Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Feng Hua Xiaoxue looked puzzled.

Naruto didn't look at Koyuki Fuuka; he simply looked up before continuing to speak meaningfully to her: "'The Fuuka family's wealth'."

Isn't the Feng Hua family's wealth just geothermal generators?

Hearing Naruto's answer, Koyuki's doubts deepened.

She looked up like Naruto and realized the weight of this "wealth".

Sunlight shines on the six massive ice walls, and with the geothermal generators operating at full power, the ice walls transform into giant projectors.

The ice wall reflected the image of a cute little girl, about seven or eight years old, dressed exquisitely.

The little girl's still-developing features reflected the image of the wind, flowers, and snow at this moment.

"This is, me..."

Feng Hua Xiaoxue looked at the giant projection of the little girl and revealed the little girl's identity.

The little girl is none other than Feng Hua Xiao Xue from the past.

What kind of person does Xiaoxue want to become in the future?

Beside the projected image of Xiaoxue was a kind-looking middle-aged man.

The man's appearance was somewhat similar to Feng Hua Nu Tao, but he was gentler than Feng Hua Nu Tao.

He was none other than Kazahana Sayayuki's deceased father, the former daimyo of the Snow Country—Kazana Sayayuki.

In response to inquiries about the wind, flowers, and early snow.

Young Kazahana Koyuki answered earnestly in her still very childish voice: "Koyuki wants to become a princess as gentle and strong as her father when she grows up."

Feng Hua Xiaoxue stared blankly at her past self.

So I've said something like that before...

Over the past decade, Feng Hua Xiao Xue had forgotten her true self, yet now she has remembered her former self in such a strange way.

"But... Xiaoxue, I'm still struggling with another dream."

What is your dream?

"Xiaoxue also wants to become an actress who brings joy to everyone!"

"Then as long as we persevere until spring arrives, all of Xiaoxue's dreams will come true!"

"..."

"The Lesser Snow Festival is coming..."

The projector recorded a short amount of past footage, and soon switched to replaying it.

Naruto withdrew his gaze and looked at Kazahana Koyuki, who was still reluctant to look away.

"Spring has arrived, and your dream has come true."

Naruto sincerely wished Fuuka Koyuki well.

Feng Hua Xiaoxue finally looked away from the image on the projector with reluctance, hot tears streaming from her eyes.

But these were not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy shed by the wind, flowers, and snow.

"Thank you."

Kazahana Koyuki reintroduced herself to Naruto: "My name is Kazahana Koyuki, and I am the daughter of the former Daimyo of the Land of Snow, Kazahana Hayate."

Ten long years later, Feng Hua Xiaoxue once again acknowledged her identity.

She has made her decision; she will inherit the title of Daimyo of the Snow Country and heal all the wounds that the Wind and Flowers Angry Waves have brought to the Snow Country.

And towards the future that her father, Kazeka and Satsuki, hoped for, she wished for the Land of Snow to also welcome spring.

"Naruto, I hope you and Karin can help me!"

The wind, flowers, and light snow extended an invitation.

She was unaware of Santayu's true identity, and she would never know that there were still former retainers of Kazaka Hayate in the Snow Country waiting for her return.

She assumed she had always been alone, which is why she felt it was only natural to extend an invitation to Naruto.

Her enemies are the Yuki-nin of Yukigami Village, who are loyal to Fuuka Nutō, and the Nutō faction's retainers who betrayed their father and became Fuuka Nutō's accomplices.

It would be futile for her to fight these guys all by herself.

But if Naruto and Karin, who are willing to risk their lives to protect her, can offer help, even if the future remains difficult.

But if we persevere and wait for the next "spring," all the hardships will surely be resolved!

Are you sure you want to ask me for your help?

Things are developing in the direction Naruto hoped for, but Naruto is in no hurry to accept it.

Chapter 23 Bonds

Naruto's gaze traveled from Koyuki's outstretched hand to her face, and he stared intently at her before speaking:

"Aren't you curious why Karin and I disguised ourselves and accepted the mission to escort you?"

Seeing the confused look in Fuuka Koyuki's eyes, Naruto gave the answer:

"As a big star in the Land of Fire, you should know that Konoha was destroyed not long ago, right? The one who destroyed Konoha is me, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Karin and I are both rogue ninjas. We originally planned to use our disguised identities and shadow clones to form a normal four-person ninja team to make a fortune during this mission to protect you, and then disappear for a while in the remote Land of Snow."

Feng Hua Xiaoxue's gaze shifted from confusion to disbelief.

"Why...why did you destroy Konoha?"

The reason for Naruto's defection was a secret known only to a few people in Konoha. As an ordinary person, Kazama Koyuki didn't even know the danger of the name "Uzumaki Naruto".

After all, even though Naruto defected from Konoha, he still retained his identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

If other countries find out about this situation, Konoha may very well lose the Nine-Tails.

"You've heard of the Tailed Beasts, right?"

Naruto answered with a rhetorical question.

"It's a terrible natural disaster caused by monsters. Once these monsters appear, the entire country will be plunged into chaos and suffering."

This is Fuuka Koyuki's understanding of the Tailed Beasts.

Although the story of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, establishing the ninja village and distributing the tailed beasts to the five great nations has been spread over the decades and the details have deviated, the general outline remains largely the same.

The tailed beasts have become an absolute armed force, preventing the five great nations from launching attacks as freely as they did during the Warring States period.

Even though there were several Ninja World Wars during the Ninja Village era, they all ended quickly, unlike the Warring States period when peace could not be achieved for decades or even centuries.

"I am the Jinchuriki of the Tailed Beasts of Konoha."

"Because it possesses 'absolute power,' it is coveted by people and feared by people."

"Konoha ostracizes Jinchūriki, yet naively believes that Jinchūriki should dedicate everything to the village."

"So Konoha made a decision: they wanted to kill me and regain control of the Tailed Beasts' power—simply because my desire for freedom and my own life did not meet their expectations of Jinchuriki, making Konoha feel that I was extremely dangerous."

“No one wants to be killed at will, so I fought back—I’ll use any means necessary to survive—shifting the conflict from ninjas to ordinary people in Konoha will give me a chance to catch my breath and continue living a miserable life. I won’t hesitate to do anything just because those guys are ordinary people.”

This is why Naruto destroyed Konoha.

"At least one thing Konoha has to say about me, I won't deny: I am indeed 'dangerous'."

Feng Hua Xiao Xue listened blankly to Naruto's narration.

After a long silence, Fuuka Koyuki asked Naruto again, "Since your Karin's original intention was just to hide in the Land of Snow... why did you risk your life to save me? Didn't you just say... that if you could survive, you would use any means necessary? So abandoning me, someone who is dispensable to you, is the most rational choice, isn't it?"

Who would have known that "Fujikaze Yukie" was actually the princess of the previous daimyo of the Land of Snow?

Even if Naruto knew the true identity of Kazahana Koyuki, what value did the lone Kazahana Koyuki have that would make him fight against Kazahana Noto, who possessed the entire Land of Snow?

From Fuuka Koyuki's perspective, Naruto was completely acting on emotion and was not as cold-blooded as he claimed.

"It's probably because of the bond between you and Karin..."

Naruto answered, and even Fuuka Koyuki could understand the uncertainty in his tone.

"If I could, I would not want to take the step of defecting and destroying Konoha."

Looking at Naruto, who was lost in his memories, Kazahana Koyuki heard him continue speaking.

"Although the higher-ups in Konoha want to kill me, I also have true bonds within Konoha—Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Ino..."

But Naruto's contemplation only lasted a moment before he quickly returned to reality: "I know very well the pain of losing a bond."

As he spoke, Naruto's gaze shifted from Koyuki's face to Karin, who was still fast asleep: "Karin is different from me. She can't bear this kind of pain. You must have seen what Karin looks like after losing her bond, right?"

Fuuka Koyuki's gaze also fell on Karin, just like Naruto's.

Karin's previous extremely emotional behavior was witnessed by Fuuka Koyuki.

"Karin is a good girl."

Fuuka Koyuki recalled her previous interactions with Karin. If Naruto had said he was a rogue ninja, Fuuka Koyuki wouldn't have doubted him too much.

Karin, a simple girl who is a little timid and always overly concerned about the feelings of others, is also a rogue ninja.

Feng Hua Xiaoxue couldn't understand it at all.

"Karin was abandoned by her own village."

Fuuka Koyuki's confusion was written all over her face, and how could Naruto not understand?

Fuuka Koyuki looked at Naruto in surprise.

Naruto, however, did not intend to delve into the matter, rather than recounting Karin's experiences in a lighthearted or embellished manner.

It would be safer to let Karin tell Fuuka Koyuki herself.

It is also more likely to evoke the beauty of wind, flowers, and light snow.

All Naruto had to do was leave Karin with an "impression" in Kazaka Koyuki.

Naruto didn't intend to let Kazahana Koyuki press him for answers; he kept talking and directly changed the subject.

"Now that you know who Karin and I are, the rogue ninjas, are you still going to invite us?"