Asuma Caught in the Crossfire

Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen stared fixedly at Minato and Ye.

"Minato! Say that again!"

Minato stood ramrod straight, his expression even graver than it had been at the training ground.

"Lord Hokage, I'm certain."

Minato nodded solemnly. "What Uchiha Ye possesses isn't an ordinary imitation of Ice Release ninjutsu."

"It's a genuine, complete Ice Release Kekkei Genkai."

Hiruzen sucked in a huge breath, his chest swelling high as he forcibly held back the cry of shock that nearly burst from his throat.

Then he abruptly turned, his voice completely cracking from excitement.

"Ye! Use it once! Right now!"

"Right here! Don't worry about damaging anything. I just want to see it with my own eyes!"

Before Hiruzen had even finished speaking, Ye had already spread open his palm.

There were no hand seals, nor any preparatory movements.

The temperature plummeted wildly!

The leftover tea on the floor first turned pale, then crackled as it froze into a thin layer of frost.

Fine ice crystals formed along the edges of the bookshelves, while even the tips of the green leaves on the windowsill were coated in frost.

The documents hanging from the corner of the desk froze halfway through, their pages stiffly curling upward.

The pipe resting on Hiruzen's foot went completely out.

Amid the spreading cold mist, a palm-sized Ice Mirror materialized in Ye's hand.

It was crystal-clear, its edges as thin as blades, transparent enough to reflect Hiruzen's old face twisted by uncontrollable shock.

"Is this enough?"

Ye held the Ice Mirror forward, his tone utterly sincere.

Hiruzen stepped forward in one stride. Ignoring the fact that his foot had been scalded red, he grabbed the edge of the Ice Mirror with his rough fingers.

Bone-chilling cold seeped into his skin, instantly freezing his fingertips white.

Hiruzen's fingers