Practicing Tobirama's Water Formation Wall, Vitality Increases

Hiroya, that old silver coin, acted as if he had bestowed a great favor upon Byakuya, offering a few pretentious words of encouragement before walking away with his hands behind his back.

Watching his retreating figure, Byakuya felt a ripple of emotion stir in his heart, only to quickly smooth it away.

If he possessed the temperament of a typical youth, he might have shouted, "Don't bully the young because they are poor," or "I am not yet strong, but when I am, things will change," especially while lacking the strength to back it up.

But if these people had even a shred of intelligence, hearing such a threat from a parentless, commoner genin would surely lead them to swat him dead like a fly.

However, Byakuya's body housed a mature soul.

He would never expose even a sliver of his vengeance or ambition while he remained weak.

He would only focus on constantly securing benefits, steadily growing his strength, and walking every step with caution.

"My life is like walking on thin ice; do you think I can reach the other side?"

Byakuya gripped his Ninja Sword, focused his mind, and swung the blade; the Storm Release chakra flickered across the edge and vanished in an instant.

Evening.

Work ended.

Having practiced with his sword all day, Byakuya's arms ached severely.

Izumi Orange stood outside the Ninja Academy gate, looking cute and dainty, her eyes scanning the crowd as if waiting for someone.

Seeing Byakuya—dressed in black clothes and trousers, handsome in appearance, and wearing the Konoha forehead protector—she immediately beamed with a bright smile.

"Classmate Byakuya, I want to eat barbecue."

"Sorry, I still have to go home and practice my sword."

She leaned forward slightly, her hands playfully clasped behind her back, and walked to Byakuya's side, exclaiming in surprise, "You really are carrying a sword; how impressive! Alright, it's settled then—you can go home to practice after we eat barbecue."

Byakuya instantly felt the urge to smack the hilt of his sword against Izumi Orange's doll-like face. What is this, am I some kind of performance quota to you?

"Excuse me, I'll treat Teacher Izumi to barbecue next time."

With that, he quickened his pace.

Izumi Orange followed him closely, lowering her voice: "Fine, fine, I know you have the heart to become stronger, Byakuya. It's been long enough; you should give me an answer now, right?"

"I don't wish to participate in any of your affairs; I only want to practice my sword."

Having dropped those words, Byakuya leaped onto a nearby wall, moving with the agility of a rabbit, and within a few breaths, he vanished from Izumi Orange's sight.

She stood in place looking utterly helpless, her head bowed, hair strands obscuring her cheeks so that her expression could not be seen.

Yet, one could hear her muttering a few words in an extremely low voice.

Byakuya ate dinner at Ichiraku Ramen, not skimping on himself, and ordered the top-tier toppings.

The moment he returned home, he began swinging his sword, unable to wait a second longer.

Although the rewards granted by his Fate Grid were generous, the tasks were equally arduous; it was a system where one only reaped what one sowed.

One minute before midnight.

Byakuya's arms ached so much he could no longer hold the sword, and it clattered to the floor.

Heaven Rewards Diligence, The Persistent Succeed
Time Limit 1 Day: Swing the sword (20,000/20,000)
Reward: Sword mastery talent increased

Suddenly, he felt a sense of attachment and confidence toward the blade, as if, as long as he held it, he could take the head of an enemy general amidst ten thousand troops.

Every simple sword technique he had learned at the Ninja Academy, every move and every stance, Byakuya could now execute as a lethal killing art.

This was the most brutal form of improvement!

The Fate Grid task refreshed.

Heaven Rewards Diligence, The Persistent Succeed
Time Limit 2 Days: After exhausting 90% of your chakra, perform 30 minutes of taijutsu training (Incomplete)
Reward: Vitality increased

Fate Choice I: Defect to the Third Hokage (Incomplete)
Reward: Master Fire Release chakra

Byakuya only glanced at "Fate Choice I" before dismissing it entirely.

He would have to be out of his mind to choose that.

After all, he had already obtained Senju Tobirama's Water Release: Water Formation Wall, which in all likelihood had been given to him by that old bastard Shimura Danzō. If he were to defect to Sarutobi Hiruzen, wouldn't that be offending the old bastard Danzō to death?

The next moment, Byakuya collapsed onto the floor and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Vaguely, he heard the alarm clock ring.

He opened his eyes abruptly.

The agonizing pain in his arms from yesterday's training had significantly improved; he could feel the Storm Release chakra continuously soothing his muscles.

This was the power of a Kekkei Genkai rooted in his very bloodline.

He moved his arms; the problem wasn't significant, and he could proceed with today's training.

He pulled up his Fate Grid Panel.

When he saw the requirement, "After exhausting ninety percent of your chakra, perform thirty minutes of taijutsu training," Byakuya couldn't help but be stunned.

If the reward weren't so difficult to give up, he would have certainly chosen to quit.

This damn Fate Grid was trying to kill him!

"The reward of increased vitality is truly a good thing; it is perfectly suited to the path of caution I uphold."

Other ninjas all have their own ninja ways, but sorry, Byakuya doesn't have that sort of thing—he only has caution!

He decided simply not to go to the Ninja Academy to work, testing Hiroya's tolerance for him.

Carrying his Ninja Sword and a bag, he packed enough Kunai and Shuriken, tucked the scroll for Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's Water Release: Water Formation Wall into his chest, and headed straight for the forest outside the village.

Last time he trained in the woods, he had been bumped into by Hatake Kakashi. Having learned his lesson, Byakuya went deeper, chose a relatively open clearing, threw the bag containing his rice balls onto the ground, sat down beside it, and opened the copy of the Water Release: Water Formation Wall ninjutsu scroll.

The difference between Senju Tobirama's Water Formation Wall and the ordinary version was that it involved spitting out a waterfall-like volume of water from the mouth, which rotated in a circle around the user to form an omnidirectional defense, and it only required two hand seals.

An ordinary Water Formation Wall merely created a single vertical wall of water.

If not for the fact that the names of the techniques were the same, these would be two completely different Water Release ninjutsu.

The scroll's explanation was very detailed; the Second Hokage was clearly afraid that his successors wouldn't be able to learn it.

After reading it all, Byakuya, whose ninjutsu talent had already been improved, still sighed helplessly.

Tobirama's version of the Water Formation Wall required a massive amount of chakra and exquisite control over that chakra when in an environment without water.

Byakuya found a river in the forest.

He held his breath and focused.

He formed the seals.

He gathered his chakra and spat out water.

With the help of the river water, Tobirama's version of the Water Formation Wall was successfully cast; however, it only formed a thin layer of water rotating around him, and the speed was very slow.

Canceling the ninjutsu, Byakuya broke out in a cold sweat, leaning on his knees and gasping for air. His vision flickered, clearly showing that the excessive consumption of chakra was affecting his physical and mental state.

Over ninety percent of the chakra in his body had been used up in an instant.

If this was the only effect, it was less reliable than casting an ordinary Water Formation Wall.

"I miscalculated. Tobirama's version of the Water Formation Wall is definitely not something I can use right now. This is still in an environment with water; if it were an environment without water, using this technique would be pure suicide."

"I might as well take advantage of the fact that I've consumed ninety percent of my chakra to persist in practicing thirty minutes of taijutsu."

Byakuya felt extremely uncomfortable and drowsy, but he performed the Konoha Style Taijutsu with rigid precision.

During the process, he nearly fainted from exhaustion, but relying on sheer willpower, he finally managed to complete the thirty minutes.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, the persistent shall succeed

Time limit 2 days: After exhausting ninety percent of your chakra, perform thirty minutes of taijutsu training (Completed)

Reward: Vitality increased]

With a thud, he collapsed onto the riverbank and passed out, one hand soaking in the water.

The river flowed leisurely.

A school of small fish seemed to have discovered something new and kept brushing against his fingers.

Byakuya woke up with a start and pulled his hand back from the water.

Although his body was extremely weak and his mind was incredibly exhausted, he was recovering in a positive direction.

"So this is what increased vitality feels like... No wonder the members of the Uzumaki Clan are so durable."