The ancients said that a person was made up of two things: a soul and a body. The body was the soul's vessel, granting a person the right to exist, while the soul was the body's innermost essence, giving a person meaning.
There were two kinds of death: the death of the body and the dispersal of the soul. The body's death was not true death; when the soul dispersed, the person ceased to exist.
The soul was a very real thing, as demonstrated by the Sealing Technique Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
To be honest, Yueshu had no idea what was happening to him. Thinking in terms of his past life's logic and guessing based on familiar tropes, he had also transmigrated as a soul. Most likely, two souls now inhabited the same body.
Of course, perhaps the original owner's soul had nearly faded away, with only a few lingering regrets left behind.
Yueshu didn't consider himself a saint, and he wouldn't meddle in other people's business just to do something thankless.
But—
He had taken over someone else's body. If he couldn't even help them fulfill their final wish, wouldn't that be utterly shameless?
That was what Yueshu thought.
Whether or not he was just making excuses for himself, his goal was simple.
He only wanted to fulfill the lingering wish of the body he now inhabited.
He wasn't trying to become the World's Strongest, nor was he trying to become Hokage.
It was just a simple goal.
"Wind Style: Wind Blade!"
Kushina's voice rang out, snapping Yueshu back to attention. He lightly leaped to the side, easily dodging her jutsu.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Seizing the opportunity, Mikoto unleashed her jutsu from the side, while Kushina reacted in time and used Wind Style to coordinate with her.
The wind fanned the flames, making Mikoto's otherwise ordinary Great Fireball grow even larger.
Boom!
The Great Fireball hit Yueshu and exploded.
"Got him!"
The two girls thought they had succeeded and excitedly clenched their little fists.
"Too bad."
Yueshu's voice came from above them, and the excitement on their faces visibly froze.
"Checkmate."
He lightly jumped down, slowly uttering the words.
Kushina and Mikoto still lacked combat experience. They hadn't reacted in time.
Smack.
Yueshu held back just enough as he brought the edge of each hand down on one of their heads.
"Ow!"
The two girls cried out at the same time.
Without a doubt, Yueshu had won the practice match again.
"You still have a long way to go."
Yueshu lowered his hands.
"During a fight, never let your guard down unless you've seen the enemy's body."
"No, even if you've seen the enemy's body, don't let your guard down."
Yueshu began lecturing the two girls.
"Ninja battles are full of unpredictable twists because ninjas have so many tricks up their sleeves. So no matter what, never let your guard down."
"Staying alert is a basic quality every ninja needs."
Yueshu lectured the two girls like an elder, making Kushina unhappy. She clicked her tongue.
"Got it."
Kushina replied reluctantly, her frustration and refusal to give up plain to see.
That was only natural. The girl was stubborn by nature. If Red Hot Habanero were like Mikoto, she wouldn't be Red Hot Habanero.
Kushina was the Red Hot Habanero who'd once beaten up several people all by herself after overhearing them badmouthing her.
"Well, you're not bad. You've even learned to work together. That's great. But you could form your Hand Seals faster. You're still a little slow. If you'd been quicker, I might not have had a chance to use the Substitution Technique."
Yueshu smiled, offering them a little encouragement. Praise and criticism both had to be given in moderation to have the greatest effect.
"Quite a bit of time has passed, hasn't it?"
Yueshu remarked, and Kushina and Mikoto looked at him.
"It's about time."
Yueshu smiled.
They had spent nearly two weeks training in chakra control, followed by another two weeks of all-around training. Whether it was Taijutsu, ninjutsu, or chakra control, Kushina and Mikoto had completely transformed over the course of the month.
In any case, Yueshu felt that Kushina and Mikoto had now met the requirements.
"Then let's begin."
"It's time for the graduation exams."
Yueshu glanced at the two girls. Their eyes were practically brimming with excitement.
"Everyone passes!"
"You didn't need to tell us!"
"Yeah!"
Kushina and Mikoto reacted in completely opposite ways, and Yueshu couldn't help smiling.
Over this past month, Yueshu had gradually gotten used to spending time with the two girls.
Kushina wasn't very straightforward and always liked to hide her feelings, though sometimes she spoke her mind without a filter.
Mikoto was just as she seemed at first glance: a gentle, gracious, soft-tempered, quiet girl who knew how to work hard. She was one of the finest among the girls.
Their personalities were almost opposites, yet somehow they had become each other's best friends. They were like complementary angles.
Yueshu took a deep breath.
"Well then."
"That officially concludes our special training!"
With Yueshu's declaration, the special training for early graduation came to an end.
Next came the graduation exams!
Everyone had to pass together and graduate early together!
At last, it was time to put this plan into action.
Yueshu hadn't failed to notice the sweat Kushina and Mikoto had poured into their month of training.
He might have been asleep, but he had clearly seen how hard Kushina and Mikoto had worked.
While ordinary girls were still enjoying the pleasures and beauty of life, Kushina and Mikoto were training with all their might. To reach the goal Yueshu had set as soon as possible, they had even continued training after completing his assignments.
That was exactly why they all had to pass together. No matter what, it was only right to honor Kushina and Mikoto's hard work.
"Take a break first."
Yueshu turned to Kushina and Mikoto.
Both girls were drenched in sweat. Today's training had worn them out.
"What about you?"
"I'm going to see the Third Hokage."
"To ask him to approve our early graduation."
Kushina and Mikoto looked at Yueshu.
"Go on."
There was no need for a thousand words. Their sweat said everything.
Yueshu glanced at the two girls, then leaped into the air and left.
Kushina and Mikoto watched Yueshu disappear into the distance. Then they looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.
Their bell-like laughter carried through the air, riding the wind and flowing over the river.
"Let's do this!"
"Let's do this!"
Kushina and Mikoto clenched their little fists for each other, looking incredibly cute.
Neither girl was usually the type to act like this, so it was a rare sight. Unfortunately, no one was around to see it.
Leaves drifted gently down through Konoha, brushing past the two girls' resolute gazes.
Yueshu arrived at the Hokage Building.
It was right in front of him. All he had to do was open the door, and a new path would begin.
Next—
It was time to walk the path of a ninja!
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