Naruto: Heaven Rewards Diligence

"Damn it! Why are they so strong?!"

Dotō Kazahana was shaken to his core. The sheer power of these two far exceeded what he thought possible for ordinary shinobi.

Had they already reached the level of a Hokage from the Five Great Nations?

Dotō had never actually seen a Hokage fight, so his idea of their strength was built entirely on guesswork. And in his mind, this was it.

"I will not fail!!!"

With a furious roar, he began burning his very life force, trading it for a surge of raw power.

"Ice Release: Twin Dragon Blizzard!"

Two colossal dragons made of snow roared forth, one from each side, tearing toward Zabuza. In the Land of Snow's climate, the jutsu's power was amplified to terrifying heights.

Zabuza only snorted in disdain. Half a year ago, this might have rattled him. But now? Not in the slightest.

Back then, he only wielded Water Release. But after half a year of rigorous training, he had also mastered Earth Release chakra.

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

A massive earth dragon erupted from the ground, colliding head-on with the twin snow dragons. One against two, yet Zabuza's creation held its ground with ease.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Naruto had already taken down nearly all two hundred Snow Ninja. Not one of them reached the level of jōnin. With such a weak force, Dotō's dream of rivaling the Great Nations was nothing but a joke.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu! Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet Jutsu! Combination Technique—Mudslide Bullet!"

With Naruto's help, the Water Dragon Bullet no longer required the exhausting forty-plus hand seals of old. Streamlined to twelve seals, it was far more practical. Though still short of the Second Hokage's legendary four seals, it was now a reliable, combat-ready technique.

Remembering the original forty seals, Zabuza felt like cursing.

"Ice Release: Black Dragon Blizzard!"

Dotō desperately unleashed another technique, but in front of Zabuza—whose strength now approached that of a Hokage—his resistance was crumbling.

"No! I will not fail!"

But Zabuza's Ninjutsu tore straight through his attack.

The earth dragon from the Mudslide Bullet smashed into Dotō's chest. His Chakra Armor resisted at first, but cracks spiderwebbed across its surface, growing faster and faster—until the armor shattered into useless scraps.

Dotō vomited blood, his body hurled violently backward. Zabuza had held back—otherwise Dotō would've been torn apart then and there.

On Naruto's side, the battle was already finished. Most of the Snow Ninja lay unconscious; the few still groaning on the ground didn't dare rise.

Their lord had fallen. Only a fool would continue resisting.

And truthfully, Dotō had never been beloved. Koyuki was the rightful heir, daughter of the former Daimyō. With him defeated, it made sense to side with her. After all—life was precious.

Santō Fū and his loyalists, who had been prepared to die fighting, were stunned. None of them had expected Dotō to fall so easily.

The shift was almost surreal.

For Koyuki, it was the first time she had truly grasped the overwhelming might of shinobi. And especially… the young man standing before her. He didn't look much older than she was—so how could he be this powerful?

Her fingers tightened around the small book Naruto had given her: Umbrella Ideology. She had read it late into the night, shaken by its words.

Was this really the dream he pursued? His vision was so vast, so daring—set against the Five Great Nations themselves. Did he truly feel no fear?

…

"Koyuki," Naruto said slowly, "I've spared Dotō's life. I'll leave him to you."

Her heart stirred. Warmth at his consideration… but also icy hatred. She stared at Dotō, his chakra sealed, his limbs bound. This was the man who murdered her parents, usurped her country, and left her wandering the world in exile.

"Dotō Kazahana," she spat coldly, "you wanted the Hex Crystal so badly. Today, I'll let you see it—then die in despair."

Her voice was like frozen steel, her brows sharp with fury. In her anger, she carried a majesty that belonged to the daughter of a Daimyō.

At her command, Santō Fū's men dragged the broken Dotō to a towering ice wall. There, a keyhole waited.

Koyuki touched the pendant at her neck. The key that had never left her since childhood. Slowly, she slid it into the lock.

Click, click, click…!

The sound of gears echoed through the icy hall. All eyes widened, and Dotō Kazahana's face lit with manic excitement. After years of obsession, had his pursuit finally borne fruit?

Even if he were to die here, he wanted to see it with his own eyes!

But when the ice wall split open and the colossal machine within emerged, confusion clouded his expression.

The great mechanism roared to life. Snow melted, streams flowed, and the frozen land seemed to breathe again.

Warmth—not scorching, but vibrant and life-filled—poured into the chamber.

"This… is what I've been chasing? Where's the treasure? Where's the gold and silver?!"

Koyuki Kazahana, standing tall with her father's dignity, looked upon him with cold clarity.

"My father only ever wanted the people of the Land of Snow to live well," she said softly. "He spent his fortune building this machine. It is not gold, nor silver—it is Snow Country's greatest treasure."

Her eyes hardened. "Before he could share this with the world, you murdered him. You monster. There is no treasure for you here. Only death and disappointment."

With those words, Koyuki snatched a sword from a guard and, with trembling but resolute hands, drove it into Dotō's chest.

Bound and chakra-sealed, he couldn't resist. His eyes were filled with unwillingness, with disbelief, before finally dimming.

Naruto and Zabuza exchanged a glance, both surprised at her resolve. Zabuza exhaled quietly, a shadow flickering in his gaze. If only Haku had such courage…

The sword clattered from Koyuki's hands. She covered her face and fell to her knees, sobbing.

Naruto stepped forward, resting a hand gently on her shoulder. But Koyuki suddenly collapsed against him, clutching him tightly. He blinked in surprise, then slowly wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her trembling form.

Not long after, in the grand hall of Snow Country, Koyuki was formally installed as Daimyō.

A nation cannot remain leaderless, even for a day.

The people rejoiced. News of her succession spread swiftly across the land, and for days, celebration filled every street and village.

...

Rear Hall…

Naruto had already laid bare his ambitions before Koyuki. To his surprise, she showed no shock.

"I suspected as much," she admitted, her tone calm, her eyes steady. "When I read the Umbrella Ideology you gave me, I realized your dream was vast. But if you're careless, Naruto-kun, it will bring you eternal ruin."

Her bearing was different now. Draped in the robes of the Daimyō, she carried herself with newfound majesty.

"Since you are this powerful, why would you stoop to mere missions?" she continued. "Your true goal was always Snow Country."

Naruto's gaze didn't waver. His tone was steady, almost indifferent. "And if you're right—how will you choose?"

Snow Country was not negotiable. He would claim it, even by force.

But Koyuki only smiled faintly. She stepped close, embracing him, her breath warm against his ear.

"Me? I choose to stand with you, Naruto-kun. If you'll allow it… I'll even be yours."

Naruto stiffened. Her delicate scent, her sudden boldness, sent a strange warmth surging through him.

"You know," she whispered, "I never wanted to be Daimyō. I only ever dreamed of being an actress. But I like you. And I'll support you."

Her confession left Naruto stunned. Even though this was only a Shadow Clone, he felt heat stir in his chest.

Snow Country had fallen into his hands more easily than he could have dreamed. The foundation of his revolution was secured.

And beyond that—Koyuki Kazahana had given him something even more unexpected.

Her heart.

...

TN:

⚒️ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin