KT - Chapter 456 - 457: Encounter

After leaving the room, Kazuyama headed north toward the coastline. He didn’t need to search for Terumi’s whereabouts—he had already contacted Ichikishimahime the moment they arrived.

At the time, Terumi was training in ninjutsu by the sea, with Ichikishimahime supervising nearby.

According to Ichikishimahime, the two had reached a truce. She helped Terumi refine her training, while Terumi dutifully attended to the Snake Princess of Ryūchi Cave.

“Sensei, where are we going?”

“Stop asking. Keep walking. You’ll meet your sparring partner soon.”

Kazuyama glanced at Kakashi, whose face was dusted with snowflakes, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Kakashi was always the cool, stoic kid, but looking like this? Tch—he should really snap a picture and save it for blackmail later.

Before long, they reached the shoreline.

Terumi was in the middle of training under Ichikishimahime’s watch.

“Lower your stance. How are you going to withstand the impact of the waves like that?”

“Pull your chakra in. Don’t waste it. How much chakra do you think you’ve got to spare?”

“In real combat, every ounce of wasted chakra could cost you your life.”

Ichikishimahime sat gracefully on a rock, surrounded by a protective barrier formed by her Senjutsu chakra, keeping the snowflakes at bay.

Terumi stood knee-deep in the sea, letting the waves crash into her body. This was the regimen Ichikishimahime had arranged.

The force of the waves was a powerful way to temper the body, and she instructed Terumi to coat her body in chakra to resist the impact. It might’ve looked unconventional, but it was surprisingly effective.

One glance at Terumi’s drenched, battered form—and her intense focus—told you how seriously she was taking it.

“Yo, hard at work, huh?”

“Ichikishimahime, I’m back. And I brought you a new trainee.”

Kazuyama’s arrival didn’t surprise Ichikishimahime. Thanks to the Coiling Serpent Technique linking them, she’d sensed him long before he arrived.

Kakashi trailed behind his teacher, eyes glued to Terumi in the distance.

No—more accurately, his attention was locked on the training she was undergoing.

Wave impact training? It looked brutal—but effective. Definitely something that could help toughen up his body.

Lately, Kakashi had thrown himself into physical conditioning without pause.

Kazuyama had told him early on—physical strength was the foundation. Without a solid body, he’d never be able to master the wide range of ninjutsu he aspired to use.

And his family’s sword style demanded just as much physical endurance.

The training in front of him? It sparked something. He was definitely interested.

“Hm? This your student?”

“I think I’ve heard of him… Kakashi Hatake, right?”

Ichikishimahime gave Kakashi a quick glance. The Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave were familiar with everyone around Kazuyama. After all, he often summoned them for help, and over time, they’d come to know all his people.

“Yeah. Terumi’s been training alone for too long—it’s boring. You can’t get stronger just by shutting yourself away.”

“So, I brought her a companion.”

“I think she’ll be interested.”

Kazuyama suddenly smiled, and Ichikishimahime chuckled behind her hand.

She still remembered how he once sweet-talked Terumi with the promise of finding her a “match.” So he’s actually making good on that now? How amusing.

Seeing her laugh, Kazuyama knew she got his meaning. He then looked toward Terumi, still standing out in the sea, diligently training.

Terumi hadn’t noticed his arrival—nor the gift he’d brought.

But the next moment, the pounding waves abruptly vanished, catching her off guard.

A massive wall of water had risen to block the crashing tide. The sheer scale of it was staggering.

“That’s enough training for today.”

“I brought you a gift, my dear student.”

The familiar voice came from behind. She turned to see her shameless teacher standing there.

“Kazuyama? You’re here?”

“Why’d you stop my training?”

At first, Terumi had been skeptical of Kazuyama’s earlier promises.

But once Ichikishimahime started helping her train, she had become convinced.

Life in Kirigakure meant constantly facing death—it was kill or be killed. Only by having the strength and confidence to survive could she keep going.

Now she had a better training method and a much more livable environment. Compared to the Blood Mist Village, the Land of Frost was a paradise. What more could she ask for?

“You brat—show some respect and call me ‘sensei’!”

“If I hadn’t asked Ichikishimahime to stay, do you think you’d be training this smoothly?”

“Ungrateful. Come on, I brought you a partner.”

He grabbed Terumi and used Flying Thunder God to return them to shore.

Just like that, the two kids finally met face-to-face.

The moment Terumi laid eyes on Kakashi, she instantly recognized him—he was the one from the photo Kazuyama had shown her.

Even with a mask, Kakashi had a certain aura about him. Somehow, it made him even more striking.

For a second, Terumi was frozen.

Kakashi, meanwhile, didn’t waste a moment. As soon as she landed, he stepped forward eagerly.

“That training you were doing—what’s it like?”

“How long have you been at it?”

“Does it work well?”

And just like that, Straightforward Kakashi was in full force.

Kazuyama stared blankly. Ichikishimahime was speechless.

Only Terumi fell into a daze, a single thought echoing in her mind: “His voice… it’s so powerful…”

Was Kakashi really that charming? Or was Terumi just really good at hypnotizing herself?

Either way, as Kakashi stepped closer and spoke, she actually blushed.

Kazuyama couldn’t hold back his laughter. Ichikishimahime joined in immediately after.

This was too good. The girl actually blushed!

“Hey, are you even listening to me?”

“Ah? Ah? What did you say? My name’s Terumi. What’s yours?”

Kakashi: ...Was that what I asked?

Terumi: Oh no, was I too forward? I should be more reserved! But wow, he’s so handsome. Way better than the guys back in the village...

“Alright, Terumi. His name’s Kakashi. He’ll be training with you for a while.”

“You two will have plenty of time to get to know each other.”

“For now, the sashimi in the Land of Frost is top-tier. Let’s eat.”

Flying Thunder God was perfect for travel.

In the blink of an eye, they were all back at their residence in the Land of Frost.

(Note: Chapter 456 doesn’t exist in the raws — a chapter was simply skipped to keep the numbering aligned with the raws.)