The Second Showdown

A composed figure stood before them.

It was still Naruto, clad in a white robe, his hair stirring in the breeze and the corners of his mouth slightly raised. Behind him stood more than a dozen Snow Ninja. Before, Mei had been only seventy or eighty percent certain. Now, seeing Naruto again, the suspicions deep in the Fifth Mizukage's heart had been confirmed beyond a doubt.

Narumi Narimiya was Namikaze Naruto!

He was the leader of Snow Ninja Village, the man who had come to the Land of Water two years ago.

And he hadn't just taken the Three-Tails—he was also the leader of Snow Ninja Village who had drawn the Six-Tails over to his side.

He had set his sights on Kirigakure two years ago.

Meeting for the second time under these circumstances...

There was no denying it.

For Mei Terumi, it was a bitter irony.

"Heh, this is our second time meeting, Mizukage-sama. Though this isn't our first introduction, I think I should still introduce myself properly. I'm Namikaze Naruto, currently the leader of Snow Ninja Village. Of course, after today, I'd much rather people call me the First Snow Shadow of Snow Ninja Village!"

Naruto stood tall, smiling as he looked at the beautiful Fifth Mizukage, who had appeared before him right on schedule. But compared to their first meeting, after two years apart, Mei's expression had grown far colder and more severe.

And as Naruto's words fell,

the air between them seemed to turn even more dangerous.

Chojuro, standing beside Mei, finally connected all the events from two years ago the moment he saw Naruto.

A look of terror flashed across his face. Chojuro immediately pulled Hiramekarei from behind his back, while the members of Mei's Shadow Guard took up their fighting stances.

And right in