Naruto: The Mist Within-Chapter 114 - 113: Teacher Yagura?

The morning light filtered through the academy classroom windows, casting flickering shadows over the desks. Ren sat in his usual spot, his chin resting on the palm of his hand, while Fujimoto-sensei's monotone voice reverberated in the background, barely penetrating his thoughts.

His attention was elsewhere.

The first time I managed to create a clone with exactly 50% of my chakra. In the past two weeks, I've tried to make a clone with less chakra, but it's much harder than I thought.

The memory of his attempts filled his mind. Each attempt seemed more complicated than the last. It wasn't the technique itself but the control: It's calibrating the amount of chakra for the clone—that's the issue. Maybe it's just a matter of practice.

A faint smile crept across his lips. I need to figure out how to improve this.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Fujimoto-sensei's authoritative voice.

"Quiet, everyone. I have an important announcement."

The atmosphere in the classroom shifted instantly. The students, who had been half-asleep or distracted, straightened in their seats, their eyes fixed on the teacher.

"Next week," Fujimoto continued, his tone laced with solemnity, "we will have a special lesson. The Mizukage himself will visit the academy."

The class erupted into excited murmurs.

"The Mizukage? Really?" exclaimed Jun'ko, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Is it a lesson or a demonstration?" asked Aoi, adjusting his glasses in his usual manner.

"I imagine he'll show us one of his techniques!" Jun'ko turned to Aoi with a grin. "Maybe he'll teach us something about genjutsu."

"That would be interesting," Aoi replied hesitantly, "but statistically, it's unlikely—"

"Statistics, statistics," Jun'ko interrupted with a laugh. "You always think in numbers! Imagine how amazing it'd be if he showed us a secret technique!"

Kurara, sitting next to them, had grown unusually quiet. While Aoi and Jun'ko animatedly discussed the potential techniques the Mizukage might showcase, she tapped her fingers on her desk, staring at a point far ahead.

"Kurara?" Jun'ko tilted her head. "You okay?"

Kurara looked up, offering a somewhat forced smile that didn't completely hide her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... I've never been good at genjutsu."

Jun'ko seemed surprised. "Come on! It's not that hard. You just have to focus on your chakra and think about the image you want to create."

Kurara frowned. "I know in theory. But every time I try, it's like the chakra... refuses to listen. I can never get the effect right."

Aoi, adjusting his glasses again, interjected analytically. "It could be related to chakra distribution. If you want, I could help calculate the optimal proportions—"

Ren listened silently to his friends' conversation, his thoughts trailing back to his own experiments with chakra distribution. He knew Aoi's suggestion was sound, and he'd tried to apply similar methods with Kurara before. Still...

Jun'ko interrupted Aoi with another laugh. "Kurara, forget about Aoi's calculations. If you're not good at genjutsu, that's fine! Focus on something you're really strong at and make it your ace in the hole."

Kurara lowered her gaze momentarily, then nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right. But... I'd still like to pull off a decent genjutsu. Just once."

Ren watched from the sidelines, observing silently.

As the classroom filled with laughter and chatter, Ren noticed Shinji, seated in his usual spot, more silent than usual. The boy's eyes were half-closed, his chin resting on his hand as though he were on the verge of sleep.

Something's off, Ren thought. But he didn't have time to delve deeper; the bell rang, signaling the end of the lessons.

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Outside the academy, Shin Kaguya approached Ren. His posture was as composed as ever, but there was something in his eyes that indicated he wanted to speak privately.

"Ren," he said simply. "Do you have a moment?"

- - -

In his office, Mizukage Yagura stared at a map of Kirigakure. His eyes analyzed the carefully drawn marks and annotations. A counselor stood beside him, holding an open scroll.

"I want to be more present in the academy's life," Yagura said, his tone brooking no argument. "In the past two years, we've seen students rise and distinguish themselves as extraordinary ninja. Mei Terumi, two years ago. Ameryu, last year. And this year..."

The Mizukage paused, his gaze steady. "There's a group of promising young ones. One, in particular, has caught my attention."

The counselor looked up. "Ren Mizutani?"

Yagura nodded slowly. "He has talent. He's not the only one, but there's something about him... something that intrigues me."

After a few minutes, the counselor left the room. Yagura remained alone. He snapped his fingers, and two ANBU appeared silently.

"A report on Fujino's movements," he ordered, his voice a sharp whisper.

As the ANBU began to speak, Ren and Kurara were walking side by side, following the cobblestone path through the village streets.

Ren was lost in thought, recalling his earlier conversation with Shin:

"I wanted to ask you..." Shin began hesitantly. "Have you ever felt like... something's wrong? Like something is changing?"

Ren studied him carefully. "What do you mean?"

Shin hesitated, glancing around to ensure no one was listening. "I don't know... It's just that, lately, things feel... tenser. Not just at the academy, but throughout the village. Like a storm is coming."

Ren remained silent for a moment. You've noticed it too, Shin? he thought, but said nothing. Instead, he gave a small nod. "Maybe you're right."

The memory of Shin's troubled expression faded as Ren became aware of the sound of Kurara's footsteps beside him. The rhythmic tap of her sandals against the cobblestone road brought him back to the present. She had been uncharacteristically quiet since leaving the academy, her gaze fixed ahead, lost in thought.

Is she worried about her chakra issue?

Kurara suddenly spoke. "Granpa has been acting strange lately... always busy, always muttering to himself. He even sent me away from the forge, saying, 'It's not the right time.'"

Ren glanced at her sideways. "Your grandfather? That old fox? Impossible for him to be troubled."

Kurara shrugged. "Weird, right? I hope he doesn't have a lover."

Ren blinked, momentarily perplexed, before bursting into laughter. "A lover? Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Yukiko explained it to me," Kurara said, her tone matter-of-fact.

Ren fell silent for a moment, thoughts beginning to swirl in his mind.

Could something really be troubling Takeshi? he wondered.

Seems unlikely. But now that I think about it, it's been a while since I've visited the forge. I could use the opportunity to help him—maybe even with a clone. That way, I could pick up our conversation about metal imprint again...

An idea formed quickly in his mind. He could delegate the task of learning the forging process to a clone, freeing himself to focus on other priorities.

They arrived in front of the Mizutani household. Kurara headed off to help Yuki at the shop. Ren, however, headed straight to the workshop. As soon as he entered, his gaze fell upon the tools laid out meticulously on the workbench.

On the table sat a vial of Glycina Nebula, the amber liquid he'd been perfecting over the past few weeks. He had worked hard to refine its properties—cellular regeneration and toxin neutralization were now ready for testing.

He approached the bench, examining the liquid under the flickering lamp's light. "Only one step left: testing," he murmured, reaching for a notebook to jot down his observations. "First on an animal, then myself. Or..."

A thought crossed his mind, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

I could test it directly on a clone. It would be a more controlled and less risky experiment.

With a quick weave of hand seals, he created a shadow clone, watching as it took form before him. It was always a strange feeling to look at an exact copy of himself: identical, yet distinct.

"Ready for an experiment?" Ren asked the clone, which nodded resolutely.

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