Qingyu tried to recall the memories from this body's past, but failed.
"Also," the nurse added.
"The Hyuga Clan sent a gift: a box of high-grade Military Ration Pills and a prescription for regulating the chakra pathways."
Qingyu was even more surprised. The Hyuga Clan... were they really that generous?
"That's normal," Tobirama analyzed.
"It's a courtesy gesture in public. You defeated their prodigy, so they're showing their clan's magnanimity. It's good for their image."
"Hypocritical," Izuna judged.
Qingyu said nothing. He just thought the rules of the ninja world were awfully complicated.
After dinner, night fell.
Qingyu lay in bed, looking at the moon outside the window, when something suddenly occurred to him.
"System," he asked silently, "what exactly does the 'Rising Star of the Clan' title do?"
[Title: Rising Star of the Clan]
[Effect: While in the Uchiha Clan Compound, all attributes increase slightly (5%); rewards for accepting clan missions increase by 10%]
[Special: Can trigger the hidden side quest "Expectations of the Uchiha"]
[Note: Congratulations! You've officially caught the attention of the higher-ups. Whether that's a blessing or a curse... you'll have to weigh that for yourself.]
Qingyu read the note and gave a bitter smile.
Indeed, it was hard to say whether this was a blessing or a curse.
He closed his eyes and began practicing the chakra recovery method Tobirama had taught him. His body still couldn't move, but he could start training his recovery early.
His consciousness sank into his body. His chakra pathways were as empty as a riverbed in the dry season, but with the rhythm of his breathing, threads of chakra began regenerating in his cells and flowing slowly through him.
It was dull, but effective.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly felt that something had changed.
It wasn't that he had more chakra. His control had improved. A precise maneuver that had once taken ten units of effort now took only eight.
"This is..." He opened his eyes.
"A breakthrough in battle," Tobirama said, sounding impressed.
"High-pressure combat can bring out one's potential. Your chakra control has improved by a small degree compared to before the match."
"So getting beaten up really does help?" Qingyu said with a bitter smile.
"It helps, but I wouldn't recommend making a habit of it," Izuna said.
"If you get beaten to death, you won't have anything left."
Qingyu's mouth twitched. I'm not even going to dignify that with a reply!
Back to training!
Night deepened.
Light from the hospital corridor shone through the glass in the door, casting hazy patches across the floor.
Qingyu stopped training and lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow, Sasuke would face Gaara.
The day after, it would be his turn again.
And after that... only Heaven knew.
He touched his forehead. Izuna and Tobirama were there.
Then he touched his chest. The system was on standby there.
Transmigration, two souls, a system, the Uchiha, Konoha... It was all so absurd it felt like a dream, yet so real it made his heart tremble.
"Hey," he suddenly said in his mind. "You two teachers, where do you think I can get to?"
Qingyu: I've spent my whole life walking on thin ice. Do you think I can make it to the other side...
Silence.
After a long while, Izuna spoke first. "I don't know. But if you keep pushing yourself this hard, at least... you won't die too soon."
"By a rational analysis," Tobirama said,
"at your current rate of growth, you have a good chance of reaching jōnin level within three years. But that assumes you live that long."
Qingyu laughed.
That answer was very Warring States, very ninja.
"Then..." He closed his eyes. "I'll do my best to live that long."
Moonlight spilled over the hospital bed.
In the distance, the lights of Konoha went out one by one.
Qingyu was woken by birdsong outside the window.
No, to be precise, two "human-shaped alarm clocks" in his head had forced him awake with a mental attack.
"Get up! It's five!" Izuna's voice carried the mercilessness of a grizzled old soldier from the Warring States period.
"A ninja stops training just because he's injured? Back in my day, I'd shove my intestines back inside and keep fighting!"
"According to the medical report, your chakra recovery rate has reached 47%. You can begin light training." Tobirama's voice sounded like a human calculator.
"Today's training plan: one hour of precise chakra control exercises, half an hour reviewing Shuriken techniques, and half an hour of tactical analysis..."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Qingyu shot upright in bed, nearly pulling at his wound.
Seriously, had they lost their minds? He wasn't even healed yet!
"You two teachers, this is a hospital! A hospital! There are patients in the next room!"
"So?" Izuna said, as if it were perfectly reasonable.
"Ninjas have to adapt to training in any environment. The White-Haired Senju and I once fought for three days and three nights in a swamp."
"We were forced to," Tobirama corrected coldly.
"And you ended up bedridden with a fever for a week because of an infection."
"That was because you Senju poisoned the water!"
"That was bacteria from nature!"
Qingyu covered his forehead.
Here they went again with their daily bickering.
He resigned himself to getting up and headed for the bathroom to wash up.
But the moment his feet touched the floor, the hospital room door opened.
"Good morning, Qingyu!" Shisui Uchiha poked his head in with a cheerful smile, carrying a tray.
"I brought you breakfast!"
On the tray was... a bowl of plain congee, a plate of greens, and a hard-boiled egg.
Qingyu's expression immediately fell. "Senpai, this is way too bland..."
I don't want to eat forty boiled eggs a day,
even if that sounds impossible, I've kept it up for three years already.
Just because you've never seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
"Medical Corps menu." Shisui set the tray on the bedside table. "But..."
As if by magic, he produced a little paper packet from his sleeve. Inside were three tempting glutinous rice balls filled with red bean paste.
"I snuck them in." Shisui winked. "Remember to destroy the evidence after you eat."
Qingyu was so touched he nearly cried. "Shisui-senpai, you're my shining light!"
He wolfed down breakfast... including the three "contraband" rice balls.
He felt alive again.
If you don't eat meat or sweets, you've already lived a life that's a relative failure!
"All right," Shisui said, tidying up the dishes. His smile suddenly turned a little... dangerous.
"Breakfast is over. Time to train."
Qingyu: "...Now? Here?"
What the hell, was this hospital a gold-squeezing ward or something? He was still injured!
"Of course," Shisui said matter-of-factly.
"The Clan Head told me not to let you waste your recovery period. Besides, training in a hospital room has its advantages..."
He looked around.
"Limited space and a simple environment can train your fine chakra control as effectively as possible. A real battle won't give you a spacious training ground."
Qingyu suddenly had a bad feeling.
Five minutes later, his premonition came true.
"First exercise: chakra adhesion walking." Shisui pointed at the wall of the hospital room.
"Without using your hands or feet, use only chakra adhesion to walk from one end to the other."
Qingyu stared at the smooth wall, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Senpai, this is a hospital room, not a training ground... And I've only just managed to get out of bed..."
"That's why it's light training." Shisui smiled brightly. "It's only three meters. Come on, give it a try."
Qingyu tried sticking to the wall again. His chakra slipped, and he nearly landed face-first on the floor.
Shisui laughed and caught him. "Again. Feel your chakra grabbing the wall like fingers."
sigh.
Ohohohoho, all my chakra's about to come out!
I don't want to be squeezed dry!
At least don't let it be Shisui. Is this really how you test a transmigrator?!
What transmigrator could withstand a test like this?!
Get Tsunade here instead!
I'll take on ten Tsunades!
Before you continue