ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪꜱᴛ | ᴛᴇɴᴛᴇɴ ꜰꜰ|

Chapter 41

The sun rose over Konoha, casting golden rays through the trees as Ugetsu Hozuki made his way to the training grounds, determination etched on his face. It had been a few days since his conversation with Naruto and Sakura about getting stronger, and he knew he needed to take action. He had made up his mind: he wanted Kakashi Hatake, his team's leader and a renowned shinobi, to be his mentor.

As he approached the clearing, he spotted Kakashi leaning against a tree, his ever-present *Icha Icha* novel tucked under one arm. The sunlight danced on the pages, creating a whimsical contrast with the serious demeanor of the training ground. Ugetsu cleared his throat to get Kakashi's attention. "Uh, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi looked up, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he closed his book. "Ugetsu, you look better now. What's up?"

Taking a deep breath, Ugetsu gathered his thoughts. "After what happened with Sasuke, I need to get stronger... stronger to bring him back. My water skills... I know I'm good, but it's not enough. So please train me!"

Kakashi's eyes sparkled with intrigue as he listened to Ugetsu's earnest request. He straightened up from his relaxed position, the playful demeanor shifting slightly to one of seriousness. "You want to train with me? That's quite the commitment, Ugetsu. Are you prepared for what that entails?"

Ugetsu nodded vigorously, his resolve unwavering. "I am! I want to improve my water techniques and become strong enough to bring Sasuke back to the village."

Kakashi studied him for a moment, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Strength doesn't come just from training, you know. It also comes from understanding yourself, your abilities, and your limitations. You need to find balance, especially as a Hozuki. Your Hydrification Technique is impressive, but you should also consider how to enhance your physical skills without relying solely on your water abilities."

Ugetsu nodded, absorbing Kakashi's words. "I understand. I want to learn how to fight effectively, even when I'm not using water techniques."

"Good." Kakashi smirked, pleased with Ugetsu's determination. "But I warn you, my training isn't easy. If you're serious about this, you'll need to push yourself beyond your limits."

"I'm ready!" Ugetsu replied, enthusiasm bubbling over.

The following weeks were a whirlwind of intense training for Ugetsu under Kakashi's watchful eye. Every day began before dawn, with the sun barely peeking over the horizon as Ugetsu found himself running laps around the training ground. Ugetsu thought Kakashi would be as laidback as ever, like how he would teach him, Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke back then, but he was wrong. His favorite sensei was ruthless. Kakashi would often be waiting for him, arms crossed, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"Late again, Ugetsu?" he'd tease, though he always had a glimmer of respect in his eyes for Ugetsu's determination.

Ugetsu would force a grin through his fatigue and sprint off, pushing himself harder each day. Kakashi's training regimen was relentless, a blend of physical conditioning, jutsu practice, and mental endurance exercises. Ugetsu learned to harness his Hydrification Technique more efficiently, mastering the transitions between his liquid and solid forms.

"Focus on fluidity but maintain control," Kakashi would remind him during their jutsu drills. "You need to be like water—adaptive but unyielding. If you lose control, you'll leave yourself open."

Underneath Kakashi's laid-back demeanor was a relentless drive to prepare Ugetsu for the harsh realities of being a shinobi. Kakashi challenged him with increasingly complex scenarios, pitting him against multiple training dummies and simulating real battle conditions.