CHAPTER 57

"I don't completely understand it yet, but I'll do my best," said Haruno Sakura firmly, undeterred by the difficulty of the task ahead.

"It's good to be diligent, but if you really don't get something, ask me. Blind hard work isn't always efficient," Mizuki replied, speaking from personal experience. "Trust me—getting this far wasn't easy."

"Understood. Thank you, sensei."

"Alright. Our next practice class begins tomorrow. But since there's still some time today, let's test your perception." Mizuki glanced around the shop. "There's a sensory barrier set up here. Don't rely on your eyes—use your chakra and spiritual awareness. Find all the concealed barrier formulae. Identify their locations and draw them out. Let's see how long it takes you."

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Night had fallen by the time Mizuki wrapped up his lessons. His throat was dry; it felt like he'd spoken more in one day than in the past month combined.

Strolling through Konoha's softly glowing streets, lit by lanterns and the hum of life, Mizuki silently admired the peace of the village—so vibrant, so full. A stark contrast to the chaos and destruction that might come in just a month's time.

"Mizuki, are you worried about something?" Tsubaki (Xiao Chun), walking quietly at his side, asked gently.

"Hm? Why do you ask?"

"You've been distracted lately. I can tell something's bothering you."

He paused. She always could see through him.

"Is it something you can't tell me?" she added, a little hurt.

"It's nothing big. I've just been... concerned about the village's current situation, that's all."

Seeing he didn't elaborate, Tsubaki chose not to push. Once back home, she closed the doors and windows, then motioned for him to come over.

"What is it? You look like you're about to unveil a top-secret scroll," Mizuki joked lightly.

"Take a look." Tsubaki brought her hands together and began channeling chakra. Slowly, she pulled them apart, and a glowing ball of chakra crackled to life between them—bright sparks leaping in the air.

"That's—!" Mizuki's eyes widened. "Did you master the lightning nature transformation?"

Tsubaki shook her head.

"Look again."

With a puzzled expression, Mizuki focused more closely.

"...Wait. That flow—it's wind-natured chakra too?!" His jaw dropped. "You've mastered both wind and lightning transformations?"

He had always known she was sharp and quietly gifted, but this exceeded anything he expected.

"How did you pull this off?" Mizuki asked, stunned. "There's no record of this combination in my notes or training manuals."

"Remember when you explained how natural lightning is generated—from high-speed winds and friction in storm clouds?" Tsubaki replied. "I used that principle. I increased the velocity of my wind chakra until it created enough friction to generate an electrical charge."

"But that's natural phenomena. You're mimicking it through chakra! That's a huge leap!"

"Well, it wasn't easy. I only recently completed both nature changes. Fusion didn't work at first, but once I focused on intense friction and internal chakra rotation, this started to form."

"Unbelievable..." Mizuki muttered. "Have you tried fusing wind with water chakra? You might create Ice Release—Hyōton." He scratched his chin. "Friction on water surfaces might generate steam, maybe even energy—though it's unclear whether it would manifest as heat or ice."

"I haven't completed water transformation yet."

"Ah. Got ahead of myself."

Among the five basic chakra natures, earth and water are generally easier to master. Wind and fire are moderately difficult, and lightning is especially tricky due to its precision and chakra control demands. That Tsubaki had mastered wind and lightning first—and even managed a fusion—was astonishing.

In her hand, the technique took clearer form. A sphere of blue-violet lightning crackled, spinning violently, charged with dense arcs of energy.

To test its power, Mizuki tossed a kunai into the sphere. Upon contact, the blade disintegrated—melting from the tip down into red-hot slag.

"That's insane. The fusion of two high-damage natures creates something this destructive?!" Mizuki said, shocked.

"Have you noticed any changes in your body?" he asked. "Does it drain your chakra a lot? Any danger to your system?"

"It takes a fair bit of control and focus, but I can handle it. Other than sharper reflexes, I feel normal."

"Still, you should rest. That's not a technique you use lightly."

Tsubaki let the chakra sphere vanish and exhaled deeply. "At least now I can help you more directly."

"Help me? You've already surpassed me. This fusion technique—there's no official record of it anywhere. If you ever use it, disguise it as a standard Raiton jutsu. Otherwise..." Mizuki looked grave. "People will come for it."

With their current strength and status, they couldn't afford that kind of attention.

"Here, drop a bit of blood on this." Mizuki pulled out a small device. **"We need to track whether this fused chakra transformation has become genetically encoded. Fortunately, I still have blood samples from before your training—so we can compare."

"What's this scroll?" Tsubaki asked as he handed her another item.

"It contains a very unusual type of chakra. I need your help to analyze and separate it—it should break down into two or three distinct energy types. You're better at chakra detail work than I am."

The chakra in question was from when Uchiha Sasuke's Cursed Seal activated—an unstable but potent mix. Mizuki had long suspected there was natural energy entwined within, but he couldn't isolate it.

"This... feels similar to the chakra that erupted from your arm when you sealed it last time."

"Sharp as always. Yes—this is from Sasuke Uchiha."

"The orphan? Orochimaru's target?"

"Exactly. Orochimaru implanted that cursed seal during the Chunin Exams. The village is handling it now, but if we can separate the energy within this chakra, it might help me stabilize my own condition too."

Tsubaki nodded, her face tightening at the name.

"Orochimaru..." She clenched the scroll. "I'll do everything I can to help you."