Snow Mountain Glacier

"Oh, I never thought you could compliment people too, you big pervert—no, Masayo the Chunin!"

After filming ended, Yukie Fujikaze came over to Masayo once she had removed her makeup. She swirled a glass of red wine in her hand and leaned against the railing by the ship's side.

"I was only telling the truth. Your acting really was excellent!"

Masayo sipped his drink. A rare, girlish natural fragrance drifted from Yukie Fujikaze, pleasant and entirely unlike perfume or scented sachets. Masayo finally understood why Naruto Uzumaki had said in his memories that Yukie Fujikaze smelled so good.

"I wonder if it could attract butterflies?"

Masayo's mind drifted elsewhere. Yukie Fujikaze reminded him of someone. Many memories from that unforgettable previous life were gradually becoming blurry as well. If there was anything he regretted from his previous life, it was not formatting his phone before he died.

The relationship between Masayo and Yukie Fujikaze was no longer as tense as it had been at first. However, whenever the Land of Snow was mentioned, Yukie Fujikaze looked utterly terrified. Given the chance later, she would probably still try to run away.

Time passed bit by bit. One day, after they entered the waters of the Land of Snow, an enormous glacier appeared before them and caught the lookout's attention.

"Director, this is bad! A glacier! When I woke up this morning, I found that the glacier had blocked the way ahead. What do we do?"

Director Kitano's eyes lit up as he shouted excitedly, "That's it! Quick, we're changing the script! Look at that—what an incredible location! Those cliffs and precipices... how can we let them slip past our cameras?"

Masayo, Tenten, Neji Hyuga, and Rock Lee stood on the deck, looking at the massive glacier in the distance.

"Neji, can you see whether there's an ambush up there?"

Even after using the Wind Sense Technique, Masayo had not heard the slightest movement, so he asked.

Neji Hyuga shook his head. Veins bulged around his eyes, and under the Byakugan's vision, all he saw was a vast expanse of snow. Then, three chakra signatures suddenly entered his sight.

"Senior Masayo, there really are three people lying in ambush up there!"

Masayo nodded. "Just as I thought. Neji, Rock Lee, circle around from the back and hide yourselves. Ambush them instead. Tenten, go wake Senior Guy. The three of us will stay with Director Kitano and the others."

"Understood!"

Tenten hurried into the cabin to get Might Guy. Just as Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee were about to leave, Masayo stopped them.

"Wait, Neji, Rock Lee. The Land of Snow's technology is highly advanced. I found records of something called Chakra Armor, which can block ninjutsu and genjutsu. Be careful!"

Rock Lee grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "Leave it to us, Senior Masayo!"

Neji Hyuga nodded. "Understood!"

Rock Lee and Neji Hyuga took a small emergency lifeboat around the glacier by sea, climbed up from behind, and prepared to spring their ambush.

Masayo then stopped Director Kitano, Sandaime, and the others. "Director Kitano, there are ninja lying in ambush above us. It looks like they're after us. Please cooperate with us."

"What? An ambush?!"

The screenwriter and Yukie Fujikaze went pale with fright upon hearing Masayo's words, while Sandaime nervously broke out in a cold sweat.

Director Kitano was startled too, but quickly recovered and asked, "How do you need us to cooperate?"

Masayo's expression did not change. His calm, composed demeanor made him seem exceptionally dependable.

"Do what you normally do, but the actors shouldn't go down. Have the crew keep setting up the props, only very, very slowly. Buy us at least an hour. That should be enough time for Neji and Rock Lee to reach the ambush point."

"I understand. Everyone, get moving!"

Director Kitano instantly understood Masayo's intent. He got off the ship with Masayo and headed onto the glacier alongside the prop crew and other staff members.

Tenten came down at this moment, supporting the pale-faced Might Guy.

"Blegh!"

Might Guy suddenly ducked to one side and vomited again.

Tenten asked worriedly, "Guy-sensei, are you all right?"

Might Guy's voice was extremely hoarse. "I still feel like I'm swaying back and forth. I'm really sorry!"

"Sigh..."

Watching Might Guy's miserable, weak appearance from afar, Masayo sighed helplessly. Fortunately, Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee were fine and did not suffer from seasickness.

Yukie Fujikaze was being watched by Sandaime and several female crew members, leaving her no chance to escape. Everything was ready; all that remained was to close the net.

Half an hour later, Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee finally piloted their boat around to the rear of the glacier. Together with Masayo, Tenten, and the somewhat recovered Might Guy on the front side with the film crew, they formed an encirclement around the three ninja lying in ambush.

Under Neji Hyuga's Byakugan, the three Snow Ninja were plainly visible. He and Rock Lee silently crept closer.

The three ninja who had been lying in ambush were Nadare Rōga, Mizore Fuyukuma, and Fubuki Kakuyoku.

"Strange. Why are they taking so long? What exactly are those people doing?"

Nadare Rōga kept his body buried beneath the snow. In his line of sight, Masayo, Tenten, Might Guy, Neji Hyuga, and Rock Lee were all present.

"Aaahhh...!"

A shrill scream suddenly rang across the entire area.

"Oh no, that was Mizore!"

In Nadare Rōga's sight, Masayo charged straight toward him while the crew members retreated in an orderly manner. The figures of Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee dissolved into smoke—they were Masayo's Shadow Clones, transformed to look like Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee.

Despite being at least several thousand meters away, Masayo used several consecutive Wind Body Flickers and arrived before Nadare Rōga in less than three seconds.

Nadare Rōga burst out of the snowbank and clashed with Masayo!

"Take this! My youth has not faded!"

Might Guy pulled out two nunchaku. Though he was still suffering from seasickness, he charged toward the female ninja, Fubuki Kakuyoku.

Tenten took out two scrolls and directed the crew's orderly retreat. Since everything had been arranged in advance, there was no trampling, and everyone safely returned to the ship.

Yukie Fujikaze remained aboard the ship, leaning over the railing as she watched the scene unfolding atop the glacier. Her pupils trembled uncontrollably as the terror buried in her memories, the terror she could never forget, flooded through her entire body.

Bang! Bang!

Masayo and Nadare Rōga traded blows at blinding speed, countering each move with another until afterimages filled the air.

Whoosh!

Masayo used Wind Body Flicker to pull away, then formed hand seals.

Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!

Fwoosh!

A fireball ten meters in diameter shot straight toward Nadare Rōga.

"Hmph! Ice Style: Dragon-Breaking Tiger!"

Nadare Rōga formed hand seals, and the nearby ice formed into an ice dragon. With a dragon's roar, it instantly pierced through the Fireball Jutsu, freezing it solid before charging at Masayo without losing any momentum.

Whoosh!

Masayo frowned and leaped away with Wind Body Flicker. The ice dragon crashed directly into the ground, shattering and carving out an enormous crater. Amid the deafening roar, Masayo used three consecutive Wind Body Flickers to reach Nadare Rōga's back.

"So fast!"

Nadare Rōga's eyes widened as Masayo formed a Rasengan and blasted it toward his spine!