The extreme climate of Earth was far beyond anything the artificial subterranean world of the Moon could compare to. However, the weather that would be difficult for an ordinary person to adapt to was no issue for someone like Toneri.
In fact, the biting cold of the blizzard gave Toneri an indescribable sense of novelty.
Shinichi had no intention of bringing Toneri directly back to Konoha just yet. He planned to use this opportunity to let this "young guest from the stars" experience the customs and culture of the ninja world firsthand. More importantly, he wanted to use this time to deepen the bond between them.
Having promised Hamura to take care of Toneri, Shinichi naturally intended to treat him as family. He would guide Toneri as best as he could, ensuring he grew into a person of sound character.
But before that, Shinichi needed to ensure he held a significant place in Toneri's heart. To achieve this, creating a space for just the two of them was crucial.
Konoha was a den of complex factions. Who knew what Toneri might encounter there? To prevent the young and naive Toneri from being misled by those with hidden agendas, Shinichi had to become the person Toneri trusted most.
If Toneri trusted him implicitly and shared everything with him, Shinichi could detect any "pieces" being moved on the board by others.
Perhaps these worries were unnecessary—perhaps, under the Fourth Hokage's leadership, the soil for schemers had been purged—but for Shinichi, an extra layer of precaution was never a bad thing.
The Frozen Tundra
Two figures, one tall and one short, trekked across the vast ice fields. Behind them, two long trails of footprints stretched into the distance.
They had been walking for hours and had yet to leave the permafrost zone, though the wind and snow had died down considerably. Toneri was wrapped tightly in his heavy cloak, frost clinging to his eyebrows and the front of his hair, giving him a somewhat disheveled appearance.
Despite the long journey, Toneri showed no signs of fatigue. On the contrary, he seemed strangely excited, stepping heavily into the snow with every stride as if intentionally leaving deep marks.
Just as Shinichi had predicted, Toneri had adapted quickly and was finding his own fun in the tedious journey. He had truly taken a liking to the snow. Despite the freezing exterior, he felt a strange sense of security wrapped in his cloak—a stark contrast that warmed his heart.
He glanced sideways at Shinichi. A bright, instinctive smile played on his lips, and that deep-seated sense of safety grew even stronger.
Shinichi could clearly sense the shift in Toneri's emotions. While he didn't quite understand why the boy was so happy, he considered it a good sign. To Shinichi, trekking across an ice field was hardly an "interesting" experience, but Toneri seemed to cherish it. He figured the child had been isolated for so long that any interaction with another person was enough to bring him joy.
As the light faded over the frozen wastes, Shinichi stopped. Seeing the sky turn a murky grey, he found a spot sheltered from the wind to set up camp.
Shinichi's preparations were meticulous. He unsealed a tent and sleeping bags from a storage scroll and began to work. Though young and unfamiliar with such equipment, Toneri didn't simply stand by and watch. After scanning the surroundings with his Byakugan, he quietly slipped away.
Shinichi noticed his departure but didn't stop him. It was natural for a child in a new world to be curious; under Shinichi's nose, nothing would happen to him.
Shinichi worked quickly. His tent wasn't specifically designed for deep winter, so he decided to reinforce it. Using a shovel enhanced with Lightning-style chakra, he carved through the frozen earth as if it were soft tofu, digging down half a meter. He fashioned a small hearth and moved the tent into the hollow.
He then covered the tent with excavated earth and a thick layer of snow, creating a makeshift "snow house." Next, he gathered some wood buried under the drifts. Though the "firewood" was damp, a quick spark from his—admittedly unrefined—Fire-style chakra set the campfire ablaze.
As the light flickered within the shelter, Shinichi sat on a small stool by the fire, drying more damp wood near the flames. Once the temperature rose, he hung his cloak to dry. Outside, the blizzard howled; inside, it was becoming cozy. Shinichi filled a canteen with snow and set it over the fire to boil.
Just as he finished, the tent flap lifted. Toneri walked in, carrying two fat, white-bellied fish. Looking closely, Shinichi saw that the fish had already been scaled and gutted with practiced skill.
"Ho?" Shinichi chuckled, waving Toneri over. "A grand harvest, Toneri. Is there a portion in there for me?"
"Of course, Brother Shinichi!" Toneri, not quite used to jokes, blushed and explained himself earnestly.
"Haha, I'm just teasing. Come, warm yourself by the fire. You must be freezing."
Shinichi realized he had underestimated the boy. Toneri wasn't a pampered "young master"; living in the hollow moon, he had clearly learned survival skills. The subterranean world Hamura created was a perfect ecosystem, and Toneri had likely spent years hunting and fishing there.
A Night of Peace
As the fish sizzled over the fire, Shinichi produced a bottle of pre-mixed sauce, using a twig to baste the meat. Toneri watched the fire, eventually taking over the basting duties with great focus.
Shinichi leaned back on his travel cot, reflecting on the trip. Everything had gone so smoothly. It felt less like a series of accidents and more like an inevitability—as if destiny, or perhaps the lingering will of Hagoromo and Hamura, had paved the road for him.
The water boiled. Shinichi dropped a few tea leaves into the cup, filling the tent with a refreshing aroma. Toneri stared at the leaves swirling in the water, mesmerized by something so simple yet new.
Crack—pop—
After eating their fill, the two crawled into their sleeping bags. The firelight bathed the tent in a warm glow. Exhausted from the day's travel, Toneri fell into a deep, peaceful sleep almost instantly. For the first time in his life, he felt truly at ease.
The Town and the Tail
The next morning, Toneri woke to find the fire still burning and a breakfast of steamed buns and roasted meat waiting on a small table.
"You're awake? Sleep well?" Shinichi asked, stirring a pot of meat soup.
"Mmh! It was very comfortable. The sleeping bag was so warm." Toneri pointed at the food. "Is this...?"
"Yes, for you. I picked them up from a nearby town. They taste pretty good."
"Thank you, Big Brother," Toneri said, his voice warming. Hearing "Big Brother" (Aniki) instead of the formal "Brother Shinichi" made Shinichi smile.
After breakfast, Shinichi packed up and used Flying Thunder God to move them closer to civilization. Seeing his brother use space-time ninjutsu again, Toneri realized the trek through the snow the day before had been a deliberate experience planned for him.
"Many things in the ninja world are different from the Moon," Shinichi explained as they walked toward a town nestled in the forest. "The environment, the social habits—everything. Experiencing it for yourself is the best way to understand this world."
They entered a bustling town located on the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Iron. Despite the cold, the streets were packed with merchants and travelers. Toneri was wide-eyed, looking at everything with intense curiosity. Shinichi slowed his pace, letting the boy soak it all in.
However, as they wandered through the market, a few figures began to slink through the shadows, following them.
Toneri, with his striking white hair and pale Byakugan, was an obvious standout in a crowd. Shinichi, though not wearing a headband, carried the unmistakable aura of a powerful shinobi. In a border town teeming with spies and mercenaries, they were impossible to miss.
Moreover, the Byakugan was a legendary bloodline.
Having awakened the Tenseigan, Shinichi had lost some of his old hyper-vigilance—not because he was careless, but because so few things in this world could actually threaten him anymore. He noticed the "little tails" almost immediately but didn't care.
However, it wasn't long before Toneri tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Big Brother..."
The boy had noticed them too.
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