Naruto noticed the looks in Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke's eyes. They were clearly looking at him with utter disdain, as if he were beyond saving. But he hadn't said anything wrong! He had seen it all in Awen's memories. Compared to those people, Fujikaze Yukie had looks and acting talent, superb riding skills, and even some basic self-defense training. Didn't she completely outclass the people from Awen's memories?
Of course, Kakashi and the others didn't know any of that. Naruto was now very concerned about what the Nine-Tails had told him. As he carefully recalled some details about Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, especially the Nine-Tails' terrible assessment of Sandayu, the way Naruto looked at Sandayu changed.
In the Land of Snow, inside a pitch-black room in the daimyo's residence, Princess Gale was playing on a massive screen. The man seated before it wore a daimyo's robes. He was none other than Kazahana Dōtō, the current daimyo of the Land of Snow.
Three Snow Ninja Village shinobi knelt on one knee. Nadare Rōga, the Jonin among them, spoke up and reported to Kazahana Dōtō, "We've found the Hexagonal Crystal. We can confirm that Fujikaze Yukie is Princess Kazahana Koyuki!"
The other two shinobi, a man and a woman, were Mizore Fuyukuma and Fubuki Kakuyoku.
Fubuki Kakuyoku said, "No wonder we could never find any news of her."
Mizore Fuyukuma let out a cold laugh. "Dealing with one girl shouldn't be difficult. But it seems that this time, she's hired Konoha ninja to come to the Land of Snow."
Nadare Rōga said, "That's right. I never expected Kakashi to show up too. What a small world."
Fubuki Kakuyoku said with interest, "Oh, how interesting. This is what they call a fated showdown, isn't it?"
Kazahana Dōtō's voice was