Although Sage Mokgetsu was omnipotent in his heart, Obito was still surprised to hear such explosive news.
Even as a candidate for the Raikage, they're still a Kage, a pretty remarkable ninja.
"So that's why it was a candidate for the Raikage, no wonder he had that expression." Kakashi nodded internally, always thinking Mokgetsu's strength was unfathomable, but since the enemy was a candidate for the Raikage, no wonder Mokgetsu was so cautious at first.
"Your leap is too big; although he's pretty strong, he still has a long way to go compared to the Third Raikage." Mokgetsu ruffled Obito's hair and said with a smile.
This time, they encountered the Third Raikage, and Mokgetsu didn't even want to fight, choosing to run instead.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, you didn't see this, but we teamed up and defeated a Hidden Cloud Jonin!" Obito couldn't help but share their victory after Mokgetsu mentioned his opponent.
Mokgetsu smiled, acting as if he was listening intently.
"That guy was tough to deal with; even with the three of us attacking him, we had a hard time bringing him down. Luckily, I activated the Sharingan..." Obito said, opening his Sharingan, his eyes turning crimson.
Perhaps because Kakashi helped block a sword, Obito didn't mention Kakashi's momentary desire to give up, only saying that Kakashi was injured and couldn't move.
"You all performed excellently; defeating a Jonin isn't easy, telling others they might think you're exaggerating." Mokgetsu complimented them with a cheerful smile.
It's indeed an incredible achievement; apart from Might Guy, Obito and Kakashi haven't even reached nine years old yet.
Although they worked together to kill a Jonin, it's still a terrifying feat; after all, it was a Jonin, and according to the stats, that Hidden Cloud Jonin was one of the stronger ones among Jonins.
If after Might Guy and the others graduated they were sorted into the same team, Mokgetsu thought the teacher conducting bell training would be shocked beyond words, especially if it were a Jonin of ordinary strength, they would surely be taught a lesson by their students.
But judging by their strength and performance, Mokgetsu thought even if Minato didn't come, it wouldn't just be an ordinary Jonin.
"No matter what others say, it can't change the fact that our youthful spirit is burning brighter!" Might Guy said with a face full of enthusiasm.
Even though he was injured the most severely, Might Guy didn't regret his actions. On the contrary, he was delighted because he used his power to protect what he wanted to protect, and he achieved true victory.
Mokgetsu glanced at the current stats of his disciples. Might Guy's Breath of Rock proficiency had reached forty points at the beginner level, Obito's Breath of Flame proficiency had reached one hundred and thirty points at the beginner level, and Kakashi's Breath of Thunder had reached fifty-four points before the beginner level. They all had made significant progress.
Besides the improvement in skill proficiency on the stats, there were also intangible gains, such as combat experience.
Other than Kakashi, Might Guy and Obito didn't have much combat experience. This grueling battle was a harsh training session that strengthened their weak points in battle experience.
"When we get back, I have to let Rin have a good look at my Sharingan." Obito, entirely relaxed, began thinking about what to do once back in Konoha.
This time he had defeated a Jonin, and Obito could already envision Nohara Rin's surprised and admiring expression.
"I also have to challenge Kakashi." Obito thought of something even more important.
This time, with the Sharingan, even if Kakashi mastered some Breath of Thunder, Obito wasn't afraid. He could see through the movements of the Hidden Cloud Jonin, so how could he be afraid of Kakashi?
Kakashi held a particular place in Obito's heart; Kakashi was the genius he aspired to become during his time as the tail-end, and after realizing he was slowly catching up to Kakashi, Obito was truly happy.
With this mindset, Obito was particularly angry when he saw Kakashi slack off and give up. That was the genius Kakashi he was chasing!
"This time, it's your turn to chase me!" Thinking of defeating Kakashi, Obito couldn't help but smile, his body trembling with excitement.
"Stop giggling like an idiot and shaking," Kakashi said, his face lined with exasperation. Black Feather wasn't particularly large, so though they weren't sitting too closely, they were relatively near each other.
"Who's giggling like an idiot? Damn Kakashi, just wait until we're back in Konoha." Obito's smile faltered slightly, glaring at Kakashi.
"If you're unsure, just ask Guy," Kakashi said casually.
"Hey Guy, help me out here, I trust what you say." Obito looked at Might Guy.
Might Guy glanced at Kakashi, then at Obito, recalling Obito's smile moments ago, then said with a serious expression:
"Obito, your smile just now was a bit silly."
Might Guy gestured with his thumb and index finger as he spoke.
"Ah, Guy, you too!" Obito's eyes widened, feeling betrayed by the good brother who battled alongside him.
"Just a little bit." Might Guy said, betraying his conscience.
"How much did Kakashi bribe you?" Obito asked with a heartbroken expression, refusing to admit his smile could be silly.
"You could ask Teacher Mokgetsu if you don't believe me." Kakashi said with a hint of a smile, observing Obito's reaction.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, I trust you the most." Obito looked expectantly at Mokgetsu.
Mokgetsu looked up at the sky; flying on a summoning beast and enjoying the scenery was indeed pleasant.
In this case, silence spoke louder than words. Even though Mokgetsu didn't say anything, it seemed like everyone got the answer, and Obito didn't pursue it further.
After flying through the Land of Fire for a while, Mokgetsu had Black Feather land, then took his disciples hunting for a hot meal.
The four of them and Black Feather had a hearty feast.
After eating and drinking their fill, Mokgetsu didn't waste Obito's high spirits and began teaching Obito Genjutsu.
[You've taught your disciple Illusion Tree Binding Kill, and due to the disciple's immense gratitude, you've received a mega-crit reward, obtaining Fire Attribute Chakra Nature Changes (Perfect Level)]
Memories of Fire Release cultivation poured into Mokgetsu's mind, and his understanding of flames reached an entirely new level.
Another massive reward followed, and Mokgetsu smiled. In his view, Fire Attribute Nature Changes at the perfect level were as valuable as other perfect level skills.
They greatly increased the upper limit of his Fire Release abilities. Even Fire Release techniques with low proficiency could gain significant power under the perfect level nature changes, adding more possibilities to the flames. Mokgetsu once didn't understand flames like Amaterasu, but after receiving the perfect-level nature change memories, he understood some aspects.
"With such heightened emotions this time, I probably won't achieve perfect level skills on my birthday," Mokgetsu thought to himself.
The mission's rewards exceeded Mokgetsu's expectations. Initially, he just wanted to address Kakashi's issue while prompting Obito's eye awakening, but he didn't expect the trust level to rise directly.
The disciples made significant progress during this mission, but Mokgetsu improved even more in strength, and Obito's upcoming cultivation task was also about to be settled.
Although Obito activated late, the settlement was late. Mokgetsu felt the rewards were not much different from Might Guy's. By then, another two thousand chakra and a master level skill awaited.
"Don't mention meeting a candidate for the Raikage to others; let's say we only encountered a Jonin and a Chunin." Before returning to Mokgetsu, Mokgetsu reminded them.
He didn't want his effort in disguise to be casually revealed by his disciples.
"Why not, Teacher Mokgetsu, you didn't lose?" Obito asked, puzzled. If he achieved such a feat, the news would spread all over Konoha the day he returned and the next day throughout the Land of Fire.
"Teacher Mokgetsu probably doesn't want to be famous," Kakashi speculated. With such an achievement, Mokgetsu would gain instant fame if spread.
"I don't want others knowing my strength for now," Mokgetsu nodded, agreeing.
Having aligned their stories of this mission, Mokgetsu led his disciples back to Konoha.