The rebellion Natsuki had set in motion ca to an end.
Although it had taken place much earlier than in the original story, the outco was largely the sa.
Dotō died, and Sōsetsu retained control of the Land of Snow.
The only difference was that Koyuki did not beco the country's daimyō.
Because the Snow Shinobi clan had suppressed the rebellion, they earned Sōsetsu's complete trust.
Not only did he agree to provide them with ample financial support, but he also promised to help them establish Yukigakure.
After giving it so thought, Natsuki decided not to et with Sōsetsu.
Koyuki was still too young.
Even if Natsuki transford her into a demon, she would not be of much help to Akatsuki.
He planned to wait a few years before stepping forward to take control of the Land of Snow and transforming Koyuki.
However, he did not leave imdiately.
There was still one more matter he needed to handle.
At the Snow Shinobi clan's residence, Natsuki accepted a scroll from Rōga and read through it.
The scroll had been issued by Sōsetsu and contained the construction plans for Yukigakure.
Sōsetsu had proven himself to be a man of his word.
He had personally allocated a large tract of land to the Snow Shinobi clan and agreed to cover all construction expenses.
In other words, the Snow Shinobi clan did not need to contribute anything. Once the village was complete, they could simply move in.
Natsuki nodded in satisfaction.
Once Yukigakure was established, he would unlock Ice Release: Ice Do from the Haku Template.
According to Sōsetsu's plan, construction would take roughly one or two months.
That would also give Natsuki enough ti to establish a branch of the Daybreak Company.
It could be built directly inside Yukigakure.
"The greatest problem right now is that the Snow Shinobi clan does not have enough shinobi," Natsuki said, looking at Rōga. "Your next task is to gather information on every shinobi clan in the Land of Snow."
"You want them to join Yukigakure as well?"
Rōga's eyes widened slightly.
"Exactly."
Natsuki smiled.
"When the ti cos, I'll accompany you and challenge them."
Excitent imdiately appeared on the faces of Rōga and the others.
If all the shinobi clans in the Land of Snow joined Yukigakure, the Snow Shinobi clan's influence would reach unprecedented heights.
Rōga even began to feel that being controlled by Natsuki was not necessarily a bad thing.
As long as he did not betray Natsuki, he retained a great deal of freedom.
Natsuki rarely interfered in the internal affairs of the Snow Shinobi clan.
He had also made it clear that he would eventually leave the Land of Snow.
Once he did, both the country and Yukigakure would effectively be managed by the Snow Shinobi clan.
"Go take care of it."
Natsuki returned the scroll to Rōga.
Rōga accepted it and left with Fubuki and the others.
"You three should prepare as well."
Natsuki turned toward Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.
"I'll have you challenge them."
There were three reasons he wanted every shinobi clan in the Land of Snow to join Yukigakure.
First, strengthening Yukigakure ant strengthening Akatsuki.
Second, the battles would allow Yahiko and the others to gain valuable combat experience.
Third, they might help Natsuki unlock more abilities from his character templates.
Several of his remaining abilities required him to defeat shinobi with specific specialties.
For example, he needed to defeat Lightning Release jōnin, Fire Release jōnin, genjutsu jōnin, and others.
Of course, Natsuki did not expect the Land of Snow to have many jōnin.
His main objective was to defeat three Water Release tokubetsu jōnin and unlock the second ability of the Haku Template.
He had already asked Rōga about the country's shinobi.
Aside from the Snow Shinobi clan, most shinobi in the Land of Snow specialized in Water Release or Wind Release.
Finding three Water Release tokubetsu jōnin should not be difficult.
Anything beyond that would simply be a welco surprise.
"Don't worry, Natsuki-sensei. We definitely won't let you down!"
Yahiko imdiately made his promise.
Ever since awakening Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals and defeating Dotō, he had been overflowing with excitent.
He was like a child who had just received a new toy.
Then again, he really was a child.
"There probably won't be much to do for the next few days," Natsuki said. "You and Konan should work on developing new applications for your Blood Demon Arts."
He paused before turning to Nagato.
"Nagato, continue practicing your swordsmanship."
"Yes, Natsuki-sensei."
The three answered in unison.
The Snow Shinobi clan worked efficiently.
Three days later, Natsuki received detailed information on every shinobi clan in the Land of Snow.
He read through the docunts and felt a little disappointed.
There were no clans with kekkei genkai.
Still, that was hardly surprising.
Why would a clan possessing a powerful kekkei genkai remain in a small, frozen country like the Land of Snow?
If they moved to one of the Five Great Nations or joined one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they would receive excellent treatnt.
Even if they wished to avoid the great powers, they could settle in a smaller country with a more comfortable climate and establish themselves as a dominant local force.
Only clans with particularly troubleso or impractical kekkei genkai would be forced to remain hidden.
The Iburi clan was a good example.
Their Smoke Transformation kekkei genkai had so many weaknesses that they were eventually forced to live inside caves.
Natsuki carefully reviewed the information again.
Before long, he discovered a pleasant surprise.
Not only were there three Water Release tokubetsu jōnin, but there was also a jōnin who specialized in both genjutsu and Water Release.
There were two other jōnin as well, but they specialized in Water Release and Wind Release, so defeating them would not unlock any of his current template abilities.
"We'll begin with the Hyōga clan."
Natsuki closed the scroll.
As their na suggested, the Hyōga clan lived near the glaciers.
Because they had settled beside such a vast source of water, nearly every mber of the clan was skilled in Water Release.
The three Water Release tokubetsu jōnin Natsuki had identified, along with the jōnin who specialized in genjutsu and Water Release, all belonged to the Hyōga clan.
They were the strongest shinobi clan in the Land of Snow after Rōga's clan.
For the other local clans, producing even a single tokubetsu jōnin or jōnin was already an impressive achievent.
"We'll leave this afternoon," Natsuki continued. "Ask Kazahana Sōsetsu to send so n with us. Ideally, the other clans should lose the courage to resist before the fighting even begins."
His plan was to challenge each clan at its own residence, but the battles themselves would be fought one on one.
Rōga imdiately accepted the order.
Sōsetsu currently trusted the Snow Shinobi clan completely. Since he had already promised to help establish Yukigakure, he would not refuse such a request.
That afternoon, Sōsetsu's support exceeded even Natsuki's expectations.
He sent more than a thousand elite soldiers.
They were not shinobi, but they possessed basic taijutsu skills and could handle ordinary genin without much difficulty.
More importantly, they represented the authority of Kazahana Sōsetsu, the daimyō of the Land of Snow.
If the other shinobi clans wished to continue living within the country, they could not ignore his will.
The reason was simple.
Sōsetsu could ensure that they never received another mission from anyone in the Land of Snow.
As for enemy chūnin and jōnin, they could be handled by the Snow Shinobi clan.
The force set out in great numbers.
As they approached the Hyōga clan's territory, Natsuki ordered Rōga and the others to surround the clan's residence.
The Hyōga shinobi quickly noticed their arrival and erged one after another.
The mont they saw the vast number of soldiers and shinobi surrounding them, their expressions changed.
A deep sense of unease spread through the clan.
"Rōga Nadare, what is the aning of this?"
A middle-aged man stepped forward and confronted him.
"Suika."
Rōga looked at him calmly.
"The daimyō has ordered to establish Yukigakure. I am here to invite the Hyōga clan to join us."
"You call this an invitation?"
Suika's expression darkened.
"It is an invitation," Rōga replied without emotion. "Now state your decision."
Suika trembled with anger.
The shinobi behind him were equally furious.
However, Suika understood the situation clearly.
He had no real choice.
"I have a proposal."
Just as Suika was about to surrender, another voice rang out.
He turned toward Natsuki with a puzzled expression.
Who was this brat?
"Each side will send out five people," Natsuki continued. "The first side to win three battles will be declared the victor. If your clan wins, you will not be required to join Yukigakure."
"Are you serious?"
Suika stared at him doubtfully.
"He is."
Rōga answered imdiately.
Suika's gaze shifted between Natsuki and Rōga.
Years of experience told him that Natsuki held the higher position.
But how could that be possible?
Was Natsuki soone Sōsetsu had sent to restrain Rōga?
Could the daimyō truly place so much trust in soone so young?
"I accept."
Suika took a deep breath before calling over the four strongest shinobi in the Hyōga clan.
Natsuki glanced at them.
Four of the five were targets required for his template abilities.
"I'll fight first," Suika said as he stepped forward.
Then he looked toward Rōga.
Among the Snow Shinobi clan, only Rōga, Fubuki, and Mizore were qualified to face him.
Of the three, Rōga was unquestionably the strongest.
Yet in the next mont, sothing completely unexpected happened.
Natsuki stepped forward.
"So that's your plan."
Suika paused, then suddenly understood what he thought was happening.
"You intend to sacrifice the first match by sending this boy against , giving yourselves a better chance of winning the remaining four. How underhanded."
The corner of Natsuki's mouth twitched.
Suika had clearly assud that he was the strongest piece on his side, while Natsuki was rely a disposable pawn.
Rōga and the others struggled to keep straight faces.
"Sacrifice the match?"
Natsuki smiled faintly.
"All five of you can attack together."
"What did you say?"
Shock appeared on Suika's face.
"If all five of you defeat him together, it will count as your victory," Rōga said at the perfect mont. "We will not object afterward."
"How arrogant!"
"Our clan head alone is enough to defeat you!"
"You really have no idea how strong you are dealing with!"
The Hyōga shinobi erupted in anger.
"Enough talking."
Natsuki raised one hand.
"Yahiko, watch closely. I'll only demonstrate this once."
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus Princess!"
Blood surged from Natsuki's body and transford into two enormous masses of ice.
The ice rapidly spread outward, taking the shape of two lotus flowers, each resembling a graceful young maiden.
The two frozen maidens opened their mouths.
A wave of bitter cold poured out.
"Defend!"
Suika's expression changed drastically.
He quickly ford hand seals and spat out a water dragon.
The mont the water dragon touched the freezing air, it turned solid and crashed to the ground as an ice sculpture.
The other four shinobi imdiately ford hand seals.
Four Water Release techniques surged through the air toward Natsuki like enormous waves.
The instant they entered the frozen mist, they turned to ice and stopped in place.
"Retreat!"
Suika shouted.
All five shinobi used the Body Flicker Technique and escaped the reach of the freezing air.
"So powerful!"
Yahiko watched with complete fascination.
He had never imagined that Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals could be used in such a way.
Natsuki smiled.
This was the advantage provided by the system.
Yahiko had to discover every application through his own insight and experintation.
Natsuki did not.
The mont he obtained Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals, he gained knowledge of all its established techniques.
Suika and the others, however, were in no mood to admire the display.
They finally understood why Natsuki had stepped forward instead of Rōga.
"When did the Snow Shinobi clan produce soone as powerful as you?" Suika asked.
He had mistaken Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals for the secret Ice Release techniques used by the Snow Shinobi clan.
The two abilities looked extrely similar.
Rōga and the others were just as shocked.
Natsuki had never used Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals in front of them.
Until now, they had believed that his greatest strength was Lightning Release.
"Blood Demon Art: Wintry Icicles!"
Natsuki ignored Suika's question and swept one hand through the air.
Blood flew upward and instantly transford into countless icicles.
They rained down from the sky.
"Defend!"
Suika ford hand seals.
The five Hyōga shinobi simultaneously used Water Release: Water Formation Wall.
An enormous wall of water rose into the air and blocked the descending icicles.
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Clouds, Water Lily Bodhisattva!"
Natsuki brought his hands together.
A trendous amount of chakra transford into blood and surged into the air.
Under everyone's stunned gazes, the blood froze into an enormous bodhisattva carved from ice.
It stood more than twenty ters tall behind Natsuki, casting a vast shadow over the battlefield.
"It can even do sothing like that?"
Yahiko's eyes shone.
His entire body trembled with excitent.
A new thought appeared in Konan's mind.
Could her Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood also create sothing of this scale?
Nagato, anwhile, felt a genuine sense of urgency for the first ti.
Because of his extraordinary talent, his strength had always been greater than Yahiko's and Konan's.
Now, however, the situation was beginning to change.
With Blood Demon Arts this powerful, what level of ninjutsu would he need to learn to remain ahead of them?
"That isn't the Snow Shinobi clan's Ice Release!" Suika blurted out.
The Snow Shinobi clan's techniques relied on manipulating the surrounding ice and snow.
Yet when Natsuki created the Water Lily Bodhisattva, none of the nearby snow had moved at all.
"This is true Ice Release!" Rōga suddenly exclaid.
"I rember hearing that Kirigakure once had shinobi who possessed Ice Release," Fubuki said, her expression changing.
Could Natsuki be from Kirigakure?
There was no ti to investigate.
The ice bodhisattva moved.
It opened its mouth and exhaled a storm of ice crystals.
Suika and the others tried to defend themselves, but there were far too many.
Their techniques were overwheld almost imdiately.
Then the bodhisattva raised both hands.
Its enormous palms descended like mountains.
"We surrender!"
The sensation of death closed around Suika.
"We surrender!"
At Natsuki's command, the bodhisattva's hands stopped.
The cold wind generated by its movent still swept across Suika and the others.
They felt as though they had been thrown into the depths of a frozen cavern.
Their bodies stiffened, leaving them rooted in place.
Rōga and the others felt a chill run through them as well.
Natsuki's strength was truly impossible to asure.
Even without the Blood Curse, the Snow Shinobi clan would have no hope of resisting him.
At that mont, Rōga finally accepted reality.
He abandoned any lingering thoughts of regaining his freedom.
[Congratulations. Haku Template Ability Two has been unlocked: Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death.]
Natsuki nodded slightly.
At the sa ti, the progress toward unlocking the Bakudō ability from the Retsu Unohana Template reached four-fifths.
"Once Yukigakure is complete, move your clan there."
Natsuki dismissed Frozen Clouds, Water Lily Bodhisattva.
Suika and the others imdiately agreed.
The shinobi world respected strength above everything else.
With soone as powerful as Natsuki backing Yukigakure, joining the village was far from a bad outco.
"We're moving on to the next clan."
Natsuki turned and walked away.
Rōga and the others quickly followed.
Natsuki did not personally fight the remaining clans.
The primary purpose of the expedition was to give Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato more combat experience.
One week later, every shinobi clan in the Land of Snow had submitted.
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato had all improved to varying degrees.
Yahiko had made the greatest progress.
Natsuki had demonstrated several applications of Blood Demon Art: Ice Crystals for him.
Of course, Yahiko had yet to grasp even the basics of the most difficult techniques, such as Frozen Clouds, Water Lily Bodhisattva and Frozen Lotus Princess.
Before long, July arrived.
Yukigakure was successfully established, and all the shinobi clans moved into the village as agreed.
Although it was nowhere near the size of Konoha, the village was already lively and well populated.
[Congratulations. Haku Template Ability Three has been unlocked: Ice Release: Ice Do.]
Just as Natsuki had expected.
Unlocking Ice Release: Ice Do was effectively the sa as unlocking Ice Release itself.
Although he did not possess many established Ice Release techniques, he could develop his own.
"Nadare."
Natsuki returned his attention to Rōga.
"Yukigakure has been established. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Lord Natsuki, this..."
Rōga hesitated.
So ti earlier, he had finally learned Natsuki's true identity.
When he discovered that this was the sa Natsuki from Konoha, he had remained stunned for a long ti.
"The only reason I stayed this long was to ensure that Yukigakure and the Daybreak Company's branch were properly established," Natsuki continued. "I'll leave everything here in your hands, but I'll return regularly to inspect your progress. Do not disappoint ."
"Yes, Lord Natsuki!"
Rōga answered solemnly.
"Your most important task will be technological developnt," Natsuki reminded him.
Although the Daybreak Company's branch in the Land of Snow had already been established, it would not sell Stamina Recovery Potions.
Its sole purpose was research.
Natsuki had also transferred all the researchers from the Land of Rain to the Land of Snow.
The environnt was harsh, but the country was relatively safe.
Research conducted here was far less likely to attract unwanted attention.
More importantly, the Land of Snow possessed unusually advanced technology.
Its trains and airships could eventually be adapted for transporting water.
After finishing his instructions, Natsuki returned to the Land of Rain with Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.
Returning ho after so long left the three children feeling unexpectedly emotional.
It was the first ti they had ever spent such a long period away from the Land of Rain.
Their gains, however, had been considerable.
Both their strength and their experience had improved significantly.
At the sa ti, deep within a dark underground chamber, Madara read through the information gathered on Nagato and the others.
"This Natsuki is fairly capable."
The progress of the three children had exceeded his expectations.
"Akatsuki is developing quickly as well," White Zetsu said. "Madara, should we interfere?"
"There is no need."
Madara shook his head.
"Compared to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Akatsuki's current developnt is insignificant."
With his strength, he could easily control one of the Five Kage and rule a major shinobi village from the shadows.
Taking control of Kirigakure or Sunagakure would require little effort.
Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure would be sowhat more troubleso, but even they were not beyond his reach.
In short, Akatsuki's developnt did not concern him.
If anything, the more important Akatsuki beca to Nagato, the more useful it would be.
When the ti ca, its destruction could serve as the catalyst that finally changed him.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)
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