In a dimly lit room, a middle-aged man sat calmly, dressed in a white robe. Black hair fell over his shoulders, a shawl draped loosely across his back. He gently swirled the liquor in his goblet, watching the liquid spin in silence.
"So that's how it is… the hexagonal crystal is in her possession."
He raised the goblet to his lips, took a small sip, then placed it aside.
Kneeling before him was the same spy who had appeared earlier—Nadare of the Snow ninja. No longer disguised by a Transformation Technique, his true appearance was revealed: pale skin, purple hair, blue eyes, and a white combat uniform. A strange mechanical device was attached to his right arm.
Lowering his head respectfully, he reported,
"Lord Dotō, we can now confirm that Fujikaze Yukie is none other than Koyuki Kazahana."
"No wonder," Dotō sneered, "we searched nonstop for ten years and still couldn't find it."
The one who spoke next was a pink-haired woman clad in Snow ninja armor. Her name was Fubuki Kakuyoku.
Like Nadare and Nadare Rōga, she was one of Dotō's trusted generals.
"Dealing with a single girl shouldn't be difficult," Nadare Rōga said coldly. His massive frame resembled a wild bear. He pressed against the mechanical arm embedded in his body, cruelty flickering in his eyes.
"When do we move?"
"No need to rush," Dotō replied with a smile. "If we act now, we'll only alert her. When she reaches the border of the Land of Snow, we strike. At that point, escape will be impossible—even if she wants to run."
Nadare hesitated before speaking again.
"However… Rin Nohara of Konoha is acting as Koyuki's escort. She's traveling with her squad."
A trace of solemnity flashed through his eyes.
As one of Hatake Sakumo's most prominent disciples, Rin Nohara had long been under the watchful eyes of the various nations. Even though intelligence reports indicated her specialization lay in medical ninjutsu, Nadare was not foolish enough to underestimate her.
Still, his caution was clearly not shared by everyone.
Fubuki curled her lips into a smirk.
"Oh? Konoha's Seventh Squad? That actually sounds interesting."
"A medical ninja, that's all," she continued dismissively. "No matter whose disciple she is, how strong could she really be?"
"She's right," Nadare Rōga growled. "One medical ninja and a few brat shinobi. The three of us are more than enough to deal with them."
Years ago, Nadare Rōga had been listed as a missing-nin by Konoha for slaughtering civilians. With nowhere else to go, he had been taken in by Dotō. If not for that, he believed Konoha would have hunted him down long ago.
Because of this, his hatred toward Konoha ran deep—bone-deep.
Watching his two companions grow increasingly arrogant, Nadare frowned slightly. A faint memory surfaced in his mind—the overwhelming killing intent that had locked onto him that night.
If that wasn't an illusion… then our situation might be—
In the end, he said nothing.
The Snow ninja remained hidden in the heart of the Land of Snow, quietly waiting for their prey to walk into the trap.
Several days later, the film crew's ship finally arrived at the border of the Land of Snow.
Before being absorbed into the empire, this region had been known simply as the Land of Snow—a name earned due to its year-round freezing climate.
For most of the year, the sun was rarely seen. Endless white snow blanketed the land, swallowing all other colors.
At that moment, the ship encountered a massive iceberg blocking the route ahead. On a whim, the director decided to film a scene there.
However, the moment filming began, Rin Nohara sensed something wrong.
Without hesitation, she leapt forward and hurled a kunai wrapped with a detonating tag into the distance.
Boom!
The explosion shattered the iceberg.
From the rising smoke and scattered ice, a purple-haired man slowly emerged. He clapped his hands, admiration evident on his face.
"As expected of Sakumo's disciple," he praised. "To notice it so quickly."
"Nadare," Rin said coldly.
She immediately recognized him.
After all, among the Snow ninja, there were only a handful who possessed such strength—and such a distinctive appearance.
At the same moment, two Snow ninja appeared—one to the east, the other to the west—silently surrounding the group.
"Blowing Snow, Freezing Rain," Nadare ordered coldly.
"The Little Snow Princess is yours."
The moment his voice fell, the two Snow ninja moved.
"Ha!"
Naruko and Sako charged forward at the same time, each selecting a target.
Naruko rushed straight toward Nadare Rōga, her fist swinging down with full force. Yet just before it struck—about thirty centimeters from his body—an invisible barrier flared to life.
Bang!
A powerful counterforce rebounded instantly, sending a numbing shock through her arm.
"What—?!"
Naruko staggered back several steps, staring at her fist in disbelief.
Not far away, Sako met the same result. Her attack slammed into empty air, as if blocked by an unseen wall, doing no damage at all.
"That armor…" Rin said calmly, already understanding the situation.
"It's a special combat suit developed in the Land of Snow—Chakra Armor."
She glanced at Naruko and continued,
"By wearing it, the user's chakra output is amplified. It enhances ninjutsu and forms a chakra barrier around the body, capable of neutralizing chakra-based attacks."
"So you know about it," Nadare said, his lips curling into a thin smile.
"But that explanation is incomplete."
His eyes gleamed coldly.
"This armor doesn't just block chakra—it reverses it. Ninjutsu, genjutsu… none of it works on us."
He spread his arms slightly, confidence radiating from him.
"We are invulnerable."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Nadare formed hand seals at lightning speed.
"Ice Release: Glacial Tiger!"
The snowy ground trembled.
From the side of the mountain, a massive tiger formed entirely of ice burst forth. Frost spread through the air as the temperature dropped sharply, white mist billowing around its body.
The ice tiger roared, jaws opening wide as it lunged straight toward Naruko, its killing intent overwhelming.