I Don't Like Being Taught a Lesson

"I've got you, little Konoha brat!" The Sand Ninja who had launched a sudden sneak attack wore a vicious grin.

His name was Murakami Nakaju, and he was a Jonin. He'd attacked by surprise, and there was no way this brat could escape.

His Ninja Blade came down, striking Sen Chisato with tremendous force—enough to cleave a person in two.

"Bang!"

Sen Chisato vanished in a puff of smoke.

"A Shadow Clone?" Murakami Nakaju froze. "When did he—?"

He'd kept his eyes on Sen Chisato the whole time, but hadn't seen him form a single hand seal.

Just then, a scream rang out to the left, followed by a wave of scorching heat.

A massive fireball.

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

Murakami Nakaju reacted quickly and dodged. He watched helplessly as the fireball swept past him, swallowing several Sand Ninja who'd been preparing to ambush Konoha's medical ninja before plunging into the forest and exploding.

Boom!

A huge swath of forest burst into flames.

Murakami Nakaju glanced over at the blazing sea of fire, his expression grave.

"Could the Great Fireball Technique really be this powerful?"

The enormous fireball had been several times the size of an ordinary Great Fireball.

And the Great Fireball Technique had actually burned people to death!

Most importantly, where had this brat gotten so much chakra?

Sen Chisato naturally had no intention of explaining. He kept swinging his blade, reaping the lives of the Sand Ninja around him.

During the confusion of the battle, he'd used Shadow Clone and Transformation Techniques one after another, without anyone noticing. His real body had hidden among the Sand Ninja, while the Shadow Clone had served as bait.

He'd sensed the Sand Ninja who'd attacked him with the Perception Technique long ago.

Before, he'd needed to stay alert and guard against him. Now that the man had finally appeared, Sen Chisato could relax.

As for Maruboshi Kosuke's words, of course he'd heard them, but he had no intention of paying them any attention.

Protect the medical ninja? What a waste of time.

As several Sand Ninja fell, the others finally came to their senses and charged at Sen Chisato again.

But a few flashes of his blade later, several more Sand Ninja were dead.

After five years under Orochimaru's tutelage, with constant training and cultivation, Sen Chisato's Taijutsu and experience were far beyond what a Chunin could match.

His age naturally left him with some physical and strength-related shortcomings, but he could handle these opponents.

This level of encirclement was nowhere near as dangerous as sparring with Orochimaru!

The Sand Ninja realized something was wrong, too. This brat's Taijutsu and swordsmanship were far too strong. They were no match for him in close combat.

So the Sand Ninja all retreated at once.

"Don't get close to him! Use Shuriken!"

Every Sand Ninja drew Shuriken and hurled them at Sen Chisato in a dense, sweeping barrage. They came like locusts, covering every part of his body.

A no-dead-angles attack!

"You're forcing me to use my big move!" Sen Chisato said, sounding a little helpless.

Aside from Wood Release, he didn't have any defensive Ninjutsu that could cover everything.

"Fine. If it gets exposed, it gets exposed." Sen Chisato brought his hands together.

His life mattered more, after all... Even with the Seal-less Healing trait, he might not die even if he were stabbed until he looked like a pincushion. But if there was another way, why take the hits with his body?

At that moment, a figure suddenly landed beside him.

It was old Maruboshi Kosuke!

Seeing Sen Chisato in danger, he'd fought his way out of the Sand Ninja's encirclement despite his injuries and reached Sen Chisato's side. He'd even abandoned his mission to protect the medical ninja.

Because in his eyes, Sen Chisato was far more important than those few medical ninja!

The talent Sen Chisato had displayed shone like a beacon to him.

At that moment, he remembered the Second's teachings and the "Will of Fire" the Third had spoken of!

"Wherever the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire will continue to burn. The firelight will keep illuminating the village and help new leaves sprout."

Sen Chisato was one of Konoha's new buds. Once he grew up, he would become a towering tree that supported the village!

"This old man won't let you hurt Konoha's future!" The instant he landed, Maruboshi Kosuke had already finished forming his hand seals. "Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

A ring of water sprang up from the ground around them and quickly expanded, swirling around the two of them.

Every Shuriken was blocked by the wall of water.

Sen Chisato stared blankly at Maruboshi Kosuke's back. The old man's body was crisscrossed with wounds.

If he hadn't come to save him, Maruboshi Kosuke wouldn't have been hurt this badly.

Ever since arriving in this world, Sen Chisato had been constantly on edge, doing everything he could to seek power, even going so far as to place himself in Orochimaru's hands.

He cared only about himself and had never paid any attention to anyone else.

He prided himself on understanding this world. He wouldn't trust even the so-called Hokage, let alone Orochimaru, despite having spent five years with him.

But now, something stirred deep inside him.

In Konoha, there were ninja who did nothing but carry out missions, and there were ambitious schemers. Even when they shouted slogans, all they wanted was to win people over.

But there were always some people who, stubborn as they might be and easily brainwashed as they might seem, held fast to their beliefs—even if those beliefs had been used by others to deceive them.

The water wall collapsed. In that instant, the Sand Ninja seized their perfect opportunity. Murakami Nakaju darted forward, his Ninja Blade wrapped in Wind Release chakra as he swung it down at Maruboshi Kosuke.

The slower Sand Ninja closed in as well, roaring as if they meant to hack the two of them to pieces.

Maruboshi Kosuke drew the blade from his back and faced them with grim resolve.

But he was too badly wounded. At that moment, he was like an old machine running low on oil.

"Tch. I've barely left the village, and I'm already getting taught a lesson." Sen Chisato lowered his head, looking displeased, and rapidly formed hand seals. "But I don't like being taught a lesson!"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

The scattered water gathered once more, forming a massive Water Dragon.

As it twisted its body, it swept away every Sand Ninja who'd closed in. Then the dragon raised its head, opened its jaws, and lunged at Murakami Nakaju, who had leaped high into the air.

"This brat!" Seeing the Water Dragon bearing down on him, Murakami Nakaju felt his scalp go numb.

Huge!

It was too huge!

Just like the Great Fireball earlier, this Water Dragon was nearly twice as thick as a normal one!

Even if the brat had used someone else's Water Style, this was a place with no water. Where had he gotten so much chakra?

"Wind Style: Blade of Wind!" Murakami Nakaju couldn't spare a thought for any of that. He redirected his attack and slashed down at the Water Dragon.

Wind Release chakra streamed from his Ninja Blade, forming an invisible blade that cleaved the Water Dragon's head in two.

But the bursting water kept rushing forward, swept him up, and slammed him hard into the ground.

At that moment, Murakami Nakaju was in a sorry state.

He was a Jonin, and his Ninjutsu was certainly no weakling.

But Sen Chisato's Water Style was so far beyond the norm that it had weakened his attack.

Sen Chisato looked up and saw Maruboshi Kosuke staring at him in astonishment. The old man had clearly been stunned.

He was amazed by Sen Chisato's talent, and by the power of his Ninjutsu.

After all, not everyone could master so many Ninjutsu at this age.

Even if the boy was Lord Orochimaru's disciple, and even if Lord Orochimaru was willing to teach him...

Sen Chisato sighed and said helplessly, "Old man, don't just stand there. Hurry up and attack!"

"Oh, right!"

Maruboshi Kosuke came to his senses and immediately rushed forward.

As soon as Murakami Nakaju got back to his feet, Maruboshi Kosuke formed hand seals. "Ninja Art: Dance of the Crescent Moon!"

"Bang!"

Smoke billowed, and two Shadow Clones emerged from it. They ran in formation with the original, racing toward Murakami Nakaju.

Murakami Nakaju took two steps back, tense.

He couldn't tell which one was the original and which were the clones.

Danger!

"Tch! Don't think you can take me down with a trick like that. I'll just cut down the original and the clones together!"

He raised his Ninja Blade and channeled chakra into it. The Wind Style blade swept out again. "Die!"

"Bang! Bang!"

Two clouds of smoke rose as Maruboshi Kosuke's Shadow Clones shattered one after another—but the original was nowhere to be seen.