To be fair, the Yuki Clan's Ice Release was formidable. Unlike the straightforward, fierce Wood Release, Ice Release had all sorts of strange abilities. That was its true power. With those abilities, Ice Release could nearly rival Konoha's Wood Release as a powerful kekkei genkai.
Unfortunately, ever since Qi left the Yuki Clan, he hadn't had another ninjutsu instructor, so naturally, his skill with nature transformations hadn't improved very quickly. Studying scrolls on his own was no substitute for having someone teach him.
Back when he was with the Yuki Clan, his training had focused on precise chakra control and combining nature transformations. Without paying attention to that, he couldn't sustain their use for long. Compared to Wood Release, Ice Release's strength lay in its endless variety of secret techniques, which demanded extremely precise chakra control.
Qi still relied mainly on Water Release. It wasn't that he couldn't use Ice Release; his skill was simply too low. For now, Water Release was more practical for him. He rarely used Ice Release unless he truly needed to. After all, it consumed more chakra, and he still couldn't control the true secret techniques of Ice Release.
Before they truly awakened their Ice Release abilities, the Yuki Clan also relied on Water Release to attack. That was why they studied it so closely. Water Release was an excellent support for Ice Release. For example, it could create an environment with plenty of water, making it easier to use Ice Release.
As for Wind Release, few in the clan used it. They often applied wind-natured chakra to Taijutsu... Qi had undoubtedly inherited that style, but his skill in that area was probably even lower...
"Of all things, we run into an enemy who specializes in Earth Release... Why am I so unlucky?"
Looking at the enormous crack in the ground, Qi's temples throbbed. It felt like far too many things had been going wrong lately.
"No choice... I'll have to use Ice Release!"
Water Release was sure to be useless against Earth Release. The question was how long his current chakra reserves could sustain his Ice Release.
Unlike White Face, Qi used Ice Release in a completely different style. That was clear from how he'd turned Thousand Flying Water Needles, which had originally been considered a Water Release technique, into an attack with ice crystals.
The Yuki Clan's Ice Release had always varied from person to person, with each user developing a different style. Thousand Flying Water Needles and Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals weren't actually the names of secret techniques; they were terms for different levels of mastery...
A hundred members of the Yuki Clan meant a hundred different ways to use it.
"Kid, you've hit the jackpot. That's a Jonin..."
Ogata dropped the Konoha Ninja he'd been holding onto the ground and walked over.
As he spoke, though, his eyes remained fixed on the Jonin.
"By the rules of the Shinobi World, if I don't fight you here, you probably won't take us seriously. I don't want to be treated like trash and locked up for more than half a year."
"Considering how you've acted, I can believe that."
The Jonin nodded at his words.
"But you're right, too. If you don't prove your worth, Konoha won't have time to waste on you at a moment like this. They'll definitely lock you up first. That's inevitable."
"Then it works out perfectly. I'm here to bring this kid into Konoha. His clan's been wiped out, and mine probably won't last much longer, either. That should make Konoha feel a little more at ease."
Ogata clenched his fists.
"If I beat you, how about you make arrangements for us? Something like that should be easy for a Jonin. You'd only have to say the word."
"That depends on whether you can show me what you're capable of. If you have the value to back it up, I'll do it even if you don't ask."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Jonin swiftly formed Hand Seals with both hands and opened his mouth.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
In the anime, this technique looked like a single ball of fire, but Qi didn't see it that way as he faced it now. Everywhere he looked was red, and the heat washed over him!
Even if it really was a sphere, it was far too huge...
"Ice Release: Ice Crystal Wall!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Qi brought his hands together. The moisture left in the air by his earlier Water Release stirred at once. With a sharp crack, an ice wall formed in front of him and Ogata, growing thicker by the second.
It wasn't that Qi didn't want to use Water Release. The gap between their levels was simply too great. Water Release couldn't possibly hold it back, so he had to rely on his kekkei genkai—Icе Release...
His Ice Release was still too weak for him to use the special abilities that only became available at the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals stage. But it worked well enough for defense. It wasn't as if he could afford to conserve chakra now.
Using Ice Release defensively was fairly simple. He only needed to maintain and increase the ice crystals' temperature and strength.
"Whoosh..."
The Konoha Jonin's Fire Style didn't wait for Qi. The moment the ice wall formed, the fire came crashing in. The red torrent struck the wall, then split in two and surged along its sides. Qi's ice wall had blocked it perfectly...
This was Qi's first time facing Fire Style. He felt two waves of heat surge out from either side of the wall, sweeping past with a shrill howl like whirlwinds. Fireball Jutsu could turn a person to charcoal in an instant, and its temperature was astonishingly high. At least, the streams of fire rushing past on either side felt scorching enough to Qi.
Faced with this, Qi didn't dare relax for even a moment. He poured out chakra without stopping. After all, his opponent was a Jonin. Even a casual attack from him was more than a Genin like Qi could casually handle. As Qi gave it everything he had, wisps of cold air even began to rise from his body, flowing nonstop into the ice wall before him.
With the cold air reinforcing it, the scorching Fireball Jutsu couldn't break through Qi's wall. The flames had inevitably melted away some of the surface, turning it into steam, but the ice wall as a whole remained sturdy, just as before!
The gap between them was simply too great. If Qi's Ice Release had been at the same level as the attack, even the Uchiha Clan's Fire Style wouldn't have melted off a single hair's worth of ice. Yet against this Jonin's casual attack, Qi had to give it everything he had just to hold on.
"What an incredible ability... A kekkei genkai really is an astonishing power. If this child truly wants to join Konoha, we've found ourselves a promising young talent."
After using Fire Style, the Jonin remained where he was, merely observing. Clearly, he'd only wanted to see what Qi could do.
As things stood, he seemed quite satisfied with the result.
A Jonin had used a nature transformation, and a Genin had blocked it with one of his own. No matter how much the Jonin had held back, it didn't change the enormous gap between their ranks.
This kekkei genkai, which used ice as a weapon, was just as formidable as he'd expected!
"What a pointless test!"
The ice wall suddenly split in two, revealing Ogata.
"So, have you made up your mind? I know Konoha doesn't shun kekkei genkai. You're always collecting them! Give me a straight answer."
The Konoha Jonin's actions were entirely within Ogata's expectations. The fact that he hadn't tried to kill them right away meant, by Konoha's standards, that they were already halfway there.
Of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire were the most eager to obtain kekkei genkai. Ogata knew nothing about the Land of Lightning, though, and didn't dare take the risk.
"Powerful kekkei genkai are something Konoha has always dreamed of acquiring. The Land of Water doesn't want you? We do! As long as you sincerely want to join Konoha, I guarantee you'll have a hundred times better life here than in a place like the Mist."
The Jonin looked at the two of them. The hostility in his eyes had faded, but he was still wary.
"You're teacher and student. There's no point in testing you further. If you're willing to join Konoha, you'll have to cooperate with our investigation. You're a Jonin yourself, so you know the rules of the Shinobi World."
"Of course."
Ogata grunted and held out his hands.
"Go ahead."
"Sorry for the trouble."
The Jonin nodded and beckoned to those around them.
"Everyone, come out. Take them with you, and remember to be polite. In a few days, they might be your comrades."
Before he'd even finished speaking, figures appeared all around them. They were all Konoha Ninja.
Qi counted quickly. Including the two men Ogata had knocked unconscious on the ground and Asuma, whom he'd fought, there were more than ten of them!
"Hold out your hands. I have to tie you up, too. It's the rule... By the way, what's your name?"
Asuma came over with a groan, eyeing Qi with a curious, slightly strange look.
"Yue Qi."
Qi obediently held out his hands. If even Ogata didn't object, he had no grounds to protest.
"You're pretty strong."
Asuma didn't seem too upset about losing. Maybe he simply didn't care about things like that. He was more interested in Qi's abilities now.
"That thing you used—is it your kekkei genkai? Like the Uchiha Clan's?"
They were having a seemingly friendly conversation, but their actions were anything but. Asuma quickly tied Qi's hands together...
This White Face was a real piece of work. She was polite with her words, but she sure didn't go easy with her hands... Was there any need to tie the knots so tight?
"Not really. I'm nowhere near as strong as the Uchiha Clan."
Qi hurriedly shook his head like a rattle. How could they be the same...
With the Uchiha Clan's rotten temper and their standing in Konoha, if they found out he'd admitted to being like them, they'd probably kill him on the spot...
Kekkei genkai clans hated it most when someone claimed to be "like them." To prove that the person wasn't like them, they'd usually kill him.
Once he was dead, he certainly wouldn't be like them anymore...
Qi wasn't in a position to offend the Uchiha Clan. Maybe he could do it after he grew stronger, but certainly not now...
Thinking of this, he couldn't help glancing at Asuma.
Could this guy be trying to screw him over in a different way?
As it happened, Asuma turned around at the very same moment.
Their eyes met...
Both of them stared at each other in surprise, probably caught off guard by the situation. For a moment, neither moved.
And that led to an incredibly awkward scene: two grown men gazing at each other "affectionately"...
"Asuma?"
A woman's voice called out. A kunoichi walking behind them wore an expression of utter disgust.
"If you two don't mind, let me walk in front. I'm about to throw up..."
"Were you the one who used Genjutsu?"
Qi didn't care about the girl teasing Asuma. He was more interested in her voice. It was unmistakably the same woman who'd first responded to him earlier.
"Yeah. What about it?"
She looked back at him challengingly, seemingly quite feisty.
"Nothing."
Qi honestly admitted it, then fell silent.
But in his heart, he'd already decided he would train his resistance to Genjutsu. He'd made a complete fool of himself today...
Still, Qi thought he'd embarrassed himself, but the others didn't see it that way. At the very least, they were astonished that he'd blocked their leader's Fire Style.
After hearing Ogata's explanation, everyone now knew their leader was a Jonin. Unlike the others, who were excited, Asuma looked displeased.
They were all Ninja, so they moved quickly. Before long, Qi and Ogata had followed the patrol team to a nearby town. The Jonin exchanged a few words with a Ninja who'd come to meet them, then returned.
"Asuma, come here."
The Jonin beckoned to Asuma, who walked over with an awkward expression.
The Jonin knew why Asuma was unhappy, of course, but he had no intention of explaining things to him. This was a family matter, and it wasn't his place to interfere.
"Starting today, I won't be your leader anymore. I have to return to Konoha first, while you'll be heading to the front lines."
As he spoke, the Jonin turned around and pointed across the way. A young Ninja was walking toward them.
"He'll be your new leader. Just follow him. The battlefield is nothing like the rear. Good luck!"
After saying that, he gave Asuma one last meaningful look and left. The young Ninja walked over to Qi and Ogata, took out a Kunai, and cut the ropes around their hands.
"You two, come with me. I'll take you to Konoha Village. I trust you, and I hope you'll prove worthy of that trust. My name is Shiro Aoki. You can just call me Shiro."
"Heh..."
Ogata rubbed his wrists.
"Konoha really does get straight to the point. Looks like choosing the Land of Fire instead of the Land of Lightning was the right call."
"That goes without saying."
Shiro smiled faintly, answering in a quiet yet extremely arrogant tone.
"How could Cloud Ninja trash like them compare to our Konoha Village?"
Even Ogata didn't feel like replying this time. This guy really was arrogant...
After that, they set off at a run. Now that they were free, Qi and Ogata followed the Jonin known as Shiro Aoki for a month until they finally reached the edge of a vast forest. A dirt road stretched out of the woods and led straight to their feet.
"This is already the outer perimeter of Konoha's security zone. Please stay close to me and don't do anything that might be misunderstood. Otherwise, it could affect what happens when you enter the village."
Shiro pointed to the road ahead and warned the two behind him.
"If Anbu think you're up to no good, then even I won't be able to change their minds."
"What if we don't do anything, but they still think we're up to no good?"
Qi asked tentatively.
"Heh... Anbu aren't that petty, unless someone really is up to no good."
Shiro gave Qi a knowing look, making him feel guilty.
"Come on, kid. Welcome to Konoha Village."