Enhancing chakra, forming a defensive barrier, neutralizing ninjutsu and genjutsu—
A tool with such versatility, if brought back to Konoha, would definitely be mass-produced given the village's research capabilities.
Even if mass production wasn't possible, it would still play a significant role in Konoha's development.
Kiyosuke placed great value on the Snow Ninja's chakra armor. It was a rare and valuable experimental material—something he could study himself.
After all, he was Orochimaru's student, having learned plenty of techniques from him.
Although far from matching Orochimaru's level, researching chakra armor was well within his abilities.
"You want to take our chakra armor? Hah! Don't make me laugh. You? Impossible! Let me kill you first!"
Fuyukuma Mizore spread open the mechanical gloves on his hands.
A mechanism in his palm clicked open, firing several white cords that wrapped tightly around Kiyosuke.
But just as he was feeling smug, Mizore saw the cords around Kiyosuke ignite, burning through in seconds.
The air around Kiyosuke began to heat up.
Snow beneath his feet slowly melted, and the space around him warped.
His eyes glinted faint red as he said:
"Since that's the case, I'll show you just how powerful a true ninja can be without relying on external tools. Open your eyes!"
BOOM!!!
A tornado of flame roared skyward, blazing crimson like a demon devouring the ice and snow.Everything in its path melted into water, which then vanished into steam without a trace.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The ice began to shatter apart.
Mizore stood frozen in shock, overwhelmed by the scale of the attack.
For the first time, he felt utterly powerless, with no idea how to respond.
"You've gotta be kidding… This can't be real…"
Kakuyoku Fubuki staggered back in terror, all will to fight gone.
Ōge Nadare, still keeping his composure, immediately formed seals.
"Ice Release: White Whale!"
Woooo—
From beneath the ice, a massive white narwhal made entirely of snow and ice surged upward, its huge, heavy body crashing down toward the swirling pillar of fire.
BOOM!
The flaming tornado and the white whale collided in a deafening clash.
The whale vanished, and moments later, the flames dissipated as well.
Kiyosuke looked at the dazed Mizore.
"That's all it takes to scare you stiff? Snow Ninja really are pathetic."
He stepped forward, making Mizore retreat in a panic.
"D-Don't come any closer! Aaahhh!!!"
It was hard to imagine a burly, bear-like man screaming in fear, but that was exactly what happened.
Kiyosuke had broken him completely.
"So, hand over the chakra armor and I'll spare your life."
"Okay, okay, okay!"
Hearing that he might live, Mizore wasted no time.
Desperate to survive, he stripped off his chakra armor, placed it on the ground, and knelt before Kiyosuke, trembling.
"P-Please… please spare me!"
Kiyosuke waved his hand, sending Mizore flying.
"I said I wouldn't kill you. I never said I wouldn't hit you. Whether you live or die… that's up to your own luck."
He picked up the chakra armor and tossed it toward Hinata, who had just defeated a Snow Ninja nearby.
Her opponent hadn't been wearing chakra armor.
"Hinata, take it back. I'm going to study it."
"Yes!"
Hinata stowed the armor in her pack and rushed toward her next target.
Meanwhile, Kiyosuke turned to the remaining Snow Ninja, a cruel smile spreading across his face. Those who saw it felt their blood run cold, not knowing what to do.
"Die, all of you!"
With a loud boom, Kiyosuke shot forward like a fired cannonball.
Snow blasted into the air in his wake, and in an instant, several enemies were sent sprawling.
Reappearing in front of Kakuyoku Fubuki, who was locked in combat with Sasuke, he grinned.
"You're next."
Fubuki froze, feeling as if a venomous snake had set its sights on her.
Not even her chakra armor could keep her warm.
A mechanism whirred at her back, and bat-like wings spread wide. She shot into the air, exhaling in relief even as she prepared her next attack.
"Ice Release: Swallow Snow!"
Shuriken-shaped swallows made of ice shot toward Kiyosuke in a flurry.
A plume of flame burst up on its own, swallowing the icy swallows whole. Not even steam remained—it was all burned away instantly.
"No way… This guy is that strong?"
Fubuki had thought that wearing the strongest chakra armor made Kazahana Doto unbeatable.
She never imagined someone even more fearsome could exist.
Who was he?
"I hate flying pests."
With that, Kiyosuke leapt high into the air, catching Fubuki off guard. She tried to retreat, but it was too late—a large, heated hand clamped down over her head.
Flames erupted from his palm, spearing into the sky like a pillar of fire.
Kiyosuke tossed her charred corpse aside and landed, turning to where Ōge Nadare was still fighting Kakashi.
"Looks like you're the last one."
Nadare's eyes widened in horror as he quickly pulled away from Kakashi.
"No way! There's no way someone this powerful exists outside our borders! You're a monster!!"
No way.
Absolutely no way!
In his mind, Kakashi was already one of the most elite shinobi alive—someone only he could match.So how had a man this suffocatingly strong suddenly appeared?
"What? You can't even accept reality? Looks like you Snow Country ninja really don't deal with the outside world much."
From the look of Nadare's ignorance, it was clear Snow Country shinobi didn't care for gathering outside intel.
They seemed to think their nation was already the strongest in the world.
Well… with a cheat tool like chakra armor, anyone would grow reliant on it.
But relying too much on tools only made a ninja weaker.
A true ninja's strength came from themselves, not from what they carried.
Tools could break, but as long as a person wasn't incapacitated, they could keep fighting.
A tool's function could be studied and countered, but a person could adapt—and unpredictability was far harder to overcome.
Maybe chakra armor could raise an average chūnin to jōnin level, but that was no real solution.
Look at Nadare and the others—relying on armor, their actual skill was worse than Konoha's special jōnin.
Blind arrogance, thinking Snow Country technology and chakra armor could conquer the world—it was nothing but a fool's dream.
"Kakashi, finish this one quickly. I refuse to believe trash like this could beat you."
"I don't believe it either. Leave him to me."
For once, Kakashi's dead-fish eyes showed a spark of fighting spirit.
"Even if ninjutsu and genjutsu can't be used, there's still taijutsu. Ōge Nadare—don't underestimate what a ninja can do!"