"Hinata!", Yakumo looked at Hinata.
Hinata said seriously, "Aoba-kun's eyes wavered just now, he was lying."
'Good grief, she even pulled out interrogation techniques, huh?'
"Hmph, as I thought," Yakumo clenched her fist, "Hinata, let's give this two-timing scumbag a little lesson."
"Mm."
The two of them lunged together at Aoba.
———
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
During these two days, nothing special happened, and Kazahana Koyuki didn't come to find them again.
As they gradually approached the Land of Snow, the temperature dropped at an extremely fast pace, and everyone switched to thick clothing.
"Wow, that looks like an iceberg, it's my first time seeing one," Looking at the towering iceberg rising from the sea in the distance, Yakumo's face was full of excitement, her heart surging.
"It's my first time too," Kurenai looked at the huge iceberg, her eyes flickering with light.
"There's something off about this iceberg," Aoba suddenly spoke. With his Kagura's Mind Eye, he had already sensed three chakra signatures on top of it.
"Eh?", Yakumo and Kurenai both froze.
"There are three people up there," Hinata said, her Byakugan already open, "Their chakra is strong, they're shinobi."
"They're here for Kazahana Koyuki?", Kurenai asked quietly.
Aoba nodded, "Most likely."
"Should we take them out?", Yakumo pulled out her sketch board.
"No rush, let the ship get closer first," Aoba said.
The director, after seeing the iceberg, his eyes also lit up.
"What a great place."
He decided to use this iceberg as the next filming location. The crew on board quickly bustled about.
Soon, the ship docked by the iceberg, and various filming equipment was carried up.
Amidst the crowd surrounding her, a drowsy, listless Koyuki was still yawning.
She had already resigned herself to being someone about to die, and had grown lazier overall.
Even the director's orders, she obeyed sluggishly.
But in the next moment, she perked up.
Aoba and the others appeared by her side.
Kurenai stayed on guard nearby.
"What are you doing here?", Kazahana Koyuki looked at the three with some doubt.
"Our duty is to protect your safety. This iceberg might hold danger, so of course we need to be cautious," Aoba answered with a straight face.
Hearing his reply, Kazahana Koyuki suddenly recalled his words from two days ago, pressing her lips together.
"Then just follow along."
Saying that, she went to film with the crew.
The three of them followed close by.
But during the filming, an accident suddenly occurred—
BOOM!
From the mid-slope not far away came an explosion, and the whole iceberg trembled slightly.
The sudden blast stunned the crew for a moment, then they began moving away from the slope.
Because of the explosion, a lot of snow started sliding down.
"What happened?", The trembling made Kazahana Koyuki stumble.
"Don't worry, with us here, you won't be in any danger," Aoba steadied her and said calmly.
Koyuki's heart settled a little, but soon she was trembling with fear again.
Although the blast triggered some snow to slide, the avalanche quickly stopped.
'What… what is going on?'
As everyone wondered, a man in white clothing emerged from the snow.
Arms crossed, expression arrogant.
It was none other than the Snow Country shinobi, Rouga Nadare.
"Welcome to the Land of Snow," His eyes swept across the group, finally landing on Kazahana Koyuki behind Aoba.
The moment she saw him, her face was filled with terror, her whole body shrinking back.
And on the other side, a woman with pink hair appeared, another Snow shinobi.
Kakuyoku Fubuki looked at Koyuki and said with a smile, "We warmly welcome you, Princess Koyuki. Did you bring the Hexagonal Crystal?"
'Princess Koyuki?'
The crew members busy packing their gear froze in shock.
But Aoba's group of three didn't show any change of expression. He called lightly, "Hinata."
Hinata, Byakugan active, immediately struck out with a palm from afar toward the snowy ground.
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
BANG!
The snow exploded, and the burly Fuyukuma Mizore was blown out, landing not far away.
"What a fierce attack," He looked a bit disheveled. If not for the armor protecting him, he might already have been injured.
Aoba ignored him and instead fixed his gaze on the leader, Rouga Nadare.
"Hinata, Yakumo, those two are yours to practice on."
"Yes." ×2
Hinata immediately charged at the just-landed Fuyukuma Mizore.
Yakumo, on the other hand, fixed on Kakuyoku Fubuki and pulled out her sketch board.
"Heh, such arrogant little brats," Fubuki sneered, then suddenly dove down from the mountaintop, hands forming seals.
"Ice Release: Swallow Snowstorm!"
The surrounding snow transformed into countless rotating shuriken, shooting toward Yakumo.
Yakumo just drew a casual stroke on her board.
A sea of flames suddenly appeared, melting all the attacks.
And on her board, a massive fire dragon was gradually taking shape.
"What kind of technique is this?", Fubuki's expression shifted, stopping in her tracks.
'This fire… it doesn't seem like chakra at all.'
On the other side, Hinata and Mizore had already exchanged several blows.
But Hinata couldn't drive chakra into his body no matter how many times she struck.
"Pointless. My armor neutralizes your chakra. None of your ninjutsu or genjutsu work on me."
Mizore's body was covered in flags.
"Is that so?"
Hinata's expression didn't change, "Then try this."
"Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists!"
Her hands suddenly gathered a massive amount of Gentle Fist chakra, shaping it into two fierce lion heads.
"…Father," Seeing Yakumo summon a sea of fire, Koyuki suddenly recalled the scene of her father's death in flames.
Her pupils shook violently, and she fell weakly to her knees in the snow.
"Princess!"
"Sandayu, you…", Koyuki looked up in disbelief.
Asama Sandayu rushed to her side, "Princess, please hurry back to the ship!"
"No!"
"But if you don't hurry, your life will be in danger!"
"Even if I die, it doesn't matt—AH!", Koyuki's willful words were cut short by a cry of pain.
The pain instantly dragged her out of her nightmare of fear.
Aoba had knocked her on the head, interrupting her words.
"What are you doing?", Koyuki, teary-eyed, clutched her head, looking at him with grievance, 'It hurts!'
"Don't say such discouraging things. With us here, no one can lay a hand on you."
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