Chapter 147: Plan Improvement
It was another weekend, and on Saturday afternoon, Mugetsu brought his Intern Ninja plan to Asuma's home.
When he arrived, Hiruzen was nowhere to be seen—only Asuma's mother, Biwako, was there. Mugetsu wasn't surprised; it was normal not to see the Third Hokage at this time of day, as he usually came home later.
"Lady Biwako, I'm taking Asuma to train," Mugetsu said in greeting.
"Teacher Mugetsu, I'll trouble you then," Biwako replied with a smile.
Though she hadn't spoken with him much, she'd heard enough from Hiruzen and Asuma to know Mugetsu was a good teacher.
"Teacher Mugetsu, are we still doing Nature Transformation and the Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique today?" Asuma asked.
"Yes. Nature Transformation training is essential. Once you've built enough foundation, I'll teach you other things," Mugetsu replied, making it clear he already had a training plan in mind.
Mugetsu understood something well—Asuma was definitely part of the reason Hiruzen had been willing to pull him out of Root. Right now, Asuma was the bridge between him and the Hokage. As long as he taught Asuma well, Mugetsu's standing in Konoha would remain secure.
His goals extended far beyond simply "not faring badly" in the village, but to achieve them, he needed time—time that Hiruzen could help him gain.
That was why Mugetsu treated Asuma almost like a true disciple. Except for certain things he couldn't reveal for now, he gave Asuma his full effort.
"If only Teacher Mugetsu knew Wind Release, that'd be great," Asuma said wistfully. "After I finish with Fire Release, I'd like to learn some Wind Release too."
He knew Mugetsu already commanded both Water and Fire Release. Since most jōnin only mastered two chakra natures, he assumed those were the only two Mugetsu knew.
"Wind Release, huh? Not impossible. As long as I learn it before I teach you, that should work," Mugetsu replied with a light chuckle.
"Teacher Mugetsu, that's so cool!" Asuma's eyes lit up. The thought that his teacher was willing to learn an entirely new nature just so he could teach it to him moved him deeply.
"Maybe it's just big talk," Mugetsu admitted honestly. "I haven't had much exposure to Wind Release, so I can't promise I'll master it."
"Who knows? Maybe you're a Wind Release genius," Asuma said with a grin. He genuinely hoped it was true—especially since, in his eyes, his current jōnin instructor didn't compare to Mugetsu at all.
If it weren't for Mugetsu's obligations at the Ninja Academy, Asuma would have gladly asked his father to pay whatever it took to have Mugetsu train him every day.
They spent the entire afternoon training. Later, when Mugetsu was escorting Asuma home, they found Hiruzen had returned from work.
"Third Hokage-sama, this is the specific Intern Ninja plan I mentioned before," Mugetsu said, handing over the documents.
Hiruzen took them, pipe in his mouth, and began skimming.
[The top fifteen students in combat scores will be divided into five groups for internships, with strong and capable teachers serving as instructors. During the internship, only C-Rank and D-Rank missions will be allowed...]
After reading, Hiruzen paused to think, then said,
"Mugetsu, you're being too conservative. There are over three hundred students in the fourth grade, not just the top fifteen. Even if you doubled that number, there'd still be many left out.
"Also, the internship period can be extended. Don't just limit it to the second semester break—include the third semester as well. One month isn't enough for proper training."
Mugetsu had expected the Hokage to push for more students, but the inclusion of the third semester as part of the internship caught him off guard. That would essentially mean early graduation by half a year.
"I'll revise it and bring it back to you," Mugetsu said humbly.
Truthfully, he didn't see any issue with the changes—if anything, it could benefit the students. With the Academy's current standards, the top thirty would hardly learn anything new in their final semester. Better to have them out on missions and learning directly from skilled chūnin.
Of course, this only worked as long as they weren't sent to the battlefield. Even logistics missions could be dangerous in wartime. But given the current situation, Mugetsu doubted these interns would be deployed to war zones. If Konoha ever did reach that point, they wouldn't bother with internships at all—they'd simply hand out forehead protectors and graduation certificates.
---
By Sunday evening, Obito and Shisui were about to have their final first-stage match.
"Starting tomorrow, you can use the Chakra-Enhanced Breathing Technique—but no ninjutsu," Mugetsu instructed.
"Last match, huh? I really want to win at least once," Obito said, his fighting spirit burning.
For an entire week, he had fought Shisui countless times—and lost every single one. Now he finally understood why Mugetsu had said he couldn't beat Kakashi yet. Even Shisui without his Sharingan gave him trouble, and Mugetsu had claimed Shisui still couldn't beat Kakashi in that state.
The match began. Obito held his ground in a drawn-out taijutsu exchange. Only when he was clearly at a disadvantage did he activate Total Concentration Breathing.
Shisui met him head-on. The breathing technique helped Obito close the gap, but when it ended, the advantage slipped away again.
Both then activated Total Concentration at the same time, keeping the fight balanced—until Obito's stamina began to fade.
Just as defeat loomed, sheer unwillingness ignited within him. With a burst of determination, he broke past his limits, forcing himself into Total Concentration once more despite his exhaustion.
"This is my last breath!" Obito roared, feeling power surge through him like a blazing fire. Step by step, he pushed Shisui back.
Shisui glanced at Mugetsu on the sidelines, then clenched his fists. His breathing shifted—and he too re-entered the Total Concentration state, catching Obito's punch mid-swing.
"Obito, I know you want to win—but I won't lose," Shisui said, before unleashing his counterattack.
Relying on his superior overall skill, Shisui kept his undefeated streak, leaving Obito without a single victory.
Watching from the side, Mugetsu nodded in satisfaction. Their proficiency had grown noticeably—proof that breakthroughs in battle had their own unique value.
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