Cultivation

March 15, Year 36 of the Konoha era, night.

Fugaku, having finished practicing ninjutsu at the training ground, was preparing to head home. Passing by the Third Training Ground, he heard sounds coming from within and curiously went to take a look, only to see...

It was Akaseki, who had been practicing ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu with him earlier that afternoon, training alone in the field.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Akaseki quickly formed hand seals, and a massive fireball with a diameter of two or three meters erupted from his mouth...

Including the Great Fireball Technique, many Fire Style ninjutsu were kept in scrolls by the Uchiha Clan, meaning they could be learned independently.

However, Fugaku knew that Akaseki had not mastered any Fire Style ninjutsu before; this Great Fireball Technique had been copied from him earlier that day.

Seeing him still practicing at this hour, Fugaku couldn't help but sigh that Akaseki was more diligent than he had imagined...

Initially, after observing Akaseki's foundation, Fugaku had assumed he was a clansman with mediocre talent and diligence, and that his "awakening" of the Sharingan was simply an unreasonable stroke of luck.

But looking at him now, he realized he had misjudged him, at the very least in terms of "diligence"!

It was even possible that his talent for ocular jutsu was better than he had anticipated.

Is it nothing special to practice a newly learned ninjutsu?

That wasn't necessarily true...

Ninjutsu copied with the Sharingan were different from those learned through normal training. Every time they were used, the Sharingan had to be active, and using copied ninjutsu consumed additional ocular power.

Not only did this increase the drain during combat, but it also severely limited how much a Sharingan user could practice the techniques they had copied.

Without practice, copied ninjutsu could at most reach a level of "basic proficiency," with a very low ceiling...

Yet, because the awakening of the Sharingan and the subsequent increase in ocular power were so illogical compared to other Kekkei Genkai, it was a unique situation.

Although the Sharingan was easier to upgrade the more chakra one had, it ultimately relied on emotional stimulation; chakra was merely an auxiliary factor.

For instance, if some Jonin-level clansmen were still stuck with a single-tomoe Sharingan, their limited ocular power would be unable to support the effective practice of B-rank ninjutsu!

Even with his own substantial chakra reserves, only the ninjutsu he had truly trained in could reach a high level of mastery. Copied ninjutsu, constrained by ocular power, actually offered few opportunities for practice.

In Fugaku's view, Akaseki had just awakened his eyes, so his ocular power should be severely strained, and his chakra reserves should be low as well. After copying those ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu that afternoon, he should have been completely exhausted...

Yet here he was, still practicing a C-rank ninjutsu. He must be incredibly hardworking, and his ocular power must be recovering faster than Fugaku had imagined!

Seeing this, Fugaku did not disturb Akaseki, but his opinion of him had changed drastically.

As for Akaseki, who was in the middle of training, he had no idea that Fugaku had been watching.

The reason he was here training ninjutsu by himself stemmed from his previous trial of the [Immersive Short Drama Experience Platform]...

During his first one-hour trial, Akaseki received a GG reward of "Full recovery of physical strength and training-induced hidden injuries." Naturally, Akaseki didn't waste it; he pushed his body to the limit, training his taijutsu movements thoroughly—and indeed, his learning efficiency had increased.

After becoming completely exhausted, Akaseki tried a second hour...

The GG reward this time was different from the last; it was a [Wangjie Eye Protector]. After using it, his ocular power was fully restored, along with any hidden injuries caused by eye strain!

The ocular power he had gained while suffering through the plot had essentially improved the quality of his Sharingan, raising its maximum capacity, and this reward had filled it right back up...

So, to avoid wasting it, Akaseki came to the training ground next to Konoha to practice ninjutsu—because his ocular power was full, he could train with his eyes active again!

As for chakra...

It recovered much faster than ocular power anyway.

After exhausting his restored ocular power, Akaseki sat down once more and began to "immerse"...

The third time, his ocular power increased... another "Eye Protector" trial. Akaseki practiced ninjutsu for a while longer, becoming more proficient with the copied techniques while also growing accustomed to the feeling of ocular exhaustion—something most Uchiha avoided, as draining one's ocular power was harmful to the eyes!

The fourth time, his ocular power increased... the "GG" reward was a "Massager" to restore his body. After recovering, Akaseki practiced the first five sets of movements again until he was completely drained.

The fifth time, his ocular power increased... and then something new appeared!

[Wangjie Posture Corrector: Supports the shoulders and back, lifts your aura, corrects your posture by an inch, improves your temperament by tenfold, reshapes muscle memory, protects an upright stance, scientifically guides body mechanics, health starts from the smallest details...]

"Hmm? This Wangjie again... Is this a series? Could it be... that this short drama is all part of this series?" Akaseki speculated to himself.

[Product trial in progress...]

There was a limit to what Akaseki could deduce from the GG keywords, and he wasn't sure what it was, but once he actually tried it, he felt the effects immediately!

Creak, creak, creak—

"Ouch... what's going on?" Akaseki suddenly felt an invisible force binding him!

Moving became much more strenuous than usual!

"Is this a punishment this time?" Akaseki found that even performing normal movements had become very difficult.

[Wangjie Posture Corrector: During use, physical exertion increases, but the body will not be damaged by activity. Trial duration: one hour.]

Akaseki gradually understood the purpose of this device...

It was equivalent to an invisible full-body sandbag that could apply uniform resistance, assisting in tempering the body while preventing injury. During the trial, he could engage in extreme training without restraint!

Since it was now harder to perform movements, it was easier to train his taijutsu reactions under extreme conditions.

Normally, this type of extreme training would lead to the accumulation of hidden physical injuries, eventually resulting in permanent damage.

Yet Akaseki was now acting without any restraint...

After draining the last bit of stamina he had just recovered, Akaseki forced himself once more into the state of Immersion.

Akaseki discovered at this moment that the GG rewarded by this drama seemed to all belong to this Prosperity Realm series; although the effects were not as exaggerated as granting a Lightning Style chakra transformation, they could significantly boost his cultivation efficiency.

In this way, Akaseki entered a cycle of "cultivation, one hour of Immersion, cultivation..."

It was just that...

Akaseki had no way to control exactly what he was cultivating, as there was no discernible pattern to the rewards yet; he could only perform the corresponding training for whatever he was awarded.

The reason Akaseki was not at all worried about it being too late was, on one hand, because the process of Immersion, while a torture for the mind, was actually equivalent to sleep for his spirit and was a form of recovery; on the other hand... this was the Third Training Ground!

When Akaseki arrived, he had seen outside that this place had already been reserved for tomorrow during the day, presumably by the jonin Jiraiya, which was also the reason Akaseki chose to train here...

This way, even if he were to pass out or fall asleep here during Immersion, he wouldn't have to worry about being late tomorrow.