Nearly Two Years

"The chakra consumption is a bit high."

Shimizu sensed his remaining chakra and finally understood why ninjas didn't use the Body Flicker Technique at every moment.

Ordinary Body Flicker techniques were too crude; although the effects were decent, the chakra drain was too rapid. In actual combat, it was better to use that energy to cast an additional offensive ninjutsu.

Shimizu frowned slightly. The Body Flicker techniques that appeared in the original story were all very powerful.

There was the Purple Electricity Body Flicker used by Kinshiki Otsutsuki, the Sand Body Flicker of Gaara, the Konoha Body Flicker used by Hayama Shirakumo, and the Mist Body Flicker used by Zabuza Momochi and Haku, among others.

There was also a ninja famous for his Body Flicker technique—Shisui the Body Flicker.

At a young age, he had created the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, combining the Body Flicker with Sharingan genjutsu to carve out a great reputation for himself.

If Shimizu wanted to keep up with future battles, speed was essential.

The ordinary Sharingan primarily enhanced insight and chakra, with limited boosts to physical capabilities.

As for the Mangekyo, he didn't know when he would be able to awaken it.

The Rinnegan required the combination of Indra's chakra and Asura's chakra to draw out the power of the Six Paths, thereby giving birth to the Rinnegan.

Whether relying on the Simulator or Shimizu finding some shortcut to obtain the Mangekyo or Rinnegan, the time required was simply too long.

Currently, the best way for him to enhance his survivability was to learn a more powerful Body Flicker technique.

"I currently possess Fire and Lightning affinities. If I want to develop a ninjutsu, it's best to start from there."

Shimizu analyzed his own conditions, walked into the house, and began writing down some ideas on paper.

The optimal approach right now was for him to develop a Fire Body Flicker.

Shisui's Phantom Body Flicker Technique had requirements for the Sharingan that were too high; he couldn't reach that level yet.

The Lightning affinity wasn't very useful for Shimizu's current development; the Purple Electricity Body Flicker used by Kinshiki Otsutsuki likely belonged to a technique developed by the Otsutsuki clan, and there was no way to learn it.

There was also the Lightning Body Flicker used by the Raikage, which required the Lightning Release Chakra Mode—a secret ninjutsu-taijutsu of the Hidden Cloud Village—which he also had no way of obtaining.

The Uchiha Clan possessed a vast array of Fire Release ninjutsu, so Shimizu could draw inspiration from the chakra pathways used in those techniques, which would significantly lower the difficulty of development.

Shimizu drew a diagram of the human meridian system required for most Fire Release techniques, writing his hypotheses on the side, occasionally overturning them and rebuilding them from scratch.

The creation of a ninjutsu was not an overnight task; it required a massive amount of theoretical knowledge as support.

It wasn't until a white dove hopped onto the paper and began fluttering about that Shimizu looked up at the window, realizing that an entire night had passed without him noticing.

The draft on the table was covered in dense, cramped handwriting.

Shimizu went to pour himself a cup of coffee to ease his mental fatigue.

"If only I had the Multi Shadow Clone Technique."

He shook his head quickly; the Multi Shadow Clone Technique was still lying inside the Scroll of Seals, not something he could covet yet.

Even the ordinary Shadow Clone Technique was a B-rank jutsu.

One hour later.

Nohara Rin came to find Shimizu.

"Here, use this."

Shimizu brought out a deluxe medical study kit and handed Nohara Rin a manual on medical knowledge.

He told her very enthusiastically to ask if she didn't understand anything.

"Shimizu, thank you so much."

Nohara Rin bowed sincerely to express her gratitude.

"It's nothing."

Every gift in this world had long ago been marked with a price in the shadows.

Shimizu smiled.

He didn't speak the second half of the sentence, only whispering it to himself in his heart.

The first step was to get her hooked; the second step was to deepen the trust.

Once this step was complete, Shimizu could begin the third step...

Time flowed quietly.

The sun rose and set; the tides ebbed and flowed.

In the blink of an eye, nearly two years had passed.

Shimizu studied medical knowledge with a thirst for learning, filling himself with information and silently accumulating strength.

During this period, he also conducted many simulations, but regrettably, he hadn't drawn any good bloodlines.

After all, the three-year simulation limit was still too short. If only it could last until the resurrection of Kaguya Otsutsuki.

By relying on countless attempts to survive until the Fourth Shinobi World War, he would eventually be able to steal all of Kaguya Otsutsuki's abilities.

The items he drew the most were Military Ration Pills, as well as kunai, explosive tags, and some daily necessities.

The rest consisted of some ninjutsu and medical knowledge.

Shimizu stowed them all away into a Sealing Scroll, keeping them for a rainy day.

Once the war was over, Shimizu could sell these off and make a small fortune.

That day, Shimizu headed to Konoha Hospital as he usually did.

"Sister Nonou Yakushi."

Shimizu habitually set down some fruit.

He had bought out every type of fruit in the Hidden Leaf Village, bringing some to Nonou Yakushi every single day.

"My place is already piled high with them, you know."

Nonou Yakushi stopped the research she was writing and greeted Shimizu.

"You need to keep your nutrition up."

Shimizu flipped open a book, speaking without turning his head.

There was never any harm in getting a little extra nutrition.

Hmm, although Nonou Yakushi's heart was heavy and full, she certainly looked well-nourished.

There were only two people in the office, and after Shimizu finished that sentence, silence fell.

There was only the occasional sound of pages turning and the scratching of a fountain pen.

This office was Nonou Yakushi's private room, usually used for her to consult reference materials.

As the captain of the Medical Team, she was entitled to this small privilege.

After writing a few words, Nonou Yakushi snuck a glance at Shimizu, her eyes somewhat dazed.

To be honest, Shimizu's ability to learn astonished her.

It was understandable that an Uchiha would learn ninjutsu quickly.

But why was his speed at memorizing data just as fast? Was his brain structure different?

Histology and Embryology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Regional Anatomy, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and so on—each book was as thick as a fist.

Shimizu finished memorizing a book in almost a few days, and even if she tested him after some time had passed, he wouldn't forget a single word.

If not for the fact that she saw no traces of Shimizu using chakra, Nonou Yakushi would have suspected that he had created a ninjutsu to accelerate his memory.

"Perhaps I have nothing left to teach you. No... perhaps I haven't really taught you anything at all."

Nonou Yakushi suddenly said.

Shimizu had already memorized a great deal of medical knowledge; what remained was how to apply that knowledge, as well as how to update and verify it.

None of the knowledge in the books was absolute authority; one had to be brave enough to question it.

Science was a process of constant overturning and rebuilding; much of the knowledge Nonou Yakushi had memorized in the past was now useless.

The reason was that after a few years of medical technological development, the fallacies of previous knowledge had been realized.

As for ninjutsu, she had already given Shimizu all the ninjutsu scrolls she was permitted to reveal, along with several key points.

These things required time to grow; he would only be able to use them once his chakra levels reached that stage.

"No, it's because Sister Nonou Yakushi taught me well, and taught me so much."

Shimizu smiled and opened the next book.

Without Nonou Yakushi, he would have had no channel to access these materials.

In the Hidden Leaf Village, and indeed the entire ninja world, knowledge was monopolized.

Ninjas born as commoners had no channels for learning at all and could only study some run-of-the-mill ninjutsu.