Training Ground Loafer

[Simulation Result: Chakra Conversion Rate: 9%, Absorption Speed: Low. Practical Rating: Low.]

Aoba's mouth twitched as he looked at the data summary provided by the Chip.

He had been mentally prepared, but this conversion rate was far too low.

A nine percent conversion rate meant that out of a hundred points of absorbed chakra, only nine could be used by him. The rest dissipated during transmission for various reasons.

Only then did Aoba realize just how absurd Momoshiki's [Amenominakanushi] truly was. Not only could it absorb all ninjutsu, but it could also amplify a technique's power and send it back.

Compared to that, his was practically the bargain-bin version of a bargain-bin version.

And its absorption speed was painfully slow. Unless the opponent was dead or tied up so tightly that they could be manipulated at will, who would stupidly stand there and let him touch them for half the day?

"No wonder it was tossed into a corner to gather dust."

But what Aoba valued was not its current state, but its potential.

The formula still needed further modification. Direct contact was not much of an issue, but the conversion rate and speed needed to be improved.

Even if he could only absorb a little at a time in battle, it would greatly extend his endurance.

By the time he left the hospital, dusk was already approaching.

Aoba walked home, his thoughts churning.

In his memories, it seemed that the Third Shinobi World War had been started by the Sunagakure Shinobi.

So why were the Iwagakure Shinobi and Konohagakure fighting so fiercely now instead?

Could the timeline have changed?

Though he, this little butterfly, had caused some changes, they should not have had such a huge impact.

Ever since awakening his past-life memories, he had barely done anything. He had simply kept his head down and developed quietly.

Aoba could not make sense of it.

Sigh~

There was too little information available.

If that was the case, he needed to speed up his plans. He could not keep fixating on medical arts. Once the Shinobi World War began, even medical ninja would have to go to the front lines.

Aoba touched his ninja tool pouch. Inside was a scroll containing Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred.

With the Chip's assistance, he was confident he could master this technique in an extremely short time.

He had not practiced it before because he had no intention of revealing it immediately.

This ninjutsu was too powerful and far too conspicuous.

It would be difficult to keep it hidden.

Should he go to the Forest of Death again?

Aoba thought about how his previous excessive monster hunting had severely disrupted the Forest of Death's ecosystem, leading to every entrance and exit being sealed off. Even the torn wire fencing had been repaired.

Of course, Aoba did not believe that excuse at all.

A two- or three-meter-tall wire fence definitely could not stop Aoba, nor could it stop other ninja. But they had posted notices saying entry was forbidden.

If he went in anyway and encountered danger, or saw something he should not have seen, how would that be handled?

Forget it. He would think of another way.

Over the following days, Aoba used his hospital internship as an excuse to skip his morning classes at the Ninja Academy.

Nor did he obediently stay at the hospital.

Instead, under the pretext of "going out to gather medicinal herbs" and "conducting clinical field research," he wandered around the various training grounds.

"Yo, Uncle Dai, your youth is truly burning hot. Taijutsu is great, but don't overdo it. You didn't come for your follow-up last week, and I just happen to be free now..."

"Oh, you two seniors, that battle just now was absolutely amazing! It got my blood pumping. That [Fire Release: Flame Bullet] was incredible! Me? I'm an intern medical ninja from Konoha Hospital. Medical Ninjutsu? Of course I know some. I can treat you right now, so you won't need to make another trip to the hospital."

"Senior, training must be exhausting. Would you like free treatment? I'm an intern at Konoha Hospital and want to gain more experience."

Whenever Aoba saw ninja finish training and sit down to rest, bruised and battered, he would approach at just the right moment with a harmless smile.

At first, everyone was still wary of him.

But when a gentle green glow appeared in Aoba's palm and their scrapes and sore muscles vanished within minutes, every trace of doubt disappeared.

Who would not want free treatment?

Aoba claimed it was for "practice," but he was actually collecting combat data from all kinds of ninja.

The auxiliary Chip could not only assist with learning and research; it could also assist in battle. However, its database required a vast number of samples to fill out.

Every ninja's force application techniques, chakra flow patterns, and hand-sign habits were precious data.

It was similar to his previous fight against Kakashi. Since Aoba possessed all of Kakashi's data, as long as the gap in their strength was not too great, he could easily suppress Kakashi.

That was the data-driven style of fighting.

He did not consider himself some kind of combat genius. Breaking through during battle was simply nonsense.

Although he had survived until the end of the original anime, the original owner of this body had followed the path of the Intelligence Division. Now that Aoba had switched to the Medical System, he was afraid that something unexpected might happen again.

After all, he had already experienced that "something unexpected" once. He had no desire to experience it a second time.

Still, his "free treatment" drew quite a bit of scrutiny. But Aoba was not worried; his identity could withstand any investigation.

Besides, he had neither stolen nor robbed anything, nor had he drawn blood or secretly collected any leftover items.

He did often shamelessly ask for advice on ninjutsu or taijutsu, though. Gradually, everyone understood, marveling that this kid was rather clever and knew how to "learn by watching."

He was just a kid, after all. Everyone was happy enough to "guide" a junior, especially since this was a junior capable of using Medical Ninjutsu. Who knew? One day, this very kid might be the one treating them in the hospital.

Of course, not everyone allowed him to watch. After all, the most important thing for a ninja was their own intelligence. Protecting one's information was a compulsory lesson for every ninja.

So whenever he was signaled to leave or warned off, Aoba immediately turned around and left.

That day, Aoba arrived at Training Ground 3.

It was located in a remote area, surrounded by rocky hills and forests, and few people usually came there.

Aoba crouched in the crown of a large tree and looked through the dense leaves toward the clearing ahead.

The ground was riddled with pits, with signs of destruction everywhere.

Those traces were unusual.

They were neither scorch marks caused by explosions nor smooth cuts left by blades. Instead, they formed twisted spiral patterns. The tree trunks were the same, as though some rotating drill had forcibly bored hole after hole through them.

This scene was far too familiar.

A name instantly flashed through his mind—Rasengan.

Was Namikaze Minato developing the Rasengan?

Namikaze Minato, Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage, was known as the Yellow Flash because he often relied on his speed to win in battle. He had become famous throughout the Shinobi World for it and was one of Konohagakure's great contributors during the Third Shinobi World War.

But that was in the future. At present, Namikaze Minato was merely an ordinary jonin of Konohagakure.

If there was anything special about him, it was that Minato was a disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.

Namikaze Minato had succeeded as Hokage after the Third Shinobi World War, so the Rasengan must have been developed before the war.

After all, during the Shinobi World War, Namikaze Minato had been famous as a rapid-response fighter, rushing back and forth between the Iwagakure Battlefield and the Kumogakure Battlefield.

So, judging by the timing, this did seem to be around when Minato developed the Rasengan.

Although the Rasengan had been developed by Namikaze Minato, the one who truly carried it forward was his son, Uzumaki Naruto.

One spinning ball carried him from beginning to end.