Howl.
A gale roared. The spreading purple miasma filled the vast Death Paradise, leaving only a small open area in the center.
Driven by the poison fog, the remaining ninja had all gathered there.
After Takamagahara reshaped the terrain, Death Paradise had completely changed.
Mountains rose from the ground. Underground rivers were forced upward and exposed to the air. Water flowed down cliffs, forming dozens of waterfalls of different sizes.
Crisscrossing ravines overlapped with jagged white bones. A vast swamp stretching over a thousand meters piled into the giant bowl at the center, bubbling constantly, making the whole Death Paradise look like the stomach of some enormous creature.
By now, the Sound Four had already been defeated by Naruto and Sasuke.
Unable to enter their Curse Mark states, the Sound Four were merely ordinary special jonin level. Facing the combined attacks of Naruto and Sasuke, who were many times stronger than in the original timeline, they were electrocuted into blackened charcoal within a few exchanges.
Aside from Orochimaru and Karin, all Grass ninja had been eliminated. The elite teams from Kirigakure and Kumogakure had also been knocked unconscious by Shikamaru's six-man group.
Now, the ninja gathered here included the Konoha Twelve, Jugo, Kimimaro, Kabuto and the other Sound ninja, Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi who had barely fought, Gaara's three-man Sand team, and the three Hoshi ninja who wanted to challenge Konome, Orochimaru, and Danzo.
There were also a few survivors from Oborogakure, Takumi Village, and the remaining ninja of various villages. Altogether, there were fewer than thirty people.
It could only be said that this Chunin Exam truly gathered the elites. These people had even survived the aftershocks of Takamagahara.
After entering this new battlefield, the remaining ninja had all been tempered by repeated trials. There were very few reckless fools left. Everyone cautiously hid near the edge of the final circle.
Once the remaining number dropped to twenty, the exam would end. So they only needed to quietly wait for others to be eliminated.
Whoever stood out first in the final circle would be besieged.
In the sky.
Konome, the chief examiner, clenched one hand. The miasma beneath her feet slowly pressed inward. After that, she paid no further attention to the decisive battle about to unfold below.
If not for ensuring the Konoha Crush plan proceeded normally, she would not have participated in this game at all.
"The microscopic structure of Ice Release resembles a snowflake. The secret lies in keeping the Water Release chakra molecules fluid at all times, then allowing them to naturally gather and solidify around the cold core…"
Standing on a crystal-clear ice mirror, Orochimaru pressed both hands together, demonstrating the fusion method of Ice Release to Konome again and again.
She had devoured Haku's soul for nearly three full years. By now, she knew the fusion method of this kekkei genkai by heart. Even if she changed bodies again, she was confident she could condense Ice Release chakra and construct the kekkei genkai on her own.
At this moment, Konome had already dismissed the Wind-Thunder Armor and changed back into her loose kimono. With a barrier blocking perception and sight, she was not worried about exposing herself in the sky.
The Wind-Thunder Armor would tear apart everything around her, but once she entered the Six Paths level, she could use Yin-Yang Release like the Sage of Six Paths and condense a chakra cloak. Then there would be no more risk of her clothes exploding during battle.
Konome closed her eyes. Wind Release and Water Release chakra began to appear in her hands. Formless Yin Release combined with the equally invisible and intangible wind.
She intended to directly fuse her second kekkei genkai here.
"The microscopic structure of Ice Release itself is not the difficult part. Water Release molecules are fluid, and once they encounter cold air, they will naturally begin to freeze. So the truly difficult part is how to use Yin Release to forge the initial cold core…"
Seeing the Yin and Wind-natured chakra in Konome's hands move perfectly in response to her explanation, as if they were extensions of her own body, Orochimaru's eyes went blank for a moment.
She had already witnessed Konome's Wind Release mastery at Thunder Drum Mountain. She had also personally endured the Wind-Thunder Armor just now and deeply understood that ultimate sharpness. But this Yin Release, which was no weaker than her Wind Release, made Orochimaru afraid.
She had trained Yin Release nature transformation to an extremely high level, yet had not displayed any corresponding ninjutsu that matched it.
There was only one possibility.
Orochimaru had not even come close to touching Konome's true limit.
The unknown Water Spear formed from Wind and Water. The Wind-Thunder Armor that pushed the body to its limits. The unknown technique that manipulated the earth and environment.
The dead-gray dojutsu whose effects were still unknown. Her hair, flashing with a beautiful metallic luster, had no hairpins or ornaments, yet after several battles, even her hairstyle had not changed. Who knew what strange secret technique was hidden there?
Adding in the ash bones that easily destroyed the Kusanagi Sword, and the Yin Release Orochimaru had glimpsed by chance…
This person was like an iceberg floating on the sea. What she could see might be only one-tenth of Konome's true form.
Thinking of this, Orochimaru became even more wary of this mysterious monster.
At this time, Konome's Ice Release fusion process was going extremely smoothly.
The fusion of Yin Release and Wind Release was not difficult. She had the experience and method from cultivating the Black Lightning secret art. The cold core was merely replacing Lightning Release with Wind Release. After only a few attempts, she completed it with ease.
The truly troublesome part of Ice Release lay in simulating cold through Yin Release.
Yin Release was the most versatile power. Its manifestation was very close to the legendary power of "because I think so."
The Nara clan could use Yin Release to control shadows. The Yamanaka clan directly occupied other people's bodies. The Uchiha's Izanagi rewrote reality. Expressing the property of cold was not difficult for Yin Release at all.
Kurama Yakumo could even use her paintings to affect reality directly.
The lightning and flames she summoned in the original story were all pure Yin Release constructs, not true Lightning Release or Fire Release.
"So the essence of Ice Release is using the false to cultivate the real?"
"Using the false to cultivate the real? Yes, exactly!"
Hearing this somewhat unfamiliar phrase, Orochimaru thought for a moment, then quickly nodded.
Everything condensed through Yin Release was fundamentally false.
For example, a flame condensed through Yin Release could produce heat, but it was completely different from fire in the physical sense.
The difference was this.
True fire did not merely emit light and heat. It was accompanied by many physical and chemical phenomena. Yin Release, limited by human imagination and understanding, only possessed pure light and heat. Its nature was extremely singular.
The latter was like a flat theatrical role. The former was a living human being in the real world. The gap between the two could not be described in words.
But false Yin Release did not mean it could not transform into something real.
For example, if one placed a sheet of white paper over a Yin Release flame that emitted heat, the paper would soon ignite with real fire. The principle was that the high heat of Yin Release caused the paper to ignite on a physical level.
Ice Release was the same.
Using Yin Release to create cold and mixing it with Wind Release formed the cold core. The wandering Water Release would then naturally freeze, evolving into real solid ice.
This was what it meant to use the false to cultivate the real.
The more Orochimaru thought about it, the more meaningful she found the phrase. In just a few words, it fully revealed the essence of Ice Release.
When she looked at Konome again, her gaze carried not only fear, but also a trace of recognition.
At first, she had thought Konome was relying on her invincible bloodline, a talent-type ninja similar to Hashirama Senju. Now it seemed that aside from her superior physical talent, she was also extremely skilled in ninjutsu development and could easily see through the essence of kekkei genkai fusion.
She was practically the ultimate fusion of the First and Second Hokage.
She truly deserved the title of Konoha's greatest genius.
Losing to a monster like this did not seem that shameful after all.
Orochimaru comforted herself internally. Then her mouth suddenly opened, and she vomited out four sticky scrolls.
There was no need to explain.
They sealed a fairly complete training method for the Impure World Reincarnation, along with corpse fragments from the Second Tsuchikage Mu, Pakura, and the Explosion Release user Gari.
Holding these precious materials she had painstakingly collected from various ninja villages, Orochimaru looked reluctant. As long as she found a massive chakra source, these materials would become three Kage-level combatants.
But now everything had become someone else's wedding dress.
"I hope you will allow me to personally witness kekkei mora, Lady Konome!"
Orochimaru presented the four scrolls with both hands. Looking at the Yin-Wind technique already perfectly fused in Konome's palm, the heat in her pupils seemed capable of igniting chakra itself.
The two things she cared about most in life were eternal, undying life and the ultimate truth of ninjutsu.
Now, both were in Konome's hands.
Compared to the chance of witnessing the scenery of kekkei mora, everything she was giving up now was worth it. Even without the threat to her life, she would be willing to participate in Konome's kekkei mora plan.
As for whether it was shameful to submit to a ninja younger than herself?
Orochimaru, who did not care about her human body, moral boundaries, or even gender, naturally would not care about such trivial things.
"Clean them."
Konome ordered in a low voice while focusing on fusing Ice Release. Her hands did not stop moving. The air mass fused from Yin Release and Wind Release had already begun to carry a faint chill.
For five years, countless shadow clones had cultivated nature transformations day and night. She had already cultivated all seven natures to the peak.
Although she rarely used pure Yin Release ninjutsu, the Kotoamatsukami, Izanagi, and Reverse Eight Gates she had analyzed all required Yin Release participation.
The ninjutsu itself was not important. The experience and accumulation gained from cultivating Yin Release was the truly priceless treasure.
Years of accumulation finally bore fruit. To ordinary people, the various difficulties and pain points were almost impossible to overcome. To her, they were familiar common sense.
A moment later.
"Done."
Invisible cold air gathered in her palm. Light reflected in Konome's eyes. Her ocular power, thousands of times stronger than the Byakugan, controlled chakra with meticulous precision.
"This… this is done?"
Orochimaru had only just cleaned the four scrolls. Looking at the cold core in Konome's palm, her mouth opened, and her tongue unconsciously stretched out to lick her chin.
Condensing the cold core was the greatest difficulty of Ice Release. If not for Haku's experience, even if someone told her the secret of Ice Release, she would still have to research it for a year or more.
How long had it been?
Konome had already solved the most difficult problem. Did that not mean Ice Release was already within her grasp?
"Is this not correct?"
Konome controlled Water Release molecules to attach to the condensation core. They naturally began to crystallize and revealed a strange hexagonal lattice structure.
"Hiss…"
Orochimaru let out two astonished hisses. Facing the gradually forming six-sided ice crystal before her, she was too shaken to know what to say.
Was this right?
The Ice Release she had only obtained by abandoning even her gender had been this simple in someone else's hands.
She felt the unfairness of fate, but also a certain helplessness. Perhaps only such a monster could glimpse the end of ninjutsu.
Konome did not know what Orochimaru was thinking. She kept fine-tuning the proportions of Wind, Water, and Yin Release chakra in her hands. The snowflake-like Ice Release chakra changed shape, becoming even more beautiful.
It was not enough for chakra to simply have the correct structure. The proportions had to be adjusted continuously until a stable structure formed. Only then could it be considered complete.
Normally, this final step required a very long time. When she fused Wood Release, she had relied on years of trial and error by her shadow clones before it finally took shape. But after her dojutsu evolved again, Konome's cost of trial and error became extremely low.
With Takamagahara's power, she could freely edit the extremely complex genetic chains inside human cells. Compared to that, controlling and adjusting the proportions of three types of chakra was almost too simple.
Ten minutes later.
A stable six-sided snowflake emerged from the void, then fully took shape in Konome's palm. Under the sunlight, it reflected a faint golden sheen. Even the air seemed to carry a chill.
"Clap, clap, clap…"
Orochimaru pursed her lips and said nothing. She only clapped numbly. Her entire worldview as a snake had been severely shaken.
Crack, crack.
The moisture in the air was frozen by chakra, producing clear, crisp sounds. Konome felt this cold chakra and could not help but think back to those turbulent days when she fled through Kirigakure.
Back then, after devouring the Three-Tails' flesh, she had nearly been frozen into an ice sculpture by the chakra inside. Yet because of that, she had obtained the earliest form of a tailed beast cloak and the ability to use Water Release without hand seals, awakening her first nature transformation.
Now, she had cultivated all seven chakra nature transformations to the peak. She had personally synthesized two powerful kekkei genkai, Wood Release and Ice Release. Even the final kekkei mora was now within reach.
Playing with the beautiful snowflake in her palm, Konome looked down. The genin of various villages fought one another like ants, competing for the final exam slots. Orochimaru, one of the ninja world's top experts, stood at her side, already behaving like a subordinate.
How nice.
Konome grabbed the snowflake and swallowed it. She felt the cold chakra pass through her esophagus and enter her meridians before finally flowing back into her trembling chakra core like a young swallow returning to its nest.
In an instant, an icy coolness flowed through her heart. It felt like drinking clear spring water in the heat of summer. Every cell in her body seemed to be pierced through by that coolness. She almost could not suppress the urge to moan.
Her dense purple chakra core trembled madly. Patterns like ice crystals were drawn across it. Her already high-quality purple chakra flowed apart in thin streams, then rapidly condensed again under the newly born chakra core.
Abyss-like chakra surged.
Snowflakes began to drift from the sky.
At this moment, Ice Release was complete.
Looking at the girl before her, eyes closed as if savoring the changes in her body, Orochimaru licked the corner of her mouth, her expression somewhat awkward.
The Konoha Crush plan clearly could no longer proceed. But the plan itself could not be hidden, because Kumogakure's troops were probably already on the way.
After learning from Danzo how powerful Konome was, Orochimaru had exchanged news about the true culprit behind the Thunder Drum Mountain incident for the Fourth Raikage's full support and promised to divide Konoha's resources with him.
And now she had truly walked straight into the spearhead.
What should she do?