"Why not go back? Didn't you just help me answer that?"
"Sandayu and the others are no match for Dotō. Even if we overthrow him with other people's help, I'm still just a woman who only knows how to act."
Because Shirozumi had voiced her innermost thoughts earlier, and because he had provided a script for a new movie, Kazahana Koyuki treated him completely differently from how she treated Kakashi.
"Then develop the film industry."
"Huh?"
"Since that's all you know, turn the Land of Snow into Holly... uh, a nation of cinema."
"That won't work. The Land of Snow's environment is too harsh. There's no spring, and it's covered in ice and snow. It might work for filming movies with certain special themes, but turning it into a nation of cinema is impossible."
Kazahana Koyuki shook her head, rejecting Shirozumi's idea.
"Your..."
"Hm?"
Following where Shirozumi pointed, Kazahana Koyuki looked down. Her cheeks immediately reddened, and she covered her chest.
"I meant your necklace."
"...My father left this to me."
Looking slightly embarrassed, Kazahana Koyuki released her collar, removed the necklace, and examined it in her palm.
"This is the key to activating a geothermal device. Once activated, it can bring spring to the Land of Snow."
"...How did you know that?"
Kazahana Koyuki froze.
She did not suspect that Shirozumi was deceiving her. Rather, she could not understand how Shirozumi knew something that neither she nor her uncle knew.
"Intelligence."
"I understand."
Just those two words from Shirozumi made Kazahana Koyuki realize the answer.
This was Shirozumi, the current T0-level intelligence figure of the Shinobi World.
"Using a geothermal device to melt snow and ice for farming would be far too extravagant, but using it to create the seasonal climates needed for different movies would be highly practical."
"As for the Land of Snow's daily necessities, you can join the national development organization I initiated, which is still in its early stages—the Inter-mutual Alliance."
"The nearby Land of Earth can provide you with a stable supply of materials."
"Look, this is the agreement the Tsuchikage signed with me."
"Amazing..."
Kazahana Koyuki stared blankly at the scroll Shirozumi presented.
And if she was not mistaken, aside from the Fourth Tsuchikage, the Fifth Mizukage's name was on it as well...
When she had first heard of Shirozumi, she had only thought he was a talented ninja, someone like Jiraiya, who had written the Make-Out Series.
She had never expected that, beyond writing and his talent as a ninja, Shirozumi also understood things like this.
"Then... Dotō..."
After Shirozumi's grand vision overwhelmed her, Kazahana Koyuki suddenly felt that her uncle did not seem quite so terrifying anymore.
"Don't worry. That guy is far too weak. He developed some Chakra armor and thinks he can sweep through the Five Great Nations? If Iwagakure next door guarded its gates, he would not even make it out of his own front door."
That was all Shirozumi could say.
For a female actress who was not a ninja, he had no way to describe the exact difference in strength through words alone.
Shirozumi also felt that the terrifying sight of "Snow Drifting Across the World" outside earlier was not suitable as proof of his strength, so he humbly said that Gaara had done it.
"I-I believe you. All right, I'll go back!"
Kazahana Koyuki picked up the script beside her and looked toward the crew members still chatting nearby. "Everyone, it's time to set off, right?"
Shirozumi had written this script.
"That convinced her?"
Kakashi tilted his head, feeling as though his worldview had been refreshed.
Kazahana Koyuki read Shirozumi's script as she prepared to board the ship.
Throughout the journey, she carefully read the script, experiencing the emotions of its characters.
"Can I take one look? Just one..."
On the ship, Naruto begged to see the script.
"Naruto, if you read it now, it won't feel fresh when you watch the movie later. Besides, it's their trade secret."
Sitting on the ship's railing with a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in hand, Kakashi casually commented when he heard Naruto's shouting.
"Actually, I don't mind. As long as you sign a confidentiality agreement, you can read it however you like."
"Besides, we'll be filming along the way, so you'll learn parts of the plot sooner or later."
"And since you're ninjas, you might not even have time to watch it when it comes out. By the time you do, everyone else will have spoiled it for you..."
Before Shirozumi could finish, Naruto appeared before him with a blank scroll and a brush, his face full of anticipation.
"Since you put it that way, I'll sign one too."
Kakashi suddenly put away Icha Icha Paradise, appeared beside Naruto, and snatched away the brush.
Kakashi had actually wanted to read Shirozumi's script for a long time.
Sakura and Sasuke also came over to sign the confidentiality agreement. Then, each of them happily took a copy of the script to read.
The movie was called—Lotus Lantern.
It was a heavily altered version of Lotus Lantern created by Shirozumi.
He had originally considered changing it to "Snow Lotus Lantern" to suit Kazahana Koyuki, but Snow Lotus was too rare, so he abandoned the idea.
It was the story of a child who endured countless hardships and eventually rescued his mother.
Long, long ago, Princess Kaguya came to the mortal world, bringing power and hope to humanity. But she knew that her origins—the cold and merciless Celestial Clan—would not let her go.
Because of this, Princess Kaguya yearned for power: power to protect herself and everything her eyes could see.
But her son did not understand her. He believed that his mother had abandoned emotion in pursuit of power.
He did not understand that if she held a sword, she could not embrace everyone, while if she put it down, she could not protect everyone.
Princess Kaguya's uncomprehending son ruthlessly sealed her inside the moon.
Chenxiang, Princess Kaguya's newborn younger son, could only watch in despair as his mother was taken away, powerless to stop it.
Compared to his older brother, who had sealed their mother, his strength was far too weak.
But Chenxiang did not give up.
He was weak, but he had inherited the Celestial Clan's longevity.
He was unyielding and resolute. He swore that even if it took a thousand years, ten thousand years, even if he had to cross mountains of blades and seas of fire, even if he faced death after death, he would rescue his mother.
While everyone read the script, Kazahana Koyuki recorded the movie's songs in a separate compartment.
The songs drifted out through the speakers.
The fitting lyrics and moving melodies made everyone feel as though they were part of the story.
For example—
"The stars in the sky are so beautiful, but without you, nothing has any life... I don't want to see you only in Infinite Tsukuyomi."
And—
"I crossed mountains and ridges for you, yet had no heart to admire the scenery."
Or—
"Spring, summer, autumn, winter... on the thirty-six thousand five hundredth day of missing you."
As he read the story and listened to the songs, Sasuke thought of his parents, and his entire expression softened.
Naruto pursed his lips. He wanted to miss his parents too, but he did not even know who they were.
Still, he could understand Chenxiang, the story's protagonist. If someone had sealed away his mother, he too would have done everything in his power to save her.
In the woods beyond the docks, Black Zetsu was also reading the script.
As Black Zetsu read it, he felt that Shirozumi wanted Kaguya revived even more than he did. It was absurd.
Before you continue