The vacuum-forged ice blade screamed through the air—unstoppable and razor-sharp—as it descended from Hyōrinmaru, slamming down on Jiraiya.
But Jiraiya's reaction was instant.
The white hair on his head surged to life, lengthening and hardening at once, wrapping his entire body in a protective shell.
Yoru's blade struck the snowy-white shield of hair with a sharp, metallic clang!
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!"
"Ninja Art: Wild Hair Senbon!"
Jiraiya's iron-hard hair not only blocked the blade—it fired back like a thousand steel arrows.
Yoru's eyes narrowed. He vanished just in time, reappearing meters away. His Mist Village forehead protector had been pierced clean through.
"Even while immobilized, he can defend and strike back... No wonder they call him Jiraiya the Gallant."
Yoru reappeared ten meters away, staring at Jiraiya, who had broken free from Rikujōkōrō. His expression was grim.
Just as he'd expected, his current abilities—while strong in control—lacked the explosive output needed to handle high-tier taijutsu-nin like Jiraiya.
(Author's Note: This isn't fanboying—Jiraiya's official stats are broken: Ninjutsu 10, Taijutsu 9, Genjutsu 6, Intelligence 9, Strength 9, Speed 9, Stamina 10, Hand Seals 9. Total: 71. Weak in genjutsu, but superb at breaking illusions. He's a six-pointed war god with no real weaknesses.)
"Such an unusual technique..."
Jiraiya eyed the blade in Yoru's hand, but his gaze shifted to the wider battlefield.
With Konoha's elite forces tied down, the rest of their shinobi inside Jin'nan Town were being overrun by the Mist.
Every passing moment brought more casualties. The thick scent of blood stained the very mist above them red.
At this rate, they wouldn't last until reinforcements arrived.
"All Konoha units—formation 3-3-3, retreat immediately!"
Jiraiya's order rang out—but Kirigakure wasn't letting them go that easily.
"Don't let any of them escape! Kill every last one!"
"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!!"
Yagura's voice was cold as ice. His hands flew into seals, unleashing a monstrous flood that surged toward the Konoha forces like a tsunami.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Rampart!"
Sarutobi Shin'nosuke stepped forward, slamming his hands down. The ground roared and rose—forming a towering wall that held back the crashing flood.
But before the Leaf could breathe a sigh of relief—Yoru leapt into action.
He appeared at the very top of the wave.
Hyōrinmaru in hand—he plunged it into the heart of the torrent.
"Cold doesn't bring pain... it only ends it."
"Hyōrinmaru!"
Frost burst from the blade. The towering wave froze in an instant—transformed into an unstoppable glacial wall that tore toward the Konoha shinobi.
If the wave had been meant to block their escape…
Then this ice—was to wipe them out.
"That level of Ice Release?!"
"How is this even possible?!"
Even Mist shinobi were frozen in place—staring in awe.
Especially those from the Yuki Clan—many were left utterly speechless.
"This…"
Yuki Hisashi stared, dazed.
Now he understood why Yuki Akira treated Yoru the way she did.
It wasn't because of his title in the ANBU.
It was this—the power of Ice Release on the level of a natural disaster.
BOOOOM!
The frozen surge shattered Shin'nosuke's stone wall in seconds.
Yoru slashed downward.
Ice spires erupted from the ground, rising like mountains—sealing off Jin'nan Town completely.
In a battlefield already transformed into a lake by Mist techniques, Hyōrinmaru's ice grew exponentially.
This—was the power of the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō.
"Vacuum Multi-Layered Ice Wall!"
"Ice Dragon Spiral Tail: Absolute Void!"
Multiple dragons of ice burst forth from Hyōrinmaru.
They tore across the battlefield, freezing everything in their path—including dozens of Konoha shinobi.
[Ding! Jōnin defeated — Reward: 1000 points]
[Ding! Jōnin defeated — Reward: 1000 points]
[Ding! Chūnin defeated — Reward: 200 points]
[...]
The system's notification chimes rang in his mind one after another.
Suddenly—
Snow began to fall.
The once-clear skies darkened to ash-gray. Crystals of frost and flurries of snow drifted from above.
Yoru raised Hyōrinmaru high. A blizzard of icy chakra poured from the blade.
Each snowflake carried freezing power. The moment they touched down—the world turned to ice.
Celestial phenomenon: triggered.
Countless figures froze solid.
Not just shinobi—
The terrain, residual chakra from jutsu—
Even the birds flying overhead—
All frozen.
Towering ice walls enclosed all of Jin'nan Town.
What was once a base camp for Konoha…
was now a tomb of frost.
"This is Lord Yoru's power!"
"Incredible… his strength is terrifying!"
"Yoru… You've already reached this level…?"
Mist shinobi looked up at the figure atop the ice dragon—blade in hand—their eyes filled with awe, fear, and disbelief.
Even Yagura was momentarily stunned.
"So this is your true power… Yuki Yoru."
"This... is what real Ice Release looks like."
At the rear of the battlefield, dressed in a snow-white kimono, Yuki Akari stood trembling.
"Yuki Yoru… Yuki Yoru…"
Her cheeks flushed rose. Her eyes shone with something between madness and reverence.
She began muttering—entranced.
BOOM!!
But just as Kirigakure thought victory was sealed—
A massive figure descended from the sky—smashing through the ice wall with a deafening roar.
A crimson giant toad gripped a massive katana, slicing down the glacial barrier with brute force.
Standing atop the toad—his voice grim—was Jiraiya.
"Gamabunta, crush the wall. Fugaku, Shin'nosuke—get everyone still breathing and pull back!"
Snap—
Jiraiya bit his finger, drawing blood. He smeared it across his eye.
His hands came together in a seal—natural energy swirling like a storm.
"I'll hold the line."
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin