Naruto: Heaven Rewards Diligence

Not long after, Zabuza and Sandayū saw Princess Koyuki return—walking behind Naruto.

What surprised them was her expression: shy, reserved, almost demure. It was a far cry from the frightened woman who had fled earlier. What exactly had happened between them?

Still, they didn't dwell on it. Perhaps she had simply come to terms with her responsibility. After all, she carried the hope of an entire nation.

Without wasting words, the group set off for the Land of Snow.

As its name suggested, the Land of Snow was a country buried beneath endless blizzards and gales. Backed against the Land of Earth and bordering the Land of Demons, its geographical location was advantageous, but its harsh climate made survival difficult.

Along the way, Sandayū told them more about Dotō Kazahana.

Dotō was the younger brother of Koyuki's late father, Sōsetsu Kazahana. Ten years ago, driven by ambition, he murdered Sōsetsu and usurped the throne, seeking the hidden treasure of the Land of Snow.

For years, he had hunted Koyuki relentlessly, all for the hexagonal crystal she carried—the key to unlocking that treasure.

…

"You're saying they want to come with us too?"

Zabuza's gaze turned sharp as he noticed the group of civilians trailing them, lugging cameras and film equipment.

Sandayū coughed awkwardly.

"Bringing them along helps reduce suspicion. To outsiders, it will simply look like we're filming a movie on location."

"Ninja-sama, this is my dream!" The director—a scruffy man with unshaven stubble—stepped forward earnestly.

"Creating a masterpiece that shakes the world has been my lifelong pursuit. The Rainbow Ice Wall of the Land of Snow is the perfect stage! And…" His eyes darted toward Koyuki.

"If this is truly Princess Koyuki's final film, then I must seize this chance. Without her, I may never achieve it."

Naruto watched with faint amusement. The scene was familiar—identical players, but the mission itself had shifted. In the original tale, this was Team 7's assignment. Now, it fell to him, Zabuza, and Haku.

The director's passion hadn't changed, though.

Zabuza glanced at Naruto. Naruto gave a slight nod.

"Fine," Zabuza growled, looking back at the group. "But let me be clear—follow our orders, or you'll regret it."

This wasn't a hired mission. They were here to seize control of the Land of Snow, and Zabuza would not indulge fools.

The group quickly fell into line, and their journey continued.

Because of the civilians, travel was slow. It took two days before they finally entered the territory of the Land of Snow. By then, heavy winds and biting flurries had engulfed the land.

Naruto surveyed the frozen expanse as he walked, snow crunching beneath his boots. The civilians had already bundled themselves in heavy coats, shivering from the cold. Zabuza and the others were less affected, though they too donned cloaks for warmth.

After venturing deeper, the director and Koyuki scouted potential filming sites. Naruto caught his first glimpse of the famed Rainbow Ice Wall—a natural spectacle where sunlight refracted through massive sheets of ice, scattering into dazzling colors. Even he had to admit, it was breathtaking.

Nature's craftsmanship could sometimes rival that of jutsu.

Then, Naruto's lips curled into a knowing smirk. So, it's happening after all. I thought things would play out differently without Team 7, but the events of the story still find their way forward.

Boom!

The ground trembled as the mountains rumbled.

Panic spread among the civilians. Was this an avalanche?

Zabuza's eyes narrowed. Three figures shot down the snowy slope toward them.

They wore strange, mechanical devices grafted onto their bodies.

The heavyset man in the middle slid down on a snowmobile, his arm braced with a mechanical gauntlet. The two flanking him were similarly equipped—steel augmentations laced into their gear. The kunoichi among them even bore mechanical wings, gleaming in the snowlight.

"Ice Release: Swallow Snowstorm!"

"Ice Release: One-Horned White Whale!"

"Ice Release: Ice Prison!"

The trio attacked immediately. Jagged ice surged across the battlefield.

Zabuza's eyes widened for a moment. Ice Release? Besides Haku, he hadn't thought anyone else could wield such a kekkei genkai.

But as the attacks clashed against his Kubikiribōchō, scattering shards of ice, he understood.

"This isn't true Ice Release," Zabuza barked. "It's an imitation—techniques fueled by the environment of the Land of Snow!"

He swung his great blade, cleaving through the icy barrage.

"You deal with them. I'll protect Koyuki and the others!"

Naruto nodded and sprinted straight toward Koyuki, his cloak billowing in the storm.

At that moment, panic swept through the group.

Princess Koyuki's face turned pale, despair etched into her features. This land—and the shadow of Dotō Kazahana—still haunted her deeply.

The director's crew, meanwhile, scrambled in terror.

"This is the movie I've been waiting for!" the director bellowed, his eyes gleaming with madness. "Keep filming! I'll pay you ten times your salary! And if this becomes a masterpiece, you'll get a share of the profits too!"

His roar stunned his subordinates. Fear battled with greed in their hearts—but the lure of wealth won. Gritting their teeth, they steadied their cameras, capturing every scene of the unfolding battle. As the saying went, money made the world move.

Naruto watched with a trace of wry amusement. For money, they'll risk even their lives.

In truth, the crew weren't entirely foolish. With Naruto and the others shielding them, they gambled on fortune rather than poverty.

One cameraman even shouted, his face twisted with defiance, "If I die, I die! But no one will stop me from making money!"

(T.N: Somewhere out there, Kakuzu is probably crying tears of pride.)

…

The battlefield exploded with violent chakra.

When Haku unleashed her Ice Release, the Snow Ninja faltered, shock flashing across their faces.

Haku herself was surprised too. In this frozen environment, her techniques flowed with unparalleled ease—chakra consumption cut nearly in half, her power amplified almost eighty percent.

"Ice Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"

Countless crystalline senbon shot forward.

The kunoichi soared overhead with her mechanical wings, while the heavyset man barreled through the barrage, shattering it with a single armored punch.

After a few exchanges, Zabuza quickly gauged their strength. "Chūnin level on their own… but with those strange devices, they're fighting like Special Jōnin."

So that's the so-called chakra armor Naruto mentioned…

Zabuza's eyes narrowed, and his killing intent flared. No more testing the waters. Haku, too, pressed the attack with full force.

She no longer held back as much as in the original timeline—Naruto's influence had hardened her resolve. Still, she refrained from killing blows. Deep down, her heart was too gentle. Naruto often thought she'd be better suited to studying Medical Ninjutsu under Tsunade, saving lives rather than taking them.

"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

A dense fog spread, swallowing the battlefield in white. Zabuza's ghostly voice slithered through the mist, each word laced with menace:

"Heart… liver… spleen… lungs… kidneys… Tell me—where should I cut first?"

The Snow Ninja froze in terror, trembling under the suffocating killing intent.

Then—

"Ice Release: Black Dragon Blizzard!"

A deafening roar tore through the storm as a colossal black dragon of ice surged forth, sweeping away the mist in a single breath.

The battlefield cleared, revealing a new arrival.

"Dotō," the cold voice cut like steel. "You disappoint me."

The man's figure emerged through the snow, his eyes sharp and merciless.

Dotō lowered his head, shame burning in his face. "Forgive me… this shinobi's strength is beyond anything I imagined."

He could offer no excuses. Against Zabuza's might—already brushing Kage-level—he was helpless. Only now did he realize just how badly he had underestimated the enemy. Even the intelligence reports from the outside world had been utterly wrong.

...

TN:

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