I Can Become Stronger Just By Teaching

  Makoto decided to use a lottery to determine the combatants and then critiqued them after the battles.

  "The transformation jutsu was timed poorly and didn't serve its purpose."

  "Your taijutsu is lacking, and your punching speed is slower than a snail."

  "How on earth can you confuse your enemy with a clone like that?" Makoto's comments were brutally honest.

  Makoto was merciless in his feedback, but it was all constructive criticism. The students who received his comments felt a pang of shame and lowered their heads.

  "I know that you've done well in your monthly exams, both in theory and practice, but don't let that make you complacent in your training. My words may seem harsh, but it's for your own good. Both taijutsu and ninjutsu are crucial. Neglecting your physical training now will lead to regrets in future battles." Makoto sighed.

  Anko chimed in, "I've been working hard on taijutsu, but our taijutsu teacher doesn't explain things as well as you do. It's not our fault!"

  Kotetsu added, "Yeah, I'm studying diligently too, but our taijutsu teacher's lessons are just confusing."

  Initially, Kotetsu felt Makoto was too strict, but after Makoto's apology, he realized he had been too quick to judge. Makoto genuinely cared about their progress.

  Other students in Class 1 joined in. "Teacher Makoto, can you do us all a solid and replace the Taijutsu teacher? Seriously, it's like watching a sloth teach a dance class, and we're not talking about a graceful sloth here," one student implored, eliciting snickers from the group.

  "Absolutely! I mean, come on, all he does is basically order us to run around like headless chickens on a caffeine binge. Who can't do that?" another chimed in, waving their arms around dramatically for added effect.

  "Teacher Makoto, it's not his attitude; it's his teaching that's slipperier than a ninja trying to ice skate uphill," Kamizuki Izumo quipped, earning uproarious laughter from the group.

  "Exactly! When it comes to Ninjutsu, we're the talk of the town, but Taijutsu? Let's just say we're not winning any ninja dance-offs anytime soon," added another student, mimicking awkward Taijutsu moves that had everyone in stitches.

  Deep beneath the earth, the old and dying Uchiha Madara remained oblivious to the conversation at the academy. But suddenly, an inexplicable feeling washed over him. Without warning, he found himself tapping his foot, then another, and before he knew it, he was shimmying and swaying like an elderly ninja at a wild dance party. White Zetsu, his goofy companion, watched in astonishment.

  "Madara-sama, what are you doing?"

  As Madara involuntarily broke into his underground dance, a wave of nostalgia washed over him, reminding him that he wasn't alone down there. Suddenly, his Sharingan blazed with fury, and in a swift fashion, he turned to face the White Zetsu who had witnessed his groove.

  With an exaggerated and somewhat awkward Taijutsu display, Madara lunged toward the stunned White Zetsu, attempting to strike them with overly elaborate hand-to-hand moves.

  The White Zetsu, initially baffled, tried to mimic his Taijutsu, creating a comical showdown of missteps and flailing limbs.

  However, in an absurd turn of events, a puff of smoke enveloped Madara's hand as he summoned an enormous axe, and with one swift, sharp, and extremely fast blue swing, he cut the White Zetsu right in the middle of his equally awkward dance. As the axe sliced through the air, it crackled with lightning chakra, adding an electrifying effect to the scene.

  The two halves of the White Zetsu tumbled in a slapstick manner, resulting in its demise. Madara then resumed his bizarre dance, determined not to let any more interruptions disrupt his inexplicable urge to groove.

  Makoto defended the taijutsu teacher, but the students insisted that it wasn't about his attitude, but rather his teaching ability.

  They expressed their concerns that while they excelled in ninjutsu, their taijutsu lagged far behind. They felt that this wasn't just about boredom—it was about their fundamental strength as ninjas.

  After class, just before heading out, Makoto once more cautioned the students not to criticize the Taijutsu teacher to his face and to be more considerate of him.

  The students all nodded and said yes. After Makoto left, Miratashi Anko led the class in a discussion on how to change the Taijutsu teacher.

  "Isn't it said that as long as the grades are poor, the teacher will be changed? How about we deliberately fail in the exam?" Some students suggested, their faces contorted in mischievous glee.

  "But, hang on a moment! There's no separate exam for Taijutsu. Are we supposed to deliberately fail the combat test? Think about this, folks: If we 'fail', it's not just our Taijutsu teacher, but Makoto, the Ninjutsu sensei too, who'll be caught in the crossfire!" Kotetsu exclaimed, his expression a mix of concern and absurdity.

  "That's a no-go. Teacher Makoto is so good; I will make sure he continues teaching me till graduation!" Anko interjected, a dramatic flair in her voice as she defended their beloved sensei.

  The room was in unanimous agreement with Anko's impassioned defense.

  "Then let's go straight to the Taijutsu teacher and tell him that he sucks at teaching," someone bluntly remarked, prompting laughter from the group.

  "Let's tell him he'd be a perfect ninja scarecrow – he can stand in the field and make crows fall asleep!" a student suggested, furthering the laughter.

  "Isn't that a tad extreme? Teacher Makoto won't stand for it, will he?"

  "No way!" Kotetsu interjected. "This is all for Teacher Makoto's benefit. We're like the stars of his teaching career! The better we shine, the brighter he glows!"

  With their mission to deal with the Taijutsu teacher underway, they began to brainstorm their next steps. Kamizuki Izumo, the brains behind the operation, revealed his cunning plan.

  "In a little over a month, we'll give it our all in Ninjutsu, but we'll be just average in Taijutsu during the combat test. We'll make sure the school knows our Taijutsu teacher sucks at teaching!" Izumo mocked, causing the group to burst into laughter.

  "But," he emphasized with a serious tone, "our overall results must still shine. That's the only way we'll grab the school's attention!"

  Kotetsu draped his arm around Kamizuki Izumo's shoulders, his face beaming with approval. "Izumo, it's you! You've got this!"

  With a resounding chorus of agreement, the class decided to redouble their efforts, aiming to excel in Ninjutsu, secure impressive grades in the final exam, and ultimately find a new Taijutsu teacher.

...

  After lunch, Makoto didn't return to his office but instead headed to the neighboring office where Tanaka Tanigawa could be found.

  "Teacher Hosakawa," as soon as Makoto stepped into the office, a chorus of greetings from the teachers filled the air.

  Makoto responded with a warm smile, and then approached Tanaka Tanigawa. He beckoned Tanaka Tanigawa away, under the pretense of needing a private word, leading him to a secluded spot.

  "Teacher Tanigawa, I'm sorry," Makoto apologized sincerely to Tanaka Tanigawa.

  "Hosakawa-sensei, what on earth happened? Why are we here all of a sudden?" Tanaka Tanigawa looked utterly bewildered, his confusion palpable in the air.