The cold wind blew into the tent through the flapping rain curtain, dropping the temperature to a chilling low.
But Uzumaki Chiname felt like she was being baked inside a furnace in the height of summer. Her earlobes and her cute round toes were flushed pink.
"It's all your fault. You misled me. If you hadn't said those things, I never would've had these thoughts."
"Well, go ahead and blame it all on me then. Accuse me of misleading you. All I said was that we share the same red hair—how was I supposed to know you'd react so strongly?"
Uzumaki Naruto spread his hands in mock innocence, clearly refusing to take the blame.
Uzumaki Chiname was still playing dumb, acting as if nothing was wrong. He wanted to see how long she could keep up the act.
She thought she'd hidden her secret from everyone. But in truth, anyone who had ever met her could tell what she was hiding.
Feeling satisfied that she'd concealed the truth yet again, Chiname clasped her hands behind her back and took a few steps forward.
Her light steps caused her tight red cheongsam to trace the alluring shape of her long, full legs.
She paused. Her legs straightened naturally, and her snow-white skin gleamed flawlessly—enticing and impossible to ignore.
Naruto figured he could probably admire those legs for ten years and never get tired of them.
"By the way, Naruto. I wanted to ask you something—"
Uzumaki Chiname tried to steer the conversation back to her original intention, but before she could finish her sentence, Naruto reached out and pinched her thigh.
"Ah!"
A sharp, electrifying jolt shot through Chiname's body. She instantly waved her hand to swat his away and stepped back quickly.
She snapped, "What are you doing?!"
"Touching you," Naruto answered plainly. Then he stood up and reached for her again. "Don't move. Let me touch you."
"Touch what?! What are you even saying? I'm trying to talk to you about something serious!" Uzumaki Chiname backed away, panic flickering in her eyes as she saw the heat in Naruto's gaze.
At that moment, she suddenly missed Uchiha Izumi terribly.
Whenever Naruto tried something like this before, Izumi would always step in and stop him.
But now Izumi was gone, and no one was left to protect her.
That was exactly why she hadn't dared to leave her sealed space for days. Today she'd come out only because she was so desperate to figure out the truth behind Naruto's growing power.
Now, she regretted everything.
Curiosity really does kill the cat.
If she'd known this would happen, she would've just stayed put.
And now that Naruto had sealed the space behind her, she couldn't even go back.
"Touching you is the most important thing right now."
Naruto purposely used her childish nickname to tease her.
She couldn't escape. She had no wings to fly.
In the small tent, the two began a game of cat and mouse—like a reenactment of the Emperor of Qin chasing his concubine around a pillar.
One ran in panic, the other chased at a leisurely pace.
"Naruto, calm down! Stop chasing me!"
Her fiery red hair flew behind her as she darted away, a delicate blush rising on her face. The red cheongsam clung tightly to her curves and swayed dramatically as she moved.
It bounced with every step.
Like a budding lotus flower unfurling its first leaves—Naruto was entranced.
He was certain she wasn't wearing anything underneath.
Naruto blushed and his heart pounded.
"If you stop running and come to me on your own, I won't chase you anymore."
He hadn't planned to look for Uzumaki Chiname today. But since she jumped out on her own, he might as well have some fun.
Otherwise, life was just too dull.
The cold wind blew in again, carrying a few snowflakes into the tent. They landed on Uzumaki Chiname's feet, and the red nail polish on her small, round toes was dusted with snow.
The flakes melted instantly, leaving behind glistening droplets.
"What are you saying?! I meant you can't touch me!"
Uzumaki Chiname furrowed her brows and scolded, trying to sound serious: "Do you realize how disgusting you look right now, like some perverted, sex-starved creep?"
"Disgusting?" Naruto froze. His expression shifted rapidly.
Seeing his reaction, Chiname realized she may have gone too far and hurt his feelings.
Her heart softened with guilt.
Naruto had suffered so much since he was a child. How could she still be so harsh to him? Sure, he needed some boundaries—but maybe she could guide him to change, little by little.
He must be feeling hurt by her cruelty.
Uzumaki Chiname hesitated, then took a tentative step toward him. She said gently:
"Naruto-kun, I didn't mean to scold you like that. Just… be a good boy next time, okay?"
"Childish name!"
Naruto suddenly cut her off with a spark in his eyes. He grinned and said, "Call me names again. I want to hear more."
Now Naruto could somewhat understand Shiro's joy—but of course, he wasn't that far gone.
Still, there was something thrilling about being treated like this by Uzumaki Chiname, given her unique position.
He couldn't help but feel an inexplicable excitement.
What if she kept insulting him, and he still hugged her by force?
Tsk tsk.
The thought alone was intoxicating.
Hearing his response, Chiname was momentarily stunned.
Looking at Naruto's handsome face—now twisted with a teasing, lewd smile—her fists clenched.
She couldn't take this provocation any longer.
She had to teach this little rascal a lesson.
"Uzumaki Naruto, are you sick?! You actually enjoy being insulted?!"
Uzumaki Chiname lunged and raised her hand to slap him.
But Naruto's reflexes were quicker—he caught her wrist.
In one swift motion, he flipped her around, pinned both wrists with one hand, and pushed her toward the edge of the bed with the other.
Her tight red cheongsam revealed glimpses of fair, tender skin, and her curvy figure pressed against him.
It wasn't until now that Chiname realized she had fallen into Naruto's trap. She gritted her teeth and shouted:
"Uzumaki Naruto, you bastard!"
"Yes, that's it. Keep yelling."
Naruto became even more excited.
His hand slid from her back to her neck, gripping all of her fiery red hair.
Uzumaki Chiname was flooded with a sense of danger. Her mind went blank, and her tone finally softened.
"Naruto… please listen to me… let me go. Don't do this…"
As Naruto tightened his grip, she was forced down, falling onto the bed in a folded 'F' position, her face buried in the blanket.
She didn't even dare imagine what would happen next.
"Naruto… please listen."
"I am the Nine-Tailed Fox."
"I'm a fox—and you're a human."
Uzumaki Chiname tried everything to resist. But in the end, she was part of Naruto. He could suppress her chakra at will.
She had no innate divine powers. Compared to Naruto, with his vast chakra, she stood no chance.
"Naruto… you're still young… don't go down the wrong path—"
"See? You're getting flustered again."
Naruto grinned and gave her hair a tug.
Maybe it hurt—Chiname whimpered in pain.
As for which path Naruto should walk—
He already knew very well.
Now, it was time to take a walk down memory lane...
"Ma'am, please save me. Only you can help me now."
On the journey from the Snow Kingdom's capital to the Konoha camp, Feng Hua Nutao had climbed into the prepared sedan and was pleading with his wife—the current Queen of the Snow Kingdom.
High above the sedan, Haku stood, silently observing everything inside.
Feng Hua Nutao hadn't lied—his back was indeed beautiful. Though in his thirties, he still looked like a youthful man in his twenties.
His snow-white hair hung over his shoulders, and his delicate face was now filled with anxiety.
"Nutao, what's happened to us?"
"Did Fenghua Xiaoxue really win?"
The queen's eyes brimmed with tears. Fear consumed her as she imagined Xiaoxue storming the palace and taking them prisoner.
Even if she survived, she knew Xiaoxue would never let her live in peace.
After all, she had always harbored feelings for her sister-in-law.
Xiaoxue, as her sister-in-law's daughter, would surely hate her for it.
"No, no—it's not Xiaoxue. It's the people helping her who captured us. We still have a chance. It all depends on you, Ma'am."
For the sake of survival, Feng Hua Nutao had accepted Bai's mission—to make his queen willingly submit to the "Master" Bai served.
Truthfully, Feng Hua Nutao hoped to use this opportunity.
If Xiaoxue could rise through beauty—
Why couldn't he reclaim power through his wife?
He cast aside his dignity.
With a thud, he knelt before her.
"The man who caught us has taken a liking to you. Whether we live or die now depends entirely on you, Ma'am."
"What?!"
The queen's eyes widened. Her face paled in horror.
Even the most shameless woman could hardly stomach this: her husband offering her to another man like property.
It was demeaning beyond words.
Tears shimmered in her eyes. "You… want me to sleep with another man?"
"Yes."
Feng Hua Nutao nodded solemnly. "Please, Ma'am… I don't want to die. For the sake of our years together, please save me."
"You want to live too, right?"
He began spinning her a dream of the future.
"You'll serve that man well. Help me return to the throne. And you'll remain my queen."
"How exactly do you want me to 'serve' him?" she asked coldly.
Feng Hua Nutao noticed her disgust. In the past, he might've slapped her for such disrespect.
But now, he needed her cooperation.
He smiled flatteringly. "You're so beautiful. He'll be pleased. Just learn some bedroom skills for the future."
Before he could finish, the queen slapped him hard across the face.
Smack!
"You're disgusting!"
Feng Hua Nutao stood there stunned.
She had never dared defy him like this before.
Now she'd hit him.
His face flushed with rage. He wanted to strangle her right there.
But—
He didn't dare.
If he touched her, Bai would kill him.
"Hahaha! Feng Hua Nutao—you don't even look like a king anymore."
The queen laughed mockingly. Wiping her tears, she sneered.
She had realized the truth:
The old regime had fallen. The new power was here. And she, as the old queen, was favored by the new master.
So why cling to the past?
Now, she held more power than the dethroned king.
"You dog slave. I'm your master's woman now. How dare you call me Ma'am?"
Though she hadn't even seen this "Master," the queen had already accepted her new role.
With a swift kick, she sent Nutao sprawling.
He stared at her, shocked.
Why had she changed so quickly?
"You—!"
Before he could finish, several ice needles pierced his skull.
He collapsed—dead before he hit the floor.
The queen screamed in terror and backed away.
"Don't be afraid."
Bai entered the sedan, stepping over Nutao's corpse. She pulled out a collar with a bell and handed it to the queen.
"You were right."
"You're Naruto-sama's dog now. You shouldn't be called Ma'am so casually."
A… dog?
The queen trembled violently. She bit her lip, then timidly accepted the collar.
She fastened it around her neck herself.
"Good girl. Obedient types are my favorite."
"Unlike that bitch Fenghua Xiaoxue. She dared challenge me after sleeping with the Master."
"She'll regret it soon enough."
Bai smiled in satisfaction, then patted the queen's head like a pet.