Ascension, True Ice Release!

A biting, frigid wind swept across the battlefield. The low, grinding friction of the air, combined with the clashing of weapons and the wails of ninjas as they slaughtered or were slaughtered, was enough to haunt an ordinary person with nightmares for a month.

The ground was littered with corpses. Whether they belonged to Konoha or the Rock Ninja, death rendered them indistinguishable; no one cared which side they had served in life, at least not anymore.

In a clearing amidst the carnage, a lone Konoha ninja stood surrounded by several bodies. Judging by their attire, these men had been Rock Ninja.

The surviving Konoha ninja appeared to be only in his teens. His face was caked in blood, and his entire body was covered in deep lacerations that had turned him into a crimson specter. Fortunately, these were all superficial wounds, which was the only reason he had managed to hold on this long.

He let out a series of faint, clearly suppressed gasps, his bright eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance. Within his dark pupils, two starkly different colors—indifference and ferocity—constantly flickered back and forth.

The battle between Konoha and the Rock Ninja had been raging for several hours. Those who were unlucky or lacked strength had already been wiped out, and those who were lucky or skilled had fared little better.

Regardless of their allegiance, the ninjas had been scattered, turning what was once a squad-based engagement into a chaotic series of individual and skirmish-style duels.

This young Konoha ninja was clearly among those who possessed both luck and skill, for he was still alive.

"Snap!"

The young ninja seemed to have rested enough. He took a step forward, only to plant his foot into a pool of blood. The force caused the still-liquid gore to splash upward, staining his leg crimson.

The young ninja didn't care. He stepped over the pool, maintained a steady rhythm of breathing, and continued forward.

Suddenly, the young ninja stopped. Without any visible movement, a kunai appeared in his hand, and he slashed it through the air.

"Clink!"

A kunai that had suddenly materialized in the air was sliced in two by his own blade. Its trajectory was altered, causing the pieces to fly past him in a V-shape and bury themselves in the mud.

"So, you're a Wind-style user. No wonder our men were dying in a single strike. Aside from Lightning Release, only Wind Release could so easily pierce our village's unique Hardening Technique."

A low voice echoed, yet no one could be seen.

"It's a pity. Looking at you, you must be out of strength, right?"

The voice continued to resonate from all directions. The speaker seemed confident enough in his ability to remain undetected by the enemy.

At this moment, the young Konoha ninja finally spoke.

"This technique of yours... it's the Earth Hiding Technique, isn't it?"

His tone was slow and unhurried, as if he were in no rush at all.

"I've heard of this technique. It uses rock or soil to hide and move. But without rock or soil, it's useless..."

"Not bad. As a Genin, your knowledge is decent. But even if you know, what can you do? I look forward to the expression on your face when you die."

The owner of the voice seemed excessively talkative.

In truth, even a Jonin should have been wary of being too chatty during a fight, but for some reason, people in this world with even a modicum of strength were fond of it.

However, unlike the Rock Ninja hiding in the shadows, this young Konoha ninja was not a fan of such habits.

"You didn't waste time; I did... because you gave me the time to weave my hand seals."

The young Konoha ninja maintained his slow, deliberate tone, but as he finished the last sentence, his body—which had appeared to be at its limit—straightened. He raised his right hand, revealing it from beneath his long sleeve.

The next moment, a roar erupted from his throat.

"Secret Technique: Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice!"

There was no doubt about it; this young Konoha ninja was Kagetsu Qi, who had been separated from his teammates. After all, in the current Konoha ninja army, he was the only one capable of using Ice Release.

"Rumble..."

The rumbling sound that had been echoing for hours, which Qi had grown weary of, erupted from beneath the ground. Instantly, with Qi as the center, a forest of ice thorns radiated outward in a ring. In the span of a single breath, the area within a hundred meters became a world of ice crystals.

In terms of sheer scale, Ice Release was not inferior to Wood Release. Qi's technique demonstrated this perfectly; the only difference between Ice Release and Wood Release lay not in power, but in certain unique effects.

As he fought, rested, and fought again over these past few hours, Qi had realized that in this cycle of extreme chakra depletion and replenishment, his Ice Release seemed to have improved. Now, with the same amount of chakra, he could not only create more ice crystals but also generate them faster and control them with greater precision.

He had a feeling that he was on the verge of a breakthrough, ready to unlock the first special ability of his Ice Release.

Of course, he was no longer surprised—or rather, he lacked the energy to be surprised. Since arriving in this world, he had encountered so many bizarre things that completely defied his previous worldview that he had become numb to it all.

Regardless, if his strength could improve, that was a good thing. He craved power, and he respected it. These were things Ogata had taught him: power is everything. At the very least, those without power had no right to spout grand nonsense about how "power isn't everything."

The rich might claim that a healthy body is more important than money, but the poor would gladly trade their health for wealth. Even in this completely different world, while the objects of pursuit were different, the human mindset remained unchanged.

"You bastard!"

A roar of fury echoed from the Ice Thorn Forest, and a figure, trailing a line of blood, burst out from the mass of ice crystals.

The Earth Hiding Technique relied on rock and soil; once that foundation was gone, the technique was naturally broken.

"You didn't die?"

Although he had wounded his enemy, Qi felt no joy. Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice was no ordinary technique; it was a style the Yuki Clan had developed by imitating the First Hokage's Deep Forest Emergence.

However, Qi's current strength was too limited; he could only guarantee the creation of ice within a hundred-meter radius. According to the Yuki Secret Scroll, if he could unleash the true power of Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice, while he might not be able to capture Tailed Beasts like the First Hokage, its lethality would be second to none.

"Within a thousand meters, all things are sealed"—that was not merely the Yuki Clan boasting.

It was said that if one had enough strength, sealing ten thousand meters was not impossible. But to reach that level required extreme demands on both control and a massive reservoir of chakra. Otherwise, the burden of using such a technique would leave one half-dead, if not killed on the spot.

To put it bluntly, one needed both Tailed Beast-level chakra and monstrously precise chakra control. Honestly, such requirements were absurd, and the Yuki Clan had never produced such a monster.

But never mind ten thousand meters; even a thousand meters was legendary. Only the Yuki ancestor who created the technique had achieved it. As for freezing a hundred meters, the Yuki Clan before their extinction had only one elder—the one who gave the scroll to Qi—who could barely manage it.

As for Qi now, he didn't even deserve the term "ice sealing"; he was merely creating ice.

After all, the true Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice is a secret technique that can only be unleashed once the practitioner has mastered all the unique capabilities of Ice Release...

Yet, the greatest advantage of Ice Release lies precisely here: its so-called secret techniques are all built up layer by layer. Even at lower tiers, there is a vast array of initial-form techniques available for use.

"You mongrel, is that a ninjutsu or a bloodline limit!? If it's a ninjutsu, hand it over, and I'll spare your life!"

The Rock Ninja who had been wounded by the ice thorns was currently clinging to an ice spike. Unlike the Rock Ninja Qi had encountered before, this fellow was clad in a formal ninja combat uniform—in other words, he was a bona fide Chunin!

But Qi was no longer afraid. He understood clearly that, in terms of individual combat strength alone, he was now absolutely on par with an average Chunin...

A Chunin, after all, is not a rank like Jonin; it encompasses too many requirements, and raw power is not the only condition. Only an elite Chunin is a true expert who balances strength and intellect, and who holds the potential to be promoted to Jonin.

Qi told himself that as long as he didn't run into a powerhouse at the elite Chunin level, he had nothing to worry about.

"If you can beat me, you can have it naturally."

Watching the Rock Ninja clinging to the ice spike, Qi felt like laughing. The opponent's fierce and greedy gaze put no pressure on him at all; instead, it only made the situation seem more ridiculous.

Did he really think Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice was only this much? Even if he could only manifest a rudimentary form right now, it wouldn't be simple to this degree, would it?

"If you refuse a toast, you'll be forced to drink a forfeit. You'll regret this once I drag you back to the village."

The sinister look in the Rock Ninja's eyes intensified. Seizing ninjutsu from enemies through interrogation was a major method for ninjas of all nations to collect new techniques.

Therefore, no one would pass up an opportunity to acquire a new technique if given the chance. However, if this Rock Ninja brought Qi back to the village, it meant he wouldn't be able to claim this technique—which was clearly powerful—for himself, even though he would still receive a reward.

If it were a bloodline limit, he wouldn't have any ideas, as breaking down a bloodline was beyond his level. But if it were a ninjutsu, he wouldn't mind being the first one to obtain it.

"They say greed blinds the mind; it really is the same everywhere."

Qi shook his head. He knew exactly what this Rock Ninja was thinking, as he had already gained a deep understanding of the ninja profession. However, this man was too arrogant—or perhaps his brain had gone numb—to still be standing within the range of Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice. Did he think this was a disposable product?

Thinking of this, he reached out his hand, tapped lightly toward the Rock Ninja, and said:

"This is already my territory. Not leaving the moment you had the chance was your greatest mistake, but you won't get another. Die here!"

Although the range was only a hundred meters and lacked special effects, even an Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice of this caliber was enough to kill an average Chunin; otherwise, Ice Release wouldn't have the capital to rival Wood Release...

Following Qi's words, the Ice Thorn Forest finally underwent a change once more...

"What?"

The first thing to react was the ice spike beneath the Rock Ninja's feet. From the previously flat surface of the ice, several small ice thorns suddenly erupted, stabbing toward him!

"Damn it!"

The Rock Ninja was a Chunin, after all. He had leaped away before the ice thorns could even emerge; otherwise, his soles would have been pierced instantly, and he would have been dead for sure.

The Ice Thorn Forest spanned a hundred meters in radius. Within this distance, the clones he had previously set up as an ambush had long since turned into mush, and he was now on his own...

But clearly, if that were all he was capable of, Qi wouldn't have declared that he would die here. At this moment, the entire Ice Thorn Forest had begun to stir.

Ice crystals thicker than a man kept extending, shooting out a massive number of ice thorns. Simultaneously, the ice crystals began to shift positions and even sink, making it impossible for the Chunin to judge which landing spot was absolutely safe.

"As expected... the power of Ice Release has increased..."

Feeling the orderly flow of chakra within his body, Qi was satisfied. Controlling Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice at this stage was easier than he had imagined.

At this level of chakra consumption, if it were before, he would only have been able to release a secret technique within ten meters for localized strikes.

A life-or-death battle really is the best training... though the danger level is also damn high!

However, even while Qi was leisurely reflecting, his control over Inch of Earth, Inch of Ice did not falter in the slightest. Under his command, the entire Ice Thorn Forest began a "manhunt" against the Rock Ninja as if it had gone berserk.

This Rock Ninja, whose name he still didn't know, looked truly wretched. He was surrounded on all sides by countless ice crystals; if not for his decent strength, he would have long since been ground into meat paste and fed to the mud...

Even so, he was already covered in blood, looking even more disheveled than Qi had been earlier. Of course, he now understood that there were places one simply couldn't stay, and he was desperately trying to charge out of the Ice Thorn Forest.

A Chunin is a Chunin. Even if he was just an average one, he had officially stepped into the ranks of the elite. It was a completely different story from a Genin, and likewise, a different story from a so-called special Chunin.

As the distance gradually increased, Qi's blockade against the Rock Ninja was no longer as sharp as before. The Ice Thorn Forest only had a range of a hundred meters, and it was clear that the Rock Ninja was about to break through the blockade and escape with his life.

If that happened, while Qi wouldn't necessarily be killed by the opponent—since the guy was already in such a sorry state—he would certainly lose the best opportunity to finish him off.

He wasn't one of those agonizingly slow top-tier experts from cartoons who, when fighting, were afraid the battle wouldn't last long enough, dragging out a fight for ten minutes when they could have crushed the opponent in one step. Qi wanted his enemies dead as soon as possible, even if it cost him more energy; only when the enemy was dead was he truly safe.

"This guy, he won't die even after all this?"

How could Qi let him run away? Ogata had taught him never to underestimate any enemy. From the Chunin level upward, ninjas truly entered the ranks of experts. A Jonin would never die at the hands of a Genin, but it wasn't impossible for them to capsize in the gutter and be killed by a Chunin; such cases had happened before.

Letting a Genin escape was fine—if they ran, they ran. But letting a Chunin escape was absolutely unacceptable. He could bite back at any moment. More importantly, a Chunin had the ability and the authority to come back with a group of Genin or even other Chunin to surround and kill you...

Qi understood clearly what the consequences of letting a Chunin escape would be, especially since this person had made no effort to hide his greed for his bloodline. Once other Rock Ninjas found out, they might very well mark him as a high-priority target. If an elite Chunin or even a temporarily dispatched Jonin came after him, he would be done for.

Given the level and potential of Ice Release, Qi believed he was worthy of such "special attention," because for a ninja village, sometimes acquiring an excellent and powerful bloodline or secret technique was more important than winning a local skirmish!

The fleeing Rock Ninja clearly knew that Qi wouldn't let him go. He let out a roar, swinging his fists to parry and deflect the ice crystals that tried to block his path...

"This guy... he's quite strong. It seems he's not an ordinary Chunin, just caught off guard by me. That makes it even more important not to let him run!"

Seeing the Rock Ninja use his bare fists to smash aside several ice crystals again, Qi roughly understood the enemy's level. This was definitely not an ordinary Chunin; he was likely approaching the level of an elite Chunin! He knew better than anyone how hard the ice crystals he created were; an average person would have their bones shattered to pieces if they dared to punch them.

Once an opponent like this regained his footing, he would be in deep trouble!

It was no longer a question of whether to let him run; it was a matter of his own life!

"Stay here!"

Qi's focus reached a peak. He pressed his hands together, forming a water seal, and increased his chakra output. The Ice Thorn Forest, which had been losing steam, suddenly surged with energy. The ice crystals on the outermost perimeter, closest to the Rock Ninja, began to rise continuously.

"Open for me!"

The Rock Ninja's clenched fists were already pitch-black; he hammered away at the ice crystals before him. This skin color was the hallmark of the Hardening Technique reaching a certain level, making it nearly as hard as refined iron.

"If you can smash through this, I'll take your surname!"

Qi sneered, pouring out his chakra as if his life depended on it. The Rock Ninja was stunned to discover that the ice crystals he had just shattered recovered almost instantly. Even though he sent ice shards flying everywhere, it seemed to have little effect.

"Hmph!"

Yet, this Rock Ninja was remarkably persistent. Seeing the situation, he continued to hammer away without pause, simultaneously pushing his Hardening Technique to cover his entire body. For a moment, the ice spikes controlled by Qi were actually unable to pierce his skin!

Conversely, the ice wall seemed to be struggling to hold on...

"You've got guts!"

Seeing this, Qi was instantly enraged. This Earth Release technique was just too annoying! Could you dare to make your defense even higher?

"I'll smash you to death!"

Under Qi's control, his fused chakra radiated from his body, blending into the surrounding air. Suddenly, the temperature in the air plummeted once more, and jagged ice prisms began to manifest out of thin air...

But just as Qi intended to hurl these ice blocks at the Rock Ninja, he suddenly felt a very strange sensation...

It was as if the surrounding ice crystals were "summoning" him; he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to walk right into them.

This feeling... could it be that I can now use space-time secret techniques through ice crystals!?

Forgetting all about the ice blocks, Qi didn't even bother maintaining the ice wall. With a thunderous crash, the ice wall at the edge of the Ice Thorn Forest was finally shattered by the Rock Ninja, who charged out.

But Qi no longer cared, because he knew that the fellow was no longer his match!

This was not a simple improvement, but a promotion in rank, bringing with it a completely different level of power and capability.

"Crackle..."

First one crack, then two, and finally the entire Ice Thorn Forest dissolved into glittering ice dust amidst the sound of shattering glass, vanishing into the air.

These powdery ice particles formed a thin mist, and Qi's figure stood within it, his entire being shrouded in an eerie atmosphere.

"Who exactly are you? State your name."

The Rock Ninja had just broken through the ice wall and deactivated his Hardening Technique; his own exhaustion was immense, but the greed in his eyes had vanished.

Undoubtedly, Qi's strength had earned his "respect." Ninjas always let their strength do the talking.

"There is no need. Even if I told you my name, it would be meaningless once you are dead."

Qi's voice drifted over, chilling and sinister.

"Rock Ninja, I must thank you. Without you, I might still be standing still. As a token of my gratitude, let me show you what true Ice Release is!"

He was truly elated. He had been cultivating the bloodline limit of the Yuki Clan for eight years, and now, he could finally employ some genuine secret Ice Release techniques!