Naruto: The Teaching System - 261

Chapter 261: Don't You Want to Think About How You Got Caught Here?

"Hiss—that really looks like it hurts." Naruto winced, watching the Training Ground, his expression pained.

Even Sasuke, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Neji's month-long intensive training was absolutely brutal. It wasn't training at all. It was more like one-sided punishment.

Initially, only Naruto and Sasuke experienced it once or twice. After that, they could no longer endure it and began their own sparring matches instead. But Neji had persisted for nearly a month, emerging battered and bruised almost every single day. Even Hinata and Ino's medical ninjutsu skills had improved significantly as a result.

"However, I have to admit," Shikamaru said nearby with a different perspective, "Neji's strength has shown remarkable improvement." Neji had made significant progress over the past month.

Hearing this, Sasuke and Naruto froze momentarily, then exchanged glances. Should they also request Sawada-sensei's training?

A massive sound rang out. Neji's figure flew backward like a projectile, crashing to the ground hard.

Naruto swallowed hard, then immediately shook his head. How could I have such a dangerous thought?

"Alright, that's enough," Sawada said after sending Neji flying. "This month of intensive training counts as passed. Rest tomorrow."

"Yes, sensei!" Neji stood up and nodded respectfully. He was covered in mud and wounds. Over the past month, to maximize his combat ability, Sawada had suppressed half his power and deliberately defeated Neji repeatedly. This was designed to strengthen his actual combat skills, not just technique knowledge. After all, war was coming, and on missions, they might encounter enemy shinobi.

Hinata and Ino quickly stepped forward to begin treating Neji's wounds.

"Naruto, from now on, you all should train at the Training Ground most of the time," Sawada said, addressing the group. "Don't train at home, understand?"

After all, that old fox Black Zetsu still had no news. Even the Akatsuki organization that had sent Kakuzu and Kisame seemed to have disappeared.

However, thinking of Kisame, Sawada couldn't help but purse his lips. Samehada had been sealed somewhere within Konoha. But that man was patient. Using Samehada's last bit of chakra, he still refused to come out.

Before leaving the village, I need to attend to this matter first.

Deep Within Konoha's Intelligence Department

Sawada walked lightly through the corridors. Inoichi heard the sound and turned around. Seeing it was Sawada, he smiled.

"Yo, Sawada. What brings you down here today?"

"I'm about to leave the village, Inoichi-senpai," Sawada said, looking at Samehada bound by Sealing Jutsu on a stone platform. "How is it progressing?"

"Same as always. If you hadn't kept pushing this, I would have given up," Inoichi replied with a shake of his head. Such things were hard to believe. What shinobi could hide in a weapon for over a month without eating or drinking? Even if the weapon was alive.

Hearing this, Sawada rubbed his forehead. The intelligence department had been provoking Samehada on a constant basis. But Kisame was indeed patient, acting as if they couldn't sense him. He simply didn't come out, so nothing happened.

"Then let me try," Sawada finally said after a moment of thought. He had previously handed Samehada to the intelligence department, hoping to extract valuable information from it. After all, Samehada was one of the most powerful swords wielded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. While the other six swords each had unique abilities, Samehada surpassed them in raw power.

"No problem. We've completed all necessary research, so it's better if you handle this," Inoichi nodded. Though it was somewhat regrettable, if the person inside escaped without being discovered, it would be bad for Konoha.

Sawada nodded, then waved his hand. About ten Anbu shinobi immediately stepped forward and surrounded the area. After preparations were complete, Sawada unhesitatingly walked onto the stone platform.

He formed several seals, and black threads dispersed directly toward Samehada.

Inoichi saw this and froze momentarily, then shook his head. This wasn't the Nara clan's shadow imitation technique.

As the black threads gradually penetrated, Samehada seemed truly dead, not moving at all. If Sawada's perception were ordinary, he might have been fooled.

"What's wrong, Kisame? You've been hiding for a month now. Won't you come out?" Sawada looked at the motionless Samehada and spoke in a calm tone.

"Well, since you won't come out, I'll just destroy it directly. It has no research value anyway." Seeing the other party still didn't move, Sawada's gaze turned cold.

The black threads suddenly accelerated, tightly wrapping around Samehada. Under this tremendous force, it seemed ready to shatter at any moment.

Just then, a white shadow dodged the black threads and flew toward the underground exit.

"Catch him!" Inoichi shouted, displeased. He really hadn't expected someone to hide in a weapon for nearly a month.

Before Inoichi finished speaking, the surrounding Anbu shinobi drew out scrolls. A sealing formula is instantly deployed, forming a circular barrier.

The shadow erupting from Samehada directly crashed into the sealing formula but couldn't escape.

Kisame's figure collapsed. He was completely naked, his eyes carefully watching Sawada standing before him.

"So you knew from the beginning?" Kisame's disbelief was clear. His method should have been undetectable.

"Ah, actually, if you could suppress your malevolence, perhaps you really could have avoided being discovered," Sawada said flatly. Actually, it wasn't for that reason, but because of his unique perception. Even without activating Sage Mode, some of his abilities could still be used, though the range wouldn't be as wide.

Hearing this, Kisame's expression froze. Malevolence? I lost to that?

"Hehe, no matter. This sealing formula can't let me in or out, which means my only opponent right now is you!" Kisame bared his teeth, his gaze cold as he stared at Sawada.

Sawada sighed quietly. Don't you want to think about how you got caught here in the first place? Who gave you this confidence? Uchiha Obito?

Sawada ignored him and had no intention of fighting Kisame again. Besides, intelligence about the Akatsuki should have already spread throughout the entire village by now.

"You should sleep now." Before his voice finished, just as Kisame was about to attack Sawada, his entire body trembled. He looked at Sawada in complete disbelief.

The next moment, his head dropped weakly.

"How could I possibly just want to find your location when I knew you were inside?" Sawada raised his hand, black threads pulling Kisame's body toward him.