Isamu reconsidered Mikumo's request to send him to school and began to question himself:
"If it were any other teacher, wanting to send their student to school to continue their education would simply mean they genuinely care about their student's future. That's perfectly understandable. Every teacher wants to improve their student's chances and develop their potential. But when it comes to Mikumo Kuchinada, things are far from that simple. My story with her is entirely different."
He paused for a moment, recalling various moments with his teacher, and thought:
"It would be utterly foolish to believe that my brilliant teacher—or as I prefer to call her, the old witch—has no hidden agenda. Someone like her, who believes martial arts must be devoid of emotion and that a student should become a sharp tool to be used when needed, cannot change so easily. There's no way that the years we've spent together as teacher and student have softened her to the point of changing her ways and methods."
Isamu didn't doubt Mikumo's abilities or intentions, but he was well aware of her complex personality. She wasn't just a strict teacher; she held a deep philosophy that saw emotions as the greatest weakness for any fighter.
To her, the ideal student is one who can separate their emotions from their mission, becoming an efficient tool in their master's hand, unaffected by human feelings.
He added to his thoughts:
"Mikumo took Chikage as both a student and a daughter for years, but that never stopped her from insisting on making her a perfect fighting tool. Could it really be that this woman, who raises her student to become a cold-blooded killing machine, has suddenly come to believe in the importance of academic education and changing her approach? It seems to me there are other motives at play, ones I can't see yet."
He continued thinking:
"In the original story, Chikage went to high school in her first year on Mikumo's orders, after Yami's students confronted the main character, Kenichi Shirahama. Although I don't know exactly when that story started, I'm sure there are still a few years left, which means Kenichi hasn't entered high school yet and is still just an ordinary teenager. That makes it unlikely I'll face what Chikage faced."
Trying to persuade his teacher, Isamu said:
"Teacher, I believe I don't need to go to school right now. I can rely on self-study here while continuing the intensive training under your supervision. I feel that there's a lot I still need your guidance on, as I've reached a crucial stage in my martial arts. If I go to school, my training time will be reduced, which will affect my progression."
Isamu did his best to convince her, but he knew full well that Mikumo wasn't easily swayed. He thought to himself:
"Regardless of what you're planning, sensei, as long as I can buy more time, I can stall until my time limit in this world runs out. When that happens, your plans will just be a pile of nonsense."
Mikumo looked at Isamu for a moment in silence, as if weighing his words carefully, or perhaps reading deeper into his thoughts. Then she spoke in a firm tone:
"Isamu, I understand what you're trying to say, but you're mistaken if you think that buying time will change anything. Yes, you've reached an advanced level as a student in jujutsu, and it's true that you can transition to the expert level, but the transition is not that simple. The path to becoming an expert is filled with challenges, and it's the longest phase any martial artist goes through. Every master has to face this phase in their life. But reaching the expert level requires more than just theoretical training."
She paused for a moment, as if giving her words additional weight, and then continued:
"You've spent your entire training period in the dojo, with the only real combat experience being your sparring with Chikage. This means your understanding of martial arts is still incomplete. You can't move on to the expert level without real experience in facing different fighters. No martial artist has ever reached the expert level just through training. You need to engage in real battles, face opponents with different skills and combat styles."
Her gaze was piercing, as if she could see beyond his thoughts and read them clearly. She continued firmly:
"If you think you can become a true martial artist without engaging in life-or-death combat, you're fooling yourself. Real combat is what sharpens a fighter and elevates them to higher levels quickly. Everything you've learned so far will be worthless if you don't test it in real battles and make it truly your own. I've laid out a path for you to achieve this, and your going to the designated school is part of that path."
Her words were like sharp blows, each one carefully aimed to push Isamu into deeper thought.
Isamu felt a conflict within himself, as he understood the importance of the matter. After all, he wasn't ignorant—he knew that he lacked real combat experience.
But at the same time, he couldn't shake off his doubts about Mikumo's intentions, especially when she mentioned the word "designated." He wasn't sure if she really meant it or if it was just a slip of the tongue, but the fact that she referred to a specific school meant that her plan went beyond just improving his martial arts and continuing academic education.
He thought to himself:
"There's no point in overthinking unless I plan on turning against my teacher Mikumo, which would mean giving up everything I've achieved so far. I'd lose my current form, which includes physical fitness resembling a master's and chakra levels as high as that of an advanced fetus, and I'd return with just theoretical knowledge of the skills. I have to play along with her desires for now."
Isamu continued to reflect, trying to convince himself:
"Maybe I shouldn't panic. After all, I don't believe she has a deadly plan that would lead to my demise or derail my progress. Even though I'm not as important as Chikage, I'm still a talented student in whom Mikumo has invested a lot of time and effort. I have very promising potential."
He took a deep breath, recalling those long years of training and challenges:
"Perhaps it's as she said. I can gain the combat experience I need to elevate my level in martial arts. This will significantly boost my abilities when I return to Naruto."
Thoughts flooded his mind:
"In fact, the training in previous years helped sharpen my willpower and strengthen my character. And if I add combat experience to that, I'll achieve significant benefits. Although this might not seem as noticeable as increasing chakra levels or improving physical skills, it will be even more important for me. It will allow me to overcome my greatest weakness as an ordinary human from modern society and quickly adapt to the ninja world."
At the end of his thoughts, Isamu made up his mind. He lowered his head once again before Mikumo, trying to show expressions of regret and embarrassment.
His face reddened as he said:
"I'm sorry, teacher. I didn't realize you were thinking so deeply about me and noticing my mistakes, while I rudely interrupted you and failed to recognize your care."
Mikumo, maintaining her seriousness, gestured for him to raise his head and said in a stern tone:
"Very well, but don't interrupt me again. This will be the last time."
As her words echoed in Isamu's ears, he thought to himself:
"Damn, what a heartless old lady. Even after giving a perfect performance of an apology that would melt the heart of any other teacher and create a touching scene of growing familial bonds, she wasn't moved. Seems like my acting skills aren't enough to extract any emotions from her."
He closely observed Mikumo, trying to read any expression on her face, but her face remained unchanged, showing no trace of emotion.