Adamantine Sealing Chains were primarily suppressive seals aimed at Tailed Beasts and Chakra bodies. The Four Symbols Seal was suited for reinforcing existing sealing structures. The Fire Sealing Method was a formula seal specifically for Fire Release, while some smaller barrier formulas were suitable for temporarily isolating a space.
As he flipped through the pages, Naruto's gaze stopped on an inconspicuous but highly practical Sealing Technique.
Perception Isolation Barrier.
The principle behind this barrier was simple: construct a layer of Chakra shielding within a designated space to block all external sensory techniques from probing inside.
Whether it was the Byakugan, the Sharingan's penetrating vision, or the Third Hokage's Telescope Technique through that crystal ball, as long as the barrier remained intact, no one outside could find out what was happening within it.
Maintaining the barrier required a continuous expenditure of Chakra. The larger its range, the faster the consumption, but if it was only maintained over a small area for personal training, the Chakra drain would not be particularly great.
Naruto carefully read through the Perception Isolation Barrier's formula structure and casting essentials twice from beginning to end. Then, drawing on the underlying principles of Sealing Techniques Kushina had left behind, he made several deductions and additions before organizing and filing the entire plan away in his mind.
This Sealing Technique was what he needed most right now.
With it, he could disappear for a while right under the Third Hokage's nose and secretly train his ninjutsu and Chakra without worrying about being caught by the Telescope Technique.
But he could not use it at home. If the Chakra in his room suddenly vanished from the Third Hokage's crystal ball, even an idiot would know something was wrong.
He needed to find somewhere outside that no one would notice, leave a Shadow Clone at home as a stand-in, and have his real body go out to train.
But he still did not have a suitable training spot.
The past two days happened to be a break, with no missions. He could not just wander around, so it would be best to take the opportunity during the next mission to observe whether there were any suitable locations around Konoha.
The two days passed quickly.
Naruto did not waste those two days off.
On the first day, he spent the entire morning continuing to study the details of the Perception Isolation Barrier. He memorized the sequence of every hand seal and the routes for guiding Chakra, then simulated the casting process around twenty times in his head until he could precisely construct the barrier pattern even with his eyes closed.
That afternoon, he went out to Konoha's public training grounds for some basic taijutsu training.
Mostly laps, push-ups, and Shuriken throwing.
None of that training would attract anyone's attention, because the old Naruto had often trained alone at the field until he was drenched in sweat, throwing Shuriken. The only difference was that he used to fling them around wildly, while now he adjusted the angle and force of his wrist with every throw.
That evening, he went back and continued grinding through Sealing Techniques, breaking down the basic structure of the Four Symbols Seal once.
His schedule on the second day was more or less the same, with only one extra task. He made a trip to Konoha's ninja tool shop and used the reward from his last mission to buy two new Kunai and a roll of rune paper specifically for Sealing Techniques.
Rune paper was an unpopular item in ordinary ninja tool shops. The proprietress searched for ages before finding a roll in the corner of the storeroom. When she handed it to him, she even gave him a pointed look, likely wondering why a Genin was buying something like that.
Naruto casually said it was for a school assignment, paid, and left.
Did he think things would go that smoothly with Naruto's identity?
Of course not. He had used a Shadow Clone transformed into the appearance of a student. Otherwise, would the proprietress have sold it to him?
The morning of the third day.
Naruto woke before his alarm went off.
He washed up, changed into a clean set of ninja clothes, and straightened his forehead protector in the mirror.
The blond boy in the mirror looked quite energetic. The whisker-like markings on his face appeared a little clearer than before in the morning light.
"I should take some time to dress up."
Naruto shook his head. Unfortunately, he could not do anything too eye-catching right now. He then left home and headed toward the small bridge where Team 7 usually gathered.
The meeting time was eight in the morning. Naruto had deliberately arrived ten minutes early, but by the time he got there, two people were already standing by the bridge.
Sasuke leaned against the bridge railing, hands in his pockets and chin slightly raised, still wearing that expression that warned strangers to stay away.
Sakura stood beside Sasuke with her hands behind her back, her body leaning slightly toward him. She was saying something, though Sasuke did not respond. Still, she did not get discouraged and kept talking.
When Naruto approached, he simply nodded to the two of them. "Morning."
One word, neither more nor less.
Sasuke glanced at him and let out a soft grunt through his nose.
When Sakura saw Naruto take the initiative to greet her, she froze for a moment. Then she remembered her resolution to "absolutely ignore Naruto," quickly turned her head away, huffed, and raised her chin high.
Naruto did not care. He walked to the other side of the bridge and stood there. The three of them waited in silence.
Sakura was a little surprised.
Shouldn't Naruto have asked why she was ignoring him?
Eight o'clock arrived.
Kakashi did not.
Eight ten.
Eight twenty.
Eight thirty.
Naruto was not in a hurry. He leaned against the railing with his eyes closed, still running through sealing formulas in his mind.
Sasuke could maintain his pose without moving at first, but as time dragged on, his brows furrowed as well.
Sakura, meanwhile, had begun pacing in place from the eighth minute. By the twentieth minute, she had entered a state of agitation.
Her fists clenched with cracking sounds, veins faintly bulging on her forehead as she roared inwardly, "Kakashi-sensei is late again! Kakashi-sensei is late every single time! This time, I'm definitely going to make him pay!"
At five past nine, a leisurely figure finally appeared at the end of the road.
Kakashi held Make-Out Paradise in one hand with the other tucked into his pocket, strolling toward the bridge at an unhurried pace. He wore a smile utterly devoid of any sense of time.
"Ah, good morning, everyone. The morning fog was a little thick today, so I got slightly lost on the road of life."
Sakura's fist nearly flew straight at him, but Naruto quietly shifted one step to the side and blocked it.
Kakashi did not care. He closed Make-Out Paradise and tucked it into his ninja tool pouch, then said in an even more absent-minded tone than usual, "Today, we have a simple D-Rank Mission. We'll help an old granny on the outskirts of the village clear the weeds from her field."
"Weeding again?"
Sakura's face immediately fell. Sasuke remained expressionless, while Naruto nodded without saying anything.
The mission site was beside a stretch of farmland at the southern edge of Konoha.
The owner of the fields was an old woman in her seventies. Her back was badly bent, and she spoke slowly. After handing each of them a hoe, she went to sit beneath the shade of a tree and drink tea.
The weeds in this field had indeed grown rampant. In the densest patches, the grass stood higher than a person's knees.
Naruto carried his hoe, weeding while discreetly surveying the surrounding environment.
This farmland was not far from the village. Several farming households were scattered nearby, children ran up and down the field ridges, and people in the distance were drying rice.
There was not too much foot traffic, but there was not too little either. Besides, the view was far too open, making it unsuitable.
Naruto mentally crossed this area off the list, then lowered his head and continued cutting weeds efficiently.
Before you continue