Early in the morning, many people refresh themselves with a shower—especially those with low blood pressure. Mizuki was no exception. On mornings when he wasn't on duty, he would usually wash up leisurely to clear his mind.
But today wasn't the right time.
There was a guest in the house. Though she was young, she was still a girl. If any sort of misunderstanding occurred—even an accidental one—it would be difficult to explain.
Having quickly freshened up, Mizuki offered a half-hearted compliment in the mirror before stepping out to begin his temporary mentorship.
He poured tea for both himself and his guest, then sat down across from her. Haruno Sakura, dressed in civilian clothes, seemed a little nervous.
Mizuki started the conversation bluntly. "Since Kakashi requested this, and I've already received my 'compensation,' I'll take this job seriously. First off, what's your goal for the month? Do you just want to beat that Sound ninja from the Forest of Death, or are you aiming to improve your overall strength? One month isn't enough to learn much—you need to think this through carefully."
"Does it make a difference?" Sakura asked, puzzled.
"There's a huge difference," Mizuki said patiently. "Defeating a single opponent is one thing. Gaining real strength is another. That Sound genin—Dosu Kinuta—he specializes in vibration-based attacks through his gauntlet. If we target his weakness, you might win once. But improving your fundamentals? That's long-term power."
Sakura lowered her head and thought it over seriously. Mizuki gave a satisfied nod.
"As expected of a smart kid. Easier to teach than most."
He sipped his tea and helped himself to the snacks Sakura had brought.
After a moment, Sakura looked up. "Please teach me how to become stronger, Mizuki-sensei!"
Pffft— Mizuki nearly spat out his tea. "Don't call me 'Master.' You'll have a proper sensei one day. I'm just standing in for Kakashi while he's buried in paperwork."
"Still, even temporary teachers deserve respect," Sakura replied sincerely. "I'll call you Mizuki-sensei, like before."
"Fine," Mizuki said, adjusting his posture. "So, what do you want to learn?"
"I'm not sure yet…" Sakura admitted, embarrassed. "But the chakra control exercises you showed me before… I understood those better than I expected. Could I learn more like that?"
Mizuki exhaled. "Then I'll decide for you."
A talented kid like this—so sharp in theory—yet still unsure of her strengths. Konoha really is in a generational drought. If the Sannin were still active, or if more veteran jōnin hadn't died or retired, someone like me wouldn't have to cover these basic gaps. Naruto doesn't even know he's the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. He's had to wait until now, for Jiraiya of all people, to return and teach him what the village should've explained years ago.
Just as Mizuki was about to give Sakura her first task, the front door opened with a gentle creak.
"Hmm? A guest at this hour?" Tsubaki stepped inside and noticed the girl.
"Good morning. I'm Haruno Sakura," Sakura greeted, quickly standing up and bowing.
"This is the Tsubaki I told you about," Mizuki said, rising. "My fiancée."
"Ah! Mizuki-sensei, you're engaged? I didn't mean to intrude!"
"It's no problem. Sakura's Kakashi's student," Mizuki explained. "I'm just helping out for the next month."
"Oh~ is this the one you mentioned?" Tsubaki smiled knowingly.
"Yep. The temp," Mizuki confirmed.
Sakura looked around the shop. "Mizuki-sensei, is this flower shop yours?"
"I opened it with Tsubaki just under a month ago," Mizuki replied. "What do you think?"
"It feels similar to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. I didn't expect my teacher to run something like this."
"We're still new," Tsubaki added, arranging some fresh blossoms. "But we're proud of it."
Sakura paused and tilted her head. "Hmm… 'Four Seasons Flower Shop'? That's an unusual name."
"I thought about it for a while," Mizuki said, rubbing his chin. "Inspiration struck after remembering a certain old bloom master. Unlike Ichiraku Ramen or the Yamanaka shop, I wanted a name that stood out."
"But…" Sakura squinted at the sign outside. "The lines on the sign are strange. They look decorative, but… there's a faint chakra fluctuation?"
"Don't say that aloud—especially not in front of Tsubaki." Mizuki gave her a serious look.
Indeed, the signboard was one of Mizuki's most successful low-profile experiments in months. None of the jōnin who visited the shop had noticed anything odd. But Sakura, despite being a genin, had picked up on it.
The base of the sign was crafted from a special strain of chakra-sensitive bamboo. The paint was made from algae and fungus cultures extracted from lichens—organisms chosen for their resilience and symbiotic nature. The sign included subtle fūinjutsu and illusion seals, causing the faint will of the lichen colonies to act in unison, creating a low-level genjutsu: a gentle nudge in the minds of passersby, making them more likely to step inside.
The hardest part was coaxing collective behavior out of such primitive organisms. After trial and error, Mizuki settled on lichens. Their mix of fungi, bacteria, and algae provided a rare combination of stability and flexibility.
The resulting chakra flow was faint, but undeniable. More importantly, it proved that through seals, collective thought could be synthesized and applied. A small success, but with huge implications.
"It makes sense now—why Orochimaru's soul-transfer jutsu causes dissonance over time. Why Edo Tensei can be repeated on the same target. Even the way shadow clones pass memories back… it all fits. Recognition of self by the world, by chakra… it's more flexible than we assumed."