Chapter 368: Yang Seal

"Today I will teach you a new body technique. This technique is a bit more difficult than the Shunpo. If you don't understand something during the lesson, feel free to ask me directly." Muyue reminded the ninjas.

Although Muyue had already developed the Dark Breathing Method in an easier direction, no matter how easy it was, it was still recognized as an A-rank existence. In Konoha's ranking system, B-rank could already be called a high-level ninjutsu, and A-rank could be considered an ultra-high-level ninjutsu.

Upon hearing Muyue's words, the expressions of the thirty training ninjas all changed to some degree.

Some showed curious expressions, wondering if this body technique was also developed by Muyue; others showed happy expressions, because generally speaking, the harder something was, the stronger it was.

"This technique is called the Dark Breathing Method. It is an A-rank body technique I developed. Its main feature is strengthening the body through concentrated breathing."

Muyue did not keep them in suspense and briefly introduced the body technique he was about to teach.

"Another technique he developed himself, and it's this kind of ultra-high-level technique." Sarutobi Shinji felt a surge of respect for Muyue after hearing his introduction.

In Sarutobi Shinji's view, the Dark Breathing Method was quite outstanding even among A-rank techniques, simultaneously enhancing strength and accelerating recovery.

Normally, with such a powerful body technique as the Dark Breathing Method, Muyue should only teach it to his disciples, or even only to those who could inherit his abilities. But Muyue did not do that; he directly taught it to everyone in this large-scale training session.

Sarutobi Shinji couldn't help but admire Muyue for that.

The other Root ninjas and ANBU ninjas also showed surprised expressions after hearing it. Being able to learn excellent shunshin techniques like Shunpo in the training had already surprised them, and they didn't expect there to be something even better.

"The most important thing about the Dark Breathing Method is the breathing. At the very beginning, you need to maintain specific postures to become familiar with the breathing rhythm of the Dark Breathing Method." Muyue began the formal lesson.

Teaching the breathing method to the Root and ANBU members was a bit easier than when he had taught Obito and the others, because they were all elite ninjas who had trained for a long time, and maintaining a specific posture for an extended period was not difficult for them.

When the afternoon training started, Muyue took a look with his Appraisal Technique and saw that all the ninjas had already gained proficiency in the Dark Breathing Method, and some even had two points.

Muyue nodded inwardly, indicating that his modifications were very successful. The entry barrier for the Dark Breathing Method was much lower than that of ordinary breathing methods.

After all, even Obito, who was perfectly suited to the Flame Breathing Method, took three days to gain just one point of proficiency when he first started training in it. For these Root and ANBU members to have so many people gain proficiency in just half a day was truly rapid progress.

By the end, the fastest person already had three points of proficiency, the remaining ninjas had at least one point, and most had around two points of proficiency.

【Completed an Intermediate Lesson】

【Evaluation: S】

【Rewards: Breathing Method Understanding Increased, Dark Breathing +50, Basic Breathing +25, Lightning Breathing +12】

"As expected, even if the number of students is not large, as long as the students are stronger and the teaching content is better, you can still get an S-rank evaluation." Muyue's hypothesis about the system's lecture grading mechanism was verified.

Now Muyue could basically confirm the three major elements for obtaining an S-rank evaluation: first, the number of students; second, the students' level; third, the quality of teaching.

The more of these three elements were satisfied, the higher the chance of getting an S-rank evaluation.

For example, during the holiday special training, the students receiving training were generally of a lower level, with half of them being students from the Ninja Academy who hadn't graduated yet. But because the total number of students was large enough, he still got an S-rank evaluation.

"If there are many students, the students are strong, and the teaching quality is high, what would the rewards look like?" Muyue felt he could have higher expectations for lecture rewards.

From the current perspective, his lessons still had plenty of room for improvement. He possessed many ninjutsu even more advanced than the Dark Breathing Method, and Konoha's elite ninjas numbered more than thirty.

Setting aside his future prospects, Muyue turned his gaze to the reward column. The S-rank evaluation for an intermediate lesson seemed similar to that of a regular lesson, both granting rewards related to the teaching content.

As the teaching content, the Dark Breathing Method naturally increased as expected. Since the Dark Breathing Method was developed from modifications of Basic Breathing, and Muyue had borrowed a bit from Lightning Breathing during the development process, it made sense that those two also increased.

What Muyue cared about was the reward of Breathing Method Understanding Increased. Proficiency increase itself equates to understanding increase, but the system listing it separately as a reward definitely meant it had its own special significance.

While Muyue was thinking, he suddenly had a better idea for developing the Wind Breathing Method. Then he checked his panel and found that all the proficiency in breathing methods on the panel had increased a bit.

Muyue somewhat understood this reward. It was literally what it said—it would deepen Muyue's understanding of breathing methods. Increasing breathing method proficiency was just one of its effects; even the breathing methods still in the conceptual stage in Muyue's mind could gain new insights.

Muyue continued teaching the breathing method for a whole week. On Monday of the second week, Muyue did not teach the breathing method but instead taught nature transformation for the entire day.

"Body techniques need to be trained well, but ninjutsu cannot be neglected either." That was the reason Muyue gave.

Of course, that was just an excuse. Muyue wanted to compare the difference between an S-rank evaluation for an intermediate lesson and an S-rank evaluation for a regular lesson.

None of the ninjas questioned it; in fact, they were all very pleased.

Ordinary ninjas had all mastered nature transformation, but few had reached Muyue's level of proficiency. They had not forgotten that Fire Release of his, which had swallowed all their attacks.

【Completed an Intermediate Lesson】

【Evaluation: S】

【Rewards: Chakra Nature Transformation Understanding Increased, Lightning Release Chakra Nature +20, Earth Release Chakra Nature +18, Water Release Chakra Nature +13, Fire Release Chakra Nature +9】

Looking at the panel's settlement rewards, Muyue could basically confirm that the lesson content understanding increase was a special reward for an S-rank evaluation on an intermediate lesson.

Muyue glanced at the panel and noticed that even the proficiency of Ice Release had increased. Although the improvement was not large, only a dozen or so points, it meant he might be able to develop a Kekkei Genkai by grinding mid-level S-rank evaluations.

However, Muyue currently had no interest in developing a new Kekkei Genkai; it wouldn't boost him much.

Compared to nature transformation, he preferred to grind his understanding of sealing techniques to accelerate his progress in developing them.

But this training wasn't suitable for teaching sealing techniques. Unlike ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, sealing techniques weren't part of the required ninja curriculum. Suddenly starting to teach sealing techniques would seem very odd, like suddenly talking about competition problems in a regular class.

Muyue wasn't about to compromise his persona just to speed up progress by a little. The appearance of the Enlightenment skill had already accelerated his research speed.

Time quickly reached mid-November. By then, Muyue had been teaching Root and Anbu for a month.

Over this month, the ninjas undergoing training had learned quite a bit. Most could use Shave, and progress on Dark Breathing was about halfway.

Muyue had also gained a lot. The A-rank evaluation earned him the secret techniques of the Ino–Shika–Cho and Inuzuka clans, while the S-rank evaluation accelerated his development of Wind Breathing. He could complete Wind Breathing within the next two weeks, then research Sun Breathing.

And then came something gratifying: his sealing technique Chakra Battery Plan finally made progress.

"I'll call it Yang Seal." Muyue looked at the pile of draft paper on his desk and smiled.

Using an existing technique as reference, Muyue directly modeled after the Yin Seal to develop a Yang Seal that he could cultivate.

But for now it was only a half-finished product, because the reference object—the Yin Seal—was also a half-finished product. The Yang Seal still lacked a supporting technique similar to the Hundred Healings.

Muyue already had some development ideas, namely to bind it with the Breathing Technique.

When not fighting, the Yang Seal would only release a trickle of chakra to enhance the constant effect of the Breathing Technique, improving physical abilities. During battle, it would unlock the Yang Seal, automatically entering the Breathing Technique Mark State.

The Mark State consumed chakra at a terrifying speed, but using the Yang Seal's chakra to sustain the Mark State meant that Muyue effectively stored a powerful ultimate move that didn't consume chakra in daily life.

The idea was there, but Muyue still encountered many difficulties in the actual development. How to bind the Breathing Technique and the Yang Seal was a major problem.

Muyue was not one to waste resources, so that afternoon he went directly to Tsunade's house.

Although many people laughed at Tsunade for turning her grandfather's passive skill into an ultimate move, in Muyue's eyes, the Tsunade who had developed the Hundred Healings was definitely a genius of ninjutsu and possessed knowledge he lacked.

"Muyue, you're here." Tsunade, who had been lying on the sofa contemplating life, immediately smiled upon seeing Muyue, walked over to him, and reached for the bag in his hand. "Let me see what good dishes you've brought."

"No chicken, but beef will do."

Tsunade looked through it and nodded with satisfaction.

Muyue put the groceries in the kitchen and then asked, "Tsunade-sama, I've had a new idea about that automatic healing technique using the Yin Seal that we discussed last time. How about we talk it over?"

At that moment, Shizune brought over two cups of tea and placed them in front of them.

Tsunade took a sip from her teacup, then slumped back onto the sofa and replied, "Go ahead. If you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost forgotten about it."

Tsunade didn't really care about enhancing her combat strength anymore, because she no longer wanted to fight as a ninja.

Even if she had had the idea before Muyue brought it up, she lacked the motivation to develop it. She only thought about it when she was really bored.

Muyue's face still wore a warm smile, unchanged by Tsunade's words.

"My idea is this..." Muyue elaborated a bit, drawing from his impression of the Hundred Healings combined with his understanding of medical ninjutsu.

At first, Tsunade was unmoved, still slouched on the sofa without any dignity, but as she listened, she straightened her posture.

She realized that Muyue had genuinely done serious research and must have thought about it for a long time to produce such results.

"You don't have to put so much effort into this idea. You can't practice the Yin Seal anyway, and this technique doesn't mean much to me either." Tsunade scratched her hair and said.

Muyue was too good to her, making her a bit uncomfortable—it was hindering her resolve to slack off.

"I've developed a Yang Seal similar to the Yin Seal. The Yang Seal has roughly the same flaw as the Yin Seal. I think this idea could also help me develop a supporting technique for the Yang Seal." Muyue explained, then picked up his teacup and took a sip of hot tea.

"Ah, Yang Seal?" Tsunade was a bit surprised. The Yin Seal was an S-rank technique—could he really develop something similar so quickly?

Muyue took out a scroll and tossed it to Tsunade. On it was the Yang Seal he had developed.

Tsunade caught the scroll and read it seriously. Familiar with the Yin Seal, she found this sealing technique somewhat familiar.

"You must have kept the Yin Seal right next to you when you developed this sealing technique." Tsunade teased, but inwardly she was shocked by Muyue's talent for sealing techniques.

No matter how much it imitated the Yin Seal, it was still a genuine S-rank sealing technique. Given the short time she had handed the Yin Seal to Muyue, an ordinary person couldn't even learn it, yet Muyue had replicated a sealing technique with similar functions. His talent for sealing techniques was evident.

Seeing that Muyue had gone this far, Tsunade had to rack her brains and share some of her own ideas.

"I'm so tired." Feeling mental fatigue, Tsunade's desire to slack off surged uncontrollably. She looked at Shizune and asked, "Shizune, am I good to you? Will you listen to me?"

Shizune smiled and replied, "Mm, Tsunade-sama is very kind to me, so of course I'll listen to you."

Although Tsunade was always hungover and couldn't get out of bed, and then needed her, a child under ten years old, to help manage her daily life, Shizune was grateful to Tsunade. She felt the warmth of family from Tsunade.

"Alright then, I order you to reach my level of medical ninjutsu within a week, and then study ninjutsu with Muyue." Tsunade issued the order.

Shizune looked at Tsunade with a dumbfounded expression, thinking that Tsunade hadn't been drinking, so why was she starting to talk nonsense?

"Don't make things difficult for Shizune." Muyue could barely hold back her laughter.

"Tsunade-sama, if you don't like these things, I'll just come less often from now on."

A complex expression appeared on Tsunade's face. On one hand, there was the lazy life of drinking every day and doing nothing; on the other, a normal life with delicious food but having to start researching ninjutsu again. It was truly hard for her to choose.

"Let's make a bet, just roll the dice." Tsunade finally decided to leave it to luck.

"If I can beat you, I'll go all out to help you develop that ninjutsu you've conceived. If I lose to you, then we'll pretend this never happened, and you can just come and study medical ninjutsu like before."

Although she loved gambling, Tsunade was self-aware of her gambling luck. For others, it's nine losses out of ten bets; for her, it's ten losses out of ten.

She had been losing for so long; if she suddenly won this time, then Tsunade would really have nothing to say.

There's one more chapter later.