Ice Phoenix

Aokiji glanced at her and really wanted to say, No, no. If you went, you really wouldn't make it.

Fox Spirit refused to admit defeat. After a while, she scratched her ears awkwardly. "But speaking of which, what is a mount?"

Aokiji said awkwardly, "A mount is a creature meant to be ridden, so the first requirement is that it has to be big, like Orca Yu beneath our feet. You're so tiny that forget being my mount—I'd practically be your mount instead."

There was nothing wrong with that. The fox had been lying on him the entire way. Aokiji was practically becoming her mount already.

Fox Spirit understood. She was not stupid, merely inexperienced. "I see. Then once I grow up, it'll be fine. I can give you whatever you want, day or night. Okay? Let me be your Summoned Beast."

Fox Spirit acted as fawning as possible, all because she wanted to latch onto Aokiji as a long-term meal ticket.

Uh...

Day or night?

What kind of Tiger Wolf Words were those?

On top of that, her voice was gentle and soft, carrying a hint of allure. She spoke without meaning anything by it, but the listener could not help reading into it. Aokiji's thoughts wandered in the wrong direction without him realizing it. If he did not know this Fox Spirit was simply adorably foolish, he would have suspected her of deliberately teasing him.

Aokiji rubbed his eyes. Thankfully, he was not blind, so he naturally could not possibly be interested in a fox. No matter how much she acted spoiled, Aokiji remained unmoved like a monk.

The orca was extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, it carried them to Ice Island. Once inside, they saw ice sculptures of penguins, seagulls, and more. Every one of them was carved with lifelike precision, as though shaped by divine craftsmanship. They looked almost real.

Aokiji could not help sighing. As expected of a place where big shots lived—it really was impressive.

"These aren't carvings," Orca Mother suddenly said. "They're all creatures that failed in their Sage Art training."

Sage Art?

Aokiji asked in surprise, "Wouldn't failing Sage Art training turn someone into stone?"

Orca Mother gave him a slightly surprised look. She had only explained it casually, yet this Human Child had actually known the answer. Her gaze became meaningful.

"The side effects produced during Sage Art training differ from place to place. But... something this profound should be difficult for you to come into contact with normally, especially at your age."

"I once read about it in some books from my clan, so I know a little about it."

Aokiji realized he had misspoken. Trying to be clever now would only make the other party uncomfortable. He might as well admit it openly and strive for leniency through honesty.

"Your clan?"

Aokiji continued along that line. "My clan is the Uchiha Clan."

"The Uchiha Clan... that really is an extraordinary clan," Orca Mother said with feeling.

"Is the Uchiha Clan very powerful?" Fox Spirit asked curiously. She was very interested in Aokiji's family background.

"Yes. The Uchiha Clan should be considered one of the strongest clans on that continent."

"That continent?"

Aokiji caught the key phrase.

He had seen the world map of Naruto, and it was pitifully small. Traveling from Konoha to Sunagakure on foot only took three days. That was absurd. Anyone who did not know better would think they had taken a plane.

The Land of Fire and the Land of Wind together accounted for nearly thirty percent of the map that had appeared. That showed just how small the Naruto world was.

Orca Mother recalled, "Yes. My former master spent dozens of years crossing the seas before finally reaching the continent where you live."

"Then that means this Aurora Ice Prison isn't on our continent."

"That's right."

Aokiji clicked his tongue inwardly. He had always suspected that the region where he lived was actually an isolated little island, similar to some tiny country from his previous life. Perhaps on the other side of the ocean, another group of people lived there. It seemed his guess had been correct after all.

There was a fitting phrase for the wars in Naruto:

"The Warring States of villages, the Five Hegemons of villages."

It referred to the battles between the five major villages led by Konoha.

But that was not something Aokiji needed to consider right now. For the moment, he should first figure out his own little patch of land.

Before he knew it, they had reached their destination. Aokiji went ashore, and shortly afterward, he saw a plump, round creature that looked like a bird but was not quite one, waddling toward them.

Aokiji recognized the species. This should be a penguin.

When Orca Mother saw it, she briefly explained what had happened.

From their conversation, Aokiji learned that this penguin was called Mani and seemed to hold some status around here.

"Human Child, come with me."

Aokiji nodded in understanding.

He followed behind Penguin Mani into an ice cave. He did not know how long they walked before emerging from it. More accurately, they had entered the center of the ice cave. It turned out this was not an ice cave at all, but an open-air location.

At the same time, Aokiji finally saw the Snow Emperor he had been thinking about.

Upon a massive ice platform stood an enormous creature. It resembled a bird, yet lacked a bird's feathers. Its entire body was deep blue and crystal-clear, like a gigantic ice sculpture.

Beside it stood an elderly woman with a face full of wrinkles and hair white as frost. Though she was old and faded, one could still glimpse something from her fox-like eyes. She must have been a beauty in her youth.

A human?

Upon seeing someone of his own kind, Aokiji had not even had time to be happy before his attention was drawn to the pair of Fluffy Ears atop her head and the tail behind her.

At that moment, the old woman noticed Aokiji. Like she had discovered some novel toy, she broke into a bright smile and hurried over. Before long, she arrived in front of him. "My, my, where did this little handsome boy come from? Let me take a good look at you. Preferably the kind that involves a full-body examination."

Aokiji could not take it anymore. The corner of his mouth twitched.

Why was this old woman so improper? She had completely ruined his image of kind and benevolent elders.

"Old... Grandma, please have some self-respect."

Aokiji stretched out his hand, stopping the old woman from making any more intimate advances.

Putting aside the facts, Aokiji had no prejudice against dating older women, but an antique car at this level was better left alone.

"You really are cold."

Please, do you have no idea why I'm being cold?

Aokiji forcibly suppressed the urge rising from every cell in his body to complain.

"You horny fox, can't you stop going into heat everywhere? You won't even spare a child."

Aokiji restrained himself as much as possible because of his status as a guest, but the penguin beside him had no such reservations and immediately fired back. In an instant, the penguin's image rose greatly in Aokiji's mind. What a penguin full of positive energy.

Through their mutual bickering, Aokiji learned that the fox was called Baosi.

But what had the penguin just said? Horny fox? Aokiji looked at the old woman before him in shock. Could Summoned Beasts cultivate into human form?

But on second thought, it seemed they really could.

He remembered that the attendants in Ryūchi Cave seemed to have human forms as well. With that thought, he accepted it.

Aokiji inadvertently glanced at the Fox Spirit on the ground.

Sensing his gaze, Fox Spirit tilted her head, confusion written across her face.

The Snow Emperor's gaze fell behind Aokiji, and he immediately felt chilled to the bone, his hairs standing on end. It was not fear—he simply felt cold.

Aokiji secretly marveled. As expected of an Ice Phoenix. Every movement it made exuded a chill beyond the physical, and this was probably only coldness it had accidentally leaked out. From that alone, one could see that its command of the natural energy around it had reached a terrifying level.

"It's quite rare for a Human Child to come here."

The Snow Emperor's voice leaned feminine and was gentle. Unlike her icy abilities, she gave off the impression of someone easy to talk to.

Mm, just like himself.

Aokiji shamelessly flattered himself.

Once the big leader spoke, the two subordinates who had just been arguing wisely shut their mouths and did not dare act presumptuously.

Aurora Ice Domain will not appear too often. After all, it does not exist in the original work. It is mainly a suitable training ground for the protagonist. Without a teacher's help, if the protagonist simply stayed home training, he really would not be able to keep up with the Sannin. After all, the Sannin's talent is no joke.