The Land of Snow lay to the west of the Land of Earth, an isolated and remote nation buried beneath endless snowfall.
Its most distinctive feature was the perpetual winter that blanketed the entire country year-round, making it one of the coldest regions in the world.
Thanks to this harsh environment, shinobi capable of wielding Ice Release were born in the Land of Snow. Through specialized equipment and weapons, they could further amplify the power of their techniques.
In that regard, they were quite similar to the Yuki Clan of Kirigakure.
The current ruler of the Land of Snow was a man named Fuka Sosetsu.
Having only recently ascended to power, he was an ambitious leader who dreamed of developing a large-scale heating system capable of bringing spring-like warmth to the frozen nation.
He was a scientist devoted to energy development and environmental transformation.
Although his field differed greatly from Orochimaru's research, a scientist was still a scientist.
Putting aside the short-lived Fuka Sosetsu, on November 11th of Konoha's 41st year, the frozen land welcomed two young shinobi.
Hayashi and Himeji.
According to the original plan, they should have departed in October. However, after transplanting Hashirama Senju's cells, Hayashi's research and experimentation with Wood Release had taken far longer than expected.
Fortunately, thanks to the System's enhancements, Hayashi's Yang Release had already reached an extraordinary level. Combined with the suppression provided by his Mangekyō Sharingan, he did not suffer from the severe side effects that plagued Danzō.
As Madara might have said:
"This power... is nothing special."
In truth, if not for pursuing the power necessary to awaken the Rinnegan, Hayashi would not have needed Hashirama's cells at all. Given enough time, the System's improvements alone could have elevated him to the level of the First Hokage.
But the Rinnegan required another path.
As the Fourth Hokage, who had only assumed office a few months earlier, leaving the village openly was nearly impossible.
The same had been true for the Third Hokage. Since taking the position, the number of times he had personally left Konoha could be counted on one hand.
Therefore, Hayashi and Himeji departed in secret.
Only a handful of people in Konoha knew about their journey. Even the Third Hokage remained unaware.
After all, explaining the true purpose of this trip would have been difficult.
Before leaving, Hayashi left behind a Wood Clone to manage affairs in the village.
A Shadow Clone simply would not suffice.
Despite being physical entities, Shadow Clones generally had limited longevity. This journey would take at least half a year.
Furthermore, distance was a major issue.
Ordinary Shadow Clones could only be maintained within a range of several hundred meters to a few kilometers from the original body.
Of course, the technique varied greatly depending on the user's chakra reserves.
Naruto's Shadow Clones, for example, could remain active at Mount Myōboku despite the enormous distance from Konoha.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of the Shadow Clone Technique depended heavily on the caster's chakra.
In the hands of a powerful shinobi, it was practically a bug in reality itself.
In the hands of an average ninja, it was little more than a reconnaissance tool.
Hayashi's Shadow Clones could certainly function thousands of kilometers away.
But the distance between the moon and the shinobi world was not a few thousand kilometers.
It was roughly 380,000 kilometers.
At that point, a Shadow Clone simply wasn't enough.
A Wood Clone was the only viable option.
Naturally, Kushina would periodically supply the clone with Nine-Tails chakra to ensure it never ran out of energy.
"Is it here?" Himeji asked as they arrived before a canyon.
Although the White Snake Sage had provided a map, it was ancient. Thousands of years had passed since Hamura Ōtsutsuki led his clan away from Earth, and the landscape had inevitably changed.
"Use your Byakugan and see what's at the bottom," Hayashi said.
Himeji nodded and activated her dōjutsu.
The veins around her eyes bulged slightly.
"There is a glowing lake at the bottom of the cave, but I can't see anything beyond it. The water seems to distort the Byakugan's vision."
A trace of surprise appeared on her face. It was the first time she had encountered such a phenomenon.
Hayashi nodded.
If even the Byakugan couldn't see through it, then they had found the correct location.
Without hesitation, the two jumped into the canyon and plunged directly into the lake below.
Halfway through their descent, more than a dozen iridescent bubbles drifted toward them through the water.
The colorful spheres moved as though they possessed a will of their own, blocking their path.
Hayashi immediately recognized them.
Just as described in history, these bubbles could cast powerful genjutsu, trapping anyone who touched them inside a cage of memories from which they would never escape.
As the bubbles approached, both Hayashi and Himeji slowly closed their eyes.
The river flowed endlessly.
The Southern River stretched into the distance as though it would never cease.
It was summer.
Lush greenery covered both banks, and a strong wind swept through the trees, causing branches to sway violently.
A slender young shinobi stood by the riverside.
Looking into the distance, Hayashi could vaguely make out the Hokage Rock.
Only three faces were carved into it.
Clearly, this was not a recent memory.
A faint sobbing sound reached his ears.
Following the sound, Hayashi saw a little girl crying by a bridge.
Himeji.
Or rather, four-year-old Himeji.
She wore a white dress that resembled a princess gown. Her hair was tied into two adorable pigtails, and she stood alone by the bridge, rubbing her eyes with raised sleeves.
Her eyes were red and swollen. It was difficult to tell whether she had been crying for a long time or if the wind-blown dust had irritated them.
Splash!
Water burst upward.
A small head emerged from the river.
The boy held a giant red carp in his arms.
Grinning proudly, he lifted the fish slightly.
It was Hayashi.
Only two or three years old.
"Hey, why are you crying?"
The young boy floated atop the water while lightly tapping the giant carp's head.
The crying girl glanced toward him.
At that age, Hayashi was often left alone.
Uchiha Yama had become the new clan head, while Hayashi was the son of Uchiha Kagami.
As the son of a rival, he naturally received little favor from the new leadership.
Even if no one openly mistreated him, many clan members eager to please the clan head preferred to keep Hayashi out of sight.
As a result, he often wandered off alone.
Under those circumstances, seeing another child nearby naturally made him want to talk.
Especially one as cute as this.
Startled by the sudden voice, the girl took several steps back.
Her expression became cold and guarded.
She ignored him completely.
Hayashi opened his mouth to speak again, but the giant carp suddenly erupted with a final burst of strength and shot forward.
The boy immediately wrapped himself around the fish.
Unfortunately, the carp continued thrashing wildly, dragging him through the river.
"Hey! Hey! Are you okay?"
The girl instantly forgot her tears and shouted anxiously.
The giant carp looked terrifying, and she genuinely feared the boy would drown.
"Save... me... Aaaahhh!"
The carp leaped from the water, nearly throwing Hayashi into the air.
Panicked, the girl looked around for a branch he could grab.
Unfortunately, the surrounding trees were too tall, and she couldn't climb them.
In her desperation, she spotted a stone on the ground and quickly picked it up.
Taking a deep breath, she recalled her father's teachings.
"According to Father, keep your hand flat, steady your heart, and strike with force. Steady, accurate, and decisive!"
The girl assumed a textbook shuriken-throwing stance.
Almost instantly, her breathing calmed.
The howling wind seemed to fade away.
"Very good."
Her concentration sharpened completely.
At that moment, it felt as though she had become one with the stone.
Her wrist flicked.
The stone flew through the air in a perfect arc.
Time itself seemed to slow.
Bang!
The stone struck the boy squarely on the forehead.
"..."
Gurgle.
Gurgle.
A stream of bubbles rose from the water.
Then the boy sank beneath the surface.
"..."
Silence.