"Teacher Mokgetsu, I feel I can handle more pressure. Please give me extra training!" Asuma requested Mokgetsu with a serious face.
The first actual combat test is in a couple of days, and Asuma feels he can push himself a bit more.
This time it's not just a secret battle with Mokgetsu present, Yuhi Kurenai will also be watching, so even if he has to lose, he wants to lose with some dignity.
"Why do you suddenly want extra training, is it for the combat test?" Mokgetsu asked with a smile.
Asuma's little bratty thoughts were too easy to guess.
"Mm, you guessed it, Teacher." Asuma revealed an embarrassed smile.
"Just temporarily adding training won't improve your strength." Mokgetsu rejected Asuma's idea.
When it comes to theoretical exams, cramming might help a bit. If you're lucky enough to encounter topics you've reviewed, that's a few extra points.
As for actual combat, just practicing a bit more in the last two days won't have any effect, because extra practice in these two days won't have a noticeable impact on your body.
Unless you have an exceptionally strong learning ability, learning one ninjutsu a day, in two days you'd learn two more techniques, but Asuma clearly lacks that ability.
"So what should I do?" Asuma asked, placing his hopes on the all-capable Teacher Mokgetsu.
"Do you really want to improve your strength?" Mokgetsu asked.
He did have a way, though the process was quite brutal.
"Absolutely." Asuma replied.
"If you want to improve your strength within just two days, the only way is through battle." Mokgetsu thought for a moment and said.
With only two days, the only way Mokgetsu could think of was a lot of battles. In other words, a lot of getting beaten up.
"Fight with my Shadow Clones. As long as you have the strength to stand, keep fighting my Shadow Clones in the time that follows. Even in two days, you can improve somewhat."
In the combat test, fighting is part of the exam. For Asuma, engaging in a lot of battles is like taking mock exams compared to just two days' extra training, much more reliable.
Just hearing Mokgetsu describe it, Asuma could already sense how miserable it would be, but for the sake of Yuhi Kurenai, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.
One can only say if you want to shine in front of others, you have to suffer behind the scenes.
In the time that followed, Asuma was basically continually styled and beaten by Mokgetsu's Shadow Clones.
Even though Mokgetsu's Shadow Clones purposely suppressed their strength, Asuma still couldn't defeat them.
When Asuma was exhausted, leaning against a tree to rest, he grumbled:
"If you ask me, the old man is just getting senile. Someone as talented as you, Teacher Mokgetsu, is still just a Chunin; I say you should be promoted to Jonin."
Just now, during his battle with Mokgetsu, counting the Shadow Clones, Mokgetsu used eight ninjutsu in total, including Fire Release and Water Release. The ninjutsu set up wasn't bad either, with both offense and defense.
"I am indeed not qualified to be promoted to Jonin right now." Mokgetsu denied.
With his recent performance, he was at most a slightly more proficient Chunin, only Asuma, with his weak skills, would think otherwise.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, are you watching?" Mokgetsu thought to himself while maintaining a neutral expression.
The reason he showed a glimpse of strength wasn't to help Asuma train but for the Third Hokage to see.
Even if the Third Hokage himself wasn't watching, the Anbu monitoring would see it and report back to him.
Mokgetsu's strategy was simple: to lay groundwork.
Sarutobi Hiruzen may not know him inside and out, but as long as Mokgetsu didn't showcase anything too outrageous, from the Third Hokage's perspective, this was just Mokgetsu's own talent.
In fact, Mokgetsu had laid groundwork before, with witnesses present, that time when Kushina said Mokgetsu had a talent for cultivating Fuinjutsu.
As the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, Kushina was naturally under Anbu surveillance.
Considering this, Mokgetsu portrayed himself as having a Fuinjutsu talent instead of his usual cautious approach, otherwise, he would have pretended to master it in ten days.
With talent in Fuinjutsu, especially strong teaching skills, and not a weak ninja overall, such a young person would be worth saving.
Mokgetsu was showcasing himself from a particular angle, where Root couldn't see but the Third Hokage could, to display his value.
If he could be pulled out from Root, he could further demonstrate himself without worrying about issues from the Root side.
Because once Mokgetsu was transferred to the Third Hokage's side, as long as he didn't exhibit an alarming power suddenly, his subsequent progress would be seen as talent the Root failed to uncover, but the Third Hokage identified and nurtured.
Mokgetsu wanted stable exposure, but he wouldn't remain a Chunin Teacher forever because this identity indeed limited his growth ceiling.
If he genuinely stayed as a regular Chunin Teacher all the time, would he still get this summer special training opportunity? Likely not, he would probably be called by Danzo to Root as a laborer during holidays.
The higher his status and shown strength, the more reward opportunities Mokgetsu would have.
For instance, if he wanted to reform the Ninja School's curriculum to add communal classes involving several classes, no one would listen if he's just a regular teacher.
But if he successfully manages the summer training and gets promoted to Special Jonin, Mokgetsu feels his suggestions might be seriously considered.
...
Sunday morning, Mokgetsu was guiding Obito in the cultivation of Soru.
At this time, both Might Guy and Shisui had completely mastered the basics, so only Obito was left learning.
"Soru is actually quite simple. Just overlay that technique you've used before and apply it over three times," Mokgetsu demonstrated as he explained.
"My legs can't take it anymore. It's so hard," Obito tried again under Mokgetsu's guidance, but unfortunately, he still didn't succeed.
From Mokgetsu's description, it seemed easy. Even when Obito imagined the action, it didn't seem tough, but in actual practice, what seemed easy turned out to be an illusion, it was difficult.
Not to mention overlaying three times, even doing it twice wasn't stable for him.
"More practice will do it. Shisui and the others didn't learn it in just a few days," Mokgetsu said.
He used Identification Jutsu to glance at Obito's proficiency, already over forty points.
Because he previously dissected some of the teaching for Obito, once the actual teaching started, progress was quicker.
Although Obito couldn't accomplish three overlays by the end of the training, he managed to somewhat stabilize two, which was considered an improvement.
[Disciple Uchiha Obito improved under your guidance and training, gaining significant growth, receiving the reward — Breath of Flame (Proficient Level)]
Mokgetsu was surprised, not expecting to receive another Breathing Technique.
When Mokgetsu looked into the memory of Breath of Flame that suddenly appeared in his mind, he was instantly struck by the difference in effect between the Hokage version of Breath of Flame and Breath of Rock, declaring it could be considered a Secret Technique!