Teaching a smart student—good or bad? Mizuki still couldn't decide. Sakura wasn't someone who fixated on herself too much, but when it came to teaching her, the real question was what would be most appropriate for her to learn.
"It's been more than half a month now," Mizuki mused internally, observing her progress. "I think I've nearly exhausted what I can reasonably pass on. Whether she can apply it effectively is another matter. At least she's learned most of it—the rest depends on practice and how creatively she uses it."
Then, as expected of someone bright, her mind wandered again.
"Mizuki-sensei, what do you think about me studying Gaara of the Sand's fighting style?"
Yesterday she was obsessing over puppet techniques. Today, it was Gaara's sand manipulation. Smart students could be exhausting.
Mizuki raised a brow and shook his head. "Are you serious? That's not something you can just pick up. Why do you want to mimic Gaara's style?"
"It's not the sand I'm after. It's too dirty—ugh, no thanks." Sakura waved a hand dismissively. "I was thinking... what if I use water to replicate how Gaara fights? His offense and defense look insanely strong."
Mizuki sighed. "That's... creative. But even assuming I could teach you, there's a fundamental flaw in your thinking. Gaara's techniques don't rely on chakra-generated sand. Most of his jutsu manipulate actual sand. Chakra-based elemental simulations only go so far."
He leaned back against a tree trunk. "Even if you master water-style chakra transformation, you can't fully mimic him with chakra alone. The properties aren't the same. Unless you plan to carry a giant water gourd around with you, and keep it energized and mobile with chakra... your growth might be stunted by the weight."
Sakura pouted. "So chakra nature transformation can't imitate real elements perfectly?"
"That's a common misconception," Mizuki said. "To civilians, ninjutsu looks like magic—controlling fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning at will. But chakra is still just chakra. You can simulate the elements convincingly, but that doesn't make them real. Even when you master both shape and nature transformation, there's still a gap."
He held out a hand, igniting a flickering flame from his palm. "I can use fire-style chakra to produce flames that burn, emit light, and set objects alight. Mix it with natural fire, and you wouldn't know the difference. But the moment I cut off chakra flow, it vanishes—it's not real fire. It doesn't linger."
He extinguished the flame.
"So, if you want to emulate Gaara's style using water, you'll need more than chakra. You'll have to carry actual water, constantly maintain its form and motion, and combine it with chakra-enhanced control. Doable in theory, but incredibly chakra-taxing."
Sakura's lips curled in thought.
Mizuki added, "There's something else. You admire Gaara because he's strong, right? The strongest genin in the Chūnin Exams. But there's a detail you might not know—his automatic sand defense? It's probably not ninjutsu at all."
Sakura blinked. "Not ninjutsu? Then what?"
"A Kekkei Genkai," Mizuki said, folding his arms. "A Bloodline Limit. Something unique to his physiology. You've heard of the Sharingan or the Byakugan, right? There are rarer ones too—like Ice Release. Gaara's sand control might fall into that category."
"A Bloodline Limit…?" Sakura echoed, surprised. "So even his sand defense is inherited?"
"Most likely," Mizuki said. "The common story is that his mother's spirit protects him through the sand, but I don't buy that. Ghosts don't block punches from Lee after opening five of the Eight Gates. That level of defense is biological, not supernatural."
He added dryly, "And based on how casually other Suna-nin react to his abilities, I'd say his mother probably had the same power, and he inherited it."
Sakura's shoulders slumped. Mizuki noticed.
"You're disappointed," he said. "It's normal. I know the third round of the Chūnin Exams is close, and you're anxious. But you've been rushing too much lately—you're not focusing on your path."
He softened his tone. "All the things I taught you weren't to make you someone else. They're to give you options—to let your intelligence shine where raw power can't."
Still, Sakura looked unconvinced. "I know, Mizuki-sensei… but the match is so close, and I still feel like I'm far behind."
Mizuki raised a brow. "You think you haven't improved?"
Sakura hesitated. "You've given me powerful techniques—techniques other genin don't even know exist. But how can I become a Chūnin so quickly? I chose long-term growth over shortcuts to beat someone like Dosu, but… it still stings, knowing I might just lose outright in front of everyone."
Mizuki gave a wry smile. "She's still got that fire in her, at least."
He placed a hand on his forehead, mock-exasperated. "Sakura, let me put it this way. A month ago, with your current ability and the right strategy, you could've defeated Uchiha Sasuke."
Sakura's eyes widened. "What? That's impossible!"
"To you, Sasuke might seem perfect," Mizuki said. "But back then, all he had was a single-tomoe Sharingan, basic Fire Style, and the usual academy-level jutsu. With what you know now—chakra control, traps, seals, precision—there was a real chance."
He shrugged. "Of course, if he activated the Curse Mark, his raw strength and speed would overwhelm you. But that's a different league entirely."
Sakura was quiet for a moment. Then she said, almost timidly, "So… I've gotten stronger."
"Exactly. The Sasuke now might be beyond you again—but don't underestimate yourself."
She nodded, finally breathing easier.
"You feel weak because you've been training under me this whole time," Mizuki said. "You forget—I'm a Chūnin. You've only practiced against someone who knows everything you're about to try. Every move you make, I've already anticipated. It's supposed to be hard."
He took a sip of water before finishing.
"But remember this: the opponents you'll face in the exams are not me. If you think it's easy to beat someone who trained you, just because you learned from them—you're being naïve."
That last comment made Sakura pause—and then, slowly, her eyes widened.
She was beginning to understand.