Chapter 436: The Lightning Release Sword Technique Is Not Inferior to the Golden Skyline
When Mugetsu brought up the rewards, the disciples reacted in completely different ways.
After Mugetsu's thorough treatment, everyone had recovered a bit. Even Guy, who had been hurt the worst, could get out of bed and move around. Right now, they were walking together to help with digestion.
"This means I'm going to become a jonin!" Obito could not help jumping up in excitement.
Aside from Hokage, jonin was already the highest ninja rank in Konoha. In a sense, that meant he was only one step away from becoming Hokage.
Even the instructors at the Ninja Academy were only chunin. If he became a jonin, then it meant his achievements as a ninja had already surpassed theirs.
Obito pictured the shocked faces of the academy teachers who used to look down on him. Their jaws would drop.
During his last stretch at the academy, Obito had tasted the respect in other people's eyes, but far more often, he had been treated like a joke. The label of Uchiha dead last had never really left him.
But he was not thinking about getting revenge on anyone. If anything, he only cherished the present even more, and felt grateful to Mugetsu for changing his life.
Kakashi's expression stayed calm. He did not treat the reward as something special.
To Kakashi, rank was not important. The main value of this promotion was that if he passed, he could mock Obito forever.
Besides, this was within his expectations. He had become a chunin at six. With his current mission record, becoming a jonin was perfectly reasonable.
"Jonin, huh? That's a solid step toward my goal!" Guy's eyes burned with enthusiasm.
Duy's original hope for him had been simple: become an excellent ninja.
Excellence was always relative. And with how strict Konoha's standards were, every Konoha jonin could be called excellent.
Shisui heard that Kakashi and the other two all had a chance to become jonin, and his resolve to stay on the battlefield only hardened. If he wanted promotion, he needed achievements, and he needed more of them.
"Time really flies," Rin said with a gentle smile. "Thinking back, it feels like we just graduated yesterday. Now everyone has a chance to become jonin. We're moving farther and farther toward becoming independent ninja."
She was the only one who would be promoted directly to special jonin, but she had no complaints. She was satisfied with the arrangement.
Rin understood her own strength clearly. Right now, she was not strong enough to be a full jonin. Even if she were allowed to take the assessment, she knew she would fail.
She was stronger than an ordinary chunin, but still a bit short of a true jonin. However, her medical ninjutsu, under Tsunade's guidance, could already rival that of a genuine medical jonin.
"That's because we haven't been graduated for long," Obito shot back.
They had graduated at nine, and it had not even been two years.
"It also proves we're really excellent," Obito said, unable to hide a bit of pride. "I've never heard of anyone becoming a jonin less than two years after graduation."
He suddenly remembered something and immediately corrected himself, then turned to Mugetsu.
"Mugetsu sensei, why is Rin becoming a special jonin directly instead of taking the jonin assessment with us?"
He was worried his earlier bragging might make Rin misunderstand, since her arrangement was different from theirs.
"This is based on your battle performance and your records," Mugetsu explained briefly.
In his eyes, the decision was completely reasonable, and it was also a form of consideration for Rin.
"I see…" Obito scratched his head, still not really understanding.
Kakashi glanced at Obito and spoke in his usual indifferent tone.
"Do not assume Rin's reward is worse than yours. You might not even pass the assessment. If that happens, Rin's rank will be higher than yours."
Kakashi was actually being merciful. In his mind, it was not that Obito might fail, it was that Obito definitely would.
Kakashi had never taken the jonin assessment himself, but he had heard enough. It was a comprehensive evaluation, and strength was only one part of it.
With Obito's theoretical knowledge, Kakashi had no doubt Obito would fail the written portion.
Only if Mugetsu intervened would Obito have any hope, but Mugetsu had no time to tutor him right now. Mugetsu still had to fight on the battlefield.
"How is that possible?" Obito waved Kakashi off. "Kakashi, do not act like you'll always win just because you won the chunin exams once. I will definitely pass smoothly and become a jonin."
Obito did not believe he could fail.
The academy graduation exam could be considered a genin assessment, and he had taken first place.
In the chunin exams, he had reached the top four, only to be defeated by that shameless Kakashi, who was already a chunin and still entered the chunin exams. Otherwise, Obito could have fought for first.
So Obito felt confident he would pass the jonin assessment, and even score well.
Set a small goal, he thought. Do better than Kakashi in this jonin assessment.
Kakashi smiled and said nothing. There was no need to tell Obito the cruel truth yet. Obito would not be happy for much longer.
Kakashi could already picture Obito's unwilling expression when he was forced to obey orders because of rank.
After delivering the good news, Mugetsu briefly arranged their training plans.
"Kakashi," Mugetsu said, "after you return to Konoha, set aside other training for now. Focus on Lightning Release chakra nature transformation and swordsmanship."
One Thought Cut looked like a simple swing, but it contained extremely complex Lightning Release chakra nature transformation and profound swordsmanship mastery.
Describing it as an ultimate level Lightning Release sword technique was not enough. It was the ultimate among ultimates.
Right now, Mugetsu could not teach it to Kakashi. Even if he stacked teaching and enlightenment at the same time, Kakashi still would not be able to learn it.
So Mugetsu wanted Kakashi to strengthen those two foundations first, then begin learning One Thought Cut.
Even if Kakashi's chakra only supported a single slash, that one slash could create miracles in many situations.
The ceiling of One Thought Cut was frighteningly high. Mugetsu felt it clearly. Even with over five thousand proficiency in Lightning Release nature transformation, using One Thought Cut still made him feel like he was nowhere near the end.
Mugetsu believed that perhaps when his Lightning Release chakra nature transformation reached perfect level, and his sword experience became as deep as his current taijutsu, the power of One Thought Cut would become truly terrifying.
And it was not only Kakashi who needed to practice swordsmanship. Mugetsu needed it too.
In this area, most of his skills came from system rewards, and those rewards were only obtained through Kakashi's life missions. Overall, his foundation was still average.
Because his mastery was not deep enough, even if Mugetsu could see the direction of One Thought Cut's next development, he could not put it into practice.
It was not because Mugetsu had extraordinary sword talent, but because the world that birthed this skill had already shown the path.
From the thoughtless One Thought Cut, without thought or desire, to Dream True Speak, which discards thoughtlessness and carries dreams.
A bright light flashed in Kakashi's eyes.
Whenever Mugetsu made a special request like this, it usually meant he was preparing to teach something new. And it would be strong and unusual, otherwise there would be no need for special requirements.
"Once you meet the learning requirements," Mugetsu said, "I will teach you a Lightning Release sword technique that is not inferior to Golden Skyline."
He said it plainly, but the intent was clear. It was motivation.
Kakashi's gaze sharpened. A Lightning Release sword technique that could match Golden Skyline.
He had to work hard.
Thunderclap Flash was powerful and fast, but Kakashi still felt it fell a little short compared to Guy's Golden Skyline. Now Mugetsu was finally going to teach him something stronger.
How many ninjutsu and taijutsu has Mugetsu sensei developed, Kakashi thought again, filled with quiet amazement.
Kakashi had been praised as a genius since childhood, but compared to Mugetsu, he felt like a normal person who worked hard.
At only twenty, Mugetsu had developed multiple high level techniques, including Armament Haki and breathing techniques.
Even the Second Hokage, who created countless techniques and forbidden jutsu, did not feel this exaggerated. It was not about quantity, but age. At this age, Mugetsu should have been accumulating knowledge, not rewriting the rules.
"Is there a Fire Release technique that's not inferior to Golden Skyline?" Obito blurted out, unable to sit still.
He had suffered enough under Golden Skyline already. If Kakashi got a Lightning Release version of it, that would be unbearable.
"No," Mugetsu replied, shaking his head.
Fire Release ninjutsu of that kind was a system the ninja world had never truly explored. Mugetsu had been able to develop a few moves only because of his deep understanding of taijutsu and Fire Release itself.
If someone asked him to create a Fire Release technique comparable to Golden Skyline, it would genuinely be difficult, unless he abandoned everything else and focused only on Fire Release research.
And even then, the hope would still be slim. Mugetsu felt it was more likely for Obito to suddenly awaken stronger ancient Kusanagi style martial arts.
Obito's disappointment was written all over his face.
Shisui felt a strange tug in his chest as well. The Fire Release Mugetsu taught was very strong, but there was still no Fire Release technique as shocking as Golden Skyline.
Breathing techniques were definitely comparable, but everyone practiced breathing techniques. That was a shared foundation.
Golden Skyline, however, was a technique only Guy could train for, alone.
"My best friend," Guy said, laughing with fierce excitement, "I look forward to the day you succeed in your training!"
He was genuinely eager for the moment when that Lightning Release sword technique, one that could stand beside Golden Skyline, would clash with his Golden Skyline.
It sounded far too youthful to miss.
I still need to work harder to catch up, Rin encouraged herself quietly.
When it came to training, Rin was consistently at the bottom.
Many of these advanced techniques were not meant for her, not because she lacked effort, but because her current qualities simply did not meet the requirements.
For example, Mugetsu's self improved super advanced Water Release, Super Exploding Water Shockwave. He had used it before to kill dozens of Snow ninja with ease.
But to learn Super Exploding Water Shockwave, one needed at least one thousand five hundred proficiency in Water Breathing, mastery of Water Release chakra nature transformation, and a considerable amount of chakra.
Rin met none of those requirements.
So naturally, she could not learn it.
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +50 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]