Better Than Mu Yue

Asuma, protected by Mu Yue's Water Release, instantly felt like he had been a real jerk. He had taken out his resentment toward the Third Hokage on Mu Yue and had never treated him well.

Yet as a teacher, Mu Yue had been extremely responsible. Even though Asuma had constantly refused to cooperate and resisted Mu Yue's training, Mu Yue had still cleverly gotten him to complete the training he was supposed to do.

Though the process had been a little irritating, it had been for his own good, to make sure he finished his training.

"Shisui, you should head back first." Seeing Asuma's low spirits, Mu Yue knew it was his turn.

Shisui nodded without saying much and turned to continue his training.

Mu Yue walked in front of Asuma, brushed the dust from his clothes, and helped straighten his slightly rumpled outfit.

Finally, Mu Yue crouched down, keeping himself at roughly Asuma's height as he looked into Asuma's eyes.

Their eyes met, but Asuma quickly lowered his head and said softly, "Teacher, I'm sorry."

"How did you wrong me?" Mu Yue asked with a smile.

"I shouldn't have taken my anger at other people out on you. I shouldn't have kept opposing you and refusing to cooperate." Asuma did not dare look at Mu Yue.

"You haven't wronged me. You've wronged yourself." Mu Yue's expression gradually turned serious.

Mu Yue asked,

"Does it affect me if you don't train?"

Without waiting for Asuma to answer, Mu Yue continued,

"No. Even if you don't train and I just spend all my time waiting with you, I still earn two thousand ryo an hour."

"But you're different. If you train one hour less, that hour of yours is gone, and you gain nothing from it."

For a rebellious teenager like this, he had to make him feel that everything he did was for his own good, that Mu Yue was on his side, and that he was the one making mistakes.

"I..." Asuma wanted to say something but stopped. The more Mu Yue spoke, the more regretful he became, the more he felt like a terrible person.

The more disgusted he had been with Mu Yue's methods before, the more his favorability toward him rose at that moment.

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

Even when Asuma had paid lip service to Mu Yue's training requirements and refused to follow them properly, Mu Yue had not scolded him. Instead, he had praised him for having strong limbs.

If it had been Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would probably have been so angry that he blew his beard and glared before scolding him.

Before beginning his lecture, Mu Yue had brushed the dust off him and straightened his clothes. He had even thoughtfully kept himself at eye level with him.

Thinking of that, Asuma's eyes could not help turning red.

Why could a tutor he had known for only a few days praise him so generously, while whenever he came home excited after taking first place, he could never receive praise from his parents?

Was the first place Asuma won somehow worth less than the first places other people won?

The more Asuma thought about it, the more wronged he felt. He could not help recalling how he had been defeated today by a student who had only just entered the Ninja Academy.

All those emotions piled together until they finally erupted.

No matter how hard Asuma tried to control himself, tears still dripped down his face. He turned his head away, not wanting Mu Yue to see.

But how could he hide it from Mu Yue, who had been watching him all along?

Mu Yue did not act immediately. Instead, he waited until Asuma had vented some of his emotions through crying before standing and patting his shoulder. Then he took out a handkerchief and offered it to him.

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

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

"That's because you only remember the ways they've treated you badly and forget the ways they've been good to you.

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 in the middle of the night whether you had your blanket on? Who..." Mu Yue said earnestly.

The Third Hokage might be watching, so Mu Yue could not focus solely on farming favorability. He might as well help mend their Father-Son Relationship while he was at it.

Asuma could not speak. Once Mu Yue put it that way, he really did have memories like that.

"You can think it over carefully in your spare time. For now, get ready to start training. You haven't forgotten what you said before, have you?" Seeing Asuma's conflicted expression, Mu Yue shifted the topic to training.

"Of course I haven't. From now on, I'll train whatever Mu Yue-sensei tells me to train." Asuma wiped his face clean with the handkerchief.

Mu Yue's image in Asuma's heart had now changed from a cunning, hateful adult into a perfect teacher who sincerely cared for him.

"This week, keep practicing Chakra control. Next week, we'll practice Ninjutsu." Mu Yue briefly explained the training schedule.

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

First, Asuma's identity was sensitive. The Third Hokage might be watching personally or might have someone else watching, which could expose Mu Yue's strength. For now, Mu Yue did not want to display strength beyond that of a Chunin.

The second reason was more practical. Asuma was only a student, not a disciple, and was not worth investing too much effort into.

Just as Mu Yue had expected, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was in the Hokage Building, was using the Telescope Technique to observe how Mu Yue taught Asuma.

"When it comes to teaching children, Hanyu truly is outstanding." Watching Asuma go from resistance at the beginning to respect at the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi acknowledged Mu Yue's ability as a teacher.

He was not particularly surprised that Mu Yue had called Shisui over.

After all, Shisui was a student in Mu Yue's class. Even students from other classes liked Mu Yue so much, so there was no reason students from his own class would dislike him.

"Still, to possess such strength just after enrolling... his talent may even surpass Kagami's." Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled his former teammate, Kagami Uchiha.

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

"It seems I should pay him more attention." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe as he thought.

Shisui was Kagami Uchiha's grandson, and he was exceptionally talented, so Hiruzen Sarutobi had known of his existence for some time.

He hoped Shisui could become an Uchiha like Kagami Uchiha.

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

Not until evening did Hiruzen Sarutobi use the Telescope Technique again to inspect Konoha. Only then did he leave the Hokage Building and go home for dinner.

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

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

Asuma's hand, which had been continuously shoveling rice into his mouth, stopped as he involuntarily began recalling what had happened today.

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

"Teacher Hanyu is very good. He's much more skilled at teaching than you are." Asuma praised Mu Yue while not forgetting to take a jab at the Third Hokage.

Although Mu Yue had talked him through it, Asuma's resentment toward the Third Hokage could not disappear in half a day.

"What does a child like you know? I taught the Sannin myself." Hiruzen Sarutobi said, blowing his beard and glaring after having his abilities questioned.

"It's obvious that Aunt Tsunade and the others were exceptionally talented themselves." Asuma retorted. Though the Sannin were famous, each had forged their own path.

"Sometimes, being able to admit your own shortcomings is also a sign of wisdom," Asuma said, imitating Mu Yue's tone.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was left speechless by his wonderful son. Admitting it meant he was inferior to Mu Yue, while refusing to admit it meant he lacked wisdom, was that it?

Seeing his old father wanting to speak but holding back, Asuma was in an excellent mood. Even eating felt more satisfying.