The five disciples surrounded Mokgetsu, continuously advancing to the place where they stored their gifts.
Once they arrived, Kakashi used Earth Release Ninjutsu to retrieve the gifts buried in the ground.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, you can open your eyes now," Obito said upon seeing the gifts revealed.
Mokgetsu opened his eyes, and a large gift box covered in some dust came into view.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, thank you for your guidance these past days," all the disciples expressed their gratitude to Mokgetsu with faces full of appreciation.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, you should open the gift and take a look. It's a present we made together, with everyone contributing," Obito said with a grin, eagerly anticipating Mokgetsu's reaction to their gift.
"Since you made it yourselves, I'm very much looking forward to it," Mokgetsu said with a smile, slowly reaching for the gift box.
All the disciples watched Mokgetsu, focusing on his hand and face, curious to see his expression when he saw the gift they had prepared together.
When the box was opened, the statue inside was revealed. Mokgetsu looked at it, initially surprised, then his smile grew warmer, and finally, he appeared pleased.
To be honest, seeing the gift his disciples prepared for him gave Mokgetsu quite a pleasant surprise.
At first, he only had a hint of suspicion due to some subtle clues in the disciples' behavior, but it wasn't until they buried the gift at night that Mokgetsu was sure.
Since Tenten was cultivating in the Southern Border Forest, and there was concern about any potential issues, Mokgetsu kept a Shadow Clone watching over, so he knew in advance about the gift they planned to give.
Even though he was aware, seeing the heartfelt gift the disciples had prepared for him still touched Mokgetsu.
Each character statue was easily distinguishable as the work of different people. Kakashi's sculpture was exquisitely detailed, with meticulous attention to facial features and clothing.
Might Guy's sculpture was bold, emphasizing and capturing his distinct watermelon head and bushy eyebrows, while other details were somewhat simplified.
Due to Mokgetsu's careful observation, he even noticed the short sword in Shisui's statue's hand, a birthday gift he had given to Shisui.
When he saw his own statue, Mokgetsu once again felt the sincerity of his disciples. His statue was like a blend of the essence of all the others, with a very delicate head. Mokgetsu had to admit it was as if his head had been scaled down proportionally. Although some parts seemed slightly out of proportion, the overall effect was remarkable, leading Mokgetsu to suspect that someone had made an overall adjustment after completion.
Mokgetsu stood in the center, maintaining about the same distance from each disciple. Obito practiced Fire Release, Kakashi the Breath of Thunder Sword Technique, Shisui with his short sword, Nohara Rin trained Monster Strength Power, and Might Guy practiced Taijutsu. Each disciple was earnestly training, representing their daily cultivation routine.
"I'm very satisfied with this gift. You've really outdone yourselves, especially given your training schedule," Mokgetsu said with a gentle smile, patting the disciples' heads.
Perhaps initially he taught Obito with very utilitarian ambitions, trying to extract rewards. But by now, Mokgetsu's mindset had gradually changed.
He now prefers to naturally use his disciples' emotions to gain rewards, knowing that the stronger the disciples become, the stronger he becomes. As long as the disciples grow up healthy, his benefits will be considerable.
"It's nothing, really. Compared to the help you've given us, Teacher Mokgetsu, the time we spent on this gift is trivial," Obito said with a happy smile, knowing their intentions had been understood.
From the last place to the top of the Ninja School, defeating the previously admired geniuses, and ultimately becoming known as a genius himself, Obito's tremendous transformation over the past year was matched only by his gratitude towards Mokgetsu.
"Indeed, Teacher Mokgetsu, you could be even more demanding. Your help has long surpassed that of a regular teacher," Shisui smiled as he spoke, seeing Mokgetsu's gentle smile.
Shisui became a disciple earlier than Obito and Might Guy, but reached trust level three later. However, he achieved trust level four much earlier, which showed how much trust Shisui had in Mokgetsu after that particular birthday.
In Shisui's heart, Mokgetsu was nearly like family, always accompanying him and caring deeply, ready to comfort at the slightest sign of discomfort.
"It's because of you, Teacher Mokgetsu, that my youth could burn so passionately!" Might Guy, listening to Obito and Shisui's words, couldn't help but recall his transformation since becoming Mokgetsu's disciple, tears of gratitude welling up.
Although ridiculed and initially rejected, made it in through supplementary admissions, Might Guy's goal was always to be the strongest. He firmly believed that through relentless effort, he could strive towards becoming the strongest.
But the path to being the strongest was fraught with obstacles. Coming in through supplementary admission and showing poor performance, including finishing last in exams, led Might Guy to quickly be labeled as a bottom dweller, and no one believed he could truly become a strong shinobi, thinking even graduation would be tough for him.
Challenging Kakashi, he was defeated with one move; participating in the practical exam, he was swiftly beaten in the first round, achieving a very low score. At that time, his efforts seemed to bear little fruit.
Once overhearing someone mocking his father, he couldn't contain his inner anger and wanted to retaliate, only to be easily defeated, powerless to do anything as the mockery continued.