On the border of the Land of Snow, fierce winds howled as snow whipped through the air.
Everything within sight was buried beneath an endless expanse of white.
After days of arduous travel, Tobirama and his group finally reached the Land of Snow—only to be greeted by the locals' rather aggressive "hospitality."
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several sharp whistling sounds suddenly tore through the storm.
A group of ninja came charging down from the snowy mountains, riding snowboards and clad in strange armor. Using the terrain, they accelerated to terrifying speed. Kunai connected by special steel wires shot out from their hands, weaving into a deadly net that closed in on Tobirama and his group.
"It's the Snow Ninja! The pursuers sent by that traitor!"
Fūka Koyuki's face drained of color as she instinctively looked for cover.
She knew Tobirama was powerful, but these Snow Ninja wore chakra armor—equipment that enhanced ninjutsu and could even form chakra shields. They were notoriously troublesome opponents.
"A bunch of small fry."
Tobirama didn't even slow his steps, nor did he bother to remove his hands from his trench coat pockets.
He merely lifted his gaze slightly.
Amid the swirling snow, his eerie Six Tomoe Rinnegan flickered with a faint purple glow.
"Come here."
Banshō Ten'in!
Hum!
An overwhelming gravitational force erupted without warning.
The Snow Ninja, who had still been showing off midair on their snowboards, didn't even have time to scream. Like dust sucked into a vacuum, they lost control of their bodies and were dragged helplessly toward Tobirama's outstretched palm.
"What?! I can't control my body!"
"Activate the shields! Hurry!"
Panic-stricken, the Snow Ninja hurriedly triggered the mechanisms in their armor.
Blue chakra shields flared to life.
Absorption activated!
Sizzle!
The chakra shields—capable of blocking B-rank ninjutsu—were instantly drained dry the moment they came into contact with Tobirama's power, like ice exposed to a blazing sun. Even the chakra within their bodies was siphoned away in an instant.
"How is this possible… my chakra…"
The Snow Ninja collapsed to the ground, eyes filled with terror.
Shinra Tensei!
Boom!
A visible shockwave exploded outward with Tobirama at its center.
The Snow Ninja were struck as if by a speeding train. Their armor shattered piece by piece as they were hurled hundreds of meters away, coughing up blood before slamming deep into a distant ice wall, embedded so firmly they couldn't be pried free.
Instant kill.
Beside him, Fūka Koyuki stood frozen, her lips parted and her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
She knew ninja were strong—but treating fully armed elite Snow Ninja like trash with a casual gesture was far beyond her imagination.
The title given to this man was no exaggeration.
He truly was a god.
"It's getting dark."
Tobirama glanced at the dimming sky, then at Fūka Koyuki, who was shivering from the cold.
"There's a cave ahead, sheltered from the wind. We'll rest there tonight and continue tomorrow."
The campfire crackled softly, driving away the bitter cold outside the cave.
Pakura tactfully stationed herself at the entrance to keep watch, leaving the two of them alone.
Fūka Koyuki sat by the fire, hugging her knees, the flickering flames reflecting off her delicate yet sorrowful face. She stole glances at Tobirama, who rested with his eyes closed, and wrestled with her thoughts for a long time.
Everything she had witnessed along the way—especially Tobirama's overwhelming strength—only deepened the guilt and unease in her heart.
If she continued to hide the truth, it would be disrespectful not only to him, but to her own conscience.
"Um… Hokage-sama."
She bit her lip and finally spoke, her voice soft and trembling.
Tobirama opened his eyes and turned toward her. "What is it? Can't sleep?"
"No… that's not it."
Taking a deep breath, Fūka Koyuki stood up and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry! I lied to you!"
"I'm not just an ordinary actress named Fujikaze Yukie…"
"My real name is Fūka Koyuki—the daughter of the former Daimyo of the Land of Snow. That means… I'm the princess of this country."
"I issued the mission because I wanted to use you to bring me home. I was afraid that if you knew the truth, you'd find me troublesome and refuse… I'm sorry!"
She closed her eyes, bracing herself for his anger.
Deceiving a Kage-level ninja was a serious taboo.
But instead of scolding, she heard a soft chuckle.
"That's all?"
Tobirama poked at the campfire with a branch, his tone calm.
"I knew a long time ago."
"Eh?"
Fūka Koyuki looked up in shock. "Y-you knew?"
"Did you really think Konoha's intelligence network is just for show?"
A confident smile curved at the corner of Tobirama's mouth.
"From the moment you stepped into Konoha, I had already investigated your family for eighteen generations."
"The reason I didn't expose you was simple—I found watching the clumsy acting of a fallen princess rather entertaining."
Her face instantly flushed all the way to the tips of her ears.
Konoha's intelligence capabilities were truly terrifying.
At the same time, the heavy weight in her chest finally lifted.
So he had known all along… and he didn't mind.
"Come sit here."
Tobirama patted the spot beside him.
After a brief hesitation, Fūka Koyuki obediently moved over, sitting less than ten centimeters away. At that distance, she could even smell the faint, reassuring scent unique to him.
"Don't look so miserable."
Tobirama gestured toward the cave entrance.
At some point, the wind and snow had stopped. A massive full moon hung in the night sky, illuminating the snow-covered plains in breathtaking clarity.
"The scenery isn't bad. You wouldn't see something like this in the Land of Fire."
"I don't like it."
Though she gazed at the beautiful snowfield, her eyes held only sadness and disgust.
"Snow means cold. It means death."
"Ten years ago, it was a night just like this when my uncle killed my father and burned down the palace. The flames stained the snow red… that's my lifelong nightmare."
She hugged herself tightly, as if reliving that frozen night.
"My greatest wish is to escape from here."
"I want to go somewhere without snow. I want to film movies in the spring, see rainbows, bask in the sun…"
"Even if I'm just an ordinary actress, as long as I never return to this frozen hell, I'd be satisfied."
"But I can't… because I carry the weight of hatred…"
Her voice trembled as years of suppressed grief finally spilled out.
Stripped of her disguise, she was no longer a distant star—just a girl longing for warmth.
Suddenly, a large, warm hand rested gently atop her head.
Startled, Fūka Koyuki looked up and met Tobirama's gaze.
For once, there was a rare tenderness in his eyes.
"Idiot."
His voice was low and steady, like a cello string plucked deep in her heart.
"Running away doesn't solve anything."
"If you hate the snow, I'll help you melt it."
"If you want spring, I'll give you an eternal one."
"M-melt the snow?"
She stared at him in disbelief. "How could that be possible? That's the weather itself…"
"In my world, nothing is impossible."
Tobirama smiled confidently, the firelight making his expression dazzling.
"As long as I want it, it can be done."
Her heart skipped a beat.
Such an overbearing declaration was devastating to a girl with little experience of the world.
"Hokage-sama… why are you being so kind to me?"
Her face flushed as she spoke softly. "I'm just a fallen princess, and I've caused you so much trouble…"
"Why?"
Tobirama leaned closer until their noses were nearly touching. Looking into her flustered, watery eyes, he spoke plainly:
"At first, it was for the Land of Snow's technology."
"But after these past few days, I've changed my mind."
"Fūka Koyuki."
He called her by her real name, his tone serious.
"I've taken a liking to you."
"Not because of your status, but because of who you are."
"Your stubborn will to survive in despair… and that moment when you took off your sunglasses—it all suits my taste."
Her mind went completely blank.
Her cheeks burned, even her earlobes turning pink.
A… confession?
It was far too sudden—and far too direct.
"What… what are you talking about…"
She lowered her head in panic, twisting her clothes, her heart racing uncontrollably.
"We've only known each other for a few days… and you're the Hokage, I—I…"
Despite her words, the sweetness in her heart melted like honey.
What girl didn't dream of love?
Facing such a powerful, handsome man—one who made her feel utterly safe—she couldn't deny her feelings.
Especially after he promised her a spring.
"Time isn't an issue."
Tobirama gently lifted her chin, studying her shy expression.
"Tomorrow, I'll deal with Fūka Dotō and place you on the Daimyo's throne."
"When that happens, how about you give me the entire Land of Snow as your dowry?"
"W-who would want to marry you?!"
Blushing furiously, Fūka Koyuki slapped his hand away and curled up in the corner like a startled rabbit, burying her face in her knees.
"I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Yet the corners of her lips, hidden from view, lifted uncontrollably.
On this cold, snowy night,
a flower bloomed in her heart for the first time.
Tobirama watched the shy "ostrich" in the corner, his mood excellent.
"Get a good night's sleep, future queen."
"When you wake up tomorrow, your nightmare will be over."
He closed his eyes once more.
Done.
Winning the heart came first.
Both the Land of Snow—and its princess—were already within his grasp.
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