Mokutsuki first had Obito try tree climbing.
The eastern forest of Konoha had an abundance of trees, with many standing over ten meters tall and some reaching even higher.
Mokutsuki casually pointed to a twenty-meter-tall tree and instructed Obito to concentrate chakra on his feet and try climbing it.
Obito nodded, took a deep breath, and charged up the tree, concentrating chakra at his feet. He managed to reach about ten meters before losing control of his chakra, causing his foot to leave an imprint on the tree as he fell.
Mokutsuki leaped up to catch Obito, nodding to himself. Though Obito hadn’t reached Asuma’s level, he was doing well enough—not falling after just a few steps.
There wasn’t much to say about this training; it was a matter of persistence, with no special techniques required.
After demonstrating a few times, Mokutsuki left a shadow clone to oversee Obito’s training and then went to find Might Guy, who was training his physical strength.
Among Mokutsuki’s three students, Might Guy’s training regimen was the most monotonous.
Obito could mix in ninjutsu to break the monotony of taijutsu training, but Might Guy’s training consisted solely of practicing the Leaf Hurricane and strengthening his body.
Physical conditioning wasn’t something that showed results overnight, and even Mokutsuki’s teaching skills couldn’t accelerate this process.
His skills could help Might Guy learn taijutsu faster and refine his techniques in less time, but they couldn’t speed up the effects of physical training.
A push-up would still only yield the benefit of one push-up.
When Mokutsuki approached, Might Guy was doing push-ups with a rock almost as large as himself on his back.
“Guy, how’s your Leaf Hurricane coming along?” Mokutsuki asked.
He wanted to test the conditions for triggering a training task, and Might Guy, with the same trust level of three as Obito, was the best candidate.
Hearing Mokutsuki’s question, Might Guy paused, holding his position as he replied, “I’m faster than I was during the exam, but still not fast enough.”
After answering, Might Guy removed the rock and performed a swift Leaf Hurricane on a nearby training post.
Mokutsuki nodded. There was indeed some improvement—the kick was more decisive and forceful.
The battle with Hyuuga Hiashi must have contributed to this progress.
Physical conditioning takes time to show results, with progress measured in months.
“What do you think is the best way to improve your strength?” Mokutsuki asked, posing a question that puzzled Might Guy.
“Training, of course,” Might Guy answered without hesitation. To him, the question was odd. How else could one get stronger if not through consistent training?
Mokutsuki shook his head and asked again, “Training does lead to improvement and is a crucial part of growing stronger. But are there other methods?”
Might Guy scratched his head, then thought about his improving Leaf Hurricane and the practical exams at the academy. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head. “Fighting!”
“Exactly. Combat is also an important way to improve. In battle, you can better convert your training into real strength,” Mokutsuki said with a smile.
“I’m not talking about the sparring you and Obito have been doing. That’s not real combat.
“To truly improve, you need to challenge stronger opponents and engage in proper battles.”
As Mokutsuki spoke, a figure appeared in Might Guy’s mind.
A white-haired boy, always wearing a mask, renowned as a genius in Konoha.
There was no other name—it was Might Guy’s lifelong rival, Kakashi Hatake!
Having improved significantly under Mokutsuki’s tutelage, Might Guy had long wanted to challenge Kakashi, but he held back.
He wanted to master the Leaf Hurricane completely before challenging Kakashi.
But now, Might Guy changed his mind. Would mastering the Leaf Hurricane ensure he could defeat Kakashi? Not necessarily.
Was he afraid of failure? No.
Then why not challenge Kakashi now and improve even more?
“Habu-sensei, I understand,” Might Guy said seriously.
Seeing the determination on Might Guy’s face, Mokutsuki knew his guidance had worked. With Might Guy’s drive, he might even challenge Kakashi tonight.
However, Mokutsuki was disappointed that no task named “Defeat Kakashi” appeared.
“What other conditions are there?” Mokutsuki wondered.
Given Might Guy’s deep desire to defeat Kakashi—considering the title of genius and their rivalry—it made sense.
Reviewing the details of how Obito’s training task was triggered, Mokutsuki noticed something.
Obito’s attitude was one of pleading, expressing a strong need for Mokutsuki’s help, believing he needed Mokutsuki to teach him an impressive fire jutsu to succeed.
“Does achieving the goal have to involve the teacher’s assistance?” Mokutsuki speculated.
If so, it explained why Might Guy’s task wasn’t triggered. Guy’s desire to challenge Kakashi had been ignited, but he hadn’t thought about needing Mokutsuki’s help specifically.
With this hypothesis, Mokutsuki decided not to push further. He would wait until Might Guy challenged Kakashi and failed before taking action.
Then, he could provide the warmth of a teacher to his defeated student.
After finishing his teaching duties, Mokutsuki went to his house in the central district.
After dinner, he went to the park where he had previously met Minato and Kushina.
Luck was on his side—they were there again.
Apparently, people in the area liked this park. Minato and Kushina weren’t surprised to see him.
“By the way, you left so quickly last time, I forgot to ask something,” Kushina said, remembering.
“Did you agree to be the Third Hokage’s tutor?”
Mokutsuki nodded.
“I heard that kid is a bit rebellious. He doesn’t even listen to the Third Hokage. Will he listen to you?” Kushina asked curiously.
Mokutsuki smiled and shared how he trained Asuma.
Kushina didn’t know how Asuma felt, but she found the story amusing.
Especially how Asuma tried to rebel the next day but ended up training hard because of Mokutsuki’s trickery, Kushina laughed, calling the clever Third Hokage’s son a fool.
Minato was also impressed by Mokutsuki’s teaching methods, marveling at how he managed to get an unwilling student to cooperate and complete the training.
Mokutsuki didn’t just talk about himself. He also asked Minato and Kushina about various things, making the conversation pleasant and engaging.
Mokutsuki felt that after some time of such interactions, he could subtly show his interest in sealing techniques.
(This chapter ends)
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