Land of Snow:
Secret Port :
The hidden port, arranged specifically to welcome the Princess, was alive with hustle and bustle. The crowd—composed of both the film crew and Sandayu's local resistance army—moved briskly across the snowy docks.
Despite the tense geopolitical situation, the atmosphere at the port was surprisingly festive. For ten long years, the resistance had fought a desperate, bloody campaign to restore the rightful heir of the Kazahana family to the throne.
All but without any advantage
BUt
Now, Princess Koyuki was finally back on home soil. Better yet, her Konoha escorts had already taken down one of Doto Kazahana's enforcers on their very first day: the feared Special Jonin, Mizore Fuyukuma.
"To think the Snow Giant was taken down so easily..."
"As expected of the Princess! The moment her boots touched the ground, she chopped off one of Doto's hands!"
"Well, I admit Mizore is powerful, but he was more like a finger."
"Yeah. If it were Nadare Rouga, then Doto definitely would've lost a whole hand."
"Don't be so dismissive! Mizore was plenty dangerous. Have you forgotten how many of our samurai brothers fell to his steel?"
"..."
"Look on the bright side, men! The Princess is here, after all!"
"OHHH!" x10.
From their very first clash, Team 7 had repelled the ambush completely unscathed and captured Doto's lackey alive.
Outside the Land of Snow, Mizore Fuyukuma was a nobody. But within its frozen borders, he was infamously known as the 'Snow Giant'—not only for his hulking physique, but for his brutal track record as Doto's primary enforcer.
Nadare's squad was Doto's most powerful and ruthless unit, serving on the front lines both during the coup ten years ago and throughout the decade of rebellion that followed. Equipped with custom chakra armor, Mizore had slaughtered dozens of resistance fighters.
Yet he had been captured alive.
Easily.
It was the largest victory the resistance army had celebrated in ten desperate years. That single accomplishment lit up the mood across the port despite the biting arctic wind.
As for the film crew, they were already dreaming of shooting a historic blockbuster starring the real Princess-turned-Daimyo. They happily rode the wave of optimism. In this world, being in the good graces of a reigning Daimyo was the ultimate jackpot.
Everyone knew that even the servants of a Daimyo lived far more lavishly than high-earning city merchants in the capitals. Driven by visions of future wealth, the crew worked double-time to prepare their gear for a dawn departure next day.
As the sun sank below the horizon, the arctic landscape slipped into evening. Looking at the bustling port, one would hardly guess the exact same group had been violently ambushed just hours prior.
" *Huff*... *huff*... The snow looked pretty at first, but ugh... walking through this stuff is exhausting!"
Sakura huffed, her breath pluming in the freezing air as she trudged down one of the main thoroughfares of the port.
Despite having mastered Tree Walking and Water Walking, traversing deep snow was an entirely different task . Tree and Water Walking relied on precise chakra adhesion, but basic physics still applied:
The surface beneath your boots had to actually hold your weight. As a result, Sakura was forced to stick to the narrow paths where the heavy snow had been shoveled aside.
Still, the pink-haired kunoichi pressed on toward her destination: a large, heavily reinforced transport vehicle parked at the center of the camp. It was the most spacious vehicle in the convoy, guarded by dozens of resistance samurai shoveling snow and maintaining a strict perimeter.
As she approached the carriage, two samurai stepped forward, raising their spears.
"Halt! Who are you, and what is your business here?"
Sakura puffed her cheeks, glaring at them. "Don't you recognize me?! We're the Konoha squad escorting the Princess!"
Hearing the commotion, three more samurai ambled over. One grizzled veteran squinted at her.
"Since when was there a pink-haired girl in the Princess's guard? Does anyone remember seeing her?"
A younger samurai chimed in. "I know about Hatake Kakashi! He fought Nadare Rouga on the iceberg and retreated effortlessly."
"Oh! You mean the hero who protected & rescued the Princess ten years ago?"
"That's the one! A real man among men!"
"There's also that Uchiha kid, right? Black hair, red eyes... He protected the Princess while taking on Fubuki of the 'Snow Swallow' !"
"Whoa, I heard he's only twelve years old!"
"Yep! And he held off 'Snow Swallow' Fubuki all by himself! .......Konoha shinobi really are something else."
" Yeah ........are we samurai even Necessary ?? "
Seeing his men getting demoralized by the praise, the grizzled veteran grunted.
"Don't get discouraged, boys! That kid is an Uchiha, from the strongest clan in the world. You can't measure normal men against monsters like that."
"Right... we're plenty strong too! The Princess needs us!"
" Yes , Every Daimyo Needs Samurais "
" right , even the most powerful ones like Fire Daimyo "
"Man, But I Still hope the Princess can convince those Konoha guys to stay permanently. Imagine having them guard the Land of Snow full-time!"
"How is that possible? They belong to the Leaf Village."
"Ah... true enough..."
As the group sighed, another middle-aged samurai joined the circle, grinning knowingly. "Well, if the Princess really wants to lock down one of those Leaf prodigies, I'd bet on the blonde kid."
"...You mean the kid who captured the Snow Giant?"
"Exactly! Mizore had his eyes gouged out & captured with zero other injuries... Do you guys even understand what that means?!"
"What?"
"It means it was a total, one-sided beatdown, my friend!"
"OHHH!" x5.
"It means he completely outclassed and subdued the Ice Giant without breaking a sweat!"
"Wait, so because he's so absurdly strong, we should recruit him?"
"But Hatake Kakashi is their captain. Shouldn't Kakashi be stronger?"
"Heh. Kakashi might have the experience, but he's a veteran set in his ways. That Uzumaki kid is different. Not only is he young and monstrously powerful, but also..." The middle-aged samurai paused dramatically.
"...Also what?" three samurai leaned in, completely hooked. Even Sakura had paused, temporarily forgetting her errand as she listened in.
The middle-aged samurai cleared his throat. "Because that Uzumaki kid is also handsome!"
"...HUH?!"
"What does his face have to do with anything?!"
Both Sakura and the veteran samurai stared at the man in utter bewilderment.
(Heh. Country bumpkins, let me enlighten you,) the middle-aged samurai thought smugly. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Don't you think the Princess and him would make a perfect couple?!"
"...Eh?"
"WHAT INSOLENCE!" the veteran roared, his hand instantly flying to the hilt of his katana.
The middle-aged samurai held up his hands, unbothered.
"Listen to me! We want a powerful shinobi to protect the Princess and our nation... but how do we tie a Leaf ninja to a minor country like ours? Money? He comes from the wealthy Land of Fire! Jutsu? Do we have anything he'd actually want? And even if he did stay, how do we guarantee he wouldn't turn into another Doto?"
The crowd went dead silent.
"In the end, our Princess is a woman—and arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world. Once she marries him, he becomes the Lord Consort! Their bloodline will rule the Land of Snow for generations! Do you see the grand strategy here?!"
The samurai stood frozen, processing the logic.
Even Sakura's mind spiraled.
(Wait... becoming the husband of the Princess... and the maybe next Daimyo thier child ?! Forget Naruto, literally anyone would accept that offer! But... would Naruto actually leave Konoha to become a Daimyo?!)
Sakura panicked inwardly. The samurai exchanged wide-eyed looks until the veteran finally slammed his scabbard against the ground.
"Alright, stop overthinking things! Let me handle the perimeter." The old man turned back to Sakura, eyeing her up and down. "I do recall seeing a little pink-haired girl with the Konoha squad. Show me your proof."
Sakura let out a relieved breath and pulled back her bangs, proudly displaying the metal leaf plate stitched onto her forehead protector. "Here!"
The samurai gathered around, staring intently at her
"...Man, that is one huge forehead," one whispered in amazement
"DAMN."
"Imagine staring into a mirror with that thing every morning..."
"Must be tough."
The old veteran gave her a look of genuine pity as he spoke Gently
"Alright, kid... go on inside."
Sakura trudged past them, a bright red blush burning across her cheeks and tiny tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
As the small girl dragged her feet into the transport vehicle, the veteran shook his head softly.
"...Poor thing."
Another samurai leaned over. "...Since she's a shinobi too, is she super strong like the other two?"
"Nope. Haven't heard a single thing about her."
" Shhh , don't speak in front of her .......Forehead"
" ...but don't you think The Uchiha is better matched with princess ?? "
" But That guy seems too always have a stick up his ASS "
" Yeah , as for that Kakashi , that lazy dead eye , I feel like He couldn't even GEt Har---",
"YOU BASTARDS, STOP GOSSIPING AND GET BACK TO YOUR POSTS!"
Sakura stomped forward, reaching the massive transport carriage with her fists tightly clenched, her face fully flushed red, and a visible, animated red vein throbbing on her forehead in the shape of a cross.
(...Those bastards. I am going to show all of them...)
Reaching the heavy metal door of the carriage, she raised her hand and knocked.
*Knock*knock*
" Princess Yukie...? Wait, is it Koyuki now? Or Kazahana...?"
Sakura stood outside, entirely caught up in overthinking the royal Treatment That just happened, But suddenly her sharp, shinobi-trained ears suddenly caught distinct, muffled sounds coming from the other side of the door.
Muah... chup...
Mwah... chu...
"Hmm?" Sakura tilted her head, leaning closer to the metal to strain her ears. "What is that...?"
*Chu*smack*
annhh...
"...Hmm, such a snowy cake... so soft..."
"Where—mmm—are you... chu—touching—haaa—"
*Smack!*
"Why—*mm*—do you—*chuu*—dislike it?"
"...Muah... It's—*slurp*—weird."
" *Hoo*... Then how about this?"
Squelch.
"...Annhh!"
Hearing the distinctly breathless cry from inside, Sakura panicked. Dropping all thoughts of proper etiquette, she hammered both fists against the door.
"PRINCESS! PRINCESS SNOW...! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"
Clatter
Clatter.
Sounds of objects tumbling to the floor echoed from within. Just as Sakura decided to draw her kunai and force the door open, the Princess's voice rang out, breathless and high-pitched.
" *Ha**ha*... WHO IS IT?!"
Hearing the reply, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's me, Princess... Sakura Haruno from the Leaf! ...Are you alright?"
Hearing Sakura's voice and the genuine concern laced through it, the Princess replied, though Sakura immediately noticed her breath was coming in erratic, hurried gasps.
" ...Mmm... what is the—annhh—matter, Sakura-chan...? Mmm..."
(...Why is her breathing so rushed? Was she crying in there...?!)
Pushing down her confusion, Sakura answered.
"Dinner is ready, and we need to hold a discussion. Sandayu and Kakashi-sensei would like a word."
From inside, the Princess paused. Sakura could hear the hurried breaths slowly evening out. "...Mm, alright... I'll come out in a moment you may leave "
"Apologies, Princess, but I'm under orders to escort you," Sakura insisted politely.
Hearing Sakura's steadfast voice, the interior went dead silent for a brief second.
Two minutes later, the heavy door of the vehicle hissed open. Sakura instinctively stepped back, preparing to greet the royal. But when the pinkette looked up, the person stepping out wasn't the Princess at all.
"...Naruto? What are you doing in there?"
Naruto stepped down from the vehicle, casually brushing off his coat. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she noticed his clothes looked disheveled, the collar slightly crooked.
"I was just accompanying the Princess, you see... She'll be right out."
"Oh... But why were you in there? And why do your clothes look like a mess?"
Hearing Sakura's direct questioning, Naruto didn't miss a beat. He replied smoothly, licking his lips with a faint, self-satisfied smile while his lips looked just a tiny bit swollen.
"Haha, you forgot, Sakura, but I'm also a medical ninja. Naturally, I had to check on her well-being."
"Ehh? Is the Princess hurt? Was it from when she fainted earlier? How is she?!" As a dedicated Yukie Fujikaze fan, Sakura demanded answers with intense, obsessive concern.
"Well, don't worry... The Princess is.... F-I-N-E."
" *Fuuuuu*... Thank God! ...Eh? Why is your lip red, Naruto? ...And are your lips swollen a little bit, too?"
Hearing Sakura's sharp observation, Naruto didn't panic as He slowly ran his tongue across his lower lip, casually using his thumb to smudge away a tiny speck of smeared pink pigment.
(...The Princess uses very expensive lip gloss, Sakura... just like—mm—)
Thinking back to the last few minutes inside, Naruto flashed Sakura a cheeky grin. "It's freezing out here, Sakura. Naturally, cheeks and skin are going to turn a little red from the cold. I just applied some lip balm, that's all."
"Ehh, you carry lip balm?"
"Mm. Want some?"
"...Can I...?! "
Sakura's eyes became hopeful as she practically lunged forward, her hands coming up.
(I need to be prepared for Sasuke-kun anytime... What if...?!) The brutal arctic environment was really doing a number on her skin and lips.
"But I only brought one tube... Do you still want it?" Naruto looked down at Sakura with a half-smile, his gaze lingering.
"What do you mean...? Isn't it just normal lip balm?"
Seeing the cluelessness radiating from Sakura, Naruto smirked, took a slow step forward, and leaned down. He brought his mouth right to the shell of her ear and whispered in a low, teasing hum.
"...Well... I just applied it directly to my lips... Do you still want to use it? Knowing it's touched the exact same thing?"
Hearing Naruto's suggestive words, Sakura froze. Her brain slowly processed the sequence of implications, and within seconds, her entire face turned as pink as her hair.
"Y-YOU...! YOU PERVERT!"
Click.
Sakura's screech of embarrassment was abruptly cut short as the heavy door swung fully open, and Princess Koyuki stepped out into the freezing air.
What the Princess saw was Naruto standing casually to the side while a beet-red Sakura pointed an accusatory finger at him, sputtering incoherently.
(...What is going on out here? Did he...?!)
Thinking about what had just transpired in the carriage seconds before, the soft, flushed expression vanished from the Princess's face. Her features instantly hardened into an icy, noble mask as she cast an indifferent, cutting glance toward Naruto.
"Let's depart, then."
Without waiting for a response, the Princess turned on her heel and walked away, pointedly ignoring Naruto. Naruto chuckled softly, following closely behind her, with a sputtering Sakura trailing right behind them.
As they walked through the snowy camp, Naruto matched the Princess's brisk pace, leaning slightly closer.
(Jealous...? Heh. A vulnerable, weak-willed woman under pressure is really easy )
Naruto glanced around. The samurai had wisely stayed back, and Sakura was trudging along behind them with her head bowed down, her face still burning with embarrassment.
(...That should teach her a lesson about questioning me )
Expanding his sensory net, Naruto confirmed that the team was approaching a solitary, reinforced building. Sakura led the way down a dim hallway, but Naruto noticed something interesting.
(...Hmm, they're all gathered inside the main hall already? So nobody's watching the corridors right now... Hehe.)
The moment that pleasant conclusion formed in his head, Naruto's hand shot towards the Princess's back, sliding smoothly around her waist or a little too low .
*Fui...!*
Startled by the sudden contact, the Princess let out a strange, breathy sound. Sakura immediately halted and spun around, noticing that the Princess had stopped dead in her tracks, with Naruto standing uncomfortably close beside her.
A shame despite the early maturity of kids ,they were still 12 year olds
(Why is the Princess's face suddenly so red again...?) Feeling a twinge of concern, Sakura spoke up. "Is everything alright, Princess?"
*Squeeze*
Feeling a firm hand casually kneading her Bottom , Koyuki bit her lower lip, speaking softly through rushed, trembling breaths.
"E-everything's fine... Let's keep... m... moving."
"...Alright, then." Sakura nodded, instantly reassured by the Princess's tone, and turned back around to lead the way down the corridor, completely oblivious.
Behind her, Koyuki's face cycled wildly from deathly pale to a bright, burning crimson. She glared sideways at Naruto, who was walking far too close for comfort, his hand still lingering right where it shouldn't be.
Koyuki leaned her head over, whispering through gritted teeth. "...What do you think you're doing? Stop it..."
Hearing her desperate, whispered plea, Naruto smiled gently. He leaned his head over, mimicking Sakura's posture just moments earlier, and murmured right against the sensitive shell of the Princess's ear.
"Sorry... but I just can't help myself... *slurp*..."
"...Mm—!"
The Princess bit down hard on her lip, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides as a shiver ran down her spine as the blonde tasted her ear .
But being a veteran, successful actress, she forced herself to swallow the reaction, rigidly controlling her expressions as she marched forward without breaking stride.
Finally, they reached the grand dining hall. Seeing the long table laden with a steaming feast, Naruto withdrew his hand with a soft chuckle and whispered,
"What a shame. I'm already full."
"Huh? Did you already eat?" Sakura asked, turning back in surprise.
"Ah... yeah. I had a little 'cake' earlier."
"Really? When?! And how on earth did you get cake out here in the middle of nowhere?!"
"Hoho.... wouldn't you like to know?"
--------------------------------------------
Snow Castle (Doto's Hideout) :
Doto sat heavily on his throne, his gaze sweeping across the subordinates assembled in the hall.
"Still no clue about Mizore?"
"No, my lord," a soldier answered.
Doto stood up, his heavy boots clacking against the stone floor. "Well, since there's no body, it's pretty clear he was captured. Dead or alive... right?"
"...Yes, my lord," Nadare Rouga replied, though a cold bead of sweat tracked down the back of his neck. Only he and Fubuki truly knew that Doto was, in raw power, the strongest among them.
(Only because of that blasted chakra armor, though,) Nadare thought, keeping his head respectfully bowed and his true thoughts locked away.
Doto dismissed the lingering silence. "Alright, then. Everyone, hear my orders—"
---------------------------------------------------------
Snow Mountains ( 5 Days Later) :
Five days had passed since the ambush in the sea and the subsequent trek through the frozen peaks. A long brigade of armored transport vehicles rumbled through the snowy valleys and narrow mountain passes.
Their destination:
The Secret Resistance camp
While the convoy steadily made forward progress, the film crew didn't miss a beat, stopping frequently whenever the director spotted a dramatic new backdrop for Princess Gale.
Today, however, the convoy slowed to a halt as the massive line of vehicles approached the gaping mouth of a massive cavern tunnel.
"Whoa... that is one big cave," Sakura murmured from the front vehicle.
"Haha, exactly!" Sandayu called back. "Once we pass through this tunnel, we'll be just a short distance away from the main camp!"
Slowly, the vehicles rolled into the dark, cavernous passageway. Emerging on the other side, the view suddenly blew wide open—a stunning cliffside vista overlooking the vast, freezing expanse of the Land of Snow.
Peering out the windows, the crew let out collective gasps of awe. "Hoo..."
Seizing the moment, the director scrambled out of his vehicle first. "Yosh! Let's start filming right here!"
The crew scrambled into motion. Since this had become their daily routine, equipment was unloaded and set up in record time. But just as the cameras were about to roll, a frantic assistant makeup artist sprinted over, looking pale.
"Director! It's bad!"
"Now what?!"
"Yukie has disappeared again."
"What?! Again?!"
Hearing the commotion, Team 7 stepped out of their transport. Seeing the panic, the director threw his hands up in utter helplessness. "Well..... take care of things here, will you?"
Sasuke grunted in annoyance, and Sakura's lips pressed into a thin line. Kakashi flipped a page of his orange book and glanced lazily at Naruto.
"Naruto."
"Hai, hai."
Naruto nodded, turning on his heel and heading back toward the tunnel entrance. Kakashi watched him go with a relaxed expression.
(.....Having a sensor on the team is always a boon.)
This wasn't the first time the Princess had wandered off. But with Naruto around, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura could all rest easy, knowing the blonde could track her anywhere.
After testing the waters over the past days, Team 7 had naturally settled into a division of labor: Naruto tracked down the runaway Princess while the rest of the squad secured the base camp.
Kakashi casually flipped a page of Icha Icha Paradise and spoke without looking up. "Sasuke, Sakura."
"Yes, sensei?"
" ...hn"
"Go set up perimeter traps... We'll be holding position here for at least half a day."
" Hai "
"...Hn."
Watching the two genin disappear into the snowbanks, Kakashi flipped another page and dove right back into his novel.
Meanwhile, Naruto walked at a steady, unhurried pace back down the dark cavern tunnel, using his [Kagura's Mind Eye] to lock onto the fleeing Princess's chakra signature.
(....Hmm. Wonder if this is going to be another one of our little rendezvous?)
It had practically become a routine for the Princess to bolt whenever things got overwhelming.
But over the last few days, Naruto had noticed a distinct shift: sometimes she was genuinely trying to escape, and other times she clearly just wanted a private moment away from the crew—moments where they inevitably ended up indulging each other.
(A shame that even the second and third bases still haven't been crossed yet...)
Naruto strolled along, his mind wandering through the memories of their recent secret encounters. They'd had plenty of heated makeout sessions, but the Princess remained surprisingly stubborn about shedding her layers—though most other touchy-feely boundaries had long since melted away.
(Well, it's mostly heavy petting and groping over clothes so far...)
A short while later, Naruto stepped out of the tunnel mouth and soon jumped over few trees down the slope as he spotted Koyuki scrambling frantically through a cluster of snow-laden trees.
Reading the spike of panic and exhaustion in her fading chakra signature, Naruto soon realized—
(Oh? This time..... she's trying to run away for real, huh?)
Suddenly, Naruto watched as Koyuki's boot slipped on a patch of ice. She tumbled downwardward into a deep snowdrift, sliding down a small embankment before coming to a rest flat on her back. With a hollow, defeated expression, she stared blankly up at the grey, snowing sky.
Dropping silently from an overhead branch, Naruto walked over.
Hearing the crunch of boots on snow, the Princess slowly turned her head. Her breath caught as she saw Naruto approaching, his high-collared Black cloak snapping gently in the wind.
(...He found me again. So easily.......How )
Naruto stopped beside her, adjusting his collar with a nonchalant shrug. "...Let's go."
Without waiting for permission, he reached down, hoisted Koyuki effortlessly onto his back, and turned back toward the campsite.
Koyuki clung to his shoulders as he carried her piggyback-style back through the cave. Feeling the familiar, steady warmth of his small but solid frame, Koyuki buried her face against the crook of his neck, her voice trembling slightly.
"Why...?"
"...Hm?"
"Why do you always find me?"
Naruto let out a puff of white condensation into the freezing air.
"It's my mission."
Feeeling a little disappointed at the answer , The princess continues
"...Is that all?"
Naruto weighed her question sligtly as he understood the implications
(Well, there are plenty of reasons: chakra metal, Daimyo connections, actress clout, tech trees... and a dozen other things. But obviously, that's not what she wants to hear.)
Naruto casually shifted his hands, giving her backside a firm, deliberate squeeze. Instantly, he felt Koyuki's breath hitch. Listening to the sudden spike in her heartbeat and the rapid rise in her body temperature, Naruto smirked.
"Does it really matter?"
"...It does."
hearing the insistence , naruto grumbled spftly
"...I honestly don't know how to answer that."
"Even if I go back... all I'll ever do is put on a fake smile for a camera... As for everything else..."Koyuki choked back a sob. "It doesn't matter what you do... or what I do... It's completely useless."
"..."
"In the end.... I'm going to lose everything... again. It's better to just stop fighting... and give up."
Hearing the despair bleeding from the girl who had lost her entire world ten years ago, Naruto didn't break his stride. His heart though gave a heavy, sympathetic tug.
(...Despair..... The will to surrender everything......and Giving Up )
"Alright, then," Naruto finally said, his voice entirely even.
Koyuki stiffened. "Hmm? What do you mean, 'all right'?"
" I mean ...Giving up... is fine, too."
Koyuki's face drained of color. She clutched the fabric of his cloak so tightly her knuckles turned white, but Naruto wasn't finished.
"But giving up is your choice. Not mine. Not Sandayu's. And definitely not all the people back at that camp who are still waiting for you."
Koyuki slowly raised her head, gazing at Naruto's profile—the bright, sun-gold hair, the faint whisker marks.
"Why...?"
"Why? Hm... Because whether it's me or Sandayu... we can both see that you haven't actually given up at all."
"Huh?!"
"You want to give up... but you can't. All this running away... it's not strength, it's just pure fear. If you genuinely wanted to give up, there are a million easy ways to do it when you really put your mind to it. Quitting is actually..... pretty easy."
"..."
"But you? Maybe you're terrified. But being scared doesn't mean you're done fighting."
"You don't understand..." Koyuki choked out, tears finally spilling over her lashes. "Ten years ago... I lost everything right in front of my eyes. Since then... I... You don't understand. You won't understand."
hearing the words , Naruto understood where the princess was unsettled , Losing family and everything Overnight , and in front of your eyes , Not everyone can be like avenger and continues to move forward .
Much less a civilian without chakra , status or anything left .
"Maybe," Naruto replied softly. "Maybe not. But I understand one thing."
"...What?"
"You want to go home."
"..."
"It doesn't matter how much snow or gloom is piled up here... this place is still your home."
"..."
"And you still want to protect it. That's why you're still fighting—fighting yourself, running from yourself."
Hearing Naruto's words , Koyuki broke her silence in a self-depreciating manner .
"This place... I've lost too much here."
"Mmh. So you're just going to throw it all away? This land, its people, and the entire legacy your father left behind?"
At the mention of her father, Koyuki shivered violently, her voice cracking as that night came back hauntingly .
"Doto... Doto is too strong!"
"I'm very strong, too."
"...My father was strong, too! But it didn't stop me from losing him!"
"...I am Uzumaki Naruto. Not your father."
"..."
"And you haven't truly lost your father, either. He left you a country to take care of."
"You're weird.... and kind of scary."
Naruto chuckled darkly. "Haha. Everything I'm saying is already echoing inside your own heart, Princess. Otherwise, you wouldn't even be arguing with me."
"..."
Koyuki fell silent as she putted her head on Naruto's back and spoke
" why do all this .......isn't it better to go back home and rest ......what do you get from all this .....putting your life on the line ...for someone like me ?? "
Hearing koyuki's words , naruto sighed in relief as the words finally took a positive route , the princess was asking for an excuse , some reconcilation from within herself or maybe an excuse with his motive to reassure herself .
" I just don't like ...giving up or seeing someone giving up either "
" you really are .....strange "
hearing the disbeleving whisper, Naruto looked back at the princess wickedly
" Maybe....because I am a Scum ....And I am after your Body , HOHOHO "
Looking at that Handsome and mischivious face , who was obviously lying , Koyuki blushed and rolled her eyes
" .....scum "
The Two walked along the dark cave with Naruto carrying the princess on his back , And Koyuki hugging Naruto's back amidst the comfortable silence.
Koyuki fell quiet. She rested her forehead back against his shoulder, letting out a long, shuddering breath.
"Then... I'll believe in you. Just this once."
"Oh? Finally we are talking , you can totally Count on Uzumaki Naruto "
Hearing the unhesitating reassurance in his voice, Koyuki added a quiet, serious caveat.
"...But..."
"Hm?"
"After this...... if we fail... I'm really, truly giving up.......TRuly "
Hearing the heavy resolve anchored in her words, Naruto's tone hardened into something serious .
"Then I won't let you give up."
Hearing those unshakeable words yet again, Koyuki closed her eyes against his back, a strange, warmth blooming in her chest.
(...He's a scoundrel. A weirdo....... but right now he's pretty warm.)
Suddenly, Naruto's foot caught on something rigid beneath the fresh layer of snow.
"Huh?"
"What is it?" Koyuki mumbled.
Glancing down, Naruto spotted heavy iron rails running parallel across the snow-covered ground , seeing this His eyes lit up.
(...Ah. So the chakra train tracks have started appearing )
Without wasting a single second, Naruto flooded his legs with chakra. His speed skyrocketed, launching him out toward the mouth of the cavern tunnel like a rocket.
"KYAAAAAA—!" Koyuki shrieked, clutching tightly to his waist as the wind roared around them.
------------------------------
Author's Notes :
Hmm , Only two chapter before ending Snow arc