Chapter 321: Kakashi's New Move
[System: First S rank teaching evaluation completed.]
[System: Reward granted. Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation: Mastery. Yin Release Chakra Nature Transformation: Mastery.]
The reward this time was exceptionally generous. In one go, Mugetsu obtained two mastery level chakra nature transformations, and not just any elements, but the most esoteric Yin Release and Yang Release.
A massive influx of knowledge about training Yin and Yang chakra poured into his mind. After taking a moment to sort through the flood of information, Mugetsu opened his panel to confirm his status.
Name: Hayate Mugetsu
Chakra: 66,500
Skills:
Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Perfect: 120/80,000)
Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Mastery: 8,000/15,000)
Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Mastery: 7,800)
Yin Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Mastery: 0)
Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Mastery: 0)
…
In terms of total chakra, his growth rate had slowed slightly since changing his strategy for grinding rewards, but it was still impressive. Mugetsu estimated that by the end of this school year, his total chakra would likely hit ninety thousand, or even break through to one hundred thousand.
Even if his recovery speed lagged slightly behind that number, having such a massive pool was still incredibly reassuring.
What puzzled him was the proficiency values for Yin and Yang Release.
Both were sitting at zero.
His first three mastery level chakra nature transformations had all come with half filled proficiency bars as part of the reward. This time, there was nothing.
"Is it because Yin and Yang Release are special?" Mugetsu wondered. "Or was that half proficiency some kind of beginner protection before?"
There was no way to reach a conclusion just by guessing. He would only know for sure once he earned another mastery level nature transformation reward in the future and could compare.
Even so, Mugetsu was more than satisfied. A shinobi with good talent might spend their entire life training and still only push a single nature transformation to mastery. He had just received two mastery level elements from teaching a single class.
The next day, Mugetsu followed the same basic schedule as the first day of special training, only adjusting some of the details. After a full morning of systematic instruction, nothing triggered, and the system only settled his rewards once the afternoon session ended.
[System: Quality lecture completed.]
[System: Evaluation rank: S.]
[System: Rewards granted. Taijutsu ability slightly increased. Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation +8. Earth Release Chakra Nature Transformation +45. Lightning Release Chakra Nature Transformation +35. Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation +10. Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation +15.]
Looking at the new reward list, Mugetsu felt a twinge of disappointment.
He had spent the entire day having C Group grind taijutsu, hoping for a reward that would strengthen their bodies directly, but all he got was a slight boost to taijutsu ability.
Overall though, the haul was still excellent. At this pace, by the time the special training camp ended, his Lightning Release and Earth Release would both likely advance to mastery level.
At that point, Mugetsu would have six mastery level nature transformations and one at perfect level.
After two days of running the camp at full tilt, Mugetsu had already worked out the basic conditions for earning an S rank evaluation:
He needed a lot of students.
The lesson quality had to be high.
And the teaching had to continue for a long duration.
As for the rewards, they were completely different from the ones given for lower ranks. Instead of giving him a couple of new ninjutsu like an A rank, S rank rewards always strengthened whatever he had just taught.
For Mugetsu, that difference was far more valuable than one or two extra techniques.
The medical specialist class would be coming soon as well. When that happened, he intended to push for another S rank evaluation, to see if it would help him develop the "power bank" he was planning.
Of course, the rewards might be amazing, but they definitely were not free.
Mugetsu was completely exhausted by the end of each day. After returning home, he often did not even have the strength to open a book and needed time just to rest and recover.
As the special training progressed, the paused Chunin Exams were also about to resume.
Nara Shiosui and Asuma, as participants, had already requested leave from Mugetsu in advance. The third stage of the Chunin Exams would be held on Tuesday and required dedicated preparation.
Taking everyone's desire to watch into account, Mugetsu decided to give the entire camp that day off so they could go to the arena.
Of course, that time off would be made up later. There would be no break on Saturday, and only Sunday would remain as a true rest day.
August 4th, the day before the Chunin Exams.
Despite there being only one day left, none of Mugetsu's disciples relaxed in the slightest.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
Orange yellow flames blazed around Uchiha Obito's body. Every punch and kick carried scorching heat and crushing force.
Whenever sweat beaded on his skin from fatigue, the heat instantly evaporated it.
Obito cycled through the Fire Release ninjutsu Mugetsu had taught him again and again, from morning straight into the afternoon, pushing his Breathing Technique to repeatedly drain his stamina in search of a breakthrough.
Might Guy's Eight Gates and Rock Breathing, and Kakashi's divinely assisted jonin one shot, had all become pressure bearing down on him.
And those were not his only concerns.
There was also Mei Terumi, who had a natural advantage against him, waiting in the top four.
Obito did not want to lose.
He did not want to lose to anyone.
For most of his nine years of life, he had been the dead last of his class. Now that he had finally turned things around, he wanted to keep winning, and keep pushing.
He wanted to win for Mugetsu.
He wanted to win for Rin Nohara.
He wanted to win for Kakashi.
He wanted the entire village to understand that Uchiha Obito was not inferior to anyone.
Bang. Bang.
Nearby, huge trees and boulders were being felled one after another by Might Guy's kicks.
Neither thick trunks nor solid stone could endure his full strength.
He was forcing himself to the absolute limit of the Gate of Life combined with Rock Breathing.
The battle in the Forest of Death against the Hidden Mist jonin had made Guy painfully aware of how far he still was from opening the Fourth Gate.
So after returning, he had thrown himself into training with no hesitation. He could not accept collapsing helplessly again while his teammates fought in front of him.
On top of that, he wanted to become a Chunin.
He wanted to be promoted as a powerhouse that no one could ignore.
Those two shinobi who had mocked his father had already come to apologize. But there had been far more than just two people who had sneered at his father, both openly and behind their backs.
Guy wanted to slap all of them in the face through this Chunin Exams.
He wanted the entire village to see that the son of the man they had looked down on had become a Chunin in just a few months after graduation, and was already stronger than most of them.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Down at the riverside, Rin Nohara maintained Water Breathing as she formed hand seals and launched another Water Release.
Under her chakra's guidance, the river water rapidly condensed into a giant water dragon. It spun once in midair under her control before crashing back down into the river.
"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"
As soon as the water dragon dispersed, Rin's hands flashed through another sequence. A large, shimmering water sphere rose on the river's surface, held together by her chakra.
Since using Water Release was far easier near a body of water, Rin had been practicing by the river every day.
She understood her shortcomings very clearly.
She had only been learning Water Release ninjutsu for a short time. The only way to catch up was to practice more and increase her familiarity.
"Everyone is so amazing. I can't fall behind. I have to do my best and at least win the first round," Rin thought as her chakra finally ran low.
She had a calm assessment of herself. Her strength could not compare to Obito and the others.
There was no need to dream about first or second place, or even the top four.
Just reaching the top eight would already be a success.
All she wished for was that in future battles, she would not drag Obito and Kakashi down, and that she could help them in actual combat.
"Thunder Breathing, full concentration."
Not far away, Kakashi silently pushed his Breathing Technique to the limit, his gaze fixed on a specially made wooden training dummy.
Crackle.
Golden lightning flickered to life around his toes, climbing steadily upward until it wrapped around both of his legs. The powerful Lightning Release chakra activated his cells and exploded his speed.
Boom.
The instant Kakashi kicked off, it sounded as if a thunderbolt had slammed into the ground. A streak of golden light flashed across the training field.
A thin line appeared across the wooden dummy.
A heartbeat later, it split in half and toppled to the ground.
"Hmph."
Kakashi let out a short breath.
"As expected, it's still not enough. I can use Flash, but the new move still won't come out."
He closed his eyes, quietly replaying the sensation in his mind.
Although he had not fully mastered Transparent World, his perception had grown far sharper than before. Now, he could at least track Flash, which he had been unable to react to in the past.
The real issue was that after that last battle, the upper limit of his Breathing Technique had risen sharply, and his swordsmanship had leaped forward as if he'd touched enlightenment.
Because of that, Flash was no longer his fastest or strongest technique.
The new move he had created, which unleashed thunder the instant he rushed forward, Kakashi had named Thunderclap Flash. It was a technique born by recreating the feeling of Transparent World and melding it with his refined swordsmanship.
Thunderclap Flash had overwhelming power and terrifying speed, with no obvious drawback aside from high chakra consumption.
When it came to the issue of not being able to react to its speed, Kakashi did not blame the technique.
He blamed himself.
If he could step fully into Transparent World, he was sure that problem would disappear.
Even with his intense training, though, Transparent World's difficulty was on a completely different level from the Demon Slayer Mark. It was not something that could be grasped casually.
In the entire past month, Kakashi had not managed to enter a complete Transparent World state even once.
"I will keep trying. With my current strength, I still can't guarantee victory against them," Kakashi thought, but he did not grow discouraged. He simply picked up his wooden sword and started again.
After his epiphany, he had never forgotten his goal.
Might Guy.
Uchiha Obito.
Shisui.
He wanted to defeat the three people who had beaten him, one by one.
Shisui had not shown his hand for a long time, so he was temporarily out of consideration.
Right now, both Obito and Guy were extremely strong. Obito was especially troublesome, with his Sharingan. If Kakashi used techniques that even he himself could barely follow, Obito might simply watch his movements, find the flaws, and exploit them.
"All right, that's enough. Everyone head back and rest early. If you affect your performance tomorrow, that would be a real loss," Mugetsu's shadow clone said at six in the evening.
Watching his disciples train with such intensity, Mugetsu felt genuinely pleased.
When they had first gathered around him, the only one who trained like this was Might Guy.
Shisui had not been lazy, but he had definitely not been this passionate. As for Obito, he had gone from someone who looked forward to every holiday to someone who now poured his days off into training.
Once Mugetsu spoke up, everyone stopped.
They all understood the principle he was reminding them of, but when they got absorbed in training, time had simply slipped away.
They sat together for a while, resting their exhausted bodies.
No one had much energy left for conversation, not even Obito, who was usually the most talkative.
After a few simple words of encouragement to each other, they dispersed for the night.
Only Shisui remained behind to continue training, because he was still an Academy student and had less real combat experience.
"How did everyone get so strong so fast?" Shisui thought, panting as he resumed his drills, a heavy pressure weighing on his chest.
He had always believed he was talented.
But now, watching the others sprint ahead, he could not help feeling that the distance between them was widening.
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