Chapter 320: Rewards for S Rank Evaluation
Mugetsu's announcement instantly sent a ripple of excitement through the Academy students.
Normally, special training sessions aimed at genin would list out their curriculum in advance, but for Academy students there was never that kind of detail. Most of them assumed this camp would be like the previous one, focusing on basic ninjutsu and taijutsu.
None of them had expected chakra nature transformation to be on the menu.
The Academy did not actually teach nature transformation, but it did cover chakra theory in a systematic way. Among that theory was a brief introduction to nature transformation.
In other words, they knew it existed.
They knew it was a required step if one wanted to learn the Five Great Nature Release ninjutsu.
But that was all.
No method, no practice, no guidance. Just a concept in a textbook.
"With this many people, there have to be students of all five chakra natures," Nara Shiosui thought as he swept his gaze across the field. "How is he planning to teach that alone?"
He had originally imagined five different teachers, each in charge of a specific nature. As the main instructor and organizer, Mugetsu might personally teach more than one attribute, but there would surely be a group of jonin assisting him.
Yet the only instructor on the ground was Mugetsu himself.
"Could it be that he really has mastered all five natures, and all of them well enough to teach?" Shiosui considered, then shook his head.
Even if Mugetsu did have all five chakra natures, one person alone should not be able to teach nearly seven hundred people at once. Shiosui looked around again and quickly estimated the numbers. That was definitely the scale they were dealing with.
Most likely, formal classes were not starting today, so the other instructors simply had not arrived yet.
If Asuma, Raido Namiashi, and Kurenai had not already spent so much effort hyping up Mugetsu's five nature ninjutsu display, even Raido, who had attended the previous special training, would have thought along the same lines. Skillfully wielding all five natures was one thing. Teaching seven hundred people by himself was something else entirely.
"First, we will start with group testing," Mugetsu said. "After that, I will divide you into groups based on your overall strength and teach you accordingly."
He formed hand seals and immediately activated the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, summoning fifteen shadow clones in a puff of smoke.
With this many students, a one by one assessment would eat up the entire day.
In preparation for nature transformation training, Mugetsu had already purchased a large supply of chakra test papers so he could quickly check each student's chakra attribute.
Even with the number of students nearly doubled, he did not plan to increase the number of training groups. Just like the first camp, there would still only be three: A, B, and C.
Make the groups too fine, and the difficulty of teaching actually increased. If he wanted to maximize the reach of his teaching skill's buff, three tiers were still the best structure.
Fewer than three would leave the power gap inside each group too wide. More than three would make it too hard to coordinate everything.
On top of that, the three groups still had to be subdivided by chakra nature for the actual nature transformation drills.
Even with fifteen shadow clones and Mugetsu's main body all working together, testing everyone still took two full hours.
Once they had collected all of the results, Mugetsu dispelled the shadow clones, quickly sorting through the returned memories, then created two more clones to handle the grouping work.
"Next, I will read out the roster for C Group," one shadow clone said as he stepped forward. "If your name is called, come stand over here."
"Kotetsu Hagane. Izumo Kamizuki. Anko Mitarashi…"
"Eh? Why am I still in C Group?" Anko grabbed at her hair and practically howled.
She distinctly remembered Mugetsu telling her at the end of the previous camp that she already had B Group strength. Had she trained for a year just to get downgraded?
"Hehe, let's go," Kotetsu said, grinning. "All that bragging you usually do did not help. In Teacher Mugetsu's eyes, you are at the same level as us."
He had secretly wanted to be dropped straight into B Group himself, but hearing that Anko had landed in C Group instantly made him feel better.
His own setback was frustrating.
His friend's setback, however, was… deeply entertaining.
"I support you, Anko," Izumo said solemnly. "Use your strength to prove that Teacher Mugetsu's grouping is wrong."
"You go do that. Do I look stupid?" Anko rolled her eyes so hard they nearly fell out. In the end she decided Mugetsu's judgment was more reliable than Izumo's flattery.
Reality proved she was right to trust him.
After Anko's name, students from last year's B Group, and even some from A Group, were called into C Group as well.
"Yugao Uzuki. Hayate Gekko…"
As the list continued, most of the currently enrolled Academy students were assigned to C Group.
"The standards must be higher this time. Even you got put in C Group," Yugao said, suddenly understanding.
"This is fine. At least we are together," Hayate answered with a smile. "And honestly, it does not really matter which group you are in. Teacher Mugetsu puts his full effort into every class."
"Next, the B Group roster."
After the C Group list was finished, the other shadow clone walked to the opposite side and began to call out the names for B Group.
"Asakawa Miken. Nakamori Goichi…"
Most of the B Group slots were filled by this year's genin graduates. They had some exposure to nature transformation, but were far from proficient.
Once all the B Group students had been picked out, Mugetsu did not even need to read out A Group's roster. The ones left standing were the A Group by default.
"This is great. I made it into A Group again," Shiranui Genma said, happily patting Ebisu's shoulder.
"Mm," Ebisu agreed, equally pleased.
Last time, he had started in B Group and only gotten transferred into A Group after he performed well in the tests. Beginning in A Group from day one this time felt completely different.
"In the morning, we will focus on chakra nature transformation," Mugetsu said to the assembled A Group. "In the afternoon, we will work on taijutsu."
There were no tree climbing or water walking drills on the A Group schedule. Almost everyone assigned here had long since solved their chakra control issues.
Nara Shiosui was stunned.
This was not the process he had imagined at all.
Mugetsu was not waiting for anyone. He was starting the lesson himself.
Just as Shiosui thought Mugetsu was about to explain one specific nature, Mugetsu moved.
He once again produced six shadow clones. One stood at his side, while the other five scattered to different points around the training ground and began weaving hand seals.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
The first shadow clone finished the sequence and unleashed a roaring stream of flames. The blazing fire surged forward and instantly incinerated several large trees.
"Wind Release: Cyclone!"
The second clone completed his signs in rapid succession, then sent out a violent gale.
Under the force of the Cyclone, the flames from the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet swelled and expanded, spreading outward until they fused into a rolling sea of fire.
The temperature climbed sharply.
Even the A Group students at the very edge of the blast zone could clearly feel the air grow scorching hot.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Just as the fire was still expanding, the third clone stepped up, exhaling a massive torrent of water. The wave crashed forward with tremendous force, overwhelming the flames and smothering them in an instant.
But the volume of water was too much.
Even after extinguishing the fire, the flood still surged forward, racing toward the line of students.
A few of the A Group students panicked.
Getting hit by the wave would not injure them, but they would look absolutely miserable.
Several began retreating in a hurry. Asuma, however, did not move.
He stood firm, like a boulder in the riverbed.
He believed Mugetsu would not let his demonstration wash his students away.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Sure enough, the fourth shadow clone slammed his hands onto the ground. The earth in front of the students heaved upward, forming a solid wall of rock that blocked the bulk of the water.
Then the fifth clone stepped forward, lightning crackling around his arm. Purple Lightning exploded from his palm, blasting a gap through a distant Earth Flow Wall and redirecting the remaining water away from the students entirely.
The entire sequence left the A Group students stunned.
Five different shadow clones.
Five different nature release ninjutsu, each powerful in its own right, fused together in one seamless demonstration.
"This is… ridiculous," Ebisu muttered, pushing his sunglasses up with trembling fingers.
He had seen Mugetsu's taijutsu firsthand before. Mugetsu and Teacher Chen trading blows had been so intense that even watching from the sidelines as a genin, they'd been in danger of getting blown away by stray shockwaves.
Someone strong enough to stand even with Konoha's strongest taijutsu specialist now revealed that he could also wield the Five Great Nature Transformations at this level.
It was beyond anything Ebisu's imagination had prepared him for.
A complete set of five chakra nature transformations.
As a model student, Ebisu understood exactly what that meant.
No matter what type of ninjutsu his opponent specialized in, Mugetsu could counter it with a technique of the opposing nature.
Not every A Group student had seen Mugetsu in action before. Many were here simply because they had heard he had helped Jiraiya fight a tailed beast on the front lines.
Now, watching this demonstration, they all had the same thought.
Coming here had been the correct choice.
This instructor had the strength to back up every rumor.
"If you want to train one of the Five Great Nature Transformations, go to the shadow clone that used that element," the clone standing beside Mugetsu's main body called out. "If you want guidance in Yin Release or other techniques, come to me."
Not every shinobi focused on the Five Great Natures.
Some clans relied primarily on hidden techniques inherited through bloodline. Others, like Kurenai, leaned heavily toward genjutsu. Mugetsu had no intention of lumping all of them into the same drills.
Nara Shiosui's entire team headed toward the shadow clone by Mugetsu's side. They all specialized in secret techniques. Kurenai gave her teammates a quick wave and walked over to that group as well.
Ebisu headed straight for the Fire Release clone.
Asuma went to the Wind Release clone.
Very quickly, all of the A Group students had made their choices and begun training under the guidance of their chosen elemental instructor.
Mugetsu then created five more shadow clones over by B Group's area to lead nature transformation practice there as well.
As for C Group, he did not throw them straight into nature transformation.
Instead, he first reviewed the theoretical knowledge behind it, making sure they understood at least the fundamental concepts. After that, he shifted them back into chakra control training.
Most of C Group were Academy students who had never attended special training before. Many still struggled with tree climbing. Only a small number had reached the water walking stage. There was no reason to rush them into nature transformation.
On top of that, Mugetsu did not intend to teach nature transformation to all three groups at once.
Put simply, he doubted his body could take that many shadow clones.
He did not possess an Uzumaki's body. The only reason he could maintain this many clones at all was because his chakra reserves had grown so massive and the Breathing Technique had greatly strengthened his physique.
For most of the time, the shadow clones handled the direct instruction.
Mugetsu's main body moved constantly between the different elemental groups and tiers, providing targeted corrections, adjusting their stances, and offering precise explanations. Every time he spoke, he made sure his teaching skill would affect as many students as possible.
Because two hours had been spent on grouping and testing in the morning, the first half of the day ended quickly.
When Mugetsu announced the lunch break, many A Group and B Group students were clearly reluctant to stop.
The difference was obvious when they compared instructors.
They were all learning nature transformation, but training under an average jonin and training under Mugetsu did not feel remotely the same.
"I think our Teacher Tanaka should come too," someone muttered quietly. "They are both jonin, but the gap is way too big."
"Haha, I am going to tell Teacher Tanaka that exactly," another said.
"Do not. He is still a jonin. Asking him to come sit in class would probably just make things awkward."
In just two and a half hours, even those who had never heard Mugetsu's name before had formed an impression:
He knew an absurd number of ninjutsu.
And he was very, very good at teaching them.
"Midori thinks this place is good," Inuzuka Midori said seriously. "We should keep coming."
Mugetsu might not know the Inuzuka clan's medical techniques, but his taijutsu knowledge alone had already given her concrete improvements in a single morning.
Nara Shiosui nodded.
He had also focused on taijutsu training today. Yin Release, he would study at home with his clan's elders.
"If I could stay under Teacher Mugetsu's instruction long term, I should at least be able to become a jonin, right?" Ebisu thought as he compared Teacher Chen and Mugetsu in his heart.
It was not that Teacher Chen was bad.
It was that Mugetsu was simply too good.
Once the camp dismissed for lunch, Mugetsu immediately dispelled all of his remaining shadow clones.
A wave of fatigue and a flood of memories surged into him in an instant. He let out a slow breath, recognizing clearly just how taxing this teaching style was.
Then he opened his system panel.
There was still no class reward.
"Was the grouping time too long, so the actual teaching time was not enough?" Mugetsu wondered.
He was not anxious. Change was not necessarily a bad thing. Even if he missed out on two entry level ninjutsu, it would be acceptable. If this new pattern unlocked a higher tier of reward, the gains would far outweigh the loss.
The lunch break lasted an hour and a half. Training resumed at two in the afternoon.
The students quickly and naturally returned to their respective groups, taking up the positions they had occupied in the morning.
In the afternoon session, Mugetsu had Groups A and B run taijutsu drills first, then switched them back to chakra nature transformation practice.
C Group continued working on chakra control. Those who had already mastered both tree climbing and water walking joined taijutsu training instead.
When the sun dipped and the time reached six thirty in the evening, the first full day of special training officially ended.
Even after dismissal, most students lingered, excitedly discussing their gains as they walked.
And at that moment, Mugetsu finally saw the system notification he had been waiting for.
[System: Completed a high quality lecture.]
[System: Evaluation rank: S.]
[System: Rewards granted: Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation +10, Earth Release Chakra Nature Transformation +40, Lightning Release Chakra Nature Transformation +45, Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation +10, Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation +20, Chakra Control slightly increased.]
Mugetsu stared at the long reward list and fell into thought. This was not quite what he had expected.
An S Rank evaluation seemed to distribute rewards according to the lesson's content.
"But why did Fire Release and Wind Release increase by the same amount?" he wondered.
The number of students practicing Fire Release was clearly higher than those practicing Wind Release. Fire was easily the most popular element among his students.
After thinking it through, the answer came quickly.
His Fire Release chakra nature had already reached the perfect level.
Once you hit that rank, every step forward became far more difficult. By contrast, his Earth Release and Lightning Release had not even reached proficiency yet, which was why those attributes gained much more.
Mugetsu continued scrolling down.
This was his first time receiving an S Rank teaching evaluation.
There should be an additional special reward waiting at the bottom.
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