Teaching Kids [Mission]

Spoiler:

“A teacher is sick?” That was the first thing that Maerys said when he read the mission details. It was more than equivalent to him since Maerys specializes in Ninjutsu. However the fact that somebody is sick has Maerys concerned, but it seems to be a single day occasion. The young man tucked a fiery red lock behind his ear as he came to a decision.

Maerys had attended the Academy before so he roughly knows what needs to be done. At the same time the teen is a bit nervous for he never taught anybody before. Maerys packed books, some scrolls filled with notes, and a pewter bowl. For when teaching Ninjutsu especially to children a demonstration is usually effective. Nearly forgetting, Maerys picked up a stack of chakra paper for it would help students determine their element.

Then Maerys departed for the Academy as he walked down the hallway. On his shoulder is a strap that belongs to a sack as it drapes over his back that contains the supplies. On one hand is the pewter bowl which remains empty. “Room 2B…” He muttered as the genin looked for the classroom he was to attend. Eventually he finds the room and already he can hear children laughter from 2B. Maerys almost opened the door when he noticed the door was cracked open, and remembering his academy days of certain pranks. Maerys looked up to see a dry board eraser that has thin layers of chalk on it.

Shrugging his shoulders, Maerys used one hand to slide the door open and by extending his other hand which already held the bowl. The eraser falls into his bowl and a sudden hush settled over the classroom. There was a pause before Maerys stepped into room 2B. The classroom was mostly full with children of various ages. Maerys hazard a guess of somewhere from 8 to 12 years old. “I apologize to say that Mr. Iwaski has caught a cold and won’t be attending today.”

There was a moment of cheer on the children’s faces before majority of them realized something else too. Maerys continued, “As such myself, Maerys Himura…” Maerys paused as he was now at the center of the classroom to shift his attention at the chalk board. By taking a small piece of chalk, Maerys wrote the kanji of his name before turning his attention back to the classroom. “Will act as your substitute teacher on Ninjutsu.” As if on cue the entire class was filled with groans and booing. Maerys raised a brow before a loose strand of red hair slips from his ear to nicely frame his face with an orange highlight at the end.

“Don’t fret, it is only for a day so bear with me alright? My first question is who here already knows about what Ninjutsu is?” Maerys asked and the whole class lifted their hands in a lazy fashion. Well, all but one spirited youth. “Okay, now who can tell me what makes Ninjutsu the way we currently know as?” Just like that the same amount of hands went down. Except for the same spirited youth who was a young boy with snow white short hair and eyes as blue as the ocean. Maerys pointed out the white-haired boy to let him speak. “Ninjutsu is caused by a mixture of two base forms of chakra. They’re named Yin and Yang.” Well at least he knows that much, Maerys thought.

“Can you tell me the difference between Yin and Yang?” Maerys posed the question as he was writing what appears to be a tree of sorts. Ninjutsu being the middle with two smaller ones on the lower portion of the board. In these boxes are the Yin and Yang kanji as lines connect them together before forming a single line towards the Ninjutsu box. “Yin creates form from nothing on the mind, and by itself it is classified as Genjutsu. Yang gives the form essence to exist outside of the mind.” The boy seemed proud of the demonstration, and while he was correct Maerys shook his head.

“There is more to it than that. Yin is the main source for Genjutsu that much is true. Due to it being on the mental plane the power it holds is limited by your imagination. However even Genjutsu holds a tiny portion of Yang since each of these cannot exist without having each other. To someone with vast knowledge and experience in this field there is little to resist them. For at that point even the illusions soon enter reality and thus bending it.” Maerys explained as he spoke of how potentially powerful one area of just this combination is capable of. “Yang however, breathes life into this form and thus creating Ninjutsu. Both of these energies are spiritual and both are equally important to a shinobi.”

Maerys opens the sack he brought in and pulls out a canteen of water. By removing the eraser first, Maerys pours the whole container of water into the bowl. “In terms of mathematics Yin and Yang works in ratio. Put too much Yin and you’ll just create something in your mind yet holds no fruit. Too much Yang and you’ll not only fail the technique you’re performing but waste valuable chakra.” From the corner of his iridescent eyes Maerys see a hand raised up so with a shift of his gaze Maerys acknowledged. It was different kid who seems to have a fiery persona about him. “Why do you have a bowl of water?” Maerys shrugged his shoulders in response to that.

“For demonstration of course. You really don’t expect an instructor temporary or permanent to not demonstrate the very thing we’re teaching you do you?” Nobody responded, and while it is true that demonstrations are kind of a rare thing to witness outside from the usual clone and transformation techniques. So Maerys followed up the silence with another statement. “Performing anything related to Ninjutsu requires signs to be woven with the hands. It is uncommon to find somebody that can form these signs with a single hand, but it usually comes quite inaccurate from it.” Beckoning towards the bowl of water, Maerys charged little amount of chakra as rising from the bowl is a line of water. As Maerys stepped away he gestured with his index finger as the slithering water follows to his hand. There was a moment of awe from the classroom before one kid shouted.

“That is just an illusion! You didn’t even form any signs!” A few whispers spread around the room as Maerys only smiled while the tendril circled around his wrists and forearm. Always in motion the water is. “True i did not form signs, but that is because i don’t need such a thing. As long as i charge my chakra and activate the required trigger i’m set. This brings back to signs.” Maerys spent a good 10 minutes discussing each sign and writing the names down on the board. All while keeping that body of water traveling around his body and even collects the chalk residue from his fingers. It was quite mesmerizing to the class apparently since it acted almost like it held a mind of its own.

An hour goes by of Maerys teaching the students about Ninjutsu. More specifically going over the fundamentals of how Ninjutsu technically works and why the hand seals provide such purpose to aid channeling chakra. Maerys even went into detail of how some people managed to perform these techniques with only one hand, though also noted that they’re often slower than normal. On rare cases Maerys spoke of how there are a few individuals who can perform ninjutsu without forming any seals except for the trigger of a technique. Naturally, Maerys was asked of why he was going into such detail on the fundamentals when shinobi can effortlessly perform feats without knowing them.

“It is true people have saved villages and people alike without this sort of knowledge. Individuals generally take what works and never ask how it works. Chakra is mainly a tool to most people, but in truth it is part of your body. After all once you completely run out of chakra you won’t be able to form any techniques that require said chakra. Worst case scenario you will die from the lack of chakra if you’re not careful.” Tension was suddenly in the air after Maerys spoke the word ‘die’. In such a professional and friendly tone too like it was a normal thing. However Maerys wanted to point out that during combat expending all of their chakra is not recommended by any means. The young genin just hopes this information was accepted and the warning taken seriously.

Before the issue could be pressed further, a familiar bell rings throughout the classroom which indicates that instructing time is over now. “And that is all for today. If you have any questions, please present it to Mr. Shimara tomorrow. Otherwise you are dismissed.” Maerys motioned the seemingly floating body of water to the bowl. Where it slithers on the object and coils itself inside before Maerys released his control over it. In which case it just reverts back into an ordinary body of liquid in the pewter bowl. Of course even as the students made their way out of the room, Maerys took some extra time to wipe the board from the writing he did and makes sure to clean the room itself from any trash. Once it was clean, Maerys raised his hand as the body of water raises up from the bowl. In the form of a thin cord, Maerys guided it into his canteen and only drops his control over it when the last bit of it is inside. Then he packed all of his things before stepping out of the room.

[Mission Complete]
[exit]