Seeking Guidance

Relying on the intelligence he had gathered, Satoru confirmed that war was imminent and became even more low-key.

In his daily life, he practiced Taijutsu with his only acquaintance, Akimichi Choza, though even Choza didn't know that Satoru had developed several of these techniques himself.

After several months of interaction, with Satoru's help and through family connections, Choza's relationship with Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka had clearly improved significantly.

Even at his current age, Shikaku already showed signs of a sharp mind.

As for Inoichi, perhaps due to the influence of his clan's secret techniques, his eyes seemed to be beginning to shine with a much brighter light than ordinary people.

Currently, the four of them were practicing Taijutsu by their usual river spot.

The Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques leaned more towards mental strength, while the Nara Clan focused on strategic coordination. However, at Satoru's suggestion, they had also come to recognize the importance of Taijutsu to some extent.

The principles of Chakra and its deep applications were knowledge that, even coming from prominent clans, was not accessible to them, who were only in their first year.

When ninjas fight, physical strength, as one of the two key elements for generating Chakra, always seemed to be depleted before mental energy.

This was probably because mental energy could achieve a "burst" effect through external stimuli, emotional outbursts, and other factors.

But physical strength... once it was gone, it was gone. Unless they rested, the only way to push themselves to generate Chakra was to go all out.

Therefore, no matter how passionate one's spirit was, without sufficient physical strength to support it, Chakra would still be depleted.

It was precisely because of this that the Uzumaki clan's formidable physical strength displayed such exaggerated effects—

A longer blue bar meant a higher margin for error. In intense battles, even when suppressed, as long as they weren't instantly killed, there were countless opportunities to turn the tide.

Practicing Taijutsu was a good way to enhance physical strength.

Moreover, they didn't know many offensive Ninjutsu. Even for self-defense, Taijutsu was the best option at the moment.

"Satoru, I always feel like, out of everyone in class, you're the only one I can't figure out..."

After catching his breath, Shikaku Nara took the soda water Satoru offered and drank it heartily:

"Gulp... With this skill alone, if it were made public, I'd bet you'd be the most popular person in the entire school!"

The magic soda water, improved by Satoru, now came in several delicious flavors.

Shikaku was drinking the orange-flavored one, Inoichi was drinking lemon, and Choza...

Choza was happily eating Satoru's specially made magic pork floss bread, and the soda water he was drinking... was milk-flavored.

"Low profile, low profile..."

Satoru took a large gulp of the cola-flavored soda water, wondering if he should switch to carbonated water next time, and waved his hand at Shikaku:

"The techniques my dad developed, I just improved the flavors..."

"Adding Chakra to beverages to stimulate the taste buds and change the flavor, Satoru, I have to say, you're a genius!"

Inoichi, enjoying his soda water, watched in amazement as his cup refilled automatically and exclaimed loudly:

"Satoru, you even carved the jutsu script onto the cup! You call such a genius idea laziness?!"

"He really is lazy!"

Choza swallowed the bread in his hand and naturally reached out to Satoru:

"Give me a honey-flavored one!"

Satoru twitched his mouth and made a few hand gestures. A piece of bread gradually took shape in his hand:

"Hey, Choza, I told you this bread isn't nutritious, right? Didn't you stop eating it for a while? Why are you eating it again?"

"Ha! Smells so good..."

Choza's eyes lit up as he took the hot bread coated with honey and took a blissful bite:

"Delicious... Satoru, a few days ago, I started practicing my clan's secret techniques and discovered..."

"The Chakra contained in your bread can also be used as a buildup for activating secret techniques—it's really strange!"

An excited expression appeared on Choza's chubby face:

"Although the amount isn't much, the quality is very high, and it can be stored without affecting my physique!"

"Satoru! You're practically my savior! I can lose weight and still practice secret techniques, all thanks to you!"

"..."

Satoru muttered inwardly, thinking that freeloading was being presented so nobly.

Satoru had a guess as to the reason. The bread he made for Choza was created using Arcane Power and possessed characteristics different from Chakra, so it wasn't surprising.

Even the bread Satoru made himself using the Food Creation Technique with his Chakra would have this effect, because the Chakra Satoru converted with Arcane Power was special.

However, if someone else used this technique, the bread they made would not have this special effect.

As Satoru was silently complaining, he heard a rustling sound...

"Who's there!"

Satoru quickly got up, turned towards a nearby bush, and formed the hand seal for the Deformation Technique:

"Come out!"

Choza and the other two were startled. They stopped eating and drinking immediately, stood up, and got into formation.

Even though they hadn't finished learning their clan's secret techniques yet, their combat formations were already taking shape.

"Ugh... I'm dying..."

"Water... is there any... water..."

Awkward sounds came from the bushes. Satoru's expression turned subtle:

"Huh?"

Upon closer inspection, he saw someone almost blending into the green bushes, lying down within them.

He was dressed all in green, and Satoru could barely make him out until the guy's head popped out of the foliage...

"Holy crap! Super thick eyebrows! Bowl cut!"

Choza, Shikaku, and Inoichi's mouths fell open. This person's appearance was too bizarre...

Satoru, however, felt that the person in front of him looked familiar...

Could it be...

"It's good that you're not an enemy. Here's your water."

Looking at the young man who was about to faint, Satoru handed him a cup filled with Sprite-flavored soda.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp... Burp!!"

After taking a refreshing gulp and recovering his strength, the young man with thick eyebrows looked at the cup, which had refilled itself, in shock. His hand trembled, and he almost dropped the cup:

"Whoa! Is this a magical artifact?!"

"...It's just a toy."

Satoru glanced at the young man sitting cross-legged on the ground and asked:

"Who are you? Why are you so thirsty? The river is right here!"

"Haha! Thank you for the water, young man, it's truly delicious..."

The young man with thick eyebrows burst into laughter and gave Satoru a thumbs-up:

"Youth is even more wonderful because of outstanding young people like you!"

"I am Genin Might Duy. I was training alone in the mountains just now... By the time I realized I was severely dehydrated, it was too late—I rushed towards the river, but it seems I couldn't make it and fainted..." Duy said, looking dejected for a moment before perking up again:

"This just means my training isn't enough!"

"Without precise control over my body's condition, I can't achieve that!"

"..."

Alright, Satoru confirmed it. The person in front of him was one of the "keywords"—Eight Gates Might Guy's father, the oddball who was the first in Konoha's history to successfully cultivate the forbidden Eight Gates Formation but remained obscure—

His most famous title was probably "Perpetual Genin."

To have such a powerful person without even realizing it... If this old man wasn't my dad, I'd really want to chew him out...

Satoru sighed, then put on a smile:

"Hello, Brother Duy... I'm Mitokado Satoru, and these three are Akimichi Choza, Nara Shikaku, and Yamanaka Inoichi."

"We are first-year students at the Ninja Academy, and we're practicing combat here... Could you give us some pointers, Brother Duy?"