Kazahana Sōsetsu, the current Daimyō of the Land of Snow.
Though his country lay in a remote corner of the world, its land covered in snow all year round, that did not mean it was peaceful.
The Land of Iron lay close by, and those samurai crossed over every so often to wave their blades around and stir up trouble. On top of that, the harsh climate only made their already scarce resources even harder to sustain.
As ruler of the nation, he naturally had to find a way to change that.
By sheer coincidence, the Great Ninja War had broken out. The Five Great Nations and their hidden villages were too consumed by war to spare any attention for a small country like his. Combined with plans he had already been laying in advance, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Together with his younger brother, Kazahana Dotō, he established a military organization for the Land of Snow—
Yukigakure.
Because of the preparations made beforehand, Yukigakure already had a solid foundation the moment it was founded. A large number of wandering shinobi within the Land of Snow joined the village, and the young Nadare Rōga rose to become its leader through sheer strength.
The Land of Snow remained as it always had—blanketed in white, snowflakes dancing in the wind, the biting cold cutting straight to the bone.
All around was an endless field of white, save for one gray-and-white village in the distance—the only landmark in sight.
"At present, the Great Ninja War has left the Five Great Nations too busy to worry about anyone else. This is the perfect time for us to grow."
Looking at his two subordinates below him, Fubuki Kakuyoku and Mizore Fuyukuma, Nadare Rōga continued:
"We finally have a chance to rise. The prototype for the Chakra Armor that once existed only on paper has now been completed by our research division."
"Once it gets through the experimental phase, those suits can be equipped to our shinobi. When that happens, the strength of Yukigakure will increase dramatically."
At the moment, only three people sat in the Yukigakure meeting room. Nadare Rōga was painting them a bright vision of Yukigakure's future.
"Our village has only just been founded. We still can't survive without the Daimyō's support. Military funding is stretched thin."
"And the cost of developing Chakra Armor is astronomical for us. Even if we emptied our coffers, we could only produce one or two suits at most."
After taking in the situation, Fubuki Kakuyoku and Mizore Fuyukuma simply stared at Nadare Rōga in silence, waiting for him to continue.
"But there's no need to worry."
Sitting in his chair, Nadare Rōga gave them a sly smile.
"The current Daimyō is far too soft. He has no ambition whatsoever. Ever since Yukigakure was founded, he's grown complacent. He has no desire to stand above others."
"But Yukigakure is destined to step onto the stage of the shinobi world and become a village on the level of the Five Great Nations. His policies are no longer suitable for us."
"You mean...?" Fubuki Kakuyoku and Mizore Fuyukuma asked.
"Kazahana Dotō has already approached me," Nadare Rōga said.
"At present, we're short on funds and still need the Daimyō's support. But as the Daimyō's younger brother, Dotō told me something important."
"—The secret treasure of the Kazahana clan. He found no obvious wealth within the Daimyō's residence, because all of the Kazahana family's riches were accumulated there."
"Kazahana Dotō shares our ambition. He has promised that once we obtain that treasure, it will all be invested into Yukigakure's development."
"With that fortune, we'll be able to mass-produce Chakra Armor and obtain military power that surpasses even the Five Great Shinobi Nations."
"My lord, Yukigakure will always follow you," Fubuki and Mizore declared.
So for now, Kazahana Sōsetsu could live a little longer.
Once Kazahana Dotō found the buried treasure, that would be the moment Nadare Rōga took control of the Land of Snow.
As for Kazahana Dotō... when the man had first approached him, Nadare Rōga had indeed intended to serve under him.
But then news from the shinobi world kept reaching his ears, one piece after another:
[Iwagakure abolished the Daimyō, and all national authority was unified under Iwagakure's control.]
[The Daimyō of the Land of Rain handed all authority over to Amegakure, which now governs the country directly.]
Those reports caused Nadare Rōga's ambition to swell instantly.
As someone once said, human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain—once it starts, it never stops.
If he could rise from a mere wandering shinobi to the leader of Yukigakure, then why should he continue serving someone else?
A true man, born between heaven and earth, could not live forever beneath another's command.
Once Kazahana Dotō obtained the treasure, Nadare Rōga planned to kill him at once, seize control of the Land of Snow, become its Daimyō himself, and pour all resources into Yukigakure's growth. He would take revenge on the Land of Iron, wage war against other countries, and in the end turn his nation into a great power on par with the Five Great Nations.
---
The weather in the Land of Snow was far harsher than in Amegakure, yet its living conditions were far better. After all, such a long coastline was no decoration.
Sweeping his gaze across the scene ahead, Hanzo took in the glaciers and frozen rivers. The sea itself had already sealed over with a thick sheet of ice, and the merchant vessel he was on could go no farther, forcing it to dock at the edge.
Looking at the rails buried beneath the ice, Hanzo could not help but marvel at the strange course of technological development in the shinobi world.
"So they usually seal the rails underground to avoid unnecessary wear," he thought, "and when they need them, they only have to pour a trace of chakra into the track to melt the ice above it."
Watching the merchants around him bustle about, Hanzo slipped away from the group and headed toward Yukigakure. To avoid drawing attention, he wore a white winter cloak over his body.
Though Yukigakure was a newly founded village, it had come up with many inventions that differed from the rest of the shinobi world.
Besides Chakra Armor, they had also developed a unique form of Ice Release ninjutsu suited to the local climate.
This was not a kekkei genkai, but a secret technique.
Thanks to the environment, a Yukigakure shinobi only needed to throw on a white cloak and lie flat on the ground to vanish perfectly into the snow—at least to the naked eye.
Though the whole world seemed like one endless white expanse, Hanzo's sensory ability made everything stand out as clearly as smoke against the sky.
He did not disturb the guards, simply circling through their blind spots and slipping into Yukigakure.
Gathering intelligence was no trouble at all for him. Pressing his palm to the ground, he let chakra spread outward like a spiderweb.
Every person in Yukigakure became prey caught on those strands, their positions and chakra signatures laid bare.
"Their chakra quality is uneven and rough. Only three to five of them have notably strong chakra."
There was nothing unusual, no strange chakra reactions, nothing out of place at all.
Everything seemed completely ordinary.
After changing his appearance with a Transformation Jutsu, Hanzo headed toward the center of the village.
For a problem like this, the fastest way was simple:
find the one in charge first.
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