---

  Kakashi looked at Naruto sceptically, not expecting him to come up with a reliable pn, and asked, "Let's be honest, what's the best course of action?"

  Naruto stroked an imaginary beard and said, "The best strategy is simple: I transform, send him a K-boom, and turn the whole pace into a ft nd. It's straightforward, rough, and efficient. I doubt his armour can withstand it."

  Kakashi immediately understood what Naruto meant by 'sending the big Ivan' and rejected the idea, "No. This is an S-rank mission, not a vilge-destroying one. That kind of move would turn all the vilges against Konoha."

  Naruto, undeterred, continued, "Okay, pn B: I sneak in and give them a limited edition of the Nine-Tails Rampage at the Snow King's Pace. We all know people go berserk when provoked. If they provoke me, I can't be bmed for it, right? Konoha won't take the heat."

  Kakashi shook his head again. "That won't work either. Konoha's Jinchuriki going berserk in the Snow King's Pace? That'd be impossible to justify. Don't come up with pns that sound like something a terrorist group would do."

  Naruto smacked his lips in disappointment. Ever since he bonded with Kurama, he hadn't fully unleashed his beast form.

  "Then we're left with the st option. We wait for him to make the first move and then 'accidentally' injure him while protecting the target. But that feels too passive. I'd rather take the initiative."

  "I guess that's the pn," Kakashi agreed. "But we need to be careful. 'Accidental injury' can only get us so far… how did Iruka teach him the common nguage of the ninja world, anyway?"

  [Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Iruka sneezed and rubbed his nose, thinking it must be Konohamaru skipping css again. He made a mental note to double his homework.]

  Sasuke and Sakura both agreed with Kakashi. Sakura found the pn more reasonable, while Sasuke thought, "If Naruto takes out all the enemies, what am I supposed to do? How will I grow stronger if I don't fight?"

  With their pn settled, they followed San Taifu's group out of the cave, heading toward the pace.

  Before long, a train arrived, stopping just a short distance from them.

  Naruto, ever the opportunist, thought to himself, "This is exactly the kind of thing we should introduce in the Land of Fire. Want to get rich? Build roads first."

  Everyone stayed alert, watching the train closely.

  A film crew immediately rushed to a good vantage point, ying down a thick white cloth to blend into the snow and start filming. Their efficiency almost rivalled that of shinobi.

  Doto emerged from the front of the train, arms spread wide and sneered, "It's been a long time, Koyuki. Let me take a good look at you."

  Koyuki instinctively clutched the hexagonal crystal around her neck, biting her lip, unable to speak.

  Sandayu drew his sword, stepped forward and shouted, "Doto! Do you know how long we've waited for this moment? Fifty of us, including me, Sandayu Asama, are here to avenge the te king, His Majesty Kazahana Sōsetsu!"

  "Oh!!" Dozens of warriors raised their weapons in agreement.

  Doto looked disdainfully at the ragtag group of old, weak, and injured warriors. "Ah, Sandayu, you're still alive? It seems my men failed to finish you off. It doesn't matter; I'll show you the true meaning of despair!"

  Sandayu didn't waste any more words. He raised his sword high and shouted, "Her Highness is watching us! Victory is ours! Charge!"

  "Attack!"

  Fifty warriors charged at Doto as though they had a thousand soldiers backing them.

  Though they were weak, they were undeniably brave to fight Doto.

  Doto smirked, signalling his men. The sides of the train cars folded open, revealing rows of firing ports.

  "Fire!"

  On his command, the mechanisms inside the train clicked into action. Each car had 300 firing ports, and ten cars unleashed kunai simultaneously. It was more impressive than Tenten's Twin Dragon move.

  Three thousand kunai flew per second in continuous waves, with no visible break in the loading process.

  Just as it seemed the fifty warriors would be wiped out, Kakashi acted quickly, forming hand seals.

  "Earth Release: Multiple Earth Walls!"

  Four earthen walls rose from the ground, blocking the onsught from all sides. Two dog heads were carved on each wall Kakashi's signature.

  "What just happened?" Some warriors had charged too fast and smacked right into the walls, rubbing their heads in confusion, unaware they had just avoided certain death.

  As the others caught on, they looked over the walls and gasped.

  "Tezuka!"

  "No two!"

  "Keep moving!"

  Several unlucky warriors outside the protective walls were turned into human pincushions within moments. Their flimsy armour couldn't stand up to the kunai barrage.

  "Damn it!" Sandayu, along with the surviving warriors, watched helplessly as their comrades fell.

  Once the attack ceased, Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke jumped up onto the earth's walls. Naruto took one gnce at the damage. The mechanism was so powerful that even the carvings of the dogs' heads were barely recognizable.

  "Well, well, look who it is!" Doto excimed, recognizing Kakashi instantly. "Hatake Kakashi, it's been a while. How about you come with me?"

  "I'm afraid I can't do that." Kakashi raised his headband, revealing his Sharingan.

  "Then let's see how much you've improved," Doto challenged, removing his cloak to reveal advanced bck armour, far superior to what Nadare had worn.

  Naruto whispered to Sakura, "Has Kakashi fought him before?"

  Sakura and even Sasuke, while pretending not to listen, gnced at Kakashi curiously.

  Kakashi seemed slightly embarrassed by the question. "I wouldn't say 'fought' exactly… It was more of a skirmish. We didn't get to settle it back then."

  "Oh, I see," Naruto said, realizing it was probably a draw. That meant Nadare had also been a five-to-five matchup.

  Meanwhile, the soldiers operating the train's weapons joined the fray, charging with their weapons drawn.

  "Kakashi-sensei, they made the first move," Naruto flexed his wrists, ready for action.

  Sasuke activated his Sharingan. "That guy seems strong."

  "Indeed," Kakashi replied, though it wasn't clear who he was addressing.

  Naruto, of course, assumed Kakashi was speaking to him. Watching the one hundred armed soldiers rushing toward them, Naruto imitated Kizaru's tone and said:

  "It's so scary~ Ganging up on us like this!"

  ---

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