Android in the Land of Snow: VII

The Honored Doll

Kakashi's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the horrifying sight. Sasori, calm and collected, was holding Naruto's severed head with one hand, her sapphire eyes dim and lifeless. Her headless body lay motionless on the ice, her once pristine white skin now marred by the dark stains of ink and battle. Sasori's other hand was busy at her abdomen, his deft fingers carefully working on a seal.

The sight made Kakashi feel sick. He knew exactly what Sasori was doing—ensuring the Kyuubi didn't escape, trapping it in a prison of his own making. The cruel efficiency of it was almost too much to bear.

He gritted his teeth, his vision narrowing as guilt clawed at his chest. 'I failed again. Just like with Dad. Obito. Rin. Sensei. And now Naruto... Sensei's daughter.'

Kakashi's grip on his kunai tightened as he turned his attention back to the ice-wielding shinobi in front of him. The man was skilled, but Kakashi was done playing games. In a blur of movement, he closed the distance, delivering a swift and precise taijutsu strike that sent the ice shinobi crashing to the ground.

Nearby, Sasuke was frozen in place, his Sharingan eyes locked on the grisly scene. Naruto's… head. Her body, discarded like a broken doll. He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions: shock, rage, disbelief.

'She's gone… Just like that? That annoying idiot… gone?'

A sharp, searing pain ripped through his eyes as his rage and sorrow reached their peak. His vision shifted, the Sharingan evolving as a kaleidoscopic pattern burned itself into his retinas.

"Flame Control..." he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

The fat shinobi he had been fighting didn't even have time to react before he was consumed by red flames. The flames spread like wildfire, reducing the man to ashes in moments. Sasuke didn't care; his focus was on one thing now—Sasori.

Meanwhile, Lee was struggling against the ice kunoichi. His movements, usually so precise and controlled, had faltered. He was distracted, his thoughts consumed by the loss of his teammate. That brief lapse was all the kunoichi needed. She wove a series of hand signs, and Lee's body went rigid as she trapped him in an illusion.

"Lee!" Sakura's voice rang out as she appeared behind the kunoichi, her expression hardened with determination. Without hesitation, she delivered a powerful punch that sent the woman flying, her body skidding across the ice before coming to a stop.

Sakura's victory was short-lived. Her eyes drifted to the center of the battlefield, to where Sasori stood, hunched over Naruto's body.

'Her body…'

Sakura's breath hitched. She forced herself to look away, tears welling in her eyes. The image of her teammate—her friend—being reduced to nothing more than a lifeless husk was too much.

Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura all felt the weight of their failure pressing down on them. But none of them were ready to give up. Not yet.

Sasori glanced up from his work, his expression unreadable as he noticed the renewed fury in his opponents' eyes. "You're too late," he said calmly, his voice carrying over the icy battlefield. "She's already gone."

But none of them believed him. Naruto wouldn't give up. Not like this.

Soon, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura were gasping for breath, their bodies battered and bruised as Sasori's endless army of puppets kept them pinned. Each puppet was uniquely deadly, wielding chakra natures that forced the trio to stay on constant defence. Kakashi was barely holding off a lightning-infused puppet with his kunai, his Sharingan spinning frantically as he anticipated each strike. Sasuke's newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan burned brightly as he unleashed fire jutsu on another puppet, though the effort was visibly draining him. Sakura's fists shook as she smashed through one puppet, only to find another taking its place.

Yukie Fujikaze stood at a distance, her face pale as she clutched her chest. Her trembling hands were clasped together as if in prayer, trying not to let the tears spilling from her eyes distract the others. The director, somehow unfazed by the carnage, was still filming, his camera trained on the horrifying sight of Sasori.

The puppet master stood in the middle of the battlefield, calm as ever, the chaos around him seeming almost beneath his notice. In his hand, he jiggled Naruto's severed head, letting it sway grotesquely back and forth. "Look at this," he called out, his voice dripping with mockery. "Your so-called hero, the invincible Naruto Uzumaki! A broken doll, reduced to nothing but spare parts!"

He turned slightly, his eyes glinting with amusement as he watched the exhaustion and despair etched onto the Leaf Shinobi's faces. "What's the matter? Too tired to come save your comrade? Or maybe you're just too weak?"

Sakura gritted her teeth, her fists clenched so hard her nails dug into her palms. "Put her down!" she screamed, her voice cracking.

Sasori chuckled, ignoring her as he cradled Naruto's headless body in one arm and her head in the other. The juxtaposition was horrifying—her limp body and lifeless face seemed almost serene in contrast to the bloodstained battlefield.

"You're all so pathetic," Sasori continued, his voice laced with derision. "She trusted you to have her back, and this is the result? Bravo. Truly commendable teamwork."

Sasuke growled, stumbling to his feet, his Mangekyō blazing with renewed fury. "You won't leave here alive," he spat, his voice hoarse. But his legs wobbled, his chakra reserves nearly depleted.

Sasori didn't even glance back. "Save your threats for someone who cares," he said dismissively. "I've got what I came for."

And with that, he began to walk away, his puppets closing ranks to cover his retreat. The snow crunched beneath his feet as he carried Naruto's body and head, his crimson cloak fluttering in the icy wind.

The Leaf Shinobi could only watch in helpless frustration, their bodies too battered to push past the unending puppets. Yukie's hands flew to her mouth, a muffled sob escaping her lips as she saw the lifeless Naruto being carried off.

Then, the air shimmered.

It was subtle at first, a faint ripple in the atmosphere that made the snow-covered ground seem to blur. Sasori paused mid-step, his brow furrowing as the temperature around him began to shift.

The ice beneath their feet started to melt, rivulets of water trickling away as the ground trembled with an unnatural energy. The puppets stuttered in their movements, their joints rattling as if something was interfering with their mechanisms.

"What is this?" Sasori muttered, glancing around cautiously.

In his hand, Naruto's severed head began to vibrate.

"Huh?" Sasori looked down, startled. The motion was subtle at first, but then it grew more pronounced, her head shuddering as if it were alive.

Before he could react, her jade-green eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense, unnatural light.

"Dattebayo," came the monotone whisper from her lips, her voice carrying a chilling edge that echoed across the battlefield.

Sasori's grip faltered for the first time, his calm demeanour cracking as he stared at the impossible sight. "What—?"

The world around them exploded in a blinding neon light, the vibrant colours engulfing everything in an overwhelming burst of energy. The ground shook violently, the shockwave tearing through the battlefield as Sasori stumbled back, shielding his eyes.

"What is this power?!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the deafening hum of energy.

The Leaf Shinobi, though battered and barely conscious, shielded their eyes as the light consumed the area. Yukie fell to her knees, her sobs momentarily silenced by the sheer force of the energy radiating from Naruto.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, the light vanished.

The battlefield was silent, the air thick with tension as everyone tried to comprehend what had just happened.

As the blinding neon light receded, everyone on the battlefield froze, their battered bodies aching but their eyes wide with disbelief. Floating high in the air, defying gravity itself, was Naruto Uzumaki. Her pale, reassembled body was whole once more, head and torso fused seamlessly as if nothing had ever happened. But something was unmistakably... wrong.

Sasori's confident smirk disappeared entirely, his puppets falling silent as he gazed at the figure above him. "This... this isn't possible," he muttered, his usually calm voice trembling.

Naruto's once-sapphire eyes now glowed a vivid, unnatural jade, devoid of emotion or recognition. Black markings spidered across her creamy pale skin, intertwining like living ink, a stark contrast against her alabaster complexion. Her snowy white hair, usually sleek and straight, floated around her like a halo, weightless and ethereal, as though gravity dared not touch her anymore.

Kakashi's lone Sharingan widened in shock as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. "That's... that can't be—" he started but stopped short, unable to articulate the mix of awe and terror in his heart.

Sasuke, still gripping his sword tightly, stared in mute disbelief. "What kind of power is this?" he whispered, his Mangekyō spinning as if searching for answers. His pride as an Uchiha bristled at the sheer impossibility of the sight before him.

Even Sakura, her fists still bloodied and trembling from battle, took a step back, unable to tear her gaze away. "Naruto...?" she murmured, her voice cracking with uncertainty.

High above, Naruto floated with an eerie serenity, seemingly detached from the chaos beneath her. Her jade eyes slowly scanned the battlefield, not with recognition or concern but with a strange, almost childlike fascination. Her gaze lingered on the icy terrain, the shimmering frost glinting under the sunlight, and for a moment, it was as though the battlefield didn't exist to her.

She extended her hand, delicate yet commanding, toward the heavens. The air around her shimmered again, this time with an unbearable heat. The biting cold that had gripped the battlefield moments ago was replaced by a rapid rise in temperature, the frost melting into rivulets that snaked across the ground.

"What... what is she doing?!" Sasori barked, his composure slipping further. He gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his weapons as his puppets faltered, their mechanics struggling in the oppressive heat.

The hexagonal crystal pendant Yukie wore around her neck suddenly shone brightly, as if resonating with Naruto's power. Before Yukie could react, the crystal broke free from its chain, flying into the air with a dazzling glow. It soared across the horizon, disappearing into the distance before landing somewhere far beyond sight.

And then, with a resounding boom, the entire icy landscape shattered.

The ice that once covered the battlefield splintered and dissolved, giving way to rivers of crystal-clear water that cascaded down the terrain. Flowers of vibrant colours erupted from the thawing ground, their petals unfurling as if awakened from a long slumber. Grass spread like wildfire, blanketing the battlefield in lush green, while trees sprang up, their branches reaching skyward with youthful vigour.

It was as if life itself had reclaimed the frozen wasteland, nature reborn in an instant. The oppressive heat subsided, leaving behind a scene of breathtaking beauty.

Naruto, still suspended mid-air, lowered her hand, her expression unchanging. Her jade eyes took in the new landscape with an unnervingly detached admiration. A faint smile tugged at her lips, but it wasn't the her normal smile her friends knew—it was an unsettling, almost otherworldly expression, as though she were a stranger experiencing the concept of beauty for the first time.

She tilted her head slightly, her voice soft yet carrying an unsettling echo. "The colours… they dance," she murmured, her tone poetic yet hollow. "The rivers whisper to the earth... the flowers sing secrets to the wind." Her words came slowly, as if each one were being discovered anew. "This is... nice. Pretty. Yes... pretty."

Kakashi exchanged a wary glance with Sasuke and Sakura. "This isn't Naruto," he said under his breath, the weight of his words chilling despite the warmth around them.

Sasori took a cautious step back, his usual confidence completely gone. "This is no jutsu," he muttered, sweat trickling down his temple despite the cool breeze that now swept across the battlefield. "What are you, Uzumaki?"

But Naruto didn't answer. She floated there, admiring the reborn nature with a creepy, almost idiotic fascination, her expression far too serene for the carnage she had just left in her wake. The contrast between the lush beauty around her and the unsettling aura she exuded left everyone rooted in place, unsure whether to feel relief or dread.

Sasori's frustration boiled over as he sent his iron sand hurtling toward Naruto in jagged, deadly waves. "You insolent doll!" he spat, veins bulging on his temple. The sand twisted and contorted, forming spears and blades, all aimed to skewer her midair.

But Naruto didn't even glance at the incoming assault. Her body moved in fluid, effortless motions, each dodge perfectly timed, as though she wasn't evading but rather flowing around the attacks. Her hair floated like a halo around her, catching the glint of the sun as she shifted oddly, her movements both unnatural and strangely graceful. The iron sand, so fearsome and precise, passed harmlessly by her, unable to find its mark.

Sasori's frustration grew. "What are you?!" he bellowed, launching more sand, now in massive, suffocating waves, trying to trap her. He even unleashed several of his most prized puppets, all armed with unique techniques, each designed to overwhelm and kill. Yet Naruto remained untouchable, her attention not even on him but on the world around her.

Her jade eyes sparkled with genuine awe as they took in the vivid greens of the grass, the gentle sway of the blooming flowers, the golden glow of the sun against the now-clear blue sky. She tilted her head back, watching the clouds drift lazily above. The breeze caressed her face, carrying with it the scent of newly sprung blossoms and fresh water.

For the first time since becoming a synthetic being, Naruto grinned. It was small at first, but it grew, her face lighting up with an expression of genuine joy. Her voice, serene yet tinged with an odd, detached humour, echoed through the battlefield. "Throughout the heavens and earth, I alone, am the overhyped toaster." Her grin widened, and her jade eyes gleamed with a strange, almost divine confidence. "But truly, I am the honoured one. To be able to see all of these."

Everyone froze, their breath caught in their throats. Kakashi blinked, his Sharingan spinning in disbelief. Sasuke's fists tightened, his Mangekyō straining to process what he was seeing. Even Sakura's mouth fell open, her mind struggling to reconcile the serene figure before her with the loud, clumsy teammate she'd always known.

Sasori hesitated, for the first time feeling a creeping unease. "What nonsense are you spouting, Uzumaki?"

Naruto's arms rose gracefully, her fingers extending as though she were conducting an invisible symphony. Her voice was soft, almost contemplative. "Even among the high Shinobi," she began, "there are only a few who know it's possible."

The battlefield seemed to hold its breath as her right hand slowly flexed, each of her fingers conjuring a tiny orb of chakra.

Fire. Earth. Water. Lightning. Wind.

The orbs hovered briefly, spinning like planets in a miniature solar system, before they began to converge in her palm. The fusion of the elements was seamless, almost hypnotic, as they combined to form a radiant, swirling sphere of purple energy. It pulsed with an overwhelming, oppressive power that sent waves of pressure rippling through the air.

Naruto gazed at the glowing sphere, her jade eyes reflecting its brilliance. She smiled, serene and gentle, a stark contrast to the destruction in her palm. "...That it is possible to merge all the chakra natures," she finished softly.

Sasori took an involuntary step back, his puppets faltering as he stared at the ball of energy with wide eyes. His lips parted in awe, and his usually cold voice trembled. "This... this is true art…"

Naruto's smile didn't waver as she shifted her focus to Sasori, the ball in her hand compressing into a beam of pure devastation. Her voice was calm, almost motherly, as she spoke again. "Hollow Style: Purple Rasengan."

The beam exploded forward, a blinding column of light that devoured everything in its path. The ground quaked violently, and the sheer force of the technique carved through the landscape, wiping out kilometres of earth in an instant. Trees, rocks, and even the remnants of Sasori's puppets disintegrated under its power. The sound was deafening, a hum of raw energy that resonated deep in the bones of everyone present.

As the dust settled, a massive, gaping scar stretched across the horizon where the beam had passed. Sasori was gone, nothing left of him but the faint memory of his last words, his admiration for Naruto's technique.

Naruto descended gracefully, her feet touching the ground with the lightness of a feather. Her jade eyes slowly shifted, dimming back into their usual sapphire hue as she looked at her stunned comrades. Her expression softened, her earlier serenity replaced by her usual mischievous charm. She gave them a small wave and a smile, tilting her head.

"Hello," she said cheerfully. "Did you miss me, dattebayo?"

Sakura tackled Naruto into a bone-crushing hug, tears streaming down her face as she buried her head into Naruto's shoulder. "You idiot! You absolute idiot! Don't ever scare us like that again!" she sobbed, her fists pounding lightly on Naruto's back before clutching her tighter.

Naruto blinked, her synthetic joints stiffly trying to return the gesture. She awkwardly patted Sakura's head, her movements a little jerky but surprisingly tender. "D-dattebayo… Naruto is useless, Sakura-chan. Useless and arrogant. Naruto is just an overrated magazine. Dattebayo."

Sasuke wiped his bloody eyes, the crimson trails streaking his pale face, and gave Naruto an unreadable look. Kakashi, meanwhile, had collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion, one hand covering his face as he let out a long, relieved sigh.

"Useless?" Sakura pulled back, her tear-streaked face scrunched in frustration. "Don't you dare call yourself useless, Naruto!"

But Sasuke cut through the moment with his question, his voice low but sharp. "How did you… come back?"

Naruto tilted her head, her finger tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…" she began in a semi-robotic monotone, "it was like bam, then boom, then… he said 'I messed it up,' and I accidentally fried my synthetic adrenal gland and messed up the synthetic dopamine secretion, thus—here I am! Naruto Uzumaki—The Ultimate Useless Shinobi!"

Sasuke's face twitched. "...So you became more crazy?"

Naruto blinked at him, her eyes wide and innocent, but her reply was a flat, almost automatic, "I am always inferior to you guys. Dattebayo. I always was."

"...So less crazy?" Kakashi suggested from the ground, his tone as dry as the dirt beneath him. He peeked through his fingers, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

Naruto, for her part, nodded sagely as if she had just delivered the most profound truth of the century.

Meanwhile, Yukie stood a short distance away, her gaze fixed on the horizon. There, shimmering faintly in the distance, a hologram played: a man's figure laughing as he knelt beside a little girl, pointing out toward the snowy expanse and speaking with warmth about the fate of the Snow Country.

Tears welled in Yukie's eyes as she clutched the crystal that was now back around her neck. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "I will, Dad. I promise."

The scene was broken by the director's enthusiastic yell. "And—cut!"

The set erupted into cheers, the crew celebrating their success. Yukie wiped her tears, standing straighter as she turned back to the commotion. But Naruto, ever detached from the chaos, simply blinked and tilted her head again, as though trying to process it all. Sakura held her close, Sasuke glanced away, and Kakashi just shook his head, muttering something about needing a long vacation.

Û~Û

A week had passed, and the once icy wasteland was now a flourishing paradise of green, vibrant flowers, and sparkling rivers. Yukie, crowned as the Snow Country's queen, had gracefully taken her new role, her heart filled with hope and determination. The movie, Synthetic Shinobi, directed by the eccentric McPhoenix David, had become a sensational hit across the Elemental Nations.

Naruto Uzumaki, however, found herself in an unexpected position. She had been declared "the cutest actress in the Elemental Nations," her portrayal of a synthetic shinobi captivating audiences everywhere. Yukie, grateful and emotional, thanked Naruto profusely for showing her the truth about herself and her destiny.

Clueless as ever, Naruto just nodded with her usual stiff, robotic motions, her jade eyes blinking once. "Naruto is useless. Naruto did nothing, Yukie-san. Dattebayo."

The director, overwhelmed with emotion, enthusiastically shook Naruto's hand, declaring, "I must, I will, make another movie with you as the protagonist, Naruto-chan! You're a natural talent!"

Naruto tilted her head, confused. "Naruto is pathetic and overrated. Dattebayo. A synthetic disappointment."

The director burst into tears, overwhelmed by her "raw emotion." "Brilliant! Perfect! Your acting is too natural—simply unparalleled!"

Naruto blinked, her expression blank. "Naruto was not acting. Dattebayo."

As the Leaf ninja prepared to leave, they couldn't help but reflect on how strange the entire mission had been. Naruto, however, seemed more attuned to her surroundings than usual—or perhaps too attuned. As they walked through the blossoming fields, she stopped abruptly to admire... questionable things.

"Ah, the poop of a neko-chan," she said in her monotone voice, staring intently at a small pile on the ground. "Truly, what a beauty. Unlike me. Dattebayo."

Sakura groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This version of Naruto is worse than the arrogant one! I can't take this anymore!"

Sasuke, who had been silently dealing with the aftermath of awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, discreetly used his eyedropper. "At least I got my Sharingan out of this," he muttered under his breath.

Kakashi, nose buried in his favourite book, chuckled softly before suddenly frowning. "Wait... did we forget something?"

Far away, in the lush expanse that had replaced the icy tundra, a lone figure stirred. A bowl-cut boy, dressed in green spandex, groggily sat up after what seemed like an eternity of sleep. His eyes darted around, taking in the unfamiliar scenery.

"Yosh! I am ready—" he began, only to trail off in confusion.

Silence.

There was no ice, no snowy peaks—just endless greenery.

"Where am I? Kakashi-sensei? Sakura-chan?! Sasuke-kun?!"

His voice echoed, met only by the soft rustle of leaves in the warm breeze.

Û~Û

Author Note:

To make it clear, Minato rebooted 2B, but not without making a few errors thanks to Naruto bugging him, thus Naruto was... glitched. Back, but glitched. We need to fix that. Dattebayo.

Minato is gone from her system? Maybe.

And actually, the Hollow Rasengan was in the Forbidden Scroll in this AU, long ago, the Father of all the Shinobi had written something about this. But none could ever achieve this— not even him.

This arc is over. Which arc do you want next?

I hope you liked this chapter.

Drop your thoughts in the review section. Your words inspire me to write faster, better and with more depth.

Till next time!