At this rate, even if he hit himself a thousand times, his physical strength and vitality might not increase by even 1 point. Besides, with the effort it took to punch himself a thousand times, he might as well go train in Taijutsu, since the vitality gained that way would be much greater.
However, given the perverse nature of Karma Reversal, the harder other people trained, the stronger they got, while the harder he trained, the weaker he would probably become.
Could it be that only when attacked by others will my vitality and defense increase significantly, and hitting myself doesn't work? Watanabe guessed.
He felt regretful. He had originally wanted to rely on this bug exploit to hide at home and crazily abuse himself to get stronger, but now that path was cut off.
The improvements he gained from self-abuse at home for a whole day couldn't even compare to someone running for a single morning. Of course it was a dead end.
If there were a Taijutsu style that was both immensely powerful and harmful to the body, that would be great. Cultivating that kind of Taijutsu would definitely yield twice the results with half the effort.
Watanabe sighed inwardly. He did not understand the plot of the Naruto World, nor did he know whether the Taijutsu he imagined existed.
After pondering for a long time, while considering how to efficiently improve his strength through Karma Reversal, Watanabe subconsciously entered a meditative state, refining the Chakra within his body.
[Cultivating: Chakra (vitality) -1, -2, -2...]
What the hell!
Watanabe was startled. He didn't have much Chakra to begin with, and after practicing for just a short while, a fifth of it was deducted.
What the heck is the point of cultivating this?!
Watanabe simply lay flat on his back, emptying his mind and thinking of nothing.
[Lazing: Chakra (vitality) +3, +4, +3...]
Not to mention, the Chakra gained this way was much more efficient than the Chakra he usually accumulated through cultivation.
This isn't a bad way to get stronger after all!
Watanabe's eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
At this rhythm of slacking off, it wouldn't be long before his Chakra reserves surpassed geniuses like Orochimaru and Tsunade, truly achieving a turnaround for a good-for-nothing.
However, a ninja's strength didn't solely depend on having massive Chakra reserves; they also needed to master advanced ninjutsu. Take the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi as an example—he was rumored to know and be able to use all existing ninjutsu in Konoha, earning him the reputation of the Professor of Ninjutsu, as well as the title of the Strongest Hokage.
The Ninja Academy only teaches the basic Three Body Techniques, and all the more advanced ninjutsu are monopolized by major ninja clans and the Konoha High Command. If I want to learn advanced ninjutsu, I have to make outstanding contributions to the village or pledge allegiance to another ninja clan. It's a bit tricky...
Watanabe's commoner background was a limitation after all. Not only did he lack the Kekkei Genkai passed down through generations in ninja clans, but he even found it hard to find a pathway to learn advanced ninjutsu.
After hesitating for a moment, Watanabe stopped dwelling on it.
Ninjutsu could wait for later; what he needed to do currently was to boost his Chakra and vitality as much as possible so that when opportunities arose in the future, he would have sufficient strength to seize them.
With that thought in mind, Watanabe was full of drive, turning over to find a comfortable position and continuing to lie flat.
[Lazing: Chakra (vitality) +4, +5, +4...]
As Watanabe slacked off, time ticked away second by second, and soon night fell, plunging the room into darkness.
Watanabe suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten dinner and was about to go to the kitchen to cook instant noodles when—
[Starving: fullness +2, physical stamina +2, weakness -3...]
Watanabe paused, finding it incredible: There's such a good thing?!
If he didn't need to eat, he wouldn't have to worry about making a living at all. At his current stage, he was so poor he could barely afford food—and that was no exaggeration.
Then he carefully felt his stomach; it truly didn't feel hungry, but rather gave him the sensation of having eaten a full meal and being completely stuffed.
Skipping three meals a day—just how much money will that save me?!
Watanabe felt overjoyed just thinking about it.
However, he couldn't stay happy for long, because as time passed, the feeling of fullness in his stomach grew increasingly intense, as if someone who was already full was still eating continuously.
[Starving: fullness +5, physical stamina +3, weakness -2...]
This is bad. If I don't eat anything, I'm going to burst to death.
Watanabe was terribly uncomfortable from being stuffed, even more uncomfortable than being hungry. Gritting his teeth, he rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen.
It wasn't until he finished two bowls of piping hot instant noodles that his stomach returned to normal.
[Eating: hunger +15, weakness +5, physical stamina -6...]
If I keep eating, will I starve myself to death?
Rubbing his flat lower abdomen, Watanabe was both curious and depressed.
He had originally thought he could skip three meals a day thanks to the property of Karma Reversal, but now it seemed expenses on food and drink were still unavoidable.
Other people would starve to death if they didn't eat, but he would burst to death instead.
Karma Reversal, truly living up to your name.
Time rolled back to the evening.
In the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi finished handling today's official business and began reading the reports submitted to him by the Ninja Academy teachers.
Regardless of the grade level, the Ninja Academy held practical combat sparring twice per semester, aiming to unearth potential seeds within the school, since academy students represented the next generation of Konoha.
In addition to serving as Hokage, Hiruzen also acted as the principal of the Ninja Academy. Hiruzen at this time was in his prime and capable of great things.
First, he checked the practical combat performance of Class 4-A. For years, he had kept a close eye on Tsunade; her identity was simply too special. As the granddaughter of the First Hashirama, she was born the center of attention.
In fact, Hiruzen had long wanted to take Tsunade as his personal disciple and groom her into his confidante, teaching her just as Tobirama had taught him back then, but Mito Uzumaki wouldn't agree.
Just a few years after the end of the First Shinobi World War, the Five Great Nations ushered in a brief and precious peace. Mito wanted to give Tsunade a carefree childhood, letting her stay in the Ninja Academy until graduation like a normal child. Besides, Tsunade had her teaching her at home anyway, so she didn't lack Hiruzen as a teacher.
Facing Mito's refusal, helpless as he was, Hiruzen dared not force the issue. If there was anyone the Hokage feared in Konoha, that person was undoubtedly Mito; the First, Second, and Third Hokage had all been intimidated by her.
Hmm? This kid named Watanabe is quite a promising sapling.
Looking over the report submitted by Osaka Rukawa, Hiruzen muttered softly.
He had expected Tsunade to defeat her opponent in practical combat with crushing momentum, but unexpectedly, Watanabe—who fought Tsunade—was unusually tenacious. He was knocked flying again and again, yet got back up again and again, and even demanded that Tsunade go all out without holding back so that his defeat would at least look decent.
Hiruzen knew Osaka Rukawa well, deeply aware that he was an earnest and excellent teacher. The report he wrote with his own hands would definitely not be falsified, and the actual situation at the time was probably even more touching than what was written.
Hiruzen lit his pipe and exhaled a puff of smoke.
He naturally admired people like Watanabe who were tenacious and refused to admit defeat. His father Sasuke Sarutobi had been a renowned, iron-blooded hero of the Warring States period. Having originally intended to focus solely on Tsunade, he had unexpectedly discovered a potential seed worthy of his attention.
After graduation in the future, he can be assigned an Elite Jonin as a squad leader. As for how far he can eventually grow, it will depend on his own abilities.
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