In the Shinobi World, aside from certain special forbidden techniques, secret techniques, Kekkei Tōta, and the like, even Kekkei Genkai rarely possessed the power to achieve decisive results in such a short time.
Therefore, when he saw Satoru use a technique suspected to be an Ice Release Kekkei Genkai to freeze him, the Sand shinobi jonin had still been confident that he could break free and counterattack.
Of course, reality not only slapped him brutally across the face, but also mercilessly took his life.
Ice Release was a Kekkei Genkai created by combining Water Release and Wind Release, and it occasionally appeared in the Shinobi World.
Legend had it that such shinobi existed in both the Land of Water and the Land of Snow, though there was a difference between them.
The Land of Water was said to have clans capable of using their own Chakra to perform ice-based secret techniques. That was a genuine Ice Release Kekkei Genkai.
The so-called "Ice Release" of the Land of Snow, on the other hand, merely relied on that country's frozen environment and used Wind Release as support. It was not a Kekkei Genkai ability.
And on the desert plains of the Land of Wind, let alone ice, there was not even any water.
"Th-this... this is undoubtedly a true Ice Release Kekkei Genkai..."
"I... I must relay... the intelligence..."
Gritting his teeth, the burly Sand chunin who had first been blasted in the face by Satoru's Dragon's Breath and then clubbed over the head could not pass out even if he wanted to, thanks to the lingering burning effect.
His severe injuries left him unable to move at all. He could only grit his teeth, remain silent, and slowly recover his strength.
The parts of his body badly burned by Dragon's Breath had already carbonized. The double torment of body and mind forced him to use every ounce of his strength just to keep from screaming.
In the burly chunin's eyes, dealing with those two bizarre Konoha genin brats should have been effortless for the jonin.
What was more, that jonin was an ANBU shinobi skilled in assassination!
Yet he had never imagined that not only would one of the genin brats escape beyond the jonin's reach, but the jonin himself would, in such a short time...
Be utterly crushed and killed by that little brat!
Crack...
"He... he must be one of Konoha's hidden geniuses. I must... huh?"
"..."
The burly chunin's expression turned ugly as he suddenly realized that he could no longer feel his feet!
And the cause was the solid ice that had appeared around his feet at some unknown time!
"I've been discovered!"
The burly chunin abruptly raised his head and saw Satoru's eyes gleaming with a blinding light in the distance.
"Still not dead? Honestly..."
Satoru shook his head regretfully. Under the surveillance of Mage Eye, the burly chunin's supposedly decent disguise had not escaped his notice.
Ice crystals glittered as a translucent spear of ice rapidly formed in Satoru's right hand.
"The longer this drags on, the more likely something unexpected will happen. It wouldn't be good if someone else found us."
"So, please die in peace."
Before a mine at the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain, Mr. Ito excitedly wiped away sweat again and again.
"Ha... haha! We've finally arrived!"
"Those damn bastards from the Land of Wind, let's see how you keep playing tricks now!"
The old butler, who had remained mostly silent throughout the journey, also looked emotional. This mine was his employer's greatest asset.
Seeing the guards standing watch at the entrance to the mine in the distance, Mikoto let out a sigh of relief.
"This is the destination... so we just need to go in directly, right?"
"It won't be that simple..."
Samurai Sanada, who had been so suppressed by the shinobi's performance that he could barely raise his head, gripped the sword at his waist.
"They've already noticed us, yet they haven't come forward to greet us. Is that how they treat their employer?"
Mikoto was startled and carefully observed the guards' movements—
"Some of them went back inside. Are they calling someone? Could it be..."
"Hehe... it seems our mission isn't over yet," Orochimaru said with a cold laugh. "Mr. Ito, are you sure those documents will really work?"
"This..."
Mr. Ito's expression darkened. With the facts laid out before him, he was no longer certain of the Land of Wind officials' integrity.
"I don't recognize any of these guards, but as long as my former men are still in the mine, there definitely won't be a problem!"
Mr. Ito clenched his teeth hard. They had already reached the mine's entrance—how could he possibly accept leaving without going in?
Besides, things had not yet reached their worst point. The mine had only been given unfamiliar guards; even its sign had not been changed—
It still read "Ito Mining" rather than "Land of Wind XXX," which meant the Land of Wind officials were merely trying to cover things up.
"They're coming!"
Samurai Sanada stepped in front of his employer and the butler. He had only acted a few times during the journey and had long been itching for a fight. Now, he could not help growing excited.
"Leave this one to me!"
"Mikoto, with leader Satoru absent, how would you handle the current situation on your own?"
Orochimaru's voice softly sounded beside the tense Mikoto, swiftly bringing her back to her senses.
"That's right... the two of them are risking their lives to buy time. I'm the only one here now..."
"Only by resolving things here as quickly as possible and completing the commission can I return to help them!"
"If I ask Orochimaru-sensei to take charge now, then everything those two have done will have been meaningless!"
Determination filled Mikoto's dark eyes.
"Even if I'm the only one, our team's mission has not failed yet!"
All along, Uchiha Mikoto had occupied the middle position within the three-person team.
Mitokado Satoru, a junior one year below her, had become the team's unquestionable leader with his versatile ninjutsu, outstanding taijutsu, meticulous thinking, and powerful control.
Although he was the youngest, both Mikoto and Nawaki naturally regarded him as the team's core.
It was not only his personal ability. Even in the way he got along with others, Satoru seemed like a dependable senior, giving people a sense of reassurance.
Nawaki, who was a year above Mikoto, possessed the combined bloodlines of the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan. Though he claimed that the benefits were not very obvious, compared to others, he was already very strong.
His enormous Chakra reserves and solid fundamentals meant that although his battles were not particularly spectacular, he rarely made mistakes.
Nawaki's passionate and sunny personality filled his interactions with everyone with joy.
And when necessary, his steadfastness and decisiveness made him an exceptionally compatible partner for Satoru, as well as the team's second core.
As for Uchiha Mikoto, although she had received Uchiha Fugaku's guidance, as a girl, she usually played a more supportive role when fighting alongside the two boys.
Whether deliberately or unconsciously, both boys tried their best to protect her—an Uchiha with a temperament as gentle as Mikoto's was simply too rare.
But Mikoto was, after all, a member of the Uchiha Clan.
Although being protected made her feel safe and happy, whenever the time came for her to step forward, she would never shrink back!
"Orochimaru-sensei, please don't act yet... I want to see just how great the gap between me and those two is!"
Orochimaru gave a low laugh. Watching Mikoto charge toward the enemy with a kunai in hand, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Your growth is truly astonishing..."
"Fight hard. Before the real war arrives, will you be able to become a true 'Uchiha'..."
Before you continue