What to Do When Your Teacher Is Too Rebellious

"You keep telling me to leave, then telling me to stay. That makes things difficult for me." Mu Yue looked at Asuma with an ambiguous smile.

"Can't you discuss it with me? How about we each take a step back? I won't demand so much, and during class, you have to listen to me." Asuma tried to negotiate with Mu Yue.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to be taught. He was simply a little rebellious and didn't want to accept his old man's arrangements.

"No, no, no. Your high standards aren't the problem. It's that I lack the ability to meet them, so I'd better leave." After hearing Asuma's proposal, Mu Yue turned and walked away.

"Fine, you don't have to listen to me. Just don't leave yet." Seeing Mu Yue about to walk out of the backyard, Asuma hurriedly stopped him again. He really had to hand it to Mu Yue.

"So, can we start class now?" Mu Yue asked with a cheerful smile.

To deal with a rebellious student like Asuma, he had to be even more rebellious—fight magic with magic.

"Forget it, let's just do it this way. What are you teaching?" Asuma was at a loss for the moment.

In his original plan, he was supposed to drive Mu Yue away, then Mu Yue would negotiate with him. He was supposed to hold the initiative.

Although he felt nothing for his identity and even somewhat hated it, he had to admit that being the Hokage's son had brought him many conveniences.

Mu Yue looked around before saying, "Let's train outside. It isn't very convenient here."

After mentioning it to Biwako, Mu Yue took Asuma out to train in a small forest with a river running through it.

"First, let's test your Chakra Control. Try Tree Climbing." Mu Yue found a relatively tall tree and spoke to Asuma.

"Tree Climbing? Isn't that easy? I'll show you." Asuma's eyes shifted as he grinned, having thought of a good idea.

He walked up to the thick, towering tree and, without using Chakra, climbed to the top with both hands and feet like an agile monkey.

Asuma wore a smug expression as he shouted, "See? Wasn't I fast at climbing trees?"

Of course, he knew what Mu Yue meant by Tree Climbing, but he simply didn't want to cooperate. He was doing it on purpose.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was watching how Mu Yue would teach Asuma through a crystal ball, fell silent and rubbed his forehead helplessly.

He might have once been nicknamed Monkey, but he had never done anything like this. What kind of child had he raised?

"You climbed very quickly. Your limbs are quite strong." Rather than flying into a rage as Asuma had imagined, Mu Yue smiled and praised him.

Then Mu Yue found a thinner tree, cut off all its branches, and poured oil over it. Smiling at Asuma, he said:

"Consider that a warm-up. Now let's begin the real Tree Climbing."

Asuma looked at the thin, bare tree, which was like a wooden stick and still dripping with oil. The corner of his mouth twitched. No matter how good he was at climbing, there was no way he could scale a tree like that with his bare hands.

"It's fine if you can't climb it. Admitting your shortcomings is also a sign of courage," Mu Yue said leisurely.

"Who says I can't climb it? Don't look down on me!" How could a freshly graduated Nine-Year-Old Brat like Asuma endure that kind of provocation? He immediately gathered Chakra beneath his feet and steadily walked step by step to the top of the tree.

"Your control is pretty good." Mu Yue nodded, not particularly surprised.

Then Mu Yue took Asuma to the riverbank.

"Since Tree Climbing isn't a problem, let's see whether you can walk on water." Mu Yue pointed at the river, continuing to test Asuma's Chakra Control.

After all, aside from those with exceptional talent, ordinary people only had so much Chakra. Improving its efficiency was a good way to become stronger.

"If you can stand steadily on the water for ten minutes without falling in this time, you can train whatever you want from now on." Mu Yue offered a condition to motivate Asuma.

"That's what you said. Don't go back on your word." Asuma spoke with delight. He had been wondering how to deal with this hateful teacher, but Mu Yue had actually handed him an opening.

Wasn't it just Water Walking? It might be difficult for other newly graduated genin, but for Asuma, it was nothing special.

With a confident expression, Asuma gathered Chakra under his soles and stepped onto the river, strolling leisurely across its surface. The river was not large, only twenty meters wide.

"That hateful Old Man is way too controlling. I've already graduated and become a ninja, yet he still got me a private tutor," Asuma muttered.

He was already looking forward to seeing the Third Hokage's expression when he got home and told him that his tutor had agreed to let him train freely.

Suddenly, Asuma sensed that something was wrong. Looking down, he found that the formerly calm river had abruptly become turbulent.

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

Looking again, Asuma saw that Mu Yue was using a Water Release Ninjutsu from the bank, creating a water dragon that darted and rolled through the river, making the current churn and surge.

"Hey, what are you doing?" A splash rose up, and Asuma nearly lost control and fell into the water. He couldn't help protesting.

"I'm helping you simulate a battle situation. During combat, the river won't stay as calm as usual." Mu Yue smiled.

"Besides, I can practice my Water Release too. With a river and trees here, this is the perfect environment for training Water Release."

"Of course, if you think you can't handle it, Asuma, I can stop. After all, admitting your shortcomings is also a sign of wisdom." Mu Yue used the same trick again.

Asuma swallowed the words he had been about to say.

He wanted to prove that he was capable, that he didn't need a private tutor or the Third Hokage's arrangements. Of course he couldn't admit that he couldn't handle it.

So Asuma focused completely on controlling his Chakra, determined not to fall into the water.

But Chakra Control was not something that could improve overnight, and the sudden waves also tested his footwork.

Asuma struggled on for five minutes, but in the end, he slipped and fell into the water. Mu Yue instantly pulled him out.

"It seems your Chakra Control still needs improvement. You can't begin free training yet." Mu Yue spoke with a regretful expression.

"If you hadn't interfered with Water Release, how could I have fallen in?" Asuma retorted indignantly.

"Do you expect your enemy not to use Ninjutsu against you during battle?" Mu Yue replied calmly.

"No, I want to do it again!" The more Asuma thought about it, the angrier he became, and he decided to prove himself.

The facts proved that getting anxious would not necessarily help solve a math problem, but it really could make someone burst out with greater strength in battle. This time, Asuma lasted seven minutes, only three minutes short of completing the ten-minute challenge.

After resting for a while, Asuma impatiently called for Mu Yue to start again. On his third try, he lasted seven and a half minutes.

In the end, just as the sun was about to set, Asuma successfully lasted ten minutes.

"I did it!" Asuma shouted excitedly, then lost control of his Chakra and fell into the river, taking a huge gulp of river water.

Even when Mu Yue pulled Asuma out, excitement still lingered on his face.

"Then from now on, I can train whatever I want." Asuma wiped the water from his face and said happily.

"Who told you that?" Mu Yue looked at Asuma strangely.

The smile froze on Asuma's face, and he demanded, "Didn't you say that if I lasted ten minutes, I could train freely?"

"Yes." Mu Yue nodded, then said, "But I said 'this time,' meaning your first attempt. You didn't succeed on your first attempt."

Asuma thought back and realized that seemed to be true!

Then what had he worked so hard to keep going for?

The physical exhaustion, coupled with the severe blow to his spirit, nearly made Asuma roll his eyes and pass out on the spot.

He had nearly been angered unconscious by his rebellious teacher.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been peeking in from time to time, stroked his beard and felt that Mu Yue's teaching ability was truly formidable.

Over the course of that afternoon's training, both Asuma's footwork and Chakra Control had been exercised.

Tomorrow, I'll definitely strike back! Asuma swore to himself. He felt like he had been messed with all afternoon.