Cultivation! Burn!

The three of them didn't stay long at Ichiraku Ramen.

Namikaze Yoru's lunch barbecue hadn't fully digested yet, Minato's appetite was naturally small, and only Kushina seemed a bit reluctant to leave—but held back by formality, she didn't ask for another bowl, even though Yoru repeatedly said it was fine.

After paying the bill, Yoru had Minato escort Kushina back first, while he himself strolled leisurely around the village, pretending to be digesting his meal.

In reality, he had already secretly activated the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, his perception spreading outward like invisible ripples as he carefully probed Konoha for locations with abnormal chakra or barrier seals.

He silently noted several areas where the perception was blocked, clearly concealed by Seal Techniques, then ended his "digestion" and turned back home.

As soon as he got home, Yoru took out the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique scroll from his robes and began attempting to practice it.

The basic Shadow Clone Technique wasn't difficult; with a little effort, he grasped the chakra circulation method.

The front section of the Multiple Shadow Clone scroll was filled with warnings, cautioning practitioners to use this technique sparingly.

Yoru quickly skimmed past those advisories—Naruto used this thing as a basic attack; how could I, his "uncle," not manage it?

Following the scroll's instructions, he circulated chakra and formed hand seals. Even deliberately controlling the output, a dozen clones burst into existence with a "poof" in an instant.

At the same time, Yoru felt his body go hollow, his chakra nearly bottoming out. That sensation of being drained dry in a flash was far from pleasant.

Ever since he'd exchanged for the Uzumaki Sage Body, the feeling of being reborn had given him the illusion of endless chakra.

But having his chakra instantly split evenly among so many shadow clones still strained him. The dozen or so clones crammed into the tight space weren't comfortable either.

He dispelled the clones, and in an instant, a flood of memories from different perspectives surged back into his mind, leaving Yoru's head throbbing.

No wonder the scroll recorded that some people, after learning the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, had developed split personalities from high-intensity use, emphasizing that only those with strong mental fortitude should learn it.

"That nephew of mine has a protagonist's halo—it's probably not just a physique issue; he must have inherited Minato's nerve strength too."

As for the other ninjutsu scrolls, Yoru decided to take the shortcut. If he could cheat and spend points, why suffer through hard training?

"Pawn."

[Scan complete. Pawnable items detected as follows:]

[Ding! Unrecorded Ninjutsu*4... Valuation: 5/ea]

[Ding! Unrecorded High-Level Ninjutsu*1... Valuation: 40]

"Pawn them all."

[Current Pawn Points: 2130]

[Exchangeable Items:]

[Uzumaki Clan Sealing Technique—Exchange Cost: 4000 (can be split)]

[Mizuki Bloodline—Exchange Cost: 600]

[Kaguya Clan Primary Bloodline—Exchange Cost: 100]

[Body Rapid Repair—Exchange Cost: 500/use]

[Blade Mastery (Proficient)—Exchange Cost: 200]

[Longsword Ninjutsu (Sewing Needle)—Exchange Cost: 200]

[Forbidden Jutsu: Multiple Shadow Clone Technique—Exchange Cost: 80]

[Wind Release: Great Breakthrough—Exchange Cost: 10]

[Lightning Style: Earth Running—Exchange Cost: 10]

[Earth Style: Earth Fish Camouflage—Exchange Cost: 10]

[Illusion Technique: Fox Heart Technique—Exchange Cost: 10]

"All good stuff!" Yoru couldn't help but exclaim.

If it weren't for the windfall he'd gotten in the Land of Whirlpools, he'd probably just be staring helplessly at these sky-high prices.

He re-exchanged the four ninjutsu he'd pawned, then bought the Blade Mastery he'd gotten from Kushimaru Kuriarare. The pawn points were deducted by 240, and the corresponding training memories flowed into his mind, all techniques instantly mastered.

"All set. I've got every affinity covered. Once I figure out how to copy the Chidori, Kakashi will be Little Namikaze Yoru from now on."

After finishing all his preparations, night had deepened. Having wasted a huge amount of chakra testing things out, Yoru felt noticeably drowsy and fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The next day.

He woke up again at noon. Staring at the bright sun outside the window, Yoru felt a pang of self-reproach. Had he become this lazy just because he had a system?

Then he slapped himself hard. He couldn't think like that. If he had a system and still needed to work hard, then what was the point of the system?

Whether out of consideration for Yoru or because the front lines were stretched thin, no new Jonin instructor had been assigned to him yet.

According to regulations, Konoha Genin couldn't take on missions alone without a supervising ninja, so Yoru found himself with a rare stretch of free time.

He decided to use this opportunity to put his plan into action. After a quick lunch, he began searching every corner of Konoha for that rare beast.

"497, 498, 499..."

Until he heard familiar counting and heavy panting from deep in the forest, Yoru's spirits lifted, and he followed the sound inside.

There, a ninja in a green bodysuit with a bowl-cut hairstyle was training frantically in the woods. Whenever he was about to give up, he'd mutter things like "youth" and "burning" under his breath.

Namikaze Yoru's eyes lit up as the ninja before him gradually overlapped with the memory in his mind.

Might Duy, a Konoha legend, hailed as the most untouchable Genin in the village. One man, one life, speed-running the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—with all Eight Gates open, he kicked the fully-powered Seven Ninja Swordsmen straight out of the top tier. At this moment, Might Duy was still somewhat young, his signature stubble not yet so prominent, as he threw himself into push-ups with full effort.

Namikaze Yoru kept his expression neutral, walking to a spot not far away and starting his own training without a fuss.

When Might Duy saw someone approaching through the forest, he initially meant to avoid them. But seeing that the newcomer was a youth also engaged in basic training like himself, a competitive spark ignited, and he trained even more vigorously.

The two of them, one big and one small, thus began a silent contest in the woods. Namikaze Yoru, relying on his physical advantage, recovered quickly and only needed brief rests to continue his workout.

Might Duy, on the other hand, had no talent for ninjutsu, but years of relentless training had given him immense physical endurance.

They exchanged no words, yet seemed to reach an unspoken understanding, training all the way until the sun set in the west.

By now, Namikaze Yoru had also reached his limit, with sweat the size of beans dripping down continuously.

Midway through the training, he had considered stopping early to approach Might Duy and strike up a conversation.

But soon he realized that this kind of training, pushing beyond his physical limits, made his body like a sponge, continuously absorbing growth, while the circulation and refinement of Chakra within him also accelerated noticeably.

Gradually, Namikaze Yoru became immersed, following Might Duy's rhythm without distraction, pouring his full focus into even the simplest basic exercises.

It wasn't until waves of hunger struck and his mind snapped back to the aches and pains throughout his body that he realized it was time to stop.

The two of them, with mutual understanding, halted their training at the same time and exchanged a glance.

Might Duy, who had already come to see the other as a kindred spirit, spoke first, flashing a bright row of teeth:

"Youth! Kid, can you feel it burning?"

"I feel... my stomach is kind of burning."