Muscle Enhancement, Growing Stronger

The afternoon class was a test.

The chunin instructor announced the rules from the front.

The rules were simple: hit thirty training dummies scattered across the field with shuriken in the shortest time possible.

"Next, Kiyoshi Uchiha."

The chunin instructor called Kiyoshi's name.

Kiyoshi stepped forward and flicked his wrist, planting a shuriken into a dummy.

The Entry System for throwing shuriken did not require many training sessions. Kiyoshi had already reached 88%.

Even without obtaining the entry yet, his shuriken-throwing skill had improved considerably.

Targets that looked like mere black dots to others were clear to Kiyoshi, greatly improving his accuracy.

Thud! Thud! Thud...

After hitting one dummy, Kiyoshi began running forward.

Each dummy was spaced far apart. A ninja had to throw while running to reduce the time as much as possible.

Before long, Kiyoshi let out a faint breath.

"Nine points!"

The chunin instructor gave Kiyoshi his score. The maximum was ten points.

"Your improvement has been rapid, Kiyoshi."

After recording the score, the chunin instructor sighed.

Perhaps only Kakashi was more talented than Kiyoshi?

What if Kiyoshi had enrolled earlier?

And he even possessed the Sharingan.

After thinking for a while, the chunin instructor shook his head.

The borders had been rather unsettled lately. Many colleagues sent out on missions had returned injured.

Kiyoshi nodded slightly and returned to his seat.

"Kiyoshi, you've improved so quickly."

"Kiyoshi, do you have some kind of trick?"

Kiyoshi had been attending the Ninja Academy for several months now, and his classmates had all gotten to know him. They sometimes came over to speak with him.

However, Kiyoshi rarely wasted time on them. He wished he could split his time in two.

"It's just hard work. If everyone works hard, you'll definitely improve quickly."

Kiyoshi smiled and responded to them.

The second person to be tested was Kakashi.

With an expressionless face, Kakashi threw his shuriken.

He completed the test in very little time.

While Kiyoshi was still watching Kakashi's movements, hoping to pick up a trick or two, a pleasant voice sounded beside him.

"Kiyoshi, can I talk to you?"

Rin Nohara spoke.

The purple markings on both sides of her face stood out under the sunlight.

Kiyoshi raised his eyes, looked at her calmly, and nodded.

"Kiyoshi, we've known Kakashi longer than you have. Why is Kakashi willing to seek you out?"

Rin Nohara got straight to the point.

She hoped to find an answer from Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi pondered for a moment before saying,

"That's because Kakashi needs something to vent his emotions and avoid all the gossip in the village. I don't think Rin Nohara is skilled with a sword, are you?"

"No."

Rin Nohara lowered her head at his words.

Her grades at the Ninja Academy were quite good, among the best in the class. The academy also taught some basic Medical Arts knowledge.

She had learned those things very well.

Even the instructor who came to the Ninja Academy to explain Medical Arts had extended an invitation to her.

After graduation, she could enter the Medical Corps for further study and gain access to more Medical Arts.

But swordsmanship... or rather, combat in general, was indeed not her strong suit.

"Besides, if he doesn't do this, Kakashi may very well develop problems."

"Develop problems? What do you mean?"

Rin Nohara looked utterly confused. She could not understand Kiyoshi's words at all.

"Who knows?"

Kiyoshi did not explain further and simply turned to leave.

Psychological problems, of course.

That was Konoha's darkness.

The so-called Will of Fire sounded lofty and noble, yet someone who abandoned a mission to save his comrades would be condemned by the entire village.

If those at the top had praised Hatake Sakumo for saving his comrades while giving him some punishment for failing the mission—

With both rewards and punishments, how could Hatake Sakumo have been driven to suicide?

Instead, no one at the top said a word. The people below, even the comrades Hatake Sakumo had saved, went to condemn him.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi had been willing to speak up, Kiyoshi did not believe anyone would have dared criticize Hatake Sakumo.

The Third Hokage bore the titles of Professor of Ninjutsu and Strongest Hokage.

Of course, those were titles spread by the new generation who had never witnessed the First Hokage's strength.

Rin Nohara stood where she was, her brows tightly furrowed.

When she turned to look, Kakashi had already completed the test and blended into the crowd.

What... should she do?

Several days passed in a row. Kiyoshi spent all his spare time training at home, preparing for Early Graduation.

"You have comprehended the entry: Three-Body Technique (White)."

Entry: Three-Body Technique (White).

Requirements: Learn "Clone Technique," "Transformation Technique," and "Substitution Technique."

Progress: (Completed).

Effect: Your understanding of the Three-Body Technique exceeds that of ordinary people. Its effects will be 5% better than normal.

Note: Can be advanced further.

Kiyoshi had finally completed his training in the Three-Body Technique.

Techniques that ordinary people needed years to master had been compressed into just a few months for him.

Of course, that was the time needed by civilian ninja.

Ninja clans with inherited secret techniques or Kekkei Genkai could learn them very quickly.

Even so, Kiyoshi's training speed ranked among the faster ones in the Uchiha Clan.

"Advance entry."

Kiyoshi opened the Entry System and began the advancement.

When he obtained Water Walker (White) and Tree Climber (White), an advancement path had appeared. The required condition was the Three-Body Technique entry.

"You have comprehended a new entry: Solid Foundation (Green)."

Entry: Solid Foundation (Green)

Requirements: Attain the basic qualities required of a ninja.

Progress: (Completed).

Effect: Your Chakra reserves increase by 20% from their original base.

Note: Can be advanced further.

"It feels like I'm being torn apart."

The moment the Entry System's voice fell silent, Kiyoshi felt pain.

Intense pain surged from every cell in his body. From his muscles to his bones, even every nerve, it felt as though they were being forcibly stretched by an external force, then filled from the inside out.

"Chakra is the combination of spiritual energy and physical energy. That means not only will my mind improve, but my body will be enhanced as well."

A thought suddenly flashed through Kiyoshi's mind as he rapidly recalled what he knew about Chakra. That means my physical body will grow stronger.

One minute, two minutes...

After a full quarter-hour, his already sturdy body had grown noticeably larger.

Kiyoshi looked down at his hands. They were thicker than before. After taking off his shirt, his muscle definition had become more pronounced, and his fingers had grown stronger, seemingly more flexible and dexterous than before.

He straightened up and rolled his neck.

There were still changes to his physical body.

His height seemed to have changed as well. Looking down, Kiyoshi saw that his pant legs had risen a little.

"I'm getting taller and taller now."

Kiyoshi could still feel every cell in his body throbbing with pain.

But along with it came a sense of abundant strength and boundless energy.