"Huff... Don't joke with me... don't joke with me..."
Kazahana Koyuki was running through the snowy forest. From the muttered words that spilled from her lips—each one thick with refusal—it was easy to hear the anger and confusion in her heart.
Clearly, she was furious that everyone had ignored her wishes, and she simply could not understand why they would insist on marching toward certain death when they already knew how dangerous the road ahead was.
Yes.
Deep down, Kazahana Koyuki had already denied any possibility that she could ever defeat Kazahana Doto.
The terrifying memories of her childhood had long since become a thorn lodged in her heart, one that could never be pulled out. No matter how much time passed, it kept reminding her, again and again, just how horrifying Kazahana Doto truly was.
Even now, with Konoha—the strongest of the Five Great Ninja Villages, in her eyes—standing behind her, and with Asama Sandayū and her father's former retainers willing to support her, she still believed it would only lead to more needless casualties.
A tyrant like Kazahana Doto was simply not someone they could ever hope to shake.
—"Good grief, Kazahana Doto really left that much of an impression on Kazahana Koyuki? It's been years already. Normally time should've dulled the memory at least a little, but she still can't free herself from that fear. Just how deep must that trauma run?"
—"Yeah... they always say childhood trauma can take a lifetime to heal. Looks like that saying really isn't wrong."
—"Forget the rest of that—I want to know why Kazahana Koyuki thinks Konoha is the strongest of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Is Hidden Cloud's strength just for show or what? That's infuriating!!"
—"Hah! Hidden Cloud should stay out of this. Your Third Raikage died at the hands of our Hidden Stone! A village that couldn't even protect its own Kage has no right to compete for strongest. If you ask me, the strongest of the Five Great Villages is obviously Hidden Stone!"
—"You bastard! Hidden Stone just fought dirty, that's all! You ambushed Lord Raikage when he wasn't prepared—used deception and a cheap sneak attack! Otherwise there's no way Lord Raikage would've lost!"
—"A loss is a loss. Why make so many excuses? Acting like you can't accept defeat is just annoying. Could you at least show some dignity as ninja?"
—"Aaaargh! Damn you, bastard above! What nonsense are you spouting?! If you've got any guts, name a place and duel this old man! I'll make you taste the strength of Hidden Cloud ninja and see whether you still dare wag your tongue after that!"
...
While the comments had originally been discussing Kazahana Koyuki, they gradually veered off course—from childhood trauma to which village was strongest, and finally to outright challenges to duel.
At the same time, the altered future video on the light screen was about to move into its next stage.
Bit by bit, it began laying down clues for the appearance of a mysterious existence—someone who had remained hidden in the shadows all along, silently watching both Kazahana Doto's movements and Naruto's group from afar.
On the other side, Kakashi was now leading his students, following the tracks Koyuki had left behind until they reached the edge of a dense forest. He raised a hand in a signal for them to split up, then instructed them in his calm, steady voice:
"From here on, we search separately for Kazahana Koyuki's trail. The moment you find her, contact the rest of us by radio. Do not act on your own."
"Understood!!" ×2
Sasuke and Sakura answered almost in unison, then sprinted off in different directions through the forest. Kakashi quickly followed suit, his figure soon disappearing among the snowy trees.
Only Naruto remained standing alone atop a jutting rock, gazing down at the white forest below with a dazed look in his eyes, as if he had noticed something in the tracks on the snow—or perhaps in the scent carried through the woods...
The scene shifted, and the camera instantly focused deep inside the snow forest.
Still stumbling as she ran across the snow, Kazahana Koyuki suddenly tripped over a tree root buried beneath the drifts. She rolled several times before finally coming to a stop, then closed her eyes in a miserable heap and once more sank into the memories she never wished to revisit.
The scene shifted again, back to that palace drowned in darkness, where only a few weak candles flickered in the corners, barely illuminating the surroundings.
"Look carefully, and then you'll be able to see the future."
The young Koyuki stood on tiptoe, peering earnestly into the mirror at her own reflection. After staring for quite a while, she finally frowned and said in a small voice:
"But I still can't see anything..."
"You'll be able to. When spring comes, then you'll see it."
"Spring?"
That childish question had only just left her lips when her father's gentle voice in the memory was suddenly cut off—and in its place came the voice of the grown Kazahana Koyuki:
"Father was a liar. This country... doesn't have any spring."
Painful memories were always short-lived.
Not long after, Koyuki slowly opened her eyes again. At first, her vision was blurry, but when it finally came into focus, she saw Naruto standing in the snow not far away.
"Honestly, how many times are you planning to run away before you'll be satisfied?"
"Everyone's waiting for you."
Faced with those blunt words, Koyuki parted her lips, but nothing came out. She merely stared at Naruto with eyes still hazy, a trace of bewilderment from her memories lingering within them.
Seeing that, Naruto stopped pressing her with more questions. Instead, he crouched down, carefully checked and treated her sprained ankle, then stood up, lifted her into his arms, and started walking toward the tunnel entrance the snow vehicle convoy had passed through not long ago.
Inside the tunnel, everything was dim. Only the faint light filtering in from the entrance gave them any sense of direction.
After an uncertain amount of time, Koyuki finally could no longer hold back the question in her heart and spoke softly:
"Why is it... that every time, you can always find me?"
Naruto puffed his cheeks slightly. Though his reply carried a faint note of reluctant grumbling, he still answered seriously:
"Because it's the mission. No matter how unwilling you are, no matter where you run, I'll chase after you anywhere."
"And besides... I'm familiar with it, you know, big sister—your scent..."
"Huh?! Is that really the kind of thing an idiot like you could say, Naruto?!"
Inside Konoha's meeting hall, Inuzuka Kiba stared at the increasingly intimate mood on the light screen and listened to Naruto's almost suggestive tone. His eyes went wide, and he couldn't help shouting in the otherwise quiet hall. Even Akamaru beside him barked once in agreement.
"Damn it, Kiba, you bastard! You called me an idiot again!!"
Simple-minded Naruto didn't actually understand what Kiba had really meant.
But he did perfectly latch on to the word idiot.
The result was that he immediately forgot all about squaring off with Lee and instead turned to bickering noisily with Kiba.
And while the two of them argued, not far away, Hinata quietly lowered her head, her mood noticeably dimmed.
Clearly, the light screen's increasingly romantic atmosphere had gotten to her, stirring in her heart a faint bitterness she couldn't quite put into words.
Beside her, Kurenai Yuhi saw everything.
A trace of understanding—and sympathy—passed through her clear eyes. Then, with a soft sigh, she gently reached out and patted Hinata on the shoulder.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 175)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 126)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter105)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter100)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter134)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 87
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 79
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 64
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 73
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 45
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 49
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 45
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 45
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