When Mokgetsu arrived at the training field, Yamato was already waiting there.
The time was just half-past six, and the sky was dyed a faint orange-red by the evening glow. The sun was slowly sinking to the edge of the horizon, leaving a touch of golden afterglow.
A gentle breeze brushed through the trees in the training field, causing the layered leaves to sway gently in the wind, making a rustling sound as if nature were whispering.
Yamato stood alone at the edge of the training field, his silhouette stretched long and cast upon the leaf-covered earth.
"When did you get here?" Mokgetsu asked, walking forward with a gentle smile.
"At six ten," Yamato replied honestly.
"The appointed time was six forty, so why did you come so early?"
"I had nothing to do in that house and thought I shouldn't let Lord Mokgetsu wait for me, so I came early," Yamato explained.
Although he had only met Mokgetsu once, Yamato indeed had a good impression of him.
On one hand, Mokgetsu was the perfect ninja in Shimura Danzo's eyes, his direction of effort. On the other hand, Mokgetsu's own temperament made Yamato feel very comfortable.
"Let's formally get acquainted. I am Habu Mokgetsu. You don't have to call me Lord Mokgetsu; you can call me Teacher Mokgetsu or just Teacher," Mokgetsu said with a warm smile.
"I am A," Yamato quietly looked at Mokgetsu.
The warmth and radiance gave Yamato the illusion that the blazing sun sinking into the horizon had risen again.
"A is just your codename in Root, not your name," Mokgetsu shook his head and said.
Yamato's expression became confused, "But that's the only codename Lord Danzo gave me."
He was a person without a past. For him, what Shimura Danzo granted was everything.
"How about Yamato? As your own name, rather than a codename," Mokgetsu suggested thoughtfully.
Mokgetsu wasn't trying to earn favor but simply thought it was odd not to have a name.
"If you want to choose your own name or think this name doesn't sound good, it's okay, because the name is yours, and the most important thing is your own opinion."
Yamato quickly shook his head, "No, I think this name is great."
Mokgetsu gave him a name out of goodwill, and how could Yamato mind? Besides, he did find the name fitting, with an inexplicable sense that it was meant to be.
"If Danzo asks, just say I gave you a name so that you can function normally in Konoha," Mokgetsu thought for a moment and reminded.
Mokgetsu wasn't making a big deal of things; it's just that Shimura Danzo was that sensitive.
At this time, Shimura Danzo was still dreaming that any Wood Release Ninja could grow to become a super strong individual, so he paid great attention to Yamato, treating him as his secret weapon.
A secret weapon suddenly having a name might lead to Danzo imagining all sorts of scenarios, so Mokgetsu helped Yamato come up with a logical and realistic explanation.
Yamato nodded and remembered what Mokgetsu said.
"Next, you'll climb trees and then walk on water. I need to test your chakra control level," Mokgetsu began formally teaching Yamato cultivation.
Mokgetsu's Wood Release couldn't be revealed yet, so his short-term training plan was to first improve Yamato's chakra control level, and then teach him Water Release and Earth Release.
Yamato followed Mokgetsu's instructions, stepping up a large tree as if walking on level ground, looking around before finally gazing at Mokgetsu.
Because he noticed there didn't seem to be any water nearby for him to walk on.
"Earth Release: Earthquake Core!"
Mokgetsu quickly formed seals, concentrating a large amount of chakra to control a piece of ground in front of him, lowering it by three meters.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
Then Mokgetsu spewed out a huge stream of water to fill the sunken area.
In just a minute, the training field instantly gained a gigantic swimming pool.
Yamato's mouth opened slightly, as it was his first time seeing a ninja use large-scale ninjutsu to alter the terrain.
"If you train seriously, soon you can do it too," Mokgetsu patted Yamato's shoulder with a smile.
Due to the Hashirama Cells, Yamato had exceptional advantages in chakra, and as long as his nature transformation ninjutsu proficiency increased, his strength wouldn't be lacking.
Yamato also performed well at water walking, running swiftly on the water surface without any issues.
Mokgetsu wasn't surprised, as Yamato was the only other Wood Release Ninja after Hashirama; Shimura Danzo surely spent effort teaching him, so his foundation surely wouldn't be poor.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu!"
Mokgetsu formed seals to summon a water dragon, which rampaged over the large swimming pool, making the once-calm water surface instantly turbulent, and Yamato no longer at ease as before.
Mokgetsu taught Yamato as he had with Obito and the others, training Yamato's chakra control ability and movement.
After an hour, Mokgetsu began teaching Water Release Ninjutsu, and since Yamato already mastered some Water Release techniques, Mokgetsu directly taught him the Great Waterfall Jutsu.
The Great Waterfall Jutsu, although it can't directly enhance the power of ninjutsu like Sunny Day, can create a favorable environmental field for Water Release Ninjas, making it a very useful auxiliary Water Release Ninjutsu.
When the total teaching time reached two and a half hours, Mokgetsu announced the end of the first day's lessons.
Upon hearing that cultivation was over and he could go home, Yamato felt a bit dazed.
He looked up at the sky and found that unknowingly it had been overtaken by a deep, dark blue, with glowing stars adorning it, shining with a weak but determined brightness.