Chapter 218: Unexpected Gains
[Disciple Uchiha Obito's trust level has increased. Current trust level: 4.]
[Disciple Uchiha Obito's intense emotions have activated his Six Paths bloodline, awakening a two-tomoe Sharingan. Strength increased. Reward: Byakugan purity enhanced.]
[Disciple Uchiha Obito's Chakra +500. Master-Disciple feedback granted Chakra +2000.]
Obito's emotional outburst brought Mugetsu a chain of system notifications one after another.
When his Byakugan purity improved, Mugetsu immediately noticed the difference—his vision sharpened, and his perception range expanded.
Although the Byakugan lacked stages like the Sharingan's tomoe, its capabilities were not uniform among users. The power of the Byakugan could be honed through training, and purity was one of the main factors influencing its strength.
Mugetsu was quite pleased with this result. The Byakugan was already an extraordinarily convenient ability, but when combined with the Transparent World, its combat applications became even more versatile.
In addition to his heightened perception, the Chakra feedback from Obito's Sharingan awakening gave Mugetsu another pleasant surprise—two thousand Chakra points instantly returned to his body.
Though Kakashi and Might Guy hadn't triggered any system notifications, Mugetsu could tell they had also experienced significant breakthroughs. A bit more training, and they would likely unlock their own rewards soon.
Seeing his disciples' progress and their hard-fought victory, Mugetsu decided it was time to withdraw. Facing A any longer would be unwise.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"
After swiftly forming hand seals, Mugetsu exhaled a dense mist that spread rapidly through the battlefield. Without wasting a moment, he activated Lightning Breathing and vanished from sight, darting toward the forest with incredible speed.
His objective was complete, and his remaining Chakra reserves were low. The safest course of action now was to regroup with his disciples and return to Konoha as quickly as possible.
The thick mist obscured Fourth Raikage A's vision entirely. Frowning, A's expression turned grim as speculation filled his mind.
"Water Release? That's a Hidden Mist technique. Could he be a Mist Ninja disguised as one from Sunagakure? Has the Hidden Mist joined this struggle too?"
As the Raikage pondered the possibilities, Mugetsu had already reached his disciples. With his incredible speed, he appeared before them just as their battle ended.
"Mugetsu-sensei!"
Obito's face lit up as he rushed forward and hugged his teacher.
"Sensei, are you alright? Did you defeat those Kumogakure Ninja?" he asked, worry flickering in his eyes.
Might Guy, upon seeing Mugetsu unharmed, forced himself to his feet despite his injuries. He walked forward with effort, gave a thumbs-up, and laughed heartily.
"As expected of Mugetsu-sensei! Even the strongest enemies can't stop you!"
Kakashi silently moved to support Guy, his gaze steady. Obito and Guy had already said everything that needed to be said.
"I'm fine," Mugetsu replied with a calm smile. "I wouldn't say I completely defeated them, but I did manage to gain the upper hand. Trust your sensei a bit more. Didn't I promise I'd come for you?"
He then sealed the corpse of the Kumogakure Jonin—split cleanly in two—into a scroll. The unconscious Chunin received no mercy either; Mugetsu finished him with a swift beheading before sealing that body as well. Once done, he quickly performed another jutsu.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a loud poof, a massive black eagle appeared before them, its sharp gaze sweeping over the battlefield.
"Hurry. It's dangerous here. We're heading back to Konoha," Mugetsu said firmly.
The three students, exhausted but alert, immediately leapt onto the giant eagle's back.
"Kurohane, fly that way," Mugetsu commanded, pointing ahead so the young Nin-Beast wouldn't lose its direction.
Kurohane let out a piercing cry and flapped its wings, soaring skyward toward Konoha.
As the vast forest stretched beneath them, Mugetsu began using the Mystical Palm Technique to heal his disciples' wounds.
Among the three, Obito's injuries were the lightest—mostly scratches and bruises. Kakashi's left leg bore a deep cut, while Guy's condition was the worst: torn leg muscles and severe fatigue from overusing the Eight Gates.
"Guy, you shouldn't train intensely for the next week. I'll prepare a special rehabilitation regimen for you," Mugetsu instructed.
"I have to rest for a whole week?!" Guy exclaimed, stunned.
Smack!
Mugetsu flicked him on the forehead with two fingers. "That's already the shortest recovery time. Would you like to argue with your sensei about it?"
Guy had pushed his body too far. Forcibly opening the Eight Gates using Breathing Techniques was like ripping through natural limits by sheer willpower—and he had actually done it.
The improvement was remarkable, but the backlash was equally severe. Without Mugetsu's medicinal elixirs, Guy's recovery would have taken over a month.
"Youth also requires rest to shine brighter!" Guy corrected himself immediately, grinning despite the pain.
"Mugetsu-sensei, who was that big guy you fought? You said you only managed a slight upper hand," Obito asked curiously.
After their own clash with a Jonin, Obito had learned firsthand how terrifyingly strong one could be. For Mugetsu to overwhelm several of them, his power had to be on another level entirely.
"The son of the Third Raikage," Mugetsu answered. "If nothing changes, he'll likely be the next Raikage."
At this point in history, the Fourth Raikage was already a rising name, but with Kakashi still young and Obito and Guy not yet official Ninja, none of them recognized him.
"The next Raikage?! That means, Mugetsu-sensei, you actually gained the upper hand against a Kage-level opponent?!" Obito exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration.
Even though he already viewed Mugetsu as invincible, hearing such a thing still filled him with awe.
Kakashi, however, simply nodded. So that's why Sensei was so cautious earlier, he thought. Facing a Raikage candidate explains everything.
"You're overthinking it," Mugetsu said with a small smile, ruffling Obito's hair. "He's strong, yes, but still far from reaching the Third Raikage's level."
If he had faced the Third Raikage himself, Mugetsu knew he would have chosen to retreat without hesitation.
"Mugetsu-sensei, you didn't see it, but we actually teamed up and took down a Kumogakure Jonin!" Obito blurted proudly.
Mugetsu smiled, motioning for him to continue.
"That guy was insanely tough. Even with the three of us working together, it took everything we had to defeat him. Luckily, I awakened my Sharingan…"
As he spoke, Obito's eyes gleamed crimson, the two tomoe spinning vividly.
Perhaps because Kakashi had stepped in to block a sword strike, Obito didn't mention Kakashi's brief moment of hesitation—only that Kakashi was injured and couldn't move.
"You all performed very well," Mugetsu said with a faint smile. "Defeating a Jonin is no small feat. If you told others, they might even think you were exaggerating."
It truly was an extraordinary achievement. Apart from Might Guy, both Obito and Kakashi weren't even nine years old yet.
Even though the three of them had combined their efforts to bring down a Jonin, it was still a stunning accomplishment. The Kumogakure Jonin they had faced wasn't weak by any means—he was one of the more capable among his rank.
If the three of them were ever placed on the same team after graduation, Mugetsu thought their Jonin instructor would be completely stunned during the bell test. If the instructor were of average ability, they might even end up being taught a lesson by their own students.
However, given their current performance, Mugetsu doubted they would be assigned an ordinary instructor. If not Minato, then certainly someone of comparable caliber.
"No matter what others say, it cannot change the fact that our youth is burning brighter and brighter!" Might Guy said passionately.
Though he was the most severely injured, Guy showed no regret. On the contrary, he was genuinely elated. He had fought to protect what mattered most to him—and he had achieved true victory.
Mugetsu glanced at his disciples' current stats: Guy's Rock Breathing proficiency had reached 40 points in the introductory stage, Obito's Flame Breathing had climbed to 130 points in the same level, and Kakashi's Lightning Breathing stood at 54 points in the uninitiated stage. All of them had shown tremendous growth.
Beyond the visible data, there was also progress that couldn't be quantified—battle experience. Aside from Kakashi, both Guy and Obito had been relatively inexperienced in real combat before this. This battle had served as a complete and painful lesson in practical warfare.
"When I get back, I really need to show Rin my Sharingan," Obito said, completely relaxed now.
He had defeated a Jonin this time! In his mind, he could already see Rin's surprised and admiring expression.
"And I'll challenge Kakashi," he added confidently.
This time, with his Sharingan awakened, Obito felt no fear. Even if Kakashi had learned some Lightning Breathing, it didn't matter. He could see through the Kumogakure Jonin's movements—so how could Kakashi possibly match him now?
Kakashi held a special place in Obito's heart. He was the genius Obito had admired when he was still at the bottom of the class—and also his closest friend. That was why Obito had always been frustrated whenever he saw Kakashi lose his drive or give up. The Kakashi he respected was the one who never stopped pushing forward.
"This time, it's your turn to chase me!" Obito thought proudly, grinning to himself. His shoulders trembled slightly from excitement.
"Stop smiling foolishly and shaking like that," Kakashi said darkly. Kurohane wasn't particularly large, and while they weren't pressed together, they were sitting close enough to notice every twitch.
"Who's smiling foolishly? You hateful Kakashi, I'll make you pay when we get back to Konoha!" Obito snapped, trying to suppress his grin as he glared at him.
"Whether you're being foolish or not, you can ask Guy," Kakashi replied coolly.
"Guy, you be the judge. I trust what you say," Obito said, turning toward him.
Guy looked between Kakashi and Obito, recalling Obito's earlier smile. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded seriously. "Obito… you really did smile a little foolishly just now."
As he spoke, Guy even made a small gesture with his thumb and forefinger.
"Ah, Guy, not you too…" Obito's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't expected his good friend—the same one who had just fought alongside him—to betray him like this.
"Just a little," Guy admitted, clearly torn but unable to lie.
"How much did Kakashi bribe you?" Obito asked dramatically, pretending to look betrayed. He absolutely refused to accept that his smile had looked foolish.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Mugetsu-sensei," Kakashi said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Mugetsu-sensei, I trust you the most!" Obito turned to him with expectant eyes.
Mugetsu, however, simply looked up at the sky. The breeze was calm, the horizon endless, and the sensation of flying high above the clouds was quite pleasant.
His silence said everything.
Obito sighed heavily and didn't push the matter any further.
After flying deep into the Land of Fire, Mugetsu finally instructed Kurohane to land. He and his disciples then hunted some game and made a fire to cook.
The four of them—and the eagle—enjoyed a hearty meal together.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Mugetsu decided not to waste Obito's current enthusiasm and began to teach him Genjutsu.
[You have taught your disciple Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death. Due to the disciple's immense gratitude, a super critical reward has been granted: Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Perfect Grade).]
A surge of fiery insight poured into Mugetsu's mind. His understanding of Fire Release deepened dramatically, reaching a completely new level.
Mugetsu smiled as the new knowledge settled. In his view, this Perfect Grade Fire Release Nature Transformation was every bit as valuable as his other Perfect Grade skills.
It expanded the potential of all his Fire Release techniques. Even low-level Ninjutsu could now unleash extraordinary power under its influence, and it opened new doors for development. Techniques like Amaterasu, which once seemed beyond reach, now felt conceptually understandable.
"With emotions running this high, I probably won't get another Perfect Grade skill on his birthday," Mugetsu mused to himself, amused.
The rewards from this mission far exceeded his expectations. He had originally aimed to resolve Kakashi's inner turmoil and push Obito into awakening his Sharingan—but he hadn't expected the trust level to rise this much as well.
His disciples had all grown immensely, but Mugetsu's own strength had also improved significantly. And Obito's training mission was about to conclude soon.
Although the trigger had come later than expected, Mugetsu was confident the reward would mirror Guy's—another two thousand Chakra and a Master Grade skill.
"Don't tell anyone about encountering the Raikage Candidate," Mugetsu said before they departed. "Just say we fought a Jonin and a Chunin."
He didn't want all the effort he'd spent on disguising his identity to be exposed through careless words.
"Why, Mugetsu-sensei? You didn't lose, did you?" Obito asked curiously. If it had been him, he would've boasted about it all over Konoha the moment he returned.
"Mugetsu-sensei probably doesn't want to become famous," Kakashi guessed calmly. With such a record, Mugetsu would instantly gain notoriety if word got out.
"I simply don't want others to know my true strength for now," Mugetsu said with a nod.
After finalizing the details of their report, Mugetsu led his three disciples on the final leg of their journey home—back to Konoha.
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]