Chapter 149: Living is to Find Peace of MindKoyuki Kazahana slowly woke up amidst a gentle swaying.That swaying wasn't an earthquake, nor was it someone pushing her; it was a soft, rhythmic rise and fall, as if her entire body was being supported atop a vast, flowing entity.She opened her eyes groggily, and the first thing that came into view was an unfamiliar ceiling.The ceiling before her was made of wood, with a clear grain, and she could even smell a faint scent of pine.She stared at the wood grain for several seconds before her brain began to function again.She frowned, trying to piece together her fragmented memories.The last image she recalled was the moment that blonde boy named Uzumaki Naruto placed his palm against her forehead.And that guy seemed to have discovered her true identity.Thinking of this, a look of panic appeared on Koyuki Kazahana's face, and she quickly sat up to examine her surroundings.This was a room that wasn't particularly large.Of course, calling it small was only in comparison to the luxury hotel suites and villas she usually stayed in.In reality, this room was at least several dozen square meters. A thick carpet covered the floor, a carved low table stood against the wall, and a vase on the table held a few nameless, light blue wildflowers.The furnishings weren't particularly expensive, but it was clear that whoever arranged them had put in a lot of thought.Koyuki Kazahana got out of bed, her bare feet stepping onto the carpet. Looking down, she saw a pair of fluffy snow-rabbit slippers neatly placed by the bedside.That was her favorite style, one she brought with her every time she stayed somewhere new.Seeing these slippers, she was first stunned, then felt a slight sense of relief.Her personal belongings had been properly brought along, which at least indicated she was safe for now—at least for the time being.She put on the slippers and, with slightly unsteady steps, walked to the window and pulled back the curtains.The next second, she froze in place.Behind the curtains was a circular porthole; outside was nothing but a sky so azure it was almost transparently high, and a vast, boundless deep blue sea.Koyuki Kazahana stared at the sea for a full several seconds before suddenly snapping out of it, her expression changing drastically."Wait, what's going on?"Without bothering to tidy her hair, she rushed out of the room, her slippers scuffing along.The corridor was narrow, a slight vibration came from beneath her feet, and she could faintly hear the sound of waves slapping against the hull.She ran out along the corridor, and the sea breeze gusted in, blowing her sleep-mussed hair back.This was a large ship.The deck was wide, with the entire unobstructed sky overhead, and seabirds circled the mast lazily."Miss Fuji Kazeyukie, you're awake!"A familiar voice came from nearby.Her manager, Sandayu Asama, stood there holding a tray of food, his face filled with a mix of surprise and joy."Sandayu, where is this place? Why am I here?"Koyuki Kazahana turned her head and questioned him with suppressed anger in her voice.Before Sandayu Asama could answer, another voice dropped down from high up on the mast."Just accept reality, Miss Yuki."Koyuki Kazahana looked up to see Naruto sitting on the mast, one leg dangling down, greeting her with a smile.His blonde hair was blown into a mess by the sea breeze, and the smile on his face was excessively bright."You've already boarded the ship bound for the Land of Snow."As he spoke, Naruto jumped down from the mast and landed steadily on the deck."Was it your doing, brat?"Koyuki Kazahana's gaze immediately locked onto that punchable smiling face.She almost reflexively rolled up her sleeves, wanting to rush forward and hit him.But before she could take two steps, she saw Naruto slightly raise his right hand, palm upward, as a few golden sparks flickered.Her footsteps ground to a halt; in their previous two encounters, she had come out on the losing end at his hands.If they really fought now, she would definitely be the one to suffer.She bit her lip and forced herself to swallow her anger."The director is currently setting up the film set; it'll be a while before filming starts. Let's head back to your room to talk, Miss Yuki."From Koyuki Kazahana's perspective, Naruto's smile looked smug no matter how she viewed it."Don't call me Miss Yuki."She spat out those words while suppressing her rage, and without waiting for Naruto's response, she tossed her head and turned back into the cabin.Naruto watched her angry departure and turned to shrug at Sandayu Asama.Sandayu held the breakfast tray, his expression full of apology and awkwardness, not knowing what to say.Naruto didn't mind much and looked up to signal toward the top of the mast.Kakashi had been leaning against the high part of the mast reading his book; upon receiving the signal, he closed the book and jumped down along with Sasuke and Sakura, who were sitting beside him.The three followed Sandayu Asama through the corridor to Koyuki Kazahana's room.Koyuki Kazahana had sat back down on the bed, hands folded over her knees. Seeing them enter one after another, her face grew even colder."It's been quite a long time, Ms. Koyuki Kazahana."Kakashi was the first to speak.He stood by the door, one hand in his pocket, his tone sounding very casual."It's been ten years; I'm truly sorry I didn't recognize you earlier."Koyuki Kazahana looked up and glanced at him, her eyes lacking warmth, the curve of her lips closer to self-mockery: "I would have preferred it if none of you recognized me."Sakura immediately sensed something was off and turned to look at Kakashi, her voice filled with obvious surprise: "Eh? Kakashi-sensei knew her from before?"Yesterday, when Naruto revealed that Fuji Kazeyukie was actually Koyuki Kazahana, the others had been stunned on the spot.However, at that time, Kakashi hadn't disclosed that he knew Koyuki Kazahana; he simply decided to continue fulfilling the mission, bringing the unconscious Koyuki Kazahana onto the ship bound for the Land of Snow."Ten years ago, the Daimyo of the Land of Snow, Sosetsu Kazahana, was murdered. It was Mr. Kakashi who took the young Princess Koyuki and escaped the pursuit of Dotō Kazahana, leaving the Land of Snow all that way."The one who answered was Sandayu Asama.As he spoke, his gaze remained on Koyuki Kazahana, his eyes radiating compassion."Kakashi-sensei has such a legendary past?"Three gazes turned simultaneously toward Kakashi, the expressions of The Three Little Oneseach being quite a sight.Sakura's eyes were wide, Sasuke's eyebrow twitched slightly, and Naruto simply grinned."Cough, cough, cough... don't underestimate me, you guys."Kakashi feigned a couple of coughs; his face, covered by his mask, showed little change.Then he steered the conversation back to the matter at hand: "This trip to the Land of Snow to film a movie was also Mr. Sandayu's idea, right?""That's right."Sandayu Asama nodded heavily, a hint of excitement slowly surfacing on his face."Ever since that palace fire ten years ago, Princess Koyuki completely disappeared. I once thought the princess had been killed, until I later encountered you, acting as a film actress under the name Fuji Kazeyukie."He turned his gaze toward Koyuki Kazahana, his voice starting to carry an uncontrollable earnestness."Princess Koyuki, Dotō Kazahana not only murdered your father, but over the past ten years, he has become even more excessive, cruelly exploiting the people and using all the Land of Snow's resources to develop his military facilities. The people are overburdened; everyone is waiting for you to return and overthrow Dotō Kazahana's rule."Koyuki Kazahana remained silent, her eyes vacant, as if she hadn't heard a single word of what was said.After several seconds of silence, she finally spoke coldly, her voice calm to the point of indifference."I suggest you stop daydreaming. I have no interest in returning to that place. And even if I did go back, what could I possibly do?""Princess Koyuki..."Sandayu Asama's voice was tinged with blatant disappointment.Although he had already guessed her thoughts from her attitude of refusal and attempts to flee upon hearing about going to the Land of Snow,hearing her rejection with his own ears still made him feel uncontrollably distressed.Just as he wanted to say something more, another voice suddenly rang out."Can I say something, Princess Koyuki?"Naruto took a step forward, standing at the center of everyone's attention.The blonde boy's face had uncharacteristically dropped its playful expression and looked incredibly serious.Koyuki Kazahana frowned and turned her head away."Not inter—"Before she could finish, Naruto spoke directly.He didn't wait for her consent, as if he knew she definitely wouldn't give it."Something was stolen from you, right?"Koyuki Kazahana was stunned and almost subconsciously raised her hand to touch her empty collar.The Hexagonal Crystal her father had left behind had been snatched by Dotō Kazahana's subordinates after she was knocked unconscious.So much had happened afterward that she had forgotten about it herself; she only remembered now that Naruto mentioned it."So what if it was?"After gathering her thoughts, she looked up, her tone carrying a suppressed irritation."Dotō Kazahana's men chased you for so long, and after finally catching you, they weren't in a hurry to kill you, nor were they in a hurry to take you back to the Land of Snow. Instead, they hurriedly took that crystal away by itself. Don't you think there's something suspicious about that?"Naruto asked in return.His tone was steady, as if he had already thought through this question repeatedly."Hmph, what could be suspicious? Rumors say that thing can open a secret Treasure Trove left by my father. But I know very well that my father was a man of modest means; there couldn't possibly be any treasure."When she mentioned the word 'father', the expression on Koyuki Kazahana's face finally showed a crack.The coldness and irritation from before quietly receded a bit, replaced by a very, very faint sorrow.Naruto saw all of this but didn't rush to contradict her, nor did he offer hollow words of comfort. He just quietly waited for her to compose herself before smiling and speaking."You know, even the worst people have some merit. For example, there was a villain I really disliked, but he said something I strongly agree with."As he spoke, Naruto's gaze held a hint of reminiscence."Anyone lives in order to overcome fear and anxiety, and to gain a sense of security.""What do you mean?"Koyuki Kazahana looked up, her brow furrowing even tighter.She clearly hadn't expected this seemingly boisterous boy to suddenly say such a thing, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond."If you want peace of mind, then go back to the Land of Snow."There was no preaching in Naruto's tone; he seemed to just be laying out the facts for her to ponder herself."If Dotō Kazahana only wanted the Hexagonal Crystal, he shouldn't spend so much effort chasing you once it's in his hands. If he wants your life, then since your identity is now exposed, it will likely be very hard to escape his pursuit.""So going back to the Land of Snow can determine Dotō Kazahana's attitude toward you. And this time when you go back, you'll at least have me by your side—and all of us!"He paused, then flashed a smile."Even if it costs me my life, I will protect you."
AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 150: Move the Ship Closer!"Even if I die, I will protect you."When Naruto said this, his face lacked any of its usual flippancy, his gaze looking straight into the depths of Koyuki Kazahana's eyes.Koyuki Kazahana instinctively wanted to ask: "Why should I believe you?"This sentence had almost reached her lips, needing only a breath to burst out.But just as she opened her lips, she met Naruto's eyes.The boy stood before her, his golden hair slightly dazzling under the sunlight, without a hint of evasion in his gaze.Koyuki Kazahana suddenly felt her question was somewhat redundant, because from Naruto's gaze, she already knew the answer; she just wasn't willing to admit it for a moment.Silence spread between the two for several seconds. Neither spoke, and only the muffled sound of distant waves hitting the hull could be heard in the room.Finally, Koyuki Kazahana stood up and walked past Naruto toward the door with an expressionless face. San--dayu Asama subconsciously took a step to the side, his mouth opening as if to speak, but in the end, he didn't try to persuade her again.The door was pulled open and then closed.At the same moment the door shut, Koyuki Kazahana's voice squeezed through the gap: "I hope you can keep your promise."Naruto turned around and gave a thumbs-up to his Team 7 companions and Sandayu Asama, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth: "Mission accomplished."That smug look was a world away from the serious boy just a moment ago.Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes, while Sasuke turned his face away, too lazy to look.Not long after, Koyuki Kazahana appeared on the deck, beginning to fulfill her obligations for this trip.With the help of the Staff, she finished her makeup and changed into a costume. Her hair was meticulously styled, and she transformed back into the radiant superstar in front of the camera.The Three Little Ones came out of the cabin and sat on the high mast, the sea breeze blowing past their ears in gusts.They looked down, seeing a corner of the deck temporarily set up as a crude film set.The Props Team used a few wooden boards to create a wall backdrop. An actor playing a corpse lay on the deck, eyes closed and motionless, with several streaks of dark red paint on his chest acting as bloodstains.Koyuki Kazahana threw herself beside the 'corpse', tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice carrying a heart-wrenching sob.She was reciting a line, her tone sincere and genuine, as if she were truly facing a beloved relative who was breathing their last.Seeing this scene, Sakura couldn't help but click her tongue repeatedly, shaking her head as she softly sighed: "As expected of a superstar famous throughout the Ninja World. Her level of immersion while acting is truly impressive."She couldn't imagine doing the same thing in front of so many people, especially with such a crude setup; just thinking about it made her face burn."Yeah, this person is very professional."Naruto withdrew his gaze from the deck and reached out to pat Sasuke's shoulder beside him, his tone suddenly becoming a bit more serious: "We need to work hard too.""I don't need you to remind me of that."Sasuke's shoulder shook, lightly brushing off Naruto's palm.He jumped straight down from the mast and, after landing on the deck, didn't look back, heading straight for the cabin, likely returning to his room.Naruto chuckled twice at his back, not minding it.Days on the ship passed quickly. After a full day of busyness—filming, setting up scenes, and adjusting equipment—everyone was incredibly busy.By the time everyone finally rested, it was pitch black, and only the shadows of a few distant stars could be seen swaying slightly on the sea surface.The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, most people were still tucked in their blankets, sleeping soundly.Suddenly, a burst of exclamations erupted from the deck, like a knife cutting through the silence of the entire ship.People rubbed their bleary eyes and came out of the cabin one after another.But the moment they reached the deck, everyone's sleepiness was dispelled by the sight before them.An incredibly massive iceberg had appeared directly in front of the ship at some point.That iceberg was as wide as a white wall spanning the horizon, its surface reflecting a cold blue light under the morning sun.The ice wall rose steeply, narrowing as it went up, with the top being as sharp as if it had been carved by a knife.Fine ice chips were blown down by the sea breeze, floating in the air and sparkling like a handful of transparent powder.Fortunately, there was still some distance between the ship and the iceberg. The captain slowly turned the steering wheel, and the bow gradually drifted to one side.Given this distance and the turning speed, it wouldn't result in a collision that would destroy the ship and kill everyone."We should still be some distance from the Land of Snow, right? Why would an iceberg suddenly pop up here?"Someone in the crowd asked such a question, their voice carrying the daze of not being fully awake and a hint of suppressed panic.The Film Director clearly had no intention of getting to the bottom of it.He squeezed to the front of the deck, grabbing the railing with both hands and looking up at the iceberg, his eyes almost glowing: "This is simply a magnificent landscape gifted to me by the heavens! Hurry, change the script for me; I want to film on this iceberg!"He was so excited he was almost dancing. That fanatical energy formed a sharp contrast with the others who were still in a state of surprise.While the Film Director was shouting at the top of his lungs, Kakashi walked out from the crowd.He looked at the iceberg before him with a furrowed brow, his gaze slowly scanning the ice wall: "Mr. Director, I advise you not to do that. For an iceberg to suddenly appear in a place like this, I believe there may be other risks."His tone wasn't heavy, and his pitch remained as flat as usual, but it was enough to make people realize the danger.However, at this moment, the director's mind was completely occupied by the iceberg before him, and the advice didn't register at all: "What are you saying? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! For my artistic pursuit, how can I miss such a chance!"He spoke righteously and even pumped a fist.Kakashi glanced at him, didn't waste any more words, and turned to Naruto beside him, asking in a low voice: "Can you sense anything, Naruto?"After these few months together, Kakashi was clear about Naruto's abilities and knew he could sense fluctuations in surrounding life energy through Hamon.In this environment where visibility was limited, it was more useful than any reconnaissance method.Naruto closed his eyes and stood quietly for a few seconds.When he reopened his eyes, his gaze had become a bit sharper: "On there, there are at least three life energy fluctuations.""Three, huh."Kakashi softly repeated, his fingertips lightly tapping twice against his thigh.In the short time it took for the two to exchange information, the large ship beneath them had continued to approach the iceberg.The distance between the curve of the bow and the ice wall was shortening bit by bit, to the point where the people on the deck could already see the uneven textures on the ice wall."Prepare for battle."Kakashi gave the order, his voice not loud but clear and crisp.The Three Little Ones moved almost at the same time, leaping together to the highest point of the mast and looking up at the iceberg.After Naruto steadied himself, he immediately spoke loudly with great penetration, letting his voice clearly spread across the entire sea: "Hey, you guys hiding with your heads tucked in, how much longer do you want to hide?"The director, like everyone else on the deck, looked up at Naruto, about to ask what he was doing.But before the words could fully come out, a man's voice drifted down from the iceberg, as cold as cracking ice."I didn't expect to be discovered by you. However, we didn't plan on disguising ourselves in the first place."A man wearing Silver-gray Armor walked out slowly and stood at the top of the iceberg.He looked down from a high vantage point at the fully loaded ship, the sunlight hitting him from behind and shrouding his entire figure in a mass of blurry shadows.Kakashi's breathing tightened slightly: "It's him?!"He remembered this face very clearly—Rōga Nadare, the Land of Snow Ninja he had fought ten years ago, and one of the most capable henchmen under Dotō Kazahana.It was the same person back then.,They chased after him with their men.,Hold on tight,They chased him all the way from the royal palace to the border..In terms of true strength, even ten years ago, he wouldn't have been afraid of him.But at that time, the mission was to protect the young Koyuki Kazahana and escape; there were simply no conditions for a drawn-out battle.Thus, a situation that wouldn't have been a loss in a head-on confrontation ended up with them being chased all the way.This matter had always been recorded in Kakashi's mental ledger as a small-to-medium-sized piece of dark history.Along with the appearance of Rōga Nadare, two other figures quickly appeared on the ice peaks to his left and right.They wore similarly styled Silver-gray Armor, the pauldrons and breastplates reflecting blinding white light in the sun, and their bodies emitted a powerful Aura.Of course, that was from the perspective of the Staff members.In the eyes of The Three Little Ones, although they weren't exactly small fry, they weren't much stronger either."Everyone be careful. These guys are all Ninjas from the Land of Snow, and they can use Ice Release with the help of the terrain. On this iceberg, they have the home-field advantage."Kakashi deliberately reminded them seriously, so The Three Little Ones wouldn't be too careless.However, he didn't expect that his words, combined with the Aura felt from the Land of Snow Ninjas, would instead cause a commotion among the crowd on the deck.Someone quietly took two steps back, someone grabbed their companion's arm tightly, and someone else lowered their voice to whisper something."Director, there are Land of Snow Ninjas on the iceberg, and they look like they're not to be trifled with. How about we just leave?"A Staff member leaned in close to the director, his voice carrying obvious unease.Koyuki Kazahana also nodded repeatedly after hearing this.Her expression had changed from the moment Rōga Nadare appeared; her lips were pressed into a line, and her fingertips were ice cold.Memories from many years ago surged up again, and the fear of being pursued felt as if it had never left her body.Her instincts were frantically telling her to run, to run immediately, just like ten years ago.However, before the Film Director could react, Naruto's voice exploded across the entire sky first."No need! Who do you think I am? Move the ship closer for me!"His voice carried undisguised excitement.That excitement wasn't the thrill under tension, but a kind of anticipation that naturally surfaced after a hunter saw his prey.What was even more impossible to ignore was that his tone also hid a powerful confidence, as if the words he spoke needed no reason and were worth following.The Staff members looked at each other, momentarily unsure whether they should follow this boy's command.They finally turned their gazes together toward the Film Director, waiting for the person truly in charge to speak."Do as he says."The Film Director's voice was surprisingly decisive.In fact, when the three of Rōga Nadare appeared just now, he had indeed hesitated for a moment.Making a movie was important, but his life was no joke either.But hearing Naruto's confident words now, his hesitation was swept away in one go."Naruto, don't be careless."Kakashi still didn't stop them, only offering an extra word of caution."Don't worry. The battle will be over soon."Naruto replied with a grin, then turned to look at Sasuke and Sakura beside him: "Three people, just right for us."Sakura was stunned for a moment, then instinctively pointed at herself: "Huh? I have to go too?"Naruto didn't give her time to hesitate and was the first to charge out, his whole body like a golden cannonball, shooting straight toward the iceberg.Sasuke followed closely behind, his movements much quieter than Naruto's, as fast as a ghostly shadow, silently trailing him.Sakura took a deep breath, knowing it was useless even if she objected, so she exerted force with her feet, leaped up, and also jumped onto the iceberg.
Chapter 151: The Clash"To think they'd rush in on their own... Brats these days really lack a sense of danger."Rōga Nadare stood atop the iceberg, looking down at the three brats who had leaped onto the ice without hesitation, a cold sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth.Ever since he learned that Kakashi's team was Koyuki Kazahana's escort, the itch to fight had been impossible to suppress.In that battle ten years ago, Kakashi hadn't dared to stay and fight because he was protecting the young Koyuki Kazahana, and had been chased all the way out of the Land of Snow.That pursuit had remained a mark of shame in Kakashi's heart, but it had also caused Rōga Nadare to underestimate the true strength of this Ninja World 'celebrity' for a long time.He often regretted it—regretted that he hadn't been able to catch Kakashi back then and leave the man's life on that snowy plain.Now that the two had met again, Rōga Nadare felt no fear; instead, he was faintly excited.He thought that he could use this battle and Kakashi's life to truly make a name for himself.Fubuki Kakuyoku walked up beside him, also looking down coldly at the three small figures below, her tone carrying a cat-and-mouse-like disdain."Hehe, before we deal with Kakashi, it would be quite pleasant to slaughter all his subordinates first."Fuyukuma did not respond.He was a man of few words, and his actions were always faster than his mouth.With a fierce shout, he leaped directly from the edge of the ice cliff, his heavy body tracing a straight arc through the air.As he fell, his hands were already weaving signs at high speed.Ice Release: Violent Bear Drop!A massive ice bear, several meters tall, materialized out of thin air, its body sharply defined and reflecting a piercing cold light in the sun.The ice bear, carrying a sense of heavy mass, crashed down toward The Three Little Ones under the pull of gravity, accompanied by the sound of whistling wind."Ice Release?"Seeing this, The Three Little Ones were all startled at once.Although Kakashi had mentioned before that the Ninjas of the Land of Snow could use Ice Release, seeing the scale of this ice bear with their own eyes still sent a jolt through their hearts.Just based on the power of the Ninjutsu, this guy seemed even more formidable than the Haku they had encountered before.Of course, despite their surprise, the three of them didn't slow down one bit.Sasuke stepped forward, his hands moving so fast they were almost a blur.Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.Surging flames erupted from his mouth, heat waves rolling as they slammed into the ice bear.Compared to back during the Chunin Exams, his Great Fireball was now completely different.The stream of fire was larger and the temperature higher; the edges of the flames at the very front even had a faint hint of bluish-white.The several-meter-tall ice bear was swallowed whole by the flames in an instant, and massive clouds of white mist billowed from where the ice and fire collided.Sakura followed closely, leaping into the air.Her fist clenched the moment she jumped, specks of golden light blooming between her fingers.According to her prediction, such a large ice bear would be difficult to melt completely in just a few seconds, even if hit head-on by a Great Fireball.The remaining part would be shattered by her punch.But the actual situation exceeded her expectations.Once the flames of the Great Fireball dissipated, the originally massive ice bear was nowhere to be seen; only a large puddle of water remained, splashing down noisily.Sakura's punch, full of gathered power, slammed solidly into the water, sending countless droplets flying in all directions.Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm.Fubuki Kakuyoku took advantage of this opening to strike.She raised her hand to her lips and blew gently; dozens of ice darts in the shape of swallows flew from her palm, shooting toward Sakura in a dense swarm.The edges of each ice swallow were as thin as blades, making a sharp whistling sound as they cut through the air.At almost the same time, Fuyukuma had descended in front of Sakura.His knuckles turned white as he clenched a massive fist, swinging it toward Sakura while she was still in mid-air."Watch out!"Seeing this from the large ship in the distance, Koyuki Kazahana rushed to the railing in a panic and shouted a warning.Sakura, however, didn't panic at all.She forcibly twisted her waist in mid-air, using the momentum of the turn to pull her center of gravity back.Her fist, infused with Hamon, met Fuyukuma's giant fist head-on.Boom!A loud explosion rang out.A visible shockwave erupted from where the two fists collided, pushing the surrounding air outward in all directions.Debris on the ice surface was swept up into a whirl, looking like a light snowfall.Feeling the force of this punch, Fuyukuma's simple face finally changed.He felt an overwhelming force surge through his arm; unable to resist, he was blasted into the ice cliff beside him.The ice layer cracked with a loud crunching sound as a large web of fissures appeared, and shards of ice showered down.Sakura used the force of the collision to drift backward like a kite with a broken string, perfectly avoiding the oncoming swallow-shaped darts.But those ice swallows did not stop there; as if they possessed a consciousness of their own, they all swiveled in mid-air, tracing neat arcs as they pursued Sakura."Still coming?"Sakura arched an eyebrow.At this moment, she was in mid-air with no footing to push off from, leaving her with no room to dodge again.So she simply crossed her arms in front of her, preparing to tank this wave of attacks.Vibration Style: Spiral Suction Sphere!A deep blue orb of light suddenly flew in from the side.The orb wasn't large, but it spun at high speed, creating a visible ring of air ripples around it.It plunged into the swarm of ice swallows, and then a powerful suction force erupted from the center of the sphere.The ice darts had no chance to resist; they were violently pulled in by the suction, clattering against the orb and shattering into countless tiny ice fragments.The ice fragments turned into glittering dust in the sunlight, completely dispersed by the sea breeze.From a distance, Kakashi saw everything clearly, and his eye visible outside the mask suddenly widened."Is that... the Rasengan?"
Chapter 152: Your Opponent is Me!"Is that... the Rasengan? I didn't expect Lord Jiraiyato teach him that too."Kakashi stood by the ship's railing, having seen the previous scene clearly. The eye visible outside his mask widened into a circle, and he couldn't help but mutter under his breath.He recognized the technique Naruto used, but at the same time, he noticed something was off.A regular Rasengan possesses pure destructive power; Minato Namikaze developed this move specifically so that Kushina could maximize the use of Tailed Beast Chakra.However, the Spiral Suction Sphere Naruto just used had a completely different effect.Vibration Release?Could it be that Naruto not only learned the Rasengan but even achieved something even the Fourth Hokage couldn't—adding a nature transformation to the Rasengan?While Kakashi was in shock, the crowd on the ship recovered from their brief silence, erupting into a few uncontrollable cries of surprise.Koyuki Kazahana gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles turning a pale blue, but her eyes unconsciously brightened.Of course, the most enthusiastic person on the ship was undoubtedly the film director.He held both hands high above his head, his entire body trembling with excitement. Fortunately, the large ship was still some distance from the iceberg; otherwise, his voice was loud enough to trigger an avalanche: "Fantastic! This scene is simply wonderful! Start the cameras immediately! I want to film this entire battle from start to finish—don't miss a single shot!"He shouted while grabbing the cameraman next to him, shaking the poor man so hard he nearly tumbled off the deck.Of course, no matter how lively the commotion on the ship was, it didn't affect the battle on the iceberg.On the ice, Naruto turned his head after throwing out a Spiral Suction Sphere and glanced toward his companion: "Sasuke."Sasuke nodded, instantly understanding Naruto's meaning.He also felt something was not quite right.Fuyukuma's previous Ice Release technique looked intimidating in scale, but upon closer inspection, it didn't hold up.The freezing speed and the density of the ice were far inferior compared to Haku, whom they had fought before.His own Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu was certainly much stronger than before, but it wasn't yet strong enough to melt Haku's Ice Release in an instant.Thus, the only explanation was that the ice created by this opponent was inherently more fragile than Haku's.Thinking of this, Sasuke closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the crimson light of the Sharingan shone in his pupils, a single tomoe spinning rapidly.He cast his gaze toward the three Land of SnowNinjas, observing them while shouting, "Naruto!"Naruto understood immediately and leaped upward.Sakura also landed on the ice at this time.As soon as her toes touched the ground, before her heels could even settle, the ice beneath her feet suddenly vibrated violently.Massive ice pillars erupted from the ground around her, rising so fast that there was almost no time to react.Those ice pillars were packed tightly together, each one thick enough to hide a person's body, enclosing her completely in the blink of an eye.Ice Release: Ice Prison Technique.Fuyukuma rushed out from the shattered wall of the ice cliff, bits of ice debris clattering down from his shoulders and head.He had just been punched into the ice wall by Sakura, and a scratch still lingered on his face, but his Aura was even more ferocious than before.Seeing Sakura trapped in his ice prison, Fuyukumatilted his head back and let out a roar, as if venting the frustration of being knocked back earlier.Then his gaze shifted, locking onto Naruto.Naruto had already leaped onto the layer of ice where he stood and was making a move to continue upward."You're next, kid."Fuyukuma took a large stride, pointing a thick arm at Naruto.Naruto didn't even glance his way; he tapped his toes lightly on the ice and launched himself upward again toward the top of the ice cliff.This total disregard was more direct than any verbal provocation.Fuyukuma's eyes instantly became bloodshot, and he let out an uncontrollable roar of rage.Simultaneously, he stomped heavily on the ice, creating a circle of white cracks. Using the counterforce, he lunged upward like an enraged bear toward Naruto, creating a sharp wind pressure.The angle of this pounce was very clever, positioned exactly in front of Naruto's upward path.Normally, Naruto would either have to slow down and change direction or take the enemy's impact head-on.But his gaze remained fixed upward, never sparing a single look at Fuyukuma, looking past the edge of the ice cliff toward Rōga Nadare and Fubuki Kakuyoku higher up.The muscles on Fuyukuma's broad face twitched twice before breaking into a hideous grin.He thrust his shoulder forward in mid-air, putting his full weight into it. In his mind, he already saw the image of this kid being smashed to pieces by his impact."You still dare to look down on me? Die, you bastard!"Boom.A loud explosion rang out, but it wasn't the sound of the collision he had expected.Sakura swung her fist, smashing the solid ice prison in front of her into smithereens.Shards of ice flew in all directions, some hitting Fuyukuma and causing a faint sting even through his armor.Fuyukuma whipped his head back, and for the first time, a look of shocked agitation appeared on his usually arrogant face."What? This woman used brute force to achieve a Breakthrough against my Ice Release?"In the moment he was stunned, Sakura had already soared into the air.She traced an arc through the sky, appearing directly between Naruto and Fuyukuma, blocking the latter's path."Your opponent is me, don't even think about escaping!"
Chapter 153: The Amount of Experience Will Determine the Outcome!"Your opponent is me, don't think about running away."Sakura's voice was clear and resolute.Before her voice had even faded, her slender figure traced a clean arc through the air.She landed squarely between Naruto and Fuyukuma, steadying herself in mid-air to block the opponent's path.Compared to the man in front of her, who was as burly as a polar bear, Sakura appeared exceptionally petite, almost like a tender young child.But there wasn't a trace of fear in her eyes; instead, they overflowed with powerful confidence.When it came to a contest of strength, she had enough confidence that she wouldn't lose to him."Though there's still a gap between me and those two, I will do my best to catch up to them. Stay right here and get a good taste of the results of my training."Sakura's words were spoken with conviction, and immediately afterward, her right fist slammed out heavily.Monstrous Strength Punch!Fuyukuma did not choose to dodge.In his eyes, this punch from Sakura was no different from their previous clash.And his own charge had been gathering momentum since he jumped; the impact was enough to smash a whole boulder into fragments.If Sakura's fist still had the same level of power as before, not only would she fail to block his strike, but even the blonde brat behind her would suffer, becoming two more souls under his heavy transport truck of a body.However, the moment the fist collided, Fuyukuma's expression changed.The power of Sakura's punch was several times stronger than before!He had no power to resist and was sent flying directly, crashing into the ice below like a cannonball, smashing out a human-shaped crater filled with cracks as if he had been embedded into it.Naruto finally shifted his gaze from above and glanced down at Sakura's fist.With just one look, he saw through the trick behind it."Using Hamon to condense Chakra onto the fist in a flowing manner, while enhancing physical strength, it erupts with power far exceeding physical limits..."Naruto analyzed silently in his heart, feeling more and more pleasantly surprised the more he thought about it.Sakura had only been in contact with Hamon for a short time, yet she had already figured out a combat style that belonged to her.And judging from the residual power of her punch just now, she was still far from hitting her limit.While admiring her internally, Naruto didn't skimp on praise, giving Sakura a thumbs-up: "Great job, Sakura! Leave this guy who only knows how to use brute force to you!""Don't worry."Sakura looked back and smiled, then her expression quickly turned serious.She pinpointed where Fuyukuma had fallen, twisted her body in mid-air, and dropped straight down toward him.At the top of the ice cliff, Rōga Nadare and Fubuki Kakuyoku stood side by side, seeing the scene of Fuyukuma's failed interception clearly.The contemptuous expressions on their faces finally faded a bit, replaced by a layer of genuine seriousness.Rōga Nadare was the first to move.His hands quickly formed seals, and then both palms slammed heavily onto the ice beneath his feet.Ice Release: Wolf Fang Avalanche.This Ninjutsu, named after himself, was his true specialty.Only a dull roar was heard rolling down from the peak of the iceberg, as massive amounts of snow slid down, converging into a large-scale avalanche in an instant.The white waves of snow tumbled downward with immense weight, as if the entire iceberg had been given a push.Even more hair-raising was that the swirling snowflakes continuously condensed and transformed during the tumble, turning into fierce-looking ice-and-snow hungry wolves.They bared their mouths full of ice teeth and lunged toward The Three Little Ones amidst the avalanche.Fubuki Kakuyoku made her move at the same time.After forming seals, she created a smooth, flat ice mirror and stepped onto it, using it like a snowboard.Following the momentum of the avalanche, Fubuki Kakuyoku slid into the pack of ice wolves at high speed, her figure blending with the ice wolves so that at first glance, they were indistinguishable.Naruto frowned.What made him frown wasn't the overwhelming power of this avalanche, but the fact that the moment his gaze swept over, he captured an anomaly through the gaps in the billowing snow curtain.Using the billowing snowflakes to obscure vision, six figures of Fubuki Kakuyoku actually appeared within the Wolf Fang Avalanche."Clones?"Naruto quickly made a judgment in his heart, yet his movements didn't slow down in the slightest.Another azure Rasengan appeared in his palm, the Chakra rotating at high speed, churning the surrounding air into visible ripples.He aimed at the direction the avalanche was pressing from and threw the Rasengan forward with force.Quake Release: Spiral Repulsion Sphere!A massive repulsive force erupted majestically from the center of the Rasengan, like an invisible giant hand pushing out violently.Even that grand avalanche was forcibly pierced with a several-meter-wide hole by this force.The flying snow tumbled back to both sides, clearing a safe passage for Naruto.Naruto continued to charge toward the top of the ice cliff along this newly opened path, his feet never pausing for a step.However, just as the avalanche brushed past him, the six Fubuki Kakuyokus mixed in the snow waves, along with the packs of ice-and-snow hungry wolves, launched an attack from all directions simultaneously.Ice teeth, ice claws, and six identical figures blocked all his paths of retreat in front, behind, left, and right, weaving an airtight net.A confident smile appeared on the face of one Fubuki Kakuyoku."In battle, the amount of experience will directly decide the outcome, brat!"
Chapter 154: Is This All You've Got?"In battle, the amount of experience directly determines victory or defeat, brat."Six identical figures spoke simultaneously, their voices overlapping from six directions with condescending contempt.They blended into the surging waves of snow, blocking all of Naruto's paths—front, back, left, and right—weaving a dense, airtight net.A confident smile appeared on all six faces at once, as if they would tear Naruto to shreds in the very next second.However, in the next second, a cold voice cut through the wind and snow.Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson.No one had noticed when Sasuke had caught up.By the time Fubuki Kakuyoku realized it, he had already thrown a volley of Shuriken, his hands rapidly forming seals simultaneously.Accompanied by the whistling wind, dozens of fireballs spat from his mouth, each initially only the size of a glass bead.After tumbling a few times in the air, they swelled against the wind, rapidly expanding to a diameter of several dozen centimeters.Those fireballs accurately enveloped every Shuriken; fire entwined with steel, pushing both speed and power up several levels in an instant.The dense attacks spread out like a burning dome, covering the entire area around Naruto.Under the intense heat, the aggressive ice and snow wolves from moments ago had no room to struggle; they turned into water vapor in swathes, evaporating completely before their shapes could even vanish.The six Fubuki Kakuyokus reacted quickly, stomping down on the Ice Mirrors beneath them in an attempt to use the ice surface to block the incoming fireballs.But those fireballs didn't hit the target directly; instead, they all exploded at the same moment upon nearing it.The shockwave of the explosion, carrying a heatwave, swallowed everything in all directions, sweeping up everything nearby.Only Naruto didn't pause for even half a step.His body had been covered by a thin, iridescent film at some point—a protective layer infused with Vibration Release Chakra.When the shockwave hit, it was entirely absorbed by the film, without even a ripple passing through.Not only was his pace not slowed down, but he even accelerated a bit more by taking advantage of this opening.Sasuke watched Naruto's retreating back and shouted, "Their Ice Release isn't true Ice Release. It's essentially Water Release, only taking shape due to the extremely low ambient temperature, much like supercooled water."Naruto didn't look back; he just gave Sasuke a thumbs-up behind his back.Seeing that gesture, the corner of Sasuke's mouth curved slightly.Then his gaze sharpened, and he spun around once on the spot.Ten Kunai flew out from his hand, thudding into the ice around him, neatly demarcating a ten-meter radius.A very thin steel wire was tied to the ring at the end of each Kunai, so thin it was almost invisible in the reflection of the snow.Sasuke held the other end of the steel wires in his mouth, pulling them taut.His hands formed seals rapidly, his movements crisp and clean.Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique.Intense flames erupted from Sasuke's mouth, surging along the steel wires like an angry dragon.The flames raced along every wire, exploding violently once they reached the Kunai, burning the accumulated snow around him completely away.The ice surface sizzled from the heat, and large plumes of white mist rose up.Just as the flames spread, a muffled scream came from beneath the snow.A figure burst out from under the snow in a sorry state, stumbling a few steps while clutching her arm before steadying herself; it was Fubuki Kakuyoku.Unmelted snow still clung to her armor, and a red burn mark had been seared onto the back of her hand by the flames.She looked up, staring fixedly at Sasuke with eyes full of resentment: "How did you find me?"Sasuke unhurriedly released the steel wires from his mouth, his tone as flat as if he were stating something obvious."Hmph, I saw through it long ago. The six in the avalanche were all Clones; your real body was lurking under the snow from the start, waiting for a chance to ambush us."He raised his hand and tapped his eyes, which were still glowing with a crimson light, with his index finger."None of your movements can escape these eyes of mine.""Don't get cocky, you brat!"Fubuki Kakuyoku's face contorted, all her composure and disdain stripped away.She gritted her teeth, kicked off the ground, and charged at Sasuke.On the other side.Naruto leaped over ten meters high, his silhouette stretching into a straight line in the cold wind, finally landing steadily on the peak of the iceberg.The ice surface beneath his feet was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting his standing figure.Rōga Nadare stood not far in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, with a faint, mocking smile on his face.He seemed to completely disregard the youth before him. Even after Naruto landed, he slowly raised his hands and clapped a few times, the crisp sound echoing across the empty icy peak."To have gone this far just to challenge me... I'll make an exception and praise you.""No need." Naruto loosened his shoulders and wrists, his joints making a few crisp snapping sounds, a look of casual certainty on his face. "I'm here to defeat you right now."Vibration Release: Shockwave Fist.He stepped forward, his right fist enveloped in thick Vibration Release Chakra, striking toward Rōga Nadare with a heavy humming sound.The punch was incredibly heavy; wherever the fist passed, the air trembled slightly.But then, Naruto's eyes suddenly widened.Rōga Nadare simply raised one arm, blocking horizontally in front of his body.After a solid, muffled thud, everything went still.Rōga Nadare hadn't budged an inch, and even the smile on his face hadn't changed."What?"Naruto frowned in surprise."Your fist..." Rōga Nadare sneered, "is only at this level? It's not even enough to tickle me!"
AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 155: Rasengan"Is this the level of your punch? It's not even enough to scratch an itch."Rōga Nadare looked down at the fist blocked by his arm, the corners of his mouth pulling back further, the mockery in his eyes thick enough to drip.Naruto frowned and took a half-step back while looking down at his fist, his mind racing as he wondered what had gone wrong.After a moment, he understood.The principle of the Shockwave Fist was to attach a layer of bubbles containing Vibration Release Chakra to the surface of the fist at the moment of the strike, utilizing the repulsive properties of Vibration Release to significantly increase the power of the punch.He had used this move countless times and had never failed.But this time, the problem was the temperature.The air temperature above this iceberg was too low—so low that the layer of bubbles had just attached to the surface of his skin before it was frozen into a thin ice shell, before it even had a chance to take effect.Once the ice shell formed, the Chakra inside became ineffective, meaning his punch was thrown with pure physical strength.Additionally, he hadn't intended to use lethal force from the start, thinking of capturing Rōga Nadarealive, so he had deliberately held back his power when swinging his fist.With several factors stacking together, it allowed the opponent to catch it so easily."An opening."Rōga Nadare had no sense of martial ethics; taking advantage of this moment of Naruto's Divided Soul, he threw a punch directly at his face.The wind from the punch came fast and heavy; one could tell how strong the power was just by listening.Naruto's reaction was swift. He instinctively took a step back, barely letting the edge of the fist pass by.But Rōga Nadare seemed to have seen through his movements in advance. He chased forward a step, his fist changing direction mid-way, following the trajectory of Naruto's retreat straight toward his chest.Naruto suddenly stopped.The footsteps that were still retreating were suddenly nailed to the ice without any warning.Bang!With a muffled thud, the fist slammed solidly into his chest.But the scene Rōga Nadare expected—of the enemy being blown away by a single punch—did not appear.Naruto stood in place without moving an inch; his feet didn't even leave a single centimeter of a scratch on the ice.Instead, Rōga Nadare's own expression changed slightly. He felt as if his fist hadn't hit a human body, but rather slammed into a solid wall.Not only was the opponent not pushed back, but his own knuckles were aching from the vibration.Naruto tilted his head, looking at the look of disbelief on Rōga Nadare's face, and spoke unhurriedly."Is this the level of your punch? It's not even enough to scratch an itch."He returned the mockery the opponent had just thrown at him word for word.His tone was flat, and there was even a touch of appropriate confusion on his face, as if he were sincerely asking the opponent why they were so weak.This move was something he had just learned on the fly from Sakura.First, use Hamon to instantly harden the muscles, and then attach Chakra on top of that hardening to push the muscle strength up another level.Judging by the results, the effect was quite good.Rōga Nadare's face twisted almost visibly to the naked eye.Over the years, under Dotō Kazahana, he had always been highly respected.Coupled with the fact that he had pursued Kakashiten years ago, this incident had always been the claim to fame he boasted about, and he had long since developed a sense of superiority.Now, being mocked to his face by Kakashi's subordinate using his own words, his anger almost instantly burned through his reason."You brat who doesn't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, go to hell!"Rōga Nadare roared and jumped back, his hands already quickly forming seals while still in mid-air.Ice Release: Flying Thrusting Tiger.The surrounding snow rose at his command, churning and condensing into several tall and robust tigers, each with a shoulder height exceeding that of an adult man.The Ice Tigers opened their mouths full of sharp teeth and pounced toward Naruto amidst the whistling wind, their heavy paws making dull vibrations as they stepped on the ice.Naruto stood in place without dodging or putting up any defensive posture, simply watching the tigers pounce toward him.It wasn't until they rushed close enough that he could almost feel the cold air emanating from their ice fangs that he slowly raised his palm, aiming it at the retreating Rōga Nadare.Vibration Style: Spiral Suction Sphere.When Rōga Nadare saw the azure light sphere appearing in Naruto's palm, his pupils shrank violently, and his whole body immediately tensed up.But before he could make any reaction, a massive suction force surged out from that light sphere, covering the sky and earth.Like an invisible giant hand grabbing his body, it forcibly dragged him from his spot.Caught off guard, Rōga Nadare's body was sucked right in front of Naruto.Just as he was about to struggle, the roars of the Ice Tigers behind him reached his ears.Roar.Rōga Nadare, who had been forcefully pulled over, became the best shield in front of Naruto.The Ice Tigers couldn't stop their momentum and slammed solidly into his back, letting out a series of dull thuds.Rōga Nadare was pinned to the ice, his chest tightening as he spat out a large mouthful of blood with a retch, splashing a shocking red onto the white ice.Naruto did not intend to stop there.He withdrew his palm, no longer infusing Vibration Release Chakra into the Rasengan, and instead continuously injected non-attributed ordinary Chakra.The color of the light sphere in his palm quickly turned from azure to orange-yellow. The Chakrainside, which had been rotating orderly, instantly switched to a chaotic turbulence, emitting a low hum.Rasengan!Naruto leaned down and slammed the orange-yellow light sphere in his hand hard against Rōga Nadare.
Chapter 156: Uncle's GiftRasengan.The orange-yellow light sphere in Naruto's palm slammed firmly into Rōga Nadare's body.When it came to his Rasengan cultivation, Narutoknew in his heart that he had indeed taken some shortcuts during the third stage.That was how the Rasengan: Repulsion and Spiral Suction Sphere had come about; by changing the nature of his Chakra's flow, he had forcibly branched off two side paths from the original Rasengan cultivation system.However, he hadn't abandoned the original Rasengan itself.Although he still cheated a bit by using Hamon to maintain the outer wall of the Chakra sphere,Regardless, he had finally managed to manifest this most primitive version of the Rasengan.Boom!A loud explosion erupted as a powerful shockwave radiated in all directions from the point of impact, blooming into a visible transparent ripple in the frigid air.The silver-gray armor on Rōga Nadare's body shattered under the massive impact.Cracks spread from his chest, instantly covering the entire breastplate like a spiderweb.The entire suit of armor broke apart piece by piece, clattering onto the ice.His whole body convulsed violently; his back arched and then slammed back down as he spat out another mouthful of blood, splashing it across his chin and neck.Rōga Nadare's eyes rolled back, his head lolled to the side, and he lost consciousness completely.Naruto closed his eyes and extended his perception slightly to check.The opponent's life fluctuations were still there; they were weak, but showed no signs of disappearing.A trace of a smile appeared on his face as he brushed the ice shards off his hands and stood up straight.He looked back; the other two battlefields had also reached their conclusions.Sasuke's side had ended cleanly and efficiently.Fubuki Kakuyoku found almost no effective way to resist when facing him.She had been constantly sliding on the ice, dodging, and forming hand seals to use various Ice Release Ninjutsu.But no matter what shape of ice she condensed, there was only one outcome before Sasuke's Fire Release: it melted.It melted into water and then evaporated into steam, leaving not a trace behind.She tried to close in for Taijutsu, but Sasuke's Sharingan—though still maintained in its single-tomoe form due to the effect of his Stand—was more than enough to deal with her.It was only a matter of a few moves before Sasukebroke through her defense.With a hand-blade strike to the side of her neck, Fubuki Kakuyoku slumped onto the ice.Sakura's side took the longest.After tasting the power of her Monstrous Strength Punch, Fuyukuma had wised up; he refused to clash with her head-on, instead using Ice ReleaseNinjutsu to maintain distance and engage in a war of attrition.He created one ice pillar after another on the surface, trying to stay away and wear Sakura down with long-range Ninjutsu.Once Sakura realized his intention, she simply changed her tactics. Her target was no longer Fuyukuma himself, but the ice beneath his feet.Punch after punch, the surrounding ice layer was smashed into a network of cracks, with fissures snaking out in all directions.In a moment of carelessness, Fuyukuma's right foot got stuck in a fissure, causing him to lose his balance and pitch forward.Sakura naturally didn't miss this opportunity; following up with a heavy punch, Fuyukuma also gained a peaceful sleep.Naruto gave his two companions a thumbs-up.The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched into a slight smile as he deactivated his Sharingan.Sakura stood beside Fuyukuma, hands on her knees as she caught her breath, then looked up and returned Naruto's smile.On the large ship, Kakashi took all this in and breathed a slight sigh of relief.He had always been confident in the strength of these three students, but it would be a lie to say he wasn't worried.After all, the Ninjas of the Land of Snow held a natural geographical advantage on this ice; it wouldn't be surprising if some unexpected event occurred during the performance.Only now, seeing all three enemies taken down, could he truly set his mind at ease.Then Kakashi turned his head to look at Koyuki Kazahana beside him.She was still in the same position as before, leaning against the railing, her clenched fingers finally relaxing."I think you've seen Naruto's strength for yourself," Kakashi's voice wasn't loud, but it reached Koyuki Kazahana's ears clearly. "And since he said he would protect you even at the cost of his life, he will definitely do it."The look in Koyuki Kazahana's eyes shifted slightly, and that cold, hard resistance in her gaze softened for a moment.She didn't respond, only letting out a soft hum before turning to head back into the cabin.Just then, a massive creaking sound suddenly came from beneath their feet, as if something incredibly enormous had shifted under the sea.Immediately after, the sea surface began to fluctuate violently. The ship lurched sharply, causing people on deck to stumble one after another; some fell straight onto their behinds, while others barely managed to stay upright by grabbing nearby ropes.Naruto's expression changed instantly.He felt the iceberg beneath him vibrating—not a slight tremor, but rhythmic pulses of shaking, as if something were stirring it from the bottom.Certain it wasn't an illusion, he immediately crouched down and injected a burst of Hamon into Rōga Nadare's body."Ugh."Rōga Nadare was forcibly jolted awake by the vibration. His eyelids fluttered as he struggled to open them a crack.His mouth and chin were covered in half-dried blood, and his face was as white as the ice beneath him.Naruto hoisted him up, forcing his face toward the churning sea surrounding the iceberg."Hey, what's going on?"Rōga Nadare struggled to focus his vision, looking blankly at the roiling seawater and then at the vibrating iceberg beneath them, his lips trembling."I... I don't know..."His voice was raspy and weak, and his eyes held no trace of deception; he truly didn't know.At that moment, a man's voice suddenly drifted across the sea from a distance.The voice pierced through the roar of the waves and the ice, echoing arrogantly over the entire sea area."Koyuki, this is a special gift your uncle prepared for you. Enjoy it, Hahaha!"That laughter was drawn out, causing Koyuki Kazahana's steps to freeze in place as the color drained completely from her face.
Chapter 157: Running Far Away is the Greatest Help"Koyuki, this is a special gift I prepared for you. Enjoy it, hahaha."A man's arrogant voice rang out over the sea, echoing across the waters for a long time.Even though ten years had passed, this voice was still as familiar to Koyuki Kazahana as if it had sounded in her ear just yesterday.Dotō Kazahana!The current Daimyo of the Land of Snow, the bastard who killed her father with his own hands.Her feet felt nailed to the deck; the color drained from her face in an instant, and even her lips turned an ashen white.Looking at Dotō Kazahana, there was no anger in her eyes, only a bone-deep terror. She trembled all over: "He... he's here!"Kakashi didn't hesitate; he leaped to the other end of the deck, simultaneously raising his hand to push up the headband covering his left eye.That Three-Tomoe Sharingan was revealed, the Three-Tomoe spinning rapidly within the crimson pupil.Using the Sharingan's powerful observational skills, he scanned the distant horizon and quickly locked onto an armored vessel that was rapidly moving away.The hull was iron-gray and very fast, leaving a white wake on the sea surface.Dotō Kazahana's voice had come from that direction.Questions flashed through Kakashi's mind.This man was bent on taking Koyuki Kazahana's life, yet now he was sailing away.And what did he just say? A gift for Koyuki Kazahana.Could the current anomaly at sea actually be Dotō Kazahana's doing?Before he could sort out the thought, his vision darkened.It wasn't the sky getting dark, but something blocking the sunlight.A vast shadow pressed down from above, slowly and heavily swallowing the entire ship.Kakashi looked up.The crowd on the deck also looked up one after another.Then everyone froze, like a group of puppets with their strings cut."What... what is this?""Are we going to die?""I want to go home."Someone murmured, their face frantic with panic; someone else collapsed directly onto the deck, their legs no longer able to support their weight.Even Kakashi couldn't help but swallow hard.The massive iceberg blocking the ship was currently twisting.It wasn't collapsing or shattering, but deforming.Accompanied by a deafening roar, the mountain-like block of ice slowly changed its silhouette, as if a pair of giant invisible hands were kneading it.The sides of the iceberg spread outward, the top extended backward, and the bottom gathered forward; the entire silhouette became clearer and clearer, looking more and more like a whale.A whale formed from an iceberg.Its size was so massive it defied description; even the largest blue whale in the ocean would look like a speck of dust before this ice whale.Millions of tons of frozen mountain leaped into the sky, paused for a brief moment in mid-air, and then began to fall.Its speed wasn't fast—it could even be called slow—slow enough that the people on the deck could see every line of the ice layers on its belly.But it was precisely because it was slow that it was even more despairing.Its shadow covered ten nautical miles of the sea; the ship beneath it was as tiny as a withered leaf.No matter which direction they fled, they couldn't escape the ice whale falling from the sky.This had already transcended the scope of Ninjutsu; it was a natural disaster!"Quick, quick, quick, turn the helm!"The captain was the first to snap out of his stupor.He practically crawled and scrambled into the cockpit, shouting in a distorted voice as he started the engine.The sails turned with difficulty, the hull jolted violently, churning up large plumes of white waves.But everyone knew it was too late.Kakashi's expression became very grim.He was confident he could save his own life in this disaster, and even saving Koyuki Kazahana's life wasn't impossible.But there were over a hundred people on the ship: the director, cameramen, prop crew, sailors...Ninety-nine percent of them would die here today.And even if a few managed to survive, what could they do facing a completely destroyed ship in the middle of the vast ocean?Meanwhile, on the distant armored ship, Dotō Kazahana lowered his binoculars, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.Ice Release: Whale Drop Extinction.To ensure Koyuki Kazahana's death, he had made meticulous preparations on this iceberg long ago.Only through the Chakra-Amplifying Armordeveloped over the years, combined with the collective Chakra infusion from many Land of Snow Ninjas, could such a destruction-level Ninjutsu be released.Now that the mission was complete, he could set his mind at ease and return home to study the Hexagonal Crystal his elder brother had left behind.On the back of the ice whale, The Three Little Oneswere still standing there.The ice beneath their feet was trembling violently, each vibration traveling up through their leg bones, making their teeth ache.None of their faces looked good.Sakura bit her lip, her mind racing.If she hit it with her Monstrous Strength Punch, she could probably chip off a small piece of ice, which for this impossibly large ice whale was no different from a mosquito bite.Sasuke didn't speak, but he had already tried just now.His Fire Release only melted a thin layer of the surface, without changing the ice whale's shape in the slightest.Naruto also thought of the Rasengan.But even the strongest Rasengan, what could it do against this thing?He looked down at the large ship below.The people on the deck were still looking up, their faces all wearing the same expression.Despair, pure despair.Naruto grit his teeth."You two, take these three Snow Ninjas and leave first. Get as far away as possible."He said this very suddenly. Sakura and Sasukelooked at him at the same time, both stunned for a moment.Before Sakura could speak, Sasuke spoke first.His tone was more serious than ever: "Can I help you?"Naruto met his gaze for a moment, then looked away.He didn't explain much, just said softly: "You running far away is the greatest help to me."
Chapter 158: It Really Took a Long Way Around"Running far away is the greatest help you can give me."Naruto and Sasuke locked eyes for a moment before Naruto looked away first.His voice was low, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness.Sasuke didn't speak; he just gave a nod so slight it was almost invisible.Then he turned around and, along with Sakura, picked up the three unconscious Snow Ninja and quickly sped off into the distance.What Naruto didn't see was that after Sasuketurned around, the muscles in his face were twitching incessantly.It wasn't from the cold or the sea breeze; it was because he was clenching his teeth with all his might.Because he was clenching so hard, the muscles across his entire face were spasming.His Sharingan, still glowing a deep crimson, were now filled with such intense frustration and anger that they seemed ready to burst into flames.In this moment, Sasuke once again felt that profound sense of powerlessness he had experienced when facing Uchiha Itachi.In the Tsukuyomi Space, he had been forced by that bastard to relive the Night of the Clans Massacre over and over again.That feeling of watching the corpses of his family and clansmen with his own eyes while being unable to do anything made Sasuke feel an immense hatred.So after waking up, he had sworn to himself that he would never experience that feeling again in his life.But reality had once again pushed him into the same position.Facing the Ice Whale slowly falling from above, the only thing he could do was turn and run.It felt as if a knife were carving into his heart.However, Naruto no longer had the spare energy to speculate on Sasuke's thoughts.He pulled all his attention back to himself, bowing his head and staring unblinkingly at his own hands.After developing the Spiral Suction Sphere and Rasengan: Repulsion, a single thought had been constantly occupying Naruto's mind.If he were to clash these two opposing forces together, would it create a destructive power far exceeding the sum of the two?Just like the original Rasengan, it would greatly enhance the destructive power through chaotic turbulence.Perhaps only by developing such a Move could it be considered a true Vibration Release Rasengan.In several previous battles, he had wanted to try it in actual combat, but each time he was interrupted by various incidents and never managed to truly let loose and do it.Naruto had also tried it privately a few times, but without exception, they all ended in failure.The reason was actually simple: merely slamming the two forces together would only cause them to cancel each other out, leaving nothing behind.Until just now, Naruto hadn't been able to think of any way to solve this problem.But now it was different.Above him was a falling natural disaster, beneath him was a large ship that could be crushed to pieces at any moment, and behind him were the retreating figures of his two companions.At this critical juncture where every second could be his last, all the distracting thoughts in his heart were instead swept clean, leaving only a vast, empty clarity in his mind.Within that clarity, he suddenly noticed something he had never paid attention to before.Rotation!Rotation itself has a very wonderful effect; it can keep things in a stable state.A whirlpool is the best example; no matter how much the surrounding water churns and stirs, the void at the center of the whirlpool always remains steadily in place.But to make good use of this rotational power, one cannot simply force the two Rasengan to nest and fuse like gears; doing so would only cause them to grind each other down.The true key lies in...Although it was just a thought, Naruto's movements were not slow, his hands dancing quickly as he formed hand seals.With a puff, a Shadow Clone appeared beside him.Their minds were linked; after the Shadow Clonemet Naruto's gaze, it immediately nodded without saying a word.Naruto held out his right hand, and a deep blue sphere of light the size of a fingernail condensed on his palm.Though the sphere of light was small, the air around it was already being churned into a circle of fine Hamon.Quake Release: Spiral Repulsion Sphere.As the Chakra condensed into shape, Naruto's left hand also formed a claw-like shape, transmitting golden Hamon from his palm and carefully attaching them to the outer wall of the Rasengan: Repulsion.If someone were to look closely, they would see that the golden light radiating from those Hamonwas driving the outer wall to rotate at high speed, like adding another force to a spinning top.After the form of the Golden Rasengan was stabilized by the Hamon, the Shadow Clone raised its hands, palms aimed at the tiny sphere of light on Naruto's palm.One of its hands injected Hamon, building another high-speed rotating halo around the perimeter of the Golden Rasengan.The other hand infused a large amount of Vibration Release Chakra, using that tiny Rasengan: Repulsion as a core to re-condense a larger deep blue sphere of light from the outer ring.Vibration Style: Spiral Suction Sphere.Buzz!A low buzzing sound emanated from Naruto's palm, as if something were vibrating slightly.A Rasengan, deep blue throughout but with a dazzling golden core, floated quietly on his palm.It didn't look much larger than a normal Rasengan, but just by holding it, Naruto felt as if he were carrying a mountain.The immense Chakra density was so heavy that his wrist was sinking downward.Looking at the object that had finally taken shape in his palm, Naruto let out a long sigh of relief.After completing its mission, the Shadow Clonebeside him vanished in a puff of white smoke."I really did take a long way around."After a sigh of lament, he thought no more and laboriously bent down, pressing the Rasengancarrying the massive Chakra onto the Ice Whalebeneath his feet."Watch this—""Vibration Release: Sage Way Hamon Star Core Vortex Swirling Great Spiraling Ring!"
Chapter 159: It Really Is Him!"Vibration Release: Sage Way Hamon Star Core Swirling Vortex Great Spiraling Ring."Naruto silently finished reciting this excessively long name and cleared all distracting thoughts from his mind.Holding the Chakra sphere, which felt as heavy as a small mountain, in both hands, he leaned down and pressed it firmly onto the iceberg beneath his feet.Light erupted in an instant, as if a sun had been stuffed beneath the ice.Naruto's blond hair was illuminated until it was nearly transparent, and even the silhouette of his body began to blur, eroded by the light.On the large ship below, Kakashi Hatake had already grabbed Koyuki Kazahana's arm.His fingers gripped tightly, so tightly that Koyuki Kazahana could feel the warmth radiating from his palm.Kakashi's Sharingan was still active, his crimson pupils rapidly scanning the iceberg looming overhead, calculating the escape route and timing.He had already prepared for the worst in his mind; if he couldn't save everyone on the ship, he would at least take Koyuki Kazahana with him.Just then, a massive vibration swept across the entire sea area.Kakashi felt his heart skip a beat and immediately looked up, only to see a blinding light, even more dazzling than the sun, erupting from the iceberg.Immediately after, that iceberg, so vast it inspired despair, began to crumble silently.There was no roar, no sound of explosion; everything proceeded in an almost eerie silence.The body of the Ice Whale began to disintegrate from within, cracks spreading like tentacles in all directions, turning tens of thousands of tons of ice into powder wherever they passed.The whole process was as fast as flipping through pages of a book, yet clear enough for everyone to see the path of the cracks.Kakashi's eyes widened, the three tomoe in his Sharingan having stopped spinning.He looked at everything before him in disbelief, a thought flashing through his mind that even he found somewhat absurd—All of this was Naruto's doing.In fact, it wasn't just Kakashi; everyone else on the ship was also looking up, staring blankly.The deck was deathly quiet; those faces that were previously filled with despair now held only one expression: pure shock."Oh my."The first person to react was the Film Director.He suddenly snapped out of his daze and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quick, quick, quick! Did you get that? Are you all pig-brained? How could you not think to film such a great shot?"He cursed while scrambling to hoist the camera, selectively forgetting that he hadn't reacted either just a moment ago.The massive light was still expanding rapidly, like a cloth covering the sky and earth, enveloping the entire iceberg along with the surrounding sea surface.Under the glare of the intense light, everyone involuntarily closed their eyes.Then, Koyuki Kazahana felt a chill on her face.The coolness was very light, like raindrops falling on her face.Then, a sense of moisture slowly spread from that coolness, seeping into her skin and making her shudder.She quickly opened her eyes and saw that the iceberg that had blotted out the sun was gone.To be precise, it had turned into a sky full of ice shards and snowflakes.Billions of tiny ice crystals floated in mid-air, and the sunlight passing through this layer of ice mist was refracted into countless small rainbows.In that instant, the entire world turned snowy white, with countless dazzling rainbows like embellishments on a white canvas, filling the entire space.Koyuki Kazahana gazed blankly at the sky, her lips slightly parted, but no sound came out.The terror that had seeped from her very bones when she heard Dotō Kazahana's voice earlier had vanished completely at some point."Let's go."Kakashi snapped out of his shock and turned to shout at the captain in the cabin, his voice once again filled with urgency.Although the iceberg was completely shattered, those overwhelming ice shards and snowflakes were pouring down toward the sea under the force of gravity.The boundless ice and snow falling from high above were no less menacing than a massive avalanche.If the large ship didn't rush out before being buried, it would still sink here.Toot! Toot! Toot!The captain struggled to start the engine, the propeller churning up large clouds of white foam, and the bow of the ship lunged forward like an arrow released from a bow.Kakashi stood at the bow, his feet nailed to the deck to stabilize his center of gravity, his hands moving in a blur of indistinguishable afterimages.Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.A gale swirled up from in front of him, slamming hard against the blizzard pouring from the sky.The two forces intertwined in the air, letting out a muffled roar.The snowflakes were blown to the sides by the wind, clearing a barely passable path for the large ship.But the snow from the sky was still falling, as if there were no end to it.Kakashi gritted his teeth and held on, the veins on his temples bulging.Great Breakthrough is a C-rank Ninjutsu, with the advantage of being able to adjust its power based on the amount of Chakra invested.To carve out a path, Kakashi had increased the wind output of Great Breakthrough to its maximum.And this made him feel the Chakra within his body rapidly hitting rock bottom.That sense of emptiness became clearer and clearer, yet the blizzard pouring from above showed no sign of stopping.Just as Kakashi furrowed his brows, a searing heatwave surged from behind him.Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.Surging flames swept past, crashing straight into that curtain of snow.The moment the ice and fire met, vast clouds of white steam rose with a sizzling sound, and the momentum of the falling snow was forcibly halted for the most part.Kakashi hurriedly looked back and saw Sasuke and Sakura Haruno jumping onto the deck from the gunwale, dragging the three unconscious Snow Ninja.Sasuke's face was expressionless, though his breathing was a bit ragged.Kakashi glanced at the two of them, then peered behind them and asked, "Where's Naruto?""He's up there."Sasuke raised his hand and pointed at the ice mist overhead that had not yet fully dissipated.Kakashi followed his finger and looked up, his Sharingan spinning rapidly, faintly spotting Naruto's falling silhouette amidst the vast mist of snow."It really is him!"The corner of Kakashi's mouth curled slightly.
Chapter 160: Seal Away Your TechniqueNaruto woke up from his coma, feeling his consciousness slowly rising from a sea of Chaos.He first felt a faint layer of light outside his eyelids, and only then did he try to open his eyes a crack.His vision was blurred for a few seconds, slowly focusing on the ceiling above, which was unfamiliar...No, it was a familiar ceiling.Naruto was stunned for a moment, recognizing the wood grain; this was his room on the large ship.He blinked, his brain slowly rebooting.The sunlight coming through the window was very bright; judging by the sky, it should be noon.He did a rough estimate; not much time should have passed since he lost consciousness.From the results, the effect of his Move was perfect."Seems like my Move is quite useful, I even managed to save the ship."Naruto sniffed, the corners of his mouth curling up, feeling quite good.But before this smile could fully spread, a surge of intense pain, like a tide, rose from every corner of his body simultaneously.Muscles, bones, joints...It was as if he had been taken apart and reassembled, and the reassembly was very perfunctory.Caught off guard, Naruto didn't have time to use Hamon to alleviate it; he gasped in pain and let out a muffled groan: "Ugh..."This groan of pain wasn't loud, yet it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.The person slumped over the table by the bed was startled awake and let out an exclamation: "You're awake, Naruto!?"A familiar voice.Naruto endured the pain and turned his head, only to see Koyuki Kazahana.She must have fallen asleep leaning on the table; one side of her hair was flattened and sticking up, and her face still held a hint of daze, but her eyes were filled with undisguised concern.Naruto had never seen such an expression on her face, so he flashed a smile: "Yeah."Koyuki Kazahana stood up from the chair, took half a step closer, and looked down at him, her voice carrying a bit of hesitation and caution as she asked: "How... how do you feel?""Just some pain in my body, nothing else is seriously wrong."Naruto waved his hand dismissively, wanting to downplay her concern.But just as he raised his arm, he realized something was wrong.Unlike when he first woke up, he had already begun generating Hamon within his body now.The soothing effect of Hamon was always immediate; usually, no matter how heavy the injury, as long as Hamon was circulating, the pain would be suppressed to a negligible level.But this time was different; even though Hamonwas already flowing through his blood vessels, while the pain in his body had lessened, what remained was still crystal clear.He couldn't hide the expression on his face, and his brow unconsciously tightened a few notches.Seeing the change in his expression, Koyuki Kazahana took a step forward and reached out to gently touch his shoulder.That hand stayed for less than a second before snapping back as if burned.She suddenly turned and ran out of the room, her footsteps tapping urgently on the wooden floorboards of the corridor: "Mr. Kakashi, Mr. Kakashi!"Naruto watched her back disappear behind the door and sighed softly; the energy he had just used to try and act tough faded, and he lay back obediently on the pillow.Before long, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside, rushing closer from a distance.Kakashi Hatake was the first to push the door open, followed closely by Uchiha Sasuke, while Sakura Haruno squeezed through the gap between the two of them.The eyes of all three fell on Naruto at the same time, filled with worry and urgency.Sakura Haruno's eyes were red as she rushed to the bedside and threw herself onto Naruto, her forehead resting on his shoulder.Naruto could clearly feel a few warm droplets falling on his shoulder, soaking through the fabric of his clothes into small wet marks."Naruto."Sakura Haruno's voice was muffled, carrying an irrepressible sob.Naruto was completely confused by their reaction, his hands frozen in mid-air, not knowing where to put them: "What are you guys doing? There's no need to act like it's a life-and-death parting, right?""Do you know how long you've been unconscious?"Kakashi Hatake stepped forward, standing by the bed and looking down at him, his brow tightly furrowed.Naruto thought for a moment; looking at the sky outside earlier, there was still plenty of light, so his tone was quite relaxed when he answered: "The battle was in the morning, and looking at the sky now it should be noon, so probably just a few hours."As he spoke, he changed the subject: "But since Kakashi-sensei is asking me like this, it means I've been asleep for a long time. It couldn't have been a whole day already, could it?""No," Kakashi Hatake shook his head, "you've been unconscious for three whole days!""Huh? Three days?"Naruto's eyes widened, and he almost sprang up from the bed, only being kept from sitting straight because Sakura Haruno held him down; the surprise in his heart was simply beyond words.You know, he had the triple protection of Nine-Tails Chakra, Uzumaki Bloodline, and Hamon!Usually, no matter how heavy the injury, as long as he put his head down and slept, he would wake up full of life.Yet this time, he actually slept for three days?He looked at Uchiha Sasuke in disbelief, as if waiting for a more reliable answer.Uchiha Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and only nodded after meeting his gaze: "That's right. If you hadn't woken up, we were already prepared to abandon the mission and take you directly back to Konoha.""Tsk."Naruto clicked his tongue, his expression somewhat complicated.He hadn't expected the power of the [Great Spiralling Ring] he developed to be so terrifying, actually giving him three days of peaceful sleep: "Is this Move of mine actually that powerful?"Kakashi Hatake took a deep breath, and the look he gave Naruto held no reproach, only an unavoidable seriousness: "Although I don't know how much effort you put into developing this Move, I must warn you, Naruto—you'd better not use this Moveagain!"Having said that, he added: "At least until you find a way to avoid being caught in the aftermath, don't use it again. For now, Seal away your technique!"Naruto met Kakashi-sensei's eyes, not joking around; he was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: "I understand, Kakashi-sensei."