The moment they vanished, the warmth of Konoha disappeared entirely.
A chill wind hit Kushina straight in the face.
"W–Wha—A-ACHOO!" she sneezed violently, clutching her arms as her teeth started chattering. "O-Oi! What the hell is this place?! It's freezing!"
Obito stood a few steps ahead, unfazed, his cloak fluttering lightly in the wind. Behind him, the world stretched into a breathtaking panorama... mountains and snow particles glittering like diamonds under a pale blue sky.
"The Land of Snow," he said simply.
Kushina was stunned for a while then her jaw dropped. "The Land of—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
She stomped her foot, which immediately sank knee-deep into powder. "You could've warned me, dattebane!"
Obito turned his head slightly, watching her struggle with quiet amusement. "You're dressed appropriately. I made sure of it."
"Appropriately?!" she shouted, pointing at her white dress, which was fluttering helplessly in the wind. "Do I look like I'm dressed for a snowstorm?!"
"Hmm," Obito mused, his gaze tracing her figure with exaggerated calm. "You look fine to me."
Kushina's blush flared instantly. "T-That's not the point! My legs are freezing! My hair's gonna turn into an icicle!"
"Then you should move closer," he said, extending a hand toward her, voice steady as ever. "Body heat transfer is efficient."
She blinked and suddenly seemed to realise something. "You… you pervert! So this was your plan all along!"
Obito's eyebrow twitched slightly. He really didn't mean it that way, sometimes he just wondered how Kushina's brain worked.
"I'm stating a survival method."
Kushina glared but stomped toward him anyway, muttering curses under her breath. The snow crunched beneath her heels as she marched forward until she stood right in front of him.
Obito's arm wrapped smoothly around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. "Better?"
She froze... literally and figuratively — face pressed against the firm warmth of his chest. "T-Tch… maybe a little," she muttered, voice muffled. "Still hate you, though."
Obito chuckled softly, the sound barely audible under the wind. "I'll take that as gratitude."
She tilted her head up, still pouting. "Why here, of all places?"
"The Land of Snow is where I live," he said casually. "And since you've been locked inside Konoha for years, I thought you deserved to see the world again."
Kushina's eyes widened a little at that.
The cold air bit at her cheeks, but somehow… her chest felt warm.
"I…" She paused, looking at the endless white horizon. "It's beautiful."
"It is," Obito replied. "That's why I wanted you to see it."
Kushina blinked and turned toward him.
Her heart skipped, though she tried to hide it by crossing her arms. "Hmph. You think you can just drag me to random frozen wastelands and call it a date?"
He looked down at her calmly. "You think this is a date?"
Kushina hesitated, realizing what she'd just said. "N-No! I mean—It's not like I—Shut up!"
Obito's laughter echoed softly, warm against the cold. "Relax, Kushina. You'll ruin your makeup."
She puffed her cheeks, then gave up trying to argue, muttering under her breath again. "You're insufferable… dattebane…"
Still, she didn't move away.
Instead, she leaned a little closer, her head resting lightly against his shoulder as they stared into the swirling snow — two figures standing together in a world of ice and silence.
Obito's gaze lingered on the horizon, where faint structures shimmered through the storm — the first outline of the Snow Village.
--
As soon as they entered the village, no guards stepped forward. No suspicious glances, no checkpoints, nothing.
Kushina didn't even notice.
Her attention was completely stolen by what she saw around her.
Wide, crystal-smooth streets shimmered beneath the falling snow. The lamps along the sidewalks glowed softly — not with fire, but with chakra-infused light. Buildings of steel and glass rose in elegant arcs, their rooftops lined with wind turbines and warm steam vents.
Everywhere she looked, there were people laughing, working, and living in peace — wrapped in stylish, fur-lined coats that seemed to hum faintly with chakra energy.
The air was cold, but the village itself felt… alive.
"This place is incredible…" Kushina whispered, her eyes darting between the strange vehicles gliding through the streets and the translucent screens flickering with glowing text. "It doesn't even feel like the shinobi world anymore."
Obito walked beside her in silence, his steps calm and measured.
They kept walking until Kushina suddenly stopped, eyes catching something in the distance.
A towering structure of glass and light stood beyond the square... shaped like a dome, covered in flowing neon designs that pulsed rhythmically like a heartbeat. Music drifted faintly from within, accompanied by the laughter of people and the sound of rushing wind.
"What's that place?" she asked, pointing ahead, her voice tinged with excitement.
Obito glanced over, his tone calm. "You'll see."
"You're being secretive again," she muttered, half-pouting as they began to approach. "Don't tell me it's some kind of weapon lab or something…"
He didn't reply. Just that same silent smirk.
By the time they reached the gates, her jaw had already dropped.
Inside the dome stretched an enormous amusement park... glowing in vibrant colors against the snow. Giant chakra wheels spun lazily, roller coasters of pure energy cut across the air, and artificial clouds floated above the ceiling to create the illusion of a living sky.
Kushina took a hesitant step forward. "This is… beautiful."
"Welcome," Obito said softly. "The amusement park."
They spent the next few hours exploring.
At first, Kushina was all nerves and curiosity — she clung to his arm as they boarded a sky-lift shaped like a swan made of crystal.
The seats floated high above the park, giving them a breathtaking view of everything below: glowing rides, laughter echoing through the air, fireworks bursting in rainbow colors.
When the swan ride began swaying slightly, Kushina yelped and grabbed him tighter.
"D-Don't move! It's shaking!"
"I'm not moving," Obito said flatly. "You are."
"And come on, we're ninjas! How can you be afraid of heights? That's so kid Kushina of you."
"Wha—oh, shut up!" she blurted, face red as she clung tighter.
He chuckled quietly, letting her hide her embarrassment by leaning closer.
--
Later, they wandered into a section themed around "couple attractions."
Kushina's face turned bright crimson as she read one of the signs aloud.
"'Heart Synchronization Test … what kind of shameful name is that?!"
"It measures compatibility," Obito said simply. "We could test it."
"We could what?! No way! That's embarrassing!"
Her protest didn't last long... he was already walking toward the booth, hands in his pockets. With an exasperated groan, she followed after him.
The attendant smiled and handed them two glowing rings linked by a small thread of chakra light. "Please place your hands together," she said cheerfully. "The stronger the emotional resonance, the brighter the glow!"
Kushina grumbled, but reluctantly pressed her palm against Obito's.
The device pulsed.
For a moment, the light flickered faintly, then flared into an intense, blinding pink that made the crowd gasp.
The attendant blinked. "Oh my… that's one of the highest reading we've ever had!"
Obito's mouth twitched slightly at that. For a brief moment, he glanced at the woman, wondering if she somehow knew who he really was.
Still, he didn't let anything show on the surface. The rating sounded completely fake but he had to admit, it was funny all the same.
Kushina froze, wide-eyed. "W-What?! N-No, that thing's broken!"
Obito looked down at her, his tone perfectly calm. "Or maybe it's accurate."
Her face turned crimson. "S-Shut up! It's definitely broken!"
They continued on, trying different things — a tunnel of light where illusions danced around them, a photo booth that automatically projected their chakra signatures into floating hearts, and even a snow maze where Kushina got lost three times and blamed it on "faulty design."
By the time they sat down on a bench near the park's glowing fountain, her energy had mellowed into quiet laughter.
She looked around at the peaceful crowd, the shining lights, the reflection of fireworks in the water. "You know… I almost forgot this world could look this beautiful."
Obito leaned back, watching her with calm eyes. "You just stopped looking."
She turned toward him, her expression softening. "You've changed a lot."
He said nothing, only reached out and brushed a stray lock of red hair from her face... a rare, unguarded gesture that made her heart skip.
Kushina smiled faintly, looking away to hide the warmth on her cheeks. "You're still a bastard, though."
"And you're still easy to fluster," he replied smoothly.
"Ugh… you—" she huffed, but before she could finish, another firework burst overhead, painting the sky in a dazzling scarlet bloom.
She fell silent, watching the beautiful moment peacefully.
Obito didn't say anything either.
They just sat there together... the quiet laughter of the village fading behind them, and the snow gently falling over their joined hands.
--
On the other side of the Heart Synchronization Test shop
A man wrapped completely in a dark cloak walked forward, each step carrying a quiet but unmistakable menace.
The air around him seemed to grow heavier with every movement.
The way he carried himself told anyone watching that he was dangerous... someone not to be approached lightly.
He stopped in front of the lady who had conducted the couple test earlier.
"Did you do it?" the cloaked figure asked, his voice low and calm, yet sharp enough to send a chill down her spine.
"Y-Yes, my lord… it was done, and wasn't discovered," the woman replied quickly, bowing her head. Sweat ran down the side of her face.
Just a short while ago, she had been running her little business like usual... couples laughing, tourists passing by — until he appeared.
He didn't even give a name. Just ordered her to "adjust" the results of that particular pair: the masked man and the red-haired woman.
At first, she had refused outright. Tampering with chakra-based devices could get her executed.
But then… she noticed the insignia in his hand.
A sigil shaped like a pointed star.
Her eyes had widened in shock. That symbol — the Sigma of the Snow was something only the highest authorities of this land possessed.
Officials, generals… or people even more terrifying than either.
She agreed instantly.
"Good," the man said after a moment. He reached into his cloak, pulled out several heavy pouches, and dropped them onto the counter with a metallic clink. "Here's your reward."
He turned to leave, his boots crunching against the snow.
But before he could walk away, the woman hesitated and called out softly.
"W-Wait, my lord…"
The man stopped mid-step. His head tilted slightly.
"Hm? Are you dissatisfied with the reward?" he asked, voice deepening just enough to make her flinch.
"N-No! Of course not!" she said quickly, waving her hands. "I-I wouldn't dare… It's just that…"
"What is it? Speak."
The woman swallowed hard. "Actually… there was no need to change the results that much. The real reading... although not the highest possible — was already incredible."
Silence followed. The man stopped in his tracks.
The woman began to regret even opening her mouth.
Then, after a few tense seconds, the cloaked figure finally spoke again, his tone softer this time. "I see."
Without looking back, he tossed two more heavy bags onto her counter.
"Thanks for that," he said simply before walking away into the swirling snow.
The woman exhaled in relief, clutching her chest. "W-What a weird guy… I mean—lord."
Then her eyes drifted back to the money bags. Her fear quickly melted into a greedy grin.
"Heh… with this much, I can finally help Kazuto. He won't need that rich woman anymore. He can finally be with me."
She let out a small laugh, hugging the pouches of ryo to her chest.
Outside, the snow kept falling... quietly covering the man's fading footprints.
--
The cloaked figure walked calmly through the snowy street, his steps steady until he suddenly glanced over his shoulder.
Seeing no one following him… he broke into a ridiculous skip-run, arms flapping dramatically like a cartoon villain sneaking out of class.
"Fufufu~ mission accomplished, Tobi-style!"
The villagers looked at him oddly as he jogged past, cloak flaring like an amateur stage actor.
A few even muttered, "Who is that idiot?"
But Tobi paid them no mind. He darted into a narrow alleyway, where another shadowy figure was waiting — half-buried in the wall.
White Zetsu tilted his head as Tobi appeared, panting exaggeratedly.
"So… was it a success?" Zetsu asked in his usual dry tone.
Tobi straightened up instantly, placing both hands on his hips with a proud grin beneath the mask.
"Yup! Everything went according to plan! The great Tobi's infiltration mission was a resounding success! Captain's gonna be so proud of me, dattebayo~!"
"Don't use Naruto's catchphrase," White Zetsu deadpanned. "It doesn't suit you."
"Aw, c'mon, don't be like that!" Tobi said, striking another dramatic pose — finger pointed toward the sky. "I even made sure the lady didn't suspect a thing! She was sweating like a pig on a summer day! Hehehe~"
Zetsu raised a brow. "...Did you bribe her properly, or just terrify her into submission?"
"Both!" Tobi announced proudly, then leaned closer and whispered, "Oh, and you know what's the funniest part?"
Zetsu blinked. "What?"
"She said—get this—there was no need to fake it! The real result was already amazing!" Tobi giggled uncontrollably. "Lady Kushina and Obito's compatibility is through the roof! Kukukuku~!"
White Zetsu stared for a moment… then smirked.
"Heh. It's not surprising... Captain's Rizzlence can't be underestimated."
"Kekekeke~ yeah, right? Our Captain sure has good taste in women~!" Tobi said, wiggling his masked eyebrows even though Zetsu clearly couldn't see them.
Zetsu sighed. "You're an idiot."
"Correction!" Tobi raised a finger dramatically. "A genius idiot!"
The two of them burst out laughing, a weird mix of "Kukukuku" and "Kekekeke" echoing through the alleyway like some unholy comedy routine.
A passerby stopped, frowned, and muttered, "Why are there always weirdos in this village?"
"Mind your own business!" Tobi shouted back, waving his hand. "We're evil, can't you tell?!"
Zetsu slapped a palm to his face. "You're supposed to blend in, moron."
"Right, right! Tobi will blend in!" he whispered dramatically, then crouched low and tiptoed down the alley in the least subtle way imaginable — cloak dragging behind, humming his own "sneaky villain theme" under his breath.
White Zetsu just sighed, shaking his head before sinking into the ground after him.
The sound of their fading laughter echoed faintly through the snowy streets —
"Kekekekekekekekeke—!!"
And somewhere far away, Obito felt a chill run down his spine for reasons he couldn't quite explain.
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