On the iceberg, Hongshi and his party, now without a ship, gathered around a stove. Sandayu was among them.
Hongshi was using Medical Ninjutsu on Yuhan and Neji.
The five members of the film crew were only ordinary people, after all. They shivered in the freezing wind, their snot already frozen into icicles. "S-so... cold!"
Hongshi finished the treatment and looked at the shivering group. "Fire Style: Fireball."
He spat out a fireball, which flew into the stove, raising the temperature around it somewhat.
Neji was the first to wake up. "Damn it! That Chakra Armor's defenses were too tight. My Gentle Fist could barely penetrate them!"
Yuhan sat up as well. "Ice Release Jutsu? Were they snow ninja?"
The assistant director warmed himself by the fire, recovering some body heat, then barked at Sandayu beside him, "Hey! Asama Sandayu! What's going on here? You were the one who asked us to come here. You must know something!"
Sandayu hesitated. "Ah! I meant to tell you after we reached the Land of Snow."
Yuhan looked at Sandayu. "So you knew this would happen if we came back here."
Sandayu nodded. "To bring her back here, this was my only choice. She's actually the princess of the Land of Snow, Kazahana Koyuki. The daughter of my former lord, His Highness Kazahana Sōsetsu."
"What! She really is a princess?"
"What!"
"Z zzz. Ow! Who hit me?"
Yuhan wiped his hands. "Keep going."
Sandayu removed his glasses, seeming to recall some very unpleasant memories. "The Land of Snow is small, but it was very peaceful. Our heavy industry and agriculture were unaffected by the snowstorms and cold, and we lived happily. But to seize power, Kazahana Dōtō joined forces with the snow ninja and launched a rebellion, killing His Highness Kazahana Sōsetsu. He meant to kill Koyuki too, but your Konoha's Kakashi saved her and left this place."
Hongshi opened his eyes. "Oh! I think I heard Kakashi's name."
Yuhan thought for a moment. "If it was Kakashi-sensei, surely he wouldn't have been unable to handle those three."
Sandayu said, "Their equipment enhances their abilities. They aren't afraid even when facing two Jonin at once."
Neji asked, "Do you mean that Chakra Armor?"
Sandayu said, "Yes! As far as I know, this Chakra Armor can amplify the power of Chunin and Jonin's Ninjutsu. It's incredibly powerful."
"The Land of Snow is now suffering under Kazahana Dōtō's tyranny. Everyone is hoping Princess Koyuki will return. If we can get back, we're sure to succeed!"
Hongshi held his head. "Ah! No matter the era, war is always there!"
Hashirama: "??? Who stole my line?"
Only after listening to Sandayu for twenty minutes did everyone understand what had happened.
Rock Lee: "(งᵒ̌皿ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃, that wretched Kazahana Dōtō! We have to help Princess Gale reclaim the Land of Snow!"
Neji pushed Rock Lee back down. "Hold on. We're still stranded on this island. Let's figure out how to leave first!"
Yuhan smiled and looked at Hongshi. "Boss, it's up to you now!"
Hongshi stood up. "Hehehe, no problem! Let's begin our adventure to rescue the princess!"
Yuhan seemed to know what Hongshi was about to do and said to Sandayu, "Sandayu, show us the way."
Sandayu said, "Huh? All right. That way."
"All right! Rock Lee, give me a little snowball."
"All right! Konoha-Style Taijutsu: Youth Concerto!"
Boom! Rock Lee kicked a square block of ice the size of a single story off the iceberg.
Hongshi leaped onto it. "Dog-Tiger-Rat-Hare-Tiger-Ox-Dragon. Water Release: Great Exploding Water Glide."
The seawater around the ice began to rise, supporting the block on the surface. "Everyone, get on! We're setting off!"
Five minutes later.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!!!
Propelled by the seawater, the ice sped toward the Land of Snow.
The director said, "What a practical Ninjutsu! Quick, quick, quick, film this! We've gotten so many excellent shots today! Thank the god of cinema!"
Aboard the pirate ship Titanic, in Captain Jack's quarters.
White mist kept rising from Jack's (Zabuza's) Chakra Armor as he sat opposite Kazahana Koyuki. "Hehehe, you really are a beauty!"
The Snow Ninja Trio stood around them.
There was some fear in Kazahana Koyuki's eyes. "Where are you taking me?"
Nadare Rōga spoke up. "You have the Hexagonal Crystal on you, don't you? Hand it over, and you'll be fine."
Jack (Zabuza) stared at Nadare Rōga. "Hey! This is my damn ship. Did I give you permission to speak?"
Two months earlier, the tycoon Gato had brought Jack and more than twenty underlings to the Land of Snow. Their display of immense wealth and combat ability had earned Kazahana Dōtō's approval.
With substantial financial backing, the Land of Snow's Chakra Armor technology had improved enormously. Almost every combatant was equipped with a set, and Jack's was the newly developed "Extreme Speed Type One" Chakra Armor, primarily enhancing speed and chakra.
The performance of Jack's Chakra Armor far exceeded that of the trio's. The difference in strength determined the difference in status, and all three were now under his command.
Nadare Rōga looked displeased at Jack's rebuke, but he dared not say anything more.
Jack turned back. "Princess Koyuki, you have the Hexagonal Crystal on you, don't you? Hand it over, and you'll be fine."
Nadare Rōga: "(≖_≖) Isn't that what I just asked? Have some shame. You didn't change a single word!"
Kazahana Koyuki removed a necklace from her neck. It was the Hexagonal Crystal. "Do you mean this?"
Jack grabbed the Hexagonal Crystal. "So it's this little thing. Doesn't look all that special."
Nadare Rōga said, "The Hexagonal Crystal itself isn't valuable, but it's the key to the gates of the Land of Snow's treasure. They say that treasure can transform a nation."
The Lord God: "Isn't it just underfloor heating?"
Tears filled Kazahana Koyuki's eyes. "I've already given you the key. You should let me go now! I don't want to return to the Land of Snow! And I especially don't want to see that man!"
"Hehehe, don't be impatient. Once we've confirmed the key is real, we'll naturally let you leave. Take her below and lock her up with the people from that ship."
Nadare Rōga: "Why keep them around? Just kill them all."
Jack thought to himself, Are you trying to get the boss to smash your head in?
Konoha, the training ground.
Sakura stood facing one of Hongshi's Shadow Clones.
After days of high-intensity, one-on-one training with Hongshi, Sakura could now fully control the Cursed Seal's energy. She could even occasionally destroy Hongshi's Shadow Clone's... Shadow Clones.
Hongshi said, "Sakura, you've worked really hard at your training these past few days!"
Sakura looked a little down. "You're the only one keeping me company. Who knows where Naruto and Sasuke have gone."
Hongshi chuckled. "Hehehe, I've prepared a present for you, but first I want to ask you something."
"Hongshi-kun, what do you want to ask?"
"Do you want the power to beat the stuffing out of Naruto and Sasuke?"
"Yes! I can't keep trailing behind them forever."
Hongshi nodded and took a palm-sized creature from inside his clothes. It looked a little like a turtle.
Sakura looked at the turtle with some distaste. "What an ugly turtle."
The Three-Tails said, "I'm the most handsome of us nine brothers!"
"Shut up!" Hongshi pinched the Three-Tails and continued, "Sakura, you've already learned to perfectly control Water and Earth Release, Yin-Yang Release, and the Cursed Seal. It's just that you still have too little chakra. Learning and using that jutsu is still a bit of a stretch for you, but he can greatly increase your chakra reserves."
The Three-Tails said, "I refuse! Ah! Gramps, stop squeezing! I'm going to split apart!"
Sakura found Hongshi increasingly impossible to figure out. "Hongshi-kun, why are you doing this?"
Hongshi said quietly, "I have a dream: for every one of you to be able to wipe the floor with Sasuke."
Sakura said, "Hmm? What did you say?"
Hongshi said, "N-no, nothing. For nuclear peace in the Shinobi World!"
Sakura hesitated no longer. "All right! I want to get stronger. What should I do?"
Hongshi held the Three-Tails on his palm. "Hmm... first, set up a pot, boil some water, and prepare seasonings like scallions, ginger, and garlic."
The Three-Tails: "?????"
"Sakura, look! Sasuke and Ino are on a date!"
"(งᵒ̌皿ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃ What?!"
"Sealing Jutsu: Eight Trigrams Seal!!!"
"Ah!"