As Mu Yue announced the start of the exam, Dai Tu quickly retreated, forming hand seals to perform ninjutsu. He understood that Mai Te Kai excelled in taijutsu, so he wouldn't engage him directly in close combat.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a puff, two identical clones of Dai Tu appeared beside him. The three Dai Tus began to dart around, trying to confuse Mai Te Kai.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
However, Mai Te Kai's speed exceeded Dai Tu's expectations. In an instant, he closed the distance, executing a rapid and powerful kick that dispelled the two clones and sent the real Dai Tu staggering backward.
"Such strength!" Dai Tu thought, feeling his arm tremble from absorbing the blow. His arm throbbed with pain.
Mai Te Kai seized the moment, pressing forward to force Dai Tu into a close-quarters battle. But in pure taijutsu, Dai Tu was no match for Mai Te Kai, who quickly gained the upper hand.
"Who do you think will win?" the onlooking students began to speculate about the outcome.
"Mai Te Kai, for sure. Looks like Dai Tu will be defeated soon," one student observed the situation.
"Not necessarily. When Dai Tu faced Yu Zhi Bo Tie Huo, he was at a disadvantage in taijutsu, but ultimately won with Fire Style," another argued, pointing out Dai Tu's strong fire techniques.
"Mu Yue-sensei, who do you think will win?" Kimura said, suddenly asking.
"Mai Te Kai, I think," Mu Yue replied thoughtfully.
"Yeah, while Dai Tu has powerful fire techniques, this exam setting isn't ideal for him," Kimura agreed.
Mu Yue nodded, realizing that the two were fairly evenly matched. However, Dai Tu was like a long-range wizard with little close-combat capability. In the open space of the exam ground, it was tough for him to outmaneuver the fast-paced Mai Te Kai.
As expected, in the next instant, Dai Tu found himself exposed, and a swift Leaf Whirlwind sent him flying.
"Mai Te Kai wins," Mu Yue announced the final result.
Students who had predicted Dai Tu's victory were left dumbfounded. It seemed like he always disappointed them. When they thought he would lose to Tie Huo, he won. Now, they expected him to win against Mai Te Kai, and he lost.
"Mai Te Kai, you're amazing! How did you get so strong?" a classmate couldn't help but ask.
"How did I train? I wake up at 5:30 AM and run around the village, then practice taijutsu on wooden posts until night. On weekends..." Mai Te Kai began recounting his rigorous schedule.
"Thanks, but no thanks!" the student thought, already overwhelmed by the early morning routine. He couldn't believe a ninja would train like that every day.
"Are you okay, Dai Tu?" Lin approached him, concerned.
Dai Tu brushed off the dust and casually replied, "I'm fine. Just a narrow loss this time. Next time, I'll definitely win."
In front of his crush, he couldn't admit to any injuries.
However, Lin was not easily fooled. She rolled up Dai Tu's sleeve, revealing bruises on his arm, and scolded, "Pretending to be fine won't help. You need to go to the infirmary and get some medicine."
With that, she dragged him off, and Dai Tu complied without resistance, his rebellious spirit overshadowed by his body's need for care.
After determining the class champions, the second day of the practical exams concluded.
Tomorrow, the top two from each class would face off to determine the grade champion.
Having finished the exam, Mai Te Kai was eager to thank Mu Yue and share the good news with his father, Mai Te Dai. He could already imagine his father's tearful pride.
However, Mu Yue asked him to stay a moment longer, claiming he had something for him. In a secluded spot, Mu Yue smiled and said, "Kai, congratulations on taking first place."
He then presented a small booklet to Mai Te Kai.
"This is a taijutsu training manual I wrote during my free time. It includes my thoughts on developing the Leaf Whirlwind further. Consider it a gift for being the top of your class."
Mai Te Kai noticed the manual and the faint smudge of ink on Mu Yue's hand. It was clear that this wasn't a mere hobby project; Mu Yue must have invested considerable effort into it. Even if Mai Te Kai hadn't taken first, Mu Yue would have found another reason to gift it to him. The insights on improving the Leaf Whirlwind felt tailored just for him.
"Mu Yue-sensei, I won't let your efforts go to waste! I will become the strongest taijutsu ninja!" Mai Te Kai exclaimed, tears welling up.
Mu Yue wiped his tears away with a piece of paper and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "It's wonderful that you feel this way. For a teacher, seeing their students grow strong is the best reward."
With sincere emotion, Mu Yue's words resonated deeply.
"Yeah!" Mai Te Kai nodded vigorously, his determination to become stronger renewed.
As he watched Mai Te Kai walk away, Mu Yue checked the system notifications, a smile spreading across his face.
[You have gifted your student a taijutsu training manual. Due to the student's deep gratitude, you receive a substantial bonus: Mastery of Water Chakra Nature Transformation.]
[Student Mai Te Kai's trust level has increased, current trust level: 3.]
"Not bad," Mu Yue mused, pleased with the newfound knowledge in his mind.
Typically, the rewards for teaching were tied to a student's strengths—like Shizui and Dai Tu excelling in Fire Style, while Mai Te Kai was focused on taijutsu. However, occasionally there were surprises, sometimes unrelated rewards.
Compared to mastering a specific taijutsu, mastering a chakra attribute was significantly more valuable. Mu Yue felt satisfied; if he accumulated more such rewards, he could even develop a bloodline limit on his own.
As for the trust level increase, that was an unexpected bonus.
Mu Yue pondered the importance of planning when gifting valuable items, ensuring emotional resonance for greater rewards.
For example, presenting a gift to Mai Te Kai upon his victory, and subtly revealing the effort behind it, magnified the emotional impact. When Mai Te Kai realized the significance of the ink stains, he connected emotionally, remembering Mu Yue's guidance. That appreciation magnified their bond.
"Tomorrow's exams will be over, and results will be out in a couple of days," Mu Yue thought, curious if the system would reward him for his students' impressive performances.
Given the circumstances, a teacher certainly deserved some recognition.
(End of Chapter)