then two.
Then three.
No treasure chamber opened.
Instead, the towering stone walls surrounding them began to glow.
The snow at their feet started melting.
Warmth spread outward, reaching farther and farther across the Land of Snow.
Frozen rivers broke free and began flowing again. Grass emerged from beneath the retreating snow, followed by flowers.
The transformation continued until the white landscape gave way to the colors of spring.
From this day forward, the Land of Snow could bear another name.
The Land of Spring.
Dotō stared at the changing scenery.
"What…?"
His gaze darted between the glowing structures.
"The treasure… These are just heat generators?"
He could scarcely believe it.
He had killed his brother, seized the country, and spent years searching for Koyuki—all to obtain the treasure Sōsetsu had left behind.
With that wealth, he had intended to strengthen the Land of Snow.
And this was what he had been chasing?
A machine built to bring spring?
Beside him, Yukie looked at his stricken expression and burst out laughing.
"What's wrong? Isn't this the treasure you wanted?"