Being a babysitter was something Shuimu was capable of doing occasionally, but it was a bit boring, and she went to bed too late at night. Leaning against the tree trunk and yawning, Shuimu fell asleep unknowingly.

Shuimu, who was in a daze, seemed to feel someone approaching, and then he opened his eyes alertly.

"It's you guys, what? Have you finished practicing?"

The ones who came over were Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.

Sasuke shook his head and said, "Let's take a break first. What? Kakashi-sensei is not here?"

"Kakashi is busy and won't be in the village for the next two days. If you have any questions, you can ask me."

"I understand." Sasuke nodded, "Then I'll leave it to Mr. Mizuki."

"You are welcome."

Actually, in this forest environment, Shuimu didn't waste his time. Natural energy is what people who know the Sage Mode call it. However, Shuimu is not sure what it is. The word "natural" is too broad. Shuimu has tried to sense natural energy in this environment many times, but unfortunately, he has not found any clues so far. Sometimes Shuimu also doubted whether such a thing existed. It was not until Uchiha Sasuke separated many things containing natural energy from the chakra collected after the curse seal exploded that Shuimu dispelled this doubt.

But even though I know it, I still have no idea how to sense natural energy. I still need to contact the second fake Jinchūriki to find out the specific situation.

…

In such a hot summer day, staying outside for a long time is also quite unbearable. At this time, if you have to do a lot of ninja training, the consumption is also amazing. But Shuimu has no intention of stopping. This lucky person who is deeply favored by fate, in this situation, maybe he can figure out some nirvana. This kind of existence beyond the specification, let him develop naturally, maybe it is a good thing. Of course, Shuimu will never think that the above are excuses for laziness.

"If Kakashi hadn't asked me to do that, I would have really wanted to take a break."

I really owed Hatake Kakashi a lot of favors these days. When I asked for help, the first thing I thought of was to ask Kakashi for help. If I could get the status of a jonin this time, it was also because Kakashi had put in a lot of effort. I just received a benefit, so I shouldn't be too perfunctory.

It was not until a little after noon that the two exhausted Genin finally stopped and the three of them ate lunch under the shade of a relatively cool tree.

"Teacher Mizuki, I brought a lot of food, all made by me. Would you like some?" The enthusiastic Haruno Sakura said to Mizuki with a smile.

"No thanks." Mizuki refused. "I'm not a bachelor like Kakashi. I have a fiancée who makes lunch for me."

This is also a strong reason. The real reason why Mizuki dare not eat Sakura's food is her legendary terrible cooking skills. Mizuki doesn't want to eat this kind of inexplicable dark cuisine.

"Sasuke-kun, do you want to eat?" Seeing Mizuki refuse, Sakura turned to Uchiha Sasuke.

"Yeah." Uchiha Sasuke nodded slightly. Living alone, he didn't really have a good lunch box, so it was nice to have someone do it for him occasionally.

Seeing that Sasuke agreed, Sakura was very happy and gave a large piece to Sasuke. Then she looked at Sasuke with hope as he ate it.

"Hmm?" Sasuke frowned, as if he felt the strangeness of the food in his mouth, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he chewed a few times and swallowed it.

Mizuki also watched Sasuke and Sakura's reactions with interest. When Sasuke frowned, Sakura looked nervous, and when Sasuke finally swallowed it, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"It seems that before becoming Tsunade's apprentice, although Sakura's cooking skills were not good, she did not have enough dark cuisine ingredients to use, so the noodles could barely be considered normal food."

"Sasuke-kun, is it delicious?"

"It tastes terrible." Sasuke answered without any hesitation.

These words immediately made Haruno Sakura depressed.

"But, I remember putting a lot of good things in it, which are obviously very good for the body."

"It seems that medical ninjutsu, pharmaceutical skills and cooking skills are incompatible after all."

Mizuki, who was mourning for Sakura's cooking ability, heard Uchiha Sasuke ask: "Teacher Mizuki, what exactly do you mean by practicing chakra control?"

"This is quite common. Kakashi should have taught you, right?" Since you have learned Chidori, it doesn't make sense for Kakashi not to teach you such a simple thing.

"Is there any better way to practice?"

"I'm just asking if there's any quick way to achieve it?" Shuimu said teasingly, "I don't know if there is. It would be great if there really is one. I want it too."

This kind of technical thing, except for some extremely talented people, will eventually come down to practice makes perfect. If physical fitness can be quickly enhanced by drugs or transplants, there is really no good way to control chakra.

Hearing Mizuki's words, Uchiha Sasuke lowered his head in disappointment.

"Is there no way to quickly improve your strength?"

Of course there are ways, Chidori has great potential, such as Chidori Style, Chidori Sharp Spear, Kirin, etc. However, with Sasuke's current ability and physical fitness, it is useless to say these.

In the final analysis, in addition to experience, age and immature body greatly limit Uchiha Sasuke's current growth rate.

"Teacher Mizuki, can't you really help Sasuke?" Sakura Haruno also wanted to do something for Sasuke. After a month of teaching by Mizuki, she had a deep understanding of Mizuki's methods. She hoped that Mizuki could find a good way to help Sasuke.

"What do you think I can teach Sasuke? Or what of my ninjutsu he can learn?"

Except for the summoning technique, none of Mizuki's techniques require very high chakra control. Sasuke probably doesn't even look down on other common techniques.

There was one more thing Mizuki didn't say, which was: Why should I teach him? Teaching Haruno Sakura was a deal between Hatake Kakashi, and Mizuki also had his own selfish motives. He was just going with the flow. He helped Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke a few times because it was his responsibility as a Konoha ninja. In the hot summer, being a babysitter for two little kids here was also a commission from Hatake Kakashi and out of personal friendship. It was enough to protect these two Genin from getting hurt. But this was not the same as teaching ninjutsu casually. Mizuki was not the team leader, and Sasuke was not Mizuki's disciple. In fact, Mizuki could have completely ignored Sasuke and Sakura's requests, without any explanation, and just perfunctorily responded.

If Mizuki didn't get along well with Haruno Sakura, he wouldn't have paid attention to such brainless words. Mizuki had no reason to buy into Sakura's ignorant feelings.

Hearing Mizuki's question, Haruno Sakura couldn't help but lower her head, feeling disappointed and apologetic for her inappropriate request just now.

…

The day's babysitting career was almost over. Apart from the fact that the weather was too hot, Shuimu didn't spend much time. Most of the time, it seemed that she was resting with her eyes closed, but in fact she was sensing the natural energy. Unfortunately, there was basically no effect. Apart from feeling good physical condition due to the small amount of activity throughout the day, there was almost no effect.

"Come later tomorrow morning." Before leaving, Mizuki said to Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura who were about to leave, "I have something to do in the morning, so I may come late. You are also tired today. Rest more in the morning. Combining work and rest is also very important for a successful ninja."

"Got it." The two agreed and left.

"I don't know if I can really do it." With Uchiha Sasuke's mind, he can be obedient. Mizuki is not sure, "But now is not the time to worry about this. The important thing is tomorrow..."

Mizuki hurried back home and found that his fiancée Chie Tsubaki had been waiting for him for a long time.

"Why are you back so late?"

"I have to pay attention to what Kakashi asks me to do." Although there is no ninjutsu that can be passed on to Sasuke, at least when Sasuke is injured due to the high-intensity training and Haruno Sakura's medical ninjutsu can't keep up, I have to do my best to treat him. If Kakashi returns and gives him a wounded Sasuke, I will lose all my face.

"Yes." Xiaochun nodded and said, "I have already made arrangements for the meeting tomorrow."

"That's good. Is there anything suspicious in the past two days?"

"Nothing. It seems that the last illusion didn't work and it has been quiet for a few days. Nothing unusual was found."

The illusion did not work, so it must have been discovered. Since Shuimu did not make it public, the person behind the scenes would not make a big fuss and let everyone know about it.

"That's it. There shouldn't be any problem."

The next morning, two people came to the wooden house with a small flower garden in the back mountain. It was the exclusive residence of Mizuki and Xiaochun. They both looked like Chie Tsubaki.

"No one is following you, right?"

"Sure. What about you?"

"No one on my side will pay attention to this place, so the secrecy of the secret base can be guaranteed for the time being."

"That's good, but why are you like this?"

"Mizuki's appearance is not suitable for appearing outside the village without a mission. Aren't you also appearing in this appearance?"

"There is nothing I can do about it. I can only ask Xiaochun to be my substitute for a while. It is too difficult to avoid the vague surveillance." He could only rely on the barrier at home to let Xiaochun temporarily replace him, and Shuimu himself turned into Xiaochun's appearance, relying on the effect of the breath-retaining technique to completely cover up the fluctuation of chakra. As long as there are no major problems with the actions, basically no one will find that this is a fake. And according to Xiaochun's habit of going to the back mountain to harvest the flowers in the flower garden every now and then and bringing them back to sell, no one would object to this.

"Then let's exchange memories. There are some incredible discoveries..."

…

After a long time, after finally digesting the memories of the exchange, Shuimu opened the window of the cabin and quietly looked at a bud of flowers not far away.

"How is it? Any ideas?" asked the fake Jinchuriki clone.

Shuimu's original body exhaled a deep breath, and then replied: "We are one person, and we think in the same way. What you think, I naturally know. And vice versa. However, it is really as you said, an incredible discovery."

"Do we still need to practice Sage Mode?"

"Of course, we can't delay this any longer." Mizuki said decisively, "Always trying to find some perfect methods is also a cowardly behavior. Look at Sasuke who dared to go to Orochimaru for strength. Although reckless, it is also a kind of courage. We can't keep being timid like this. And time is too late."

"That's right. The Jonin test is just around the corner. There will be the last actual battle soon, and then there will be problems within the village. Also, Senjutsu Chakra is related to many other things."

"Let's do this. Once the issue of Senjutsu Chakra is resolved, we must try to connect the memories between the clones. Since you have found a breakthrough in the Tailed Beast Chakra, you should complete this as soon as possible. There are many things that require manpower. We can't always rely on self-cloning. So many valuable clones cannot be used just as big bombs."

"I know, but are you sure? If something happens to you, it will implicate many people. You won't even have a chance to revive. You can't just pretend you don't know like Jiraiya and Kabuto Yakushi did."

Shuimu took a deep breath and finally explained: "Since we have embarked on this path, there is definitely no way back. This has been stuck for so long. If we drag it on, we will become more and more passive."

"Since you have made up your mind, then let it be. However, you really chose a good enemy. Even the Sage of the Six Paths may not be able to do it. Can you do it? You also know the fate of the last loser."

"No, we cannot say for sure whether the Sage of Six Paths did it or not. The Uzumaki family is asking for trouble."

"It's enough for you to know the consequences. I didn't expect this to be the result. I thought the three holy places had some special purpose in teaching the Sage Mode, but I didn't expect it to be so simple. No one wants to help with the trouble caused by humans."

"I have to go back early. Today's shock was a bit too great. I didn't expect that something called natural energy would be so unreliable."

"Only people like us who take ourselves very seriously would care about this. How many other people would care whether they have a complete self? Just like Uchiha Sasuke, as long as it can improve his strength, he will still care about this?"

"Let's talk about it next time we meet. It probably won't be too long."