But he couldn't stop Uzumaki Naruto; with such an opportunity before him, not trying isn't in Uzumaki Naruto's style.
During breaks, Captain Yamato racked his brains thinking of various funny jokes to cheer up Uzumaki Naruto.
Unfortunately, Yamato's face isn't made for telling jokes; no matter how funny the joke, it becomes a cold joke when he tells it.
"Could it be that Wood Release affects the humor cells in the body?" Obito pondered seriously.
"I don't think so; it's just that his joke-telling skills are purely terrible," Kakashi commented.
"Kakashi, how can you say that? He's your future junior," Obito said, seemingly defending Yamato.
"Alright then, maybe it's just that he doesn't have any friends to joke around with, which makes him bad at telling jokes," Kakashi concluded.
Yamato: ...
Tension rising, fists clenching.
He really wanted to give the two people in front of him a good beating, why did they keep taking turns mocking him?
"Don't say that about Captain Yamato," Uzumaki Naruto stepped up to defend Yamato.
But what Uzumaki Naruto said next made Yamato unable to keep a straight face.
"He's just a bit dull, that's all," Uzumaki Naruto said earnestly.
Yamato covered his face speechless, oh no, he's turned the joke on himself.
Yamato's face turned red, and then he began uttering some incomprehensible phrases like "one's natural appearance is beyond control" and "Anbu Ninja," making everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere suddenly became lively.
Even though he made a fool of himself, seeing Naruto's smile, Yamato didn't feel it was a loss.
After a short break, the group quickly returned to training.
"The most important aspect of Water Release is Chakra Form Transformation; don't be confined to a single form," Mokgetsu instructed Yamato.
"Try using Water Array Wall."
Yamato nodded, forming seals to gather Chakra, then swiftly transformed all the Chakra into Water Attribute Chakra, creating a Water Wall from the ground up as a shield.
"This kind of Water Array Wall can only block attacks from one direction, but if you use it like me, it can shield against attacks from all sides," Mokgetsu demonstrated as he began forming seals.
"Water Release: Water Array Wall!"
Mokgetsu spewed a massive torrent of water from his mouth, rotating rapidly to form a tight water barrier enveloping both Mokgetsu and Yamato.
Yamato tried to replicate Mokgetsu's method, but failed due to insufficient form transformation ability.
Mokgetsu wasn't surprised, as this requires long-term cultivation and certain talent.
Ninjutsu isn't like clay for ninjas to mold into any shape they desire.
Just like how Yamato can't use Deep Forest Emergence, it's not because he doesn't want to, but because he can't.
"Try using Breath of Water alongside Water Release," Mokgetsu continued instructing.
Yamato had only recently started cultivating Breath of Water, his proficiency just breaking ten, so he could barely use it.
Following Mokgetsu's instruction, Yamato performed the Water Array Wall again; although unsuccessful, it felt different than before.
[Lecture Completed]
[Evaluation: S]
[Rewards: Yang Attribute Chakra Nature Changes +8, Breath of Yang +3, Water Attribute Chakra Nature Changes +2, Breath of Water +1, Slight Increase in Chakra Form Transformation Ability]
At the end of the day, Mokgetsu had many new insights on Breath of Yang.
Not sure if Uzumaki Naruto had a breakthrough, but today's Breath of Yang experience was higher than usual, typically steady at two points, while other aspects showed no changes.
As the development of Breath of Yang gradually approached a trainable prototype, An Lushan finally couldn't endure Mokgetsu's torment and revealed the secret technique for absorbing the Dragon Vein power to Mokgetsu.
"All the Dragon Vein power is yours, just let me go," An Lushan pleaded.
Mokgetsu glanced at An Lushan with a cold eye and then began reading the technique An Lushan had personally written.
"Seems I've been too kind to you," Mokgetsu sighed and left An Lushan's cell, intensifying the pressure.
He wasn't sure of the authenticity of An Lushan's written technique; after all, it's not his expertise, but it didn't stop Mokgetsu from being suspicious of An Lushan.
Mokgetsu wouldn't show any mercy to someone like An Lushan; even if he were wrong to doubt, he wouldn't feel guilty.
"This guy hasn't become a traitorous ninja yet, he must be plotting something," An Lushan watched Mokgetsu with wide eyes.
Mokgetsu didn't give the impression of a typical, honest ninja at all.
Leaving the jail, Mokgetsu went to see the Queen of Loulan.
Since Mokgetsu helped Loulan with a huge problem, the Queen agreed to let him research the control of Dragon Vein power.
However, this situation differed from An Lushan's; the Queen would only channel a small amount of the Dragon Vein power to Mokgetsu for research.
If Mokgetsu hadn't already known of the Dragon Vein's existence, the Queen wouldn't have agreed, fearing he might become another An Lushan.
With the Queen's help, Mokgetsu's research on the Dragon Vein progressed smoothly.
"Solving the Chakra issue requires gaining more rewards and developing the Yang Seal." The more Mokgetsu studied the Dragon Vein, the more he realized that its energy couldn't be used like Tailed Beasts as a direct battery; it's too dangerous.
However, Mokgetsu found another use for the Dragon Vein energy: enhancing Chakra Armor.