“Sensei Mokutsuki, I think I’ve got it!” Obito exclaimed with joy during their evening training.
“Try some taijutsu, attack me,” Mokutsuki instructed after observing Obito.
Although the Flame Breathing technique’s most significant effect is enhancing fire jutsu, it can also improve physical abilities to some extent, a feature common to all breathing techniques. Obito wasn’t at the stage where it could amplify his fire jutsu yet.
“Alright.” Obito adjusted his breathing rhythm, recalling the earlier sensation. He inhaled a large amount of oxygen to strengthen his body and then dashed towards Mokutsuki.
Mokutsuki effortlessly caught Obito’s straight punch, noticing a slight increase in Obito’s speed. He then tossed Obito aside, who quickly countered with a spinning kick.
After catching Obito’s leg and tossing him aside again, Mokutsuki made his assessment.
“There is indeed a breakthrough. Keep practicing the breathing technique, and by the start of the new term, you should be ready to advance to the next stage,” Mokutsuki said.
Once they reach the next stage of training, the specific characteristics of flame breathing will start to become evident beyond just physical enhancement.
“Five more days, huh?” Obito recalled the date, realizing he wouldn’t start the next phase immediately.
Smack!
Mokutsuki flicked Obito’s forehead with two fingers. “Don’t aim too high too soon. When Guy began to sense the nature aspect, his breathing technique was much more refined than yours.”
Obito currently had twelve points in proficiency, while Guy had nineteen points when he started sensing the attributes of the breathing technique. However, Guy’s situation was somewhat unique. Mokutsuki estimated that in five days, Obito’s Flame Breathing proficiency should be above fifteen points, enough to start the next phase.
Mokutsuki glanced at Shisui, who was still practicing various breathing postures. Shisui’s progress in Flame Breathing was slightly behind Obito’s, but not by much, only two points in proficiency.
“I thought just mastering the breathing technique’s enhancement would be enough,” Obito said, scratching his head.
Leaving a shadow clone to watch over the two, Mokutsuki went to check on Guy’s progress.
Guy’s training was quite abstract. He was balancing on one large rock while holding another rock with both hands.
“Guy, have you felt anything special today?” Mokutsuki asked.
“Yes,” Guy responded.
Mokutsuki used his analysis skill on Guy, seeing that his proficiency was still at nineteen points. He was puzzled since Guy wouldn’t lie about his progress.
“The sun-heated rocks are really hot,” Guy shared his revelation.
Mokutsuki didn’t know how to respond for a moment, feeling that Obito had led Guy astray.
“When the sun is intense, find a shady spot to sit on the rock,” Mokutsuki suggested, realizing Guy had been training independently during the hot afternoons.
Mokutsuki estimated that at this rate, Guy might master Earth Breathing by graduation, or it could take another ten months.
Originally estimated to take a year, Guy had once had a breakthrough that saved two months.
After successfully mastering Earth Breathing, along with the physical improvements during training and other taijutsu learned, Mokutsuki thought Guy could soon attempt the challenge of defeating Kakashi.
“I wonder if the rewards will be better for a nearly year-long training task,” Mokutsuki pondered.
With the new school term starting soon, there will be an exam after a month. Obito’s training task will conclude then, and Mokutsuki needs to consider how to trigger a new training task for Obito.
If Obito again placed second to Guy, it would be simple: just repeat the task to put first.
If Obito achieved first place, Mokutsuki planned to guide him in challenging Kakashi.
This was the best option currently, based on an analysis of Obito’s personality, goals, dreams, relationships, and various other factors.
Obito dreamed of becoming Hokage. While he couldn’t set a task too far into the future, like making Guy the strongest or changing the Uchiha clan for Shisui, a closer goal like challenging Kakashi was more feasible.
Kakashi was strong enough to make a worthy challenge, which would affect the task’s reward. Plus, his relationship with Obito made it easier to trigger the task.
Though Obito had other thoughts, such as his feelings for Rin, Mokutsuki doubted the system would generate a task for romance. Could that even be considered a training task?
“I wonder if by the end of the year, I can get one disciple to trust level four,” Mokutsuki thought about a long time since the last disciple’s trust level increased.
Trust levels might seem insignificant, but Mokutsuki believed they were a core part of the disciple system.
At trust level two, no matter how he stirred emotions, he couldn’t get a proficient-level reward. It was only at trust level three that he started receiving proficient-level rewards in nature transformation and taijutsu, and training tasks appeared after reaching trust level three.
Not to mention the doubled chakra boost with each trust level increase, making Mokutsuki eager to max out his disciples’ trust levels.
Even though Obito and the others were still young, a threefold increase in their current chakra could still provide a significant boost each month.
As the disciples developed, the difference would become more pronounced.
Imagine Mokutsuki raising a disciple from scratch to a level with over ten thousand chakra points. Each trust level would be a difference of ten thousand chakra points.
Mokutsuki felt his system was powerful, though it required time to develop. Given time, he would undoubtedly become an all-around powerhouse with a vast reserve of chakra.
“The new term is almost here, and this holiday felt so short,” Obito remarked as the training session neared its end.
Despite nearly two months of holiday, it felt like only a few days had passed.
“Maybe because it was so fulfilling. Training at the grounds during the day and practicing with Sensei Mokutsuki at night,” Rin said gently.
The holiday felt short for all the fourth-year students, especially with five weeks of special training.
“It feels like I could improve more if the special training continued instead of school starting,” Obito reminisced about the training.
“Obito, are you just trying to avoid learning theory?” Rin asked.
Obito had struggled with theory, especially when training alongside Guy with the Shave technique.
“Of course not. I just think practical skills are more important,” Obito denied.
“Actually, you can use clones,” Shisui suggested.
“Let a clone attend school while your main body continues training.”
Since the first exam in first grade, Shisui hadn’t attended classes himself, always sending a shadow clone instead. He only showed up for exams.
“Can the regular Clone Technique last that long? It seems too fragile and easy to notice,” Obito questioned.
“Not the Clone Technique, but the Shadow Clone Technique,” Shisui corrected.
“Shadow clones have physical form and consciousness like the original. When dispelled, their memories return to the main body, making it no different from attending classes yourself,” Shisui explained.
“Is it really that convenient?” Obito was amazed, never realizing he could use shadow clones to attend classes despite seeing Mokutsuki use them daily.
“Shisui, you’re so adept at this. Does that mean…” Obito looked at Shisui in surprise.
“After the first exam, I always used shadow clones for classes, while my main body trained here,” Shisui said calmly.
Obito eagerly grabbed Shisui’s shoulders. “Shisui, you’re truly a genius for thinking of this.”
Obito had always wondered why he couldn’t close the gap despite training hard. Now, he knew Shisui had been training intensely all along.
Setting aside the increase in strength, the key was not having to attend classes himself yet still retaining the learning experience.
“The one who developed the Shadow Clone Technique deserves to be called a clone sage, a true genius!” Obito exclaimed.
In an instant, he envisioned many uses for shadow clones beyond school, like having them do homework, thus gaining the experience without the effort.
“It was developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. There’s a mention of it in ‘History of Konoha 2’,” Rin recalled.
“So it was the Second Hokage. No wonder he could create such a technique,” Obito noted down Tobirama Senju’s name.
Solving the two major issues of learning theory and doing homework, Obito approved of Tobirama as the Second Hokage.
Seeing Obito’s excitement, Shisui sensed a potential misunderstanding.
If someone hated learning theory and sent a shadow clone, it wouldn’t help much. The clone’s experience would return to the main body.
“This was taught by Sensei Mokutsuki,” Shisui added.
“Sensei Mokutsuki, you should have told me this great idea,” Obito said, giving Mokutsuki a deeply resentful look.
Smack.
Mokutsuki flicked Obito’s forehead again, explaining:
“Shisui used shadow clones because he wasn’t learning anything new at school. At that time, you weren’t at that level, were you?”
There were other reasons, too, like Obito not being as dedicated to training back then.
Obito recalled that he hadn’t even placed in the top two in that exam, and Hyuga Homura eliminated both him and Guy.
“Heh, Sensei Mokutsuki, I should be ready now, right? I want to learn the Shadow Clone Technique,” Obito eagerly requested.
“Sensei, I want to learn it too,” Guy added upon hearing it could replace attending classes.
Though Guy learned ninjutsu slowly, it wasn’t that he couldn’t know them.
“I’ll teach you both tomorrow morning. From tomorrow until the day before school starts, we’ll train all day,” Mokutsuki decided.
Although he had worked at the academy, it was almost done, and a shadow clone could handle the rest, as there were no classes for rewards yet.
Why it was four days instead of five? It was a break before intensive training, given that they’d use shadow clones for school afterward, significantly increasing their training load.
…
The following day, Obito eagerly went to the Southern Forest to learn what he considered a godly technique, the Shadow Clone Technique.
Mokutsuki planned their training schedule, with mornings from eight to twelve split between learning jutsu and practicing the breathing technique. Shisui, who had already mastered the technique, would use the jutsu time to train other techniques.
Noon to two was break time for lunch and rest. Mokutsuki would cook if they stayed. From two to six, they’d train again before heading home for dinner.
“Rin, make sure to stay for lunch. You must try Sensei Mokutsuki’s cooking,” Obito advised.
Rin, having joined later, hadn’t yet tasted Mokutsuki’s cooking.
Mokutsuki’s food was incredibly delicious. Obito always stayed to eat before heading home to see his grandma and rest.
“Is Sensei Mokutsuki really that good at cooking?” Rin asked, curious.
“It’s not just good. It’s… very special,” Obito struggled to describe it.
“In short, I’ve never had anything better than Sensei Mokutsuki’s food,” Obito concluded.
Rin, initially planning to go home for lunch, nodded. Obito’s description was too exaggerated, making her curious. How good could it be for Obito to praise it so highly?
When training began, Rin put her curiosity aside and followed Mokutsuki’s instructions.
“When using the Shadow Clone Technique, be mindful of your limits. For now, you should only create one shadow clone,” Mokutsuki warned Obito and Guy of the technique’s risks.
The Shadow Clone Technique might seem like an ordinary jutsu, but it carried risks.
To prevent anyone from overestimating their abilities, the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, which created numerous clones at once, was classified as forbidden.
After explaining the dangers, Mokutsuki began the lesson.
The Shadow Clone Technique’s difficulty was B-rank, but it was relatively easy among B-rank jutsu.
After two hours, Obito started forming hand seals to release a shadow clone.
“Shadow Clone Technique!”
A puff of smoke revealed a prostrate Obito clone.
“Failed. Try again!” Obito dispelled the clone and tried again.
Another puff and a chubby version of Obito appeared.
Worried Rin would see, Obito quickly dispelled the clone, adopting a severe demeanor.
“As expected of a technique developed by the Second Hokage. Its difficulty is indeed exceptional, much harder than the Clone Technique.”
“Haha, Guy, what are you doing?” Obito couldn’t contain his laughter at Guy’s clone.
Next to Guy stood a rock with arms and legs, constantly exercising.
“Uh, I’ve been thinking about rocks these past days. It just happened,” Guy admitted, laughing.
“Haha, this is hilarious. I need to show Shisui,” Obito said, unable to stop laughing at the animated rock.
Leaf Gale!
Guy’s rock clone delivered a spinning kick, sending the laughing Obito flying, then resumed lifting rocks.
“Guy, why’d you hit me?” Obito spat out a blade of grass, looking at Guy.
“It was the clone, not me,” Guy insisted.
“Guy clone, why’d you hit me?” Obito asked the clone.
The rock clone didn’t respond.
Obito suddenly realized the clone didn’t have a mouth.
There was no further questioning as Guy dispelled the clone.
Watching the bizarre scene, Mokutsuki’s lips twitched. In this aspect, Obito and Guy were exceptionally talented.
“Time to practice the breathing technique,” Mokutsuki reminded them.
For breathing technique practice, Obito and Shisui trained together, while Guy trained alone.
“Shisui, you won’t believe what happened earlier,” Obito began, eager to share the funny event.
“Oh?” Shisui was curious. He didn’t see what could be so funny about training the Shadow Clone Technique.
“Guy created a clone that was a rock with arms and legs…” Obito explained, still finding it amusing.
To help Shisui visualize, Obito used the Clone Technique to create a Guy clone, then transformed it into a rock clone.
The Guy clone scratched its head in confusion while Obito mimicked the rock clone’s lifting motions.
“Your clones are unique,” Shisui admitted.
As the enjoyable training session continued, it soon reached the anticipated meal time.
“Wow, it’s Magic Mapo Tofu today. Rin, you’re in for a treat,” Obito said, his mouth watering at the sight of the food.
Mokutsuki’s cooking was always good, but the Magic Mapo Tofu was one of Obito’s favorites.
Rin looked at the bright red dish, feeling a bit apprehensive. It seemed highly spicy.
“I can’t waste food or Sensei Mokutsuki’s effort,” Rin thought, taking a spoonful and putting it in her mouth with her eyes closed.
“So spicy, but so good!” Rin immediately fell in love with the dish.
The spiciness wasn’t as overwhelming as she feared, and the other flavors were equally outstanding.
She finally understood why Obito praised Mokutsuki’s cooking so much. Rin even considered learning to cook from Mokutsuki so she could enjoy such delicious food every day without bothering him.
Writing such a long chapter was challenging and caused some delays. Another chapter will follow shortly.
(End of Chapter)
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