https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-487-The-Rare-Gathering-of-Team-Minato/12558733/
Chapter 488: Insights into the Sun's Breath
Chapter 488: Insights into the Sun's Breath
After a day of training, Itachi returned home to the Uchiha district with his Solrock.
"Itachi, I'm starving," Solrock complained as he flopped onto the floor, voicing the universal lament of the hungry.
To prevent Solrock from causing mischief with his boundless energy, Itachi had given him an intense workout.
Solrock didn't have the same stamina as a Linoone, and now he was both exhausted and famished.
"Let's start with some gourmet instant ramen," Itachi suggested, fetching a bag of secret-recipe dog food from the Inuzuka clan and pouring a small bowl for Solrock.
Knowing Solrock's intelligence, Itachi feared he might reject the food if he called it dog food, so he opted for a more palatable description.
To ensure Solrock's well-being, Itachi had researched extensively on foxes and their dietary needs.
Contrary to popular belief, foxes are actually omnivores, and their diet can include meat, vegetables, and even fruit.
Moreover, as a Ninja Pokemon, the newly-hatched Solrock was hardier than an ordinary fox kit and didn't require as much special care.
Itachi formulated a balanced diet for Solrock, taking into account the various nutritional requirements.
Solrock buried his head in the bowl, devouring the food eagerly.
Itachi then began preparing dinner for himself and Solrock.
Even though he was just cooking for his Pokemon companion, Itachi felt a sense of warmth and contentment, as if their little home had become more lively with an additional member. There were more tasks to do, but his heart was lighter and happier.
Knock, knock.
Not long after Itachi finished his dinner, there was a knock on his door.
When he opened it, he found Elder Kuju of the Uchiha clan, accompanied by two other high-ranking members of the clan's dovish faction.
"Itachi, have you just finished your meal?" Elder Kuju inquired with a friendly smile.
"Yes, and you, Elder Kuju?" Itachi replied, ushering them into the living room.
"I just finished as well. I happened to be strolling in the vicinity and thought I'd drop by to chat about recent clan matters," Elder Kuju explained amiably.
Despite Itachi's young age, barely nine years old, his performance at the clan meeting had left Elder Kuju deeply impressed.
Coupled with Itachi's demonstrated inclinations, Elder Kuju envisioned grooming him to be the next clan elder.
No, the current Itachi no longer needed his mentorship. All Itachi lacked was an opportunity to ascend to the position of elder.
Itachi nodded, feigning interest without speaking, his posture conveying his willingness to listen.
"Your strength is undeniable, Itachi, but the Uchiha clan values not only power but also contributions to the clan. We do not bestow high positions lightly on those who have done nothing for the clan," Elder Kuju stated.
While Itachi's defeat of Uchiha Seisei meant that the clan now regarded them as equals, it did not automatically qualify Itachi for a position as an elder.
"Now that you've attained the rank of Jonin, you could consider joining the Police Force. With your abilities and ninja rank, you'll be fast-tracked for important roles, and you can further prove your worth to the clan through your performance," Elder Kuju suggested, offering Itachi a clear path forward.
To many Uchiha, the Police Force, an exclusive domain of their clan, was synonymous with contributing to the Uchiha cause.
There was another unspoken advantage to Elder Kuju's suggestion: the Police Force was safer.
Its ninjas were tasked solely with maintaining law and order within Konoha, far from the dangers of war and missions.
If the Police Force were ever deployed to the battlefield, it could only mean one thing: Konoha's ninja forces were severely depleted, and even recent graduates from the Ninja Academy might be forced to fight.
Hearing Elder Kuju's words, Itachi shook his head inwardly.
He wondered if it was a case of being too close to see the problem or if the allure of power was simply too great. How could the entire Uchiha clan be blind to the dangers posed by the Police Force?
Both the hawkish and dovish factions of the Uchiha clan eagerly threw themselves into the work of the Police Force, as if it were the very heart and soul of the Uchiha.
"Elder Kuju, do you believe it's beneficial for our clan to monopolize the Police Force?" Itachi asked, steering the conversation in a different direction.
Elder Kuju paused, slightly perplexed by Itachi's question. Wasn't the answer obvious?
"For our Uchiha clan, it is most certainly advantageous. Even if the Konoha higher-ups try to marginalize us, we still hold sway over a crucial aspect of the village," Elder Kuju replied.
At this point, Itachi knew there was no point in continuing the discussion.
In his opinion, resolving the issues within the Uchiha clan required reforming the Police Force so that it no longer served as the clan's private militia.
Itachi understood that change had to come gradually. If he voiced his thoughts now, he would become an outcast within the Uchiha clan. The only way to turn the tide was to make others see the harm the Police Force was causing to the Uchiha.
However, this was no easy task. Suggesting reforms to the Police Force was far more challenging than refuting Seisei's ill-conceived proposal.
Seisei's proposal was simply a flawed plan that could be countered by pointing out its impracticalities.
The Police Force, on the other hand, involved power and money. It wasn't enough to write reports or provide information; the Uchiha would have to be convinced to give up the tangible benefits they derived from controlling the Police Force.
"I have other commitments under Master Moyue's guidance this year, so I won't have time to join the Police Force," Itachi declined politely.
While he believed that joining the Police Force at this point would be a waste of time, he also recognized that he needed the support of the dovish faction, and he had to find a way to get Elder Kuju on his side.
"Ah, you're still under the tutelage of Master Lyuetsu. I almost forgot you were his disciple. Very well, follow his guidance for now," Elder Kuju said with a nod.
Master Moyue was currently one of the most sought-after ninja instructors in Konoha, and Itachi's prospects under his mentorship were undoubtedly brighter than anything the Police Force could offer, with even greater potential for growth.
The two men chatted a while longer about less pressing matters, and then Elder Kuju took his leave.
…
Saturday afternoon found Master Moyue back at the training grounds, continuing his lessons on Dark Pulse and Dark Flame Jutsu.
As an advanced application of Dark Pulse, Dark Flame Jutsu was significantly more challenging to master.
Even with Master Moyue's skill-boosting abilities, the progress of the ANBU ninjas was slow. Moyue estimated that even the fastest learner among them would need at least four months to perfect the technique.
At three o'clock, Asuma arrived at the training grounds.
"Carry on with your lesson, Master Moyue. I'm just here to observe," Asuma said with a smile, noticing Moyue's glance in his direction.
Moyue nodded and cast an Identification Jutsu on Asuma, having previously only encountered his clone, which couldn't be identified.
【Name: Asuma Sarutobi】
【Chakra: 38000】
【Skills: Fire Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient Level: 2800/15000), Wind Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient Level)…】
Mu Yue estimated that if Asuma had lived, with another decade or two of training, he would have likely become a low-tier Kage-level ninja.
At that moment, Mu Yue's shadow clone and main body were teaching different techniques; the main body taught the 'Dark Pulse Technique', while the clone instructed on the 'Dark Flame Jutsu'.
Asuma listened to the Dark Flame Jutsu for a while, but when it became too advanced for him, he moved over to where Mu Yue's main body was teaching the Dark Pulse Technique.
Asuma's eyes lit up as he listened to Mu Yue explain the technique. He had already managed to cultivate it successfully, but his application was clumsy. Just half an hour of Mu Yue's lecture helped him overcome one of his cultivation hurdles.
"No wonder Asuma admires him so much," Asuma thought, gaining a newfound respect for Mu Yue's teaching abilities.
If it weren't for Mu Yue's changed identity and status, Asuma would have considered hiring Mu Yue as a tutor for his future children.
With Mu Yue's current trajectory, by the time his children were old enough to cultivate, even becoming Mu Yue's disciple might be a far-fetched dream.
[Complete a medium-level lesson]
[Evaluation: S]
[Rewards: Understanding of Breathing Techniques improved, Dark Pulse Technique +35, Dark Flame Jutsu +21, Basic Breathing Technique +18, Lightning Breath +9]
After claiming his rewards, Mu Yue's understanding of breathing techniques deepened further.
"Perhaps I should try to fuse Yang Release chakra with Fire Release first, or develop a hybrid breathing technique that combines the Flame and Yang Breaths?" Mu Yue pondered.
The latter idea seemed slightly more feasible, but the former was akin to hell difficulty—it would be like trying to create a whole new Kekkei Genkai.
Despite Mu Yue's extensive knowledge of ninjutsu and proficiency in various chakra nature transformations, attempting to create a never-before-seen Kekkei Genkai was still a pipe dream.
Even with existing Kekkei Genkai, it was incredibly challenging; otherwise, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have developed one himself.
Mu Yue believed that creating a Kekkei Genkai had a touch of mysticism to it—it wasn't just about skill, but also luck.
Mu Yue set these thoughts aside for the moment; they were long-term goals that couldn't be rushed.
After dinner, Mu Yue headed to the training grounds to instruct Yamato.
Over the past two weeks, Mu Yue had been focusing on two key areas: chakra control and water and earth ninjutsu.
"Today, we won't be practicing ninjutsu. Instead, I'll be teaching you a basic breathing technique," Mu Yue said, intending to guide Yamato into the next stage of his training.
Through constant refinement, the basic breathing technique that Mu Yue taught had become an excellent foundation for cultivators. It enhanced training effects and seamlessly transitioned into various attribute breathing techniques.
Compared to the more advanced attribute breathing techniques, the basic breathing technique was much easier to grasp.
However, without subsequent breathing techniques to build upon it, cultivating the basic breathing technique was less efficient than cultivating the Dark Pulse Technique.
The Dark Pulse Technique was not only relatively simple to learn and master, but it also provided greater benefits, even with the Dark Flame Jutsu as a supplement. Its only drawback was its low ceiling.
"Once you've reached a certain level of mastery over concentrated breathing, you can apply it to your training, ideally integrating it into your daily breathing," Mu Yue instructed.
Yamato didn't fully understand, but he quietly took notes on Mu Yue's words.
"The weather is getting warmer, but don't forget to stay warm. It's easy to catch a cold during seasonal transitions," Mu Yue reminded as he prepared to leave.
In Mu Yue's opinion, with Hashirama's cells, Yamato shouldn't be susceptible to illness.
Mu Yue's main intention was to frustrate Danzo's plans. With Mu Yue as Yamato's teacher, Yamato would inevitably compare Danzo to Mu Yue, and it was clear who would come out on top. Danzo's attempts at manipulating Yamato would fail.
After returning home, Mu Yue spent some time studying Wood Release ninjutsu.
With a proficiency level of 1,000 in Wood Release, it would be embarrassing not to know a single Wood Release jutsu. At the very least, he should learn the basic Wood Clone Technique.
After studying Wood Release, Mu Yue paid a visit to his neighbor, Minato Namikaze, to discuss sealing techniques.
Minato had a unique understanding of sealing techniques, even if his overall skill in them was not as refined as Kushina's.
"Mu Yue, what a coincidence. I was just about to come looking for you," Minato said as he opened the door.
"Let me guess, you're about to head out on a mission?" Mu Yue asked.
Minato nodded helplessly.
"I had planned to rest for another week, but our intelligence ninja just reported that Iwagakure has sent more ninjas to hide in the Grass Country. The Third Hokage is worried about the situation there, so he's sending me to take a look," Minato explained.
Unlike Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Minato's ninjutsu abilities made him a versatile asset. He often worked alone or led a small team of elite ninjas on high-stakes missions.
"That's tough," Mu Yue sympathized.
It was no wonder that Minato had become the Fourth Hokage in the original story—not only had Jiraiya and Tsunade stepped aside, but Minato's dedication and accomplishments were unparalleled.
"Fortunately, I finished teaching Kushina the Rasengan today. If the mission had come any earlier, I wouldn't have had the time," Minato said, accustomed to his busy life but still concerned for Kushina.
"Rasengan?" Mu Yue feigned confusion.
He felt he owed Kushina a favor, and he planned to repay her with delicious food so that she wouldn't blame him for the name 'Rasengan'.
"It's a great name, don't you think? Kushina came up with it," Minato said proudly, a smile on his face.
While he liked the name he had chosen, Kushina's suggestion suited the jutsu even better.
Mu Yue nodded in agreement. All the ninjas in the future who learned the Rasengan would have Kushina to thank for its catchy name; otherwise, they would have had a tongue-twister of a jutsu to pronounce.
"Mu Yue, I have a favor to ask. While I'm away, could you please look after Kushina? If you have the time, it would be great if you could teach her the Rasengan as well. With your guidance, I'm sure she'll pick it up quickly," Minato requested, unable to hide his worry for Kushina.
"Of course," Mu Yue readily agreed.
Whether it was cooking an extra portion or teaching ninjutsu, it was a simple matter for him.
"Mu Yue, goodbye," Minato waved as he made his way towards the Konoha gates.
Mu Yue watched Minato's retreating figure until he was out of sight.
(End of Chapter)
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