"My goodness Yagura-sama, this is unprecedented growth!" Harusame yelled for what felt like the hundredth time. Granted, it was high praise coming from him and it felt good to be making progress in strengthening not just Kirigakure, but myself.
Since becoming Mizukage I've been swamped under documents, politics, policies, admin requests and balancing the yearly budget with the current reality in the face of multiple attacks. But finally, I'd returned to what brought me to wear the hat in the first place— my shinobi training and in particular, my Jinchuriki training.
I smiled as Isobu's chakra cloak seeped through my skin and back into the seal, I peeled my eyes open and met Harusame prepared for the worst and yet was blown away by the unexpected and near perfect performance.
It has been three weeks since I awoke from my coma now and suddenly I'd returned to Turtle Island intent on training with Isobu despite how wary of the idea Harusame was. It was nice to see him eating his words without shame.
Once Isobu's chakra faded completely he relaxed his own prepared jutsu and came closer to examine me, "Not a single burn or even…how?"
I chuckled and drank from my water bottle, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Harusame."
The intense Fuuinjutsu regarded me with a fierce, pleading look that held an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, "Tell me, please, such a rapid improvement could change Utakata's life as a Jinchuriki, he's far ahead of you but with this…whatever this is he could see mastery of the beast within in but a few years!"
I nodded in agreement. I hadn't thought much of Utakata but as Kirigakure's second Jinchuriki I couldn't dismiss him from my thoughts for too long. The Akatsuki would be after him as well and synchronicity with his tailed beast, Saiken would help in resisting the worst case scenario.
Not to mention, should he master the power of Saiken he could easily be a contender for my successor, though I doubted the anti-social boy had any interest in ruling his village.
"Where is he anyway? Now that I've got to this level we should take up training together and I mean active spars." I added the last part so Harusame would know I wouldn't baby his precious student.
The man seemed to deflate as I avoided answering his question but answered mine with a shrug, "He is doing his duty, we are preparing for war are we not?"
Ah, yes. I keep forgetting my general orders included some noteworthy persons. Right now he should be with other Chuunin preparing the three islands Kirigakure had policing rights on—Turtle Island included— against the war. They had been spared involvement in the war since even a single police station manned by a Kiri-nin counted an island as part of our domain and under our protection.
Now that Kiri is joining the war in full there will be no need for its enemies to respect those islands, Turtle Island included— though I doubt Baron Tetsuya would be so foolish to come so close to Kirigakure's mainland.
Still, I worried for the young man and it shamed me that as his Kage I didn't know enough about his strengths and weaknesses. It was among my numerous responsibilities to evaluate the quality of our Jinchuriki but thus far I've been self-absorbed with my own issues.
That said, I believe I'd witnessed him wield a one-tail chakra cloak, a level above what I was currently patting myself on the back for achieving even with help from Isobu. Perhaps he would be fine, there was at least a single Jounin involved in those reinforcement squads and in this war there shouldn't be a single Samurai capable of harming him without lethal consequences.
Satisfied with that reassurance, I fell back to my meditative pose and began the breathing exercises, "Once I master the three-tails chakra in its entirety I will tell you how I managed this so quickly, but if you want a hint, I've already told you how in the past."
I snuck a peek at the man, he'd fallen back a safe distance away and was preparing himself as I was but there was an undeniable look of deep thought as he rummaged through his memories, muttering, "Have you? Hrrmm, I will recall and if I do not, I will anticipate your mastery, Yagura-sama. You're ever confident despite the challenge."
Indeed, I was, though not without reason or struggle. With Isobu's cooperation the toxicity of his chakra and the damage it did to my body was lessened. I could also fine tune just the right amount of chakra to ensure that I lasted at least fifteen minutes before the strain became apparent and began burning and regenerating my chakra pathways to suit its needs.
Technically, that was a good thing. A Tailed Beast's chakra was corrosive to the body because it was force its nature onto the host, ridding the host of weaker stuff like normal bones, skin, blood and more immediately, chakra pathways. The more of the tailed beast chakra the host takes, the faster they become susceptible to tailed beast transformations.
It's exactly what Hidden Villages wanted for their Jinchuriki, though it came with the caveat that if the transformations or leaked chakra aren't controlled they risk releasing the tailed beast on the world.
Fortunately, that wouldn't be a problem for Isobu and I. His chakra would burn away my pathways and strengthen them to a Tailed Beast's standard as time passes, simultaneously increasing my chakra reserves by leaps and bounds and bolstering my body against the worst effects. The only downside I saw to this little symbiosis was one that couldn't be avoided— a shortened lifespan.
Putting away those dreary thoughts I breathed and felt the music of Isobu's waters brush the back of my mind, "Isobu, once more please."
I felt his chakra answer my call in drips, slowly starting from my torso the warmth spread until I was covered in it. With measured breaths I opened my eyes and stood, flexing the strength coating my entirety. Not a single tail had formed behind me but that was alright, I would take my time mastering this single stage rather than rush my way into burnt out chakra pathways and a hastily shortened lifespan.
Still, the power felt, "Invigorating." My voice boomed, guttural as it was the last time I wore Isobu's chakra. "I wish Utakata were here, I need something to punch, something that can take a hit."
Harusame regarded me with wise caution, his fingers ready to ignite his sealing jutsu should anything go awry, "You could simply recall him."
I shook my head, "Let him do his duty."
"Ah, then there must be others. One of the Swordsmen perhaps?"
I shook my head again, though that was a good idea, "All sent on missions. Perhaps when Fuguki returns or Kisame, until then, I'll do a lap around the island, see if I can make it under fifteen minutes."
Harusame sweated at that, "Uh, are you sure? Should I come with you?"
I merely grinned as my feet cracked the earth beneath me, I barely needed to brace my knees to leap beyond what I was capable without the cloak and I zipped past Harusame.
With the wind on my back and an island of trees and scarce settlements, I bounded through without holding back. Exiting the temples vicinity within seconds and entering the thick of the colossal tree forest that plaited the island.
I bounded with ease off of thick tree branches, snapping them as I leapt away and over thirteen more in a single bound. The power was magnificent, I breathed as I came face to face with a particularly broad tree, hesitating for a moment before grinning as I blasted through its midsection, crashing outward several paces away with little more than a grunt and a snap back of my dislodged shoulder.
My healing, strength and speed were all accelerated to rapid degree though I noticed I burned through the cloak with each flagrant move and excessive injury healed away in a blink.
I stood, lost in the forest with what felt like all the power in the world, though I knew well it wasn't. There were multiple people capable of defeating me even in this state, Kisame or Fuguki wielding Samehada each had a fair chance but the one person I was cautious of was but a child now.
Uchiha Itachi. Jason's memory of my defeat against his Amaterasu had me itching to bring out the best utility of the chakra cloak. I wanted to be flexible with it, wield it as I did a kunai or my Bo-staff. I wanted to be able to discard it as well as any pesky undying flame.
For now, that was my goal.
'Do not become complacent, Yagura-kun. The future you have described, you will need all I have, there is much to teach you but yes, master one facet first before another.'
I let the chakra cloak seep back into the seal and winced as my healed shoulder spiked with moderate pain. It was healed but the memory of the injury remained.
"Don't worry, Isobu, I will learn it all and I won't let them hurt us."