Naruto: From Extra to Savior

"I understand. I was just too arrogant, Teacher Mizuki," said Sakura with embarrassment.

"This isn't your fault. I didn't explain it clearly enough."

All along, Sakura's clever mind and amazing learning efficiency had overshadowed the fact that she was still a twelve-year-old girl with little experience, lacking sufficient capability to find her own path or judge others' strength.

Simply teaching her jutsu and knowledge without showing her a clear direction was indeed Mizuki's oversight.

"No ninja becomes strong solely by relying on others—you must forge your own path. What I teach you is mostly about broadening your horizons and offering more options for your future."

"I understand what you mean, Teacher Mizuki, but why didn't you help me choose a specific focus? With your abilities, surely you could pick a suitable direction for me?"

Upon hearing Sakura's question, Mizuki couldn't help but smile slightly and nodded as he replied, "You're actually right about this. Any qualified teacher should have that much discernment. However, being a ninja isn't just about talent; there are other even more important qualities."

"More important qualities?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"No two people in this world are exactly alike. Naruto seeks recognition and yearns to become Hokage, while Sasuke craves power above all else. Then what is it that your heart truly desires?"

Before Sakura could answer, Mizuki continued, "I can confidently tell you that your talent in Genjutsu and medical techniques is truly outstanding—it has already surpassed mine. If you plan to develop further in these areas, finding a more suitable mentor would be wise. As for sealing and barrier techniques, combined with your excellent tactical skills, they will serve as crucial supplements. Your talent for ninjutsu is rather ordinary though, further limited by your chakra reserves. Even with the Breath-Sealing Art I taught you—which mainly helps hide one's presence and boost endurance—it won't significantly increase the power of your jutsu. Finally regarding Taijutsu...well, unless something extraordinary happens, you'd better give it up because it simply doesn't suit you."

Mizuki's words weren't exaggerated at all. Despite teaching various tricks to compensate for Sakura's disadvantages in close combat, fundamental differences were difficult to change. Her mediocre ninjutsu talent wouldn't amount to much even with the massive chakra supply from the Breath-Sealing Art. Could she hope to become like Kakashi, known as the Copy Ninja? What value would that hold? In standard ninja battles, such methods would no longer work after three years anyway.

Hearing Mizuki's evaluation, Sakura lowered her head in deep thought.

"Feel bitter? Sometimes a ninja's talent doesn't align with his heart. Take Rock Lee, for example. Did you think he naturally aspired to become a Taijutsu master? He only took that path because he couldn't use ninjutsu!"

Though outwardly delicate, Haruno Sakura wasn't such a fragile girl inside. Beneath her determined character lay a hidden violent streak. Simply giving up Taijutsu—a straightforward and direct combat style that resonated deeply with her inner desires—wasn't necessarily the best choice either. Perhaps Tsunade really was the most suitable mentor for her.

Everything Mizuki had been doing recently served a dual purpose. On one hand, it was a transition period. On the other, he hoped that when Sakura eventually returned to her former path, she would look back and not easily overlook her most valuable talents and other possibilities.

...

The one-month time limit had reached its final day. During these final days, Sakura Haruno managed to calm herself and took time to reflect on what she had gained over the past month.

"I originally planned to give you a final test, but I've changed my mind—it's unnecessary."

After all, tomorrow was battle day. The results of this month would soon become apparent to everyone. "Finally, let me offer you some advice—don't underestimate Dosu. Besides sound wave attacks, that person isn't completely helpless. Still, if you play to your strengths, you have a good chance of winning."

"Thank you, Teacher Mizuki. Thank you for everything this month." Sakura bowed respectfully.

Ino, who had been with her, also prepared to leave. Her month of unpaid assistance had come to an end.

"You still have half a day to prepare. Go home and rest well. Tomorrow will be completely different."

Starting from tomorrow, the ninja world would no longer remain peaceful. With Orochimaru's planned attack on Konoha, battles previously hidden in the shadows would gradually come into the open. Those days of peace were about to end.

...

Looking back on this one month of teaching, for Mizuki it was also a process of self-reflection. In some ways, his current situation wasn't all that different from Sakura's. Yet unlike her, who would later receive guidance from Tsunade, he could only explore on his own. He already had a path; it just required time to accumulate experience. Unfortunately, time was precisely what he lacked the most.

Regarding everything he had taught Sakura, the [Breath-Sealing Art] was what Mizuki valued most.

Its biggest difference from the [Yin Seal] lay here: the Yin Seal was a secret technique that directly stored chakra and released it during critical moments, though it carried certain side effects.

The Breath-Sealing Art worked differently. Instead of directly storing chakra, it absorbed scattered spiritual and physical energy, allowed the user to refine it into chakra, and then stored it.

This extra step wasn't meaningless at all. First, it maximally reduced bodily strain—not drawing from existing body chakra but recycling wasted energy, thereby reducing consumption. Another advantage was that, unlike the Yin Seal, which sealed chakra in the forehead, the Breath-Sealing Art didn't concentrate chakra storage in one area.

It was a large-scale storage technique distributed throughout the body at the cellular level. The amount of stored chakra increased gradually with improved control. It was a skill only experts in sealing techniques or those with exceptional chakra control could learn. Also, since it covered the entire body, chakra could be freely regulated and released from any part of the body. Besides being the perfect partner for cultivating Sage Mode, it was also ideal for casting seals, barriers, even genjutsu. In theory, it could partially counteract the Hyuga clan's pressure-point fighting techniques.

Teaching it to Sakura was actually an experiment—to see how far this girl, who could master the technique just as he did, could go. Perhaps in the future, it might even be Sakura who supported him.

...

After doing so much, Mizuki had practically completed Kakashi's request. Now it was time to prepare for the big event happening tomorrow.

Mizuki wasn't a fighting addict. The last time in the Land of Waves had merely been out of necessity—a brutal skirmish involving only a few Chunin and Genin. But this time—from ultra-powerful ninjas to massive Summoned Beasts, from group showdowns to one-on-one duels—everything was on an entirely different scale compared to those past skirmishes.

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