Senpō: Hyōton (Ice Snow Dragon Knights).
This was the technique Chiba had created after fully fusing the Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave with the overwhelming power of his Ice Fruit. It was not merely a new jutsu, but a manifestation of how deeply his abilities had begun to intertwine, evolving beyond conventional ninjutsu into something far more complete and terrifying.
Naturally, the name itself carried a trace of Chiba's own personality.
"Ice" referred to the Ice Fruit that formed the foundation of the technique.
"Snow" symbolized his lineage,the Yuki Clan.
"Dragon" represented the Sage Arts inherited from Ryūchi Cave.
And "Knights" spoke for their role as an elite cavalry force.
The Ice Snow Dragon Knights, forged through the combined authority of Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts and the Ice Fruit, possessed a tangible sense of vitality. Their bodies, sculpted from the densest and most resilient frost, radiated an oppressive chill. Both their offensive power and defensive resilience were astonishing, far surpassing ordinary chakra constructs.
Mounted atop warhorses formed entirely from cold steel-like ice, they charged as a unified force, wielding ice-forged shields and blades, seamlessly balancing attack and defense. More than mere constructs, they were capable of executing simple Hyōton (Ice Release) ninjutsu, responding fluidly to the battlefield rather than moving as rigid puppets.
At present, however, Chiba could only create fifty such knights.
If he abandoned the requirement for vitality and autonomy, producing several hundred ice constructs would not be difficult. But constructs endowed with agility, responsiveness, and partial self-awareness demanded far greater control. For now, fifty was his limit.
That limit, however, was temporary.
As his mastery over the Ice Fruit deepened and his understanding of Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts grew more refined, the number of Ice Snow Dragon Knights he could command would inevitably increase.
And this technique was merely one of Chiba's many new abilities.
The Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave themselves had already been fully grasped.
Senpō: Muki Tensei (Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation).
Senpō: Hakugeki no Jutsu (Sage Art: White Rage Technique).
Senpō: Karyū Henge (Sage Art: Dragon Transformation Technique).
Each had been mastered without reservation.
After integrating them with the Ice Fruit, Chiba was now capable of creating enormous ice birds, ice beasts, and countless frozen constructs, all carrying traces of vitality and responsiveness. His understanding of "ice" had expanded into an almost boundless domain, versatile enough to adapt to nearly any combat scenario.
At this moment, Chiba's strength had already reached a level that defied imagination.
His arsenal included,but was not limited to,the Ice Fruit, Hyōton, Jiton (Magnet Release), sand manipulation, puppet techniques, and the overwhelming vitality, regenerative power, and chakra reserves provided by Hashirama Cells. Added to this were bursts of monstrous physical strength, and the full might of the Mangekyō Sharingan: Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, Kotoamatsukami, and Susanoo, alongside the complete Sage Arts inheritance of Ryūchi Cave.
Once he returned, Chiba intended to fully integrate every one of these powers.
When that happened, his strength would surge to an even more terrifying height.
It was then that he finally noticed Mei Terumi returning.
At her side followed an enormous crimson serpent, its massive body coiled calmly as it trailed behind her. Despite its size and ferocity, it moved with striking obedience, its demeanor completely subdued.
Chiba's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So this is the snake called Gurenmaru?"
"That's right," Mei Terumi replied with a radiant smile, a faint trace of pride surfacing in her eyes. "I've already tamed him."
She opened her palm, revealing a crimson snake scale resting against her skin.
Gurenmaru's reverse scale.
Once removed, it bound the serpent absolutely to its master, stripping away rebellion and leaving behind unquestioning obedience. The massive snake beside her was proof of that fact.
Chiba chuckled. "I thought you didn't like snakes."
"That's only the disobedient ones," Mei Terumi replied lightly. "Who wouldn't like a snake that listens so well?"
"That's fair," Chiba said, smiling.
At this point, everything Chiba had sought within Ryūchi Cave had been obtained,no, surpassed.
Not only had he acquired every Sage Art preserved within the sacred land, but he had also subdued the White Snake Sage himself, claiming him as a summoning beast. Beyond that, the entirety of Ryūchi Cave's serpent population had become summoning beasts for both Chiba and Mei Terumi.
That level of backing alone was enough to allow Chiba to sweep across the entire ninja world.
True, Konoha still possessed Mount Myōboku and the Forest of Wet Bones as allies,but those relationships were founded on cooperation, not absolute submission. They could never compare to the White Snake Sage and the serpents of Ryūchi Cave, who now dared not disobey even the slightest command.
Satisfied, Chiba and Mei Terumi departed from Ryūchi Cave.
Led by the White Snake Sage, followed by Tagurihime, Ichikishima-hime, Tagitsuhime, Manda, Gurenmaru, and the rest of the serpents, the two were escorted out with the utmost reverence.
Ryūchi Cave had effectively become Chiba's private domain.
As they traveled, Mei Terumi laughed softly.
"This really was an incredible harvest…"
"To think we conquered all of Ryūchi Cave."
"One of the Three Great Sacred Lands, passed down for a thousand years."
"Our Lord Chiba just keeps becoming more frighteningly impressive…"
Chiba glanced at her with amusement. "In what way?"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she struck him lightly with a clenched fist.
"You're awful."
Laughing together, the two soon arrived at the village they had passed earlier.
This was the place where Jūgo lived.
Once belonging to the Senpo Clan, his lineage had long since vanished. He alone remained, wandering into this village. Yet when his dual personality surfaced and he lost control, killing became inevitable.
Kind-hearted by nature, Jūgo despised that side of himself.
To prevent further bloodshed, he had locked himself away in a mountain cave, refusing all contact with others.
After Chiba asked for directions, the villagers immediately brightened. When they learned he intended to take Jūgo away, they erupted in cheers, eagerly guiding him and Mei Terumi forward.
But upon reaching the cave entrance, the villagers scattered in panic, clearly fearful that Jūgo might lose control again.
Chiba calmly extended his perception inward. The presence within the cave was unmistakable.
Jūgo was inside.
And just as clearly, Jūgo had sensed him as well.
As a bearer of the Curse Mark, Jūgo was effectively half a practitioner of Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts. His perception was extraordinarily sharp,so sharp, in fact, that he could enhance his hearing and senses to the point of communicating with small animals.
In truth, after cultivating Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts, Chiba could do the same.
It was simply a matter of whether he wished to.
A quiet voice echoed from deep within the cave.
"Leave," Jūgo said softly.
"This place is too dangerous."
Chiba smiled faintly. "Are you talking about me," he asked calmly, "or about yourself?"
As he spoke, he released a portion of his chakra and strength,not recklessly, but with deliberate control. Among it flowed the power he had only recently mastered: the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave. The moment that presence spread outward, it was as if the air itself had grown heavy. Jūgo froze in place, his pupils shrinking as an overwhelming pressure bore down on him, something so terrifying it defied instinct and reason alike.
"Y-you… who are you?" Jūgo stammered, his voice trembling despite himself.
Chiba replied evenly, "The Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure."
Jūgo's expression twisted in shock. "Y-you're the new Mizukage of the Hidden Mist?!"
Even Chiba found that reaction surprising. He had not expected his name to reach someone so reclusive, someone who deliberately hid himself away from the world.
"So I really have become quite famous," he said with a faint chuckle.
"People in the villages talk about you," Jūgo replied quickly, then added in a quieter voice, "I… I only heard it by chance."
After a moment of hesitation, Jūgo asked, "Someone like you… why would you come to a place like this?"
"This is just an ordinary village," he added hastily. "There's nothing here."
"I came for you," Chiba said simply.
"Me?!" Jūgo blurted out, disbelief plain on his face.
"Yes."
"I'm worthless," Jūgo said bitterly. "Not just to you,to anyone. All I bring is death and suffering."
"What if I told you," Chiba said calmly, "that I can solve your loss of control?"
Jūgo fell silent at once, as though the world itself had stopped moving.
"You… you can really cure me?" he asked hoarsely.
Chiba shook his head with a gentle smile. "It isn't a disease. It's a power that runs rampant. I won't 'cure' you,I'll help you learn how to control it."
Slowly, cautiously, Jūgo leaned out from the cave. His massive body looked cramped and awkward in such a confined space, emphasizing just how ill-suited he was to a normal life.
"Why help me?" he asked at last.
"Because I want your strength," Chiba answered without evasion, "to help Kirigakure."
"The Hidden Mist…?"
"I am the Mizukage," Chiba replied. "Of course it's for Kirigakure."
"But I'm an outsider," Jūgo said quietly.
"You know," Chiba continued, "that I've accepted many outsiders,among them the Uchiha clan, who once rebelled against Konoha. They live well in Kirigakure now."
Jūgo knew this. He fell silent once more.
"…Can I trust you?"
Chiba smiled. "You claim you have no value. What, then, would I gain by deceiving you? You might as well try. Follow me,and perhaps you'll discover some meaning in your life."
Jūgo met his gaze, searching it carefully.
"…Alright," he said at last. "I'll trust you."
"Mizukage-sama," he added solemnly, "I hope I can create value for you and for Kirigakure."
Chiba and Terumī Mei exchanged a knowing smile.
"I believe you," Chiba said.
…
After taking Jūgo in, the three of them continued their journey.
This time, Chiba's travels were not only for training in Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu. He also intended to visit Iwagakure. Though Kirigakure and Iwagakure had formed an alliance, their cooperation remained shallow. Chiba wanted to speak directly with Ōnoki.
Heading west, they crossed the vast lands of the Land of Fire before soon arriving in the Land of Grass.
Situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, the Land of Grass,like the Rain, Waterfall, and River Countries,served as a buffer zone between the great nations. Yet it had its own shinobi village: Kusagakure.
During the Third Great Ninja War, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge had taken place near this very region,a conflict often regarded as the root of countless later tragedies.
Kusagakure shinobi were known for imitating the techniques of other nations and for surviving through political maneuvering rather than sheer strength. It was precisely this adaptability that had allowed them to endure the chaos of the ninja world.
The village had produced many notable figures. One of Pain's Six Paths,the Preta Path,had originally been a shinobi of Kusagakure before his death and subsequent transformation into a puppet. In the Blood Prison incident as well, numerous Grass shinobi had appeared.
Beyond that, Uzumaki Karin and her mother had also lived in Kusagakure. After the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, they had drifted here, only to endure a miserable existence. Because of the Uzumaki clan's unique vitality and healing abilities, they had been exploited relentlessly. In the original course of events, Karin's mother would eventually die from chakra exhaustion.
As Chiba passed through Kusagakure, he casually considered searching for Uzumaki Karin. It was not a necessity,finding her or not made little difference.
Unexpectedly, Jūgo's presence changed everything.
Through his ability to communicate with small animals, Jūgo used them as scouts. This talent left Terumī Mei openly envious, prompting Chiba to promise that once she learned senjutsu, she too would gain similar capabilities.
In any case, it was through Jūgo that they quickly located Karin and her mother.
Unwilling to endure further exploitation, the two had fled beyond Kusagakure, hiding in a remote but quiet place. When Chiba and the others arrived at their door, the mother and daughter were terrified, believing Grass shinobi had come to capture them again.
Only after Chiba explained his intentions did their expressions shift to shock.
"Mizukage-sama," Karin asked, blinking rapidly, "you want us to go to Kirigakure?"
"That's right."
Karin snorted. "And how is the Hidden Mist any better than Kusagakure? Aren't you all the same?!"
Before Chiba could respond, Jūgo spoke,a rare occurrence.
"It will be better," he said quietly.
Karin turned to him in surprise.
"Kirigakure has taken in many outsiders," Jūgo continued. "Even the Uchiha clan that rebelled against Konoha. They live well there."
She frowned. "And who are you?"
"My name is Jūgo," he replied. "Like you, I was abandoned. My clan,the Senpo clan,was wiped out, just like the Uzumaki. I'm the last one left."
He paused, then went on steadily. "Because of my special constitution, I often lost control and killed indiscriminately. Everyone feared me. Everyone avoided me. It was the Mizukage-sama who took me in."
"These past days, he's been helping me learn to control my power," Jūgo said, his voice softening. "And now… I'm doing much better."
Karin looked at the towering, intimidating man before her,gentle despite his size,and found herself believing him more than she expected.
Her mother, however, spoke firmly. "Karin, don't trust people so easily."
Uzumaki Mie possessed the clan's distinctive red hair, though unlike most Uzumaki women, she wore it short, giving her a clean, gentle appearance.
"We're managing to survive here," she said quietly. "That's enough."
Chiba smiled faintly. "Is it? Those Grass shinobi won't leave you alone. You may have lost hope, but Karin is still a child. Are you willing to let her live her entire life in darkness?"
Mie hesitated.
Terumī Mei spoke gently, "If we meant you harm, we wouldn't bother persuading you. We could simply take you by force,just like Kusagakure did."
"Believe us," she added softly. "Believe in our Mizukage."
Jūgo nodded in agreement.
Karin, still young, quickly began to trust them, her thoughts already drifting toward a new life in Kirigakure. Her mother, however, remained conflicted.
"I understand your hesitation," Chiba said calmly. "But tell me,could your lives truly become worse than this?"
Mie lowered her head.
"…No," she admitted. "It couldn't."
"And you're right," she continued quietly. "If you truly wanted to harm us, we wouldn't be able to resist. Perhaps… you really are different from the Grass shinobi."
"Of course we are," Terumī Mei said with a smile.
"Then… I'll trust one last time," Mie said at last. "Mizukage-sama, I leave my daughter to you. Especially Karin."
Chiba smiled, gently ruffling Karin's long red hair.
"Rest assured."
And so, the mother and daughter chose to follow Chiba and his companions.
As they prepared to leave, Chiba suddenly asked, "By the way… what is your name?"
Mie paused, then replied softly, "Uzumaki Mie."
Chiba nodded with a smile.
At this point, Chiba had gathered Kimimaro Kaguya, Jūgo, Karin,and if one counted Uchiha Sasuke, whom he had taken in earlier, along with Suigetsu Hōzuki of Kirigakure, nearly all of Orochimaru's former subordinates were now under his banner.
Even Orochimaru's summoning beast, Manda, had been forcibly taken and made into the contracted summon of Chiba and Terumī Mei.
If Orochimaru were to learn of this, it was hard to imagine how furious he would be.
The thought made Chiba's lips curve upward ever so slightly.
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