A week later.
The contents of the scroll had finally been deciphered.
The information it contained left the decoding unit pale with shock.
As it turned out, hidden in the shadows of the ninja world was a secret organization called Kara.
And the reach of Kara's influence had already spread quietly throughout the Divine Nation!
The moment Hyuga Neji learned the contents of the scroll, he immediately reported it to Uchiha Mirai.
According to the scroll, Kara was structured into two divisions: Inner and Outer.
The Inner division consisted of the organization's core members, responsible for executing Kara's plans.
The Outer division, on the other hand, focused on expanding Kara's network of followers and gathering funding and intelligence for the group.
One key piece of information stood out: the most important stronghold of Kara's Outer division was currently located in the Land of Snow.
"Lord Mirai, should I send someone to investigate the Land of Snow?" Neji asked.
"No need. I'll go myself," Mirai replied calmly.
Just a few days earlier, Koyuki Kazahana had mentioned wanting to visit the Land of Snow. This gave him the perfect opportunity to take her on a spontaneous trip.
Hyuga Neji didn't object to Mirai's decision. Although Kara posed a considerable threat, with Lord Mirai handling things personally, there was little chance of anything going wrong.
...
Leaving the Hokage Tower, Mirai made his way to a local theater.
A fan meet-and-greet was currently being held there—for none other than Koyuki Kazahana.
Watching her shine like a star among the crowd, Mirai couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction.
These people likely couldn't even imagine what kind of expression their beloved goddess showed in front of him.
Instead of interrupting her autograph session, Mirai chose to wait quietly on the sidelines.
It wasn't until noon that Koyuki finally had a brief moment to rest.
The moment she stepped into the break room and saw him, her face lit up with surprise and joy.
"Mirai! When did you get here?"
"I've been here a while," Mirai said with a smile. "You looked busy, so I didn't want to disturb you."
Koyuki pouted playfully. "Hey! You're way more important than work. How could that possibly compare to you?"
A subtle smile tugged at the corner of Mirai's lips. "I love seeing you like this—being adored like a star. It makes me even more excited."
Koyuki quickly pressed down on his mischievous hand. "Mirai, I still have fans waiting for autographs...!"
Raising an eyebrow, Mirai gave a light snort.
"Then you better be careful. Don't let anyone notice, or your perfect public image will completely fall apart."
...
That afternoon, under the scorching sun, the fans waiting outside were starting to grow restless.
Watching Koyuki dash back out without even brushing her teeth after lunch, Mirai let out a lazy yawn.
Interesting. This is way too entertaining.
These fan meetings definitely needed to become a regular thing.
It wasn't until the sun dipped below the horizon that Koyuki finally returned, visibly exhausted.
"No wonder you're a star," Mirai teased. "Your acting is flawless. Not a hint of anything unusual."
Rolling her eyes, Koyuki leaned on his arm and cooed,
"Mirai, don't you want to star in a movie with me? I'll even give you my first on-screen kiss~"
Mirai shook his head. "Not interested. With my status, doing something like that would be utterly ridiculous."
Koyuki paused to think. That... was probably true.
The emperor of the Divine Nation becoming an actor? That would leave the entire ninja world speechless.
With that in mind, she didn't push the idea further and instead asked,
"So what brings you here today?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to go back to the Land of Snow? I've got some free time—figured I'd join you."
"Really? That's amazing!"
She leaned forward and gave Mirai a kiss on the cheek.
He wrinkled his nose. "If I'm not mistaken, you still haven't brushed your teeth yet."
Koyuki pouted in embarrassment. "I'll go now, okay?"
"Go ahead. Try to be more mindful next time."
Mirai waved her off casually.
A true Sigma male—calm and in complete control.
...
The next day.
Uchiha Mirai arrived in the Land of Snow with Koyuki by his side.
The entire landscape was still a world of ice and snow as far as the eye could see.
But compared to before, the Land of Snow was now filled with ice sculptures, ski resorts, winter theme parks…
Tourism had increased tenfold—if not more.
"My father could never have imagined the Land of Snow would one day become this prosperous," Koyuki said with a sigh.
If her father had survived, the geothermal systems might've made the country warm and comfortable all year round.
That would've made daily life easier for the people, sure—but they might have also lost what made the Land of Snow so unique. And without that identity, such wealth and success might never have followed.
The two of them arrived at the palace, where Mirai requested a meeting with the current leader of the Land of Snow—Asama Santayu.
They hadn't seen each other in years. The once-gaunt old man now looked rosy-cheeked and full of life.
Hurrying over to greet them, he beamed. "Lord Mirai, Princess Koyuki."
Seeing Santayu stride over so confidently, Mirai chuckled.
"Santayu, long time no see. You look younger than ever."
It was a simple, casual remark—but Santayu's smile immediately froze.
Awkwardly, he replied, "My life has indeed improved greatly, all thanks to your generosity, Lord Mirai. Without you, I wouldn't be living like this now."
"Is that so?" Mirai's tone remained light, but his eyes sharpened. "Then how could you repay kindness with betrayal?"
Bang!
Santayu dropped to his knees with a thud, cold sweat instantly soaking through his clothes.
"L-Lord Emperor... what are you saying?!"
Koyuki looked startled as well. "Mirai, what's going on? Is this some kind of misunderstanding?"
Mirai let out a cold chuckle and got straight to the point.
"Santayu, Kara must've offered you quite a deal, huh..."
Before he could finish, the kneeling Santayu suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted for the exit.
But in the very next instant, he was slammed to the ground by a crushing force, unable to move an inch.
Even Koyuki, slow as she sometimes was, had finally realized what was going on.
Santayu had betrayed the Divine Nation—and joined Kara!
Storming forward, Koyuki glared down at him and shouted, "Santayu! Why?! Why would you do this?!"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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