Merely So

Naruto immediately formed hand seals and manifested a Shadow Clone Technique.

Two Narutos stood side by side; one was making faces, the other was grinning foolishly, creating a rather comical scene.

Although Hinata had witnessed Naruto's shadow clone earlier, seeing it with her own eyes again still caused ripples of emotion to stir within her heart.

If there was anyone in this world who understood Naruto best, it had to be her; after all, her secret observations over these years had not been in vain.

Naruto had spent four years at the Ninja Academy, struggling even to perform a basic Clone Technique, yet now he could use the higher-level Shadow Clone Technique with such proficiency.

She looked up, her gaze shifting quietly toward Qiushui, and a vague answer formed in her mind: it must have been Teacher Qiushui who taught him.

Once this thought took root, a sense of admiration couldn't help but rise in Hinata's heart.

Teacher Qiushui is truly amazing.

Teacher Iruka had taught him for four years without him learning it, yet after Teacher Qiushui had been here for less than a week, he had already mastered the more advanced Shadow Clone Technique.

This training ground was surrounded by a large, open space, even more spacious than the Ninja Academy's playground.

Qiushui led the two of them to start running laps along the edge of the clearing.

Although the ninjutsu rewarded by the system could be mastered instantly, physical fitness could not be achieved overnight. He was neither a Raikage from Kumogakure nor a top-tier healer like Tsunade, and besides, ninjas were inherently glass cannons; only by possessing a robust physique could he ensure he would survive long enough to use his abilities.

During the run, Qiushui would occasionally turn his head to observe Naruto's condition, offering guidance at the right moments: "Naruto, you have a habit of sprinting at the start of every run. That's wrong. You need to estimate your stamina and distribute it reasonably, otherwise, you'll be exhausted by the end."

As he ran, he adjusted his arm swing to demonstrate for Naruto: "And your running posture—look, your arm swing should be like mine. Keep a steady rhythm, and it will be much less strenuous."

Naruto listened intently, nodded, and adjusted his posture accordingly, following Qiushui's rhythm.

After fifty laps, a look of surprise gradually appeared in Naruto's eyes.

He discovered that although he had run so far, he wasn't gasping for air like he usually was.

The last time he ran fifty laps at school, his legs felt weak before he was even halfway through, yet today, despite running a longer distance than before, he was still holding up.

The method Teacher Qiushui taught really works!

Hinata felt equally surprised.

She often engaged in physical training, and running a few hundred laps wasn't particularly difficult for her, but today felt different from the past. Her footsteps seemed lighter, her breathing smoother, as if her body were being gently buoyed by some force, making the run exceptionally effortless.

"Hinata, head up and chest out. Don't keep running with your head down," Qiushui suddenly said.

He had long noticed that whenever the distance between Hinata and Naruto became even slightly close, she would unconsciously lower her head.

Hinata's face flushed, but she obediently lifted her head and adjusted her posture as Qiushui instructed.

Just then, a figure flashed past them, stirring up a light breeze.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

He was sprinting across the training ground at high speed, his strides vigorous and his rhythm swift. Before long, he had lapped the three of them. As he passed, he caught a glimpse of the "leisurely" pace of Qiushui and the others out of the corner of his eye, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift, a trace of undisguised smugness flashing in his eyes.

Nothing special, after all.

He withdrew his gaze, pushed off with his feet, and increased his speed, quickly leaving the three of them far behind.

"That hateful guy." Naruto ground his back teeth in frustration. Seeing Sasuke's arrogant demeanor, he instinctively wanted to rush up and challenge him, but just as he lifted his foot, Teacher Qiushui's words from earlier echoed in his ears.

He bit his lip, swallowed the impulse, and honestly continued running at his previous rhythm, though his footsteps were a bit heavier than before, as if he were taking his frustration out on the ground.

"Why is Sasuke-kun training here too?" Hinata blinked, a faint trace of confusion rising in her eyes.

Because she had been training elsewhere earlier, she hadn't seen him when she arrived.

Two hours slipped away quietly amidst the rhythm of their footsteps.

Naruto and Hinata sat side by side on the grass, both their faces flushed red as if they had just been pulled from a steamer. Sweat trickled down their temples, coalescing into large beads that dripped one by one into the grass. Their chests heaved violently, and their gasping breaths rose and fell in succession; neither had the strength to speak.

Qiushui stood to the side, as calm and composed as if nothing had happened.

He was somewhat surprised himself. Although his body was fully developed and his years of ninja life had pushed his physical limits to the peak—making long-distance raids lasting several days and nights a common occurrence—the nearly two-hour, seventy-kilometer run would have left him at least slightly breathless in his previous state. Yet now, let alone gasping, there was only a fine layer of sweat on his forehead. He guessed that the five percent Otsutsuki bloodline he had obtained had strengthened his constitution, leading to this change.

He looked down at Hinata and Naruto sitting on the ground, and seeing their breathing gradually steady, he bent down, took two bottles of electrolyte water from the bag at his feet, handed one to each of them, and said, "Drink slowly, don't choke."

Naruto took the water bottle and gulped down half of it in one go, not even bothering to wipe the water flowing down the corners of his mouth.

Hinata held the bottle with both hands, bowed slightly, and said politely, "Thank you, Teacher Qiushui."

Hearing Hinata's words, Naruto paused, then wiped his mouth and quickly added, "Thank you, Teacher Qiushui!"

Qiushui couldn't help but smile and said, "No need to be so formal, get some rest."

He let the two of them rest on the spot for twenty minutes while he turned and walked toward the edge of the woods. He carefully selected two sturdy, thick trees with rough bark. After choosing them, he stood under the trees for a moment, observing them, and nodded with satisfaction.

Twenty minutes passed quickly.

Qiushui walked back to the two of them and said, "For the next two hours, I will teach you how to precisely control the chakra within your bodies."

Naruto blinked, looking blank. Hinata also tilted her head slightly, showing a puzzled expression.

Qiushui didn't explain further; he turned and walked toward one of the trees. He took a deep breath, his chakra slowly surging within him, and then he lifted his right foot and stepped firmly onto the trunk. He walked vertically upward step by step as if he were walking on flat ground, his pace calm and steady, as if gravity had lost its effect on him.

"Wow, so amazing!" Naruto looked up, his eyes wide and his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg, his admiration written plainly on his face.