Chapter 379: Disciple's Strength Changes and Flying Thunder God
Chapter 379: Disciple's Strength Changes and Flying Thunder God
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Anko Mitarashi gathered a large amount of chakra in her throat and, using her fire-nature chakra, spat out a torrent of flames that formed into a fireball hurtling towards Mu Yue.
Simultaneously, from another direction, Kurenai Yuhi threw a barrage of shuriken at Mu Yue, aiming to pin her down.
Unfortunately, the fireball missed its mark, and the shuriken were effortlessly blocked by Mu Yue.
Seizing the opportunity, Genma Shiranui, hidden in the shadows, used the Body Flicker Technique to dash towards Mu Yue and launch an attack.
However, Mu Yue seemed to have anticipated Genma's move and effortlessly dodged with a simple backward step.
At that moment, Anko and Kurenai also closed in for close-quarters combat, searching for an opening.
Despite facing six hands with her two, Mu Yue's superior strength made it effortless to knock down Anko and Kurenai. Only Genma, ever cautious, managed to avoid being hit.
As if resolved to make a final desperate attempt, Genma abandoned his usual evasive tactics and charged straight at Mu Yue.
Bang! Mu Yue sidestepped, and the Genma in front of her turned into smoke. The real Genma burst out from behind her, surging with chakra, and lunged for her waist.
"Still a little too slow," Mu Yue said with a smile as she spun around and grabbed Genma's outstretched hand.
Bang! Mu Yue tossed Genma aside, sending him crashing next to Anko and Kurenai, forming a neat row of three on the ground.
"This is so hard. We've done this bell-snatching training five times now, and only Genma has succeeded once," Anko lamented, sprawled on the ground, gazing up at the sky.
The bell-snatching training, which took place once every three weeks, was Anko's most anticipated session. She had always looked forward to grabbing the bell and receiving secret, powerful jutsu teachings from Mu Yue, just like in the ninja novels where the protagonist's teacher imparts ultimate techniques.
But after five attempts, not only had she not grabbed the bell, but she hadn't even gotten close enough for a good look. Each time she neared it, she would end up flat on her back.
During the third bell-snatching session, when she saw Genma succeed, Anko couldn't help but feel envious. However, it seemed that Genma hadn't received any rewards yet.
"Training is meant to push you beyond your limits. If it's too easy, it loses its meaning. If you can defeat Genma, I'll give you a bell directly," Mu Yue offered, suggesting a quicker path to obtaining a bell.
Mu Yue designed the bell-snatching training to accelerate her students' breakthroughs. If Anko could last three minutes against Genma's all-out assault without being knocked down, Mu Yue would readily give her a bell, as that would signify a significant leap in her abilities.
"Defeat Genma? Is that even a realistic possibility?" Anko sat up, scratching her head in bewilderment.
Outclassed in both combat and academics, Anko had no idea how she could possibly beat Genma. Perhaps her only chance would be if she got lucky while playing Ninja Killer and drew a strong hand.
"If you could become as strong as Kakashi, you'd likely be able to beat me," Genma said calmly.
Although his diligent training over the past three months had resulted in some improvement, Genma still wasn't confident that he could defeat Kakashi.
If he could go back in time and replace his past self in a fight against Kakashi, he might stand a chance. But given the passage of time, Kakashi had undoubtedly grown stronger as well.
"I think I'll just lie here a little longer," Anko said, opting to lie back down upon hearing Genma's words.
Kakashi Hatake—a graduate whose genius still echoed through the halls of the Ninja Academy years later.
Anko recalled how some teachers had once compared Genma and Kakashi, concluding that they were evenly matched. To Anko, Kakashi seemed like a taller, older version of Genma, and no amount of relentless training could help her catch up.
"Genma, you're underestimating Kakashi too much. He's only riding high right now. Once our Sharingan evolves into the Three Tomoe, we can definitely beat him anytime," Obito said.
Speaking of Kakashi, he had just returned from a mission with Obito and the others and happened to overhear the conversation between Genma and Anko as they entered the Southern Forest.
Hearing someone praise Kakashi, Obito, a lifelong critic of Kakashi, couldn't resist chiming in. He urged Genma not to sell himself short and tarnish the Uchiha clan's reputation.
"What if you don't win then?" Kakashi asked nonchalantly.
"If I... if I don't win..." Obito stumbled over his words. He was just mouthing off, and he hadn't even reached the Three Tomoe stage yet, so how could he know if it would be enough to beat Kakashi?
"I haven't thought about that because there's no way I'll lose," Obito asserted stubbornly.
Rin Nohara was right there, and there were also juniors from the Ninja Academy present. Obito had to maintain his tough-guy image.
"Okay, then if you lose, you'll have to run around the main district of Konoha, shouting, 'Obito is inferior to Kakashi' as you go," Kakashi suggested, a slight curve forming at the corners of his mouth as he looked at Obito.
Obito broke into a cold sweat, his forehead and back dampening. This wager was cruel. If he had to go through with it, he and his grandmother might have to pack up and leave Konoha in the dead of night.
"Well, since you're not going to lose, it doesn't matter what the consequence is," Kakashi said, emphasizing that Obito wouldn't lose.
Obito was left speechless. If he didn't agree, it would be proof that he had been bluffing earlier.
"It's good that you understand that... that the Three Tomoe Sharingan is... is very powerful," Obito stammered, feigning composure while drenched in sweat.
In his heart, he had already made a decision. If upgrading to the Three Tomoe Sharingan still didn't give him the edge he needed to defeat Kakashi, he would temporarily refrain from using the Sharingan to avoid exposing his weakness.
Meanwhile, Obito resolved to undergo intense training to boost his strength. Pretending was not a long-term solution; only victory would bring him peace of mind.
"What if Kakashi-senpai loses?" Anko asked, her face lit up with curiosity.
Kakashi had been talking about what Obito would have to do if he lost, but he hadn't mentioned what would happen if he himself lost.
Kakashi turned to look at Anko. This girl seemed to have a different focus from the others.
"Yes, it's not fair if there's only a penalty for me losing and none for you. Although I'm absolutely certain I won't lose, since you've made this wager, you should add a consequence for yourself as well," Obito quickly added.
"Since it's a battle to determine the winner, let's just make it the same for both of you. If Obito-senpai loses, he shouts 'I'm inferior to Kakashi-senpai,' and if Kakashi-senpai loses, he shouts 'I'm inferior to Obito-senpai,'" Anko suggested enthusiastically, eager to devise consequences for both parties.
Kakashi found himself in a bit of a bind due to his own suggestion.
"No problem," Kakashi nodded calmly, but his heart grew heavy.
"Looks like I'll have to dedicate even more time to training," Kakashi thought to himself.
Obito lacked the confidence to defeat Kakashi, and Kakashi himself wasn't entirely certain he could beat Obito with the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
If he had to run around Konoha shouting that he was inferior to Obito, Kakashi might as well stop wearing his mask and start wearing a balaclava instead.
Genma glanced at Anko, realizing that she had a natural talent for fanning the flames of competition.
Initially, both sides could have treated this as a lighthearted joke, but with Anko's insistence, it had transformed into a serious battle wager.
Not wanting to lose, Obito and Kakashi threw themselves wholeheartedly into their training, enhancing the already intense atmosphere of the Southern Forest.
After the trio had trained for a while, Mu Yue decided to assess their progress with a strength test.
Due to their busy schedules, Tobirama and the others had only returned to the village a handful of times over the past few months. Fortunately, the Enlightenment skill could be used on system disciples through the panel, and they could still receive the same boosts as they would have in Konoha.
Since it had been two months since their last visit, Mu Yue wanted to ensure that their training regimen remained effective. Thus, she decided to assess their current abilities.
To ensure accuracy, Mu Yue conducted individual tests instead of having them train together.
Combining her observations from the practical tests with the data obtained through her Appraisal skill, Mu Yue quickly gained a clear understanding of Tobirama, Izuna, and Obito's growth over the past three months.
Indeed, the battlefield was an excellent place to hone one's skills. While the appraisal data showed only moderate growth, their actual combat abilities had improved significantly.
Both Kakashi and Obito now possessed true Jonin-level strength, with achievements worthy of immediate promotion to the rank of Jonin.
Moreover, thanks to their Transparent World and Flame Chakra Mode abilities, their actual output ceiling exceeded that of ordinary Jonin.
However, they did have one common shortcoming: they couldn't sustain their full power for extended periods.
Kakashi's Raikiri consumed a significant amount of chakra and stamina, and the same was true for Obito's Flame Chakra Mode.
Due to the activation of his Sharingan, Obito had experienced a sudden surge in chakra, and his reserves were now considerably higher than Kakashi's. Even with his larger chakra pool, Obito couldn't maintain his Flame Chakra Mode and unleash two Fire Dragon Flame Bullets simultaneously.
It seemed that they had both acquired abilities suited to their individual strengths. If Kakashi were to activate the Lightning Chakra Mode, his chakra reserves might not be sufficient to unleash a single Purple Electricity attack.
However, this limitation wasn't due to any innate talent deficiency in Kakashi or Obito; it was a result of their young age and immature bodies. If they were eighteen years old, they wouldn't face such constraints.
Yahiko Lin's progress brought a pleasant surprise to Mu Yue. She exhibited the most significant comprehensive improvement among the group. Her medical ninjutsu had advanced noticeably, and the battlefield experience had refined her water-style ninjutsu and taijutsu, making her one of the more outstanding Chunin.
By "outstanding," Mu Yue referred to Yahiko's ability to contribute to the team, not her combat strength. Even with her progress, if Yahiko were to face Kakashi and Obito from a few months ago, she would still be easily defeated.
Mu Yue planned to teach Yahiko some more supportive water-style ninjutsu in the future. For now, it was still best for Yahiko to focus on support rather than direct combat. With a few more years of development, she would be ready to take on a more offensive role.
Mu Yue estimated that in a few years, Tsunade would likely be able to develop the Hundred Seal Technique. With the Yin Seal and the Hundred Seal Technique, Yahiko would be able to balance her offensive and supportive capabilities.
Obito's return brought Mu Yue joy because it meant that Minato had returned as well. Moreover, her Flying Thunder God Technique had reached ninety-nine percent proficiency, and she needed to consult with Minato to perfect it.
After achieving mastery, things would become much simpler. Mu Yue not only had ninjutsu proficiency scrolls but also a ninjutsu mastery scroll, which could instantly boost her Flying Thunder God Technique to mastery level.
That evening, as usual, Minato arrived at Mu Yue's house.
"Minato, I encountered a bit of a problem with the Flying Thunder God Technique. Do you have time to help me with it tonight?" Mu Yue asked directly as she prepared the meal.
"Sure, we can discuss it after dinner," Minato nodded in agreement.
He rarely had free time these days, and Mu Yue was always willing to lend a helping hand when he needed assistance.
After Mu Yue finished cooking, Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to deliver the meal to Kushina before returning to join Mu Yue for dinner.
He had already visited Kushina once since his return to Konoha, so he wasn't in a rush to see her again.
"I'm sorry, but I have to trouble you to look after Tobirama and the others again for a while," Minato apologized with a sheepish expression.
He felt a bit guilty as a teacher, always leaving his disciples in Mu Yue's care.
"I've been assigned a mission by the village to cooperate with Orochimaru-sama and swiftly resolve the situation with Kirigakure in the Land of Hot Water," Minato explained.
Kirigakure's declaration of war against Konoha wasn't an empty threat. They had already begun their operations on the eastern shores of the Fire Country, so Konoha was eager to conclude one battlefield affair and redeploy their forces to counter Kirigakure.
As for why they chose to deal with Kirigakure first instead of Iwagakure, it was because Kirigakure, despite having the Two Great Jinchuriki, seemed like a more manageable opponent compared to Iwagakure, which possessed eight tails' Jinchuriki.
Konoha genuinely wanted to avoid facing off against three Great Ninja Villages simultaneously, even if they didn't plan to unite against Konoha. The mere possibility of that scenario posed a grave threat to Konoha's vitality.
"It's no trouble at all. I'm their teacher as well," Mu Yue replied with a gentle smile.
"Moreover, you're doing this to protect Konoha and, by extension, them. After all, with Kirigakure joining the fray, the village is under immense pressure."
Minato nodded, "Kirigakure's intrusion into the Fire Country is the last thing the village wants to see."
Konoha's current plan was to first conclude the conflict in the Land of Hot Water, then focus on driving out Kirigakure, and finally deal with Iwagakure.
Minato was all too aware of the immense pressure Konoha was facing. These days, he was like a brick that could be moved wherever the village needed him, and he rarely had any time to rest.
Mu Yue listened quietly as Minato shared the latest developments from the front lines. As a rear guard ninja and a teacher, she didn't often have access to such recent intelligence.
In particular, information about Kirigakure was scarce, as they had only recently begun their conflict with Konoha, and only ninjas assigned to relevant missions were privy to the details.
It wasn't exactly top-secret information, just not widely disseminated.
After dinner, Mu Yue used her Enlightenment skill to clarify any doubts she had. No matter the situation at the front lines, improving herself always took priority.
"It's quite simple. All you need to do is this..." Minato pondered briefly before offering a solution to Mu Yue's problem.
Initially, Mu Yue struggled to follow Minato's line of thought. Her question was akin to a problem in mathematics, and Minato had provided the answer without showing his work.
However, with Minato's patient explanation, Mu Yue eventually grasped the concept.
[Skill: Flying Thunder God Technique (Beginner: 1/500)]
Happy New Year, everyone! A humble request for monthly votes.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
