Chapter 218: Heading to the Land of Snow
What the heck? Ino was utterly confused. After clarifying the location, she quickly ran over.
Upon arriving, she discovered that Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—those three problem children—had indiscriminately beaten down all the escort personnel, including the film's lead actress's manager, Asama Sandayuu.
Naruto, in particular, who had been itching for action, was the most hyped up, even using the Shadow Clone Jutsu against a group of ordinary people.
"Hey, hey? What are you guys doing?" Ino untied the ropes binding Sandayuu. The old man was over fifty, his hair and beard white. Sasuke, who had been training with his sword so obsessively he seemed possessed, had given him a sword chop to the hand, causing him to fall off his horse. He looked utterly miserable now.
Ino helped the old man up, surveyed the scene, and asked, "Did Yukie-san throw another tantrum?"
The old man picked up his glasses from the ground and put them on, sighing heavily.
He remarked pointedly, "Your village's ninja are truly impressive."
Ino chuckled lightly with him while subtly waving at the three impulsive youngsters, signaling them to make a quick retreat.
Aside from the bewildered Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke both realized they had been perhaps just a tad too rash.
The three quickly scattered, and Ino spent a little time locating the lead actress, Fujikaze Yukie, who was trying to skip out on work. The incident quickly faded away.
That afternoon, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata met with Asama Sandayuu, the manager of the actress Fujikaze Yukie, again in the Hokage's office.
The old man formally submitted an A-rank mission request to the village, asking the Leaf Village to dispatch ninja to escort the film crew to the Land of Snow for filming. The request detailed numerous clauses: ensuring Fujikaze Yukie's personal safety during filming, preventing her escape, protecting her from ninja attacks, and a whole list of other demands.
"What a pain," Shikamaru dreaded troublesome matters like this the most.
Choji's focus was, as usual, different from others. He quietly asked Ino, "Where is this Land of Snow?"
"A very, very distant place."
A hint of joy appeared on Choji's plump face. "Then... I don't have to take the Chunin Exams?"
Ino narrowed her eyes at him. "I hate to disappoint you, but there's absolutely enough time. Most of the filming is still in the Land of Fire. The Land of Snow is just for location shooting, lasting less than ten days. We still have about a month and a half until the Chunin Exams, so..."
The stout ninja instantly deflated. The Land of Snow, huh? It sounded like a very cold place, and he hated the cold most of all!
Naruto, who was having supplementary lessons in the next room, was quite interested. Forget the Land of Snow, he'd go to the ends of the earth if it meant getting out of the village. Staying cooped up every day was stifling him.
However, his request was sternly refused by Jiraiya. With the Akatsuki currently plotting to capture the Nine-Tails, why would you leave the village and go to the Land of Snow? Stay home and do your lessons properly.
Jiraiya continued to use Naruto's studies as leverage, forcefully keeping him in check.
Asuma had recently left the village on a mission.
Tsunade and Jiraiya had discussed Ino's achievement of holding her own against the Cloud Village's Two-Tails Jinchuriki. That battle record was definitely top-tier in the ninja world. She and Hinata were already considered part of the film crew. Adding the resourceful and wise Shikamaru, and the brave and skilled Choji, even without Asuma, this team was plenty strong.
Sandayuu had clearly stated they would encounter hostile ninja, so after careful consideration, Jiraiya assigned this small team to the mission.
Ino was appointed captain, with Shikamaru as support. Hinata was temporarily added for reconnaissance, and Choji for frontal assault. The team composition was very rational and more than capable of handling an A-rank mission.
Hinata looked bewildered. Following them out of the Hokage's office, she only then realized she had never actually agreed to be in a movie. How had she somehow ended up as both an actress and a bodyguard?
Kakashi called out to Ino and quietly said, "The ninja of the Land of Snow aren't weak. When I was in the Anbu, I went there once. They can use a unique ninjutsu called Ice Style in icy and snowy environments."
Ino asked, "Is it a Kekkei Genkai? Like Haku's?"
"It doesn't seem like it. I suspect it's a type of Water Style unique to that specific environment."
Kakashi shared all the information he knew.
He had been about the same age as Ino is now when he went to the Land of Snow. His disadvantage back then was primarily due to having just acquired the Sharingan, which severely suppressed his chakra. Ino didn't have that burden; she was already skilled in Water Style, and with the cooperation of Ino-Shika-Cho, dealing with a few ninja from the Land of Snow shouldn't be difficult.
"Ninja from the Land of Snow, huh? I understand. I'll be careful."
Hinata was thrown into the role of an actress unprepared.
She acted in two scenes with Fujikaze Yukie, who played the lead. Playing true to herself, her portrayal of someone outwardly timid but with a hint of inner stubbornness earned the director's approval. Audiences weren't quite so critical yet; starting weak and then bursting forth in strength would provide a great sense of satisfaction. Adding this second female lead was perfectly fine.
The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja ultimately became a movie about the lead actress, her two male followers, and one female disciple.
Hearing that the movie's protagonist was based on herself, Tsunade even strolled back to the village and watched two days of on-site filming. She thought it was great! Jiraiya, like a simpering admirer, could only give a thumbs-up and say, "You're right, changing it like this is great! It has a lot of guts!"
Once all the cast and crew were assembled, the director immediately led everyone onto a ship, heading to the arctic Land of Snow for the exterior shooting of the 'Rainbow Ice Wall.'
Life on the ship wasn't easy either. The film crew seized every available moment for shooting. The four ninja, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata, used their time in their cabin to question Sandayuu about the mission details.
The old man had spent 750,000 Ryo to hire the Leaf Village ninja, nearly half of his life's savings. Of course, he had to clearly explain the mission's circumstances.
An A-rank mission was certainly not an S-rank, but the enemies they'd encounter wouldn't be pushovers either.
In the original timeline, the pursuit of Gaara and the Sasuke Retrieval mission were both A-rank. The Bridge of Kannabi, which impacted Kakashi and Obito's lives, was also an A-rank mission.
This was definitely a Jonin-level mission, and Ino listened very carefully.
Sandayuu began recounting the past.
The story was actually quite simple.
Ten years ago, the Daimyo of the Land of Snow, Kazahana Sosetsu, was killed by his younger brother, Kazahana Dotou. The Daimyo had a good idea: he would be the Daimyo, and his younger brother would be the ninja, working together, one in the open, one in the shadows, to protect the country.
However, upon hearing that there was a secret treasure in the Land of Snow, the brother, being a ninja, killed his physically weak older brother and subsequently became the new Daimyo.
The older brother's daughter, saved by a young Kakashi, is now Kazahana Koyuki, using the stage name Fujikaze Yukie. Sandayuu was one of the ministers back then.
Sandayuu had always wanted to return to their homeland, overthrow Kazahana Dotou, and help Kazahana Koyuki regain control of the Land of Snow. Unfortunately, Kazahana Koyuki was very resistant to these past events. Hearing they were going to the Land of Snow for filming this time prompted her to stage the scene of escaping on horseback. Sandayuu had no choice but to reveal the truth and hire Leaf Village ninja to assist them in restoring their country.
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