Naruto: The Teaching System - 250

Chapter 250: Four-Tails Jinchūriki - Rōshi

And his target was Sawada himself.

Realizing this, Sawada sped up his movements, placing down the last of the oil and water he carried. His fingertips, carrying traces of chakra, tapped the parasitic insects on his body.

After Muta sensed this, he immediately relayed the signal to the insects on Asuma and Yusuke. Before long, the team gathered in a corner.

"What's wrong?" Yusuke, who still had supplies left to place, asked.

"We need to leave. Someone's heading this way," Sawada said, shaking his head.

Hearing this, the others froze, then immediately prepared to move. But Sawada's expression turned grave as he looked toward the distant sky. "Too late."

That enormous chakra signature seemed to know they were about to leave and had accelerated considerably. Without hesitation, Sawada directly communicated with Nyanko, telling him to come over.

Then he looked at the others. "You guys leave first. I'll hold them off."

After speaking, Sawada moved toward the exit. Seeing this, Asuma grabbed him. "With me here, when have you ever needed to step forward like this?"

As he spoke, he tried to push Sawada back so he could face the approaching threat himself.

Sawada grabbed Asuma and forcibly pulled him back. "That chakra signature. I've only seen it on Jinchūriki. If you go, you're throwing your life away. You leave first. In a moment, you'll still have a chance to detonate the oil and water."

Hearing it was a Jinchūriki, Asuma froze. If it were just a Jōnin, he could still desperately resist, but a Jinchūriki...

"No way. How about we go together?" Asuma shook his head firmly.

"Forget it. Don't make it sound like a death sentence. It's not like I can't escape." With a displeased expression, Sawada picked up Asuma and threw him into the air.

Nyanko, who'd just flown over, caught Asuma directly. Sawada then said to Yusuke and Muta, "Find the right moment and detonate. Don't worry about me."

"Yes!" Yusuke and Muta nodded, then jumped onto Nyanko's back.

Sitting on Nyanko's head, Asuma suddenly realized something. Oh right. Sawada even defeated the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. Staying here would probably only drag him down.

"Nyanko, sorry to trouble you." Thinking of this, Asuma no longer hesitated.

"No problem. Remember to treat me when we get back." Nyanko knew of Asuma's generosity. Sometimes, when Sawada wasn't in Konoha and Nyanko went on eating binges, Asuma would help pay for it.

"No problem." Hearing this, Asuma smiled.

Sawada watched Nyanko fly away rapidly, then looked toward the figure approaching him. He couldn't help but chuckle. As expected, he's coming for me.

As soon as his words fell, a massive lava boulder smashed down before him. Sawada's expression didn't change as he looked at the humanoid figure covered in molten rock.

"Four-Tails Jinchūriki. Rōshi."

"You must be the Third Hokage's disciple, right?" From within the lava, Rōshi opened his eyes and studied the overly young Sawada.

"Oh? How are you so certain?" As Sawada spoke, he tore off the Sunagakure clothing hiding his identity, revealing Konoha attire with black as its base color.

Hearing this, Rōshi couldn't help but touch his forehead. What could he say? That when Ōnoki was at Kumogakure, he casually took a piece of Sawada's clothing from the arena? Then through special methods, determined his location?

Seeing Rōshi's expression, Sawada guessed this was probably Ōnoki's doing. That old man really is active enough.

"You seem quite confident?" Though he didn't directly respond to Sawada's words, seeing how relaxed the person before him was, Rōshi asked, puzzled.

"Not bad. Didn't expect Iwagakure to actually cooperate with Sunagakure. And they even sent a Jinchūriki like you. How generous." The corner of Sawada's mouth curved into a smile.

"I'm just repaying the village's kindness. From now on, I won't interfere with village matters anymore." Rōshi shook his head and glanced at Nyanko flying in the sky. "Although I won't attack them, your companions can't escape either."

Sawada raised an eyebrow. After all, he'd already sensed that large group of chakra signatures. "No problem. I'll deal with you first."

Sawada chuckled, then his entire figure transformed into an afterimage and vanished.

“Heavenly Strike”

The instant Sawada appeared, his right fist clenched tight, erupting with rich chakra flames, blasting directly toward Rōshi.

Rōshi's heart lurched violently. Without thinking, he leaped backward. Whoever takes this punch dies!

One punch struck out. The entire ground was instantly torn apart by overwhelming force. After a dull roar, there followed a teeth-grinding sound of shattering rock. The ground collapsed directly.

The ground where Rōshi had just stood crumbled layer by layer like collapsing dominoes. Dust flew as a deep trench, four meters wide, cut across the entire logistics camp.

After landing, Rōshi steadied himself and looked over, immediately understanding that Sawada's punch was meant to cut off Sunagakure's pursuit route.

Sawada flexed his wrist, looking at Rōshi. This is all I can do for now. The rest depends on whether Asuma and the others can seize the opportunity to burn the supplies.

"I heard you could defeat the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki head-on?" Rōshi asked only one question, then rapidly formed hand seals. "Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Jutsu!"

In an instant, several scorching lava balls, emanating a sulfurous smell like small suns, attacked Sawada. Wherever the lava balls passed, the ground was scorched black, emitting smoke.

Sawada clenched both fists. The black-gray Yang Release chakra immediately covered both hands. His toes lightly touched the ground, and his figure shot toward the lava balls.

Facing Rōshi's bewildered expression, Sawada shattered the lava balls directly with his fists.

"Hmph! Let's see how long you can last!" Rōshi snorted coldly. His entire body's chakra began surging, and dark red lava emerged again on his body's surface. The surrounding ground instantly melted upon contact. Then his entire figure charged directly toward Sawada, his speed even faster than before.

Lava Release Chakra Mode, huh? Rōshi's figure vanished, instantly appearing before Sawada. A fist covered in molten rock swung directly at Sawada's head.

Sawada dodged, evading Rōshi's powerful strike. As a taijutsu expert, Sawada immediately seized the momentary opening after Rōshi's punch. In one fluid motion, a whirlwind kick covered in Yang Release chakra swept toward Rōshi.