"No way, even if the money wasn't given to you, it's still our family's, how can that be a profit!" Asuma sorted out his thoughts, then retorted.
"You really are quite smart." Mokgetsu smiled and praised him.
Although he was complimented, Asuma felt an indescribable oddness.
"Anyway, you should go and resign to the old man, I don't need a tutor." Asuma leaned back against the tree, openly laying out his stance.
"Since you don't want me to teach you, why don't you just not follow me, or tell the Third Hokage about it," Mokgetsu suggested.
"Do you think I'm dumb? If I do that, wouldn't all the blame fall on me?" Asuma lifted his chin slightly, speaking with a proud look.
The Third's side didn't really matter, but Asuma was more afraid of angering his mother, Biwako.
Mokgetsu nodded secretly in his heart, indeed quite simple-minded, as long as he used Asuma's non-cooperation as the reason to resign, the responsibility would still fall on Asuma.
However, he had no reason to do that, after all, manipulating a nine-year-old brat like Asuma was too easy.
"Why do you resist having a tutor so much?" Mokgetsu didn't rush Asuma to start cultivating but continued to chat with him.
"Even if I tell you, you wouldn't understand." Asuma shook his head, showing an expression that said you won't understand until you're my age.
"Why wouldn't I understand? Isn't it just because you don't like your father's arrangements?" Mokgetsu said straightforwardly.
Based on Asuma's identity and his own personality, it was easy to deduce the reason for Asuma's rebellion.
Asuma himself has talent, not on par with those overpowered geniuses, but still, he's a prodigy, and he hasn't been slacking off in training, Mokgetsu could see that Asuma had a good foundation.
But because of the identity as the Third Hokage's son, his own efforts might be reduced to a light comment, like "No wonder, he's the Third Hokage's child after all."
Efforts would be seen as expected, and lack of effort would invite lots of criticism.
With this happening all the time, it's no wonder the father-son relationship between Asuma and the Third wasn't great.
Graduating to become a ninja, thinking he had grown up, only to have the Third still hiring a tutor, which clearly made Asuma feel completely underestimated.
"You're only seeing the surface." Asuma still maintained that you-won't-understand look, until Mokgetsu spoke the next sentence.
"Isn't it because after all your hard work in training, all you got in return was, 'No wonder, you're the Third Hokage's child'?" Mokgetsu said with a grin.
Asuma's face instantly changed dramatically, looking at Mokgetsu with some fear in his eyes, this was something he had never told anyone, and being pointed out by Mokgetsu like this made him feel as if his very soul was being laid bare.
"I don't understand what you're saying." Asuma still tried to put on a brave front.
But his little hands, with nowhere to hide, exposed his inner panic.
"If you want to prove yourself, you should accept the tutoring and strengthen your abilities, proving yourself through power." Mokgetsu continued.
"After all, you can't be called excellent right now." Mokgetsu bluntly denied Asuma's abilities.
First having his inner thoughts exposed, then being completely denied, Asuma suddenly became anxious and argued:
"I was often the top of my class in the Ninja Academy, how can I not be considered excellent."
Mokgetsu chuckled and said, "Do you believe that I can find a current student at the Ninja Academy, and you wouldn't be a match for them?"
Asuma laughed in anger, if it were a graduate, maybe, but a current entry-level student at the Ninja Academy, even if it were Kakashi, he wouldn't be afraid.
"If you have the guts, go find one. If I lose, I'll do whatever you say from now on." Asuma laid down the challenge.
"Of course, if I win, you have to resign." Asuma added.
"It's a deal then." Mokgetsu smiled.
Then Mokgetsu sent a Shadow Clone to bring Shisui over.
Asuma looked Shisui up and down and felt that Mokgetsu wasn't lying; he was indeed a kid who just entered the Ninja School.
"He's Uchiha Shisui, a student in my class, six years old and just started first grade this year."
"And he's Sarutobi Asuma, a genin who just graduated this year."
Mokgetsu introduced the two to each other.
"Uchiha Shisui, right? I'm just telling you now, if you can't handle it later, just surrender quickly to avoid getting hurt, I won't hold back." Asuma said.
"Sarutobi-senpai, I'll be careful." Shisui said seriously.
"Begin!" Mokgetsu didn't waste any time and announced the start as soon as they were ready.
As soon as Mokgetsu's words fell, Asuma dashed out, swinging his fists rapidly at Shisui.
Shisui calmly engaged, beginning a close-combat fight with Asuma.
The two exchanged blows continuously, and despite Asuma's larger build, he couldn't gain the upper hand.
Asuma's expression changed, after just a few moves, he realized Shisui was no simple opponent, but he didn't expect him to be this tough.
Not only did he fail to gain any advantage, Asuma, driven by impatience to take the lead, allowed Shisui to seize the opportunity and knock him back three meters with a Leaf Whirlwind Kick.
However, Shisui didn't press his advantage, because Mokgetsu had instructed him to thoroughly defeat Asuma in every aspect.
Being knocked back three meters by a first-year student at the Ninja Academy in a taijutsu fight, despite only Mokgetsu watching from the sidelines, Asuma felt his pride wounded, face flushed.
Not caring why Shisui didn't keep attacking, Asuma's mind held only one thought: to defeat Shisui, regain his pride, and prove himself.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!" Asuma quickly formed seals, Chakra surging forth, unleashing a torrent of flames.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Shisui began forming seals as well, concentrating a large amount of Chakra in his mouth, exhaling it all in a burst of fire.
The two fire techniques clashed, but Shisui's more intense and larger flames quickly overpowered Asuma's, continuing to surge forward.
In the face of a clash of ninjutsu, Asuma was dumbfounded, standing still as the fireball came barreling towards him, frozen in place.
He thought to himself, why, why would he lose to a new Ninja Academy student, in such a humiliating way.
Beaten back three meters in taijutsu, overwhelmed in ninjutsu.
Did he really have nothing going for him but being the Third Hokage's son? Deep doubt crept into Asuma's heart.
As the fireball closed in, Asuma felt the heat and snapped awake, moving to dodge, but it was too late to completely avoid the fireball.
At that moment, Mokgetsu intervened, unleashing his Chakra, rapidly forming seals.
"Water Release: Water Array Wall!"
A thick wall of water appeared before Asuma, blocking the incoming giant fireball.
"Teacher..."