Snow Country, Royal Palace.
The man knelt on one knee, looking up at Kazahana Doto as he spoke in a deep voice,
"Lord Doto, I have both good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"
Kazahana Doto raised an eyebrow. "Start with the good news."
Nadare Rōga immediately responded, "We have confirmed that Kazahana Koyuki has entered Snow Country."
"It won't be long before she arrives in the capital."
Hearing this, Kazahana Doto abruptly stood up from his seat, his face lighting up with excitement.
Years ago, he had personally killed his elder brother to claim his treasure. However, the key to that treasure had been taken out of Snow Country by Kazahana Koyuki.
Ever since, he had been tirelessly searching for her, hoping to retrieve that key.
And now, she was delivering herself right to his doorstep.
"And the bad news?"
Seeing the anticipation in Doto's eyes, Nadare Rōga cleared his throat before answering.
"The bad news is that Kazahana Koyuki has arrived with Uchiha Mirai."
"Uchiha Mirai?" Kazahana Doto froze, momentarily unable to process the information. "Which Uchiha Mirai?"
Nadare Rōga spoke solemnly. "The one who calls himself the Emperor of the Divine Nation."
"What?!"
Kazahana Doto's mouth fell open in shock.
The Emperor of the Divine Nation?
Why would someone of that status be involved with Kazahana Koyuki?
"Are you certain there's no mistake?"
"Absolutely," Nadare Rōga declared confidently, pounding his chest. "We saw them traveling together with our own eyes. They should already be in the capital by now."
"Tch...!"
Kazahana Doto sucked in a sharp breath.
This was trouble!
Noticing his master's unease, Nadare Rōga hesitated before asking, "Lord Doto, what should we do now?"
Kazahana Doto took a deep breath and issued his orders.
"Take some men and probe their strength. It's possible they are using the Transformation Jutsu to mislead us."
"And if an opportunity arises, seize the Hexagonal Crystal from Kazahana Koyuki."
"Here—take these three newly developed chakra armors with you."
"Understood!"
...
"It's been so many years... how did Snow Country end up like this?"
Asama Santarou gritted his teeth, his expression dark with anger.
Under Kazahana Sōsetsu's rule, Snow Country had once thrived. The people were filled with hope and energy, looking forward to a prosperous future.
But now...
Years had passed, and instead of progress, the people of Snow Country had become lifeless and despondent.
He had already seen multiple beggars along the streets—beggars, in the capital city!
If the capital was in such a state, the rest of the country could only be worse.
Ever since Kazahana Doto had seized power, the people must have been living in constant suffering.
Kazahana Koyuki, however, had few memories of these events. Still, the painful recollections that did surface filled her with unease.
Sensing her distress, Uchiha Mirai gently patted her shoulder. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Kazahana Koyuki glanced at him, then, as if seeking comfort, reached out and grasped his hand.
Only by staying close to Uchiha Mirai did she feel a sliver of security.
Seeing this, Might Guy nudged Kakashi Hatake with his shoulder, grinning mischievously.
"Well, Kakashi, thanks to me, at least you didn't have to be a third wheel the whole trip, huh?"
Kakashi withdrew his envious gaze and gave Guy a surprised look.
"Guy, you're more perceptive than I thought. You actually noticed that?"
"Of course!" Guy laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not as clueless as you think. In fact, most of the time, I'm quite sharp!"
Kakashi let out a dry chuckle, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Was he truly that bad at romance?
...
As they talked, three figures suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
"Be careful!"
Might Guy and Kakashi immediately moved to the front of the group, shielding the others.
Uchiha Mirai, meanwhile, held the trembling Kazahana Koyuki and silently stepped back.
"Kazahana Koyuki, hand over the hexagonal crystal."
"Or today will be your last."
Asama Santarou narrowed his eyes. "So, you're Kazahana Doto's lapdogs?"
"Watch your mouth!" Nadare Rōga barked angrily. "Fubuki Kakuyoku, Mizore Fuyukuma, take care of them."
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, the two rushed at Kakashi and Guy, their chakra armors amplifying their speed and power.
"Ice Release!"
Leaping into the air, Fubuki Kakuyoku conjured a barrage of ice needles, which rained down in a deadly storm.
Might Guy let out a battle cry and instantly opened the Seventh Gate.
"Daytime Tiger!"
Boom!
A massive shockwave in the shape of a tiger shot forth, tearing through the air. The ice barrage melted instantly, and Fubuki Kakuyoku—armor and all—was blown to pieces, her blood raining from the sky.
In a blink, Might Guy vanished, reappearing in front of Mizore Fuyukuma.
"Morning Peacock!"
A rapid barrage of punches struck with such speed that friction ignited the air, creating a flurry of burning strikes. Mizore Fuyukuma's massive body was pulverized into nothingness, evaporating under the heat.
In mere moments, both enemies were annihilated.
Might Guy then turned his attention to Nadare Rōga, appearing before him like a phantom.
With one hand behind his back, he stared coldly at his opponent. "Don't move."
Nadare Rōga stood frozen, his face pale with shock.
Everything had happened too fast—before he could even react, his two comrades had been obliterated.
They had been wearing chakra armor!
With its enhanced defense and strength augmentation, Fubuki Kakuyoku and Mizore Fuyukuma should have been capable of fighting a jounin on even footing.
Yet, against this man, they hadn't even lasted a moment.
Just how powerful was he?!
His throat went dry as he swallowed hard.
But before he could even finish gulping, Might Guy's fist slammed into his face.
"I told you not to move!"
Crack!
The sheer force of the punch snapped Nadare Rōga's neck.
He was dead before he even hit the ground.
As they watched the battle unfold, Kakashi, Kazahana Koyuki, and the others stood in stunned silence, completely overwhelmed by what they had just witnessed.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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