Chapter 283 - 283: 283 - Roshi confronts Naruto!!

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Iruka went to work the next day prepared to calm Sasuke down, depending on how things played out.

But Sasuke didn't need soothing at all. He didn't storm off to challenge Gaara again; instead, he slipped back into his usual attitude in class, as if nothing had happened.

It wasn't until Roshi showed up at the training class again and took Gaara and Naruto away—this time with an extra person in tow, Sasuke—that Iruka finally understood what was going on.

"Eh?! Why is this guy Sasuke here too?!"

Dragged to the training ground with a Body Flicker, Naruto pointed straight at Sasuke and yelled.

Sasuke just snorted coldly and didn't bother explaining. In his mind, he was different from Naruto—he was here because he carried a more important responsibility.

"Even though you managed to make Gaara's sand fail its automatic defense several times yesterday," Roshi said, ignoring Naruto's complaining, "that's only because your Taijutsu isn't threatening enough, Naruto."

"To let Gaara participate in training normally, his sparring partner has to fully trigger the sand's defense mechanism. It shouldn't just defend—it needs to be pushed to the point where it even launches counterattacks."

Naruto muttered a few more insults about Sasuke under his breath, glanced at Gaara, then grumbled reluctantly, "Got it…"

Even so, he still insisted on going first and faced off against Gaara just like he had the day before.

Sasuke watched their exchange closely. Compared to their own fight, Gaara's movements against Naruto were clearly clumsier. For Gaara, splitting his focus between controlling the sand and engaging in Taijutsu at the same time was much harder than simply fighting head‑on.

After more than ten minutes of back-and-forth, Roshi finally called a stop.

"I can still keep going, Roshi-nii!" Naruto shouted, baffled.

"But Gaara has already started to gradually adapt to your rhythm."

"Sasuke, you're up." Roshi turned to him. "Soften your blows and increase your speed. Understood?"

One approach targeted the sand's detection mechanism; the other targeted Gaara's rhythm in adapting to Taijutsu attacks.

Sasuke instantly understood. He adjusted his mindset and stepped in front of Gaara.

At Roshi's signal to begin, Sasuke's movements were completely different from yesterday's. His body became light and elusive, his attacks aimed more at disrupting movement than causing direct damage.

Gaara's eyes sharpened, his focus intensifying—

To the point that his control over the sand began to slip. A few times, the sand managed to block Sasuke's strikes, but even then, Sasuke still touched Gaara's body twice.

A faint smile surfaced in Sasuke's eyes.

If this was how it worked… then he'd found a breakthrough strategy he could use even in a real battle.

Off to the side, Naruto fidgeted impatiently, looking from Sasuke, to the concentrated Gaara, then to Roshi.

"Hey! It's my turn! Roshi-nii! Time's up, right?!"

"No. Things are looking very good right now," Roshi replied. "Sasuke, next, loosen the restrictions on your ninjutsu. You've mastered other high-power Ninjutsu as well, haven't you?"

"Gaara, you must keep control of the sand. Defense is allowed, but you are not to counterattack."

"Roshi-nii! That's not fair, I know Ninjutsu too…" Naruto started to protest, but his words died when he met Roshi's indifferent gaze.

"I am aware of your Ninjutsu class grades, Naruto."

"To be effective for Gaara's training, such clumsy ninjutsu won't be enough."

"Isn't your goal to help Gaara?"

"Right now, Sasuke is more capable of helping him."

Naruto opened his mouth, face flushing red.

"That stuck-up Sasuke doesn't know anything else either…"

Having received permission, Sasuke glanced at Gaara, then moved several meters away.

"Next," he said quietly, "this won't be on the same level as just now."

He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Flames roared from his mouth, swelling in an instant into a blazing fireball over two meters wide. With a howling wave of heat, it rushed straight toward Gaara.

The scorching glow washed over the training ground and reflected in Naruto's eyes as they suddenly widened.

He watched, stunned, as the fireball smashed into Gaara's sand and was blocked. Frustration surged up inside him.

"If… if the sense were willing to teach me too…" he shouted at Roshi, "I'd definitely be able to learn such powerful Ninjutsu!"

Roshi turned his head to look at him. That look alone made Naruto straighten his back on reflex.

"In that case," Roshi said evenly, "first make Iruka acknowledge your hard work and progress."

"The Ninja Academy has the authority to teach offensive elemental techniques."

Naruto's face twisted with embarrassment as he blurted, "I–I already know the Transformation Jutsu, and it's perfect. It's just that Iruka-sensei won't acknowledge it."

"Then show it to me. If I acknowledge it, Iruka will too."

Naruto's eyes lit up and he broke into a grin. "Transform!"

With a soft bang, white smoke billowed out.

A tall blonde lady appeared in front of Roshi.

Gaara, who had been fully focused on handling the aftermath of the Great Fireball, glanced over in confusion. His clear eyes were filled with puzzlement: 'This is… Transformation Jutsu? An attack?.

On the other side, the moment the woman appeared, Sasuke snapped his head away as if scalded. His profile and earlobes turned visibly red as he muttered under his breath, "Idiot dead last."

"Transformation Jutsu is used for infiltration," Roshi said flatly. "This is too conspicuous. If you have no other variations…"

"Then it's a fail."

Hearing this, Naruto released the transformation, bitterness welling up inside him.

—

Someone else who felt bitter was Baki.

But Baki didn't dare say anything; he simply stewed in it himself.

Sunagakure's Jinchuriki was living quite happily in Konoha. Even putting aside Gaara's personal will for the moment, it should, in theory, still be possible to demand his return.

By speaking through the Joint Affairs Bureau, the other hidden villages would also weigh in on Konoha's behavior and could apply pressure together.

The problem was that Rōshi had offered a new option. The Jinchūriki would still stay in Konoha to attend the academy, as originally planned. In return, Konoha and Kumogakure would help Sunagakure expand its current fleet—a move that was both necessary in the current ninja world situation and served as compensation to Suna.

So, what did the village want more: funds to expand the fleet or for the Jinchūriki to return home immediately?

From the feedback he'd received, Sunagakure clearly leaned toward the former.

At least money was something they could actually hold in their hands. As for whether technology would leak once Konoha and Kumogakure invested, and how much would leak… the core technology belonged to the Sky Ninja in the first place. Sunagakure had only acquired the equipment and made modifications. Even now, they hadn't truly mastered it and didn't even dare to casually take it apart.

They had no money, no confidence, and if they broke anything while dismantling it, their combat strength would drop.

With only Chiyo left, they couldn't afford to give up anything that could bolster the village's overall power.

Earlier, because of the urgency surrounding the Flying Fortress, they had already handed over a fully intact flying wing to the joint team. That alone meant the secrecy of that technology wouldn't last much longer.

As for putting up their own funds to accelerate research… they simply didn't have the money. The military budget was already tight, and the various competitions this year were bound to suffer under the unstable situation, which meant prize revenue would inevitably fall.

On top of that, the Land Transformation Project was going to eat up another portion of the budget. It had to; the Daimyō was keeping a close eye on it, and the project was directly tied to the Land of Wind itself.

If it were only the Daimyō watching, it wouldn't be such a problem. The issue was that Konoha seemed to have reached a tacit understanding with the Land of Wind's Daimyō, and now both sides were watching together.

Taking everything into account, Sunagakure had two choices: hold their existing fleet tightly and let other villages slowly catch up starting from the Flying Wing, or accept funding from Konoha and Kumogakure and push their own research even harder. By relying on their existing personnel and head start, they could widen the gap in that field. How much the others managed to copy in the end would be their concern, not Suna's.

Since they had decided that the Jinchūriki would remain in Konoha as originally agreed, looking after him became the responsibility of those in the Bureau—and of Baki.

"Is Gaara not here?" Baki asked as he arrived at the Konoha residence where Temari and the others were staying.

"He's still undergoing special training," Temari replied.

She and Kankuro had returned first because Baki had informed them he would be coming. As for Gaara... Baki's expression didn't change as he turned to Temari and said, "The reason I had you come to Konoha early before was because the village was facing a dangerous situation and couldn't guarantee your safety."

"You saw that fortress earlier, didn't you? The enemy even dared to attack Konoha head‑on. If the Tsuchikage hadn't arrived, Konoha could only have watched them leave unscathed."

"That's why you, as the future of Sunagakure, were entrusted to Konoha's side."

"In that case, we can go back now, right?" Kankuro asked.

With his path set as a puppeteer, there was only so much he could gain from staying here.

Temari stayed quiet. Gaara was here, and his condition seemed to be getting better and better. She'd been the one most opposed to coming to Konoha at first, but now she'd changed her mind—she didn't want to go back so soon.

"No," Baki said. "Since you've already come, you'll complete the agreed‑upon exchange program as promised. It's just..."

He trailed off, not quite sure how to continue.

So he changed the subject. "Another group will arrive in the second half of the year. As the first ones here, you may need to take on some guidance and support work, so be ready."

After saying what he needed to say and giving all the necessary explanations, Baki stood up. Just before leaving, he turned back to them.

"Remember this, Temari, Kankuro."

"We are always shinobi of Sunagakure."

"No matter where you are or what situation you're in, never forget that."

He could only hope these two siblings would carry that resolve to Gaara as well.

—

Roshi's gaze, Gaara's attention, and Sasuke's eyes had all converged on Naruto for only an instant—just that brief moment when he used his technique.

Now, even though he was still standing there, it felt like he wasn't needed anymore, like no one was looking his way.

He was the one who had been working toward this from the very beginning.

He told himself he should be happy for Gaara. Gaara had defeated Sasuke and was now the one truly in the spotlight. Even now, all eyes were still on him. Yet a faint bitterness rose up in Naruto's chest. He didn't know what this feeling was. His earlier excitement had completely faded, replaced by a deeper, hollow loneliness.

After using Ninjutsu repeatedly and pushing his body too hard, Sasuke was ordered to step aside and rest.

Naruto brightened immediately and dashed a few steps forward to stand in front of Gaara.

"It's my turn! It's finally my turn! Roshi-nii, Gaara, we—"

"Rest for a while."

Gaara only glanced at him. "I can still continue."

"No," Roshi rejected the idea at once. "This training is to improve your control. Pushing on now would be pointless."

With that verdict, Naruto fell silent. He walked off to the side and slipped into the trees.

Either way, once the break was over, it probably still wouldn't be his turn. After all, Sasuke could use such powerful ninjutsu.

The light in the woods dimmed, and a heavy sadness quietly settled over him. The forced competitive fire he'd been holding onto went out, leaving only frustration and gloom in its place.

The toes of his sandals nudged at the dirt and scattered pebbles, once… then again, without him really noticing.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed like that—maybe just a few minutes, maybe more than ten—when a calm voice came from above, in front of him:

"That Transformation Jutsu, in terms of both precision and actual presentation, is a successful variant Ninjutsu."

"But… it still doesn't pass, right? I already know what Roshi-nii wants to say," the blond boy answered dully.

He'd been bracing himself for harsher criticism; Iruka had already given him plenty of that.

"You can pull off a transformation jutsu at that level, but you can't complete a standard transformation jutsu," Roshi said. "Is it because a normal transformation jutsu isn't flashy enough for you?"

"No… it's just that, no matter what I do…" Naruto finally lifted his head, flustered. "I just…"

Roshi finished for him. "Your observation isn't careful enough, and you don't realize what your basic transformation is lacking?"

"To perform the transformation jutsu you just used, the precision of observation and the imagination required are in no way simpler than for an ordinary transformation jutsu."

"Uzumaki Naruto." He deliberately used his full name. "Do you want to train with Gaara so badly because you want to help a comrade… or because you can't stand having the attention that belongs to you taken away?"

"I…" Naruto's mouth opened and closed. "I… just…"

The boy struggled to find an answer, but Roshi didn't rush him. Instead, he continued, "By the standards of the Transformation Jutsu, only being able to transform into one specific thing is a failure."

"However, from the standpoint of a 'Ninjutsu Developer' or a 'Practical Applier,' this 'Directionally Specialized Transformation Ability' you've shown is something that deserves recognition."

"On that basis, I'll give you an appropriate reward."

"Eh—?!!" Naruto shot up from the ground, eyes going round.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu. A-rank. Forbidden Jutsu," Roshi said.

An A-rank Ninjutsu? A Forbidden Jutsu? As a reward… for him?

Joy and belated shock crashed together on his face, twisting his expression into something almost comical.

"Wh… why?"

"Don't you want it?"

"I do!" he yelled, his earlier dejection and resentment blown away. "I'll definitely learn this technique! I'll surpass Sasuke!"

—

After Sunagakure agreed to the joint investment proposal from Konoha and Kumogakure, three-way talks over the specific terms began.

Kakashi, who held a post in the Bureau, was temporarily given a new mission. As the person in charge of Konoha's side of the negotiation details, he had been practically living in the conference rooms of the Venue District for two days straight.

He almost found himself missing his old days doing fieldwork in the Anbu.

Even so, as an all-round shinobi with no real weaknesses in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, or intelligence, he still handled everything flawlessly.

Only after the representatives from Sunagakure and Kumogakure had finally taken their leave did Kakashi let his eyelids droop in fatigue.

Gathering up the documents, he left the conference room and headed to the next one.

This room held only two people for the moment; as soon as Kakashi entered, the other man rose and quietly walked out.

Now only Kakashi and Roshi remained. Roshi sat by the window, thumbing through a stack of scrolls in the last light of the setting sun.

"You're not slacking off under the guise of work, are you, Roshi?" the silver‑haired Jōnin said, sounding put‑out. "The way you and that Kumogakure Jōnin, Samui, were acting didn't look like you were discussing official business at all."

Roshi looked up from the scrolls. "I'm also rushing between tasks, Kakashi-senpai. Besides training the village's new generation, I have to deal with these transnational affairs." He rolled up the scroll and added, "Besides, you're the one who refused to become a Jōnin instructor in the first place, Kakashi-senpai."

"Either way, even if I did become a Jōnin-sensei, I still wouldn't be able to avoid being ordered around by you under all kinds of 'reasonable' pretexts."

Kakashi pulled out a chair and sat down, moving straight to the main topic. "The basic framework and core terms for the fleet expansion are more or less finalized. Sunagakure is still trying to haggle over technical‑sharing ratios and future maintenance responsibilities, but overall, things are decided."

Roshi nodded. "The sooner this is settled, the better. If Akatsuki could make it all the way to the Land of Snow, they can just as easily entrench themselves in any overseas nation."

"In fact, the enemy may already have found a second or even third foothold overseas."

"Traditional surface ships are too easy to spot and target. From now on, a blockade and patrol network made up of fleets with underwater navigation and combat capabilities will be the best way to handle this kind of overseas threat."

"Another route is to build on Flying Wing technology and the airship technology the Land of Snow demonstrated."

"Faced with threats born from new technology, the conventional tactical systems of the ninja villages will start to be phased out."

"Right now, the enemy comes from overseas and from the skies; who knows if, in the future, they'll come from even higher above, or from outside this world altogether?"

Kakashi let out a sigh. "...Aren't you thinking a bit too far ahead—and being a little too dramatic, Roshi?"

"I don't need to think that far, but you might, Senpai," Roshi replied. "Your future is still long. While I still haven't run away, please work harder and get used to it."

The corners of Kakashi's mouth and eyes twitched at the same time. So he wasn't even bothering to hide the fact that he planned to run away someday?

Wait… didn't Roshi just mention something about training newcomers?

Maybe he should go check it out too.

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