The sky gradually darkened as night fell.
The entire Land of Snow was plunged into darkness. With no forms of entertainment and following the ancient, simple lifestyle of rising with the sun and resting at night, the people of the Land of Snow had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Only the dark, steel castle at the center of the Land of Snow's capital still glowed faintly.
This was the residence of the Land of Snow's Daimyo.
The castle, built of steel and equipped with various chakra devices, was patrolled by numerous Ninjas clad in Chakra Armor, making it highly resistant to external threats.
It provided immense security for the daimyo of the Land of Snow. However, even the strongest fortresses often crumble from within, just as the previous Daimyo, Kazahana Sosetsu, had been assassinated by his brother, Kazahana Doto.
No matter how sturdy the walls, they could never guard against the treachery of human hearts.
At this moment, inside the massive castle, in the spacious hall…
A blue-haired snow ninja and a pink-haired snow ninja stood before the throne, holding a brand-new set of Chakra Armor.
The pink-haired Ninja was named Kakuyoku Fubuki, and the blue-haired Ninja was named Nadare Roga.
Seated on the grand throne before them was a burly, imposing man draped in a white cloak, with a face that screamed 'villainous cannon fodder.'
This man was the current daimyo of the Land of Snow, Kazehana Doto.
Doto sat on his throne, his expression cold as he looked at the Chakra Armor in their hands. "So, you disturb me this late at night because there's been progress with the Chakra Armor?"
Hearing Doto's question, before Fubuki could speak, Roga eagerly raised the Chakra Armor and began explaining.
He had been Doto's loyal subordinate since the coup, and now, in the Land of Snow, he was practically second only to the Daimyo himself.
"Your Highness, this is the latest model of Chakra Armor. As per your instructions, it has been equipped with flight capabilities. Even without using any Ninjutsu, a Ninja can easily fly by simply channeling Chakra into the Armor."
"Moreover, after extensive testing by the research department, we've confirmed that an average Ninja can achieve free flight after a short period of training."
"When the time comes, we only need to select a group of Snow Ninjas to train for a period of time, and our Land of Snow will possess a squad of flying Ninjas."
"Really?"
Doto's eyes gleamed with interest.
Flight.
For ninjas, it was a nearly unattainable ability. Doto wasn't aware of any Ninja in the world who could fly…
'Not even the legendary God of Ninja could do so.'
'And now, our Land of Snow would possess the power of flight, effectively giving us control over the skies in future Ninja World War.'
'Once we found Koyuki and unlocked the treasure of the Land of Snow, the dream of ruling the Ninja World might truly become a reality.'
Thinking this, Doto's previously emotionless face twisted into a sinister grin.
"Starting tomorrow, intensify the search for Kazahana Koyuki across the Ninja World."
Roga and Fubuki didn't understand why Doto's thoughts had suddenly shifted from Chakra Armor to Koyuki, but they weren't the type to question such things.
In moments like these, it was best to simply obey.
"Understood!"
Doto smiled with satisfaction and waved his hand. "In that case, you may…'
Boom!
At that moment, a deafening explosion rang out. The sheer force of the impact caused the entire hall to tremble.
"What's going on!?"
Doto shot up from his throne, his face darkening.
Roga quickly bowed. "Your Highness, please remain calm. I will..."
Bang!
Before Roga could finish his pledge of loyalty, the palace doors were thrown open.
A Snow Ninja clad in the Land of Snow's armor stumbled in, collapsing to his knees before Doto.
"What happened?"
Doto appeared in front of the Ninja in an instant, his eyes piercing.
The Snow Ninja looked up, startled by Fuuka Doto's sudden presence, and stammered, "M-my lord, we're under attack! The enemy... with just one strike, they've destroyed half the castle."
"What?!"
Doto was both shocked and enraged. During his reign as daimyo, the Land of Snow's advanced Chakra Technology had earned them respect even from the Five Great Nations. Yet now, someone had dared to attack them directly.
Doto snatched the chakra armor from Roga and Fubuki.
"Come with me! Let's see who dares to challenge us!"
---
Time goes back a little.
Outside the massive black castle of the Land of Snow…
A gigantic bird loomed in the sky, blocking out the sky.
Naruto stood tall at the head of the bird, looking down at the castle below.
Behind him, Koyuki and Sandayu wore expressions of shock and disbelief.
They couldn't fathom how they had traveled from the Land of Waves to the Land of Snow in less than a day.
They had set out in the morning and arrived by nightfall. This speed left them utterly stunned.
Below, the patrolling Snow Ninjas had already noticed the enormous bird in the sky.
Several searchlights shone their bright beams toward Naruto.
"Though there's no moonlight tonight, my mood is quite pleasant."
Naruto smiled lightly, glancing back at the two behind him. "Stay here. This will be over soon."
He surveyed the castle below, unsure if using too much force might destroy the valuable research materials.
'Better to start with a greeting!'
"What's going on here?!"
On the castle walls, a figure clad in armor distinct from the others emerged.
With small eyes, thick lips, and a square face, Fuyukuma Mizore didn't look like a villain… more like a simple, honest man.
But the patrolling ninjas immediately stood at attention.
"Mizore-sama, a massive bird creature suddenly appeared in the sky."
One of the patrols reported.
"Huh?"
Mizore frowned, and as soon as he looked up at the sky, he saw...
A small, black, nebula-like sphere descending from above.