Hearing that, Zhou Cheng held nothing back. This was the perfect chance to vent his frustration over being set up by the Third Generation.
So, apart from his newly learned forbidden technique and the Eight Gates of Life, he used everything he had.
His explosive assault caught Kakashi off guard again and again.
Kakashi had clearly underestimated Zhou Cheng's strength and failed to react at first.
Fortunately, Kakashi adjusted in time and avoided losing face to a child.
Once Kakashi got serious, he defeated and subdued Zhou Cheng within five minutes.
He was an elite jonin, after all.
Zhou Cheng felt no dejection over his defeat. Against absolute strength, every effort was futile.
Kakashi released him, his expression returning to its usual lazy look. This kid was already doing very well.
"Your overall strength is around chunin level-the most ordinary kind of chunin!"
"However, your control over ninjutsu is excellent. Your chakra reserves are what limit your potential!"
"Your taijutsu is also at chunin level. If you want to improve further, you'll have to train hard. There are no shortcuts!"
As he spoke, Kakashi took several ninjutsu scrolls from his backpack. Learning these techniques should take a few days.
"These are the ninjutsu scrolls I wrote up overnight. Take them and practice. Come find me once you've learned them!"
"For your daily training, keep conditioning your body and increasing your total chakra reserves!"
"Chakra is a shinobi's foundation. You can't afford to neglect it!"
He looked at Zhou Cheng with mixed feelings. The Third Generation had taken him as a disciple after all. Whether that was good luck or bad luck for the kid remained to be seen.
Zhou Cheng's eyes lit up. What he lacked now was a variety of ninjutsu, leaving him short on options in battle.
He took the scrolls and immediately began reading them.
Four scrolls: two Water Release techniques and two Earth Release techniques.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall, B-rank.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bite Explosion, A-rank.
Earth Release: Earth Spear, B-rank.
Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique, B-rank.
Looking at the four techniques, Zhou Cheng couldn't help getting excited. He had already learned Earth Release: Earth Formation Wall, and now he could learn Water Release: Water Formation Wall too.
That gave him defensive ninjutsu of two different elements. Where there was no water, he could use Earth Formation Wall.
Where water was plentiful, he could use Water Formation Wall.
Water Dragon Bite Explosion was one of the more powerful Water Release techniques.
First, it launched the enemy into the air with an upward surge of water similar to Water Formation Wall, then transformed that water into a dragon that attacked the enemy from above.
Earth Release: Earth Spear was an area-of-effect offensive ninjutsu.
Countless spikes erupted from underground within a given area to attack enemies, packing tremendous power!
It helped make up for Zhou Cheng's current lack of offensive Earth Release techniques.
Last came Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique.
It was a ninjutsu that could be combined with taijutsu.
It turned the user's fist into solid rock, increasing its hardness and weight to deliver tremendous force.
That neatly compensated for Zhou Cheng's lack of kenjutsu, which left him relying solely on taijutsu in close combat.
Zhou Cheng looked at Kakashi with gratitude in his eyes.
He was certain Kakashi had selected these four techniques after careful consideration.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi merely waved a hand, his eyes still fixed on Icha Icha Paradise. Four techniques should keep you busy for a few days. Now I can read in peace!
Recalling the contents of the scrolls, Zhou Cheng rapidly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Hearing the sound, Kakashi glanced up, then froze on the spot. He didn't even notice Icha Icha Paradise falling to the ground.
One try? He succeeded on his first try?
And that Water Formation Wall looks almost perfectly executed!
With his current chakra reserves, that's an outstanding result!
But before Kakashi could recover from the shock of Water Formation Wall, Zhou Cheng had already begun his second technique.
Targeting a rock, he rapidly formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bite Explosion!"
A whirlpool suddenly appeared beneath the rock and swept it up, then turned into an upward surge of water.
The water launched the rock into the air, then instantly transformed into a water dragon that plunged down to bite it.
It slammed the rock into the ground, leaving a large crater that filled with water.
Kakashi stared blankly, his mouth hanging open, unable to react for a long time.
An A-rank ninjutsu, executed on the first try-and so well, too!
You've got to be kidding. How is this possible?
Even I couldn't do that at his age!
And I was a genius who became a jonin at twelve!
Yet Zhou Cheng clearly had no intention of letting him off that easily.
"Earth Release: Earth Formation Wall!"
A success on the first try, executed to a high standard!
Kakashi wanted to crawl into a hole and die. His normally dead-fish eyes widened larger than bronze bells!
Another first-try success!
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
Zhou Cheng's right fist transformed into a massive rock fist, and he punched a hard rock on the ground.
The rock shattered into pieces on impact.
Kakashi collapsed into a sitting position, his face blank.
Four ninjutsu, all successfully executed on the first attempt.
It's like I'm the student and you're the teacher!
And that hand-seal speed of Zhou Cheng's-is he serious?
Is that really the hand-seal speed a genin should have?
Was he still holding back in his fight with Neji?
Just what kind of disciple have I taken on?
He felt as though Zhou Cheng had overturned his entire understanding of the world. Four ninjutsu had shocked him four times.
Zhou Cheng walked up to Kakashi with a beaming smile, delighted that he had learned four more techniques.
"Huh? Kakashi-sensei, why are you sitting on the ground like that? What's this book?"
Zhou Cheng asked despite knowing the answer, then bent down to pick up Icha Icha Paradise. He was genuinely curious about what was inside.
"Nothing. It's just an ordinary book!"
Scared half to death, Kakashi burst into motion with inhuman speed and snatched Icha Icha Paradise before Zhou Cheng could reach it. This was not something a child should read.
Zhou Cheng shrugged. Even without looking, he could guess that it contained material unsuitable for children. If Kakashi wouldn't let him read it, fine. Why react so strongly?
"Sensei, I want to learn more ninjutsu!"
He had to race against the clock and seize every second to grow stronger!
"Huh?" Kakashi was dumbfounded again. Four ninjutsu in one day, and you're still not satisfied?
What are the other genin supposed to think?
How are they supposed to keep up?
Do you really have to push this hard?
"Ahem. Come back here tomorrow!"
"It's getting a little late today."
It wasn't that Kakashi didn't want to teach him. He simply couldn't think of any suitable ninjutsu for Zhou Cheng on the spot, and handing him a few random techniques would be too irresponsible.
So he could only ask Zhou Cheng to return tomorrow.
Zhou Cheng naturally agreed. Biting off more than he could chew wouldn't help; he still needed more practice with these four techniques!
Then he invited Kakashi to his home for dinner that evening, saying he would cook himself.
Although Kakashi doubted Zhou Cheng could cook as well, he nodded and accepted.
After Kakashi left, Zhou Cheng glanced at the sky and realized it was already evening. It was time to pick Haku up from school.
More importantly, he needed to check on Naruto!
Iruka would probably comfort and encourage Naruto, just as he had in the original story.
Zhou Cheng felt he should go give Naruto a pep talk too.
If Zhou Cheng's involvement caused Naruto to miss out on learning the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique...
Then Zhou Cheng decided he would teach him himself. Would Naruto even be Naruto without the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?