Chapter 395: Hanzo of the Land of Rain
"Mugetsu, it seems I have troubled you again today."
Seeing Mugetsu and Asuma arrive together, Hiruzen removed his pipe and spoke with a warm smile.
In the beginning, Mugetsu had only been a tutor he hired. Later, for various reasons, Mugetsu could not keep a stable teaching schedule. Before they knew it, the relationship between Mugetsu and Asuma had started to look less like tutoring and more like a true master and disciple bond.
"How could a teacher guiding a student be considered trouble?" Mugetsu replied with a gentle smile.
"Sandaime, do you have some time today?" Mugetsu continued. "I have run into a few problems in my Earth Release training that I cannot fully understand. I would like your guidance."
"Now is fine." Hiruzen nodded without hesitation.
To avoid the awkwardness of teaching his own son, and because Mugetsu's questions would not be simple, Hiruzen did not bring Asuma along.
Among the chakra nature transformations Mugetsu had mastered, Earth Release was one of the weaker ones. This time, he did not ask about things he already understood. He asked directly about real obstacles he had encountered in training.
Hiruzen also showed the knowledge expected of a true ninjutsu professor. He not only answered quickly, he personally demonstrated solutions and directions for improvement.
"Mugetsu," Hiruzen said after a while, recalling something, "how is your Flying Thunder God training going? If it is not progressing smoothly, I can help you switch to another ninjutsu."
It had already been half a year since he had rewarded Mugetsu with Flying Thunder God. If Mugetsu could not learn it in half a year, then he likely could not learn it at all.
Hiruzen did not think that was strange. In his eyes, not learning Flying Thunder God was completely normal. Even he, who could use countless ninjutsu and secret techniques, had never mastered it.
"Although I am not as proficient as Minato, I have mostly learned it," Mugetsu replied.
He had planned to reveal it anyway. Since Hiruzen asked directly, it saved him from having to steer the conversation.
Hiruzen looked at Mugetsu with surprise, but as the Third Hokage who had weathered countless storms, he regained composure immediately.
"Then it seems I underestimated your talent," Hiruzen said, stroking his goatee with a smile. "Minato has trained for many more years than you. There is no need to compare yourself to him."
Whoosh.
Mugetsu pulled out two kunai already marked with the Flying Thunder God formula. He threw one to the side and stuck the other into the ground at his feet.
Whoosh.
When the thrown kunai had flown seven or eight meters, Mugetsu activated Flying Thunder God. His body vanished from where he stood and appeared in the direction of the flying kunai.
Whoosh.
After a brief pause, Mugetsu used Flying Thunder God again and returned to his original spot.
Watching him move back and forth with ease, Hiruzen's eyes flickered.
"Mugetsu, this is not just mostly learned," Hiruzen said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "You have learned it very smoothly."
Even though he could not use Flying Thunder God himself, Hiruzen's judgment was sharp. The level Mugetsu displayed was nothing like a beginner. It was already quite proficient.
Of course, what Mugetsu said was also true. He really was not as refined as Minato.
Mugetsu smiled and answered modestly. He had burned through so many proficiency scrolls. If it did not go smoothly, that would be the real mystery.
After reaching his goal, Mugetsu chatted with Hiruzen about a few matters related to the Ninja Academy and Asuma's training, then took his leave.
"He has even mastered Flying Thunder God."
Hiruzen exhaled thin streams of white smoke as he watched Mugetsu's retreating back.
He truly wished Mugetsu could split into two people. One would be a rare genius with unparalleled teaching ability. The other would be a shinobi prodigy with extraordinary strength. If they were separate, Konoha could use them in the most efficient way.
Although Konoha's situation was not yet desperate and they were even winning battles repeatedly, Hiruzen knew it was not that simple.
Right now, these were only smaller clashes. If the great villages truly fought with full force, Konoha could not possibly defeat three major villages at once.
Unless Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara were resurrected and could suppress a major village alone, Konoha would only need to endure the pressure and defend its homeland to win.
Konoha did not have anyone of that caliber in this era, so the situation of the shinobi world was truly awkward and passive for Konoha.
With Konoha's strength, it was certainly possible to go all out and defeat one major village. But Konoha did not dare. The other villages were not fools. They would not patiently wait to be defeated one by one.
If Konoha concentrated its forces on one battlefield, the defenses elsewhere would inevitably weaken, and an attack on the home front would become possible.
Since they could not appear too aggressive, they could only defend. Keep enemies outside the Land of Fire, reduce losses as much as possible, and wait for opportunities.
After leaving, Mugetsu used Transformation to scan Hiruzen's information.
Perhaps because he had mastered too many ninjutsu and secret techniques, Hiruzen became the shinobi with the largest amount of information Mugetsu had scanned so far. Even Tsunade and Kushina together only reached about the same level.
The chakra required to transform into Hiruzen was also exaggeratedly high.
After transforming, Mugetsu looked at the dense list of skills and felt it was only reasonable. Hiruzen knew too many techniques, and many were at high proficiency.
After spending some time in Konoha training his disciples as usual, Mugetsu accepted a B Rank mission located in the Land of Rain.
This time was different from before. Along with Obito, Kakashi, and Rin, Shisui would also participate.
Shisui had graduated and become a genin while Mugetsu was away on the Roran mission. Because Shisui's performance was outstanding, he also contributed a Ninjutsu Mastery Scroll to Mugetsu.
Even after graduating, Mugetsu performed a special arrangement. Shisui was not assigned to a standard three person squad like ordinary genin. Instead, he followed Mugetsu on missions, just like Tsunade and Shizune.
Anko and Kotetsu, who were also in internship training, did not choose to graduate early. They advanced to the third year and continued studying at the Academy.
This was also Mugetsu's suggestion. Although the three of them were indeed above average graduates, they still could not compare to Shisui. In the current state of the shinobi world, it was best not to graduate early unless absolutely necessary.
After all, the Ninja Academy had already voluntarily shortened the schooling time. Under normal conditions, it would take six years.
With Shisui joining, Mugetsu's team composition became one jonin, three chunin, and one genin, fully meeting Konoha's regulations for accepting B Rank missions.
"Shisui, this is your first B Rank mission, right?" Obito said on the road, putting on the posture of a senior. "Do not be nervous. With me around, there will definitely be no problems."
Although Shisui had pinned him down again and again during training, Obito was still two years older, and also noticeably taller. He felt obligated to take responsibility as the big brother.
"You are going to take care of Shisui?" Kakashi looked at Obito as if he had just heard a ghost story.
Since they were all Mugetsu's disciples, Kakashi had interacted with Shisui often. Shisui was the only peer who made Kakashi feel inferior in raw shinobi talent.
Obito might currently be stronger in sheer power, but in other aspects, it was another story entirely.
"What is the problem?" Obito said righteously. "Have I not done plenty of B Rank missions?"
"Nothing," Kakashi replied calmly. "I just think it is terrifying when people lack self awareness."
"You are the one who lacks self awareness, you Kakashi!" Obito immediately flared up, feeling underestimated.
Rin smiled helplessly at Shisui. This was just their daily routine.
Shisui nodded. He understood. Scenes like this were not rare in the South Border Forest.
"I am indeed a newcomer to missions," Shisui said, stepping in to stop the argument before it dragged on. "Please guide me."
Obito chuckled and threw an arm around Shisui's shoulder, already imagining an Uchiha brothers duo that could deal with Kakashi.
"Check one more time," Mugetsu said. "If there are no problems, we will go meet the client."
This mission was one Mugetsu had carefully selected.
The Land of Rain had once again become a contested zone between great nations. There was no massive war on the scale of the Second Shinobi World War, but the internal situation could still be described as chaotic.
As a small country that had not yet become a full battlefield, the Land of Rain did not have many powerful shinobi. It was suitable for Kakashi and the others at their current level.
Besides training his disciples, Mugetsu also planned to see Nagato. He wanted to test whether Transformation could be seen through by the Rinnegan, and whether Transformation could replicate the Rinnegan.
He also planned to gather intelligence on the Land of Rain. If he wanted Nagato as his disciple, he would certainly have to take action there.
"Target: Land of Rain. Let's go!" Obito shouted after finishing his check, full of excitement.
The Land of Rain was a place he had never visited. Obito was curious whether there would be scenery he had never seen, like the deserts of the Land of Wind or the glaciers of the Land of Snow.
After everyone confirmed they were ready, Mugetsu led them to the client. It was an escort mission.
On the road, Obito chatted with the client often, mostly out of boredom, asking questions about the Land of Rain.
"There are no special sights," the middle aged client replied. "It rains all the time. That is not really a sight, is it?"
Obito's expectations dropped a little, but he was still excited. Even if there were no famous landscapes, maybe there were unique plants, or strange local customs.
This client was talkative. Once Obito started the conversation, the man voluntarily shared a great deal about the Land of Rain.
"Hanzo is a failed leader," the client said, clearly dissatisfied. "The Land of Rain falling into this state is half his fault."
"Back then, the Land of Rain's strength was only slightly inferior to the Five Great Nations. Now it cannot even guarantee security inside its own borders."
For people like him, shinobi from hidden villages were not as terrifying. Shinobi wars rarely involved ordinary civilians directly.
But rogue ninja were different. They had nothing to lose and lived day to day.
As a crossroads between three great nations, the Land of Rain needed strength to stay stable. Right now, it simply did not have it.
Hanzo's failure had disappointed many Rain ninja, causing them to leave Amegakure.
Among them, those with a conscience joined organizations. Those who abandoned themselves became rogue ninja, further worsening public order.
"Hanzo… why does that name sound familiar?" Obito scratched his head. The name felt like something he had heard before.
"He is very strong," Shisui explained. "Some call him the Demigod of the Shinobi World. Anyone who survives fighting him becomes famous."
It was not that Shisui knew everything. Hanzo's reputation really was that huge.
Even though Amegakure suffered a major defeat during the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo's prestige among shinobi barely declined. After all, Hanzo himself did not lose that war. It was the Rain ninja aside from him who were defeated.
"Sounds pretty strong," Obito murmured, rubbing his chin.
He could not help wondering who was stronger, the so called Demigod, or Mugetsu, the Sage.
They had never fought, but Obito felt Mugetsu would be stronger. His intuition said so.
"Lady Tsunade was defeated by him once during the Second Shinobi World War," Rin said, worried Obito might do something impulsive. "Even with Orochimaru sama and Jiraiya sama fighting alongside her."
"He defeated the Toad Sage, huh." Obito's eyes lit up.
Obito decided that ten years from now, he would challenge Hanzo once. If he won, he would brag shamelessly in front of Jiraiya.
Even though Jiraiya was his teacher's teacher, Obito found it hard to treat him like a proper grandmaster. Jiraiya's behavior was far too abstract.
Obito still remembered the scene where Jiraiya forced him and Minato into a one on one fight.
After entering the Land of Rain, Mugetsu activated his Byakugan.
To this day, he had visited many small countries. The Land of Rain was the most chaotic one he had ever seen.
Obito and the others might not feel it, but Mugetsu's field of vision was far too wide. He saw too much.
In Mugetsu's eyes, calling the Land of Rain a land of chaos was not an exaggeration.
Several times, he saw rogue ninja hovering around them before backing off. They were not even disguised. They wore Konoha uniforms openly.
Besides rogue ninja, Mugetsu also saw Cloud ninja disguised as Iwagakure ninja, and Iwagakure ninja disguised as Cloud ninja. He also saw Sand ninja investigating them.
Mugetsu could only say the people of the Land of Rain were too blessed, to the point they could not handle it.
After traveling deeper into the Land of Rain, Mugetsu's main body left the team, letting a shadow clone lead them onward to continue the escort mission.
Cautious as always, Mugetsu searched at the extreme edge of the range where Flying Thunder God could still reach, looking for traces of the Akatsuki organization. He wanted to ensure that if anything happened to Kakashi's group, he could reinforce them immediately.
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