Limited Skin: Water Clone Technique!

The corner of Mikami Yu's mouth twitched. What kind of Kurenai-speak was that? So the Clone Technique had read Dream of the Red Chamber too?

Before he could respond,

The Transformation Technique, as the eldest sister, spoke again:

[Transformation Technique: Little Clone, stop making a fuss. Little Mikami carefully prepared this gift for you, yet you're still being picky. If you don't want it, then the Substitution Technique and I will take it.]

[Clone Technique: Who said I don't want it? Hmph, what gift? I'll just take it as his apology for not bringing me along when he dealt with that Haku cataract!]

[Clone Technique Favorability +2, temporarily unlocked the [Gift Giving] option]

After playing Galageki for so long, the Transformation Technique really was the most considerate one.

Still, the Clone Technique had only said that.

Like the Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, it had a somewhat sharp-tongued but soft-hearted nature. So, very quickly, "she" verbally accepted the gift with an expression that was both delighted and awkward.

Mikami Yu did not care much about that.

He was only curious about how exactly the gift was supposed to be given. If he really gave it away, what changes would occur to the Clone Technique? Would something like its favorability resetting to zero happen?

Very soon,

With a try-it-and-see mindset, Mikami Yu tapped [Gift Giving].

A flash of Haku light passed by.

The Water Clone scroll on the table suddenly vanished.

At the same time, changes appeared on the strategy list in the Galageki System—

[Current obtainable targets: Transformation Technique, Water Clone Technique (Clone Technique), Substitution Technique, Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, Healing Technique]

[Potential obtainable targets: Water Release: Water Shockwave, Gentle Fist (requirements not met)]

[Water Clone Technique (Clone Technique): The Clone Technique wearing the "Water Clone Technique" limited skin possesses the same traits as a water clone. It can create a water clone with 10% of the original body's strength. When the clone is in water, its abilities are enhanced, but it cannot be too far from the original body.]

[Clone Technique Favorability +8. Current Favorability: 52/100 (Intimate)]

(Stage reward obtained: Constitution +1, Trait · Shared Vision: Your Clone Technique possesses partial vision. When concentrating, you can connect the vision of the original body with that of two clones, sharing their field of view.)

(Note: This trait can be used while equipped with the "Water Clone" skin.)

"Damn..."

Mikami Yu clenched his fist hard, delight showing on his face.

It was not that he looked down on the Clone Technique, but honestly, the ordinary E-rank Clone Technique had rather limited applications. It could still be used in Genin battles, but against Chunin and above, it was difficult for it to be effective. Most of the time, it was not even as useful as tossing out a smoke bomb.

But Water Clones were different.

This thing was very similar to the Shadow Clone Technique. Aside from the clone being weaker, possessing only one-tenth of the original body's strength, there was basically no difference in other respects. But the Shadow Clone Technique was a B-rank ninjutsu, usually something only Jonin could learn. Getting Water Clones at this stage was already more than enough.

And the appearance of Water Clones gave the Shared Vision trait a real purpose.

"Come to think of it..."

Since "Water Clone" could be considered a skin for the Clone Technique, did "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu" count as a skin for "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu"?

And there was "Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame," "Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Annihilation," as well as "Lightning Release Shadow Clone," "Earth Release Shadow Clone," and "Multi Shadow Clone Technique"...

Although those techniques were mostly B-rank or higher and rather difficult to obtain, at least Mikami Yu now knew what direction to work toward.

"What a huge haul."

"Oh, right, there's also that 'Wild Water Wave'... I'll practice it tomorrow. It's already too late today."

Mikami Yu glanced at the moonlight outside the window, calmed down from his excitement, hurriedly washed up, then went to bed.

The next day,

As usual, Mikami Yu went with Nohara Rin and Obito to Konoha Hospital for half a day of lessons.

That afternoon, he arrived at Konoha's main road and waited there for the Might father and son, who came racing over in dark green bodysuits while running on their hands, looking like bizarre creatures.

"Yo! Guy! Your youth isn't burning fiercely enough! You've only run five laps around Konoha on your hands, and you're already getting tired?"

"I'm sorry, Dad! It's my fault! If I can't run ten laps around Konoha, I'll do one thousand push-ups!"

"Good! That's the spirit!"

Might Duy shouted at the top of his lungs in his rough voice.

Might Guy shouted back beside him.

Suddenly, Might Duy noticed Mikami Yu standing by the roadside. He immediately freed one hand and gave him a thumbs-up, flashing a mouthful of White Fang. "It's Yu! Good afternoon! Have you come to burn the flames of youth with us too?"

"...I suppose so. Do I have to run on my hands?"

The corner of Mikami Yu's mouth twitched as he spoke.

He considered himself pretty outgoing, but compared to Might Duy, he became socially anxious.

This man truly did not care about anyone else's opinions. His mind contained only his own affairs. Ordinary people really could not handle running laps around the village in such a bizarre posture.

However, Mikami Yu had come with a purpose.

So he did not say much. He merely silently followed the Might father and son, running normally as he sweated alongside them.

One lap...

Two laps...

Konoha was quite large. Including the training grounds beyond the residential area, the entire village had a diameter of dozens of kilometers. Even without running directly along its outer edge, one lap was equivalent to two full marathons. Ten laps would be utterly terrifying.

Mikami Yu had originally thought that adding eight points of Constitution would be enough.

But after four or five laps, his breathing still began to grow heavy. It felt as if burning sand had been stuffed into his lungs, and every breath came with searing pain. Sweat rolled down his skin, only to be evaporated by the sunlight.

"The seventh lap! Youth only feels satisfying when it burns itself completely away! Yu! Guy!"

Might Duy's signature rough voice exploded beside him. He still supported his body with those powerful arms as he raced forward upside down, and his speed was not much slower than Mikami Yu's while running upright.

"Yes, Dad!"

Might Guy was also running on his hands, though he was much slower than Might Duy. By now, he was drenched in sweat, but he still gritted his teeth and persisted. After all, he had been tempered by this sort of "youthful training method" since childhood.

Finally...

After staggering through the ninth lap—his fourteenth lap compared to the Might father and son—Mikami Yu truly could not hold on anymore. His vision repeatedly darkened, and his steps faltered as he nearly collapsed to the ground. In the end, he had no choice but to stop and say to Might Duy beside him:

"Pant... pant... Uncle Duy, Guy... I need to rest for a while..."

Thud!

Might Duy performed a forward flip and landed steadily in front of Mikami Yu. Supporting him by the shoulders, he said in surprise, "Yu! Your improvement is truly astounding! I remember that a month ago, even following us for two laps was difficult for you. Now you can actually persist for nine laps!"

"Pant... I can't keep being the dead last forever... I've been training extra lately..."

Mikami Yu wiped the sweat from his face and pulled out a brilliant smile.