The Rainbow Ice Wall stood before us, its towering cliffs gleaming with a deathly, pale blue light under the gloomy sky.
The legendary facet that could reflect rainbows now only reflected leaden-gray clouds and swirling snow. Below the ice wall, on a relatively open ice field, three figures were already waiting.
The person in the center was none other than Kazahana Dōtō. He was not wearing his signature general's uniform, but rather a more fitted dark blue outfit, with a cloak over it for warmth. He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the ice wall as if admiring his masterpiece.
Hearing the chaotic footsteps and panting behind him, he slowly turned around, his face showing no surprise, only a calm composure of complete control, and even a hint of amusement.
"Heh, it's a bit slower than expected, Kakashi, and..."
His gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment on Shira and the Sunagakure Village team, the corners of his mouth widening slightly. "Friends from Sunagakure. I didn't expect you to be so interested in our country's domestic affairs, coming all this way just to get involved."
His gaze finally settled on Kazahana Koyuki, who was being supported by Naruto, her face pale but her lips tightly pressed together as she glared at him. His smile turned insincere, "My dear niece Koyuki, it seems you've made quite a few friends. You managed to sneak out of my castle and bring them here. Are you eager to witness your uncle's historic moment of obtaining supreme power?"
" Kazahana Dōtō!"
When Sandayu saw his enemy again, his eyes were bloodshot with rage. He roared, "You traitor who murdered your brother and usurped the throne! How dare you speak so arrogantly before the princess and all the righteous warriors! The Rainbow Ice Wall is the hope that our ancestors left to the princess and the people of the Land of Snow! How dare you defile it!"
"Hope?"
Kazahana Dōtō shook his head slightly, as if he had heard a joke, his tone filled with pity, " Sandayu, you are still so naive, just like my foolish brother. What use is a futile hope in the face of absolute power?"
He opened his arms as if to embrace the entire ice wall. "Look! This is the truth! Extreme cold, eternal power! And I am about to master it! The Land of Snow will gain power surpassing the other Five Great Nations in my hands! This is true hope!"
He ignored the trembling Sandayu and looked back at Koyuki, his tone both coaxing and undeniably authoritative:
" Koyuki, come here. Give me that useless Hexagonal Crystal. It belongs to a true powerhouse of the Feng Hua family. It's a waste for you to have it. Give it to your uncle, and I might consider forgiving your willful escape this time. I might even let you continue being a princess. How about it?"
"You ugly freak, you're dreaming!"
Naruto was the first to jump out, blocking Kazahana Koyuki's path, and pointed at Kazahana Dōtō's nose, shouting, "You bad guy! I won't hand Koyuki over to you! I certainly won't give you any crystal! That was left to Koyuki by her father! If you want to take it, you'll have to get past me first!"
"We're here too!" Sakura stepped forward, her eyes resolute.
Sasuke didn't speak, but he had already gripped the Kunai in his hand, his cold Sharingan locked onto the Dotō.
Kakashi and Shira remained silent, silently protecting each other's flanks, their gazes sweeping over the two composed ninjas beside Dotō — Nadare Rōga and Fuyukuma Mizore —as they observed the situation.
Kazahana Dōtō at Naruto's taunts, not even bothering to glance at Naruto. His gaze remained fixed on Koyuki, and he slowly extended his right hand. " Koyuki, my patience is limited. You're a smart child; you should know what to choose. Do you really think these few ninjas from other villages can change anything? Look here, look at this snow-covered land! I am the sole ruler here!"
Under everyone's gaze, Kazahana Koyuki's body trembled slightly. She loosened her clenched fist, then clenched it again, her nails almost digging into her palm.
She looked up at the uncle who had murdered her father, seized the country, and brought her years of nightmares, and then at the strangers around her who had traveled a long and arduous journey to protect her, especially the unreserved trust and fervor in the blond boy's eyes.
She took a deep breath of the icy, bone-chilling air, as if she had made up her mind.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, she gently pushed away Naruto's hand that was blocking her way.
"Sister Koyuki?" Naruto asked in surprise.
She didn't answer Naruto, but instead lowered her head and slowly, step by step, walked towards Kazahana Dōtō. She reached into her collar and took out the warm, smooth Hexagonal Crystal that she always wore close to her body.
"Your Highness! No!" the Sandayu urged urgently.
"Sister Koyuki! What are you doing! Don't go over there!" Naruto tried to pull her back again, but Kakashi stopped him with a look. Kakashi's Sharingan was fixed on Koyuki, his brows furrowed.
Shira also narrowed her eyes slightly, raising her perception to the extreme to capture every subtle change in the air, including Koyuki's disordered yet forcibly suppressed breathing rhythm, and the slight trembling of her fingertips.
The smile on Kazahana Dōtō's face grew wider, his eyes gleaming with undisguised smugness and greed. Beside him, Nadare Rōga let out a disdainful sneer, while Fuyukuma Mizore remained expressionless.
Koyuki walked very slowly, as if each step was taken with all her might. She bypassed the ferocious Nadare Rōga, passed the silent, mountain-like Fuyukuma Mizore, and finally stopped a step away from the Kazahana Dōtō.
She raised her head, her face pale, with lingering fear in her eyes. She held the Hexagonal Crystal in both hands and handed it over, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
"Uncle, you're right, I... I'm so tired. And so scared..."
Her voice wasn't loud, but against the backdrop of the silent icy plains and the howling wind and snow, it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"For years, I haven't lived a single day without fear. The hatred for my father and the nation freeze my heart like ice. I pretend to be someone else. I drink, I run away, I take my anger out on everyone, thinking that this will make me forget..."
Tears slid down her cheeks, quickly freezing into ice crystals.
"But I can't forget that every time I close my eyes, all I see is blood, fire, and you..."
She stared Kazahana Dōtō, her eyes empty. " Naruto were so good to me. They believed in me, they protected me. But what good did it do? This is the Land of Snow, your Land of Snow. I can't escape, I can't fight you."
She pushed the crystal forward a little further, as if using up her last bit of courage and strength, her voice filled with a desperate plea:
"I'll give you the crystal, please, please let me go. Let them go too, I just want to, I just want to live..."
"Sister Koyuki!!" Naruto was struck dumb, staring in disbelief at Koyuki's retreating figure. His blue eyes were filled with immense shock, confusion, and the pain of betrayal. He shook his head, seemingly unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
"What... what are you saying! Didn't we agree to beat this bastard up together? To make your country warm again! How... how could you..."
Sasuke snorted coldly, a look of disgust flashing in his eyes, as if he was already used to this kind of "weakness" and "betrayal".
Sakura covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Sandayu was also in tears, almost unable to stand. The others from Konoha and Sunagakure also showed shock, disappointment, and solemnity.
Kazahana Dōtō laughed heartily, his laughter echoing between the ice walls, filled with smug satisfaction. He grabbed the Hexagonal Crystal from Koyuki's hand, feeling the strange energy flowing within it that resonated subtly with his own bloodline, and his face revealed undisguised ecstasy.
"Did you hear that? From Konoha, from Sunagakure!"
He swung the crystal in his hand triumphantly, looking mockingly at Kakashi and Shira, especially at Naruto face was ashen. "This is reality! This is humanity! In the face of true power and the fear of death, what bonds, what promises, what courage—it's all bullshit!"
"She's my brother's daughter, with the blood of the Feng Hua family flowing in her veins. In the end, she'll still make the wisest choice—to submit to me!"
He glanced contemptuously at the stunned Naruto: "Naive brat, do you understand now? Your so-called protection, your so-called friendship, are worth less than a single word from me in her eyes, much less than her own life! An actress? She is indeed a good actress, she fooled you all! Hahahaha!"
However, just as Kazahana Dōtō was completely absorbed in the ecstasy of obtaining the crystal and in his unrestrained mockery of everyone, especially Naruto, at that very moment when his mind was most relaxed and his defenses were most lethargic—
Kazahana Koyuki, who had been keeping her head down, seemingly in complete collapse and trembling, suddenly unleashed a fire of hatred and determination that had been frozen for many years!
That emptiness and pleading were like a mask that had been removed, leaving only a chilling killing intent!
" Kazahana Dōtō—!!"
A piercing, resolute shriek cut through the wind and snow! Her right hand, which had been hanging by her side and completely concealed by her wide sleeve, suddenly drew a Kunai that gleamed with cold light from her sleeve, and with all her might, she thrust it toward the heart of the unsuspecting Kazahana Dōtō, who was right next to her!
This sudden turn of events happened too suddenly! And the location was too close!
Before Kazahana Dōtō could even fully suppress his maniacal laughter, his pupils suddenly contracted. He had never expected that his niece, who had just been "begging" him and seemed to have completely resigned herself to her fate, would suddenly unleash such a decisive and ruthless assassination attempt!
His mind was mostly focused on the crystal and the taunts, and his body's instinctive reactions were a beat slow!
puff!
The tip of the Kunai pierced Kazahana Dōtō's chest! However, instead of the dull thud of a blade entering flesh, there was a teeth-grinding, ear-piercing scraping sound, like a piercing of thick metal!
Where the Kunai, beneath Kazahana Dōtō's close-fitting dark blue outfit, a dense and complex network of pale blue Chakra patterns suddenly lit up, instantly forming a solid layer of energy armor! It was his finest close-fitting Chakra Armor!
The tip of the Kunai scraped against the armor, leaving a trail of sparks before being firmly stopped, leaving only a faint white dot, unable to advance any further!
"Huh?!" Koyuki's resolute expression froze instantly, replaced by immense shock and despair. Her all-out attack couldn't even break through the opponent's defense?!
"Hehehehe..." Kazahana Dōtō looked down at the spot in his chest where the Kunai pierced him, then looked up at Koyuki, who was standing close by and whose face was full of despair. He quickly recovered from his initial shock.
Immediately, a surge of fury, as if provoked by ants, and an even more twisted sense of pleasure welled up within him, causing him to let out a low, chilling laugh.
"Very well, my good niece." His voice was icy cold, tinged with cruel amusement. "You've really impressed me. This performance was quite good. Even I was almost fooled."
He suddenly stretched out his right hand, which was covered with a metal gauntlet, and with lightning speed, he grabbed Koyuki's slender neck tightly, lifting her off the ground as easily as picking up a kitten!
"Ugh--!" Koyuki's eyes bulged out instantly, her cheeks quickly turned red and purple from suffocation, her hands futilely grasped the wrists of the Dotō like iron clamps, and her legs kicked weakly in the air.
"An actor? With your pathetic, dying acting skills?"
Kazahana Dōtō face drew close to Koyuki's, who was struggling in pain, her eyes filled with undisguised cruelty and mockery. "You think you can avenge your useless father with this little bit of cleverness and laughable courage? You think you can change anything?"
"Let me tell you, the Land of Snow has long since recognized only one master! That is me, Kazahana Dōtō! As for you and your daughter, and your naive lies about 'warmth' and 'hope,' they should have been buried along with this ice and snow long ago!"
His fingers slowly tightened, savoring the way Koyuki's face contorted in agony as she suffocated. "Now, I'll send you to see your father, so you can tell him yourself how presumptuous his daughter is!"
"Sister Koyuki--!!" Naruto roared with heart-wrenching fury, rushing forward without regard for anything else.
Kakashi and Sasuke moved at the same time, but Nadare Rōga and Fuyukuma Mizore reacted extremely quickly, instantly stepping forward. Their Chakra, enhanced by the armor, erupted with a chilling aura, blocking their path!
However, there was one figure who reacted a fraction faster than everyone else!
Just as Kazahana Dōtō's fingers were about to crush Koyuki Xue's throat—
Shira moved again.
He did not activate any of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method; he merely drew upon a trace of the omnipresent "wind" spirit within the universe to bless himself, under normal circumstances.
At the same time, a tremendous explosion erupted from beneath his feet!
The ice beneath his feet cracked silently, and his figure had vanished from the spot.
To everyone else, all they saw was a blurry gray afterimage, tearing through the swirling snow and wind with an almost straight trajectory, shooting straight into the Kazahana Dōtō!
Fast! Incredibly fast! Far exceeding the speed of an ordinary Jonin!
Nadare Rōga roared, swinging its massive ice spiked club in an attempt to sweep and intercept, but Shira's figure seemed to anticipate the attack at high speed. With a subtle, precise change of direction, it just barely "slipped" past the edge of the spiked club's swing, and the resulting gust of wind ruffled Nadare Rōga's hair!
Fuyukuma Mizore slammed his hands on the ice. " Ice Release: Ice Pillars!" Several sharp ice pillars suddenly pierced out from in front of Shira! Shira's eyes remained unchanged, and his forward momentum did not diminish. His right hand had already been placed on the hilt of his sword behind his waist.
"Clang--!"
A clear, melodious sword cry rang out! The longsword was drawn, without any flashy sword light, only a refined, lightning-fast, cyan arc!
As the sword flashed, the air was silently sliced through, and the several hard ice pillars blocking the way were neatly split in two like a hot knife through butter, the cuts as smooth as a mirror! Shira's figure had already passed through the gap in the ice pillars!
From the sudden attack to breaking through the interception of two elite Snow Ninjas, Shira only took a single breath! At this moment, Kazahana Dōtō's attention was almost entirely focused on the dying Koyuki in his hands, and his reaction to Shira's unexpectedly fast advance was ultimately a beat too slow!
When he realized that the sharp sword energy and killing intent were imminent and tried to react, Shira had already cut within three feet of him!
He didn't thrust the sword directly—that might have accidentally injured Koyuki, who was being choked.
At top speed, Shira displayed terrifying body control. His forward momentum transformed into an upward sweeping force without warning. His right leg, like a steel whip brimming with power, delivered a fierce upper kick from below, striking the outside of the elbow joint of the arm that Kazahana Dōtō was using to choke Koyuki Xue's neck!
At the same time, his empty left hand formed a claw with its five fingers, creating a sharp whooshing sound as it grabbed at the face of the Dotō, forcing him to save himself!
Kazahana Dōtō was both shocked and furious. Shira's speed and angle of attack were too tricky. If he insisted on crushing Koyuki to death, his face and arm would inevitably suffer serious injuries.
In a split second, he chose to protect himself. His right hand, which was gripping Koyuki's neck, had to suddenly release and retract inward to block, while his head snapped back to avoid a claw aimed at his face.
It's that instant when you let go and pull back!
Shira kicked his right leg toward his elbow joint, but in mid-air, she skillfully changed the kick into a hook, and with a light flick of her toe, she hooked Koyuki's collar, which was falling limply as her neck was released. A gentle force was transmitted, pulling her falling momentum to the side.
At the same time, his left hand, which was originally grabbing at the opponent's face, instantly changed its move, turning from a claw into a palm. The solid energy gathered in his palm was unleashed with a bang. This powerful push pressed against Koyuki's shoulder from a distance, gently and swiftly pushing her towards Naruto who was rushing towards her from behind!
After his right leg finished the hooking motion, its power was exhausted. However, taking advantage of the momentum from his previous kick and the instantaneous burst of core strength, his body was like a taut spring released. His left leg swung up like a battle axe, delivering a clean, powerful side kick that landed squarely on the chest and abdomen exposed by Kazahana Dōtō's blocking and dodging—the very spot where the Kunai pierced and the armor patterns had shimmered earlier!
"Bang--!!!"
With a dull, resounding crash, like the sound of leather being struck, Kazahana Dōtō let out a muffled groan. He felt a force as sharp as a drill and as heavy as a mountain slam into his chest and abdomen. His finely crafted, close-fitting Chakra Armor flashed violently, emitting a creaking sound as it could not bear the weight. His body, weighing over two hundred pounds, was kicked backward, staggering five or six steps before he could barely regain his footing. His chest heaved with a surge of blood and qi, and he looked ahead in shock and anger.
After being kicked, Shira used the recoil to float backward like a light swan, landing steadily several meters away, just in front of Koyuki, who was being caught by Naruto and was coughing and panting violently.
His longsword pointed diagonally at the ground, its blade clear as water, untouched by a single snowflake. His breathing was steady, as if the lightning-fast advance, traverse, rescue, and counterattack just moments before were merely casual actions.
The entire rescue operation was swift, precise, steady, and ruthless! From the sudden storm to rescuing Koyuki, repelling the Dotō, and retreating back to base, it took only two or three breaths!
It wasn't until Shira stood with her sword drawn, protecting the coughing Koyuki and the excited Naruto behind her, that everyone seemed to come back to their senses from a breathtaking feast of speed and courage.
"Sister Koyuki!" Naruto hugged his reunited comrade tightly, tears welling in his eyes. He then looked up at Shira's retreating figure, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude. " Shira! You're amazing!"
Kakashi slowly lowered his hand, which was halfway through Hand Seals. The corner of his mouth, hidden beneath his mask, seemed to twitch, and a hint of admiration flashed in his Sharingan.
Sasuke clenched his fists, staring intently at Shira's retreating figure, his eyes filled with a mixture of fighting spirit and resentment. The Sunagakure and the others also breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Shira filled with pride.
Across from him, Kazahana Dōtō clutched his aching chest, his face so dark it was almost dripping with water. He stared intently at Shira, who stood with her sword in hand, then glanced at the seemingly ordinary longsword in Shira's hand and the Sunagakure Jonin Forehead Protector at her waist, finally abandoning his last trace of contempt.
"Your name is Shira, right? I'll remember you."
His voice was icy, and his killing intent spread like a tangible chill. "It seems I can't open the treasure in peace without first getting rid of you annoying flies."
He slowly raised the Hexagonal Crystal in his hand. Under the stimulation of his Chakra, the crystal began to emit an increasingly intense azure light, creating a mysterious resonance with the huge Rainbow Ice Wall behind him. From the depths of the ice wall, a deep, ancient humming sound could be faintly heard.