The Daimyo of the Land of Snow openly admitted it.
"My younger brother has spies planted among my people as well, so I sent Sandayu to seek the help of shinobi. In the end, he chose Konoha."
"The information from my informants says that they will make their move tomorrow."
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow spoke gravely.
During this period, he had been extremely anxious. Day and night, he had been hoping that Asama Sandayu would return as soon as possible.
"At most, we can protect you. We will not participate in any struggle for political power."
Tsunade shook her head.
For shinobi, that was a taboo.
The deeper shinobi became involved in political affairs, the easier it would be for power to end up in their hands, and that would destroy the balance.
Under the one-country-one-village system established by Hashirama Senju and the First Five Kage, the shinobi villages were responsible for military strength, while the daimyo handled politics, economics, and governance.
The shinobi villages protected the daimyo, while the daimyo provided economic support.
The two sides depended on each other in this way.
However, although the Kage of the shinobi villages were theoretically equal to the daimyo, their status was still somewhat lower.
No matter how large a shinobi village became, it was essentially the size of a super city.
A daimyo, however, ruled an entire nation.
"I understand that."
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow nodded.
"You only need to provide protection, especially for my daughter, Koyuki."
The daimyo spoke earnestly.
"That won't be a problem."
Tsunade nodded in agreement.
While the two were speaking, Kiyohara sensed something unusual.
Just as he was about to investigate further, the voice of Uzumaki Kiyohara suddenly sounded in his mind.
"They've made their move."
A slight change appeared in Kiyohara's expression.
He had sensed it as well.
A large number of unfamiliar chakra signatures were rapidly approaching the royal palace.
"There isn't enough time."
At that moment, Kiyohara interrupted the conversation between Tsunade and the daimyo.
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow froze.
"What do you mean, there isn't enough ti—"
BOOM!
Before he could finish speaking, a deafening explosion erupted from behind the palace hall.
Immediately afterward, the sounds of battle, screams, and the roar of ninjutsu blended into a chaotic symphony.
The palace doors were violently thrown open.
A guard stumbled inside.
He was wounded, covered in blood, and barely able to remain standing.
"D-Daimyo-sama!"
Dropping to one knee, his voice trembled.
"The shinobi of Yukigakure... they've broken through! They demand that Your Excellency hand over... hand over..."
"Hand over what?"
The daimyo's face turned pale.
The guard swallowed nervously.
"They demand the secret treasure key... the Hexagonal Crystal."
The daimyo's body swayed.
Instinctively, he looked toward the young girl standing beside him.
Koyuki looked up in confusion.
She was still tightly clutching the clay flower in her hands.
Around her neck hung a necklace.
That necklace was, in fact, the key to the secret treasure.
"Father..."
"It's alright."
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart.
Turning around, he looked at Tsunade and Kiyohara.
"Everyone..."
Tsunade had already risen to her feet.
"No need to say anything."
"Since we've accepted the mission, we'll see it through to the end."
Tsunade spoke calmly.
Kiyohara also stood up.
"Shizune. Kurenai."
His gaze shifted toward the two women.
"When the fighting starts, the two of you can try handling them first."
Shizune blinked in surprise.
"Us?"
"Mm."
Kiyohara nodded.
"I'll deal with the strongest one."
Kurenai took a deep breath.
Red Moon was summoned into her hand and transformed into a short blade.
"Alright."
She nodded firmly.
Outside the palace, chaos had already erupted.
In the sky, a massive airship slowly descended.
The symbol of Yukigakure was engraved on its hull.
More than a dozen figures leaped from the vessel, landing on rooftops and throughout the palace grounds.
At the front stood a middle-aged man wearing a cloak.
Kazahana Doto stood at the edge of the airship, looking down upon the chaotic palace below with a cold sneer.
Behind him stood three men and women dressed in gray-white shinobi uniforms.
Nadare Rouga.
Fubuki Kakuyoku.
Mizore Fuyukuma.
In addition, more than fifty Yukigakure shinobi were engaged in combat against the royal soldiers of the Land of Snow.
"Brother."
Doto's voice echoed from the sky.
"Hand over that item, and I can spare your life."
His tone was calm and indifferent.
Of course, it was a lie.
He had no intention of leaving anyone alive.
After killing everyone, he would simply burn the place down and erase all traces.
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow stood at the entrance of the palace hall and looked up at the airship above.
"Doto..."
For a long time, he could not find the words to continue.
"Born from the same root, why be so eager to destroy one another?"
Kiyohara spoke softly.
Such was the cruelty of royal families.
The legitimacy of a daimyo was something that ninety-nine percent of the shinobi world accepted without question.
The tradition had existed for over a thousand years.
No one had ever overthrown it.
As a result, it had become common sense.
Yet within royal families, brutal internal struggles still occurred in order to determine who would become daimyo.
The common people did not care much who sat on the throne.
After all, the royal bloodline remained the same.
But for those living within the royal family itself, it was often a matter of life and death.
Hearing Kiyohara's words, the daimyo glanced at him in surprise.
He had not expected a shinobi to be so cultured.
Soon afterward, he looked back toward his younger brother.
"There is no secret treasure in the Land of Snow! You've been deceived by those rumors!"
The daimyo shouted.
"Rumors?"
Doto laughed.
"Rouga, take some men down there and show him exactly what a rumor is."
Nadare Rouga nodded and jumped from the airship.
He landed in the square before the palace.
Covering his body was a gray-white Chakra Armor, its surface marked with intersecting blue patterns.
On his left shoulder was a Taiji symbol, half blue and half white.
It was clearly the core component of the armor.
"Daimyo-sama, I advise you to hand it over."
Rouga's voice was lazy and full of undisguised contempt.
The military strength of the Land of Snow was insignificant in his eyes.
The only thing that concerned him at all was the group of shinobi from Konoha.
"Yukigakure has already grown tired of waiting."
As soon as he finished speaking, two more figures landed beside him.
Fubuki Kakuyoku possessed a cold and beautiful face, along with pink hair.
Mizore Fuyukuma was a burly-looking shinobi.
The three stood shoulder to shoulder.
All of them wore similar Chakra Armor.
Behind them, more than a dozen Yukigakure shinobi landed one after another, completely surrounding the palace hall.
"Koyuki!"
Fubuki's figure flashed forward.
A pair of wings unfolded behind her as she charged toward the palace entrance.
Her target was the little girl standing beside the daimyo.
"No!"
The Daimyo of the Land of Snow instinctively reached out to protect his daughter.
But it was already too late.
Fubuki's hand had already grabbed Koyuki's collar.
At that very instant—
A figure appeared before her.
Kiyohara grabbed Koyuki and vanished.
In a flash, the two reappeared more than a hundred meters away.
Still shaken, Koyuki looked up.
She discovered that it was the handsome older brother from earlier.
"Are you alright?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Koyuki is fine."
The little girl waved her hands repeatedly.
"Sensei, I'll leave Koyuki's protection to you."
Kiyohara turned toward Tsunade.
Tsunade was not in a position to fight personally, but she could still serve as a deterrent.
The enemy did not know that she suffered from hemophobia.
Tsunade nodded and beckoned Koyuki over.
Taking quick little steps, Koyuki hurried to Tsunade's side.
Nearby, the Daimyo of the Land of Snow finally let out a sigh of relief when he saw that his daughter was unharmed.
All of this had happened within an incredibly short span of time.
"Was that the Flying Thunder God Technique...?"
Fubuki frowned slightly.
She could not understand why Kiyohara's speed had been so astonishing.
After all, her own ability to rush over from the airship in an instant came from the folding wings mounted behind her.
Her Chakra Armor was similar in color to that of Rouga and Fuyukuma, but the finer details were noticeably different.
A pair of wings extended from her back.
Even the overall style of her armor resembled a qipao more than standard combat gear.
While Fubuki was sizing Kiyohara up, Kiyohara was also observing her.
Although her hairstyle was rather unusual, consisting of pink twin horn-like pigtails, her figure was exceptionally attractive.
Her curves were impressive, with a full chest and shapely hips.
In that regard, she was only slightly inferior to Tsunade herself.
Kiyohara, however, had no interest in fighting her personally.
"Kurenai, you handle her."
He intended to give both Kurenai and Shizune more opportunities to gain combat experience. After speaking, his gaze shifted toward Kazahana Doto in the distance and Nadare Rouga below.
"Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm!"
Dozens of crystalline ice needles shot toward Kurenai.
Kurenai raised Red Moon.
The crimson eyeball embedded in the blade suddenly lit up.
Fubuki Kakuyoku's body abruptly stiffened.
She discovered that the blood flowing through her veins had suddenly become difficult to control. Her skin instantly took on a faint reddish hue, as if the blood beneath it was trying to break free of its restraints.
The next moment, Kurenai's figure appeared directly in front of her.
The edge of Red Moon rested lightly against her neck.
On the other side of the battlefield, Mizore Fuyukuma had also been intercepted.
Shizune stood before him, several unusually shaped kunai held firmly in her hands.
While Fubuki had rushed to seize Koyuki earlier, the other Yukigakure shinobi had not stopped moving.
"Get out of my way!"
Mizore Fuyukuma threw a punch.
His fist was wrapped in a thick layer of ice and carried enough force to shatter solid rock.
Shizune sidestepped effortlessly.
At the same time, one of the kunai in her hand flew out.
The weapon curved around the armor covering Mizore's body and stabbed toward his armpit.
Mizore instinctively dodged.
Unfortunately, there were too many kunai.
Furthermore, every single blade glowed with a faint green color.
It was obvious they had been coated in deadly poison.
"Damn it!"
Mizore roared furiously.
His movements began slowing down.
Although the kunai had not struck any vital points directly, several had sliced through his skin.
The Chakra Armor did not completely cover the body.
His head and certain joints remained exposed.
The moment his skin was broken, toxins immediately began invading his body.
"Leaf shinobi...!"
He gritted his teeth and attempted to counterattack.
But Shizune had already retreated.
Standing several meters away, she formed hand seals.
"Shinobi Art: Poison Mist!"
Shizune transformed her chakra into a special chemical substance and exhaled it from her mouth.
The instant it came into contact with the air, it turned into a thick purple poisonous fog.
Even inhaling the slightest amount would be fatal.
The purple mist instantly engulfed the area.
Mizore's vision became blurry.
He could see nothing.
Only the sound of footsteps echoed through the fog.
Those footsteps shifted constantly.
Sometimes they sounded close.
Sometimes distant.
Sometimes to his left.
Sometimes to his right.
There was no way to determine Shizune's true location.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
He roared as he swung his fists wildly.
Each strike hit nothing but empty air.
His Chakra Armor could amplify his physical strength and defend against ninjutsu and genjutsu.
Unfortunately, it possessed no ability to neutralize poison.
The toxins spread deeper and deeper through his body.
His movements became slower and slower.
Eventually, he dropped to one knee and began gasping for breath.
Shizune immediately seized the opportunity and threw another volley of kunai.
Meanwhile, in the plaza, Nadare Rouga's expression became increasingly ugly.
Fubuki had been subdued.
Mizore had fallen victim to poison.
Those two female shinobi from Konoha actually possessed this level of strength?
His hand tightened around the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.
Just as he was about to intervene, a figure appeared directly in front of him.
"Your opponent is me."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
Rouga's strength was on an entirely different level compared to Fubuki and Mizore.
Because of that, Kiyohara intended to handle him personally.
If Kurenai or Shizune fought him, they would still need to expend considerable effort.
"Good."
Rouga sneered.
"It'll be much more interesting if I kill you first."
Looking around at the snow-covered palace grounds, confidence filled his heart.
This battlefield was his home turf.
Even Tsunade standing in the distance did not seem impossible to fight in his eyes.
As he spoke, Rouga suddenly appeared behind Kiyohara.
His sword had already left its sheath.
A layer of ice crystals rapidly formed along the blade, dramatically increasing its sharpness.
Ice Release: Ice Cutter!
Clang!
Kiyohara casually raised his right hand.
That hand directly caught the descending sword.
Including the razor-sharp ice crystals covering its edge.
Steel Release!
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
Rouga's pupils contracted.
He watched in disbelief as his sword became trapped within Kiyohara's grip.
Sparks erupted where metal met skin.
Yet the blade could not cut even a fraction of an inch into his flesh.
"This...!"
There was no time to think.
Kiyohara's left hand had already clenched into a fist.
The punch slammed directly into Rouga's chest.
The Chakra Armor immediately emitted a pale purple glow.
It seemed to be attempting to resist the force of Kiyohara's attack.
Bang!
A moment later, Rouga was launched backward.
His body smashed through a stone pillar in the plaza.
Then he plowed a deep trench across the ground before finally coming to a stop.
Clutching his chest, he gasped heavily.
A massive crack had appeared in his Chakra Armor.
The fracture spread outward from the center of his chest.
Soon, the entire suit began crumbling apart.
"Impossible..."
He muttered blankly.
That was Chakra Armor.
Chakra Armor capable of directly enduring an A-Rank ninjutsu.
And it had been shattered by a single punch?
Kiyohara remained standing where he was and slowly lowered his hand.
Chakra Armor was certainly impressive.
But it had limits.
Anything that exceeded those limits could still destroy it.
Sometimes Kiyohara genuinely could not understand where the shinobi of these small nations got their confidence from.
They might possess a few unique tricks.
But instead of targeting neighboring minor countries, they always seemed eager to challenge the shinobi of the Five Great Shinobi Nations from the very beginning.
There was an old saying that perfectly described them.
A frog at the bottom of a well.
The farther a small country was from the lands of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the easier it was for its people to develop blind confidence.
"The world is vast."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"You should travel more when you have the chance."
"Hmph!"
Rouga snorted coldly.
In his eyes, Kiyohara merely had an advantage in taijutsu.
The real advantage still belonged to him.
His gaze locked onto Kiyohara.
"Ice Release: One-Horned White Whale!"
His hands rapidly formed seals.
Empowered by the amplification capabilities of the Chakra Armor, the technique became even stronger.
In the sky, a gigantic ice whale slowly materialized.
Its body was crystal white.
It stretched dozens of meters in length.
Opening its enormous jaws, it dived toward the palace below.
This attack possessed enough power to flatten half the royal palace.
Standing atop the airship, Kazahana Doto watched the battle unfold.
He was curious to see how Kiyohara would respond.
Doto was in no hurry to join the battle himself.
He wanted to gather intelligence first and ensure that nothing unexpected occurred.
As for the possibility of the palace being destroyed, he could not care less.
If it was ruined, he would simply rebuild it afterward.
Kiyohara looked up.
He stared at the descending ice whale.
Then he slowly raised his right hand.
Chakra Enhanced Strength!
His fist shot forward.
Boom!
The enormous ice whale exploded in midair.
Countless chunks of ice scattered in every direction.
They crashed down throughout the palace grounds, smashing buildings and causing several structures to collapse.
Rouga's eyes widened.
His mouth opened.
He wanted to say something.
Yet no words emerged.
One punch.
His One-Horned White Whale had been destroyed by a single punch.
What kind of monster was this?
Even Doto's expression changed slightly.
In truth, just like his elder brother, he possessed considerable talent in scientific research.
Doto understood better than anyone how powerful Chakra Armor was.
But he had never imagined that Kiyohara could shatter it with one punch.
Under normal circumstances, the only vulnerable point of Chakra Armor was its core.
Even then, whenever an attack approached, the armor automatically gathered chakra to form a protective barrier.
Whether it was Fire Release, Water Release, Ice Release, or even genjutsu, the armor could react instantly.
"Ice Release: Dragon Breaker Tiger!"
Having finally discarded his underestimation, Rouga formed hand seals once again.
A giant tiger made entirely of ice crystals roared as it charged toward Kiyohara.
Kiyohara raised his hand.
The same movement.
The same punch.
Boom!
The tiger exploded.
Rouga's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
No.
How could taijutsu completely ignore ninjutsu like this?
He stumbled backward several steps.
Suddenly remembering something, he quickly looked toward the airship behind him.
Kazahana Doto still stood there, overlooking the battlefield below.
"Get over here!"
Rouga immediately shouted orders to the nearby Yukigakure shinobi.
Those shinobi abandoned their battles with the Land of Snow's soldiers and rushed toward him.
"Kill him!"
Rouga ordered.
He had decided to switch to long-range attacks.
If he took another punch from Kiyohara, he felt certain that what remained of his Chakra Armor would completely shatter.
His speed was extremely fast.
With a single movement, he rushed toward the distant airship.
However, just as he leaped into the air, he suddenly felt an overwhelming force seize him from behind.
Kiyohara's hand had already grabbed his ankle.
"Did I ever say you could leave?"
Kiyohara asked calmly.
Meanwhile, all of the Yukigakure shinobi attempting to surround him had been left far behind.
Speed happened to be one of Kiyohara's greatest strengths.
To him, the encirclement formed by these Yukigakure shinobi was completely meaningless.
Then, with a slight exertion of force, he swung Roga through the air.
The man was hurled backward and crashed directly into the charging Yukigakure shinobi behind him.
"You...!"
Roga rolled across the ground together with several other shinobi.
After tumbling several times, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His understanding of Kiyohara's speed had reached an entirely new level.
But what confused him even more was why Kiyohara had allowed him to flee so far in the first place.
With that speed, Kiyohara could have caught him instantly.
What Rouga did not know was that Kiyohara had simply been observing the capabilities of the Chakra Armor.
He had been studying the flow of chakra within it while simultaneously copying its associated techniques.
"Your Chakra Armor doesn't seem to be as advanced as Kazahana Doto's."
Kiyohara spoke indifferently.
Under the effects of his Magnet Release, he casually waved his hand.
Instantly, Rouga's Chakra Armor disassembled itself.
Countless components separated from one another and floated into the air.
Against Magnet Release, creations based on chakra technology were naturally at a disadvantage.
It was like a laboratory mouse encountering a wild cat.
No matter how capable the mouse might be, it would still be suppressed.
My mechanism is above yours!
(End of Chapter)