Chapter 36: Not as Good as Muyue (Please Follow)

Asuma, who had been protected by Muyue's Water Release, suddenly felt that he had been a real jerk before, taking out his dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage on Muyue and never having a good attitude.

As a teacher, Muyue had already been extremely dedicated—even though Asuma had never cooperated and had always resisted Muyue's training, Muyue still cleverly made sure he completed the necessary training.

Although the process was a bit infuriating, it was for his own good, to get him to finish the training.

"Shisui, you may go back first." Seeing Asuma's low spirits, Muyue knew it was his turn.

Shisui nodded without saying much, turned around, and went back to continue his training.

Muyue walked over to Asuma, brushed the dust off his clothes, and helped straighten his somewhat messy outfit.

Finally, Muyue sat down on the ground, keeping at about the same height as Asuma, and looked into his eyes.

They stared at each other, but Asuma quickly lowered his head, then said in a low voice, "Teacher, I'm sorry."

"Tell me, in what way have you wronged me?" Muyue asked with a smile.

"I shouldn't have taken out my anger from other people on you, and I shouldn't have kept opposing you and refusing to cooperate." Asuma didn't dare to look at Muyue.

"You haven't wronged me—you've wronged yourself." As Muyue said this, his expression gradually turned serious.

Muyue asked,

"Does your lack of training affect me?"

Without waiting for Asuma to answer, Muyue continued,

"It doesn't affect me. Even if you don't train and I just waste time with you, I still get paid two thousand ryo per hour."

"But you're different. If you skip an hour of training, that hour is gone, and you get nothing out of it."

With a rebellious teenager like this, you have to make them feel that everything you do is for their good, that you're on their side, and that they are the ones making mistakes.

"I..." Asuma started to speak but stopped. The more Muyue talked, the more remorseful he felt, the more he felt like a piece of trash.

The more he had hated Muyue's methods before, the higher his goodwill toward him became at this moment.

It was no exaggeration to say that Asuma felt that Muyue, a teacher who had only taught him for a few days, was far better than his father, the Hokage.

Even when Asuma paid lip service to Muyue's training requirements, Muyue never scolded him; on the contrary, he even praised his strong limbs.

If it had been Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would have been so angry that he'd blow his beard and glare, then yell at him.

Before starting his lecture, Muyue had also helped brush off the dust from his clothes and tidied his outfit, even considerately keeping at eye level with him.

Thinking of this, Asuma's eyes couldn't help but redden.

Why could a tutor he'd only known for a few days generously praise him, but when he excitedly came home with first place, he never got any praise from his parents?

Was Asuma's first place worth less than someone else's first place?

The more Asuma thought about it, the more wronged he felt, and he couldn't help but remember that today he had even been defeated by a student who had just entered the Ninja Academy.

All these emotions piled up and finally erupted.

Even though Asuma tried hard to control himself, tears still fell one by one. He turned his head away, not wanting Muyue to see.

But how could that fool Muyue, who had been keeping an eye on Asuma?

Muyue didn't act immediately. Instead, he waited a while for Asuma to let out some emotions through crying, then stood up, patted Asuma's shoulder, and took out a handkerchief to hand to him.

"Teacher Hanyu... you're so kind." Asuma took the handkerchief, wiped his tears, and said in a choked voice.

"Unlike my parents, they would never do this..."

"That's because you only remember the bad things they did to you and forget the good.

Think carefully—when you were little, who patiently coaxed you to sleep, who taught you step by step how to walk and run, who checked on you in the middle of the night to see if you had kicked off your blanket, who..." Muyue said earnestly.

The Third Hokage might be watching, so he couldn't just focus on gaining favor—he should also help mediate the father-son relationship.

Asuma was speechless. With Muyue saying that, similar memories did come to his mind.

"You can think it over in your spare time. For now, let's start training. You haven't forgotten what you said earlier, have you?" Seeing Asuma's conflicted expression, Muyue brought up training.

"Of course I haven't forgotten. From now on, Teacher Muyue, whatever you say to practice, I'll practice." Asuma wiped his face clean with the handkerchief.

At that moment, the image of Muyue in Asuma's heart had transformed from a cunning, detestable adult into a perfect teacher who truly cared about him.

"This week we'll continue practicing chakra control, and next week we'll practice ninjutsu." Mu Yue briefly outlined the training plan.

He certainly would not teach Asuma the same way he taught Shisui and the others.

First, Asuma's identity was sensitive—the Third Hokage either watched personally or might send someone to watch, which could lead to him exposing his strength. Mu Yue temporarily did not want to show strength exceeding that of a chunin.

The second reason was very realistic: Asuma was just a student, not a disciple, and not worth investing too much effort in.

As Mu Yue expected, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was in the Hokage Building, was using the Telescope Technique to observe how Mu Yue was teaching Asuma.

"When it comes to teaching children, Yusheng is indeed very excellent." Watching Asuma go from initial resistance to eventual respect, Sarutobi Hiruzen acknowledged Mu Yue's teaching ability.

He was not too surprised that Mu Yue could call Shisui over.

Because Shisui was a student in Mu Yue's class, and even students from other classes liked Mu Yue so much, there was no reason for students in Mu Yue's own class not to like him.

"But to have this kind of strength just after enrollment, his talent even surpasses Kagami's." Sarutobi Hiruzen thought of his former teammate, Uchiha Kagami.

He was an Uchiha who possessed the Will of Fire and was acknowledged by the Second Hokage.

"It seems I need to give him more attention." Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe, took a puff, and thought.

Shisui was Uchiha Kagami's grandson and had outstanding talent; Sarutobi Hiruzen had known of his existence before.

He hoped Shisui could become an Uchiha like Uchiha Kagami.

Seeing Asuma begin training, Sarutobi Hiruzen canceled the Telescope Technique and started handling official business.

Until evening, Sarutobi Hiruzen used the Telescope Technique again to inspect Konoha, then left the Hokage Building to go home for dinner.

At the dinner table, Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a chuckle:

"Asuma, are you satisfied with your tutor? He is a teacher I carefully selected for you."

Asuma's hand, which had been shoveling rice nonstop, paused, and he couldn't help but recall today's events.

Before today, Asuma would have answered that Mu Yue was a terrible teacher who deceived students.

"Teacher Yusheng is great, much more skilled than you." While praising Mu Yue, Asuma didn't forget to take a jab at the Third Hokage.

Although he had been guided by Mu Yue, his resentment toward the Third Hokage couldn't disappear in half a day.

"What do you know, you little kid? The Three Legendary Ninja were all taught by me." Questioned, Sarutobi Hiruzen bristled and said with glaring eyes.

"It's clearly Aunt Tsunade and the others themselves who had extraordinary talent," Asuma retorted. Although the Three Legendary Ninja were famous, they all forged their own paths.

"Sometimes, being able to admit one's own shortcomings is also a manifestation of wisdom." Asuma imitated Mu Yue's tone and said.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was left speechless by his good son—if he admitted it, he was inferior to Mu Yue; if he didn't admit it, he had no wisdom, right?

Seeing his old father's hesitant look, Asuma felt great and ate with even more gusto.