Chapter 56: Magma
"Exactly where is it?"
The Four-Tails could create and control magma, essentially the Lava Release, so the scorching and massive chakra was likely the Four-Tails.
"This direction."
Karin pointed to the left, toward the center of the Great River Valley.
"The center of the Great River Valley?"
Itachi's expression turned contemplative, but he didn't move.
"Is something wrong?"
Kisame, having partnered with Itachi for a long time, immediately understood his meaning. He raised Samehada and rested it against Karin's neck.
"There's a volcano beneath the Great River Valley, and at its center is a lake of magma. The 'River' in Great River Valley represents that magma lake."
Su Xiao also understood Itachi's point. The Four-Tails was naturally adept at Lava Release, which could create and control magma. Fighting in that kind of terrain gave the Four-Tails Jinchuriki a natural advantage.
"Has that chakra shown any signs of movement?"
Su Xiao turned to look at Karin. After sensing for a moment, Karin shook her head.
"No signs of movement. That chakra is very close to the magma lake."
Hearing Karin's words, Su Xiao fell into thought.
Fighting the Four-Tails Jinchuriki at the magma lake in the Great River Valley was not an option. That would be a foolish choice.
"The Four-Tails Jinchuriki left the village because of a personality conflict with the Third Tsuchikage. What exactly happened? A Jinchuriki leaving the village is no small matter."
Su Xiao wanted to find an opening through the personality flaws of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi.
"Rumor has it that it was over the selection of the next Four-Tails Jinchuriki. The Third Tsuchikage wanted to train a young boy as the new Jinchuriki, but Roshi refused. The fates of Jinchuriki are all tragic."
"Oh? So the Four-Tails Jinchuriki has some compassion?"
"That's roughly the situation."
A smile appeared on Su Xiao's face. His gaze shifted to Karin, and Kisame, catching on as well, also looked at her.
"Karin, how's your lung power?"
Su Xiao put his arm around Karin's shoulder again, making her body tremble.
"It's... it's okay, I guess."
Karin had a bad feeling about this.
"Good. Then scream your lungs out."
"Huh?"
Karin was stunned. Su Xiao grabbed her collar and yanked hard.
With a tearing sound, Karin's pale arm was exposed, covered in bite marks—a result of her special ability.
He drew Dragon-Slaying Flash and made a shallow cut on Karin's arm. Karin was completely dumbfounded.
"Now you can start screaming. Lie on the ground and scream."
"Oh? Oh."
Karin understood Su Xiao's plan.
Su Xiao and the other two flashed to a hiding spot in the distance. Karin took a deep breath.
"Help..."
Karin's voice was weak and feeble. Kisame's brow twitched.
"Help~"
Still listless, as if she hadn't eaten.
A black pistol appeared in Su Xiao's hand. From a distance, he aimed at Karin's calf and fired.
Bang. A bloody bullet hole appeared. Karin's face twisted in pain. Su Xiao then aimed the gun at her head.
"HELP!!"
A high-pitched female scream rang out, echoing through the valley for a long time.
As she screamed, Karin crawled forward with difficulty. Her acting was very convincing.
Was it acting? Not at all. Karin knew full well that if she didn't give it her all, she'd have a hole in her head.
After a full five minutes of screaming, Karin was completely exhausted. She lay limply on the ground, looking like she was ready to be killed or spared, whatever the case may be.
Itachi frowned deeply, as if he wanted to stop this. But after glancing at Su Xiao in the distance, he could only sigh.
Itachi was never a villain. Even though he was now a member of the Akatsuki, he tried to avoid killing innocent people during missions.
The current situation was beyond Itachi's control. He couldn't even get past Su Xiao.
Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of footsteps on rock came. A middle-aged man with a fiery red beard, dressed like a wandering monk, emerged from the valley. It was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi.
Roshi was about fifty years old, wearing tattered clothes. His fiery red hair was tied into a short ponytail. He wore an Iwagakure forehead protector without a scratch on it, meaning he wasn't a rogue ninja. He had simply left the village due to ideological differences with the Third Tsuchikage, not because he had defected.
"Little girl."
Roshi walked up to Karin. Karin looked at him with tear-filled eyes.
"You're with those three, aren't you? Now that I'm here, you don't have to suffer anymore."
Roshi's words made Karin pause, and then she lowered her head.
"I... I'm not their companion. Run. Even if you're a Jinchuriki, you're no match for those three monsters."
Hearing Karin's words, a gentle smile appeared on Roshi's face.
"You're a sensory-type ninja."
Karin nodded.
"I was a sensory-type ninja before I became a Jinchuriki. From a person's chakra nature, you can roughly sense their good or evil. You're a kind little girl. Get up. Stand behind me."
Roshi patted Karin on the shoulder. Karin's expression grew even more pained. She would have preferred the Four-Tails Jinchuriki to be a villain rather than such a kind-hearted middle-aged man.
Karin could clearly sense that Roshi's chakra was very peaceful. Even as a Jinchuriki, his chakra gave off a warm, comforting feeling.
"Hurry up. Those three are coming."
Karin shook her head.
"I'm sorry. Forgive me."
"No, you were just trying to survive. I sensed what happened here earlier."
Roshi stood up and looked around.
"Four-Tails, it's time for us to get some exercise. All this hard training hasn't improved our synchronization."
"Hmph, whatever."
The Four-Tails communicated with Roshi through their consciousness. Although Roshi was stubborn, he was still a relatively kind-hearted ninja. That's why he wasn't a qualified ninja, and Roshi knew it well. So he had shed his identity as a ninja and become a wandering monk.
"Karin, you've made friends with the enemy so quickly. As expected of Orochimaru's subordinate."
Su Xiao appeared on the slope behind Roshi, cutting off his escape route.
"Kisame, be ready to suppress him with Water Release."
Itachi and Kisame approached from the front and sides, forming a triangle with Su Xiao.
"You're here for me, and you're all from the same organization."
Roshi glanced at Su Xiao behind him, then looked at Kisame and Itachi in front.
Itachi's Sharingan widened slightly. Roshi froze in place. Kisame charged forward with Samehada in hand. Itachi had already used his genjutsu.
Su Xiao kicked off the ground and rushed toward Roshi alongside Kisame, forming a pincer attack.
"Wait."
Itachi shouted, but it was too late.
"Lava Release: Rock Blast Flow."
Roshi's hands flew through hand signs at incredible speed. His abdomen swelled, and he spewed out a torrent of magma mixed with red-hot rocks.
All the magma surged toward Kisame. Kisame was stunned. Itachi's genjutsu had been broken instantly—something that had never happened before.
The magma came rushing in. Kisame stopped in his tracks, casually thrust Samehada into the ground, and formed hand signs.
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique."
Water surged from beneath Kisame's feet, forming a giant water shark that charged toward the magma.
The magma and the water shark collided. With a booming roar, water and magma splattered everywhere. The contact between water and magma hissed and sizzled. Steam rose, and the surroundings became shrouded in mist.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Su Xiao had already closed in behind Roshi. He swung his blade at Roshi's nape.
The long sword cut through the air with a mournful whistle. Cyan Steel Shadow energy surged along the blade.