"Naruto: Ice God"Chapter 138: Ao
The Byakugan truly is a precious asset.
Except during wartime, Konoha almost never deploys Hyūga main family members to the battlefield. Even when they do go, they're always accompanied by numerous elite branch family members.
Under these circumstances, it was extraordinarily rare for Kirigakure to obtain a Byakugan.
"Uchiha brat, I've already seen through your attack. Truly astonishing—to think the Sharingan can unleash such terrifying ocular jutsu."
Using the Byakugan, Ao could clearly observe Obito's chakra surging rapidly, with energy concentrating to its utmost at his eye—exactly like when his comrade had been attacked moments earlier.
Seeing his attack anticipated, Obito frowned and was about to force his assault, but Feng Bai stopped him.
"The mist is thinning."
Feng Bai spoke calmly, finally making Kakashi and the others notice that the scene before them was becoming clearer.
"It seems the ninja casting this jutsu has been defeated. Your Byakugan is useless now—just leave it here."
Feng Bai had no intention of responding to Ao's provocations. Instead, he swiftly formed hand seals right before him: "Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!"
Countless compressed wind projectiles shot from Feng Bai's mouth like bullets. Having been guarding against Ice Release, Ao clearly misjudged: "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"I see—your Wind Release has reached such mastery as well?"
The wind bullets weren't weakened by the water barrier; they pierced through the water screen and continued toward Ao.
Caught off guard, Ao's right arm was punctured by the wind bullets. Fortunately, a massive blade suddenly appeared, stabbing into the ground to block the remaining attacks.
"That was close, that was close! To think even the Executioner's Blade could be pierced. Ao, you've provoked quite the formidable opponent."
With half his face painted in red stripes and bearing a cross-shaped scar, Biwa Jūzō emerged from the shadows, approaching his Executioner's Blade and pulling it from the ground by its handle.
"Though your blood would suffice, Konoha blood is far more nourishing."
Glancing at Ao's wound, Biwa Jūzō spoke with cruel intent, gripping his blade single-handedly and pointing it directly at Feng Bai.
"Small fry always spout meaningless drivel."
Seeing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen reminded Feng Bai of the humiliating pursuit by Kurosuki Raiga, and his tone grew cold.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Suddenly whipping his head around, Feng Bai spotted three Kirigakure shinobi leaping from the shadows to ambush his back. Wind blades severed them, their blood and entrails spilling across the ground.
Using the opportunity bought with the Kirigakure shinobi's lives, Biwa Jūzō swung the Executioner's Blade and charged at Feng Bai, only to be intercepted by Kakashi: "Lightning Release: Lightning Beast!"
"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"
Ao endured the pain in his arm and unleashed Water Release to support Biwa Jūzō's assault.
However, using Water Release against Lightning Release made Biwa Jūzō wonder if this kid was getting revenge for the earlier mockery.
Facing Kakashi's purple Lightning Release, the Water Release was quickly overwhelmed, losing its initial momentum and allowing Biwa Jūzō to dodge easily.
"Ice Release: Glacial Defense Hall."
After dispatching the three reckless Kirigakure shinobi, Feng Bai turned and used Ice Release to block the Executioner's Blade's strike.
Watching the ice wall crack under the Executioner's Blade's impact, Feng Bai gauged Biwa Jūzō's strength and wisely decided against getting drawn into close combat.
"Kakashi, I'll leave this guy to you."
Entrusting Biwa Jūzō to Kakashi, Feng Bai threw his Flying Thunder God kunai toward Ao's position.
Between the Byakugan that could see through thick mist, perceive chakra flow, and provide long-range vision, and the Executioner's Blade that could repair itself with blood—the priority target was obvious.
"Flying Thunder God Technique, is it? Useless. I already have intelligence on you."
Ao threw a kunai to knock down Feng Bai's Flying Thunder God kunai, then looked back toward Feng Bai's position, only to find a shimmering ice mirror left behind.
"Secret Technique: Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors."
Appearing behind Ao, Feng Bai thrust a poisoned senbon viciously toward Ao's waist, but it was knocked away by a spinning kick.
"I have intelligence on Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors too! Water Release: Water Bullet!"
Watching Ao shatter the ice mirror with a water bullet, Feng Bai had already used Flying Thunder God to reach the spot where his senbon had fallen: "Ice Release: Ice Age!"
Surging ice waves erupted dangerously close to Ao, sharp ice blades directly piercing through the arm he instinctively raised to block. Soon, Ao's figure was buried beneath layer upon layer of folding ice waves.
"I doubt things will end so easily."
Diving down into the ice layer, Feng Bai saw several kunai appear where he'd just been standing.
Emerging from the other end of the ice, Feng Bai looked at Ao standing before him without a single wound: "So it was a Water Clone after all."
"Correct."
Ao replied while swinging his fist, preparing to use the Byakugan's advantage in close combat with Feng Bai.
But he soon realized his miscalculation.
The ice beneath his feet created perfect evasion space for Feng Bai. Able to move freely through the ice, Feng Bai could disappear and reappear anywhere at will, while also using the ice layer beneath to launch powerful Ice Release attacks.
"How surprising. Even at such a disadvantage, you refuse to retreat?"
After landing a solid hit to Ao's kidney, Feng Bai was curious why his opponent wouldn't withdraw.
"Hmph."
Ao merely snorted coldly, refusing to answer Feng Bai's question.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Obito successfully injured Biwa Jūzō through teamwork, breaking the Executioner's Blade in half.
"Something's not right."
Kakashi looked at Biwa Jūzō, whose mouth was already bleeding, and felt an ominous premonition.
"What's wrong? Isn't everything going smoothly?"
Obito asked Kakashi curiously.
"The intelligence said this was just Kirigakure's last remaining force in the Land of Fire. But would a remnant force possess such a precious resource as the Byakugan?"
Glancing at Ao fighting Feng Bai in the distance, Kakashi felt he'd grasped the key to the problem.
Indeed, Ao's Byakugan was Kirigakure's only Byakugan—a resource of immense value that should have withdrawn with the main Kirigakure forces long ago.
In other words—
"Hmph, Jūzō, you're looking quite pathetic."
A bizarre blade pierced through Obito's body, but its wielder paused.
"This sensation... I see, my attack passed right through?"
Watching Obito, who'd been struck, turn to counterattack as if nothing had happened, the massive man dared not linger, swinging his hair to construct a defensive barrier.
Violent explosions erupted from all directions as numerous fresh faces appeared among the Kirigakure forces.
Danzō's assessment had been wrong—thinking Kirigakure was too exhausted to continue fighting, he hadn't expected them to use this small unit as bait to lure Konoha in.
[TN-Final: Original Term - "冰河世纪" - Final Translation: "Ice Age" - Justification: More impactful and recognizable than literal translation, fitting the grand scale of the technique]
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