Chapter Thirty - The Prince Who Must

"How is he?"

Tayuya, Haku and Karin looked up to see Ciri entering the room. After they had brought Naruto onto the boat, Haku used her control of ice to split the iceberg and they had made their way through. It had only been a few hours since then and they'd just been waiting for the blonde to wake up from his sleep.

"No chakra exhaustion, no indication of internal or external injuries," Karin paused as she paid attention to the eye twitch from her lover before sighing when nothing else happened. "By all means, he is perfectly fine. But then again, whatever caused him to enter that weird form could be what is causing the problems."

"There is no could be, it has to be," Tayuya told the girl with closed arms. "From what everyone says, he had begun meditating while leaving clones to keep watch for him. Then, when we got outside and the clones were already fighting, they suddenly exploded at the exact same time he began entering that transformation."

"It was at the end of the fight that he passed out," Haku pointed out. "It could be that whatever form that is has exhausted his body but caused no actual damage. Then there is the fact that he didn't have any chakra that we could sense."

"I'm not familiar with this energy even though I have heard all of you mention it so many times." Ciri sat down as she asked her question. "What is it?"

"Uh."

The three girls looked at each other and looked like they were struggling with an explanation.

"How did Naruto describe it?" Haku asked.

"The refined outcome of Magic, mixing chaos with spiritual energies through a process conducted by a World Tree?" Karin supplied hesitantly, although sure she was right.

The girls were not entirely sure as they were stumped on a few references that Naruto had yet to clarify but had planned to. The World Tree and the ties between Chaos and Chakra being the two biggest ones. But they had a general understanding for it.

"Wow," Ciri said as she understood what magic was and even the term 'chaos'. "I'm guessing what he did is not normal?"

"Not in the fucking slightest," Tayuya chuckled mirthfully. "The fishfuck had always been a special case to begin with from what I've seen and come to understand while staying in Uzushio. He's the Prince of the Nation and the head of our shared Clan - except for the Ice Witch over here - for a reason."

Haku smiled innocently but there was an edge to it that gave the impression that it could freeze over hell itself. "What was that, Tayuya-chan?"

Ciri chuckled at the pair's dynamic before tactfully interrupted so they could stay on topic. "You are his lovers but you are all related?"

"Not closely, we share a relative ancestor," Karin told the foreign woman. "My parents are Uzumaki but I'm not related to Naruto-kun until my fourth-great grandfather on my mother's side."

"And I'm half Uzumaki from my father, and I share a relative from my fifth-great aunt." Tayuya shrugged her shoulders before kicking her feet up onto Naruto's legs. "Uzumaki, even when not full blooded, live a long ass time. Average lifespan is about two hundred years. So the common family we share is not for at least a thousand, making our relations miniscule and not really a problem."

"Clans usually interbreed with far less common relation," Karin told Ciri which earned an unsurprised but still somewhat disgusted look. "The Hyuuga practice marriage between third cousins, and the Uchiha used to marry down to their second cousins. It's a common practice for those who have their own Kekkei Genkai that they wish to keep secret, but most of the clans nowadays don't care for such things."

"The Uzumaki have always been more interested in tying strong and loyal families rather than blood purity," Naruto interrupted as he opened his eyes and sat up. He didn't move Tayuya's legs, instead smiling when he saw them and shook his head. "The Uzumaki always have been warriors and scholars, and our abilities are tied to our minds and spirit rather than our blood, but it is also the case that many of our more advanced techniques do require Uzumaki DNA to use by design which is the only reason blood relation ares till being monitored and why the practice was historically started."

"Naruto!"

Karin jumped onto the bed and squeezed Naruto into a hug, a bright smile on her face. "What happened?! You transformed and killed those ninjas, then you passed out!"

"Calm down, Karin-chan," Naruto put his hands around the girl and rubbed her back. "I think I have awakened my bankai, or I awakened a power similar to Sage Mode. Either way, I exhausted my body and ended up passing out."

"Oh, okay," Karin smiled as she got back into her chair, a bright blush burning upon her cheeks in embarrassment.

"What happened while I was out?" He decided to ask, wanting to move the conversation forward.

You're not going to tell them about your meeting? Kurama asked softly.

There is nothing to tell. Naruto sighed softly inside his mind as he continued listening to the important bits of what the girls were saying. I still need to understand what I myself was told. First of all, they were talking about how I absorbed the Sage's son's spirit to fuel my own will.

Naruto knew that it wasn't explicitly said but the implication was there. When he and Khahrahk had embraced, they had gained a sudden increase of power and it had changed them. He was sure that he had gained his bankai with this step of companionship but there was something else. Something more… divine in his transformation.

The Sage had two sons. Indra, the ancestor of the Uchiha, and Ashura, the ancestor of the Senju. Kurama hummed softly as he said that. You should not have ancestry from the Sage but from Kokomi.

Unless I secretly have Senju relations. Naruto knew that if Tsunade could have Uzumaki blood through Mito then it is not too big a leap to assume Naruto had a Senju ancestor. What family did my father have?

Kurama is quiet for a moment before a sharp intake of breath is heard. Then he began growling which in turn became a loud guffawing laughter. I can't believe I have never seen it! Oh my Heavens!

Naruto decided to let the fox go through his laughter before continuing, instead turning to the girls. "Since we are getting close to Snow, I want you to prepare for a fight. Doto no longer has his personal guard but that will make him even more aggressive and that changes our mission objectives."

"How so?" Haku asked.

"Doto still has the Snow Village under his control and the country has advanced more technologically in certain fields than the rest of the Elemental Nations. They have a weapon called the Kunai Launcher, which rapidly shoots kunai at the intended target. We cannot allow them to turn those weapons on our clients or the civilian crew."

He decided not to tell them that he now had the memories of the three Snow ninja as well as Maya. He had absorbed their power into his, now giving him Maya's Scorch Style and the Ice Style of the Snow Ninjas.

Naruto looked at Ciri and smiled. "You are not expected to fight with us, Ciri-chan, but it would be for the best if you still prepare to defend yourself due to your association with us. I would not be able to forgive myself if you were injured because of me."

Ciri smiled at the blonde's care for her and nodded her head. "Don't worry Naruto, I will be ready for anything when we land."

Naruto nodded and turned his attention back to Kurama. Mind sharing what had you laughing so hard?

The Namikaze was the surname of a Senju branch clan! Kurama cackled more as he said this. When I was sealed in Mito, the name Namikaze came up a lot in regards to an offshoot clan of the Senju that lived in Wind. They emigrated to Konoha during the Second Shinobi War but their convoy was ambushed. Only a man, a woman, and their infant son made it.

My father. Naruto finished for the laughing fox. That explains how he was able to gain access to the Hiraishin technique to finish it considering it was a kinjutsu made by Tobirama.

So the spirit you absorbed and dominated is Ashura. But that doesn't explain the divinity tied to your transformation. The Sage did not achieve apotheosis until his death and even then the only reason Ashura would be tied to you is due to reincarnation of a powerful soul that has unfinished business.

The Prince Who Mantles the Will of the Heavens. Naruto leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling as he thought of that name. That title has been on my tongue ever since waking up but I don't understand it.

The term "Will of the Heavens" is old but not as old as the original phrase it sprang from. The original term is more formal and you wouldn't hear of it outside of the older temples that worship more than just the Sage.

What does it mean?

The true name is the Four Tenets of the Will of the Heavens and is the original religion of the world before the Sage spread his ideals of ninshu. It is the laws established by Heaven that must be followed.

If you tell me this is tied to the Child of Prophecy bullshit I'm gonna scream.

… you want me to lie?

"FUCK!"

High Temple, Fire

The High Temple was the oldest ninja monastery within the Land of Fire and possibly even the entire Elemental Nations and because of this they were highly respected and wielded influence equal to that of the Daimyo and the Hokage. They are protected by the Sealed Iron Walls, a defence structure developed with the help of the Uzumaki Clan nearly two thousand years ago as a gift of friendship. It has served the monastery very well making the Temple the most secure place in the country as the only way to open it is with a special skill unique to the ninja monks that lived there.

Inside the monastery, they protected their techniques as well as their holiest and most important relic: the Heavenly Sphere. The Sphere was an orb that projected a constant field of white chakra with four rings revolving around the orb. Each ring held a Tenet of Heaven's Will. The First Ring was inscribed with the words "For every good there must be an equal evil". The Second Ring stated "The worlds of Living and Dead must remain separate". The Third Ring decreed "Exchanges between mortal and divine must be equal". And finally, the Fourth Ring read "Life must continue".

The Sphere had served as a prophecy and a font of prophetic wisdom for the monastery and has long helped them protect the world whenever the Will of the Heavens was violated. Lately, the first ring has been swerving off-axis for at least three years which was a clear sign of the Tenet being violated. Chiruku, who now led the monastery after his return from the Twelve Guardian Ninjas, has spent this time contemplating the meaning of a new development with the Sphere - The White Chakra haze had turned orange and was now swirling like a raging inferno.

No matter how long he has stood there he had not been granted a vision from the Heavens. He knew that whatever was happening represented a grand change that affected the world. All his contemplations and meditations had led him to a single conclusion: This must be the result of a prophecy being fulfilled. Whether it was this prophecy was a boon or an ill omen was unclear and with the Sphere not providing any further prophetic insight he had no clear direction to look in to understand what was happening.

"Chiruku-sama."

The monk turned his head to acknowledge the voice that called to him and his eyes found Bansai, the elderly monk, walking over to him and he dipped his head in greeting. "Bansai-san. What brings you before me?"

The elderly monk pulled a scroll from his sash and presented it to Chiruku. It is old and showed signs of ageing. "I remember studying in my youth pouring over each and every prophecy we have accumulated, so when I first heard of the Sphere's chakra changing I knew it sounded familiar. And it was, here read, what we are seeing is the opening act of a prophecy three thousand years in the making."

Chiruku took the scroll and unravelled it. At the top is the age-old riddle that foreshadowed the coming of the prophecy but at the bottom was a summarization given by a monk that had been given the prophecy. "An Avatar, a Prince who shall Mantle the Will of the Heavens, will be born on the tenth night of the tenth month with the Brand of Nine. A power born of a hunger that will never be satisfied, set upon the mirrored paths of destruction and redemption. He will judge this world with the Authority of Heaven. The Child of Prophecy."

"Very peculiar conditions," Bansai told the younger man with a small smirk. "The line of the tenth night of the tenth month could either reference their actual birth or the day they awaken their powers and are born as the Child of Prophecy."

"The Brand of Nine," Chiruku started softly and with a calculating gaze. "That is different from the holy number 10 that is tied to the Heavens."

"Could be a mention of the Kyuubi no Kitsune," Bansai hummed. "The Brand is likely the seal used to contain the Biju."

"Who currently holds the Kyuubi no Kitsune?"

"The last Uzumaki, last I heard," Bansai answered before looking up into the man's gaze. "What do you plan to do?"

Chiruku is quiet as he thinks of his response before sighing and turning back to the Heavenly Sphere. "There's nothing much we can do. We could try to contact Konohagakure to request an audience with the Jinchuuriki while investigating any possible signs but we do not have the power nor influence to do much else beyond that."

Port Sakurai, Snow

Naruto crossed his arms as he watched the film crew unload the items that they were taking from the boats and putting them into the carriages that they had rented from a local store. He has been annoyed more often lately because it seems that no matter how annoying Jiraiya has been, the perverted fool was right about something for once. Naruto was apparently the Child of Prophecy and as if that wasn't enough, he was also apparently a special soul created by the Heavens to bring balance to the world. The Prince Who Mantled the Will of the Heavens.

"What fucking bullshit," he growled once more.

The girls all looked at the blonde in concern, even Ciri though her expression was still laced with lingering curiosity about the young man's transformation and powers. She knew that there was something he wasn't sharing, call it Witcher's Intuition (even though she never underwent the mutations) if you have to, but it wasn't a feeling that spelled danger. Just concern for his well-being.

"The film crew will be setting off in search of 'the perfect spot' to film the last scenes for the movie," Naruto told them in a low, annoyed tone. "Asama wants to reconnect with the other loyal samurai to Koyuki-chan's father so I will be sending one of you with him as insurance. I'll put a teleportation marker on whoever goes in case they need help but, for the most part, I will be accompanying the Princess for the trip."

"When we get to the capital, I plan on eliminating Doto after which we will instate Koyuki to the throne. We'll have to face Snow ninja but being from a minor village, they are not likely to be up to the standard that the Hidden Villages of the Five Great Nations hold themself to, so you should not have trouble fighting them - that being said don't get cocky. Complacency is the death of the lazy, but overconfidence is the death of the foolish; I don't want to see you being either. Once Koyuki is safe in the capital, you will remain here with the surviving samurai retainers and I will neutralise the Snow village if they do not fall in line with the new regime."

"Oh goodie, genocide," Tayuya sarcastically remarked with a smirk, having read between the lines of Naruto's euphemistic turn of phrase.

"Even a pacifist can only remain so for as long as it takes for someone to push a bit too far over their line in the sand or his life and principles are stolen from him by someone who doesn't share his convictions. I don't plan on dying to traitors with nothing left to lose or who will feign allegiance and later emerge to endanger the life of our client." Naruto shook his head to rid such depressing thoughts from his head and instead focused on the mission ahead.

"Uh, Naruto-kun," Haku got the blonde's attention in her signature soft spoken manner. "I wanted to ask you about the ice techniques used by the Snow ninja. As far as I know, Ice Style is exclusive to the Yuki clan of Kirigakure and with the blood war there are few survivors with the Kekkei Genkai. These ninjas were using similar techniques, though."

"They do not have the Hyoton Kekkei Genkai, if that is what you are trying to ask," Naruto answered the unasked question. "Instead their techniques focus on Shape Manipulation that affect ambient ice already present in their immediate surroundings, unlike a true Hyoton user who can use both Shape Manipulation in addition to a Kekkei Genkai-based Nature Transformation to generate and maintain ice in otherwise unsuitable environments. From the knowledge I gained from the three ninjas I've consumed, the founders that created Yukigakure had, prior to its founding, been nomadic tribes who lived within the frozen wastes and iceberg strewn seas of the Land of Snow. As such they developed techniques that are suitable and optimised to the climate and environment they live in. These techniques developed into what we see today. Coincidentally, they have had a few fights against Yuki ninja and their techniques are powerless against the true thing."

"You have the memories of the people you defeated?"

Naruto winced at Ciri's question and hesitated in his response. "That is complicated. I do not have the memories of everyone I beat. Just those I kill with Khahrahk. And even then, I don't get the memories or abilities they possess until I have consumed their soul."

Foot, meet mouth.

"You consume souls?!"

Naruto felt his stomach drop as both Kurama and the girls' shouts reached his ears and he couldn't help but wish he just kept his mouth shut. "As I said, it's complicated."

"We got time," Tayuya waved her hands at the crew still unloading a bunch of equipment.

Naruto gave a small glare at her but her persistent stare made him sigh. "Fine. Let's start with my zanpakuto. My Shikai allows me to transform into 'the Scarlet King', a form where Khahrahk gains more control of my body and we co-inhabit my conscience with equal access to my powers. In this form I am able to use my zanpakuto to sever the Heavens' hold on a soul and trap it into an immaterial realm linked to and embodying the metaphysical overlapping point of mine and Khahrahk's soul, allowing me to gain the powers, and limited control of the soul. I had not done much else with the single soul I took while searching for Tsunade-baachan but when Khahrahk and I melded I either unlocked my Bankai or something else…"

Something else.

"Either way, I at that point basically absorbed and consumed the soul of the kunoichi I had trapped inside but instead of trapping the souls of the three Snow shinobi I had actually consumed them immediately. Consuming a soul gives me a lot of benefits. I have their knowledge, their techniques, and their power has been added to mine. Although the last is more like filling a drinking cup and emptying it into a filled bath."

"What happens to the soul," Karin asked hesitantly.

"They still exist. But they are in my control. They no longer have their own will. The soul at that point becomes more an extension of my own rather than something that could be considered a separate being anymore." Naruto did not share beyond that but he could feel Kurama's disapproval. What?

There is no point in stopping here. You will have to explain how you can summon souls to fight, how you can materialise their bodies but they become a clean slate. No former personality, no former allegiance; just malleable warriors completely loyal to you.

You make it seem like I'm going to raise an army of mindless slave soldiers.

You can, is the point. I know you think it cruel but you need to think of the benefit of a limitless army that can take the place of actual loyal lives.

These souls can develop personalities of their own once created and they will always look to me as either a leader, a father, a brother, or lover. I will be from that point forward the most important person in their world. Even if they do not realise it or if I treat them like nothing but fodder, they will see it as a necessary sacrifice to make me happy! They will love me for allowing them the chance to serve me so! They are not puppets that have no life! They can feel pain!

Such is life in this world, Naruto! It is not like they will stay dead so long as you hold control of their soul! If you grow attached to them, you can bring them back and they will keep that personality! They will risk their lives for you again and find fulfilment in doing so! From a certain point of view have you not granted evil souls bound to the tortures of eternal punishment mercy and bliss eternal? At times even a necessary evil can be virtuous. Do not die on a righteous hill! When I was contained in Mito, Hashirama had faced his first major defeat and lost one hundred lives just prior to the rise of the First Shinobi World War. He made the mistake of thinking of his honour before the lives of those under him and lost to the underhanded tactics of his foe.

He could not understand the loss and the strategies deployed by his enemy. Mito's words to him have stuck with me to this day and is one of the most realistic views that a mortal has held. "Stand upon the bodies of a thousand dead souls and ask them if honour matters. The silence is your answer." She understood that sometimes you must make the most despicable and most difficult choices for the survival of those who look to you to lead them. The world can vilify you but your people will live! Which is more important to you, Naruto?

Naruto simply stared forward, his eyes not leaving the icy waters as he took the time to truly ruminate on the words of the old fox. What Mito said made sense and it hurt when he thought of being in the position to ask the question to those he had failed. He knew that to be righteous and altruistic served no one but him, to make him look good to a world that ignores the poverty and deaths of those born at the bottom.

"A Prince must always follow the path that is just and true even if it puts him at odds with the world. His duty requires him to always think of peace and prosperity not just for his family but also for those through no fault of their own were destined to be born outside of his warm loving embrace."

The words of Aeron Uzumaki seemed to echo as the silence continued. Is that the role that is expected of him? To make the right decision not for himself but for the world, even if it puts him against the ruling powers? He had no problem going against those like the Fire Daimyo or moguls like Gato, but could he truly face the villages of the world?

With an army you can.

An army. Naruto looked into the sky and his eyes looked at the clouds that passed over. The First Tenet of Heaven says 'for every good there must be an equal evil'. The path taken by the Prince Who Mantles the Will of the Heavens is neither good nor evil only necessary. Maybe Khahrahk is right and not everyone deserves to be saved.

But that doesn't mean you can't try; the trick is to not be too optimistic like the Sage of Six Paths or too pessimistic like the Rabbit Goddess. Do not give up if there is a possibility of redemption, but don't be blinded to humanity's evil. I know that if anyone can accomplish where others failed it is you, kit.

"Haha. Okay, old fox, you got me."

Hokage Office, Konohagakure

Kakashi stared at the stack of papers that mockingly piled in front of him, mocking him viciously for the second month. He was no stranger to paperwork as it came part with being a Jonin and an Anbu Special Operations shinobi. A paper trail was needed even if its destiny was to be completely covered in black ink and never see the light of day.

No, what sat in front of him was a whole other monstrosity altogether. A beast that aged four strong men that had held the position before him. The only difference being that he already had silver hair and the grey strands he was destined to get - and he just knew he would get them in this job - would not be noticeable. He could feel the strength of his soul wane the longer he sat in his comfortable chair.

"Still not started?"

Kakashi looked up when he saw the door to his office open and could only stare at his advisors as they entered. The first, and one to speak, was Asuma Sarutobi. The next one to enter is Kurenai Yuuhi, now pregnant with Asuma's kid and taking a break from active duty but still training her team. Lastly is Might Guy, whose entry was loud and energetic as was typical of him.

"Come on, Kakashi! Youth requires you to exercise not only the body but the mind!"

The Godaime sighed and sat back in his chair as he rubbed his eyes. "I'll start it in a bit when I feel more prepared. What are you doing here? Today's meeting isn't scheduled for another hour."

"We are here because to deliver an important message that will likely need to be discussed with your advisor during that meeting," Ichigo spoke as he entered the office shortly after Kakashi finished speaking. "This," he pulled out a small seal-locked scroll, "is from Uzumaki-sama. The messenger said that its contents were to reach your eyes only. The binding will be undone once you touch it."

Kakashi took the scroll and the cord fell apart into wisps of chakra to allow him to open it.

Hey, Kakashi-sensei (or should I say Hokage-sama),
I wanted to let you know of a few things that would be beneficial if you could support or help me. First, I want you to send some
people that won't go prying or investigating to the coordinates at the bottom of the page. It is the local Uzumaki Mask Temple
which was largely created for the use of Konohagakure. I still wish to acknowledge that gift and teach a few individuals, six at
most, how to properly use the techniques tied to them. Orochimaru was known to have sought this location at some point prior
to his defection according to Hiruzen so I do not know the condition the Temple will be in but I know that without the proper
incantations and techniques any use of the masks would result in death.

Secondly, Zoya-chan says there is something going to happen to Takigakure - something about a former shinobi wanting their
magic water or whatever. I don't really care but since the village is an ally I decided to let you know. Do with the information
what you will but do not let anyone know that I have access to intel of this degree. Y'know how it is. With the Fire Court not
exactly liking me right now I am trying to avoid giving the man any more paranoid delusions that I want to take over his
country or whatever else he has cooking in that fool's head of his.

Lastly, I will be personally supporting the rebels' assault on Kirigakure. The intel we have gathered indicates the country no
longer has any allies outside of their own borders and their leader is also related to me so as an Uzumaki I have a family
obligation. I want you to send someone or something to give your support in a unified move of solidarity with Uzushio. It will
help set up future agreements and pacts that will benefit both our villages and peoples. You do not have to but the cooperation
with a fellow hidden village and the economic stimulation trade between the two will bring will surely help you negate the
dependency Konoha has on the Fire Daimyo. If you do decide to do so, have Ichigo message me and I will organise some neutral
rendezvous locations as well as diplomatic guidelines and stipulations for meeting with the rebels.

I am heading to Snow to protect a film crew as they produce the next Princess Gale movie. Ichigo will know how to contact me.

Try to stay young, Kakashi-sensei

Kakashi rubbed his nose as he set the scroll down, his expression a balance between an amused smirk and an annoyed glare that he gave the scroll. "That little brat. I hate and love that he's mine."

"I didn't know that you both had that type of relationship," Ichigo hummed with a large smirk on his face while the others were dumbstruck.

"Context, Kakashi." Asuma decided to speak before the minds of his colleagues wandered any further.

Main Road, Snow

Naruto sighed as he looked around the area once more, catching the slightest and most distant movements from animals and snow at the farthest reaches of his sight as the crew travelled the main road in a wagon train. He himself was in the wagon bringing up the rear of the convoy, this being the wagon reserved for Koyuki and Asama as well as two "extras" that played samurai in the movie. He knew that in reality these two were very real loyalist samurai serving under Asama to protect Koyuki, Uzushio having been hired due to the sheer number of ninja under Doto's employ as a mere two Samurai would not do much against so many trained shinobi, no matter how lacking they may be in comparison. Eventually the weight of numbers would win out.

Karin was stationed in the wagon in front of Naruto's, Tayuya the one in front of that, with Haku taking the lead in the first wagon of the convoy. Ciri had her own horse, which she bought with her foreign currency, as while it technically wasn't legal tender the merchant was more than happy to accept it based on its value as a true gold coin, after negotiating a favourable (though not too considerable) markup on his side for the "inconvenience" of course. Naruto had found himself intervening to make damn sure Ciri's coin was exchanged at a rate fair to both sides, and in the end she hadn't had to pay more than three coins. Naruto supposed he just didn't have it in him to stand by and let her get taken advantage of in such a manner. That brought Naruto to his next observation about the ashen haired woman.

She did not speak their language. It was something he and his girls did not notice at first, and Haku was unsure of having to bring it up despite knowing from her lessons in Uzushiogakure. The language Ciri spoke is more common to the Eastern Gaalic region, where it was known as High Gaalic. Naruto's ancestors and Ciel had some degree of maritime trade with nations that spoke their own dialects of this language that had a degree of mutual intelligibility. However, the accent Ciri had was nowhere near theirs and it hinted to him that she may be from a land yet uncharted to the Elemental Nations that lay even further East than that.

The crews were mixed bag of reasons as to why they didn't mention anything despite their few interactions with her; half, mostly consisting of the film crew, were too nice to mention her inability to speak their language, considering it rude to draw attention to her differences, while the sailors were a superstitious lot scared of the spectres that were fighting her and believing that interacting too much with her might invite them to haunt themselves from what he could gather and thus largely ignored her.

Haku only noticed since she had not mastered the language to the point of instinctive fluency as the girls and himself had. Luckily she still knew enough to not have to ask for help with translating. Tayuya and Karin on the other hand had spent enough time learning languages and foreign customs that they did not notice the instinctive shift until Ciri had tried talking to the assistant director and he just stared at them dumbly. That was quite the ordeal to sort out if he was honest with himself.

Naruto gripped the side of the wagon as he suddenly felt it and the ground below trembled, spooking the horses and forcing the riders to try to calm them. "What's going on?"

"It can't be," Asama gasped as he scrambled towards the back of the wagon. "They haven't been working for years!"

"What is it? Speak sense!"

Naruto jumped out of the cabin and could now hear a metallic thrumming coming from the cave mouth visible just below there current position, one that held a very different road and alongside their current route. He barely caught Asama and the two samurai running towards the front of the convoy before a loud horn blared. He held his ears, wincing at the piercing sound that affected his heightened senses, before the ground shook more powerfully and some kind of monstrous train more advanced than any other he had seen came barreling out of the cave, the steel of the railroad it travelled upon giving off the screech of metal upon metal.

"Naruto!"

The blonde heard Koyuki's shout and barely had time to properly catch her as she tumbled out of the wagon. He fell to the snow-covered ground and held her in his arms, shielding her body with his own to fend off anything that may fall upon them but this didn't stop him from noticing that the train was slowing down despite the momentum of the numerous heavy train carts attached. What concerned him more were the numerous chakra signatures Naruto could detect dotted about the train.

"Seems Doto's found us," he said to himself, feeling Koyuki stiffen in his arms in response to his observation. "I'll protect you, Princess. Do not be afraid, fear should be reserved for those whose misdeeds give them reason to be wary of Karma's balancing hand, not those who walk a righteous path."

Naruto stood up just as Ciri came trotting over from the front. "Ciri-chan, please take care of Koyuki-chan. I have a train to take care of."

"That answers my question of what manner of object that is," Ciri lightheartedly chuckled as her intended question was answered before she could voice it. She gave out a hand for the princess to grab. "Come with me, your highness, I'll take care of you."

Koyuki raised an eyebrow and looked at Naruto. The young man chuckled and repeated what Ciri said and helped her onto her horse. "Go to the other girls now."

Without seeing the two off, Naruto's face slowly turned to stone as he turned to the front of the train and huffed shortly before dashing forward until he made it to an area parallel to the engine cart at the front. Steam billowed from the top of the train and the icebreaker on the front of the nose was covered in wicked ice shards.

The side of the engine cart opened to reveal a door and platform, from which it took only a few moments before Doto and four ninja bodyguards exit. The man just stood there, trying to capitalise on the fear he assumed his enemy held for him, but that delusion lasted no more than five seconds before the silence was pierced by a sudden comment.

"That bastard is ugly as fuck!"

Naruto's eyes widened and doubled over with heavy laughter from Tayuya's perfectly timed exclamation, drawing whispers from the crew and from the Yuki ninja alike. If the tightened muscle in his jaw was anything to judge, Doto was very agitated by the disrespect he felt from the foreign shinobi.

"We do not have to be enemies, Uzumaki-san," Doto began speaking calmly but with a hostile undertone. "You are warrior scholars, are you not? We are trying to be like you, combining science and war to create a beautiful battle symphony. We should be friends if anything."

"Oh, shut the hell up!" Naruto straightened as he shouted at the man. "Uzumaki do not kill their kin for power! The fact you cannot see the inherent folly and lack of wisdom in such a path to power shows that you are no scholar and we are nothing alike, Doto. Even those who have a basic knowledge of history know how such a story ends. You have failed to learn from history and now you are doomed to repeat it, yet in your ignorance you think yourself to be learned. Besides, if a friendship is to be struck, I'd much prefer your niece's beautiful face and lovely lips being the ones declaring they wish for me to stand beside her over dealing with your ugly mug any day of the week! So please understand that there are no hard feelings, this is just business - and perhaps a little pleasure."

"I told you Koyuki-sama was here!"

Naruto turned to see Asama had rallied all of the loyalist samurai at hand that he could gather. There were at least forty more now, which surprised Naruto as he briefly wondered how he was able to gather them so quickly, before concluding he had a scheduled rendezvous with them nearby that he had redirected them to. The likelihood of Naruto's conclusion being true only rose in his eyes as he overheard many mumbling among them over their lost princess, some shocked, while most were relieved.

"Doto is here in front of us! This is a battle years in the making! The final moment for us to regain our honour by avenging our fallen lord!"

A cacophony of shouts could be heard from the emboldened samurai. Naruto knew that if they fought now, Doto would turn his hidden ace upon the Loyalist Samurai; an ace that, if what Naruto had managed to decipher from the prior Yuki-nin's memories were accurate would be their deaths, as these train carts were equipped with a weapon that could decimate the 120 plus samurai.

"This is our moment! Charge with no regret! No fears! We will have our revenge, or we will die trying!"

The men gave one last cry before charging their horses down the slope toward the train.

Doto grit his teeth and raised his hand, receiving a bow from one of the bodyguard ninja. Soon enough, the doors to the carts began opening and his eyes widened at the large kunai launchers. Shit!

Going through familiar hand seals, he slammed his hands in the ground and poured as much Wood natured chakra he could into the ground below. "Wood Style: Northern Shield Wall!"

The ground trembled and the wooden technique began rising out of the ground, stopping the charging samurai as well as shielding the convoy. Evidently Naruto had invoked his technique just in time as the Yuki ninja released a hail of kunai from their equipment, which would have not only slain the samurai but everyone aboard the unprotected convoy as well. Doto glared at Naruto for thwarting his slaughter of the remaining loyalists.

Naruto created a clone, overloading it with double the normal chakra cost, and smirked in anticipation for the oncoming fight. His clone went through numerous rapid hand seals that, to Haku, seemed nearly as long as Zabuza's Water Dragon Technique. "Wood Style: Five Nature Guardians!"

The world shook from the power of the technique, the ground cracking and forming large fissures that caused everyone to lurch about unsteadily. For the film crew, they tried to keep a level camera but Makino wasn't upset as to him anything that was captured would be as realistic as possible. For Sandayu, and his fellow samurai, they were barely staying on their feet while scrambling out of the cracks' paths.

"What manner of power is this," Ciri wondered. She had been prepared for many things but the world trembling from the blonde's power was not one of them.

Almost as soon as she voiced the question, several large wooden arms and heads began rising out of the ground. Five figures pulled themselves up from the crevices, revealing themselves to be nearly twenty feet tall and modelled after Shugoki warriors. Their large kanabo were nearly as tall as them and weighed as much as a building pillar.

"This kind of magic-!"

Ciri's shout was cut off when the five Shugoki charged the train, unaffected as the kunai throwers were turned on them. They slammed into the sides of the train, damaging the steel and flinging the unprepared ninja about from the impact. It took even less time for them to start slamming their large kanabo into the carts, painting the train and the weapon red with the blood of the fallen.

"Has anyone told you you're too overpowered?"

Naruto chuckled at Karin's shaky joke as they watched the Shugoki turn over the train carts. The engine cart was also derailed and Doto flung clear from the wreck onto the cold snow. "I hear that alot."

This is a longer chapter and will be the ending point for the next month probably. Examinations next week and I have fallen behind in chapters and planning future chapters and events. This will mark the end of the Snow Country Arc and from next chapter will have a year skip. That means Naruto will be a father, a child with Isane and a child with Izumi.

Upcoming planned arcs:

- Hozuki Castle Arc
- Gaal Arc
- Sky subarc
- Demon subarc
- Marsh (Swamp) subarc
- Keys subarc
- Uzumaki Family Arc

PraetorXyn: I know a bit of the books, enough that I can be comfortable with Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer as characters, but I've played through all three of the games. It's a unique world and I love it.

olivermarte15: Indeed, but nothing gets past him anyway lol

Primarx: Thank you for reading :D

Fredward1: Bruh