"Just like a dogskin plaster, huh? Come on, let's have some roasted sweet potatoes!" Roshi stroked his red beard and shook his head helplessly.
Shigeo walked over to him, curiously studying his appearance before asking, "Sensei, with such a long beard, doesn't it burn when you use Yōton (Lava Release)?"
"Pffft—" Roshi spat out a mouthful of water. "Cough, cough—this, uh… who knows? Anyway, it hasn't burned yet!"
"Oh, that's good then!" Shigeo nodded.
The two sat in silence for a while. Roshi turned to look at him and said, "Your foundation is pretty solid, and your speed is impressive. If the two of us fought, I feel like your abilities might even surpass mine. Of course, that's just my guess…"
He sat down, lit a fire, and pulled two sweet potatoes from his pack, roasting them over the flames.
Neither spoke. Roshi stared firmly into the fire, then suddenly glanced at the child beside him, eyeing him up and down. "How about after we eat, we have a little match?"
"Better not," Shigeo shook his head, eyes fixed on the roasting potatoes.
"If you don't fight me, I won't agree to your request. If you want to learn ninjutsu from me, you've got to let me see what you're really capable of, right?" Roshi raised his eyebrows, rare amusement tugging at his lips.
With that, he suddenly spun and kicked at Shigeo, following it up with a blast of Yōton (Lava Release).
Shigeo dodged backward. Doton (Earth Release) rose up, blocking the lava, followed by Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique), cooling the lava behind the earth wall.
Then he vanished with Mokuton: Hiding Technique, disappearing completely into the forest.
"Not bad. With power like that, what do you need me for?" Roshi called out.
"Yōton: Shaku Yōgan-ryū no Jutsu (Lava Release: Scorching River of Flowing Lava)…"
Suddenly, the child appeared above the trees, spewing lava, stunning Roshi.
He leapt back several times, landing in the distance with shock written across his face. Staring intently at the boy hanging upside down from a tree, he finally managed to ask, "You… can also use Yōton?"
In his mind, there were very few in the shinobi world who could wield Lava Release.
"Because if I see someone use a ninjutsu, as long as I want to learn it, I can," Shigeo explained.
"See it? Weren't you using a sensory technique?" Roshi, ever perceptive, pressed further.
Until now, Shigeo had always acted normally, never revealing his blindness. He hadn't expected Roshi to notice.
"Yes. While I use sensory jutsu, for me, sensing is also seeing…" Shigeo answered honestly. His deep blue eyes shone beneath his black hair fluttering in the wind, carrying the weight of a starry sky.
Roshi was overjoyed. A child like this… If Ōnoki were to find out, he would surely sacrifice a dozen jōnin just to capture him.
But Roshi despised Ōnoki's ruthless ways, especially how he massacred civilians during the Third Shinobi War just to seize supplies. After several clashes, Roshi had resolved to never serve him again. That was why he had left Iwagakure.
And yet, he had stumbled upon a treasure like this boy.
"What's your name? Tell me the truth," Roshi asked, sensing Shigeo was hiding something.
Shigeo thought for a moment, then replied, "From Konoha, Hyūga Shigeo."
At that, Roshi rushed forward, crouched down, and examined him carefully. "You're from the Hyūga clan? But… you don't have the Byakugan!"
"Yes. I seem to be a mutated bloodline," Shigeo admitted. For the first time, he revealed something about his body to an outsider. He didn't mention the system, which would be impossible to explain here, but the bloodline mutation was enough.
Roshi immediately glanced around cautiously, even in the remote mountains, and hushed him with a gesture. "Keep your voice down. Unless it's someone you absolutely trust, never mention this again. And outside of Konoha, don't reveal your Hyūga heritage—especially not here!"
He let go of the boy and sighed, sitting heavily on a rock. With a wave of Doton (Earth Release), he smothered the flames of the lava-scorched forest. "Come on, let's head to the nearby town for a decent meal."
Something about the child's trust stirred Roshi. Since he had left Iwagakure and rejected Ōnoki's cruel ways, he was determined not to go back. Now, he even felt compelled to protect this child.
But whenever he thought about the countless innocent lives lost because of Ōnoki's stubbornness, his chest filled with heat and turmoil.
"Honestly, with your abilities, you don't need me as a master. You've already learned all of my ninjutsu, so there's nothing left for me to teach you," Roshi admitted, his gaze softening as he looked at Shigeo.
In the past, encountering a Konoha shinobi would have meant a deadly battle. But since learning to let go, to stop obsessing over his village, he felt a newfound lightness. And now, to be able to coexist peacefully with a child from Konoha—it truly was a miracle.
"But I really want to study every ninjutsu from you. I know some are top-secret, not to be handed out casually, but I've long admired your reputation," Shigeo said. Internally, his system indicated he was close to fully copying the Four-Tails' chakra.
Roshi shook his head gently. "I'm sorry, but I can't teach you. Shaking you off is my weakness, but as a former Iwagakure shinobi, I can't pass down jutsu to a child of an enemy village. That's the bare minimum loyalty I owe to my homeland."
Shigeo fell silent. The two entered a small town and sat down together in a restaurant.
Roshi ordered mostly vegetarian dishes, and Shigeo then realized Roshi was a devout Buddhist—which explained his aversion to killing.
"Today's the last day I'll let you follow me around like this. You're young and talented, but don't go astray. There are so many things in life worth pursuing—why obsess over ninjutsu alone? I'm already preparing to give up being a shinobi altogether." Roshi lifted a cup of sake and drained it.
Though he avoided meat, he had not given up drinking.
"Hey, little one—do you know? I defected from Iwagakure after much deliberation. Where are your parents? Aren't they worried about you traveling alone?"
"They passed away," Shigeo said quietly.
"Because of the war, right?"
He nodded.
"This damned world… So many tragedies needn't happen. Why is it that some people just refuse to understand?" Roshi muttered bitterly.
(End of Chapter)
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