Maybe I Can Take First Place

With money taken care of, Jueming felt greatly relieved. At least he no longer had to worry about starving to death before even entering the Ninja Academy.

Besides basic nutritional supplements, lying flat, training, and exercise all required a great deal of food. That was why Jueming had gone out to earn living expenses. He had no intention of dragging a starving body into the Entrance Exam.

"There are still six days left..."

After returning the clothes he had "borrowed," Jueming went to the convenience store and bought a pile of instant noodles, stockpiling enough food for a week. Once home, he prepared to begin training again.

"Senju Jueming."

The moment Jueming entered the house, Mito Uzumaki's voice rang out in his mind again.

"You beat them up, fine, but why did you have to steal little things too?"

Mito Uzumaki did not understand.

She could not understand how this child's mind worked.

Beating up those four little brats could be considered seeking justice for that foolish Clan girl.

But why had he also taken their money and clothes?

"Because this is a world where strength reigns supreme. With strength, you can do anything."

Without the slightest hesitation, Jueming answered Mito Uzumaki's question.

In this world, whether one walked, stood, sat, or lay down, everything required money and strength.

The methods for completing the missions issued by the system made that even clearer.

This was a law-of-the-jungle world.

"If the Senju Clan is to become great again and restore its former glory, it must possess strength enough to shake the Ninja World."

If the Senju Clan had power—

Would people still dare ridicule them like this?

"So many people outside are spreading rumors, saying the Senju Clan has perished, abandoned its surname, or married into other clans. It is all because the Senju lost its strength."

If the Senju Clan's fists were still big enough—

Who would dare open their mouths and spout nonsense?

"My goal... is to climb to the peak of the Ninja World! To become the strongest Ninja! To make the Senju Clan great again!"

Then he could revive Mito Uzumaki, and after that...

"..."

Mito Uzumaki fell silent.

Making the powerless Senju great again—Jueming's words had struck straight at her heart.

Still... she vaguely felt that something was off, yet she could not put her finger on it.

Thud.

The next second, Jueming lay down on the bed.

"I'm training now. Don't disturb me."

"..."

Mito Uzumaki was utterly stunned.

It was eight in the morning, broad daylight, with bright sunshine outside.

And Senju Jueming, who a second ago had been talking about making the Senju Clan great again—

Was now lying on his bed, saying he was going to train. He was going to train...

"Haa..."

Mito Uzumaki took a deep breath.

Only then did she forcibly suppress the anger in her heart.

He had nearly angered her into laughter!

Training?

Training while lying down?

[Stamina +1]

[Stamina +1]...

Mito Uzumaki had no idea that prompts periodically appeared across Jueming's retina.

She only thought that Jueming was lazy beyond measure.

His favorite thing every day was lying down.

He spent at least a dozen hours lying down!

Did he not understand how precious time was?

Spending some time every day on Chakra Refinement was indeed training.

But what the hell was lying down supposed to be?!

"Senju Jueming, get up!" Mito Uzumaki barked.

"..."

He could not be bothered to answer her.

Jueming stared fixedly at his own ceiling.

A gentle breeze blew outside. It felt quite comfortable.

In truth, Jueming was not afraid of hardship.

If the system's method had required self-torture, Jueming would not have complained.

Because he understood the cruelty of reality and nature all too well.

Jueming had suffered countless hardships in his previous life.

His mind had long since become as strong as steel.

But having a mind of steel did not mean he enjoyed torturing himself.

One only tortured oneself because it was the optimal solution.

Just like how one did not want to go to school or work every day, yet still had to study and work anyway.

Now that the system let him grow stronger simply by lying down, Jueming naturally would not refuse such an incredible opportunity.

"Get up!"

Mito Uzumaki's stern voice was like that of an old mother urging a child out of bed. She truly worried herself sick.

As the guide for the Great rejuvenation of the Senju Clan—

Mito Uzumaki had not forgotten her mission.

Since the Destined person was Jueming—

She would naturally fulfill her duty as a teacher and have Jueming lead the Senju Clan back to the pinnacle of the Ninja World.

At once, she began correcting Jueming's "lazy" habits.

"Have you forgotten your dream of reviving the Senju Clan?"

"I'm reviving the Senju Clan right now."

Jueming finally spoke and gave her an answer.

"Woman, what you need to do is tell me more things. Information about the Ninja World, secrets, Ninjutsu, and things like that."

"Heh."

Mito Uzumaki laughed in anger.

Having lived two lives, she had never heard of anyone becoming stronger by lying down.

Education, education.

Sometimes, education could take a more reverse approach.

"Go ahead and lie there. Let's see whether you can pass the Ninja Academy's Entrance Examination after lying down for a week!"

Of course I can, Jueming thought.

Although he still did not know what the Ninja Academy would test, Jueming knew some basic common sense.

For example...

The Ninja Academy absolutely would not test "Ninjutsu" in the Entrance Exam. It would not even test "Chakra Refinement."

Both Ninjutsu and Chakra Refinement were things students learned only after enrollment.

The reason Jueming had learned them early was naturally because of the advantages of being born into the great Senju Clan.

The Great Elder and the others had given the younger generation preschooler-level instruction.

Therefore—

The Ninja Academy's Graduation Exam would surely involve Physical fitness.

Perhaps a sprint?

Weightlifting?

Or some other event related to physical stamina?

Jueming lay there, pondering.

Then he lay there until dusk.

"Almost enough."

Seeing that his stamina no longer increased, Jueming got up and began preparing dinner.

"Lie down, then eat; eat, then lie down!" Mito Uzumaki's voice rang out again.

"..."

Jueming still could not be bothered to respond.

He leisurely prepared dinner and ate instant noodles.

Afterward, he also ate some of the snacks he had "borrowed."

Only then did he begin Chakra Refinement.

And this time... Jueming's refinement time became one hour and twenty minutes.

"It's longer than yesterday."

It should originally have been one hour and thirty minutes.

Because Jueming's refinement conversion efficiency had improved and less Chakra leaked away—

The increase in time did not seem especially great.

But in fact, the stronger a Ninja became, the shorter the time needed for Chakra Refinement.

Refining the enormous amount of Chakra needed for battle within a brief span of time—

That was the ultimate goal.

In other words... efficiency.

"His refinement time got longer today?"

Mito Uzumaki silently observed the scene.

She discovered that he had refined even more Chakra than yesterday.

"This Kid... he must have slacked off yesterday!"

Mito Uzumaki did not know—

Jueming had not slacked off. This was actually the result of him diligently lying down every day.

After washing up, Jueming flopped onto the bed again.

Mito Uzumaki: "..."

Over the following six days—

Other than basic biological activities such as eating and sleeping—

Jueming either lay down to grow stronger or refined Chakra, occasionally running, doing squats, sit-ups, and the like.

The body was the foundation of everything, and Chakra Refinement could not be neglected either.

Normally... the Stamina bar could be regarded as an HP bar.

The Chakra bar could be regarded as an MP bar.

First, one consumed one's existing Chakra.

Once there was little left, one consumed stamina and converted it into Chakra for use.

When someone's Chakra bar was depleted, they would not die.

But if they excessively drained their Stamina bar to convert it into Chakra, leaving their stamina depleted as well, then they would die. That was something to keep in mind.

"My 'Grass Release—Body—Lying Flat' increases my HP bar."

Jueming thought to himself.

"Once I become a little stronger, I can unlock other Skill Trees, such as 'Grass Release—Ninja,' to increase Mental Energy... which is my MP bar."

With five days remaining, Jueming's Chakra Refinement efficiency and control increased.

With four days remaining, his improvement became even more apparent, and even less Chakra leaked out.

Three days... two days... one day...

The final day.

Whoosh...!

The breeze blew softly.

Jueming refined a large amount of Chakra in one go, taking only a little over ten minutes.

"This Kid... got stronger for no apparent reason?"

Mito Uzumaki stared at the scene in astonishment.

Right before her eyes, Jueming had spent an entire week lying down.

He had actually improved just by lying there.

Of course, she could not possibly connect lying flat with becoming stronger.

Mito Uzumaki merely thought, No, he did not become stronger for no reason. It should actually be like this...

That Senju Jueming...

He had decent talent, but unfortunately, he spent every day Lying down aimlessly, using only a little time to train.

If he used the time he spent Lying down to train properly, wouldn't he have improved beyond recognition by now?

As for Jueming wasting his own talent,

Mito Uzumaki felt deeply regretful!

Jueming glanced at the clock.

In another hour, he would be heading to the Ninja Academy to attend today's opening enrollment ceremony.

"With the strength I've gained through my efforts lately, passing the Entrance Examination should be more than easy..."

Jueming thought, then shook his head.

"No, I might even be able to take first place outright."