"So that's how it is. Ice Release has this ability too. It can perfectly conceal the user's true form...?"
Looking at the ice mirrors all around, and the identical image of Qi within them, Minato revealed an expression of admiration.
"For an opponent with whom a decisive battle is inevitable, this is indeed a very difficult tactic for you, Qi."
Although he was praised, Qi, hidden in the mirror, was not happy at all. Just now, it was not so much that Minato hit his clone, but that he used a secret technique called Water Curtain Flower. Of course, perhaps it should be renamed Ice Curtain Flower now. This technique, which can hide the main body in the special internal space of the clone and resonate with the spatial transfer ability of Ice Release, has deceived the enemy countless times on the battlefield and saved his life.
In other words, being forced to use this technique proves that he lost the battle in the previous exchange.
"I didn't expect to be praised by my senior brother. Well then, senior brother, please continue to guide me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Qi in the mirror made the same gesture—stretching his hand forward in the mirror...
"Behold my ice Shuriken!"
With this declaration, the area above Minato's head, as well as in all directions, was instantly covered by a dense Shuriken and Kunai made of ice crystals. These disposable products, which were launched directly from the mirror and were no different from ordinary Shuriken and Kunai except for their constituent elements, swept up towards Minato with one gust of wind, targeting him alone.
In fact, they really are genuine single-use products...
Seeing the Kunai and Shuriken already upon Minato, before Minato could react, each of the mirror images of Qi suddenly shouted simultaneously:
" Ice Burst!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The entire underground training ground seemed to tremble from the violent series of explosions. The effects of the countless counterfeit explosions were truly remarkable. Violent cold air currents raged throughout the training ground, turning it completely white. Not to mention the chilling currents composed of ice crystal particles, which, like mist, enveloped the surface of the training ground...
During this process, Qi had already used alien energy, but for some reason, he was unable to absorb even a single trace of Chakra.
Could Minato possibly have avoided this situation? That seems unlikely, unless he used Earth Release to burrow into the ground!
The answer was quickly revealed; a commotion suddenly arose within the white mist that shrouded the arena...
" Wind Release: Great Tornado Technique!"
Qi had never seen Minato use a true Wind Release in the real sense, nor in the original manga, but there was no doubt that Minato was using it right now...
A raging hurricane, howling and roaring, burst forth from the white mist, its powerful winds sweeping in all directions, quickly carrying the cold mist far away.
"That's a pretty good move."
Standing in the eye of the hurricane, Minato laughed heartily, appearing quite pleased.
"Qi, you really are a Jonin- level ninja now. It's unbelievable that you've reached this level in just one year. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it."
"Senior brother, please stop praising me. I haven't hit you yet!"
In the mirror, Qi's face showed no joy; instead, his brows were deeply furrowed.
He glanced at the dispersed mist and began forming hand Hand Seals.
"Senior brother, your strength is too great. I might not be able to stop now."
Realizing that the cold current generated by the Ice Burst alone was insufficient to plunder the Chakra of a master like Minato, Qi decided to change his tactics.
To use this alien energy, he only had two options. One was to make direct physical contact, which he immediately ruled out. With Minato's speed, he couldn't possibly touch a physical object. The other option was to use Ice Release. Since Ice Burst wasn't powerful enough, he would have to use a more intense method to attack!
Just as Qi began to gather and generate cold energy again, Minato stood calmly in place, making no attempt to stop him. Clearly, he was looking forward to seeing what other moves Qi would make next.
However, Qi did not use Ice Release first...
A thick white fog, completely different from the previous cold fog, began to spread throughout the area. Soon, even Mo Shiqi and the mirrors began to become blurry in Minato's eyes.
" The Hidden Mist Technique..."
Minato chuckled, seemingly unconcerned about the changes around him.
"However, Qi, it seems you haven't yet reached the level of silent killing. How do you plan to use this white mist to attack me?"
"Senior brother, before, when I allowed you to use the Flying Thunder God Technique, did that mean that if you used it, I had met your standards?"
Qi's voice echoed around them. He didn't respond to Minato's question, but instead asked this question in return.
"Well, I guess so."
Minato's interest grew even stronger.
"Given your current situation, combat-oriented Space-Time Ninjutsu is your fatal weakness. If I use the Flying Thunder God, the training will be impossible."
"I see..."
Qi's voice carried a deep sense of empathy.
"Indeed, Space-Time Ninjutsu is truly disgusting. After all, if it can't hit, no matter how powerful the attack is, it's meaningless."
However, at this point, he chuckled softly.
"However, since you've made using Space-Time Ninjutsu the standard, it seems I won't disappoint you today, especially since you're not even going to break my Ninjutsu."
"Because according to my usual practice, I would directly use Space-Time Ninjutsu to break your Ninjutsu."
Minato chuckled as well.
"But you'd better hurry, otherwise I'll try other methods to find your true form."
The two Kunai twirled in his hands as if they were part of his own, while his eyes scanned and paused around.
If you follow his gaze through the layers of white mist, you will find exactly where Qi's ice mirrors are located.
While the Hidden Mist Technique can hide the ice mirrors, it's undeniable that these mirrors haven't moved since they were formed; they remain in their original positions. For a master like Minato, remembering their locations is incredibly easy.
"Then let's begin..."
Qi's hands had formed an extremely strange hand seal. If he hadn't trained his fingers to be flexible from a young age, he really wouldn't have been able to form such a seal...
"This time, it's all out..."
In an instant, all the ice mirrors simultaneously burst forth with a strong and dazzling white light. Through the reflection between the ice mirrors, this white light had already reflected back and forth between these dozens of ice mirrors countless times in just a moment, so that it eventually converged into a sea of light, firmly occupying the space surrounded by the ice mirrors. And Minato was standing in this sea of light!
"Could this be...?"
Sensing the astonishing energy contained within the white light, Minato finally revealed his astonishment!
Even though he didn't feel the rapidly increasing chill around him, he could guess what Qi was going to do next.
" The Frozen Realm!"
Qi finally uttered those four words.
Like a divine incantation, as soon as the four words were uttered, the sea of light in the center of the training ground instantly transformed into a towering, super-large ice crystal. At its top, like a blooming flower, ice pillars spread out in all directions, creating a truly beautiful sight.
This is the ice-sealing power that Qi recently obtained, representing the third level of Ice Release!
Its only weakness is Minato's Space-Time Ninjutsu; only by using Space-Time Ninjutsu to escape can this power be temporarily unrestrained.
The reason it's only temporary is because this is precisely what Minato is going to teach Qi...