Naruto: The Mist Within-Chapter 119 - 118: Water Mirror Technique!

The roar of their voices gradually faded, leaving space for a silence thick with expectation. The air seemed denser, heavier, as if the weight of Yagura's words had settled on the shoulders of every student.

Ren felt a shiver run down his spine. Well. I didn't expect this turn of events. If I didn't know what he will become in the future, maybe even I would be impressed.

Around him, the other students thrilled. No one spoke, but in the eyes of many was an unspoken question: What lies ahead now?

Then, with the same natural ease with which he had inflamed their spirits, Yagura returned to calm.

"Let's move on to the lesson."

The open-air classroom held its breath as the third-year students waited anxiously for the next lesson. Yagura's speech had left a mark, but now was the time to prove with actions what words had promised.

The young shinobi turned slowly, once again scanning those present. His gaze was firm, without ostentation.

"You are the future of the Mist. But a ninja is not defined by words, but by actions."

The students nodded, their faces tense, ready to listen.

One of them, after a moment of hesitation, raised his hand. "Yagura-sama, they say that among water techniques, there are some more refined, more difficult to master. Could you show us one?"

A murmur spread through the group. Not everyone dared to make requests to Yagura, but evidently, curiosity had won over fear.

For a moment, the Mizukage observed them in silence. Then, with a barely perceptible smile—more an evaluation than amusement—he nodded.

"You want to learn something more advanced?"

The students exchanged excited glances before responding with a determined nod.

"Very well."

With a fluid motion, Yagura raised his hand and concentrated his chakra on the water of a small basin near the training area. The surface rippled, and within seconds, a perfectly smooth water mirror, just over half a meter tall, formed before him.

"This is the Suiton: Small Mirror Technique," Yagura announced in a steady voice, devoid of unnecessary emphasis. He didn't need to underline his skill—the demonstration spoke for itself.

A buzz spread among the students.

"It is a variant of the more complex Water Mirror Technique," he explained, as the mirror's surface began to clearly reflect the students' images. "Do not be deceived by its apparent simplicity. Not everyone will be able to master it."

The water mirror wavered for a moment before stabilizing, showing a perfect reflection of the group. With a simple movement of his hand, Yagura distorted the reflected image until it transformed into a mirrored figure that moved independently of the original.

The students' eyes widened.

Ren held his breath. I never expected this opportunity.

That was not a common Academy technique, nor one taught to genin. A water-based illusion, a visual deception capable of confusing even an experienced opponent. Ren's mind was already racing with practical applications: distraction, diversion, even a psychological weapon.

If I could master it, I could counter many jutsu and gain a huge advantage in battles.

He lowered his gaze for a moment. He had always tried to keep a low profile, to not draw too much attention to himself, but... maybe he was approaching things the wrong way. In a class full of talent, staying in the shadows could mean being left behind.

Perhaps it's time to stand out.

"Can this technique really be used for defense?"

The question echoed through the training field. It wasn't Ren who had spoken, but another student—one of the more skeptical ones.

Yagura remained unfazed. He turned slightly, observing the ANBU standing aside.

"Demonstrating it is the best way to answer."

With a nod, he summoned one of the ANBU. The masked figure, decorated with a symbol resembling a swordfish, stepped forward. His stance was that of a seasoned warrior, accustomed to striking without hesitation.

"Attack me with kenjutsu."

A shiver ran through the class.

"But Yagura-sama—"

"Do it."

The ANBU nodded without hesitation. With a fluid motion, he unsheathed his katana, the blade gleaming for an instant in the mist-filtered light. Then, without any warning, he vanished.

The wind moved before him.

The ANBU reappeared above Yagura, his katana descending with terrifying speed.

A lethal strike.

"This is the Suiton: Water Mirror Technique," Yagura announced calmly. "A jutsu that not only reflects the enemy... but replicates them."

He stepped forward, raising his hand. His fingers moved with surgical precision as he executed the seals:

Tora → Hebi → Uma → Ryu → Nezumi → Ushi → Tora → Hebi.

The students watched in silence, spellbound.

"Observe carefully."

With a swift motion, Yagura rotated his staff 90°, as if turning a giant key in water.

The liquid mirror responded immediately.

From the reflective surface, an ANBU figure emerged, identical in posture and details, launching itself at the original with blinding speed. The real ANBU drew his katana in a fraction of a second, the blade's glint reflecting in the water mirror.

The two figures clashed in perfect synchronization. Every slash, every dodge, every breath was identical.

Then, with a sharp sound of metal against metal, the mirror shattered, and the copy dissolved into a rain of droplets.

Silence fell over the field.

"This technique can reflect and counter any attack," Yagura explained, his gaze scanning the class. "Whether ninjutsu, taijutsu, or kenjutsu, the Water Mirror will always repel it with the same power and speed as the original attack."

But before the blade could even graze him, Yagura tilted the water mirror with his staff, positioning it parallel to the ground.

From the water mirror emerged an identical image of the ANBU, mirroring the original.

Same movement.

Same stance.

The same sword, raised at the same fraction of a second.

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The two blades clashed with a perfectly synchronized clang.

The students held their breath.

The ANBU and his reflected image remained locked in a mirrored position for an eternal moment. No one could distinguish the original from the copy.

Then, with an explosion of water, the reflected figure vanished.

The ANBU landed silently, his katana lowered, and turned toward Yagura with an imperceptible nod.

"I will show you a weakened version," Yagura explained calmly, as if the fight had never happened. "The Small Mirror Technique is not just for confusing the enemy. If mastered at its highest level, it can reflect techniques and even counter them perfectly. Water is not just fluid—it is also memory. Everything it sees... it can reproduce."

A student stammered, "But... does that mean it can reflect any attack?"

Yagura turned, observing him with an enigmatic gaze.

"Not all," he replied. "But enough to win."

Silence fell again.

"Now I will give you an opportunity. Anyone who can create a stable water mirror and make it reflect correctly will receive a reward."

A murmur of excitement rippled through the class.

"But don't expect it to be easy."

He took a step back, leaving space for the young shinobi to attempt.

A ripple of tension ran through the students as they exchanged uncertain glances before setting to work. Creating a stable water mirror seemed easy when Yagura did it, but everyone in Kirigakure knew that the gap between theory and practice was an abyss difficult to bridge.

Ren stared at the surface of the small water basin in front of him. The reflection trembled slightly, rippled by imperceptible underwater currents.

Water is never still, even when it seems to be. To create a perfect mirror, I must find a way to either tame it... or follow its flow.

Beside him, Yukiko Yuki already had her hands clasped in a seal. Her water was incredibly clear, almost as if polished by ice itself, but there was something... static about it. Her mirror didn't waver, but neither did it reflect naturally.

Hiroshi Hōzuki, on the other hand, was taking a more instinctive approach. His mirror seemed to form and dissolve in irregular waves, almost as if responding to the beat of his heart. His innate ability to merge with water gave him a certain advantage, but the mirror required finer, more measured control.

Ren took a deep breath.

If I try to completely block the movement, I'll get something lifeless, like Yukiko's ice. If I let the water flow too freely, the mirror disintegrates like Hiroshi's. The secret lies in finding balance and maybe, because there is some illusion in it, there is also some Yin component.

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his chakra spread into the water beneath his fingers. Instead of trying to force it, he began to follow its rhythm. Small currents swirled beneath the surface, and Ren tuned his chakra flow to their natural movement.

He opened his eyes.

The water's surface began to smooth out.

A perfect mirror took shape.

A hushed murmur of excitement spread among the students.

But Ren didn't stop there.

If the mirror reflects what it sees, then...

He made a small movement with his hand and, with a subtle command of chakra, the reflected image in the mirror began to move slightly before its original.

A subtle illusion, but an effective one.

Yagura raised an eyebrow slightly—an almost imperceptible movement, but Ren caught it. And he wasn't the only one.

Yukiko narrowed her eyes in concentration, trying to understand what he had done differently. Hiroshi huffed, disappointed with his own result, while some students stopped to observe the phenomenon.

Yagura approached with slow, measured steps.

"Impressive," he said in a calm voice. "Many ninja merely imitate the technique, but you have chosen to understand it."

Ren remained silent. He wasn't sure if it was a compliment or a subtle warning.

"Tell me, Mizutani Ren..." Yagura fixed his lavender-colored eyes on him, piercing him with his gaze. "How did you do it?"

He knows my name? Ren thought.

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