Magma spheres and massive flames crashed into each other as the two men unleashed their Ninjutsu.
The power of their techniques collided with a thunderous roar, and the surrounding air warped under the sheer intensity of the heat. Heatwaves rippled outward in every direction, and the surrounding shinobi could feel the terrifying weight of the exchange.
In this clash of Ninjutsu, Tianyuan held the upper hand. The power of his Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame surged directly toward Roshi.
"Lava Release: Granite!"
Countless layers of magma formed an impenetrable defense. Though the Majestic Destroyer Flame had been largely depleted by the effort, Roshi finally managed to block the attack.
"Roar!" A primal sound erupted from Roshi's throat.
Frantic, crimson chakra began to spread from his body, forming a Tailed Beast cloak that shimmered like a thin veil. Behind him, a tail began to grow.
"You're going to die!" Roshi's pupils grew hideously distorted. He charged toward Tianyuan, moving as fast as a bolt of lightning.
"Such speed." Tianyuan's pupils contracted. Having entered his Tailed Beast transformation, Roshi's velocity had clearly reached a new level.
Bang!
Carrying the raw power of a Tailed Beast, Roshi's fist slammed into Tianyuan. Tianyuan countered, and the two began to trade blows at a speed far greater than before. Gradually, however, Tianyuan began to fall behind the rhythm.
"Now!"
A fist infused with the chakra of the Four-Tails slammed into Tianyuan's chest. The impact sent Tianyuan flying backward, smashing through several large trees before he finally came to a halt.
"Impressive, Roshi," Tianyuan said, looking back at his opponent. It was clear that Tianyuan hadn't suffered any significant damage; Roshi's attack hadn't been as powerful as one might have expected.
"Then I'll use the power of Ki." Tianyuan took a deep breath. Although his Ki wasn't particularly vast yet, making techniques like the Ki Blast difficult to use effectively, its ability to enhance Taijutsu was substantial.
Thump!
Tianyuan stomped his foot, shattering the ground beneath him. In that same instant, his figure vanished.
This was the terrifying Taijutsu Tianyuan possessed when using Ki. It was not inferior to the strength granted by the Eight Inner Gates specifically the power of the first few gates.
"Over here!" Roshi tried to turn and attack, but a fist had already bypassed his guard. The blow struck him squarely, forcing him back in a violent retreat.
"Dangerous!" Roshi's expression shifted again mid-retreat because he saw Tianyuan charging at him once more.
"Too slow, too slow!"
Tianyuan's figure flickered incessantly around Roshi. It was impossible to track his movements with the naked eye; one could only see Roshi being bounced back and forth, hit from one side only to be knocked to the other. Even in his Tailed Beast transformation, Roshi was utterly unable to mount a counterattack.
"Damn it! Damn it!" Roshi screamed. Even in this state, he could feel pain, and Tianyuan's strikes were starting to inflict real internal damage.
"Roar!"
At that moment, Roshi let out a violent howl. The tail behind him began to split and extend until four tails were dancing wildly at his back. A deep-red Tailed Beast cloak, resembling raw flesh, completely enveloped him. He radiated a savage, tyrannical aura.
He had entered Version 2.
In this stage, most Jinchuriki lose their sanity entirely. Only a select few, like the Eight-Tails' Killer B, could maintain control. Roshi, however, was just barely able to manage it.
"I'm going to kill you!" Roshi grabbed Tianyuan with one hand and began rain down punches empowered by the Four-Tails' strength.
Under the weight of these blows, Tianyuan's Armament Haki began to slowly crumble, yet his gaze remained unnervingly calm.
"Roshi, have you forgotten that I know the Flying Thunder God Technique?" Tianyuan asked coldly.
"Flying Thunder God Technique?" In this state, Roshi's mental processing had slowed significantly, influenced by the Four-Tails' malevolent chakra.
Before Roshi could react, Tianyuan vanished from his grasp. He reappeared a distance away, standing right where a Kunai had been placed earlier.
"Curse you!" Roshi suddenly slammed both hands onto the ground.
The soil surrounding Tianyuan instantly transformed into a sea of magma. This was Roshi's Lava Release Ninjutsu: Flower Fruit Mountain a technique that could only be performed in his Version 2 state.
"Sky Dancing Technique!"
Tianyuan's entire body floated into the air. But as he rose, the magma sea below erupted like a volcano, attempting to swallow him whole. Glowing magma sprayed in every direction, burning countless small holes into the ground, while trees were instantly incinerated by the extreme temperature.
In his Version 2 form, Roshi possessed Kage level strength.
"Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View... Open!"
High above Roshi, Tianyuan's voice rang out calmly. A green radiance began to permeate his body. In an instant, six gates were opened simultaneously, and a surge of overwhelming power erupted from his form. At this moment, his Taijutsu had been pushed to an absolute peak.
"What? He's not dead?" Roshi's face paled. He felt like he couldn't hold on much longer; his sanity was rapidly slipping away.
Boom!
As Tianyuan moved, the air itself groaned with the sound of sonic booms. His speed had broken past a fundamental limit. Even in his Version 2 state, Roshi found it difficult to keep up with Tianyuan's current pace.
Bang! Bang!
Countless attacks rained down on Roshi, fueling the tyrannical rage in his heart. A voice seemed to be whispering in the back of his mind, urging him: Faster, faster... give everything to me.
The Iwa-nin resisting the Konoha forces also turned their attention to the battle between Tianyuan and Roshi. They never imagined that Roshi, the Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails, would be no match for Tianyuan even in such a state. Just how strong was this Konoha genius?
More importantly, how strong was his Taijutsu?
One could only imagine back when Tianyuan was only at the Chunin level, before he had mastered the Pseudo One-Punch Man Training Method, before he had the Uzumaki Physique or Ki training, and before he was even a Jonin he had already been able to ravage the Eight-Tails after opening the Eight Inner Gates. Now, his Taijutsu was infinitely more terrifying.
Despair began to take root in the hearts of the Iwa-nin. Some of the Stone Jonin were already quietly looking for a path of retreat; they couldn't afford to let everyone be wiped out here.
Then, a roar that shook the very heavens finally rang out.
A monster dozens of meters tall manifested in the center of the battlefield.
Roshi had finally undergone a Complete Tailed Beast Transformation.
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