Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

This is not,

A strange change occurred in Bai's body.

A single horn sprouted from his forehead, and his body seemed to be draped in a light blue chakra garment similar to the tailed beast cloak of a Jinchuriki in his half-tailed beast form. Several snake-shaped transparent chakra coiled around his entire body, revealing his ferocious appearance.

Look at that posture!

Is he preparing to fight Zongxian?

"Wow! This is..."

Zongxian raised his eyebrows.

The moment he sensed the mobilization of the surrounding natural energy, he thought that Haku was preparing to unleash the 'cursed seal' Orochimaru was researching. Unexpectedly, it was not a degraded product of the cursed seal, but a genuine sage technique. Judging from its form, it should be a sage technique from Ryuchi Cave.

As Zongxian investigated the details of the immortal techniques Bai had demonstrated,

Bai launched a fierce attack.

"Immortal Technique: Ice Escape: Frosty Bird".

He formed a hand seal with lightning speed using only his left hand.

With a sudden wave of his right hand, he released an ice bird radiating a chilling aura, which rushed towards Zong Xian, who was standing not far away. Wherever it passed, a thick layer of frost covered everything. Even before the ice bird reached him, Zong Xian could already feel the surrounding temperature dropping rapidly.

"Phew! It's so cold!"

Zongxian let out a sigh of relief.

The white, hot breath exhaled from his mouth was visible to the naked eye.

"Just don't forget, I'm an Uchiha!"

The relationships of mutual generation and restraint among the five chakra natures are common knowledge among ninjas. Everyone knows that Water Release counters Fire Release, and Ice Release, a bloodline limit, originates from the combination of Wind Release and Water Release. It can be said to be a superior version of Water Release. Not only can it completely restrain Water Release, but it also perfectly inherits the ability to restrain Fire Release.

only--

There is also common sense,

That is, in the relationship of mutual generation and restraint of chakra nature, the fire release techniques of the Uchiha clan need to be calculated separately.

"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique".

Zongxian abandoned the hand seals.

He opened his mouth and spat out a dragon-shaped flame, which met head-on with the ice bird that was flying in, releasing endless cold air. The opposing forces of cold and heat collided at this moment. To Bai's surprise, the ice bird he released only managed to fight the dragon-shaped flame to a draw.

The frozen frost melted, and the lowered temperature was brought back to the standard level.

"...That's terrifying!"

Bai said softly.

This was an Ice Release technique enhanced by Sage Mode, making it more than three times stronger than the Ice Release technique released without Sage Mode. Yet, it was still evenly matched with the dragon-shaped flames released by the opponent, who had abandoned hand seals.

simply,

So strong that I don't even know what to say!

However, no matter how terrifying Uchiha Sogen was, it couldn't stop him from seeking revenge for Lord Orochimaru. As for the mission of leaving with the Rinnegan... to be honest, Lord Orochimaru was already dead, so the mission was meaningless. He himself had no interest in the Rinnegan whatsoever.

He just wanted to drag Uchiha Munen down with him to be buried with Lord Orochimaru!

Even though he knew very well that this goal would not be easy to achieve, he would still do it.

"Immortal Technique - Ice Escape - Snow Cellar and Ice Heaven".

Bai made another move.

chill,

It gushed out from him like a flood bursting its banks.

In the blink of an eye, two-thirds of the area above the head of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was covered with thick frost, including the corpse of the white-scaled serpent, which was frozen in the thick ice. Only Zongxian and the dying Nagato not far away were not affected by the cold.

Zongxian was unharmed because he was holding a black rod wrapped in blazing fire, which dispelled the approaching chill.

Nagato, however, was unharmed.

This was because someone intervened to protect Nagato.

"Paper House".

Flying in the air, Konan manipulated the flying white paper to construct a 'paper house', protecting Nagato inside. The paper house, which seemed to collapse with a gust of wind, blocked the transmission of cold air and withstood the pressure of the thick ice shell frozen on the outside.

Xiao Nan, who had rushed back in a hurry, was unusually pale.

Previously, due to the battle between the Gedo Mazo and Susanoo, she was blown away to the outskirts of the village by the fierce wind caused by the battle. She rushed back as fast as she could, and was dumbfounded when she arrived. Nagato was barely alive, his life force as weak as a candle in the wind, about to be extinguished at any moment.

already,

I don't understand what happened!

Fortunately, she instinctively stepped in to protect Nagato, preventing him from being frozen solid by the cold air.

"Is this... a trick to create an atmosphere? Interesting. Let me see... how far you can go!"

Zongxian looked around.

Although the cold air couldn't penetrate his surroundings, it was still rapidly expanding its territory. The falling raindrops froze into tiny ice particles and fell. If this place weren't above the golem's head, one could probably already see the frozen earth.

however,

Even though the view of the frozen land cannot be seen,

But the environment where a drop of water freezes instantly has already been created. The howling cold wind, carrying frost and debris, runs rampant. The flowing fire wrapped around the black rod in Zongxian's hand sways and recedes under the pressure of the cold air. As for Nagato... Konan left with Nagato, and Zongxian didn't care about it.

Nagato without the Rinnegan wouldn't be someone you'd discard like trash.

It certainly has value.

But that's about it. It's not enough to make Sogen personally intervene to keep him here. Besides, with Nagato on his deathbed, where could Konan possibly take him? And don't forget that Sogen isn't the only Konoha ninja in Amegakure at this moment.

same,

Haku didn't care at all about Nagato, who was hanging on by a thread and on the verge of death; all he could see at that moment was Uchiha Mugen.

The instant the construction was completed in an environment where water instantly freezes

"Immortal Technique: Ice Escape: Ten Thousand Year Ice".

This time, Bai unleashed one of his strongest techniques with all his might.

On the ice covering the head of the Outer Path Demon Statue, icicles sprouted like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, growing and wriggling as if they were alive. They rapidly and resolutely advanced towards Zongxian, and as they quickly approached him, the flowing fire swirling around the black rod visibly withered away.

The heat emitted was no longer enough to counteract the deep chill that surged forth.

The magic of Ryuchi Cave has many unique and powerful techniques.

However, after learning the Sage Art of Ryuchi Cave, Bai did not devote his energy to practicing those techniques that Ryuchi Cave had passed down for countless years. Instead, he combined his Ice Release Bloodline Limit and developed his own unique Sage Art: Ice Release Technique.

This "Eternal Ice" is one of the unique skills he developed.

It is a technique that requires the preparation of the 'Snow Cellar Ice Heaven' technique before it can be used. The effect of this technique can be glimpsed from its name. It uses solid ice that has never melted for thousands of years to freeze the enemy inside. Of course, this statement is an exaggeration. Solid ice that has never melted for thousands of years... The recorded history of the ninja world is only about a thousand years.

However, the power of this move is undiminished; once frozen by this solid ice, there is no chance of survival.

Having his 'Frosty Bird' technique easily countered, he realized that he would have to use his ultimate move to defeat Uchiha Munen. Therefore, he used his most difficult-to-counter technique, hoping to take down the Sixth Hokage and make him pay the price for Orochimaru's death.

It just so happens that Uchiha Sogen was quite arrogant.

They watched as he used 'Snow Cellar Ice Heaven' to create a favorable environment, allowing him to successfully unleash the 'Eternal Ice' move.

"The power is not bad, but... it's still not enough!"

Zongxian waved his hand, and the flames on the black rod dissipated.

The next moment,

Just as the ice, which seemed to be growing wildly like bamboo shoots, was about to close in and freeze Zongxian inside, the demonic statue of the Outer Path, which had been silent and allowed a group of people to jump around on its head, gently shook its body, and a vast stream of fire was released from the ten pillar-like objects behind it.

The towering flames illuminated half the sky.

The intense, scorching heat spread out.

The snowy, icy environment that Bai had painstakingly created was utterly destroyed. The dense icicles that were about to freeze Zongxian were melted into flowing water by the high temperature and scattered everywhere. In the end, Bai couldn't even scratch the hem of Zongxian's clothes.

This harsh reality left the gifted young man bewildered and at a loss.

His trump card isn't just 'Eternal Ice', but as mentioned before, while it might not be the most lethal, it is the most difficult to counter. If even the most difficult-to-counter move has been so easily broken, then no matter how powerful the other moves are, they are meaningless as long as they don't reach Zongxian.

Having recognized this harsh reality,

After realizing that trying to drag the Sixth Hokage down with Orochimaru was nothing but a pipe dream.

he,

I really don't know what to do.

Should we continue fighting Uchiha Mugen?

But what can he use to fight Uchiha Sogen? Sogen has been attacking while Uchiha Sogen has been defending, and Uchiha Sogen hasn't launched a single counterattack yet. When Uchiha Sogen gets serious, he'll probably be the one to die for Orochimaru!

perhaps,

Is this kind of ending not so bad?

until--

"I have a way to revive Orochimaru."

Bai heard someone shouting like that.

[Chapter 398. White Strike Technique and Uchiha Fire Formation]

Beside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, a giant wooden figure suddenly rose from the ground and delivered a powerful elbow strike to it. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which was releasing billowing flames to melt the surrounding cold, was caught off guard. Fortunately, it was quite heavy, and Zong Xian reacted in time, managing to steady the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and avoid an undignified fall face-first into the mud.

And take advantage of this opportunity

Obito Uchiha, standing atop the wooden dummy, shouted loudly.

"I have a way to revive Orochimaru!"

It wasn't just Bai who heard that loud shout.

Sogen, who was also standing on the head of the Gedo Mazo, naturally heard everything clearly and immediately realized what Obito Uchiha was planning to do. Was he preparing to cooperate with Haku? One has to admire Obito Uchiha's indomitable tenacity; even now, he is still putting up a stubborn resistance.