At noon on the third day.
Much like in the original story, Fujikaze Yukie (Kazahana Koyuki) was extremely resistant when she first learned they were going to the Land of Snow, and fled on horseback.
But how could she escape Team 3's fiery pursuit? Neji's Byakugan, Rock Lee's speed, and Tenten's kunai brought her straight back to the film crew.
The escort team consisted of three genin from Team 3 and three genin from Team 13, led by the temporary chunin, Yuhan.
The six set off with the film crew. Since Hongshi walked too slowly, Rock Lee volunteered to carry him on his back as training.
As compensation for Team 7, Team Kakashi, Hongshi sent a shadow clone to guide the three in further controlling the senjutsu energy of their cursed seals. Afterward, Sasuke trained under Kakashi, while Jiraiya also took Naruto away with Kakashi's permission, and Sakura underwent secret training with Hongshi.
The sea journey to the Land of Snow would take five days, but the crew still needed to film along the way, so it would take ten. A round trip would take half a month, leaving plenty of time to make it back for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
The group arrived at the dock, where an imposing wooden ship was already moored. Everyone boarded together, except Hongshi, who remained standing quietly on the dock. "You can do this. You can do this!"
Just as Yuhan was about to ask what was wrong.
Hongshi: "Bleeergh!!!!"
"∑(❍ฺд❍ฺlll), holy shit, Boss. Your seasickness is way too extreme!"
Hongshi's left foot was still planted on the dock, while his right foot had only just lightly touched the ship's deck.
"Bleeergh!!!!"
Even the usually cool Neji was startled. "You haven't even got both feet on the ship, and you're already throwing up???"
Hongshi took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and lifted his other foot. "You can do this. You can do this! Urgh... urgh..."
In the end, whenever the crew stopped the ship to film, Hongshi went aboard to sleep. When he needed to be on the ship, he brought over a basin of water and stood on its surface. The rest of the time, he used "Water Release: Water Glide" to drift around beside the ship, and took on the task of catching fish.
Lord God: "You still want to go to the One Piece plane in that sorry state? To do what, become King of the Mountain Bandits?"
Under Hongshi's guidance, everyone except Yuhan and Rock Lee, who couldn't use ninjutsu, began training to glide across the sea.
"Tiger-Snake-Ox-Ram, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Lord God: "Wait! Are those really the hand seals for Water Dragon Bullet?"
"They are if I say they are! (I really couldn't find them.)"
A massive water dragon rose from beneath the sea, bringing up a large number of fish. Team 3, watching nearby, immediately locked on.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm: Lightning!"
"Hidden Weapon Barrage: Lightning!"
"Konoha-Style Taijutsu: Youth Concerto!"
Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee were responsible for knocking the fish out of it to serve as tonight's food.
After several days together, the three had grown numb to Hongshi's absurd strength. With a somewhat resigned attitude, they accepted his guidance.
After he taught the three chakra transformation techniques, Neji and Tenten could already perform rudimentary chakra nature transformations and apply them to their own techniques. However, this was merely the first step toward letting them thrash Sasuke.
Rock Lee truly had not the slightest talent for practicing ninjutsu or genjutsu, so Hongshi had yet to come up with a plan for strengthening him.
Wearing glasses, Hieimon followed behind them, catching the fish they knocked away in a sack. Before long, he had filled an entire sack. "Boss! Keep it up!"
Watching the five brimming with enthusiasm, the director wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked Yuhan, "Do all you Konoha ninjas catch fish like this?"
Yuhan covered his mouth and chuckled. "No, no, no. Just them."
Hongshi glided rapidly across the sea. "Ohohoho... the sea breeze really does feel good!"
Tenten: "Hongshi-kun! Slow down!"
Neji: "Tch, my clothes are soaked with seawater again."
Hieimon: "Oh! This ninjutsu is really practical. I should be able to apply it to ninja tools!"
Meanwhile, Rock Lee kept doing push-ups on the ship's roof. "Oh! I can't fall behind either!"
Watching the five bursting with energy, Yuhan sat quietly aboard the ship, chatting with Kazahana Koyuki. "Yuhan, are they always like this...?"
Yuhan chuckled. "Yes, especially Hongshi."
Looking at the muscular, dark-skinned Hongshi, Kazahana Koyuki asked tentatively, "Is he really only fourteen? How come he doesn't have a single hair on his head?! Is he strong?"
Hongshi: "Achoo."
Yuhan nodded. "Yes, he's the strongest of us six Konoha genin. What's wrong? Why do you ask?"
Kazahana Koyuki fell silent for a while. "Nothing. So he's only the strongest among Konoha genin..."
Lord God: "Girl, that tone of yours sounds like you're looking down on Konoha genin a little?"
"Koyuki!" Sandayu ran over from nearby. "The director says we're filming."
Hongshi: "Stop! They're filming!"
Tenten: "Oh! Get back on the ship!"
Neji: "Who would watch that sort of thing?"
Hieimon: "Hmm... inspiration struck! I'll get aboard and draw a few designs first!"
Hongshi and the others gathered nearby, watching with immense anticipation...
"Lighting, OK!"
"Microphone, OK!"
"Camera, OK!"
The director: "Start the test shoot. Get the film ready!"
"Scene 23, section six, shot one. Action!"
"Shishimaru... hang in there!"
Hongshi: "(*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ), boohoo, Shishimaru's going to die! This is so sad!"
The director: "Cut! Who the hell is crying?!"
Everyone turned their eyes to Hongshi...
Yuhan: "Boss, keep it down!"
Hongshi: "Sorry, sorry. I couldn't help myself."
"Scene 23, section six, shot one, take two. Action!"
"Shishimaru! Hang in there!"
"Your... Highness, I am deeply ashamed that I could not lend you a hand."
"It was because of you that we found such great courage."
"Princess, I truly wished to see the far side of the rainbow with you..."
It had to be said that Kazahana Koyuki was an excellent and dedicated actress. Her performance in that scene moved everyone present.
Kazahana Koyuki suddenly raised her right hand high. "Stop!"
The director: "What are you doing?!"
"Sandayu, eye drops!"
"Coming, coming!"
The director: "Your crying is even worse than those two guys'."
Hongshi: "(*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ), no, Shishimaru, don't die!"
Kazahana Koyuki: "..."
Rock Lee: "(*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ) This is so moving! A warrior who sacrifices himself for the princess is the greatest of all!"
Hongshi: "Lee-kun! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)"
Rock Lee: "Hongshi-kun! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)"
The two hugged each other again, sobbing bitterly.
Tenten: "Urgh... you two look so disgusting."
The director: "Hey, are those two all right?"
Yuhan: "Throw both of them into the sea!"
"All right, Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Twin Vacuum Palms!"
"Neji, when did you get aboard?!"
"Splash!" "Splash!"
"Quick, quick, quick! They're about to spill out!"
"Take three! Action!"
"Shishimaru!..."
Watching Kazahana Koyuki throw herself wholeheartedly into her performance, Yuhan smiled. "Koyuki really is amazing!"
Sandayu looked gratified. "Yes. Whatever happens, once Koyuki faces the camera, no one can surpass her acting."
Yuhan continued asking, "Why is Koyuki so resistant to filming in the Land of Snow?"
Sandayu sighed. "Ah, it's a long story."
Yuhan continued, "I heard it snows all year round in the Land of Snow. Is that true?"
"Yes, it snows throughout the year. But it has its own heavy industry and agriculture, which aren't affected by the cold weather."
Yuhan looked in the direction they were sailing. "I like snow. Sandayu, you know so much about the Land of Snow. Did you originally live there?"
Sandayu hesitated, then sighed. "Ah, to explain that..."
Just as Sandayu was about to continue, Rock Lee's voice suddenly rang out from the sea.
"Whoa!!! The seawater's so cold! Hongshi-kun! Let's have a swimming race! Let's drive away the cold with our passion!"
"Then bring it on!"