[Second Update]
"Alright, that's all for today's lesson."
Kato Dan set down the book in his hand as he spoke.
Normally, this would have been the moment to dismiss the class. But today, he didn't say those words.
"Today marks my last day teaching you all. Starting tomorrow, I'll be leaving Konoha to join the other shinobi on the front lines."
"Sensei…"
"Do you really have to go?"
In just three short months, the students had grown deeply attached to their teacher. Now, their faces were clouded with sorrow, afraid that they might never see him again.
Mitsuki Mui also lowered her gaze, her expression touched by the same sadness.
She held a certain fondness for this teacher as well. But unlike the others, she knew the truth: unless something miraculous happened, Kato Dan's death was inevitable.
And yet… she had no intention of telling anyone. For her, Kato Dan was nothing more than a kind and competent instructor. She wasn't about to go out of her way to interfere just to save his life.
If it cost her nothing, she wouldn't mind lending a hand. But to sacrifice her own interests? Absolutely not. She had no lofty ideals, no stubborn notions of pride. All she wanted was to live well—happily, comfortably. That was enough.
Yes, her system inventory was brimming with resources. Yes, she possessed extraordinary talent. And yes, before being reborn into this world, she once longed for hot-blooded battles, for the thrill of combat.
But all of that… was in the past.
Now, she was content. She had no desire to change anything. Well… a little extra money wouldn't hurt.
Still, for the sake of winning favor later—especially since she planned to get close to Tsunade and learn from her—putting on a sad face now was the smarter move.
"Don't be too upset, everyone. Konoha is on the verge of victory. I'll just be doing cleanup duty at the end. The risk of dying is very low. Oh, that's right… before I go, I'll give you all one final gift. Each of you may choose a jutsu scroll aligned with your chakra nature—provided I have it."
Smiling, Kato Dan pulled out a thick stack of chakra paper.
Each sheet was worth about a hundred ryō.
For comparison, the lowest D-rank missions paid five hundred ryō. After splitting the reward among the team and deducting the captain's share of two hundred, each genin still took home a hundred ryō.
But for Mitsuki Mui, a hundred ryō represented nearly a whole month of living expenses.
It was no small sum.
"Alright then, come up one at a time. Test your chakra nature, and I'll give you a scroll that matches. But be careful—some of these are B-rank techniques. You must practice them under adult supervision. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, you could be seriously hurt. Understood?"
"Yes, Sensei!"
The chorus echoed across the classroom. With the exception of a few from powerful clans like the Uchiha and Hyūga, who already had access to jutsu, the rest of the students were brimming with excitement. Finally, they would receive a technique beyond the basic Academy Three!
Mitsuki Mui was no exception.
She noticed right away that the chakra paper had been purchased, but the scrolls themselves were Kato Dan's handiwork. The fresh sheen of ink and faint smell of oil told her he had been making them not long ago.
Before long, it was her turn.
"Alright, Mui, step forward and try it."
"Yes!"
Nodding, Mitsuki Mui picked up a piece of chakra paper and infused it with her chakra.
Kato Dan's eyes widened slightly.
That chakra… its volume was already at chūnin level.
"As I thought… Mui is the top genius of this class—no, of this entire cohort. In just three months, she's gone from nothing to mid-level chakra reserves. And yet… she keeps her exam scores average. Does she simply not want to stand out?"
He turned his attention back to the chakra paper in her hand.
The sheet first became damp, then crumpled, before finally disintegrating into fine ash.
"Water and lightning, is it? Congratulations. You've discovered your chakra natures."
"Thank you, Sensei!" Mitsuki Mui bowed respectfully.
"Good. Then take those two scrolls—one for water, one for lightning."
"Yes, Sensei!"