Konoha — Hokage Office.
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling across the polished mahogany desk. Yet it did nothing to dispel the sudden chill that seemed to settle over the room, as though ice and snow had crept inside.
After finally clearing the mountain of documents that had piled up over the past few days, Tobirama was at last meeting the renowned actress who had recently stirred discussion throughout the ninja world.
Standing before Uchiha Tobirama was an astonishingly beautiful woman—so striking that the word stunning felt almost inadequate.
She wore a dark trench coat without any flashy ornamentation, and a pair of sunglasses that concealed most of her face. But when she removed them at Tobirama's request, it was as though the entire office brightened in an instant.
Fūka Koyuki.
Her skin was fair to the point of translucence, like flawless ice shaped by snow and wind. Her features were exquisitely refined, especially her eyes—eyes that carried a natural coldness and quiet melancholy, as if a layer of frozen mist lay hidden within them.
It was a temperament that could only come from royal blood long accustomed to extreme cold, burdened by a heavy and unspoken past.
"So this is the so-called famous beauty of the ninja world…"
Tobirama leaned back in his chair, openly assessing the woman before him.
She certainly lived up to her reputation.
Compared to Tsunade's fiery boldness, Pakura's untamed allure, or Konan's serene purity, Fūka Koyuki possessed a distant, icy elegance—one that instinctively kept others at arm's length.
And yet, that very aloofness made her all the more captivating, stirring a powerful urge to shatter the ice and draw her closer.
Under Tobirama's unrestrained, penetrating gaze, Fūka Koyuki instinctively drew in her shoulders, feeling uneasy. Her impression of the Hokage had been that of an elderly statesman; she had never expected someone so young—or someone whose presence alone felt suffocating.
"Hm."
Tobirama withdrew his gaze and tapped his fingers lightly against the desk.
"I'll accept the mission. However, the itinerary will need to change."
"I still have a few final administrative matters to settle. In a few days, I'll personally escort you to the Land of Snow."
"Personally?"
Fūka Koyuki's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even as an actress issuing a mere C-rank mission, she understood exactly what that meant.
The Hokage—the leader of the strongest village in the ninja world.
Such a figure was actually planning to escort her in person?
"What?" Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "Not willing?"
"No—no!" she replied quickly. "I'm very willing! Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
She was still trying to process the shock when—
Bang!
The door to the Hokage Office was suddenly slammed open with violent force.
"Who dares barge in here? This is the Hokage Office!"
The ANBU guards tried to intervene, only to be shoved aside by several men clad in ornate samurai attire.
Immediately after, a shrill and piercing voice rang out.
"Out of the way! You lowly ninja! Do you even know who I am?!"
A middle-aged man strode in arrogantly. He wore luxurious brocade robes, his face thickly powdered white, a folding fan clutched in his hand. His nostrils were practically pointed toward the ceiling as he swaggered forward, ignoring Fūka Koyuki entirely and walking straight up to the desk.
His posture was that of a master inspecting his own domain.
"You are Uchiha Tobirama?"
He pointed at Tobirama with his fan, his expression dripping with noble arrogance and contempt.
"Seeing the Daimyō's envoy, why haven't you bowed?"
Startled by the sudden intrusion, Fūka Koyuki retreated instinctively to the side, anxiety rising in her chest.
The Daimyō—the nominal ruler of the Land of Fire, holder of its economic lifeline.
Surely even the Hokage was supposed to show respect…
However—
Tobirama didn't even shift in his seat.
He remained relaxed, legs crossed, casually lifting his teacup to take a sip. His eyes held an amused glint.
"Are you talking to me?"
"Nonsense!"
With a sharp snap, the envoy opened his folding fan and covered his mouth and nose, as if the air itself were beneath him.
"Uchiha Tobirama, you initiated war without authorization, seized compensation from multiple nations, and even dared to proclaim yourself Acting Hokage. You are utterly lawless!"
"The Daimyō-sama is furious!"
"He orders you to immediately accompany me to the capital, kneel before the Daimyō's residence, and beg for forgiveness and official investiture!"
"Otherwise, all financial support to Konoha will be cut off, and the Daimyō will call upon the entire ninja world to launch a crusade against you, traitor!"
The envoy lifted his chin smugly, clearly expecting Tobirama to panic and fall to his knees.
In his eyes, no matter how powerful a ninja was, they were still nothing more than tools fed by the Daimyō. Cut off the resources, and obedience would follow.
After a moment—
Tobirama laughed softly.
"Heh."
The sound carried unmistakable disdain—and a faint edge of killing intent.
In an instant, he understood everything.
The Daimyō? That indulgent fool who spent his days chasing pleasures and watching plays would never have the nerve to speak like this.
Which meant the source could only be those lingering rats within the village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi. Shimura Danzō.
They were truly desperate to court death.
"What are you laughing at?!" the envoy snapped, unnerved. "Why don't you kneel and give thanks for the Daimyō's mercy?!"
"Give thanks?"
Tobirama set down his teacup and slowly lifted his gaze.
His pitch-black pupils transformed instantly into the crimson Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Go back and tell that worthless Daimyō this," he said calmly, his voice as cold as a wind from the abyss.
"Let him come to Konoha himself."
"And he'd better crawl into the Hokage Building on his knees. If his posture isn't satisfactory, I don't mind replacing him with someone new."
"W-what…?"
The envoy's eyes bulged in disbelief, his folding fan clattering to the floor.
Madness.
This man was insane.
He dared order the Daimyō to crawl—and even spoke of replacing him?
Fūka Koyuki covered her mouth, shock flooding her eyes.
Just how overwhelming was this man's arrogance?
"You—bold traitor!" the envoy sputtered, trembling with rage. "You dare utter such treasonous words! You're nothing but a—"
Boom!
Before he could finish, an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted from Tobirama.
The air in the office solidified instantly, pressure multiplying severalfold.
"Thud!"
The envoy's legs gave out, and he crashed to his knees.
He couldn't even scream.
An icy, suffocating killing intent had already wrapped around his throat.
It felt as though a colossal dragon were gazing down at an ant—every instinct in his body screaming that death was imminent.
All his former arrogance vanished, replaced by raw terror.
"A what?" Tobirama asked calmly as he rose to his feet, looking down at the kneeling envoy as though at a corpse.
"S-spare me… please spare me…"
The envoy sobbed uncontrollably, unable even to lift his head under the crushing pressure.
"Oh?" Tobirama said softly. "Someone sent you?"
He grabbed the man by the hair and forced his head up.
The Mangekyō Sharingan rotated slowly.
Mangekyō Genjutsu—activated.
"Look into my eyes."
"Tell me who incited the Daimyō."
The envoy's terrified expression instantly went blank, his eyes dull and unfocused.
"It… it was Hiruzen Sarutobi…" he answered mechanically.
"Three days ago… he sent a trusted aide with a secret letter and a large sum of money… saying Uchiha Tobirama intended to rebel… asking the Daimyō to suppress him…"
"The Daimyō believed it… so he sent me…"
As expected.
Tobirama released him, tossing the envoy aside like discarded trash.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi. It seems you truly have a death wish."
"If you refuse to leave with dignity, then I'll help you along."
Fūka Koyuki stood frozen, utterly stunned.
With a single look, a single word, an envoy representing the highest authority of the Land of Fire had collapsed, revealing everything in disgrace.
It was overwhelming. Terrifying.
And inexplicably awe-inspiring.
"Come in," Tobirama said calmly, wiping his hand with a tissue.
In a flash, several ANBU appeared, kneeling on one knee.
"Throw this trash out. Don't dirty my floor."
"And notify all jōnin squad leaders, as well as the Uchiha elite forces."
"Assemble."
He donned his ceremonial robe and turned toward the window, gazing in the direction of the Sarutobi clan grounds. A cruel curve formed at the corner of his lips.
"Now."
Fūka Koyuki hesitated before asking softly, "Hokage-sama… are you going to…?"
Tobirama turned back, offering her a brilliant yet dangerous smile.
"Your mission will have to wait a little longer—but not for long."
"I'm going to kill a few people."
"When I return, I'll personally take you to the Land of Snow."
"Consider it… a small opening act before the journey."