Before leaving with Asuma, Mokutsuki gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a quick assessment.
He was curious about how proficient the Professor of Ninjutsu, who was said to master all Konoha techniques, actually was.
[Name: Hiruzen Sarutobi]
[Chakra: 170000]
[Skills: Combination Ninjutsu (Mastery: 13000/15000), Fire Nature Chakra Transformation (Mastery: 7200/15000), Earth Nature Chakra Transformation (Mastery: 6000/15000), Water Nature Chakra Transformation (Mastery: 4800/15000)…]
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s skill list was indeed extensive, almost overwhelming. Mokutsuki estimated there were thousands of ninjutsu techniques.
In terms of quantity, the title of Ninjutsu Professor was well-deserved, especially since Hiruzen didn’t have the Sharingan to copy jutsu and had to learn each one individually.
However, most of the jutsu’s proficiencies were only at the entry and proficient levels, with only a few at the mastery level. Still, Mokutsuki found it impressive as he saw many advanced and secret techniques he was familiar with.
In nature transformation, Hiruzen Sarutobi had reached mastery in all five basic nature types, though the proficiency levels varied, with fire being the highest.
“It seems the system’s mastery level is higher than I imagined,” Mokutsuki thought to himself.
In terms of Water and Fire Nature Chakra Transformation levels, he was higher than Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Of course, in an actual fight, he would be instantly defeated by the current Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hiruzen’s chakra, taijutsu, combat experience, and ninjutsu configuration were all far superior.
After seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi’s status, Mokutsuki realized what a true all-around ninja was—ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, sealing techniques, secret techniques, forbidden techniques, and many others could all be found in Hiruzen’s skill list.
Mokutsuki could only express that he had no words to describe Hiruzen Sarutobi’s status.
After teaching Asuma, Mokutsuki returned to Konoha’s central district and invited Minato and Kushina to witness the entire process of making the magical map tofu.
Both Kushina and Minato were amazed to see how soybeans turned into something that tasted like meat.
Even after watching the cooking process, Kushina found it incredible after tasting it.
“Mokutsuki, how did you think of making soybeans taste like meat?” Kushina couldn’t help but ask.
“A random stroke of genius,” Mokutsuki thought for a moment and said.
He couldn’t say that someone else taught him these dishes, as that would create more considerable loopholes, so he shamelessly claimed it as his invention.
Minato then asked about Mokutsuki’s progress in learning sealing techniques. It had been almost a week since they last discussed it.
Mokutsuki shared some of his thoughts after studying the Five-Finger Seal.
“The Five-Finger Seal is much more challenging than the Three-Finger Seal. With more knowledge and diligent practice, you’ll gradually master it,” Minato explained.
The difficulty of the Five-Finger Seal increased significantly compared to the One-Finger and Three-Finger Seals. Minato was worried that Mokutsuki might start doubting himself due to the lack of progress over time.
Mokutsuki nodded and smoothly shifted the conversation to sealing techniques, discussing some issues he encountered in his studies.
Mokutsuki didn’t ask about the specifics of practicing a particular sealing technique but rather about general knowledge of sealing techniques.
If he had asked about his current problems with the Five-Finger Seal, both Kushina and Minato, with their high proficiency in sealing techniques, could easily guess his actual progress.
On weekend nights, the disciples didn’t train with him, so Mokutsuki trained alone in the Southern Forest.
“Five-Finger Seal!”
Mokutsuki concentrated the chakra in the five fingers of his right hand and pressed it against his shadow clone.
Black sealing patterns appeared on the shadow clone’s body, indicating the technique’s success.
“Next, I can practice the Five-Element Seal,” Mokutsuki thought as he looked at the entry-level status of the Five-Finger Seal on his panel.
Having completed the Five-Finger Seal training, he could barely call himself a sealing ninja, even though he currently didn’t know any formal sealing techniques.
Mokutsuki didn’t mind, as he was learning sealing techniques not to expand his skill set but to solve the problem of the Tongue Cursed Seal.
Once he had an entry-level Five-Element Seal, he planned to use proficiency scrolls to raise it to the proficient level, then learn the Contract Seal and improve it to the skilled level as well.
With both sealing techniques at the proficient level, his knowledge of sealing techniques would increase significantly, allowing him to attempt to study the curse marks used by the Root division.
As Mokutsuki walked deeper into the forest, using sensory ninjutsu, he wanted to test his limits today.
It had been a month since he achieved mastery in Rock Breathing.
Once you learn a breathing technique, you can greatly enhance your abilities through Total Concentration Breathing. The proficient level of regular breathing keeps the body in a weakened version of Total Concentration Breathing 24/7.
For Mokutsuki, regular breathing was essential, as it meant his body was constantly training.
In a month, Mokutsuki could feel his body getting more robust and more effective than his usual taijutsu training.
The increased physical strength also slightly accelerated his natural chakra regeneration.
With his body getting more robust, Mokutsuki was ready to try combining the Eight Gates with Rock Breathing.
He had mastered the first three gates of the Eight Gates, which are considered the safe zone because they Do not put too much strain on the body.
“Gate of Opening, open!” Mokutsuki didn’t have Might Guy’s mastery over the Eight Gates, so he had to open them one by one.
As he used the Eight Gates, Mokutsuki felt a specific limit in his body being lifted. The restricted chakra surged out, and his body gradually got stronger, significantly boosting his strength and speed.
When Mokutsuki opened the third gate, the Gate of Life, his body turned red with engorged blood vessels, his chakra surged, and green energy radiated from his body.
Mokutsuki assessed his status in the third gate.
[Name: Mokutsuki Hanyuu]
[Chakra: 23200]
His chakra exceeded twenty thousand, but Mokutsuki felt the chakra was highly violent, making precise operations impossible and preventing the use of ninjutsu.
However, Mokutsuki had anticipated this. He took a deep breath, inhaling a large amount of oxygen into his body and entering the Total Concentration Breathing state of Rock Breathing, further enhancing his physical attributes.
Mokutsuki casually threw a punch, and the air pressure alone knocked down a dozen trees.
Without using chakra enhancement, rocks in his hand crumbled like tofu.
His running speed was almost as fast as the Body Flicker Technique.
“Hu.” Mokutsuki exhaled a breath of white mist, releasing the Eight Gates and Total Concentration Breathing state, and a wave of intense fatigue hit him.
The combination of the Eight Gates and Rock Breathing indeed provided a significant boost, but Mokutsuki dared not exert too much force, fearing the noise would attract ANBU or Root ninjas.
Though the combination was powerful, it also took a toll on his body. After just three minutes, Mokutsuki felt extremely tired.
This was without using the Demon Slayer Mark. Mokutsuki felt that if he had activated the mark, he might have fainted immediately after deactivating the techniques.
This experiment proved his theory that Rock Breathing and the Eight Gates were highly compatible, raising his upper limits.
With an extra trump card for explosive power, Mokutsuki felt slightly more secure.
Other than having limited chakra and lacking combat experience, he now had a considerable number of techniques.
“My training plan is almost complete; I can start teaching the disciples breathing techniques,” Mokutsuki thought.
(End of Chapter)
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