Leaving aside the hardships of the small figure for now, Hikaru became interested in this country after hearing what Nonō Yakushi had shared.
The next morning, as sunlight spilled across the Land of Snow, Hikaru and the others continued their journey.
They rode in one of the nation's iconic means of travel—sleds—leaving deep tracks across the vast snowfield.
After hours of travel, they finally arrived at the capital.
But as Hikaru and the others passed through the city gates and entered the heart of the city, they were surprised to find it wasn't much different from the other towns in the Land of Snow they'd passed through.
There were no luxurious buildings, no opulent palaces, and no elaborate decorations.
Instead, the architecture was modest and unadorned, resembling the structures in other regions—simple and approachable.
On both sides of the street stood ordinary homes and shops. Though humble, they were tidy and well-kept.
The townsfolk wore warm, friendly smiles, as if in this land, everyone could feel a sense of warmth and peace.
Even the daimyō's residence was only slightly grander than the rest.
Though taller than common dwellings, it too lacked lavish embellishments or ornate facades.
Looking at the unpretentious buildings and the genuine smiles on the faces of the people along the way, Hikaru found himself growing fond of the nation's daimyō.
So instead of barging in via Body Flicker, he chose to formally submit a request for an audience.
He and the three women accompanying him approached the front of the daimyō's residence and handed a guard their visiting card.
While waiting, they didn't stand idly.
They struck up friendly conversations with the guards stationed there, asking questions about the Land of Snow and its daimyō.
Despite their humble positions, the guards' eyes gleamed with love for their country and deep respect for the daimyō.
In this lighthearted exchange, Hikaru gradually came to understand the true state of the Land of Snow.
In truth, the country was very poor. Resources were scarce, and even the nobles who had once held fiefdoms had drained their last gains and fled to other nations.
This once-abandoned land, however, found new vitality after its current daimyō took power.
With no powerful lords remaining to oppose him, the daimyō successfully implemented a series of reforms.
These reforms transformed the country, breathing new life into its soil.
Amid the harsh winds and snow, the Land of Snow had undergone a phoenix-like rebirth, steadily shedding its image of poverty and backwardness.
However, toward the end of the conversation, one of the guards grew visibly serious.
He revealed to Hikaru that something had been troubling the daimyō lately.
Just as he was about to elaborate, a servant hurried over and informed them that the daimyō had agreed to meet them.
Curiosity now filled their hearts as Hikaru and the others followed the servant into the gates of the daimyō's residence, preparing to meet this legendary figure in person.
As they stepped into the reception hall, the first thing that caught their eye was the interior—simple, yet refined.
Ink wash paintings hung on the walls, adding a quiet touch of artistry.
The daimyō sat at the head seat, a partially open screen behind him embroidered with the snowy landscape of his country, showcasing its unique charm.
He did not appear stern; instead, his features were kind and welcoming.
As his gaze met Hikaru's, he gave a gentle smile and said:
"Welcome to the Land of Snow. I am the daimyō here—Fūka Seiyuki."
Fūka Seiyuki (风花晴雪) – Daimyō of the Land of Snow. Not in glossary; name adapted for Naruto-world immersion.
Hikaru and the others responded politely:
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Uchiha Hikaru from Konohagakure in the Land of Fire. These are my companions: Senju Tsunade, Uchiha Chiri, and Nonō Yakushi."
"We apologize for the unannounced visit. There's something we'd like to ask of you."
They then explained their supposed mission to find Madara Uchiha.
In truth, they had simply been curious about the daimyō and wanted to meet him.
But of course, Hikaru couldn't just say that directly—so he used the mission as a convenient pretext.
Fūka Seiyuki, unaware of this, pondered a moment before replying:
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we haven't seen any trace of Madara Uchiha in this country. I'm afraid we can't help you with that."
Hikaru shook his head and smiled.
"It's no trouble. We've already learned and seen many things here—this journey has been fruitful."
These words visibly relieved Fūka Seiyuki. After all, Konohagakure was not a power he could afford to offend.
If the Land of Fire stopped selling them grain, they wouldn't survive.
Not to mention—he had heard of Hikaru before.
The New God of the Shinobi World—a title that had spread widely across the ninja world—was associated with Uchiha Hikaru. That name had already been tested by the Four Great Nations.
Six years ago, following the Chūnin Exams, all four nations jointly issued a rule:
"Any shinobi who encounters Uchiha Hikaru during a mission may abandon the task without penalty for failure."
The same privileges once reserved for the Fourth Hokage were now unofficially extended to Uchiha Hikaru.
After mulling something over, Fūka Seiyuki's expression brightened as a spark of hope flashed in his eyes. He quickly proposed:
"I wonder… Hikaru-kun, do you happen to have some free time? There is a task I'd like to request your help with—would you be interested?"
Hikaru didn't answer immediately. He furrowed his brows slightly and asked:
"What kind of task? May I hear the details first?"
Fūka Seiyuki wasn't disappointed by the caution.
Their earlier conversation had helped him get a feel for Hikaru's character—he wouldn't agree to anything lightly. So he explained more thoroughly:
"Here's the situation. Lately, many rogue shinobi have been gathering near our borders. They've cut off our trade routes."
"Our country has no shinobi village to support us, so we are powerless to handle it ourselves. Hikaru-kun, would you be willing to assist us in resolving this problem?"
Hikaru had already developed some admiration for Fūka Seiyuki after witnessing the state of the Land of Snow. Now, seeing the man's sincerity and humility, that fondness grew even deeper.
With a warm smile, he responded:
"You're too kind, Lord Daimyō. Rest assured—we will do everything we can to help you."
Fūka Seiyuki beamed with joy.
"That's wonderful! With the New God of the Shinobi World on our side, I believe the Land of Snow will soon know peace once again."
The moment the title "New God of the Shinobi World" was spoken, the three women—Tsunade, Chiri, and Nonō—all looked at Hikaru with astonishment.
They had been in Konoha the whole time and hadn't paid much attention to the state of the wider shinobi world, so they genuinely had no idea that this was Hikaru's title.