After the three of them finished lunch and tidied everything up, Mizuki finally called out to Sakura Haruno, "You've finished reading those notes I gave you, right?"
"Yes, I have, Teacher Mizuki." Real instruction was finally beginning, and Sakura was excited beyond words.
"Um…" Ino Yamanaka said hesitantly, "Shouldn't I excuse myself?" It wasn't really appropriate to peek into another ninja's secrets.
Mizuki glanced at Ino and casually replied, "No need. Anyway, you won't understand it."
Mizuki's words rendered Ino momentarily speechless. Previously, she had secretly glanced at what Sakura was studying—it was all incomprehensible gibberish, like some kind of arcane script.
"I've finished reading it, but I didn't understand most of it," Sakura answered.
"That's fine," Mizuki replied. "Don't worry about not understanding yet; I'll teach you gradually." He paused, then continued, "First, I want to ask—what do you think chakra is?"
"Chakra?" Sakura found this strange. Wasn't that basic curriculum from the Ninja Academy? Why would he ask something so fundamental? Still, she responded properly, "It's a type of energy refined and perfectly combined from both physical and spiritual energies within the human body. It serves as the foundation for performing ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu."
Nodding after listening, Mizuki said, "You're absolutely correct. You remember well what you learned at the Ninja Academy, but such standard answers don't actually reveal the essence of the matter."
"What do you mean? Isn't that correct?"
"You're not wrong exactly, but you only told me how chakra is formed and its general use for ordinary ninja. However, something much more important remains unclear. Take sunlight, for example. We all know it comes from the sun, promotes plant growth, and provides warmth. But very few people can clearly explain what sunlight actually is or how it produces these effects."
Mizuki's explanation left Sakura feeling lost and confused.
Even after thinking carefully, she still couldn't make heads or tails of it, so she asked, "I don't know, Teacher Mizuki. I've never even considered questions like this before."
"If you ever hope to achieve anything significant, you must learn to think about these issues."
"Yes, please guide me, Teacher." Humbly seeking advice, Sakura earnestly asked.
"There have certainly been many people who've studied what chakra really is, each offering their own interpretations. But in my opinion, chakra is the bridge connecting a ninja's soul to reality."
"A bridge between soul and reality?" Sakura questioned, puzzled. She'd never heard such an explanation before.
"Precisely. Chakra is energy formed by combining bodily cells with spiritual essence—itself an excellent carrier of individual will. It's the perfect reflection of dreams becoming reality." Pausing slightly, Mizuki asked, "Haven't you ever wondered why ninja can accomplish things that ordinary people cannot—or even dare not imagine?"
"Because ninja possess chakra~" Sakura instinctively replied.
"Exactly," Mizuki nodded in agreement. "Most ninja unconsciously overlook this element, even though it forms the very foundation of the ninja world."
"It's because it's so commonplace that we no longer question its presence."
"It's understandable, really. The ninja world has never been a tranquil place. Under constant survival pressure, few shinobi even have the luxury of contemplating such matters. There's another scenario too—some simply don't need to consider it. Take people like Sasuke with his Sharingan, Naruto who was born with extraordinary talent, and Gaara. They only need to focus on how best to utilize their innate advantages. Becoming chunin or jonin is effortless for them, and they even stand a strong chance of becoming Kage in one of the Five Great Ninja Villages."
"I understand Sasuke, but... is Naruto really that strong?"
"You'll understand someday," Mizuki replied evasively. "What I'm saying is, they wouldn't need to grasp what I'm about to teach you, because it wouldn't suit them anyway. Focusing on developing their own strengths is the correct path for them. This type of person only needs proper guidance, then instinct takes over when using chakra and performing ninjutsu."
At this point, the clever Sakura caught on: "Teacher Mizuki, are you suggesting that if I want to keep up with them, I must study more fundamental things?"
"Precisely. You lack their innate advantages, but you possess an intellect far beyond theirs. Perhaps someone might teach you more advanced jutsu uniquely suited to you, strengthening your abilities—but that's beyond my expertise." Mizuki stated bluntly, "So if you're learning from me, you'll need to understand knowledge only highly intelligent shinobi can grasp. But first, you must learn this:"
As he spoke, Mizuki extended his left hand, channeling chakra. A pale blue glow surged around his palm. With a forward sweep, a sharp blade-like aura sliced through the air, releasing a chilling killing intent that startled Haruno Sakura beside him.
Mizuki gave a satisfied nod. Ever since returning from the Land of Waves, his once modest Medical Ninjutsu had improved greatly—he had now fully mastered the Chakra Scalpel, and his formerly unstable Mystical Palm Technique had become sufficiently refined. Perhaps the mutated Cursed Seal that drained so much of his life force hadn't been entirely without value after all.
"Did you see clearly?" Mizuki asked Haruno Sakura beside him. "Basic ninja training involves using tools for close combat, but skilled shinobi with exceptional chakra control have superior alternatives. This is called the Chakra Scalpel."
"The Chakra Scalpel?" Sakura asked puzzledly. "Is it medical ninjutsu?"
"Yes. Once you master this, I'll teach you the more practical Mystical Palm Technique. Understand this—Medical Ninjutsu isn't just for saving lives. Few other shinobi are as efficient—or as deadly—as a trained medical ninja."
After saying that, Mizuki handed Haruno Sakura a scroll containing instructions on both the Chakra Scalpel and Mystical Palm Technique.
"This is yours for now—you can practice at home."
Sakura accepted it and stored it away.
"Oh, by the way, what are your chakra natures?"
"Water and Earth."
[Chakra Scalpel]
[Mystical Palm Technique]
"Hmph. Water's adaptability paired with Earth's resilience... No wonder Tsunade trained you into such a brutal force among medical ninja."
"Then we'll stop here for now. Now, question and answer time—is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Teacher Mizuki, what about those things you showed me these past few days?"
"I roughly recognize some Sealing Techniques and spell talisman knowledge, but this stuff is way more complicated than what I knew before. It's even harder than decoding ciphers. Could this be something entirely new?"
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