Just as Kiyosuke was still wondering whether he should offer compensation, the once snow-filled, overcast sky suddenly cleared. Brilliant sunlight poured down onto the land, shining over the towering ice walls and refracting into dazzling rainbows, each one vivid and breathtaking.
"This… is the Rainbow Ice Wall?"
Kiyosuke thought to himself. In the very next moment, the ice beneath his feet transformed into a deep-blue lake. The snow-covered ground revealed its true face—lush green grass swaying gently, and flowers blooming in profusion.
The frozen wasteland had turned into a sea of blossoms in an instant.
"I… what the hell…"
He had lived for so many years—what kind of sights hadn't he seen?
Well, this… he had never seen before!
Kiyosuke stared, dumbfounded. Even if you used a geothermal generator to melt the snow, it couldn't possibly happen this fast.
It wasn't just his surroundings—he could even see the distant mountains showing faint shades of green. The name "Land of Snow" no longer seemed to fit.
"This isn't a geothermal generator… it's an environmental transformation device." Kiyosuke's eyes shifted toward the stone pedestal. There had to be an enormous machine hidden underneath, powered by some unknown energy capable of driving it.
"Hey! Kiyosuke!!"
Kakashi arrived carrying Koyuki Kazahana on his back. On the way here, he had taken care of Rōge Nadare alone, then hurried straight over without stopping. Along the journey, they had witnessed the drastic change in the environment. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but it definitely had something to do with Kiyosuke and Kazahana Dōtō.
"So you're here."
Koyuki Kazahana stood there in a daze, gazing at the scene before her. Memories of her father's words from childhood came back to her, and she finally understood—the secret treasure Dōtō had been pursuing all his life was none other than the "spring" of the Land of Snow.
To their family, this was the true treasure.
And only the daimyo knew about it. The thing Dōtō had spent his whole life chasing was actually something he had already seen long ago.
Fate could be cruel like that.
"What's going on? Was this your doing?" Kakashi asked.
"Not me. Dōtō activated this machine. The Land of Snow really is impressive—being able to create a device capable of transforming the environment." Kiyosuke spoke with genuine admiration. Not just anyone could pull off something like this.
The person who designed and built this machine was a true genius.
Koyuki slid off Kakashi's back and said,
"This machine is an incomplete environmental transformer. It was built many years ago, but due to limitations in technology and energy, it could only bring a short period of spring to the Land of Snow each year. The Rainbow Ice Wall is also a result of it."
She repeated the words her father had once told her.
After a short silence, Kiyosuke stepped onto the shore.
"What an incredible talent. It's easy to destroy an environment—but to improve it to this extent? That's something almost no one can do."
Powerful shinobi like Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara could casually turn mountains into valleys and deserts into forests. Such feats were nothing to them—but those were still ninjutsu, inherently destructive. To reshape the environment in such a gentle way, like what had been done in the Land of Snow, was unique in the entire shinobi world.
"This is my father's achievement. I'm just a coward," Koyuki murmured as she gazed at the scenery before her. "It's so beautiful. I've always wanted to see this… is this truly my country?"
She had made up her mind not to run anymore. She would accept Sandayū's request and become the ruler of the Land of Snow.
When the time came, she would leave the governing to Sandayū and the others, while she continued her acting career. After all, it had been her dream since she was a child.
Besides, there was no reason she couldn't do both.
"Hey!!"
In the distance, six figures came running toward them at full speed. Leading them was Naruto, waving his arms energetically.
Kiyosuke laughed and went to meet them, then had them tie up the gravely injured but still-living Dōtō.
...
With the arrival of spring in the Land of Snow, the film crew had to make some adjustments to their shooting plans. Fortunately, some of the high mountains still retained snow, so filming could continue.
After putting on his makeup and costume, Kiyosuke was every bit the charming yet sinister villain—the final boss in the Princess Gale movie. He appeared midway through the story, completely overwhelming Princess Gale in battle, only to be defeated later by her miraculous seven-colored chakra.
According to the tried-and-true formula, the villain would confess in his final moments that he had always loved the princess. But because she carried a heavy responsibility, he wanted to stand beside her—only to discover she already had someone she loved. Anger clouded his reason, jealousy consumed his heart, and he was swallowed by dark power, straying down the wrong path.
In the end, he came to his senses, only to die in the arms of the one he loved.
Ah, what a melodramatic mess.
When Kiyosuke first read the script, he was stunned. But he still gritted his teeth and acted it out. Thankfully, his performance was spot-on—handsome looks, convincing acting, and top-notch special effects. The director didn't even need to give him pointers.
Kakashi and the six little ones even made cameo appearances as his henchmen.
After fooling around for a while, everyone began their journey home.
Before they left, Koyuki received a new script—an adaptation of Jiraiya's novel, Icha Icha Paradise.
When Kakashi saw it, he couldn't take his eyes off it for a long time. If it hadn't been time to head back, he probably would have followed Koyuki around until the filming was done.
Still…
Was it really okay for a proper actress like Koyuki to play the heroine in an Icha Icha Paradise movie with such an obvious 18+ storyline?
Kakashi claimed it was a pure love story…
But honestly, apart from Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, there wasn't a single serious book Jiraiya had ever written.
Damn, even Kiyosuke felt tempted to watch it.
When they returned to Konoha, the two of them reported the Land of Snow's situation to Tsunade—information that was rarely known outside the country.
Kiyosuke also placed the device that had once suppressed Naruto's chakra, along with a set of chakra armor, on Tsunade's desk. As agreed from the start, he suggested sending some technical experts to learn from the Land of Snow.
One look at the formidable chakra armor, and Tsunade made her decision immediately. She arranged for a group of Konoha researchers to secretly travel to the Land of Snow for an exchange program, personally escorted by the ANBU to ensure their safety.
This wasn't because she distrusted the Land of Snow—it was to prevent other villages from discovering their movements and causing unnecessary trouble.
Once those researchers returned with advanced technology, it would be a great asset to Konoha.
Tsunade also upgraded Kiyosuke and Kakashi's mission from A-rank to S-rank, covering the extra pay from the village's funds.
After pocketing a huge payday, the two left to share the money with their subordinates. Of course, they didn't mention that it was S-rank pay—this would be recorded quietly in their files.
When it was all over, life returned to normal. Everyone went back to missions and training, and a week passed in peace.