What Are You Expecting?!

"By the way, I'll be leaving Konoha for a while. During that time, I hope you can help keep an eye on Nawaki's training."

Standing up, Tsunade said this to Shuji.

"Don't worry. Please be careful out there too."

Shuji nodded and replied to Tsunade.

"All right, go train. I'm going back to rest for a bit too."

Tsunade nodded, letting out a huge yawn as she walked toward the door.

After seeing Tsunade off, Shuji headed to the Dojo to find Nawaki.

"You're here?"

Nawaki stopped his ongoing physical training, sat directly on the floor, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah. Working this hard today?"

As he spoke, Shuji formed hand seals with both hands and created several Shadow Clone Techniques, assigning them respectively to train Chakra control, Medical Ninjutsu, and the Yin Seal.

At the same time, he glanced at the puddle of sweat that had gathered beneath Nawaki.

Nawaki was usually diligent too, but it was rare to see him pushing himself this desperately.

The last time he had trained this hard was when Tsunade had been watching him train.

"Can't be helped... You agreed to a request like that from Mikoto. Mikoto will definitely challenge me in the future. Shuji-san, my surname is Senju..."

Nawaki helplessly held his forehead with one hand, rubbing his swollen brow from overtraining.

"If I get beaten by an Uchiha, my sister will kill me."

After a pause, Nawaki continued.

"Well... pressure creates motivation. What's the point of always fighting Hiashi?"

Shuji said this to Nawaki. After thinking it over, he ultimately chose not to tell Nawaki that Tsunade would be leaving the village for a while.

Maybe Nawaki would find out tomorrow, but who could possibly refuse letting him be anxious for one more night?

As he spoke, Shuji began his own training as well.

At the Senju residence, Shuji mainly practiced movements from the Gentle Fist and Fighter techniques, allowing his body to grow continuously familiar with them so that they would become instinctive in actual combat.

After returning home, Shuji would first put on enough weights in his room before practicing the Gentle Fist again.

He usually performed the Gentle Fist one hundred times. Then, under the strain of the weights, Shuji's body would sustain a certain degree of damage.

Only then would Shuji stop training. After washing up, he would use Nen Energy to restore his body.

His restored body would also improve to a certain extent.

Once his body adapted to that weight, Shuji would increase it further and repeat the process.

"If Hiashi hears you say that, he'll fight you to the death."

Nawaki glanced at Shuji, stood up, and walked over to one of Shuji's shadow clones as he spoke.

"If I were scared, I wouldn't say something like that."

Shuji replied while practicing the Gentle Fist.

"Is this a new technique my sister taught you?"

Looking at the scroll being held and read by one of Shuji's shadow clones, Nawaki asked without raising his head.

"Yeah. The Yin Seal."

Shuji nodded without looking back.

"What rank is it? What does it do?"

After briefly looking over the dense symbols on the scroll—symbols unique to the Sealing Technique whose meaning he could not understand—Nawaki frowned and walked away.

Who the hell even studied this kind of thing?

"It's an S-rank medical sealing technique. As for its effects, it can store Chakra for later use. It can also preserve youth and keep your body at its peak."

Shuji explained to Nawaki.

"Hmph, storing Chakra..."

Upon hearing the words "preserve youth," Nawaki's heart stirred. He shifted his steps and quietly moved toward Shuji's shadow clone, while disdainfully snorting.

"Surely no one really has so little Chakra that they need to store it in advance, right?"

As he spoke, Nawaki glanced at Shuji, who was practicing his punches.

"Heh... your sister and your grandmother, maybe? What, you didn't know?"

Shuji sneered and asked in return.

"Teach me?"

Nawaki tossed Shuji's words aside, crouched beside the shadow clone, and said with a grin.

"No time."

Without even lifting his eyelids, Shuji's shadow clone casually replied.

"Tch... what does this mean?"

Unbothered, Nawaki pointed at one of the symbols on the scroll and asked Shuji's shadow clone.

"..."

The shadow clone pursed his lips helplessly, but ultimately told Nawaki what it meant.

"Hey, can't you wait until he's memorized this part before asking?"

Stopping his movements in frustration, Shuji asked Nawaki with a headache.

Whoosh!

The long blade sliced through the air, bringing with it a sharp whistle of wind.

Beads of sweat slid down Mikoto's face to her chin.

They eventually dripped onto the floor of the Mikoto family Dojo.

For a Jonin family, having a spacious Dojo was practically standard.

After all, some techniques were not convenient to practice where others could see them.

Today's exchange with Shuji had made Mikoto understand the gap between them even more clearly.

Because of that, every move she made was filled with focus.

Outside the Dojo, Uchiha Chisaku arrived with his hands behind his back, having just received a satisfactory answer from the Ninja Academy.

Seeing Mikoto training so diligently, he was even more satisfied.

However, the faint smile on his lips vanished in an instant.

"As a ninja, can't you even notice someone walking up beside you?"

His stern voice rang out. Mikoto's movements immediately halted. In the next moment, she sheathed her sword and looked toward Uchiha Chisaku.

Did a ninja need to remain vigilant even at home?

If that were the case, then what was the meaning of home?

"I'm sorry."

Countless indignant words rose to her lips, yet they became only three words.

"Remember it. Don't make the same mistake next time."

Chisaku nodded and said to Mikoto.

"I'll remember it."

Mikoto nodded gently and replied to Uchiha Chisaku.

After that, Mikoto said nothing more, only looking expectantly at Uchiha Chisaku before her.

Though she had not truly defeated Shuji, she had still worked toward it for an entire year.

And she had already achieved a victory in name.

Surely... something should be different now?

"What are you expecting?!"

Noticing the expectation in Mikoto's eyes, Chisaku's brows knitted tightly. Confused yet utterly furious, he questioned her.