NOVEL WEB Chapter 61: CHAPTER 61
"As expected of the Land of Snow—what a sight," Kimimaro murmured, gazing out at the endless frozen plains glittering under the pale light.
"It's so cold!" Hanabi's cheeks were flushed from the chill. "Brother, aren't you freezing?"
"Put on your coats quickly," Haruna said, already bundled up in thick layers. "Even if ninjas have stronger constitutions, it's dangerous to stay exposed in sub-zero weather for too long."
"Actually," she continued, "the Land of Snow has gotten much warmer in recent years. For normal people, there's not much difference between minus ten and minus twenty degrees Celsius—but their capital is experiencing actual spring now. Thanks to a geothermal generator system, they've managed to transform the environment around the capital into a habitable, temperate zone."
"Hm, the Land of Snow is still pretty vast," Kimimaro mused. "Even with geothermal technology, they couldn't possibly cover the entire country."
He made a mental note to see the capital himself one day—curious about the kind of technology that could change the climate of an entire region.
"We'll follow the snow-covered mountains southwest," Haruna explained. "In a few days, we'll reach the estuary port. From there, we'll sail to the Land of Vegetables."
Their group eventually arrived at the port town. Peace reigned in the Land of Snow now—gone were the days of internal strife and rogue attacks.
The Snow Ninja, once loyal to the tyrant Doto Kazahana, had fractured after his defeat. Those loyal to Princess Koyuki Kazahana had purged the rest. No longer tools of oppression, the current Snow Ninja now served to maintain law and order. Still, they were unlike the Five Great Shinobi Nations: they hadn't formed a hidden village. Instead, they served directly under Daimyo Koyuki, acting more like a standing security force.
"That's wonderful. I wish the Land of Vegetables was like this too," Haruna said wistfully.
Kimimaro nodded. "It's a good model to learn from."
He recognized in this a faint echo of his own ideals—stability, loyalty, and order. Yet something felt off.
He had seen the movie "The Adventures of Princess Gale"—a slightly fictionalized but revealing chronicle of Koyuki's journey. In Kimimaro's opinion, she hadn't seemed like someone capable of commanding a country so efficiently. Her loyal retainer, Sandayū Asama, was not particularly strong either.
That left only one conclusion: powerful, capable ninja must still exist behind the scenes, supporting Koyuki. It was rare for such skilled shinobi to serve a daimyo without ambition. Even the likes of Hashirama Senju had separated military from political power to avoid such concentrations.
Still, Kimimaro had no time to investigate further. He was here on a mission—to escort someone to the Land of Vegetables. No distractions.
On their way through the snowy roads, they encountered checkpoint patrols from the Snow Ninja, but their group's identity—accompanied by officials from the Land of Vegetables—was verified without issue.
Out of curiosity, Kimimaro requested a system scan on the Snow Ninja to check for the Ice Release kekkei genkai.
The response was immediate:
"These individuals do not possess true Ice Release. Their techniques are environment-enhanced Water Release variants, amplified by the surrounding cold and specialized chakra armor. However, the possibility of actual Ice Release users in the Land of Snow cannot be ruled out."
Kimimaro grew more intrigued. If nothing else, their technology was impressive. Chakra armor, which was rare outside specialized circles, could artificially boost a shinobi's strength. And the rumors of trains—another advanced technology—added to the mystery.
"Mr. Kimimaro, didn't you say I should observe how ordinary people live?" Haruna asked, half-challenging, half-earnest. "Since we have time, why not now?"
The ship to the Land of Vegetables wouldn't depart until early the day after tomorrow. They had two days to rest.
Kimimaro caught her expectant gaze. He understood—Haruna wanted to show that commoners in her country also fared well. The Land of Snow's improvements gave her a model to reference.
"Let's find their slums," he said.
For trained shinobi, it wasn't hard. Kimimaro climbed to a vantage point and scanned the area. Judging by building density, materials, and smoke patterns, he identified several likely locations.
Soon, Kimimaro, Haruna, Karin, Hanabi, and Kiku reached one of the less affluent parts of the city.
Kiku trusted Kimimaro's group, but his duty as Haruna's guard demanded vigilance.
"It looks a bit rundown, but... it's not destitute," Kimimaro observed.
"Haha, this is a port city—economically better off than most," Haruna said with a smile, sensing victory. "You just don't want to admit it."
Kimimaro didn't reply. After traveling together for days, Haruna had grown far more comfortable around him—her earlier fears now tempered by familiarity.
Just then, a group of laughing children rushed past them.
"Sister Yuki's back! She brought candy again!"
They turned to see a tall, striking woman in her twenties approaching. She wore a practical trench coat layered with insulation. The warmth of her smile rivaled the spring air around the capital.
"What a beautiful woman," Haruna couldn't help but sigh. Although she was currently dressed in men's clothing and confident in her own looks, she felt a twinge of self-doubt. Ever since meeting Karin, she'd occasionally felt outshone—and today, upon seeing this woman named Yuki, that feeling intensified. It seemed she always ran into women more stunning than herself.
Kimimaro's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Although the people in this world weren't exactly identical to how they appeared in the anime and manga, their essence remained. Judging from her elegant demeanor and the fact they were now in the Land of Snow, this "Sister Yuki" was undoubtedly Koyuki Kazahana, the former actress known as Yukie Fujikaze, and now the ruling daimyō of the Land of Snow.
Kimimaro subtly scanned their surroundings. It was no surprise that the streets were quiet—most locals likely stayed indoors, having been informed ahead of time. As for their group, being visiting dignitaries and wealthy outsiders, they posed no threat and were allowed through without issue.
Koyuki was currently interacting with a group of children, crouching down with a warm smile as she handed out sweets from a woven pouch.
"Do you like them?"
"We love them! Sister Yuki's candies are the best!"
"I'm so happy to hear that. Have things been better lately?"
"Uh-huh! Life's gotten much better!" one of the kids chirped, grinning wide.
Their laughter brought a rare softness to Koyuki's expression. A few townspeople passed by as well—their clothes were worn and patched, but they were clean and cheerful.
"Ever since Lady Koyuki became our daimyo, the Land of Snow has been changing for the better."
"Yes, the infrastructure's improving, and we've even started seeing new trade routes open. She's a blessing for our nation!"
"I just hope she settles down and marries soon," one elder chuckled. "The country needs a successor."
Koyuki shared polite conversation with the townspeople before turning and making her way toward Kimimaro's group.
Karin, sensing a subtle shift in chakra, stiffened. Someone nearby was suppressing their presence—perhaps Snow Ninja guards monitoring the area.
She shot Kimimaro a look, but he simply gestured calmly. As long as they posed no threat to Lady Koyuki, there was no cause for concern.
"Are you travelers from outside the Land of Snow?" Koyuki asked, her voice pleasant but reserved.
"Yes, and I take it you're a local?" Kimimaro replied with a faint, polite smile.
Then Karin finally got a clear look at the woman's face. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Wait… you're Yukie Fujikaze! The movie star?!"
Visit patreon.com/ShiroTL to gain access to 40+ chapters