Nature Transformation Training (Please Follow)

"Mu Yue-sensei, how long did I last this time?" Obito wiped the water from his face and looked at Mu Yue expectantly.

He felt like he had stayed on the river for a long time. Maybe he had lasted an hour.

"You did very well this time. You lasted twenty minutes." Mu Yue praised him without holding back.

"Ah? Only twenty minutes? I thought it was at least half an hour." Obito looked a little disappointed.

While on the river, he had to constantly maintain his Chakra output, watch out for Mu Yue's Water Release, observe the ripples on the surface, and be ready to dodge at any moment. Maintaining that state made it feel as though a long time had passed.

"You've completed your Chakra control training. You can begin Nature Transformation training now," Mu Yue said with a smile.

"Mm, I'll get down right away." Obito had been practicing Water Walking lately, so he instinctively headed toward the riverbank. After taking a few steps, he finally realized what Mu Yue had said.

"Finally, I don't have to practice Water Walking anymore!" Obito could not help clenching his fists and jumping up in celebration. He only quieted down after noticing Shisui and Might Guy looking at him.

"After practicing Water Walking every day lately, I feel like I'm getting used to the taste of the river water here," Obito complained.

Water Walking was not like Tree Climbing. With Tree Climbing, as long as he adjusted himself properly or Mu Yue caught him quickly, there was no problem.

But if he failed to control Water Walking properly, he would take a huge gulp of water.

Fortunately, few people came here, and the river water was fairly clean and clear, without any strange taste.

"Want to practice some more, then?" Mu Yue asked jokingly.

"No, no. These days, whenever I see a river, I want to take a detour." Having suffered enough, Obito chose not to put on a brave front this time.

"Let's start Nature Transformation sooner. There are only fourteen days left until the competition." Obito felt that time was a little tight.

Aside from Nature Transformation, he still had to improve his proficiency with the Great Fireball.

"There'll be enough time if you follow my arrangements," Mu Yue assured Obito.

This was only training for a local competition, not training to fight Pain afterward. There was no need to develop his Nature Transformation to some outrageous level.

With the Teaching Skill's boost, along with Mu Yue's Great Fireball already reaching the proficient level, it would be easy to raise Obito's Great Fireball proficiency.

After all, the reward for the Training Task was at stake. Mu Yue had made a serious plan.

Before long, Mu Yue's Shadow Clone carried over a large wooden barrel. Mu Yue opened it, took out an egg-sized block of ice, and handed it to Obito.

"Place the ice in your palm, then use Chakra Nature Transformation to melt it," Mu Yue explained, describing the first step of Nature Transformation training.

Nature Transformation was considered a difficult and advanced form of training in a ninja's cultivation.

Even if someone had enough Chakra, if their Nature Transformation level for the corresponding Ninjutsu was insufficient, the Ninjutsu's power would be limited.

Fire Nature Transformation training was somewhat more dangerous than wind, because fire's burning property could affect the user.

At first, Mu Yue had wanted Obito to burn leaves. But if Obito could not instantly reduce the leaves to ash, his hand would be burned by the flaming leaves.

So Mu Yue thought of using ice. Because it was cold enough, it would only melt into water when exposed to flames, and Obito's flames were not strong enough to heat the melted water to a scalding temperature.

"So cold." Obito inhaled sharply as he held the ice. It was still spring, and the temperature was not high in the morning when the sun was not strong.

"Then hurry up and release your Chakra." Mu Yue tapped Obito on the head with two fingers held together.

Obito winced, shrank his neck, and began guiding his Chakra toward his palm. After performing Nature Transformation, he released it.

"When performing Nature Transformation, remember the characteristics of fire: burning and high temperature. Make your Chakra burn and raise its temperature," Mu Yue reminded him.

Obito stared at the ice in his hand and nodded, silently repeating the words burning and high temperature in his heart.

Two minutes later, Obito felt water appearing in his palm, and delight instantly appeared on his face.

"Sensei, the ice is melting!" Obito said excitedly.

"Why don't you get another piece of ice and hold it for a few minutes?" Mu Yue said.

Curious, Obito tossed away the ice in his hand, took another piece about the same size, and held it without using Chakra.

Then he awkwardly discovered that it had melted into water only slightly less than the previous piece.

"The human body has temperature too. If you hold ice that size in your hand, it won't melt slowly even without Chakra," Mu Yue explained, rubbing his forehead.

Thankfully, the weather was not hot now. If it were summer, Obito might think he was some Nature Transformation genius.

"Hehe, I usually use my mouth when using Ninjutsu. Using my hands feels a little unfamiliar now." Obito scratched his head in explanation.

"When performing Nature Transformation, you must always remember the properties of fire." As Mu Yue spoke, he took out a block of ice as large as a human head and held it in his palm.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!!

The instant Mu Yue finished speaking, red light flashed, and the head-sized block of ice immediately turned into billowing white vapor, becoming water vapor that drifted into the sky.

"High temperature, burning." Obito kept muttering those two words as he continuously gathered Chakra in his palm and released it.

Soon, the morning was nearly over. Obito could already feel that both his hands had been frozen numb, and the skin on them had turned pale and wrinkled from prolonged contact with water.

"Come to think of it, the river water didn't taste so bad." Obito somewhat regretted not agreeing to Mu Yue's suggestion to practice more a few hours ago.

This Nature Transformation training was even more torturous than Water Walking.

"Stop training for now. Let's eat." Mu Yue called a halt to the three of them, then took out three lunch boxes and handed one to each of them.

"Today's food smells amazing!" Might Guy caught a scent that seemed to strike straight at his soul the moment he opened the lid, along with dazzling golden light from inside the lunch box.

"Mu Yue-sensei, there's something strange about this food. It's actually glowing!" Might Guy was dumbfounded.

"It's just sunlight reflecting off it. Go ahead and eat." Mu Yue smiled faintly.

Might Guy took a spoonful. Instantly, a brilliant light burst from his eyes, and he swung his spoon at incredible speed, constantly shoveling fried rice into his mouth.

"Delicious! Delicious!" Might Guy felt that he had never eaten anything so good.

You gifted your disciple Golden Egg Fried Rice. Your disciple was deeply grateful. Reward critical hit: Chakra +100

Mu Yue nodded to himself. The Chef skill really was useful.

"Did Guy train that hard today?" Obito felt that Might Guy was being a little exaggerated. Mu Yue-sensei's cooking was indeed good, but there was no need to eat so frantically, right?

"It really does smell good." Obito changed his mind somewhat after opening his lunch box.

His was not egg fried rice, but an ordinary home-style stir-fry.

Obito first picked up a little food, then took a bite of rice and put it into his mouth.

"Delicious!" Obito's eyes widened as flavors he had never experienced before exploded in his mouth.

Then he started wolfing down his food, continuously stuffing rice and dishes into his mouth until he bit into a chili pepper mixed among the dishes.

A terrifying spiciness erupted. In a daze, Obito felt as if he had arrived at the mouth of a volcano about to erupt, the surrounding air scorching and dry.