"Elder, is the formation array meant to be smoking like that?" Tsunade asked nervously.
"No," Ashura sighed, watching Jiraiya attempt to look innocent while a training formation sputtered behind him. "It most definitely is not."
The morning had started normally enough. His four special students arrived at dawn for their "advanced medical training," just as the sun began peeking over the newly carved faces of Hashirama and Madara on the mountain—though Madara's was already being discussed for removal given recent events.
Jiraiya had decided that combining his yang cultivation energy with a prank seal would make an excellent wake-up call for a dozing Tsunade. The result: one scorched formation array, a furious Tsunade, and Dan trying very hard not to laugh while maintaining his "responsible student" facade.
"I was just trying to improve the energy circulation," Jiraiya defended weakly.
"By drawing a toad face in the array pattern?" Orochimaru drawled, not bothering to hide his amusement.
Before Tsunade could exact revenge, Ashura's Divine Sense detected Hiruzen approaching with Tobirama. "Continue your exercises," he instructed. "And Jiraiya, fix that array before it sets the curtains on fire. Again."
The arrival of both their jonin instructor and the future Second Hokage immediately straightened the students' postures—well, most of them. Jiraiya still managed to look artfully disheveled.
"Lively morning, Elder Ashura?" Hiruzen asked, while Tobirama's sharp eyes scanned the training area.
"Your students bring... enthusiasm to their studies," Ashura replied diplomatically. Behind them, something crashed followed by Tsunade's voice: "JIRAIYA! THE CURTAINS!"
"Teaching moment," Ashura said calmly. "Sometimes the best medical lessons begin with treating burn wounds."
Inside, they found Jiraiya nursing a bump on his head (courtesy of Tsunade), while Dan and Orochimaru had already contained and extinguished the small fire using their "chakra control exercises."
"Their chakra control is improving remarkably," Tobirama observed, his sensor abilities trying to analyze their techniques. Ashura subtly adjusted his concealment formations—Tobirama's perception was always a delicate challenge to manage.
"Indeed. Though some choose more... creative applications than others," Ashura gestured to the unburnt side of the room. "Tsunade, demonstrate the basic healing technique we discussed. Dan, assist her."
As his students worked, Ashura discussed their progress with Hiruzen. As their jonin instructor, he took great interest in their development, though he focused mainly on their combat and teamwork training.
"They're still struggling with balance in regular missions," Hiruzen admitted. "Jiraiya rushes in, Tsunade punches first and asks questions later, and Orochimaru... well..."
"Considers everyone else's methods inefficient?" Ashura suggested mildly.
"Exactly. Though Dan helps moderate them when he joins their training."
Later that morning, after Tobirama and Hiruzen departed, regular classes proceeded carefully. His four special students assisted, using the opportunity to practice controlling their spiritual energy while appearing to demonstrate ordinary chakra skills.
A chunin burst in: "Elder! Training ground accident—multiple injuries!"
"Tsunade, Dan, with me," he commanded. "Orochimaru, continue the lesson. Jiraiya... no more 'improvements' to the formations."
At the training ground, they found several injured genin—victims of an explosive tag exercise gone wrong. As Ashura coordinated the response, he carefully observed how Tsunade and Dan managed their cultivation-enhanced healing while maintaining the appearance of standard medical jutsu.
"Channel it like we practiced," he murmured to Tsunade as she healed a particularly nasty burn. "Remember: visible chakra, hidden spiritual energy."
That afternoon, following tradition, Ashura treated his special students to lunch at Ichiraku's newly opened ramen stand. These meals served multiple purposes: maintaining normal social connections, discussing progress privately, and allowing him to observe how they managed their growing powers in public.
"And then," Jiraiya was saying between bites, "the toad face actually winked before it exploded!"
"That's because you inverted the stability matrix, idiot," Orochimaru commented, precisely arranging his noodles.
"At least he didn't try to 'improve' Hashirama-sama's face on the mountain this time," Tsunade added.
"That was one time!" Jiraiya protested. "And admit it, the mustache looked distinguished."
"Ahem," Dan interrupted, noting nearby civilians. "Perhaps we should discuss your... creative training methods more privately?"
The afternoon brought interesting challenges. Sarutobi Sasuke, Hiruzen's father, visited to observe their training methods, forcing everyone to maintain their cover while continuing cultivation practices. His sharp eyes reminded Ashura that the older generation of shinobi weren't easily fooled.
"Elder," Orochimaru approached as evening fell. "I've been thinking about combining the wave pattern formation with standard medical seals. If we adjust the flow like this..." He demonstrated with spiritual energy disguised as chakra.
"Interesting approach," Ashura nodded. "Though perhaps wait until Jiraiya is further away before testing it?"
"I HEARD THAT!" came an indignant shout from across the room.
As night approached and students departed, Ashura connected with Izuna.
"They're adapting well," his hidden disciple observed. "Though Tobirama's visits are becoming more frequent."
"He senses something different about their energy," Ashura agreed. "We'll need to be more careful."
Later, checking his academy's formation arrays one last time, Ashura reflected on his students' progress. Their cultivation advanced steadily, but more importantly, they were learning to balance their growing power with normal life.
Even Orochimaru had started joining the others for ramen after training, though Ashura suspected this was partly to observe how Jiraiya's yang energy affected the broth's temperature.
*Progress comes in many forms*, he thought, watching the spirit veins pulse gently through his academy. *Sometimes even in the shape of explosive toad faces.*
He made a mental note to reinforce the curtains again, just in case. And perhaps to prepare some subtle formations to discourage certain curious sensors from investigating too deeply.
Above, Izuna continued his cultivation, now nearing breakthrough. Below, four young cultivators learned to navigate their dual lives, while around them, the village continued its own growth and changes.
Some challenges, it seemed, remained consistent regardless of the era.