Ice Release—the simultaneous nature transformation reaction of water and wind. Even Kakashi at the level of a three-tomoe Sharingan could copy it. With Kairen's chakra control ability, it went without saying.
A massive surge of chakra flowed. Frost suddenly appeared in the sky, and immediately after, the roar of a dragon rang out.
An ice mountain slowly gathered into an ice dragon the size of a small hill—dragon scales, dragon eyes, dragon horns…
Vivid and lifelike, as if it had stepped straight out of myth.
"Go! Ice Dragon!"
With a wave of Kairen's hand, the enormous ice dragon dove down, exploding directly between the three Snow ninja.
"Rumble—"
An icy detonation—like tens of thousands of sharp ice blades piercing the earth—faint howls of bone-deep pain echoed through the air.
Kazahana Dotō stared in shock at Kairen's attack and muttered,
"Such massive chakra… impossible. How could anyone possess chakra on this scale?!"
Wolon charged like a raging bull, slamming straight into Kazahana Dotō and sending him flying dozens of meters, crashing into a wall.
After the clamor died down, Kairen opened the Byakugan, surprised to find that there was still a cluster of life reactions within the ruins.
That had been a forbidden-level Ice Release. How could anyone still be alive inside it?!
Kairen slowly stepped forward. Chakra formed into a golden arm, pulling a human silhouette out of the rubble.
Purple short hair, green pupils—it was Kakuyoku Fubuki in her girl form.
Her thick ninja outfit had been blasted away, revealing her face, which was actually quite pretty.
"Huff…"
Fubuki's breathing grew longer and longer, as if she were on the verge of death.
After enduring that kind of attack, being uninjured was impossible—her chest had been pierced by a blood hole the size of a fist.
Kairen covered Koyuki's eyes, not letting her see this bloody scene.
Fubuki reached out toward Kairen, coughing up two mouthfuls of blood.
"Cough… cough… please… save me…"
Kairen smiled. He might be unable to move when he saw a beauty, but he had principles—anyone who didn't give him what he wanted absolutely could not be saved.
"Why?!"
"…I will sell you my soul and my body together and pledge my loyalty to you for my entire life!"
"Including… that?"
"…My lord, please save me…"
There was a look of supplication in Fubuki's eyes—a struggle for life. After all, there were still very few people in this world who truly did not fear death.
The form of life is survival—survival by any means, full of schemes, entering natural selection.
In the end, Kairen's heart softened.
Not to make this pretty girl pull sugarcane, but because he thought of Koyuki.
He would eventually leave this country and needed to find a ninja to protect her.
Kairen reached his hand down—only to see Fubuki's head suddenly drop to the ground, never rising again.
"She's dead!"
Kairen froze. He had just been about to save her, yet her vitality abruptly severed.
But… death was fine too. It was just right for testing his Mangekyō Sharingan's reincarnation ability.
Kairen opened his Mangekyō Sharingan. The tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly as a strange power gathered within them.
Kairen released a dōjutsu that altered the material world.
Green light gathered around Fubuki's body. Bursting vitality, like melting ice and snow, surged forth; towering trees, flowers, and grass rose from the surrounding ground.
"Kairen… o(╥﹏╥)o"
Seeing the anomaly on Kairen's body, Koyuki was instantly terrified and burst into nonstop crying.
Fragrance filled the air. Amid the beautiful petals, Kairen slowly turned to ashes, while Fubuki slowly opened her eyes.
Mangekyō Sharingan reincarnation—one life for one life. A very fair pair of eyes.
But immediately after, Kairen turned into a puff of white smoke and once again picked Koyuki up.
With unlimited resurrection ability, Kairen could bug-abuse infinitely.
Nestled in Kairen's arms, Koyuki said with heartfelt relief, "Kairen, you scared me to death!"
Kairen rubbed her head, then looked toward Fubuki, who was slowly standing up from the ground.
The gaping hole in her chest had already been repaired. Fubuki felt her own body in shock.
She had lost consciousness just now—crossed over to the afterlife—yet Kairen had pulled her back from the gates of hell.
"Ding!"
"Kakuyoku Fubuki has generated 500 points of gratitude toward you and has sworn lifelong loyalty to you!"
Fubuki immediately knelt on one knee before Kairen, lowering her head in submission.
Kairen smiled as he looked at Fubuki kneeling before him.
"You're very familiar with that posture. You'll need to keep it often in the future."
"Understood, my lord!"
The sounds of battle reached Kairen's ears from nearby. He turned to look and saw Wolon and Fenchu, the two giant bears, fighting together against Kazahana Dotō.
Kazahana Dotō was no ordinary man. Beneath his noble appearance lay the strength of a Jōnin.
Dealing with Wolon and Fenchu was no problem for him!
Kairen set Koyuki down and slowly walked toward Kazahana Dotō.
Kazahana Dotō's rebel troops surged forward. Kairen snapped his fingers.
From the ground, giant trees continuously burst forth. Twisting, resilient vines bound the rebels to the trees, restricting their movements.
Kairen advanced step by step. More and more rebels were subdued by him until he walked directly into the battlefield where Kazahana Dotō was fighting Wolon and Fenchu.
"Wolon, Fenchu—stand down!"
Hearing Kairen's command, the two chubby bears roared once and retreated.
"Mm~ (′д｀σ)σ"
Before retreating, Wolon didn't forget to throw out a ruthless threat toward Kazahana Dotō.
With no one left by his side, Kazahana Dotō looked at his soldiers bound by wood and finally understood everything.
"Senju Wood Release… you are a descendant of Hashirama Senju. No wonder… no wonder…"
Kazahana Dotō sighed in disarray, then looked solemnly at Kairen.
"Were the anomalies in the Snow Country caused by you?!"
Kairen nodded!
"How is that possible? How could there be someone like this in the world—someone who can change a country's terrain? This… this is the power of the Sage of Six Paths."
Kazahana Dotō knelt down, clearly unable to believe that such a person truly existed in the world.
Even harder to believe was that he had actually become this person's enemy.
"Sigh… I've lost! I've lost! The great trend is no longer with me! Twenty years of scheming, all turned to ash in a single morning."
Kazahana Dotō seemed to have given up everything.
The Kazahana Daimyō stepped forward, kindness still in his eyes.
"Dotō, I won't kill you. Go back to your own home and reflect."
Kazahana Dotō sneered at the Kazahana Daimyō. "That's why I said you're not a qualified daimyō."
"A true ruler must have iron-faced, ruthless resolve. On the road of power, once you soften your heart, you lose everything."
"Brother, I may have lost, but you haven't won either! You will never understand what it is that I truly desire!"
A vicious light flashed in Kazahana Dotō's eyes as sharp chakra wind blades formed in his hand.
Just as Kairen thought Kazahana Dotō was about to attack the Kazahana Daimyō, Kazahana Dotō swung his hand-blade toward his own neck.
Head severed—body still standing.
The Kazahana Daimyō shouted, "Dotō!!"
A generation's tyrant met his end like this, burying himself by his own hand.