Uneventful

Three days later.

Northwestern Leaf Village.

In a forest, Qian and the others arrived.

"Is this the place?"

Ryosuke looked around and asked.

"Yeah."

Furukawa nodded and said, "Next, gather herbs here according to the mission requirements. Remember, don't pick the wrong ones!"

That was right. They had started carrying out missions again today.

Just as Qian had thought, Furukawa had not been crazy enough to keep taking C-Rank Missions. Instead, he had found a D-Rank Mission to gather herbs.

No need to think about it—this mission had definitely been issued by the Nara clan.

After all, this entire forest had been contracted by them.

Not only were all kinds of medicinal herbs that were difficult to cultivate artificially planted inside, but a vast Deer Herd was also raised here. The antlers of these deer were precious medicinal materials.

Added together, their value went without saying.

Because of that, even ninja from the same village could not enter at will without their approval.

It was only because they had accepted the mission. Otherwise, they would have been stopped before they even got close.

"Got it."

Hearing Furukawa's reminder, Ryosuke waved impatiently while muttering, "Honestly, a mission this simple could be done by ordinary people. Why do we have to do it?"

"Ryosuke, stop talking."

Hearing his words, Mizutani Shizuko first advised him, then explained seriously, "Although this forest is relatively safe, wild beasts still wander in by mistake from time to time. It would be very dangerous if ordinary people ran into them, so that's why Genin like us have to do it."

Seeing Mizutani Shizuko explain so earnestly, Ryosuke quickly said, "All right, all right, Shizuko, stop lecturing me. I get it!"

Seeing the two of them like this, Qian secretly relaxed.

Clearly, three days had been enough for them to adjust their mental state.

However, it was not as if that mission three days ago had left no effect on them. Although they now seemed no different from before, after seeing blood, the childishness on their faces had obviously lessened a great deal.

And that, perhaps, was exactly Furukawa's purpose—even the village's.

He shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

With a thought, Qian gathered a little chakra beneath his feet, then followed in the footsteps of his two companions and headed into the depths of the Dense Forest.

After more than three days, nearly four, of practice, his "Chakra Control" had risen from lv2 (350/500) to lv3 (3/1000), and his control over chakra had strengthened further.

Now, when using the same ninjutsu, while ensuring its power remained unchanged, he could save 15% of his chakra.

This was already the Limit an ordinary person could reach.

Even for him, with the bonus from the Proficiency Panel, which ensured steady progress, it was unlikely he would achieve another breakthrough in a short time.

There was no other reason. After advancing to lv3, the efficiency of grinding proficiency had dropped drastically.

Before, he could grind out roughly forty to fifty proficiency points in a day. Now, at most, he could get only five.

Compared to the effort he put in, that little gain was not worth mentioning at all.

It was only because practicing "Chakra Control" did not consume much chakra and did not take up extra time. Otherwise, he would have stopped long ago.

Before obtaining a more effective training method, he no longer intended to waste too much time and energy on it.

From now on, he would probably only practice it during his "free time."

Just like now. While gathering herbs, when he had nothing else to do, he could practice a little.

"Qian, hurry up!"

Just as Qian's thoughts were wandering, Ryosuke's voice came from ahead.

Hearing him, Qian replied, "Coming."

As he spoke, he had already moved closer.

Time slowly passed. Qian and the other two carried out one D-Rank Mission after another with no technical difficulty, just like when they had first graduated.

In the blink of an eye, a week passed.

That night.

At home.

Qian opened his eyes, letting the special chakra in his mind that had been triggered by the "Mind Reflection Technique" dissipate, then slowly opened the panel.

[Name: Uchiha Qian

Age: 10

Physical Constitution: 6

Spirit: 7

Chakra: 14 (1546→2011)

Bloodline: Sharingan · Unawakened (81/100)

Skills: Chakra Refining Technique: lv2 (240/500)→lv2 (360/500)

Clone Technique: lv2 (140/500)→lv2 (270/500)

Transformation Technique: lv2 (130/500)→lv2 (260/500)

Substitution Technique: lv2 (110/500)→lv2 (250/500)

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique: lv1 (16/200)→lv1 (30/200)

Mind Reflection Technique: lv2 (110/500)

Basic Body Technique: lv2 (150/500)→lv2 (280/500)

Ninja Tool Throwing: lv2 (260/500)→lv2 (380/500)

Chakra Control: lv3 (25/1000)]

Skipping past Basic Attributes, Qian's gaze locked onto the Sharingan's awakening progress at once.

"As expected, it didn't increase?"

Looking at the Sharingan awakening progress on the panel, still stuck at (81/100), Qian murmured aloud.

Just now, he had felt that the "Mind Reflection Technique" lacked follow-through, and now that he looked, it was indeed the case.

If it followed the pattern he had summarized before, the "Mind Reflection Technique," which had risen to lv2 (110/500), should have been able to raise his Sharingan awakening progress to (82/100).

But reality was that its progress was still at (81/100).

"As expected, has what I was worried about happened after all?"

Long ago, Qian had known that the Sharingan was not so easy to awaken. The effect of the "Mind Reflection Technique" would inevitably grow worse and worse as the awakening progress increased.

Sure enough, after the Sharingan awakening progress reached (81/100), ten points of proficiency in the "Mind Reflection Technique" were no longer enough to push it forward by one point.

If it were any other member of the Uchiha Clan, they would basically be stuck here.

After that, they would either wait for an opportunity and, like those Uchiha Clan members who had awakened the Sharingan in the past, open their eyes through the traditional method, or they would work hard to raise the proficiency of the "Mind Reflection Technique" and slowly grind away at it.

If the former succeeded, it would inevitably weaken the role of the "Mind Reflection Technique," while the latter basically offered no visible hope.

Because this was only the beginning.

Right now, ten points of proficiency in the "Mind Reflection Technique" could not drive even one point of Sharingan awakening progress. Later, perhaps twenty points, thirty points would not be able to drive it either.

This was a road with no end in sight.

Of course, Qian was different.

With the Proficiency Panel, he could easily raise the proficiency of the "Mind Reflection Technique." No matter how long the road was, he could see its end.

Forcefully suppressing the urge to continue practicing the "Mind Reflection Technique," Qian looked at the other parts of the panel.

There was no need to mention the Three Body Technique, "Basic Body Technique," and "Ninja Tool Throwing." Their rate of improvement had not changed much—over ten days, each had grown by more than a hundred proficiency points or so.

Chakra Limit, however, was over a dozen points lower than expected.

Originally, with the proficiency of "Chakra Refining Technique" increasing by 120 points, his Chakra Limit should have increased by 480 points.

1546+480=2026.

But now, his Chakra Limit was only 2011 points, 15 points lower than the theoretical value.

The reason for this was very simple: this "wooden barrel" of his was about to reach its limit.

The "Chakra Refining Technique" had sped up the process of digging out his potential, but it could not raise the upper limit of his aptitude.

Right now, the Chakra Limit raised by it was only over a dozen points lower than the theoretical value. After some time passed, it would probably be dozens of points lower.

Once his potential had been completely dug out, the effect of the "Chakra Refining Technique" would probably be reduced to only recovering chakra.

"I have to awaken the Sharingan as soon as possible. Only by awakening the Sharingan can I greatly improve my aptitude."

With a murmur, Qian closed the panel and began a new round of training.