Of course, Mizuki Ryosuke didn't know anything about Kaguya Yuta's unusual thoughts. Instead, he was surprised by the strength displayed by Yuta Kaguya.
"Jōnin-level combat prowess… truly remarkable!"
Mizuki Ryosuke marveled internally. However, his perception of Jōnin strength had been skewed.
Indeed, Jōnin were powerful, but there was a ceiling to their abilities. The speed at which Kaguya Yuta performed his hand seals—executing the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique) in a mere three seconds with forty-four seals—was something even many elite Jōnin would struggle to accomplish. Normally, such a high-level B-rank technique was not used as a mere probing attack.
Chakra reserves varied by individual, a limit set from birth. A standard Jōnin, like Hatake Kakashi, could only afford to unleash a few of these before exhausting themselves. Even for those with vast reserves, such as Kisame Hoshigaki, efficient chakra usage was paramount. In contrast, preliminary skirmishes in the Chūnin Exams often involved shuriken and kunai rather than high-level ninjutsu.
Yet Mizuki Ryosuke had overestimated Jōnin strength.
First, the sight of Kaguya Yuta enduring a direct hit from the Suiryūdan was shocking—so much so that Mizuki Ryosuke mistook the early matches of the Jōnin selection process as mere exhibitions of skill. But now, due to the bitter feud between the Kaguya and Mizuki clans, this battle was anything but a mere test—it was a real, high-stakes confrontation.
Furthermore, as someone with memories from another world, Mizuki Ryosuke had been influenced by anime portrayals of large-scale, reality-breaking battles. To him, Suiryūdan no Jutsu was something nearly any trained shinobi could wield.
Signature technique?
No, true signature jutsu were on the level of Kirin or Fūton: Rasenshuriken.
As for hand seals?
Didn't most top-tier shinobi, like Itachi Uchiha, execute techniques with minimal hand movements? In Mizuki Ryosuke's eyes, completing forty-four seals in three seconds was merely "above average."
In truth, Mizuki Ryosuke himself had mastered one-handed seals. He could unleash Suiryūdan with just three seals. His current display was, in his opinion, restrained.
However, Yuta Kaguya's unwavering expression convinced Mizuki Ryosuke that what he had witnessed was his opponent's true strength.
The intensity of Kaguya Yuta's aura made Mizuki Ryosuke serious.
A cold air suddenly filled the battlefield. Water droplets left behind by the Suiryūdan crystallized into shards of ice, reflecting the chilling light.
The air grew heavier.
Hyōton (Ice Release). The bloodline limit of the Mizuki clan.
The atmosphere turned solemn.
Everyone present knew—Mizuki Ryosuke was getting serious.
Kaguya Yuta, having faced Mizuki warriors before, understood the dangers of Hyōton.
As the numbing chill settled into his bones, he analyzed his opponent's strength through instinct and battle-hardened experience.
Much like the Kaguya's Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse), whose power could be gauged by the density of their bones, Hyōton was measured by its temperature.
The lower the temperature, the greater the freezing power. The denser the ice, the stronger the impact.
Even without direct contact, Yuta knew this Mizuki was no ordinary opponent.
"Come on, Mizuki pretty boy!"
"Show me what your clan is made of!"
Despite the apprehension in his gut, Kaguya Yuta's battle spirit refused to waver.
Mizuki Ryosuke responded.
"Hyōton: Tori Hyōketsu!" (Ice Release: Flock of Frozen Birds)
With swift hand seals, towering icicles erupted into the air, morphing into massive crystalline birds—each spanning three to five meters.
With a bone-chilling screech, the ice birds shot toward Kaguya Yuta.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
Even the most seasoned Mizuki warriors exchanged uneasy glances.
They had never seen this technique before.
A self-created jutsu?
Even Mizukage Mizuki Taki widened his eyes in surprise.
Creating original jutsu was a feat few could achieve, requiring immense talent, knowledge, and chakra control. It was a domain reserved for prodigies like Minato Namikaze or Tobirama Senju.
What's more, Mizuki Ryosuke had only been recognized as a bloodline user for a month.
For him to develop a new Hyōton jutsu in such a short period…
Was he truly a genius?
Kaguya Yuta's face hardened.
He could no longer rely on his body alone.
A direct hit meant death.
This technique rivaled the Suiryūdan in power, but due to the nature of Hyōton, it was even deadlier.
Water was malleable. Ice was merciless.
Even with Shikotsumyaku, resisting the impact was impossible. The extreme cold would freeze his blood before he could regenerate. The sharp talons of the ice birds would tear through his defenses.
He had to act.
"Shikotsumyaku: Hone Tate no Jutsu!" (Dead Bone Pulse: Bone Shield Technique)
His body twisted unnaturally. Bones erupted from his arms, fusing into a jagged, barbed shield—thicker and denser than steel.
The ice birds collided.
Shards of bone and ice blasted across the battlefield.
Kaguya Yuta stood firm. His defenses had held.
But Mizuki Ryosuke wasn't finished.
The shattered ice fragments reassembled.
In an instant, four towering mirrors of ice materialized around Kaguya Yuta, reflecting his image back at him from all directions.
A sinking feeling settled in Yuta's stomach.
"This is…!"
Mizuki Taki's voice carried over the stunned silence.
"Hyōton: Makyō Hyōshō." (Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)
A Mizuki shinobi inhaled sharply.
"He mastered a secret technique… in mere weeks?"
One of the Mizuki clan's most difficult jutsu, the Makyō Hyōshō was an advanced technique requiring unparalleled chakra control.
The assembled Mizuki warriors shivered—not from the cold, but from realization.
A terrifying future lay ahead.
One shaped by Mizuki Ryosuke.