Take the Cruelest Beatings, Build the Strongest Foundation

This was a great medical work from the mysterious East.

Although it was written in Chinese characters, much of this world's culture and writing had been passed down from the East long ago. They had simply adapted it a little and made it their own.

Thus, under the system's guidance, Naruto had no trouble reading the Compendium of Materia Medica.

Before long, Naruto was astonished by the sheer number of medicines recorded in the book, the vast variety of their types, and the brilliance of their applications. As expected of someone even greater than the Hokage—so knowledgeable, with an almost divine mastery of medicine.

Of course, that did not mean Naruto had already understood and finished the book. It merely expressed his admiration.

The Compendium of Materia Medica covered far too many medicines and their myriad uses for Naruto to memorize all at once, so the system had specifically marked out several medicines he currently needed to remember.

They were all medicinal herbs that promoted blood circulation, dispersed bruising, and treated injuries from falls and blows.

After an entire morning had passed, Naruto set down the Compendium of Materia Medica, rubbed his slightly sore eyes, and said, "System, I've memorized all the medicines you marked."

"Ooh, Naruto really is smart! Eat lunch first. After lunch, we'll go into the mountains to gather herbs."

After eating, Naruto headed out with a bamboo basket on his back. He went to the Back Mountain and, under the system's guidance, spent the entire afternoon gathering all the herbs he needed.

That night, Naruto followed the steps given by the system, processing the herbs into a paste and storing it in a bottle.

The next day, the system said to him, "Naruto, it's time to begin the second stage of Foundation Establishment."

Naruto immediately brought the Ointment and a Bamboo Whip to the Back Mountain.

As for why he had to bring a Bamboo Whip?

Naruto had no idea either.

The trees on the Back Mountain were lush and verdant. The sun shone down from above, its rays piercing through gaps in the leaves and casting irregular patches of light across the grass.

Naruto stood on the grass with a serious expression.

He had fully prepared himself mentally to face the second stage of building a foundation for Hardening.

But the very next second—

"Take off your clothes!"

"Huh?"

A huge question mark seemed to pop up over Naruto's head. Wasn't this the second stage? Why was he suddenly being told to strip?!

"Hurry up. Don't waste time."

Hearing the slight severity in the system's voice, Naruto began taking off his clothes. Of course, he still kept his underwear on. Bare-chested Naruto's body was covered in wheat-colored muscles, gleaming alluringly beneath the dappled sunlight.

"Not bad. You really are a Little Muscle Man now."

Looking at that muscular body, the system praised him. Clearly, it was quite satisfied with the results of its training.

"Now start whipping yourself to your heart's content, Naruto!" the system said excitedly.

Naruto: o(￣ε￣*)

Naruto suddenly remembered what the system had said yesterday.

He really had to beat himself up.

"Naruto, this is the second stage of the Hardening foundation: take the cruelest beatings, build the strongest foundation. Only when your ability to withstand blows grows stronger will it be of great help when you practice Hardening techniques in the future."

"Okay!"

Naruto nodded, a fierce glint flashing through his eyes!

"Smack! Smack! Smack!"

He immediately gave himself three lashes. The agony of his flesh tearing instantly jolted Naruto's nerves.

Three hundred meters away, two Anbu Ninja stood in a tree. They had been sent by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to monitor Naruto.

For Naruto, the Nine-Tails' vessel, surveillance might perhaps count as a form of care!

That was what Hiruzen Sarutobi thought.

These two Anbu Ninja had begun monitoring Naruto after he started living alone. Whenever Naruto displayed any unusual behavior, they had to report it to the Third Hokage immediately.

Naruto, who had persisted in training on the Back Mountain for a year, had suddenly begun acting strangely.

For example, they had been watching him just now, and everything had seemed normal. Yet the next moment, Naruto had stripped naked. What was he trying to do?

The two Anbu Ninja were utterly baffled.

Could it be that Naruto was about to do something improper to the sky or the earth?

He was still just a child!

But the answer soon appeared. Naruto picked up a Bamboo Whip and began lashing himself with "smack, smack, smack!" Several red welts instantly appeared across his strong Pectoral Muscles.

Was he treating himself to bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork?

The two Anbu Ninja exchanged looks, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes. One of them said, "You stay here and keep watching Naruto. I'll report this to the Third Hokage."

"Whoosh~"

After saying that, the Anbu Ninja vanished from the tree.

"Third Hokage!"

In less than three minutes, the Anbu Ninja had arrived at the Third Hokage's room. Familiar with the route, he pushed open the door and called out.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been thoroughly enjoying himself, was startled by the sudden shout. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick, and he covered the Crystal Ball in an instant.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up, his expression calm, but inwardly he screamed:

This guy again!

Over the past year, this guy has scared me like this five times already.

One day, he's going to give this old man a heart attack.

Honestly, with how rash and reckless he is, is he really suited to being an Anbu Ninja?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was already considering this Anbu Ninja's future. Such a young man, blessed with both talent and looks, was being wasted in the Anbu. He suddenly recalled that the village seemed to have several patches of wasteland. He would send him to reclaim them later!

That was what he thought, but his face remained kind and amiable as he spoke gently in the encouraging tone he used with young people. "Look at you, rushing here in such a hurry, you're sweating all over. I've told you many times—Naruto is important, but you are important too."

Hearing the Third Hokage's concerned reproach, the Anbu Ninja felt a warm current flow through his body. Tears and snot streaming down his face, he immediately said, "Third Hokage, I'm fine. The Third Hokage's matters are more important."

He wiped away his emotional tears and snot, then continued, "Third Hokage, Naruto has been acting strangely. He... took off all his clothes and whipped himself!"

"Hm?"

At last, a ripple appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's calm old face. He waved a hand and said, "Wait outside first. I have something for you later."

Something for me?

The Third Hokage has something for me?

Has he finally noticed the talent stirring beneath my handsome appearance?!

The Anbu Ninja suppressed the joy on his face and respectfully stepped outside to await the Third Hokage's summons.

As soon as the Anbu Ninja left, Hiruzen Sarutobi released his hand and wiped the Crystal Ball. An image of the Back Mountain appeared within it.

"Smack! Smack! Smack!"

Naturally, there was no such sound in the image. Hiruzen Sarutobi was only imagining it in his mind. In the scene, six-year-old Naruto Uzumaki held a Bamboo Whip and struck himself.

At the same time, a look of pleasure appeared on his face.

Seeing Naruto's chest and back covered in red welts, with faint traces of blood seeping from them, Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face twitched. Even he felt the pain.

"What's wrong with Naruto? Did he get his heart broken?"

But Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly tossed that thought out of his mind. Naruto was only six years old—even the weapon for love had not grown up yet. How could he possibly have suffered heartbreak?

Then he recalled that in the distant West, there seemed to be a sect that sought spiritual redemption by whipping and tormenting themselves.

What was Naruto seeking redemption for?

Unable to figure it out, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only call outside, "You there, young Anbu Ninja, come in for a moment. There's something good!"