I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

Chapter 445: Starting the Lesson

"I wonder why Captain Nagasawa suddenly called us together this time. It’s only been a month since the last assessment. Could it be another test?" Inuzuka Midori asked, puzzled.

After training, Inuzuka Midori’s chakra had reached the level required for sage mode. She had started training in sage techniques, but unlike Kakashi, she was training in Beast Breathing Sage Mode.

Although Inuzuka Midori’s best chakra nature was lightning, she rarely used chakra nature transformation in actual combat. She primarily relied on the Inuzuka clan’s secret techniques in battle, with advanced Six Powers techniques as support. The core of her fighting style remained the Beast Mimicry Technique.

Notably, Inuzuka Midori was now trying to teach her dog, Kuromaru, sage techniques. Given that her most decisive move was combining with Kuromaru, if he could also master sage techniques, it would significantly enhance her abilities.

Because she spent a lot of time teaching Kuromaru, her training needed to catch up; during the last assessment, she hadn’t met Nagasawa’s target and had been taken by one of his shadow clones for harsh training. So now, Inuzuka Midori had a bit of a psychological shadow regarding assessments.

Reflecting on this, Inuzuka Midori sighed, thinking about how she had endured daily training under Nagasawa, and now, a brief period felt like it would kill her.

"It shouldn’t be another assessment. Nagasawa-sensei decided on bimonthly assessments, so he probably won’t change his mind. It might be something else, maybe teaching us something new," Yanshui speculated.

It’s not like before. Initially, Nagasawa was just a tiny Anbu captain with plenty of time to teach Inuzuka Midori, Kakashi, and the others. But now, even as Hokage’s assistant, Nagasawa also served as the captain of the training team, captain of the special operations team, a consultant to the medical department, and vice minister of the education department...

One could say Nagasawa held many positions, and they weren’t just honorary titles; they involved real work. After all, these plans were Nagasawa’s proposals. Some new departments were also established at his suggestion. If he didn’t handle the job, who else would?

"It probably isn’t an assessment. Guy isn’t here. If Nagasawa-sensei had notified him, he would definitely be the first to arrive," Inuzuka Midori said, pushing up non-existent glasses and making a detective gesture.

"Whatever it is, as long as it doesn’t mean more work," Kakashi sighed, leaning against a tree.

Many ninjas in Konoha might envy him for being so accomplished at a young age. As a young training team leader, he had once defeated a Jinchuriki on the battlefield and had served as the Hokage’s bodyguard at the Five Kage Summit.

Being a Hokage bodyguard at the Five Kage Summit wasn’t something anyone could do; it had deep political significance. Usually, those taken were heirs, either the next or the one after that Hokage.

Konoha wasn’t like Kumogakure; the summit was hosted in Konoha, and the Hokage’s bodyguards were chosen carefully. However, for Kakashi, being a Hokage bodyguard wasn’t particularly special. He stood there, not needing to do anything or say anything, being a bystander.

One of the few reasons Kakashi felt happy about this role was Minato’s acknowledgement. But Kakashi didn’t have much ambition for the Hokage position. He had always been this way.

Many students spoke passionately about becoming Hokage in the ninja academy, but Kakashi was different. He couldn’t relate to his classmates; his personality was naturally more detached.

Before his father’s incident, Kakashi strived to follow his father’s example. After that, he was lost. As a Hokage bodyguard, Kakashi was very busy, with meetings to attend, his work not to neglect, and training to keep up with.

Kakashi wanted to enjoy life more and be more relaxed. He wanted more time to spend with Hana and teach Yuri. He had lost his father’s love early on and had no memory of motherly love. He didn’t want Yuri to be like him.

"Ugh, you sound like an old washed-up ninja. Kakashi, you’re emitting such a strong stench of laziness, I can almost smell it." Inuzuka Midori pretended to pinch her nose, waving her hand before her face, trying to dispel an imaginary smell.

"You’re the last person I want to hear this from." Kakashi glanced down and said indifferently.

"How about you get through a work shift without being caught slacking off by Nagasawa-sensei before you talk to me."

"Damn it, Kakashi, you don’t get it. This is my unique training method. If Nagasawa-sensei can’t catch me slacking off, then who else could during a stealth mission?" Inuzuka Midori gave him a look that said he didn’t understand.

Kakashi was momentarily speechless. It seemed reasonable, but why did she keep pushing her luck?

"Let the great Midori teach you how to slack off at work without being caught by Nagasawa-sensei. These methods were tested and proven with my blood and tears." Inuzuka Midori spoke confidently.

"Oh, go on. I’m listening," Nagasawa suddenly appeared behind Inuzuka Midori, smiling.

"Hmph, you better listen carefully..."

Inuzuka Midori proudly placed her hands on her hips, ready to share her hard-earned slacking secrets. But then she remembered that Kakashi was leaning on a tree to her right, and Yanshui stood to her left. So, behind her was...

"Ahem." Inuzuka Midori faked a couple of coughs, her proud smile turning severe, and she spoke earnestly:

"Kakashi, this is your mistake. Konoha is our home. As the leader of the training team, holding such a significant position, how can you slack off? Even thinking about it is a sin."

Kakashi: ...

"You think I’d believe your nonsense? While Kakashi may clock out on time without staying a minute longer, he certainly doesn’t slack off like you." Nagasawa gave Inuzuka Midori a slight tap on the head.

"And teaching people how to slack off? Shall I give you the title of Slacking Captain, so you can teach others how to slack off without being caught?"

"Can I?" Inuzuka Midori looked at Nagasawa expectantly.

"Of course not." Nagasawa said with a straight face. What kind of fantasy was she having?

If such a department existed, it would be for training ninjas from enemy villages. Teaching Konoha’s ninjas how to slack off was absurd.

Inuzuka Midori looked disappointed. If she could teach people how to slack off while slacking off herself, that would be the ultimate experience.

Ignoring Inuzuka Midori’s antics, Nagasawa stood in front of the three and spoke:

"I called you here to teach you something new," Nagasawa explained.

"New techniques? Damn, I guessed wrong. I thought that since Guy wasn’t here, it couldn’t be new techniques." Inuzuka Midori recovered from her disappointment, realising her deduction was wrong.

"Guy isn’t suited for what I’m going to teach you, so I didn’t call him," Nagasawa answered. What he had already taught Guy was enough. Guy’s path was straightforward—extreme taijutsu to overpower everything without needing too many fancy tricks.

Of course, the Shinigami system was unique and beneficial for strengthening the soul. Once Guy had digested all the techniques taught by Nagasawa and hit a bottleneck, he could try it out.

"Do you know about samurai?" Nagasawa asked.

"I’ve heard a bit. Before the ninja era, it was the era of samurai. But now, in the ninja era, samurai have declined, mostly concentrated in the Land of Iron," Yanshui answered.

’Samurai... I have no idea what this new thing could be.’ Kakashi tried to analyse Nagasawa’s words but gave up.

"You’re right, Yanshui." Nagasawa nodded.

"In the era of samurai, there were no ninjas. Samurai were the epitome of strength. Do you think samurai were just slightly stronger ordinary people?" Nagasawa asked.

"They probably weren’t. If they were stronger ordinary people, they would have been completely wiped out in the ninja era, not just declined," Kakashi thought momentarily and answered.

Nagasawa nodded, confirming Kakashi’s thoughts. Although the world of Naruto wasn’t as exaggerated as that of One Piece, where people could train to the point of slicing islands in half, it was still a world full of extraordinary phenomena.

Even if the samurai of that era didn’t use chakra, the stronger ones probably had decent power, likely between Chūnin and Jōnin levels.

"So you need to understand, chakra isn’t the only source of power." Nagasawa began to elaborate.

After all, the Shinigami system was quite different from the One Piece system. Introducing elements from One Piece into the ninja system was relatively normal.

"Recently, I discovered a new kind of mystical power related to the soul and spiritual energy."

The three of them became curious. Techniques related to spiritual energy were rare and valuable, usually involving Yin Release, like the Nara clan’s shadow imitation technique.

"In fact, the soul itself has power. When the soul’s density is high enough, it has spiritual pressure. Powerful spiritual pressure alone can render the opponent unable to resist. This soul power can also be called spiritual energy. I’ve recently developed a method to train spiritual energy..."

Nagasawa continued to explain, using terminology that ninjas would understand to describe concepts from the world of Shinigami.

"Spiritual energy, spiritual pressure..." Kakashi looked at Nagasawa sceptically. It felt like Nagasawa was pulling their leg. These terms were unfamiliar, and they felt pretty out of place.

In the ninja world, who talks about strengthening the soul? It’s all about enhancing spiritual energy, not directly boosting the soul.

Yanshui, the only one with some understanding of spiritual energy, gave Nagasawa a dubious look. Spiritual pressure, does such a thing exist...?

"No amount of talking compares to experiencing it yourself. I’ll release some spiritual pressure for you to feel," Nagasawa decided to release his spiritual pressure to give them a tangible experience.

The Captain-Commander’s spiritual pressure was incredibly powerful. Just releasing it could make Vice-Captain-level Shinigami pass out from fear. When he used Bankai, all of Seireitei could feel the change in his spiritual pressure. At his angriest, his spiritual pressure could reach all of Soul Society.

Although Nagasawa’s current fusion rate was only fifty per cent, giving him only fifty per cent of the Captain-Commander’s spiritual pressure, it was still formidable.

Nagasawa closed his eyes slightly, recalling the technique for releasing spiritual pressure, and then controlled his spiritual pressure to burst out.

He had to be careful not to release his killing intent or Conqueror’s Haki together, or Kakashi and the others might pass out.

Thanks to Nagasawa’s prior warning, Kakashi wasn’t caught off guard and braced himself mentally for the release of spiritual pressure.

But even with the preparation, when Nagasawa’s spiritual pressure hit, Kakashi realised it was real! Despite no change in Nagasawa’s chakra, an overwhelming and vast force descended upon him like an ocean.

"Huff, huff." Kakashi gasped for breath, his face contorted. The pressure was more terrifying than he had imagined.

Kakashi felt Nagasawa’s figure expand, becoming a towering giant while he was a bug being squeezed by the giant.

Inuzuka Midori and Yanshui fared no better, also gasping for breath and struggling to breathe. Ultimately, Kakashi had to fully activate his chakra to counteract the pressure, and he felt much better.

Yanshui and Inuzuka Midori did the same, realising they would collapse without it.

"How was it, feeling my spiritual pressure directly?" Nagasawa smiled at them, retracting his spiritual pressure.

"It felt like an invisible hand was choking me, making it hard to breathe. It was awful," Inuzuka Midori said, her face twisted.

Yanshui and Kakashi nodded vigorously in agreement.

Kakashi realised he had underestimated the ninja world. There were too many hidden depths. Nagasawa had kept such powerful spiritual pressure hidden all this time.

"So, interested in learning?" Nagasawa asked with a smile.

"Very interested," Yanshui responded quickly. He had a feeling this could help him overcome his current weaknesses and reach the level of an actual strong person.

Though the Nara clan was traditionally more of a support role, even support types had ambitions. If he could rely on himself, why assist others?

"It doesn’t seem to align well with my fighting style," Inuzuka Midori pondered.

Her combat style was straightforward, much like a pure taijutsu ninja. She wasn’t sure if something related to the soul would suit her.

"Don’t worry, it will benefit you," Nagasawa reassured.

Training in the Shinigami system benefited ninjas, increasing their potential and chakra.

"Next, I’ll go over some key points of training. Take note..."