Director: Then That Explains It

Black Zetsu had appeared here to deliver some things to Shirozumi.

He handed over the collected blood and the organized catalog to Shirozumi.

At first, Black Zetsu had planned to deliver only the catalog, but after reading the few scripts he'd picked up along the way, he changed his mind.

These things would be safest in Shirozumi's hands.

He had no strength, and his intelligence wasn't enough either.

He still had to search for traces of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.

As one of his mother's clansmen, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was very likely to possess the power to truly kill him. He absolutely couldn't keep these things on his person.

After taking the items, Shirozumi gave Black Zetsu another easy task: collect the blood of those people from the Land of Snow and deliver it to Hidan.

On the deck.

Kakashi reluctantly put down the scripts.

He had finished reading all of them.

Not just The Lotus Lantern: Ōtsutsuki Chenxiang, which was currently being filmed, but several other scripts as well.

The director had bought the rights to all of them at high prices and with generous revenue shares.

They were different kinds of movies, too.

The one currently being filmed was suitable for all ages, with more emphasis on emotional outbursts.

The others featured grander scenes, and their plot descriptions included plenty of battles.

One script, for example, was about Princess Kaguya, an alien girl adopted by a couple on Earth. When she grew up, she discovered her superhuman powers and began fighting evil and helping ordinary people.

Then, one day, the people from her home planet arrived on Earth with a fleet, intending to destroy it and turn it into a nursery for the Ōtsutsuki Clan.

Princess Kaguya resolutely chose to stand with humanity and fight her clan to the death. Their battle raged until the skies darkened and the sun and moon vanished.

To protect Earth, Princess Kaguya painfully killed every one of her clansmen who had come to the planet.

But some people didn't trust her. They believed her power was too great and that she couldn't be controlled, so they began plotting against her.

Using the bodies of the Ōtsutsuki who had died in the previous battle, they created a "Doomsday" to kill Princess Kaguya.

To protect everyone, Princess Kaguya fought Doomsday, and they perished together.

Then, one day, danger came again, and enemies from beyond the stars reappeared in the Shinobi World.

Everyone united, but they were still routed.

That was when they finally remembered Princess Kaguya and decided to resurrect her...

It was obvious that these plots offered plenty of grand scenes, and Kakashi thought they were quite good. But what he really wanted to read was something like Jiraiya's Make-Out Series.

Preferably, it would have all kinds of tangled relationships: unrequited love, hatred born of love, love after hate, and other melodramatic plots.

So, after reading the scripts, Kakashi casually asked Shirozumi if he had anything like that in mind, then surreptitiously handed him a copy of Icha Icha Paradise from his personal collection.

"Of course I can write that kind of thing.

"But you should understand that, as the master who wrote those scripts you just read, if I suddenly published something about romance—or even something vulgar—it could hurt my reputation...

"So I'll publish it under your name, Kakashi. That's fine, right?"

Shirozumi looked at Kakashi, waiting for his answer.

"Sure, no problem."

Kakashi thought it over briefly, then nodded.

There was nothing to lose by agreeing. Just look at Jiraiya.

Besides, if it came out under his name, maybe he'd get to read it early.

Kakashi was desperate for more.

After all, Jiraiya was terribly slow with the Make-Out Series.

Kakashi had received a copy of Icha Icha Paradise when he was eighteen, and he still hadn't gotten the next book.

According to the story, Jiraiya wouldn't be able to write Make-Out Tactics until he went traveling with Naruto to gather material.

Seeing that Kakashi had agreed, Shirozumi decided to make use of the time they had before reaching the Land of Snow and write something for fun.

Half a day later.

The ship had entered the cold northern waters.

To film specific scenery, they weren't crossing the continent. Instead, they were sailing around it to reach the Land of Snow.

Shirozumi finished his work and handed the novel to the director, who was busy filming. "This is something Kakashi wrote. He was too embarrassed to say so, so he asked me to help publish it."

"Oh? Of course, no problem."

The director glanced at Kakashi in surprise, then took the manuscript.

As a famous director from the Land of Fire, he naturally had connections for getting novels published.

The director opened the manuscript and skimmed it. Then he looked up at Shirozumi in confusion. "This... was really written by Kakashi Hatake?"

"Of course. Kakashi may seem aloof, but he's actually a closet romantic. Look, this is a book he just gave me. It's his favorite."

Shirozumi pulled out the copy of Icha Icha Paradise Kakashi had given him.

"Then that explains it. That explains it."

The director immediately understood.

At the same time, the director's eyes met Kakashi's. Kakashi scratched his head and gave an embarrassed smile. That only made the director more certain; he had no doubts at all.

Kakashi's eyes were fixed on the manuscript. He really wanted to see what Shirozumi had written.

But...

"Head below deck. Put all the equipment away and find somewhere to stay out of the way. Enemies are about to arrive."

"Hm? Okay, sure!"

At Shirozumi's warning, the director immediately started ordering everyone to pack up.

The filming equipment was expensive.

Before long, the director was the only one left on deck. He held a simple video camera and had tied himself to the ship with a rope.

He was afraid the commotion would knock him into the sea.

But even if he was scared, he still had to keep filming.

What if something spectacular happened?

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, get ready to fight!"

Kakashi had also noticed the enemies appearing on the ice.

The four of them jumped off the ship.

"They came after all."

Kazahana Koyuki looked at the Snow Ninja below and gripped the hexagonal crystal at her chest, her expression tense.

"Not 'after all.' Their techniques only work in this frozen wasteland, so they had to wait here for us."

Shirozumi walked over and stood beside Kazahana Koyuki, explaining the Snow Ninja's weakness.

Their Ice Release was on par with Chojuro's Water Release. In a poor environment, they couldn't use it at all.

Otherwise, why wait until they got here to attack?

Even those so-called Oni Brothers from the Land of Waves knew to set an ambush on the road.

Hmm...

Shirozumi wondered if Black Zetsu had finished the task yet.

Shirozumi's ability to protect himself and support others was top-notch now. The only thing he lacked was offensive power, especially large-scale attacks.

When he'd fought the Raikage with his fists, he hadn't used gravity inversion. For one thing, there was no need to turn the Raikage into a one-armed man just yet. For another, the technique worked best as a surprise attack. Using it on the Raikage would be a waste, especially since he might become an ally in the future.

As Shirozumi thought this, the Snow Ninja below began using a "large-scale attack."

A giant white whale made of ice burst from beneath the ice and crashed toward the ship.

"Hold on to me."

Shirozumi spoke to Kazahana Koyuki beside him, then grabbed the railing.

The entire ship suddenly began rising into the sky.