Chapter 220: Erudite and Talented
"Too much rain causes barrenness?" Shino Aburame questioned with skepticism. That contradicted everything he'd learned. By all logic, abundant rainfall should bring vigorous growth, making an area more suitable for life, not less. The word "barren" felt completely out of place.
Mizuki calmly explained, "That's actually the reality. Unlike inland areas, island nations don't have enough lakes and rivers to store water properly. Excess rainfall washes away the nutrients and trace elements in the soil. When losses outpace replenishment, the land becomes depleted."
"So my bugs are just having trouble adapting to the environment?" Shino asked. Mizuki had said a lot, but the meaning was now clear to him.
"Exactly. This isn't like the mainland. If you observe carefully, you'll notice that many of the plants here only flower and bear fruit once every few years. The land can't sustain abundant life. Your kikaichū primarily feed on chakra, but they're still affected by environmental conditions. Don't worry—this'll pass in a few days."
"Glad to hear that." Shino let out a breath of relief. The discomfort his insects had felt since arriving in the Land of Water had been troubling him, but if it wasn't a major issue, he could relax.
"But, Mizuki-sensei, this is the first time I've heard any of what you just told me."
He had only come hoping for some vague insight—after all, insect-user techniques were quite foreign to most shinobi. Mizuki's explanation, from a completely different perspective, had been a pleasant surprise.
Mizuki smiled. "Hey, I'm a jōnin, and I've been a teacher for a while now. You should have a little more faith in me."
"Apologies, that was rude of me." Shino bowed slightly, realizing his earlier doubts may have been disrespectful.
"No need for that. If you ever have questions, feel free to come to me. Since Lady Tsunade picked me to lead Team Eight, it means I'm qualified in both skill and experience."
"I know that." Having witnessed Mizuki suppress a tailed beast with his own eyes during that S-rank mission, Shino held great respect for his teacher's abilities. "Actually, there's another thing I wanted to ask."
"Oh?" Mizuki raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"These past few weeks, I've been observing your combat style. Your coordination with your summoned beasts is remarkable—especially your use of sealing and barrier techniques. The effectiveness is incredible. I'd like to see if I can replicate something similar using my kikaichū."
"So that's what you're interested in." Mizuki pondered for a moment. "In theory, your kikaichū should be even more suitable for that kind of synergy than my summons. But… it's not that simple. If you want to try, I fully support you. But first, talk it over with your parents."
This wasn't some top-secret technique. Sealing and barrier arts could be learned if you had a good teacher. The real issue was the Aburame clan's insect contracts, which were more complex than personal summon contracts. If it interfered with their inheritance techniques, that could be a problem.
"Understood. Thank you, Mizuki-sensei. I won't bother you any longer." With that, Shino stood and left, leaving the room quiet once more.
As Mizuki sat back down to enjoy his tea, a voice came from the shadows.
"Your explanation just now was fascinating—and surprisingly reasonable."
"Oh? Jiraiya-sama, you're back?"
Mizuki had sensed someone observing him for a while. He had assumed it was a Kirigakure spy, but it turned out to be Jiraiya.
"Long time no see, Mizuki."
"Didn't we meet just a month ago?"
"Really?" Jiraiya laughed heartily, brushing it off. "Didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable—you've got quite a few interesting perspectives."
"Well, I've always been curious. I like to read and think a lot. Do it long enough and you develop your own ideas."
He said it casually, but the real reason lay in the vast store of knowledge he retained from his past life.
Jiraiya didn't press. He took Shino's empty seat, poured himself a cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp.
"I've been wanting to chat with you. Didn't expect it to happen so far from Konoha."
"Same here. I've got a few things I've been meaning to confirm with you."
"Perfect."
Jiraiya leaned back, eyes slightly unfocused—probably tipsy from a bit of sake—and asked, "Your Sage Mode… where'd you learn it?"
"I developed it myself," Mizuki said, a hint of pride in his voice.
Even if it was pieced together from various sources and riddled with flaws, it was still his Sage Mode.
"Self-taught?" Jiraiya chuckled. "That's impressive. You know, it took me years—even with Fukasaku-sensei guiding me—and I still haven't perfected it."
"Yeah, well, I didn't have a choice."
"Fine, let's go with that. Not the important part. What I really want to know is—what was the first medium you used to sense natural energy?"
"Bijuu chakra," Mizuki said without hesitation. There was no point hiding it; it would come out eventually.
Jiraiya's expression immediately changed.
"Bijuu chakra? You targeted Naruto?!"
The surge of killing intent from the Sannin made Mizuki stiffen.
"Of course not! I used Shukaku. I wouldn't dare lay a finger on the Fourth Hokage's son, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—half the world is watching him!"
Jiraiya relaxed, the pressure fading.
"You're a smart guy. I figured you wouldn't do something so reckless. But when did you get near the One-Tail's Jinchūriki? During the chunin exams?"
"Exactly. Gaara was knocked unconscious by Naruto. The opportunity was too perfect."
Mizuki grinned.
"That kid Naruto… always full of surprises."
Jiraiya couldn't hide the pride in his voice.
"But listen—don't bring trouble back to the village."
"Don't worry. I'm careful. Suna has no proof."
Jiraiya gave him a long look, then chuckled.
"You're dangerous, Mizuki. That's good—but just don't forget who your home is."
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*.