Chapter 193 The Calm Before The Storm

"That damned brat!" Koyuki was restrained by her attendants, "Let me go! I want to..."

Over the sea, white birds glided across the blue sky, with the blazing sun casting its warm rays.

The sea breeze tousled her hair as Koyuki's gaze passed through the crew's props and people, finally locking onto the blonde lazily leaning against the railing in the distance.

Naruto, seemingly unconcerned, was reclining against the railings, basking in the sun. His golden hair fluttered messily over his forehead, and he wore a fitted, fleece-lined black combat suit, his eyes wandering elsewhere.

Sakura stood beside him. She had been following Naruto since they boarded the ship. She rarely spoke, just following him and watching the seascape in silence.

Initially, Naruto found her uncharacteristically quiet, a stark contrast from the Sakura he used to know. But eventually, he grew accustomed to it.

'Whether it was Pink Sakura or Dark Sakura, as long as she was obedient, she was Good Sakura.'

For some reason, Naruto sensed that Dark Sakura seemed especially compliant to his words. Over time, he didn't mind this change.

Originally, he had little interest in Sakura, mainly to avoid getting entangled in the drama of bringing Sasuke back. Now, it seemed that wasn't an issue anymore. After all, ever since Dark Sakura took over, her feelings towards Sasuke seemed to have faded.

Naruto's thoughts didn't linger on Sakura for long. On the other side of the deck, Koyuki had already been restrained by her manager. The props team was setting up the scene, seemingly preparing for filming.

"This sea area is relatively calm, so the crew is rushing the shooting schedule." Anko suddenly jumped out from a corner and landed steadily with a thud.

"Princess Fuun still holds a grudge against you, so if you have nothing to do, you'd better stay away from her and not provoke her." Anko turned her head and glanced at Naruto, and warned.

"Who wants to provoke her?" Naruto curled his lips, "I'm just trying to get the mission over with as soon as possible. Dealing with a fussy client is a hassle."

The crew continued assembling the stage background, with lighting and cameras already in place.

In the distance, Koyuki had given up struggling and sat resignedly on a small stool, surrounded by several people who were busy applying makeup and fixing her hair.

A crimson brush swept across Koyuki's full lips, making them appear bright and glossy.

The backdrop was the endless sea, and Koyuki stared blankly ahead, her expression lazy and indifferent. Her blue eyes shifted slightly, seemingly glancing in Naruto's direction.

"It seems like she's looking at us?" Sakura commented.

"Just ignore it."

The filming soon commenced, with actors and props in position.

Koyuki played the role of Princess Fuun, a courageous and resilient princess fighting to reclaim her kingdom. Her character was able to face her inner fears and bravely draw her sword.

Interestingly, this character is the exact opposite of Koyuki's real personality.

She is timid, evasive and lazy.

However, apart from Naruto and the former minister of the Land of Snow, who posed as her manager, almost no one knew Koyuki's true identity. This only added an extra layer of irony to the situation.

Naruto stared at Koyuki, who had finished dressing up and was kneeling in the set to prepare her emotions. When the clapperboard clicked, Koyuki's expression instantly changed, and she slipped seamlessly into her role.

"Princess Fuun is so amazing." Sakura praised, then added in a quieter voice, "Her acting is really good."

The voyage that should have taken about seven or eight days had stretched into half a month due to a persistent sea storm, leaving them adrift without reaching the Land of Snow. The extreme weather made filming impossible, forcing everyone to huddle in the ship's cabin, waiting in silence.

Even for Shinobi, there wasn't much difference compared to ordinary people when facing the vast sea.

The storm raged across the sea, and the crew's only hope lay in the food reserves within the cabin. But as time dragged on, everyone's anxiety grew.

On this ship, the director held more authority than the captain and would visit the crew members daily, offering reassurance. He repeated the same comforting words over and over, and these scenes would typically last for half the day.

"Everyone, don't worry! Storms at sea are quite common, and the route has been verified by the Land of Water's Shinobi, so it's absolutely safe!"

"The fresh water and food on the ship are also enough to last everyone for two months. In three days at most, we should be near the waters close to the Land of Snow."

The director's hoarse voice echoed in the corridor.

Naruto stayed in the small cabin, glancing out the porthole at the ominous rolling clouds. He flopped onto the bed with a smack, muttering in complaint.

"We really can't avoid the storm, huh? At this rate, 'Snow Princess Ninja Scroll' is going to turn into 'Robinson Crusoe'."

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door, and Naruto turned over and wanted to draw his sword upon hearing this, but he forced himself to hold it back.

He got up from the bed and opened the door, and Sakura was standing at the door with food in her hands.

Since the day before yesterday, food has been distributed in portions.

Before this, no one could have expected such a thing to happen. In order to avoid the storm at sea, they ended up circling around into an even more dangerous area.

"What brings you here?" Naruto asked.

The corridor was filled with a salty, damp smell. To save energy, the lights were off, so the entire hallway seemed shrouded in a gray fog at this time.

The sound of waves crashing was clearly audible from the deck, and everything around them swayed slightly.

Fortunately, both Naruto and Sakura were Shinobi. They habitually used Chakra on their feet to cling to the floor, preventing themselves from being tossed around. Anko was constantly by Koyuki's side as her guard and had no time to bother with them.

"I couldn't finish mine, so I brought some to share with you." Sakura said with a smile.

The food was all stored in the hold at the bottom of the ship, sealed behind a heavy oak door. Naruto had been there once while checking for safety hazards, and it was filled with large barrels of fine wine, stacked in the corners.

"Come on in." Naruto said, stepping aside.

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