Chapter 17: The Ice Phoenix

Tōshirō looked at her closely, almost saying, "No, no, you really can't do that."

The fox, unwilling to accept defeat, challenged him. After a moment, she began to feel embarrassed, scratching her ear. "But by the way, what exactly is riding?"

Tōshirō answered shyly, "Riding refers to creatures used for transportation. So, the basic requirement is to be large, like Ponfu, the one we're riding now. You're too small to be a mount for me. Maybe I should be the one riding you."

It made sense. Throughout the journey, this little fox had been perched on Tōshirō's back, making him feel like he had become her ride.

The fox understood the concept. She wasn't dumb, just lacking in knowledge: "So, I can become a ride for you once I grow bigger? I could serve you day and night. What do you think? Let me become your spiritual beast."

The fox flattered him with all she had, seeking to secure Tōshirō as a long-term supporter.

Hmm...

Day and night, huh?

What suggestive words.

Her voice was soft and seductive. Though she meant no harm, Tōshirō started to think inappropriate thoughts. If he didn't know she was just a naive little fox, he might have thought she was trying to seduce him.

Tōshirō wiped his eyes, and fortunately, he wasn't blind, as it was impossible to feel any attraction toward a fox. Despite all her flattery, Tōshirō remained as steadfast as an emotionless monk.

The killer whale was swift, and in the blink of an eye, it brought them to the icy island. Upon entering, they saw some ice sculptures resembling penguins, seagulls, and other creatures, all so intricately carved that they looked almost real.

Tōshirō couldn't help but be amazed: "Truly, this is a grand place befitting the great ones."

Suddenly, the killer whale's mother said, "These aren't sculptures; they're creatures that failed in cultivating the sage arts."

"Sage arts?"

Tōshirō wondered, "Aren't failed creatures supposed to turn into stone?"

The killer whale's mother looked at him in surprise. She was explaining it unintentionally but didn't expect this human child to know the answer, making her gaze more thoughtful:

"The process of cultivating immortal arts leads to different side effects depending on the species. But... these are complicated matters, usually beyond your reach at such a young age."

Tōshirō responded honestly, "I read about it in some books in my family, so I have some knowledge."

Realizing he had revealed more than he intended, Tōshirō decided to admit it truthfully to avoid suspicion.

"Your family?"

Tōshirō continued, "I'm from the Uchiha clan."

The killer whale's mother commented, "The Uchiha clan? Indeed, a remarkable family."

"Is the Uchiha clan strong?" the fox asked curiously, intrigued by Tōshirō's family background.

"Yes, the Uchiha clan can be considered one of the most powerful families on that continent."

"That continent?"

Tōshirō caught onto the key phrase.

He had seen a map of the Naruto world, and it seemed unusually small. Traveling from Konoha to the Sand Village took only three days on foot, which didn't make sense. Perhaps the map was just a small, approximate depiction of a much larger world.

The territories of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind together made up roughly 30% of the visible map, highlighting how limited Naruto's view of the world was.

The killer whale's mother elaborated, "Yes, my former master spent decades crossing the seas to reach the continent where you live."

"So, does that mean the Polar Ice Prison isn't located on our continent?"

"Correct."

Tōshirō fell into deep thought. He had long suspected that his region might be a small, isolated island, similar in size to a small country in the previous world. Perhaps on the other side of the ocean lived another group of humans, and now it seemed his suspicions were confirmed.

There's a term in the Naruto world that refers to wars: "village wars."

This indicates battles that occur between large villages, like Konoha and other villages.

But these matters weren't what Tōshirō was concerned about at the moment. First, he needed to clearly understand the area of his "Earth Farm."

As he pondered, they reached their destination. Tōshirō disembarked on the shore, and after a moment, noticed a plump, round creature resembling a bird waddling toward them.

Tōshirō recognized the creature; it must be a penguin.

The killer whale's mother saw the penguin and explained why they had come.

Through the conversation between the two, Tōshirō learned that this penguin was named "Mani," and he seemed to hold some importance in this place.

Mani said, "Human child, follow me."

Tōshirō nodded.

He followed Mani the penguin into an ice cave. He didn't know how long they walked until they reached the center of the ice cave, which turned out to be an open space, not a cave at all.

At the same time, Tōshirō finally saw the "Ice Empress" he had been eager to meet.

On a massive ice platform, there was a giant bird-like creature, but it didn't have the usual feathers of birds. Instead, its entire body was dark blue, translucent, and glimmering, like a colossal ice statue.

Beside it stood an old woman, her face full of wrinkles and her hair white as snow. Although time had left its mark on her, her eyes still held a hint of beauty, suggesting she had been beautiful in her youth.

A human?

Tōshirō felt a sense of joy at seeing someone of his own kind, but he soon noticed her fur-covered ears and the tail behind her.

At that moment, the old woman noticed Tōshirō, and as if she had discovered a new toy, she smiled and approached him, quickly standing before him and saying, "Oh my, where did you come from, you handsome little one? Let me take a good look at you; perhaps a thorough examination would be better."

Tōshirō froze upon hearing this, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

What's wrong with this rude old lady? She completely shattered the image of kind grandmothers I had.

"My lady... please, show some respect."

Tōshirō reached out his hand to stop this old woman from getting any closer.

Regardless of the facts, Tōshirō had no bias against large vehicles, but this vintage model? No, thank you.

The old woman said, "You really are cold-hearted."

Oh my, don't you realize why I'm acting cold?

Tōshirō suppressed his urge to complain.

The penguin commented, "Fox lady, can't you stop causing trouble? You can't even leave the children alone."

Tōshirō was trying to remain calm out of hospitality, but the penguin wasn't as forgiving and began arguing with her. This made Tōshirō respect the penguin, as it was full of positive energy.

Through the argument, Tōshirō learned that the fox lady's name was "Baosi."

But what did the penguin just say? Did he say "fox"?

Tōshirō looked at the old woman in front of him with a face full of surprise. Could a spiritual creature evolve into a human form?

But after thinking about it, it seemed possible.

He remembered that the maids in the Dragon's Lair appeared in human form, making him accept the idea.

Tōshirō cast a glance at the fox on the ground.

The fox felt his gaze, tilted her head, and looked puzzled.

The Ice Empress's gaze fell on Tōshirō from behind, and he felt an intense chill. It wasn't out of fear, but simply because he felt cold.

Tōshirō secretly admired her in his heart, "Indeed, she is the Ice Phoenix. Every movement reveals a coldness that goes beyond the physical level. I'm afraid the chill I felt was just unintentional, highlighting how terrifying her ability to manipulate the surrounding natural energy is."

"It's rare to see a human child come here."

The Ice Empress's voice was feminine and soft, contrasting with her cold power, giving the impression that she was easy to talk to.

Yes, just like me.

Tōshirō shamelessly attributed this trait to himself.

When the great leader spoke, the two subordinates who had been arguing earlier realized they couldn't behave recklessly.

(Author's Note: The Aurora Ice Zone won't appear often because it wasn't part of the original work. This area serves as a convenient training ground for the main character, where he can advance his skills without a mentor, as the Sannin didn't reach their high levels for no reason.)

(End of Chapter)

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