Chapter 418: Kakashi's Upgrade Reward

【Disciple Uchiha Shisui worked hard in the chunin exams, achieved perfect results, and was promoted to chunin. Rewards: Chakra +1800, Random Bloodline Limit Extraction Scroll.】

Although Shisui got first place much more easily than Kakashi, the system's rewards were no different. Muyue determined that the chunin exam rewards were fixed, just like the ninja academy exam rewards, given according to ranking.

Muyue went to the kitchen, turned on the faucet to wash his hands, and then prepared to use the Bloodline Extraction Scroll.

Although he didn't need to use his hands for the operation, he still wanted to maintain a sense of ceremony.

After silently greeting the various deities in his heart, Muyue used his consciousness to click "Extract."

【Random Bloodline Limit Extraction Scroll consumed. Obtained Bloodline Limit: Wood Release.】

"Wood Release, not bad." Muyue nodded as he saw a new entry-level skill appear in his skill list.

Hashirama Senju's strength wasn't due to Wood Release alone; with his chakra, any jutsu he used was extremely powerful. Still, Wood Release counted as an excellent bloodline limit.

Wood Release could absorb chakra and suppress the power of tailed beasts, which is why Kakashi always had to ask Yamato for help when training Naruto.

Muyue also found tailed beasts troublesome—they were tough and had terrifying abilities like Tailed Beast Balls. Having Wood Release would indeed make fighting them much easier.

Of course, this required a certain level of proficiency in Wood Release. Even Yamato's Wood Release was at the proficient level, just with low proficiency. His own entry-level Wood Release with one point of proficiency probably couldn't even grow very tall trees.

Muyue willed it and used the last Nature Transformation Experience Scroll on Wood Release.

This was one of the promotion rewards he received after completing the training for seven hundred students. He got two in total; the other was used on Ice Release.

Since Muyue had all seven nature transformations at the proficient level or higher, based on his experience, raising proficiency at higher skill levels was harder.

For example, a skill with entry-level one proficiency could be upgraded to proficient by repeating the same jutsu three times. But after reaching the proficient level, obtaining the same entry-level skill would add less proficiency. Eighteen repeated entry-level skills wouldn't raise a proficient skill to the expert level.

【Skill: Wood Release (Proficient: 1000/3000).】

With the use of the scroll, many training experiences about Wood Release appeared in Muyue's mind, instantly transforming him from someone who had never trained in Wood Release to someone who understood it a little.

Next, Muyue went to a forest in the southern border to test his Wood Release.

Before testing, Muyue first used a sensory jutsu to sense the surroundings, then activated Transparent World and Byakugan to confirm there was no one around, and only then began the actual test.

Muyue aimed his palm at the ground, quickly converted the chakra gathered in his body into Wood Release chakra, and activated Wood Release.

Under Muyue's gaze, a sprout burst out of the soil and grew at an unscientific speed into a tree eight or nine meters tall.

"What a miraculous nature," Muyue praised after examining the tree he had created.

Logically, such forced growth should have made the tree unhealthy, but in reality, the tree was extremely healthy, even more vibrant and full of life than a naturally grown tree.

After practical testing, Muyue could confirm that the nature transformation of Wood Release chakra itself carried strong vitality.

However, this vitality only manifested in the trees created by Wood Release, only serving as power for jutsu. The vitality of the Wood Release nature was like the combustion of the Fire nature—an inherent effect of that nature, and it couldn't grant strong vitality to the user.

"How should I raise the proficiency of Wood Release? Start another training session?" Muyue fell into thought after burning down the tree he had created.

Compared to Ice Release, Wood Release held more strategic value for Muyue, as it could diversify his means of dealing with tailed beasts. Therefore, Muyue wanted to raise his Wood Release proficiency.

Muyue was willing to train it himself. Since he was transported to the Naruto world, he had never been idle, and he didn't mind devoting some time to training Wood Release.

But training on his own would be very inefficient. Yamato trained for over twenty years and only just reached the proficient level. Unless Muyue's talent for Wood Release was the same as his talent for sealing jutsu, he couldn't possibly achieve much on his own, even if Uchiha Madara himself put him to it.

Muyue had a clear self-awareness about this. Even Hashirama Senju himself didn't become invincible just by training Wood Release for two or three years.

Since self-training wasn't feasible, the only option was to cheat.

Muyue's current idea was to start a special training and then farm two more Nature Transformation Experience Scrolls to use on Wood Release.

He wasn't directly teaching Wood Release to farm Wood Release experience because he was afraid to expose it, but because it couldn't be farmed that way.

Muyue had also farmed quite a few S-rank evaluation lectures and had figured out the mechanism for S-rank evaluation rewards.

The biggest factor for S-rank evaluation rewards was that you were rewarded for what you taught. However, this factor had a prerequisite: the students' gains.

The more the students gained, the more rewards were provided. Conversely, the less the students gained, the fewer rewards were provided.

This was one of the reasons why there was a gap between different nature transformations when Muyue taught them before. People's chakra natures were not balanced; Wind was rare, while Fire, Earth, Water were relatively common.

Muyue didn't think those students could understand his lecture on Wood Release. Learning a bloodline limit was similar to learning by mysticism—it was very hard to popularize.

The next day, the disciples took the initiative to invite Muyue to be the referee for their internal sparring.

As everyone grew stronger, injuries were inevitable when trying to determine a winner. Having Muyue present made things much safer.

Of course. From the very beginning, Kakashi and the others had not been able to hide anything from Mu Yue, but since nothing had gone wrong, Mu Yue didn't show himself.

Mu Yue felt that regular internal battles were indeed a good method to motivate the disciples to train more diligently.

"Still a little short. If only I had a bit more time," Kakashi sighed softly.

His Armament Haki was still stuck at that last bit. He could use it, but not every time.

This was a fatal flaw for Kakashi, whose strength lay in explosive bursts. If he couldn't unleash that all-out slash, then it was as if he hadn't learned Armament Haki at all.

"Shisui, this time I will definitely be the one to win," Obito said with full confidence, having thoroughly studied Shisui's detailed information all night.

This time, he had the information and wouldn't be careless; his win rate against Shisui had exceeded ninety percent.

"Obito, how do you know that the opponent you draw will be Shisui?" Kakashi looked at Obito in surprise.

They were drawing lots for random battles, and there were no fixed opponents.

Having been reminded by Kakashi, Obito's expression stiffened.

Although he was a little flustered inside, Obito still had a tough mouth.

"No matter who the opponent is, I will win." Obito seemed to have already reserved the first place.

"I will win," Kakashi said, imitating Obito's expression from three months ago as he recalled it.

As Nohara Rin covered her mouth and chuckled softly, Obito's face gradually turned red.

"Three months west, three months east—Kakashi, don't underestimate how much I've grown during this time!" Obito declared loudly.

Kakashi smiled without saying a word. They trained together every day; how could he not know how much Obito had improved?

Mu Yue coughed lightly twice and began helping the disciples draw lots.

"Please don't be Guy, please don't be Guy..." Obito prayed with his hands clasped together.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Might Guy; Obito was afraid of the penalty for losing in the first round. Might Guy was the opponent with whom he had the lowest win rate. He would rather fight Kakashi.

After the last battle, Obito had thought about how to defeat Might Guy, but found it far too difficult—the conditions were too harsh.

"Obito vs. Kakashi, Shisui vs. Guy." Mu Yue announced the draw results.

Obito breathed a sigh of relief. Facing Kakashi wasn't as favorable as facing Shisui, but it was still much better than facing Might Guy—a blessing in disguise.

Shisui and Might Guy locked eyes, and suddenly a considerable pressure arose.

In the last internal battle, he had lost to Might Guy, allowing Guy to hold the title of strongest disciple for three months.

Obito and Kakashi stood opposite each other, forming the opposing seal, and both their eyes burned with fighting spirit.

Both of them desperately did not want to lose this battle, not only because of the penalty but also for personal reasons.

"How could I lose to you under Rin's watchful eyes." Feeling Nohara Rin's gaze, Obito exerted one hundred twenty percent of his strength.

This time there was no carelessness or complacency. Obito remained cautious throughout and did not fall into Kakashi's battle traps.

The two went back and forth, with Fire Release and dazzling Lightning Release blade techniques constantly bursting forth.

Kakashi casually wiped the fine sweat from his forehead caused by the scorching flames, constantly running and dodging the incoming high-temperature fire.

Obito utilized his Sharingan to the fullest, guarding against being caught off guard by Kakashi's high-speed slashes.

The overall strength of the two sides was nearly equal. After several rounds of struggle, they were evenly matched, and neither could defeat the other in one go.

Under the pressure exerted by Obito, when Kakashi tried using Armament Haki for the third time, he suddenly had an epiphany and successfully entered the door of Armament Haki, no longer needing to rely on luck or feeling.

"Kakashi wins!" After the final clash of flames and lightning, Mu Yue announced the battle result and, together with Nohara Rin, treated the two.

【Disciple Hatake Kakashi, under your guidance, has trained hard and improved his overall strength. Obtained improvement reward: Thunderclap Flash Shinsoku (Proficient Level).】

Suddenly, many memories about Lightning Release blade techniques appeared in Mu Yue's mind.

Mu Yue was not unfamiliar with this skill. It was a Thunder Breathing technique from Demon Slayer, the pinnacle of Thunderclap Flash, extremely fast and powerful, very suitable for Kakashi at present.

Obito, receiving treatment, lowered his head. He didn't dare look at Nohara Rin, afraid of seeing disappointment on her face.

This time, Obito had no excuse for his defeat, because he had given his all, without underestimating his opponent or being careless.

"No matter who the opponent is, I will win." Sensing Obito's disappointment, Kakashi imitated him again.

"Damn it, Kakashi!" Obito couldn't hold it in anymore and suddenly looked up at Kakashi, breaking into a torrent of curses.

The moment he lifted his head, Obito noticed the expression on Rin Nohara beside him. It wasn't the disappointment he had expected — only encouragement and concern.