Training

On the winter solstice, in the early hours before dawn, Otogakure lay in darkness.

Beyond the reach of the cold moonlight, the entire underground base was as silent as a ghost realm. Apart from the breathing of the Sound Ninja on patrol and the occasional beastlike howl from certain rooms, only a few rooms showed any glimmers of light.

Behind a tightly shut door, a faint light flickered.

On the bed in the middle of the room, a small figure sat cross-legged. The red-haired boy was only about ten, with delicate features and a loose white nightrobe draped casually over him. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be asleep.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes darted beneath his eyelids, beads of sweat the size of beans seeped from his overly delicate face, and his well-proportioned body trembled violently. His steady breathing abruptly grew heavy.

"Phew!"

The boy let out a sharp breath. The moment it touched the air, it condensed into a thick white mist that took a moment to dissipate.

Just then, the red-haired boy's eyes snapped open, a faint glint shining in their dark brown depths.

"Four hours?"

Dōmeki glanced at the clock by the bed and slowly rose, though his body, having remained seated for so long, crackled and popped.

"Not bad. You have the best potential of this batch of newcomers!"

Suddenly, another icy voice rang out in the room. A handsome red-haired boy, identical to him in every way, was looking at him through narrowed eyes.

"Bastard, you're the newest Shadow Clone, aren't you?"

Dōmeki punched the clone, who had cast Genjutsu on him all night but was putting on an act, into a puff of smoke. He assessed his progress in tempering his mind through Genjutsu. Compared with the encouraging progress he had made when he first began training this way a year ago, the rate at which his mental strength grew had clearly slowed.

Still, this was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Besides, if this body with the Uzumaki Bloodline did not naturally possess great resilience against mental shocks, Dōmeki would not have been able to use this method, which incorporated meditation similar to the Daoist practice of subduing the restless mind from his previous life.

Dōmeki quickly changed out of his pajamas and into a uniform that allowed him to move more freely.

"Thanks for the effort!"

Just as the boy fastened a pouch around his waist and pushed open the door, he suddenly turned and spoke softly to the three Shadow Clones still sitting cross-legged. In their hands, one had a vortex of air swirling, another had lightning flashing, and the third had a black shell covering his arm.

The three Shadow Clones merely glanced coldly at the boy, and Dōmeki couldn't help chuckling.

As everyone knew, Chakra was the product of the fusion of the human body's spiritual and physical energies. The most important way to develop the total amount of Chakra contained in one's cells was to work on physical and mental strength.

Ordinary ninja could normally only increase their Chakra gradually as their bodies developed, combined with exercise suited to their age. But some people could cheat.

The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique—the Ninjutsu best suited to the Senju and Uzumaki Clan, a divine training cheat enthusiastically recommended by the child of destiny. It was also Dōmeki's favorite among the many Ninjutsu he had pilfered from Orochimaru, the second-generation index of forbidden ninja techniques in the Shinobi World.

As soon as he stepped out of the room, icy air poured through the gaps in his uniform, making Dōmeki shiver.

The boy immediately took a vial of medicine from his pouch and drank it in one gulp. Feeling a warm current suddenly spread from his stomach to the surrounding cells, Dōmeki couldn't help raising a thumb in praise.

"As expected of a nutritional supplement made by Orochimaru. Aside from the poor taste, the energy in it really is extraordinary."

"If Might Guy had enjoyed this stuff from childhood, I bet his kick would have done more than just bring about the finale!"

As Dōmeki thought this, he habitually tightened the specially made weighted vest beneath his uniform, then crouched to tighten the leg wraps packed with lead weights around his calves. Only then did he set off, running toward the forest at the farthest edge of Otogakure.

When he ran out through the heavily guarded base entrance, not one of the Sound Ninja on duty at the gate stepped forward to stop him. A trace of fear flashed in their eyes before they all looked away, as though they had not seen the boy's actions, which certainly counted as a violation of base regulations.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

During the coldest hour of the day, the red-haired boy ran through the forest's complicated terrain. A load that even an adult ninja would have found difficult to bear weighed on him, yet Dōmeki showed no sign of strain, his breathing remaining perfectly steady as he ran and leaped.

Whether he encountered uneven obstacles or had to avoid them by leaping between branches, the boy remained light on his feet. His running speed was unaffected, always keeping the same rhythm.

No one knew how much time had passed. The half-moon had quietly sunk, and the sky was gradually brightening through the drifting wisps of mist.

Animals began to wake here and there in the forest, and rustling sounds came from all around.

"Huff, huff, huff!"

Even Dōmeki, whose stamina surpassed that of ordinary people, began to breathe heavily. The heavy breaths he kept exhaling condensed in the thin mist. Muscle spasms sent sharp pains through his lungs, and he could no longer use Chakra to precisely adjust his aching legs, leaving deep footprints with every step.

Whenever his stamina was about to run out, thin streams of warmth would emerge from the cells throughout his body just in time to restore it, and the cycle would begin again. This was the strength of the Uzumaki physique.

Reckoning that it was about time, Dōmeki gradually came to a stop.

Suddenly, trees not far away toppled one after another. Amid the booming crashes, something enormous seemed to be rampaging through them.

Dōmeki watched that direction with a grave look, though for some reason a string of glistening drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Snort! Snort!"

The enormous beast, several meters tall, threw back its head and roared. Black hairs stood up like steel spikes all over its tough hide.

Its blood-red eyes blazed with utterly mindless madness. From its raised snout, two streams of red breath flew out, scattering sparks that immediately set the grass and trees ablaze.

Below them, two tusks as thick as Dōmeki's thighs pointed skyward. Every obstacle was crushed beneath the giant beast's tusks.

Dōmeki steadied his ragged breathing, lightly moving his arms and legs as a ray of early morning sunlight fell upon his radiant smile.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two ninja guarding the base gate after the shift change felt the ground tremble again and again. Their bodies tensed on alert, they saw a giant wild boar approaching the gate and couldn't help swallowing.

As the figure drew closer, the two finally saw a small figure beneath the boar.

The sight of the enormous boar, weighing several thousand jin, and the boy's small, slender frame in the same scene made the two Sound Ninja feel the absurdity of the world all the more keenly.

The boy greeted them politely and enthusiastically, but they knew there was only one person in the entire base who stood out so much: that terrifying little brat.

Seeing that both men were pale and said nothing, Dōmeki muttered, "How rude," but kept walking, carrying the boar into the base.

In the kitchen, Yamazaki Sagaru was busy at the stove, sweat pouring down his face, when his body suddenly stiffened. A familiar, uneasy premonition rose in his heart.

Sure enough, before long, amid booming vibrations, the boy's cheerful voice rang out. But to Yamazaki, that bright voice sounded as evil and terrifying as a demon's whisper.

"Uncle Yamazaki, we can have an extra meal again today!"