"Who are you?!"
Rōshi was enveloped in scorching lava, yet the intense heat couldn't dispel the chill in his heart.
Dedicated to solitary training in pursuit of becoming a Perfect Jinchūriki, he had a stubborn personality.
Had it not been for Ōnoki's repeated persuasive attempts, acknowledging Rōshi as an indispensable high-level asset to Iwagakure, Rōshi would have long left the village, wandering as a lone monk.
A gentle breeze stirred, sending flowers flying from the distant peach grove, carrying a sweet fragrance.
"Heh!"
"It doesn't matter who I am. I'm here to take something from you..."
Sōmi gazed leisurely toward the peach grove, completely disregarding Rōshi.
Rōshi's face darkened. He considered himself one of the strongest in the ninja world and possessed the dignity of a powerful shinobi. Being treated with such disdain by Sōmi was intolerable.
His hands formed seals rapidly, then clasped together.
"Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Rōshi spat out several scorching lava balls, hurling them toward Sōmi.
"Water Release: Water Collision Wave!"
A wide blue stream suddenly surged from behind Sōmi, enveloping the lava balls with a hissing sound, releasing wisps of white steam.
As the water stream moved toward Rōshi, he clasped his hands again, causing the lava on his body to glow more intensely, as if magma was flowing over his skin.
Sizzle!
Massive clouds of white steam erupted as Rōshi swung his arms, evaporating the blue stream entirely!
"Scorpion! You've arrived?"
Upon hearing a faint creaking sound, Sōmi spoke without turning his head.
In an instant, Scorpion appeared beside Sōmi, manipulating a gray-black puppet.
Scorpion retained his youthful and handsome appearance, exuding a cool demeanor. He wore a black robe with a purple diamond-shaped mark on his forehead.
However, intricate black runes encircled his right eye, giving him an eerie look.
Both of his eyes were now black, and the Sharingan that Sōmi had transplanted seemed to have undergone some transformation...
Standing beside Sōmi, Scorpion didn't respond verbally; he merely twitched his fingers, eager to engage Rōshi in battle.
"Scorpion..."
"Don't rush; your main battlefield is yet to come."
"I'll handle this guy. You stay behind and use your puppet to cast Water Release for support, preventing sneak attacks!"
Sōmi extended his left hand, stopping the eager Scorpion.
Whoosh!
Entering 'Sage Crane Mode,' Sōmi underwent a dramatic transformation, unleashing a powerful gust of energy along with thick, golden-green chakra.
This chakra was so abundant it seemed to take on a tangible, gelatinous form.
"What is this...?"
"What kind of power is this?"
"Could this be the 'perfect' state I've pursued for decades?!"
In his Lava Release Chakra Mode, Rōshi's eyes flashed with astonishment.
He could clearly sense that Sōmi's Tailed Beast Chakra was unrestrained and abundant, akin to a humanoid Tailed Beast.
Unlike Rōshi, who merely borrowed Tailed Beast Chakra, Sōmi wielded it without fear of the beast within him seizing control.
Moreover, Sōmi's Tailed Beast Mode contained an even more potent energy.
However, having never encountered Sage Mode and being quite isolated, Rōshi didn't understand the concept of Natural Energy.
To him, Sōmi was undoubtedly the legendary Perfect Jinchūriki!
Despite his awe and admiration, an enemy remains an enemy!
As Sōmi grew serious, a thick shadow of death began to seep into Rōshi's heart.
Rōshi, now desperate, ignored the risk of a Tailed Beast rampage. Against such a formidable foe, any hesitation would lead to only one outcome...
Aside from the Jinchūriki, the puppet-wielding individual beside him was peculiar. His puppet could unleash powerful Water Release jutsu, which was baffling...
Roar!
With a furious roar, Rōshi unleashed a surge of Tailed Beast Chakra, enveloping himself in a dark red Chakra cloak. Four swaying tails rose behind him.
In an instant, Rōshi crouched on all fours, surrounded by intense heat. Upon closer inspection, his Chakra cloak was also wrapped in lava.
This was the strongest form Rōshi had developed through years of training: a fusion of Partial Tailed Beast Transformation and Lava Release Mode.
With the Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, Rōshi's speed reached incredible levels, and his lava armor rendered ordinary ninjas defenseless, dissolving them instantly upon contact.
Yet today's adversary would teach Rōshi that his prized training results were merely cherished in vain.
Rōshi's beast claw slammed into the ground.
Boom!
A geyser of lava erupted skyward, while his beast claw extended forward like elastic lava rubber.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Scorpion, prepared, manipulated his Water Release puppet. The oddly shaped, bulky puppet mimicked the formation of seals.
Then the puppet's mouth opened wide, revealing an exaggerated grin.
Suddenly.
The puppet spat out a massive water sphere, crashing against Rōshi's lava beast claw.
The puppet's water sphere was unlike ordinary Water Release jutsu; it seemed highly compressed, the liquid inside thick and viscous.
Though the lava pierced the water sphere, it immediately unleashed a larger blue waterfall, flooding the beast-like Rōshi.
Sizzle!
White steam billowed up, dispersing into dense mist.
But Scorpion's movements didn't cease; his fingers danced as if playing an energetic melody.
Sōmi's face showed a flicker of surprise.
In his perception, Sōmi saw purple lines beginning to creep across the gray-black face of the puppet.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"
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