After all the battles were over, Mutsuki gathered the students together to begin a meeting and summarize the results. However, with Hiruzen present, it was clear he would speak first.
Although he hadn't prepared a speech in advance, Hiruzen had been Hokage for so long that he was well-versed in such occasions.
First, he praised the students for their hard work and noted their excellent performance in the practical exams. Then, he complimented Mutsuki, affirming his teaching achievements. After addressing both the senseis and the students, he began to talk about the future, discussing ideals, and finally, he touched on the Will of Fire to elevate the spirit of the meeting, which concluded his speech.
One cannot help but say that Hiruzen's approach was very effective for Konoha Ninja, as many students began to clap spontaneously.
Next up was Mutsuki. He avoided any unnecessary flourishes and simply stated the differences between the group test results and the final scores, highlighting everyone's efforts and progress. He ended with a message of blessing and a reminder.
"That concludes the third phase of our special training during this break. Thank you all for your cooperation over the past month. I hope everyone will walk the path they wish to pursue, and finally, don't forget to keep training and improving your skills, even without special training," Mutsuki said with a warm smile throughout.
After Mutsuki finished speaking, there was no applause like when Hiruzen would speak. Perhaps some people clapped, but their sound was drowned out by the crowd, as too many people were talking.
"We definitely won't forget to keep training, and we won't let you down, Yumi-sensei!"
"We should be the ones thanking you for helping us improve so much."
"Yumi-sensei, when will the next special training start? Will you be in charge again?"
The students all chimed in, some expressing gratitude for Mutsuki's hard work over the past days, while others were eager to know if they could continue participating in his training.
Though Mutsuki was a powerful ninja, it was impossible for him to communicate with all 600-plus students at once. With so many voices mixing together, it was hard to hear any one person clearly.
However, he still heard a few remarks, so he raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.
The students quickly fell silent, and Mutsuki simply replied, "If there are no unforeseen circumstances, the special training will resume in late December, but the specifics about who will be in charge will be announced later."
Late December marks the end of the Academy's second semester, and the Academy has essentially normalized the special training program, holding it twice a year. As for who would be responsible, Mutsuki couldn't say for certain.
Shisui wanted to start his internship in the second year, which coincided with the start of the special training. If Mutsuki were to take Shisui on for the internship, he wouldn't be able to manage the special training as well.
Hearing Mutsuki's response, the students felt a bit disappointed; without Mutsuki, there seemed to be no point in the special training. Nevertheless, it was time to part ways, and the students rushed over to bid farewell to Mutsuki.
Although Konoha is called a village, its scope is not that of an ordinary village, and after graduation, the students would have little opportunity to meet Mutsuki again.
Hiruzen couldn't help but marvel at Mutsuki's immense popularity among the students; even he, as Hokage, seemed less impressive in their eyes.
Thinking about this, Hiruzen felt that his decision to take Mutsuki as a disciple after retirement was very wise. With Mutsuki's teaching methods, in seven or eight years, there would be a significant number of Ninjas in Konoha supporting Mutsuki for the position of Hokage.
"Yumi-sensei, this is a gift from everyone; please cherish it," Anko said, handing Mutsuki a thick notebook.
Last year, they had pooled money to buy a large cake to thank Mutsuki, but this year, with nearly seven hundred people, it would be quite difficult to fit candles on it.
So, on Nara Ensui's suggestion, they bought a thick notebook for everyone to write their names and messages to Mutsuki. If they wanted, they could also stick their photos inside.
This way, they could express their feelings and help Mutsuki better remember their names and faces.
"Then Yumi-sensei won't forget us, right?"
"I'll cherish this gift. Besides, I won't forget you even without it; my memory is quite good. You are Asakawa Sanken, and you are Nakamori Kouichi…" After putting away the gift, Mutsuki named each of his students one by one.
He was able to do this not because he had Identification Jutsu, but because Mutsuki had truly memorized all his students' names and faces.
Perhaps it was due to the memory of his Shadow Clones, or maybe the effects of his reincarnation, but Mutsuki remembered every student he had taught.
Many students stared at Mutsuki in surprise; they hadn't expected him to be able to do this. It wasn't just a handful of students—there were nearly seven hundred.
Some students who usually performed average in school, didn't stand out in special training, and had little presence felt deeply touched when they heard Mutsuki call their names. Since they received less attention, they cherished it even more.
[Under your guidance, the students who participated in the holiday special training improved in both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, and their overall strength increased.]
[Reward received: Chakra +1800, Chakra Nature Transformation Experience Scroll ×2, Ninjutsu Extraction Scroll · B (Proficient level) ×2.]
[Chakra Nature Transformation Experience Scroll: Increases experience in any already Learned Nature Transformation.]
The rewards were quite generous. With more students, there were more rewards. Last time, only 800 points of Chakra were given, but this time, there was an extra 1000 points, along with items to increase Nature Transformation experience.
In fact, Mutsuki's expectations were already met just with the regular class rewards, as he had managed to push his Earth and Lightning Nature Transformations from Proficient to Mastery level through teaching.
Mastery-level Nature Transformation was extremely difficult to unlock. The rewards for reaching Mastery were few, and getting Nature Transformation in those rewards was incredibly rare.
However, Mutsuki naturally didn't mind more rewards. Whether it was Chakra or skills, the more, the better for him.
Since Hiruzen was still present, Mutsuki didn't extract any Ninjutsu or use the experience scrolls. After finishing his conversation with the students, he quickly walked over to Hiruzen, who was listening to other senseis share their thoughts.
As Mutsuki approached, the other senseis were just wrapping up. Hiruzen turned to Mutsuki with a smile and said, "Mutsuki, everyone highly recognizes the results of your special training. I underestimated your teaching abilities; I didn't expect you to manage over six hundred students so effectively on your own, and even teach them your Ninjutsu. It would be a shame not to promote you given your contributions."
Shimotsuke Hisanobu's heart sank; he had considered the possibility of Mutsuki replacing him as the leader of the teaching team, given Mutsuki's hard work and excellence. However, he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Mutsuki had only been at the Academy for just over a year, and normally, even the most outstanding individuals would need to accumulate several years of experience.
As for why Shimotsuke Hisanobu was certain that Mutsuki would replace him, it was because Mutsuki had already reached the top position at the Academy; it wasn't as if he would take Hiruzen's place as the principal.
"What do you all think about Mutsuki becoming the vice principal?" Hiruzen asked with a smile, looking around at the senseis.
The senseis he brought along were not ordinary; they were either award-winning teachers or part of the Academy's upper management.
Shimotsuke Hisanobu let out a sigh of relief; it was just the vice principal position, not the leader of the teaching team.
"Wait, vice principal?" Shimotsuke Hisanobu recalled Hiruzen's words and his expression gradually turned to one of surprise. There had never been a vice principal position at the Academy; there was only the principal, who was always the Hokage.
"Yumi-sensei's educational abilities are exceptional. The special training and internship programs he initiated have set unprecedented precedents, making a significant contribution to the Academy. Having Yumi-sensei serve as vice principal would be just perfect," Shimotsuke Hisanobu said after some thought.
Although the Academy didn't have a vice principal before, Hiruzen's words made it clear that there could be one now.
Shimotsuke Hisanobu was still very surprised; it seemed that Hiruzen had specifically created a position for Mutsuki, which highlighted how much he was valued.
Even Shimotsuke Hisanobu, who had seen his fair share of challenges, was astonished, and the other senseis were no exception, their shocked expressions impossible to conceal.
"Both are people, why is the gap so big?" Chitani Isamu, who shared an office with Mutsuki, found the disparity so vast that he couldn't even feel envious anymore.
The reality of Mutsuki's situation was something he wouldn't have dared to dream about, as it felt too unreal to happen.
Once they regained their composure, the other senseis quickly acknowledged this; no previous leader of the teaching team had ever held such a position.
Mutsuki displayed a look of surprise upon hearing Hiruzen's words and humbly expressed that he was still young and might not be able to take on such a great responsibility.
Of course, this wasn't because Mutsuki genuinely didn't want the position; being higher up at the Academy would make it easier for him to implement various reforms. However, the proper procedures still needed to be followed, as he had already established his persona.
The next step was for the senseis to discuss their achievements, after which Hiruzen spoke again, ultimately appointing Mutsuki as the vice principal.
With that, the matter concluded, and both the students and senseis returned to their own homes.
"Izumo, today is the day to make a name for ourselves!" Hagane Kotetsu said excitedly to Kamizuki Izumo as he watched Hiruzen walk away.
Kamizuki Izumo nodded, his expression equally enthusiastic. "With outstanding strength and the Hokage's support, perhaps we can leave our mark in history as well."
"It's just a shame about Ebisu. Maybe this idea was meant for him, but our bond was so strong that he willingly let it go for us," Hagane Kotetsu said, looking very regretful.
Kamizuki Izumo found Hagane Kotetsu's words quite reasonable; while achieving success was great, they shouldn't forget their older brother who had provided them with countless help.
"Let's do this—let's create a Clone of Ebisu and challenge Hokage-sama together," Kamizuki Izumo suggested, coming up with a good idea.
"It's all thanks to you, Izumo. Even the Second Hokage wouldn't think of a better plan. Ebisu would definitely be grateful if he knew," Hagane Kotetsu said, playfully punching Kamizuki Izumo's chest with a cheerful smile.
He could almost envision himself achieving great success, imagining Ebisu's appreciative smile.
The two of them quickly set off, jogging in the direction Hiruzen had gone.
Meanwhile, Mutsuki returned to his house in the main district to rest after the event.
Although the rewards from the six weeks of classes were nice, he was genuinely tired. His body was strong, but he wasn't made of iron, and fatigue was still present.
Pouring himself a cup of hot tea, Mutsuki opened the system panel to extract Ninjutsu.
Though the level was slightly lower, the Lottery screen looked quite similar.
[Ninjutsu Extraction Scroll · B has been consumed, skill acquired—Freeze Ray (Proficient level).]
Seeing the skill name, Mutsuki instantly recognized its origin. However, it wasn't the first time a Pokemon skill had appeared, so he wasn't too surprised.
After organizing his thoughts, Mutsuki realized this was a great Ice Release Ninjutsu—clean and straightforward, with considerable power.
"Is it because I have Ice Release that I can draw an ice-related skill, or can the rewards still correspond to the Nature Transformation of the skill as before?" This reward raised some questions in Mutsuki's mind.
Initially, he had only mastered Fire Release Nature Transformation, but when he received other attribute Ninjutsu in class, he was rewarded with the corresponding Nature Transformation. Mutsuki wondered if he drew a Grass Release skill or some plant magic, would he receive Wood Release Nature Transformation in return?
With these questions in mind, Mutsuki continued to extract Ninjutsu.
[Ninjutsu Extraction Scroll · B has been consumed, skill acquired—Pheasant Beak (Proficient level).]
At first, Mutsuki didn't recognize the name, but when the skill's training memory appeared in his mind, he remembered it was Aokiji's technique from One Piece, which creates an ice bird for attack and can freeze opponents.
After extracting another Ice Release, Mutsuki felt that it was unlikely to gain those Kekkei Genkai for free; he would either have to train them himself or tap into his students' resources.
After all, Kekkei Genkai are the result of the fusion of two attribute Nature Transformations, while Fire Release is a single attribute, so it made sense that the rules would differ.
Next, Mutsuki opened the Chakra Nature Transformation experience scroll, and the system immediately presented him with many options.
[Options available: Fire Release Nature Transformation (Perfect level), Water Release Nature Transformation (Mastery level), Lightning Release Nature Transformation (Mastery level)… Ice Release (Beginner).]
Seeing Ice Release surprised Mutsuki a bit, but it was indeed a valid Nature Transformation.
Since the other seven attributes were all at Mastery level or above, Mutsuki decided to use an experience scroll on Ice Release.
Instantly, a flood of Ice Release Nature Transformation training memories surged into Mutsuki's mind, creating an illusion that he was not a novice but rather a seasoned Ice Release Ninja who had trained for several years.
When Mutsuki looked at Ice Release again, its proficiency level had already risen from Beginner to Proficient.
[Skill: Ice Release (Proficient: 1000/3000)]
The results were quite good—not only had it reached Proficient level, but it also had a decent proficiency level.
Mutsuki decided to save the remaining scroll for later, in case he obtained other Kekkei Genkai in the future.
...
Since Kakashi and Obito had both surpassed the Proficient level with their Breathing Techniques and hadn't taken on missions for a while, along with all of them being Chunin allowing them to freely accept A-rank and below missions, Mutsuki sent them out to complete tasks. Meanwhile, Shisui and Guy, who had not yet reached Proficient level with their Breathing Techniques, continued their special training.
"I'm really nervous. Without Yumi-sensei or Minato-sensei, what if we run into a condidat Raikage?" Obito raised the concern as they walked toward the Hokage Building.
While the ability to independently take on missions gave Obito a sense of recognition, he analyzed the situation based on his past experiences and felt it was a bit dangerous without a sensei accompanying them.
"In normal circumstances, we wouldn't run into the candidate Raikage," Kakashi replied with a resigned expression.
Kakashi had indeed suspected their luck before, but ever since the encounter with Minato and the candidate Raikage, things had improved. The mission difficulties were consistent with their rank, and no unexpected incidents had occurred.
"But even the Chunin Exams had unexpected events. What's impossible now?" Obito retorted, unconvinced.
Kakashi couldn't really argue with that. An unexpected event during something as significant as the Chunin Exams was definitely not a good sign.
"Alright, since you're worried something might go wrong, let's just take a domestic C-Rank mission. There shouldn't be any issues," Rin stepped in to mediate.
"That won't do! We've finally earned the right to take on higher-ranked missions, so of course, we should take something above C-rank. If we back down just because there might be danger, I'll never become Hokage!" Obito rejected Rin's suggestion, insisting that they should face challenges head-on.
Kakashi looked at Obito with a hint of surprise, not expecting such words to come from the clueless Obito; it seemed he had some awareness after all.
Rin glanced at Kakashi, who nodded slightly before saying, "Then let's take a B-rank mission. Just stay away from countries that are currently at war."
Given their current strength, taking on a B-rank mission would be easy for them, as the enemies encountered would typically be Genin, with Chunin not appearing at all.
Excited to take on a mission as Chunin for the first time, Obito strode into the Hokage Building with confidence, drawing attention along the way.
"Uncle Sawada, you're on duty again! Good morning!" Obito called out with a big smile, puffing out his chest to make his Chunin vest more noticeable.
"Good morning! Congratulations on becoming a Chunin," Kazuya Sawada responded with a smile.
If Obito could refrain from being reckless, he actually quite liked this cheerful and enthusiastic Uchiha boy.
"Hehe." Obito smiled smugly, feeling satisfied.
"Uncle Sawada, is there any mission to rescue a princess? It doesn't have to be in the Land of Fire; any other country is fine," Obito asked, still not giving up on his dream of being a hero Ninja.
Kazuya Sawada was about to say there wasn't one, but then he remembered a new request that had come in last night. So he replied, "There's no mission to rescue a princess, but there is one related to a princess."
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