First Day

"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"

Under the setting sun, three figures plunged down from midair and crashed onto the ravaged grass, covered in dust and scratches.

"Poof, poof, poof!" After three bursts of smoke, Kushina Uzumaki dispelled her Shadow Clones and looked at her three disciples lying on the ground.

"Alright, that's enough training for today."

Seeing her three disciples in such a battered state, covered in wounds, Kushina Uzumaki felt a little reluctant. But she had no choice but to do this.

First, it would keep them from growing arrogant after winning their "after-dinner exercise" and looking down on ninja. Second, every ninja village was showing signs of unrest. Peaceful days were probably numbered, so letting them build some real combat experience was also preparation for the future, so they could protect themselves. After all, when the time came, she...

"Alright, go back, apply some medicine, and clean yourselves up. We'll meet at six tonight for barbecue," Kushina Uzumaki said.

Chiba lay sprawled on the ground, every ounce of his strength drained from his body. He could not even move a finger. The injuries on him were nothing serious, only superficial wounds. Though Kushina had spoken harshly, she had not hit them too hard.

Amazing. So this is the combat strength of a Jonin... Even Gate of Life Mode was beaten so badly I couldn't fight back.

It seems that in Gate of Life Mode, my strength is roughly somewhere between Chunin and Elite Chunin. A Jonin, though, can completely crush any Chunin...

Of course, some exceptionally gifted Chunin were another matter.

After all, Chunin was merely a title and a position within the village. Strength could not be equated with those titles. Still, Chunin and Elite Chunin here could serve as a benchmark, since most ninja were constrained by those titles. Whatever title one had generally corresponded to a certain level of strength. Not everyone was exceptionally gifted.

For example, most Chunin were standard Chunin like Iruka, with strength at the Chunin level.

A rare few, like Rock Lee, possessed strength beyond that of a Chunin.

Naruto and Sasuke, those two eternal Genin from the original story, were also among that rare few. Though they were Genin, their combat strength surpassed the Kage-level. After gaining the power of the Six Paths... their strength became impossible to measure.

Hirohiko and Yukina seemed to be in much the same state, perhaps even worse off than him. Still, they were only exhausted, and their injuries were not severe.

Did I go too far? Kushina Uzumaki thought as she looked at the three of them.

But just as she began to worry that she had overdone it, Chiba gritted his teeth and struggled into a sitting position. Hirohiko and Yukina also forced themselves upright.

Kushina Uzumaki, who had intended to go help them up, stopped after taking only one step. Watching the three of them struggle to support themselves, a smile appeared on her lips.

That's it! Don't give up! Five minutes later...

The three of them sat on the ground, panting heavily. Uchiha Hirohiko and Hyuga Yukina had already taken out their medicinal ointment and were applying it to their wounds.

Meanwhile, Chiba watched the two of them tend their injuries as he caught his breath.

This is a little awkward. It seems I don't have any medicine left. Last month, when I bought Weighted Training Gear, I cut the medicine budget...

Well, a little saliva will do for this.

That was what Chiba thought, and indeed, the wounds were not deep. His body, strengthened enough to open three Gates, was tough as well. A little saliva would be enough.

It was just that, with the others around, he was too embarrassed to rub saliva on his wounds... He planned to wait until he had recovered a little strength, then walk back, apply some saliva, and take a bath.

Sigh, this training will probably happen every day. I need to stock up on medicine when I get back. What other expenses can I cut...

Chiba silently sighed as he calculated his budget.

At that moment, Hirohiko and Yukina, who had been intently treating their wounds, suddenly held out their jars of medicinal ointment to Chiba. Neither raised their heads nor said a word.

But anyone, not just Chiba, could tell from their actions that they wanted him to take them.

"Um, I'm fine. You two use it! Use it..." Chiba froze, then instinctively refused.

Neither of them spoke. They merely extended their ointment jars a little farther forward.

"I'm really fine... I get hurt all the time practicing taijutsu. These little wounds..." Chiba shook his hands as he refused.

Yet while he spoke, Hirohiko and Yukina had already placed the jars of medicine on the ground beside Chiba's feet.

"You should take them." At that moment, a warm, soft hand landed on his shoulder. Kushina Uzumaki said softly, "Look at them..."

Chiba instinctively looked toward the two of them. Both had their heads lowered, their eyes glancing away. Their faces were clearly full of embarrassment and shyness.

Chiba knew that feeling well... because he was the same. It was the clumsiness displayed by people living in loneliness when interacting with others. Wasn't his refusal of their medicine the same kind of clumsiness?

Are Hirohiko and Yukina lonely too, just like me?

Chiba lowered his head and looked at the two jars. Yukina's was black, while Hirohiko's was red.

"Tha..." Chiba reached out and picked up both jars, but after getting only halfway through his thanks, he could not continue. His eyes drifted aside, and at some point, the same embarrassment and shyness as theirs had appeared on his face.

"Ahem!" Chiba promptly cleared his throat and turned his body slightly so he would not face them, then silently began applying the medicine.

The Hyuga Clan's and Uchiha Clan's medicinal ointments were naturally no ordinary products. The moment he applied them, they felt cool and soothing, and the pain immediately vanished.

Kushina Uzumaki looked at the three of them and said, "I'll head back first. Don't forget the meeting time. We're meeting at Konoha BBQ Restaurant."

With that, Kushina Uzumaki flickered away and vanished before them.

However, the three of them did not seem to pay much attention, each turning their heads away.

"I'm going back to take a bath first." Hyuga Yukina suddenly stood and said, "Don't be late... Don't make me get beaten up by Teacher Kushina too."

"A bath." Uchiha Hirohiko also rose stiffly to his feet. "See you at the barbecue restaurant."

Chiba was still applying medicine to his wounds. Hearing that, he turned back and said, "Wait, I haven't returned your medicine yet!"

But the two had already gone far away.

Chiba silently stood up, looked at the two jars of medicine in his hands, then at their retreating backs.

The two hurried away, somehow finding the strength to walk very quickly, as if they were fleeing.

Then, a smile appeared on his face.

Forget it. I'll return them next time.

Yeah... I should head back too! Wait, if they go back to bathe, won't they wash the medicine off? Wouldn't that make all this medicine go to waste? As Hyuga Yukina and Uchiha Hirohiko walked away, one with her expressionless face and the other with his poker face, both unconsciously revealed a faint smile.

It was exactly the same as Chiba's smile!