[POV - HAYASHI MEI]
"The key to effective genjutsu creation," Instructor Yamada explained as she drew diagrams on the practice board, "is understanding your target's expectations. Most people see what they think they should see."
I copied the chakra flow patterns carefully into my notebook, making sure each line was precise. Around me, my Advanced Foundations teammates did the same, though with varying degrees of success. Tetsuya's notes looked neat and organized, while Daisuke's were more scattered across his page.
"Now, for today's exercise, you'll work in pairs to create basic transformation enhancements," Instructor Yamada continued. "Nothing complex, just small details that make your transformations more convincing."
When she announced the partnerships, I found myself paired with Rina. That was fine, Rina had excellent chakra control from her medical training, even if she could be a bit... hovering sometimes.
"We should focus on texture details," I said immediately, already planning our approach. "Most people just change appearance but ignore how surfaces should feel."
"That's a good idea," Rina agreed, though she glanced over at where Tetsuya was working with Takeshi. "Though maybe we should check if they need help with their..."
"They'll be fine," I said, perhaps a bit more sharply than necessary. "Takeshi's family probably taught him genjutsu theory before he could walk, and Tetsuya picks things up quickly enough."
Rina looked at me with that careful expression she got when she thought someone was being difficult. "I just meant it's always good to collaborate."
I focused on my transformation technique, changing my appearance to match one of the practice targets. The basic shape-change was easy enough, but adding the fine details Instructor Yamada wanted required much more concentration.
"Your chakra distribution is really precise," Rina observed as she watched me work. "But maybe if you relaxed the flow just a little..."
"I know what I'm doing," I said, maintaining my technique. The transformation was working perfectly, thank you very much. Just because some people needed constant guidance didn't mean everyone did.
From across the training area, I could hear Daisuke asking Tetsuya for help with his technique timing. Again. It was becoming a pattern, how people automatically turned to Tetsuya when they had problems, even though I usually had better strategic solutions.
"There," I said, completing my enhanced transformation. The illusion now included proper skin texture and even simulated the feeling of different fabric types. "See how much more convincing that is?"
"It's amazing," Rina said, and she sounded genuinely impressed. "Your family's tactical training really shows in how you approach techniques."
The compliment felt good, though I tried not to let it show too much. "Strategic thinking applies to everything, not just battlefield planning."
As we continued practicing, I noticed something that had been bothering me for weeks. During our regular cooperation sessions with standard track students, people always seemed to gravitate toward asking Tetsuya for help, even when I was standing right there with better explanations ready.
Take yesterday's session. That girl Hana had been struggling with her defensive stance, and instead of asking me, who obviously understood the tactical principles involved, she'd waited for Daisuke to become available. And Kenji always wanted Tetsuya to explain weapon techniques, despite the fact that I'd studied combat theory extensively.
"Mei," Rina said gently, "you're frowning. Is the technique too difficult?"
"No, it's fine," I said, shaking my head. "Just thinking about something else."
The thing was, I genuinely wanted to help people. That was the whole point of having advanced knowledge, wasn't it? To share it with those who needed it? But sometimes it felt like people didn't recognize when I was offering good advice.
Like last week, when some of the standard track students were practicing chakra flow exercises incorrectly. I'd tried to explain the proper theory behind energy circulation, but they'd all just looked confused until Tetsuya showed up and demonstrated the same thing using some analogy about water pipes.
It wasn't that I was jealous, exactly. Tetsuya was a good friend and teammate. It was just frustrating when people overlooked obvious solutions because they weren't presented in the simplest possible terms.
"Your transformation is holding really well," Instructor Yamada said, stopping by our practice area. "Excellent chakra control and attention to detail."
"Thank you, Instructor," I said, feeling a genuine sense of pride. At least the teachers recognized quality work when they saw it.
"Rina, how's your progress?"
"Getting better," Rina said, though her transformation flickered slightly as she spoke. "Mei's been giving me really helpful advice about chakra distribution."
"Good teamwork," Instructor Yamada nodded approvingly before moving on to check other pairs.
The rest of the genjutsu session went smoothly. I mastered the enhanced transformation technique faster than most of the others, and even managed to help Rina achieve a stable illusion by the end of class. When Instructor Yamada announced tomorrow's lesson on illusion layering, I was already planning my approach.
As we gathered our equipment, I heard Takeshi mention something to Tetsuya about family techniques that complemented Academy training. That was another thing, how everyone assumed clan children had these massive advantages, when really it just meant more expectations and pressure.
My parents were ninja, but they'd built their reputation through merit rather than bloodline advantages. They'd worked incredibly hard to establish themselves as trusted strategic advisors to village leadership. The strategic theory lessons, the tactical analysis practice, the observation exercises, all of that took time and resources that many families couldn't afford.
But people never seemed to consider that when they talked about "natural talent" or "clan advantages."
"Ready for our regular session?" Tetsuya asked as we headed toward the Academy's main building.
"Of course," I said, already organizing partner assignments in my head. "I think we should focus on chakra efficiency today. Some of the standard track students are still wasting energy on basic techniques."
"That sounds good," Daisuke agreed. "Though maybe we could also work on confidence building? Some of them seem hesitant to try new things."
I managed not to roll my eyes, but barely. Confidence wasn't the problem, proper technique understanding was the problem. If people actually learned the theory behind what they were doing, confidence would follow naturally.
Our mixed training session was held in the usual spot, the Academy's side courtyard. A decent crowd had gathered, including several standard track students I recognized and a few new faces.
"Alright everyone," I called out, clapping my hands to get attention. "Today we're going to focus on chakra efficiency and proper energy flow. Who wants to start with basic circulation theory?"
The response was less enthusiastic than I'd hoped. Several students looked confused, and a few actually took a step back.
"Or," Tetsuya said easily, "we could start with some warm-up exercises and work theory in gradually as we practice."
The energy in the group immediately improved. People started moving into practice positions, chattering about what they wanted to work on, and generally looking much more engaged.
I tried not to feel irritated. Tetsuya's approach would work, obviously, but it wasn't the most efficient way to build understanding. If people learned the principles first, they'd make fewer mistakes during practice.
"Mei," Yuki called out, waving me over to where she was standing with Kenji and a few other standard track students. "Could you help us with stance theory? We've been practicing the horse stance, but I think we're doing something wrong."
Finally, someone who wanted to understand the proper foundations.
"Absolutely," I said, walking over with renewed enthusiasm. "The horse stance is actually about keeping your balance better. Let me show you what I learned."
I demonstrated the correct stance, explaining what my parents had taught me. How your feet needed to be the right distance apart so you wouldn't tip over, why you had to bend your knees just enough but not too much, and how keeping your back straight helped you stay steady longer.
"That makes so much sense," Yuki said, adjusting her position according to my instructions. "I was just trying to copy what the instructors showed us, but understanding why it works makes it easier to remember."
"Exactly!" I said, pleased that someone finally got it. "My parents always say you should understand the reasons, not just copy what you see. When you know why something works, you can fix it if it goes wrong."
Kenji tried the corrected stance and immediately looked more stable. "This feels much better. Could you explain the chakra part too?"
"Well," I said, trying to remember how my father had explained it, "when you're balanced properly, your chakra can flow better because you're not fighting to stay upright. It's like... if you're wobbling, your body wastes energy just trying not to fall."
For the next twenty minutes, I had exactly the kind of teaching experience I'd been hoping for. Students who asked intelligent questions, who wanted to understand the reasoning behind techniques, who appreciated detailed explanations instead of just wanting quick demonstrations.
"You're really good at this," said a new voice behind me. I turned to see a standard track student I didn't recognize, a girl about my age with carefully maintained clothes that looked expensive but not ostentatious.
"Thank you," I said. "I'm Mei. Are you new to the cooperation sessions?"
"Sort of," she said. "I'm Noda Misaki. I've been watching for a few weeks, but this is my first time joining in."
There was something careful about the way she spoke, like she was being very thoughtful about her words. Her clothes were neat and clean, but I noticed they were mended in several places with nearly invisible stitching.
"Well, welcome," I said. "What would you like to work on?"
"Everything," Misaki said with a small laugh. "I mean, any help would be appreciated. I'm still struggling with basic chakra control."
I showed her the leaf-sticking exercise, explaining the theory behind chakra adhesion and surface tension. She listened intently, asking clarifying questions that showed she was really trying to understand rather than just get through the exercise.
"The key is steady pressure," I explained, watching her attempt. "Not bursts of energy. Think of it like... like filling a cup with water. Slow and steady, not splashing."
Misaki nodded seriously and tried again. This time, the leaf stayed attached for nearly fifteen seconds before fluttering away.
"Better!" I said encouragingly. "You're getting the concept. It just takes practice to maintain that steady flow."
"Thank you," Misaki said quietly. "This is really helpful. At home, I only have basic Academy textbooks, so having someone explain the details makes a big difference."
Something in her tone made me look at her more carefully. The mended clothes, the careful way she spoke about textbooks, the intensity with which she approached every exercise. I suddenly realized she might be one of those students who didn't have the same resources other people took for granted.
The thought made me feel a bit ashamed of my earlier irritation. Here was someone who genuinely wanted to learn and was working hard despite not having every advantage, while I'd been annoyed that people didn't immediately appreciate my teaching style.
"Would you like me to write down some of the theory points?" I asked. "I have extra paper, and it might help you practice at home."
Misaki's face lit up with genuine gratitude. "That would be amazing, if you don't mind."
I spent the rest of the session working primarily with Misaki and a few other students who seemed to appreciate detailed explanations. It felt good to help people who really wanted to learn, even if my approach wasn't always the most popular one.
As the session wound down, I noticed Tetsuya helping a group of students with weapon balance, using his blacksmithing knowledge to explain weight distribution. Daisuke was patiently working with someone on defensive positioning, while Rina had organized a chakra control circle where people could practice together.
Everyone had found their niche, their own way of contributing to the group learning experience. Maybe that was better than having one "correct" approach that everyone had to follow.
"Same time tomorrow?" Misaki asked as we finished cleaning up.
"Definitely," I said. "And I'll bring those theory notes I mentioned."
Walking home through the village streets, I found myself thinking about the afternoon's session differently than usual. Instead of focusing on how people responded to different teaching styles, I thought about students like Misaki who were working so hard to succeed despite having fewer resources than others.
My family's strategic consulting work was successful enough to afford good training materials, advanced tactical instruction, and extra Academy supplies. I'd always known that was an advantage, but I hadn't really considered how much harder it must be for someone like Misaki.
Maybe next time I could try explaining things differently. Not because my way was wrong, but because different people needed different kinds of help. Though I still thought understanding theory first was the best approach.
Tomorrow's cooperation session would be another chance to help. I'd definitely bring those notes for Misaki, and maybe I could find other students who wanted to understand the proper foundations too.
As I reached my family's house, I could see lights in the windows and smell dinner cooking. Inside, my parents would want to hear about my Academy progress, and I'd tell them about mastering the enhanced transformation technique and helping students with their training.
I'd tell them about Misaki too, and how hard she was working with just basic textbooks. Maybe they'd have ideas about how to help students like her learn better.
The cooperation sessions were supposed to help everyone improve together. And today had felt pretty good, even if some people still didn't appreciate detailed explanations. At least Misaki and a few others understood that knowing the reasons behind techniques was important.