The winter snow fell heavier and heavier, like a thick white shroud, completely covering the Land of Swamps and the Land of Darkness.
The severe consequences of the Land of Stars' comprehensive trade interruption began to manifest wildly.
Both countries, already suffering from poor harvests due to natural disasters, were plunged completely into a food crisis.
The market price of grain had long soared to a despairingly high price, and even then, there was no market for it.
Ordinary merchants and minor nobles also began to feel the pressure, but the top-tier nobles and Daimyos still feasted and reveled night after day, as if the tragedies outside their gates had nothing to do with them.
In the cities, more and more civilians froze or starved to death. Their bodies were casually discarded in alley corners or paupers' graves, quickly buried by the heavy snow. Despair was spreading.
Finally, some people driven to the brink gathered together and risked everything, raiding the warehouses and mansions of unscrupulous wealthy merchants and minor nobles.
Sporadic resistance and riots began to erupt in the towns of both countries.
However, the long-standing oppression of the class system and ideological imprisonment were so heavy that the vast majority of the bottom-tier populace, even watching their loved ones starve and freeze to death, remained numbly enduring, not daring to entertain even a thought of resistance.
The sporadic resistance was quickly and bloodily suppressed by the two countries' partial withdrawal of border troops, the strengthened suppression forces of the nobles' private soldiers, and samurai.
And, laughably or rather tragically, the two countries' Daimyos and nobles not only gave no thought to relieving the disaster victims but instead intensified their efforts.
Under the pretexts of 'wartime' and 'resisting the Land of Stars' invasion', they enacted even harsher tax laws, madly squeezing the last bit of wealth from the populace to fund their armies and extravagant lifestyles.
Star City, the top floor office of the administration building.
Menma stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the snow-blanketed yet orderly city outside.
Kanon stood behind him, giving a detailed report on the intelligence gathered from various sources.
"...In summary, sir. The resentment among the lower classes of the Land of Darkness and Land of Swamps is like a volcano about to erupt, but it's being firmly suppressed by long-term high-pressure rule and the severe cold."
"The nobles of both countries still live in a drunken dream, extorting exorbitant taxes and levies. Kazahana Doto has personally led the main force of Yukigakure's Ninja to the Land of Darkness's border and reached some agreement with the Land of Darkness's Daimyo. They seem to believe winter is their absolute home ground."
Menma listened quietly, his deep blue eyes unfathomable.
After a moment, he sighed softly, a trace of barely perceptible disappointment in his voice: "The awakening of the people is even slower and more difficult than anticipated... Centuries of long-term oppression have erased the last of their innate courage?"
But he quickly suppressed this sentiment, his gaze becoming sharp and determined: "However, the timing is about right. Kazahana Doto has personally jumped into this trap. It's just right to resolve the unruly cold current of the Land of Snow along with these two rotten nations, the Land of Darkness and Land of Swamps."
He turned to face Kanon, his tone decisive: "Pass the order! Begin pre-battle preparations according to the original plan! Once the main Yukigakure's Ninja Force led by Kazahana Doto moves out, immediately execute the annihilation operation!!"
"Yes, sir!" Kanon's eyes shone with excitement and reverence. She bowed, accepted the order, and quickly turned to leave and make arrangements.
…
Just as the situation in the western part of the Ninja Continent changed rapidly, shrouded in war clouds...
In the distant Land of Fire, Konoha Village.
Inside a busy movie filming studio.
'Fujikaze Yukie' is only twelve years old but already showing signs of peerless beauty. At this time, she sat before a makeup mirror, letting the makeup artist carefully doll her up. She had long black hair, skin whiter than snow, and exquisite features, but deep within her beautiful blue eyes lay a trace of melancholy and alienation that didn't match her age.
She was currently getting her makeup done for her next Ninja-themed film.
Suddenly, the door to the makeup room was thrown open!
Her manager, Asama Sandayu, who always appeared meticulous with his small black-rimmed glasses, rushed in urgently, his expression unusually serious.
"Sorry, everyone, please step out for a moment. I need to discuss something important with Yukie-san," Sandayu's voice was urgent.
The makeup artists and assistants looked at each other, but under Sandayu's stern gaze, they quickly packed their things and withdrew, closing the door behind them.
The room was left with just the two of them.
Sandayu took a deep breath, quickly walked over to Yukie, pulled a few crumpled newspapers from his chest, and spread them out on the dressing table with trembling hands.
"Princess! Look at this!" His voice was hoarse with excitement, even using the long-forbidden form of address.
Fujikaze Yukie, the stage name under which Kazahana Koyuki was active, frowned slightly and looked somewhat displeased at the newspapers.
The headline news caught her eye: [Famine Spreads in Land of Darkness and Land of Swamps, Social Unrest!], [Land of Stars Halts Trade, Worsening Situation for Both Nations!], [Land of Snow Announces Military Protection for the Land of Darkness and Land of Swamps, Intervenes in Regional Dispute!]
"What... what does this have to do with me?" Koyuki's voice held a barely perceptible tremble. She instinctively tried to look away.
"Princess! How can it not be related!" Sandayu pointed excitedly at the report about the Land of Snow, his voice lowering but growing more urgent: "Look! That traitor Kazahana Doto! He has personally led the core elite of the Yukigakure's Ninja out of the Land of Snow! The country is empty now! This is a golden opportunity we haven't seen in a thousand years!"
He grabbed Koyuki's shoulders, his eyes bloodshot and fanatical behind his glasses: "Your Highness! Stop running away! You are the only bloodline of Sosetsu-sama! The rightful heir to the Land of Snow!"
"The old retainers of the late Sosetsu-sama, more than forty of them, are scattered across the Land of Snow living under assumed names! They all received great kindness from Sosetsu-sama. If you raise your banner and call, they will surely follow you unto death! We can gather our strength, kill our way back to the palace, retake the throne that belongs to you! Avenge Sosetsu-sama!"
Sandayu's words were like thunder, exploding beside Koyuki's ears.
Those icy, bloody memory fragments she had deliberately forgotten instantly flooded her mind.
Her uncle Doto's sinister smile, her father's blood, the cold palace, the endless fleeing...
Her face instantly turned deathly pale. Her body trembled violently uncontrollably. She shook off Sandayu's hands, retreating several steps like a frightened fawn, her voice full of fear and resistance: "Stop it! Sandayu! Don't say anymore! I'm not any princess! I'm just Fujikaze Yukie! An actress! The throne of the Land of Snow has nothing to do with me anymore! I don't want to go back to that cold place!"
"And please, stop wasting your effort!"
Her voice was tearful. Her blue eyes were filled with deep fear and retreat, as if the Land of Snow, which only existed in memories and reports, was a nightmare that could swallow her whole.
Koyuki turned around, hugged her arms tightly, and buried her face, her shoulders shaking slightly.
Sandayu looked at Koyuki in this state, a flash of heartache and unwillingness in his eyes.
He opened his mouth, but it finally turned into a helpless sigh. He silently picked up the newspapers from the floor and carefully put them away.
The flame of restoration burned in his heart, but Koyuki's resistance and emotional knots were clearly not something that could be undone overnight.
However, Sandayu still found a way to send secret letters to the old friends in the Land of Snow, to first contact them and wait for the right opportunity.