CHAPTER 58

In a small training ground in Konoha, Mizuki sat leisurely on a tree trunk, hiding in the shade to avoid the sun's burning heat.

Not far away, Sakura, dressed in red, was sparring against a shorter figure. Her clothes were soaked with sweat in several places, and her cherry-blossom-colored hair clung to her smooth forehead. Despite the intense effort, she managed to retain some of her usual elegance and beauty.

"It's almost time," Mizuki muttered to himself as he looked at the sky. He could feel that the chakra of the pseudo-Jinchūriki was nearly exhausted.

Sure enough, after a while, the two combatants stopped fighting and walked toward Mizuki.

"How do you feel?" Mizuki asked, addressing Sakura, who had collapsed onto the ground, panting from exhaustion.

Sakura took a deep breath, sipping from her water bottle. "I feel a little tired, but I'm okay otherwise."

Mizuki turned to the pseudo-Jinchūriki. "What about you? How's your chakra consumption?"

The figure replied with a slight grunt, "It's manageable. My current chakra reserves are just enough to support a higher level of combat."

"That's good. To recover to this level in less than a week is impressive," Mizuki remarked.

Sakura, unable to contain her curiosity, spoke up. "Mizuki-sensei, who—or what—exactly is this?"

Mizuki looked at her thoughtfully. "Originally, this is a technique that's too advanced for you, but since you asked, let me explain a bit." He decided to share some information with Sakura. "This is an application of the Shadow Clone Technique."

"Shadow Clone Technique? You mean like Naruto's?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"Exactly," Mizuki confirmed. "But the difference is that this is not a normal Shadow Clone."

"But doesn't the Shadow Clone Technique have a time limit? And if it's attacked, doesn't it disappear?" Sakura asked, her brow furrowed. She had seen Naruto use the technique countless times, and there was no way the clone would last as long as this one had. She had even struck the pseudo-Jinchūriki once or twice, yet it remained intact and kept fighting.

"Good observation," Mizuki said with a slight smile. "But the person you're facing isn't a regular Shadow Clone; it's real flesh and blood, not an illusion."

"Flesh and blood? How is that possible? Can chakra really do that?" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Everything is possible with chakra... though it's usually not feasible. But with sealing techniques, anything is achievable." Mizuki grinned. "Sealing techniques can do things you wouldn't think possible."

"That's incredible!" Sakura said in awe. "Mizuki-sensei, can I learn it?"

Mizuki paused for a moment, considering her enthusiasm. "It's a bit difficult right now. Maybe in the future, but there's still so much to learn. This particular technique requires a lot of background knowledge." He didn't expect to teach Sakura anything too advanced just yet. Without Tsunade around, Sakura couldn't begin learning the omnipotent potion or advanced sealing techniques from scratch, and the prerequisite knowledge was far too extensive for a short time. "However, you're progressing well, Sakura. I'm impressed with your growth."

Sakura beamed, feeling encouraged by his words.

Mizuki continued, "For now, I'll focus on improving your skills with illusions and resistance. But don't get ahead of yourself. We'll need to balance training with actual combat scenarios to improve your overall abilities."

"One month isn't much time, but I'll teach you some practical sealing techniques. The Chūnin Exams are coming up soon, and we don't have a lot of time to waste."

Mizuki glanced at Sakura. Her improvement over the past week had been remarkable, especially considering the limited time. If not for the stock of materials he had available, Sakura might not have made such progress. Most other ninjas wouldn't have been able to catch up this quickly, either.

As Mizuki was preparing to start the afternoon training session, an ANBU suddenly appeared.

"Chūnin Mizuki, there's an emergency call from the Third Hokage. Please come with me."

Mizuki stood up, stretching. "Alright." He turned to the pseudo-Jinchūriki. "I'm leaving the rest of the training to you."

Then he turned to Sakura. "If I don't return in time for today's class, head home by yourself. I'll see you tomorrow at the flower shop."

Without waiting for a response, Mizuki followed the ANBU to the Hokage's office.

As they sped through the village, Mizuki caught up with the ANBU and asked, "What's the situation?"

"The specifics aren't clear yet, but Moonlight Gai was brought back seriously injured. He's on the brink of death."

"Mizuki-sensei, do you know Moonlight Gai?" the ANBU asked as they continued on their way.

"Yes. I know him," Mizuki said, his face tightening in concern. "He hasn't escaped this disaster after all… But he's still alive for now. There might be a chance to save him."

The scene they arrived at was grim. Moonlight Gai was covered in blood, with his clothes torn and bloodstained in a manner similar to Mizuki's injuries back in the Land of Waves. His body looked like it had gone through an intense battle, with severe scarring.

"His vitality has been drained beyond recognition," Mizuki said quietly. "It's a miracle he's still alive."

The Third Hokage stood beside him, looking sorrowful. "I underestimated the strength of the enemy," he said, his tone regretful. "When I saw this, I couldn't help but think of when you were brought back a month ago."

The ANBU next to them spoke up. "There's no need to blame yourself, Hokage-sama. This is the fate of ninjas."

"Fate?" The Hokage sighed.

Mizuki glanced at the scene. "Is that Uzuki Yuyan?" he muttered. "It's a very familiar face, even with a mask. She came to see the last moments of someone close to her."

"With Moonlight Gai's skills in stealth and reconnaissance, it's incredible that he was discovered. It seems he must have uncovered something he shouldn't have, and had to be silenced."

Mizuki had always known that Moonlight Gia's abilities were impressive. While Mizuki was no slouch in direct combat, a swordsman of Moonlight Blast's caliber had an undeniable edge in close-quarters. Yet, it was difficult to believe he could have been killed in a single blow without being prepared. There had to be more to the story, something hidden behind the scene.

Moonlight Blast's quickness and expertise had always been well known, but after the encounter with Makey and Yaoshitou, surviving such an ordeal was nothing short of a miracle.