Night had fallen deep.
Near Konoha, the surface of a lake lay still.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
With a sharp shout, a huge mass of red flames suddenly surged forth. The surrounding air instantly grew scorching hot, and clouds of mist billowed across the water.
On the lakeshore, a boy who looked only seven or eight, dressed in Uchiha Clan clothing, was practicing his ninjutsu.
He was Mu Feng Uchiha, who had applied to graduate early from the Ninja Academy.
More than half a month had already passed since Mu Feng's graduation!
During that month, Mu Feng had lived the same monotonous routine every day.
As soon as the morning sun began to rise, Mu Feng would come to this clearing and lake to practice his ninjutsu. Only after training late into the night would he return home to rest.
A month of hard work had yielded considerable results for Mu Feng, and he had already learned many low-level ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, Mu Feng's Ninjutsu Talent had undergone a blackening during his training, improving from its original trash-tier level to A rank.
Today, he had even mastered the Fire Release ninjutsu that the Uchiha Clan took such pride in.
It was also the final ninjutsu recorded in the Ninjutsu Scroll Mu Feng had obtained.
[Ding! Congratulations on learning "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique." You have earned 100 blackening points!] [You have learned ten ninjutsu in succession. Your fickleness has displeased too many of your ninjutsu!] [Ding! A major blackening outbreak has occurred. All the ninjutsu you have learned have begun competing with one another and undergone another blackening.] [Proficiency in all ninjutsu +1.]
The flames over the lake gradually faded.
At the same time, the system's notification suddenly sounded in Mu Feng's mind.
Mu Feng froze briefly at the sound, but excitement soon spread across his face.
The next moment, Mu Feng opened his system panel.
-- [Mu Feng Uchiha] [Strength: Elite Chunin] [Constitution: None.] [Kekkei genkai: Sharingan-Three-Tomoe (ongoing blackening...)] [Ninja tools: None] [Chakra: Small amount (one-tenth of a Kakashi, blackening toward chakraton...)] [Taijutsu: Basic Taijutsu-Proficient; Eight Gates Released Formation-Basic (ongoing blackening...)] [Genjutsu: None] [Ninjutsu: Clone Technique-Perfect (resting...); Transformation Technique-Perfect (resting...); Substitution Technique-Perfect (resting...); Multiple Shadow Clone Technique-Beginner (blackening training...); Body Flicker Technique-Beginner (blackening training...). Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique-Basic (blackening training), Water Release: Water Formation Wall-Proficient (blackening training), Earth Release: Earth Flow River-Basic (blackening training), Multiple Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique-Basic (blackening training...), Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet-Basic (blackening training)...] [Aptitude: Taijutsu Talent (S rank), Ninjutsu Talent (A rank)] [Overall assessment: With your Three-Tomoe Sharingan and numerous ninjutsu, you have escaped the ranks of low-level cannon fodder!] [Note: A major blackening outbreak is currently underway. All ninjutsu are improving autonomously at an accelerated rate!] [Blackening points: 1,400] --
Only after reading his current panel did Mu Feng feel like a reasonably competent ninja.
"I've learned most of the ninjutsu now!"
"The system has rated me as an elite Chunin, too!"
"Now that the Eight Gates Released Formation has reached the basic level, I can open the fourth gate!"
"With my Sharingan on top of that, I should be able to put up a fight even against a Jonin!"
"It's just that I still don't have many blackening points!"
"Fourteen hundred Blackening Points are nowhere near enough to upgrade my Sharingan to the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Should I spend my blackening points on something else for now?"
Staring at the blackening points he had saved, Mu Feng hesitated.
His original plan had been to save his blackening points and upgrade his Sharingan in one go. But after half a month of training, Mu Feng felt he had been a little too optimistic.
Upgrading his Sharingan required far too many blackening points. He had saved less than a fifth of what he needed. If he continued at this pace, it would only hold back his current development.
"My constitution field is still empty! Maybe there's room for improvement there!"
"System, check how many blackening points I need to improve my constitution."
[Ding! The host currently has no special constitution!] [Activating a constitution for the first time requires 1,000 blackening points. Its blackening path will be generated randomly!]
"One thousand? All right! Activate it!"
[Ding! 1,000 blackening points have been deducted. Activating constitution...] [Congratulations, host! Your constitution has successfully blackened. Blackening path: Hashirama body!] [Constitution blackening progress: 3%!]
"Hashirama body?"
"Hashirama Senju's constitution!"
As the system's notification ended, Mu Feng's eyes immediately widened.
Having read the original story, Mu Feng vividly remembered just how absurd the First Hokage's constitution was. Its incredible regenerative ability alone was enough to leave countless ninja despairing of ever matching it. Beyond that, inheriting the First Hokage's constitution meant Mu Feng could even use Wood Release.
It was no exaggeration to say that the First Hokage's constitution was even more incredible than a Mangekyō Sharingan.
Although the constitution Mu Feng had activated was not complete, he had obtained the Hashirama Constitution for just 1,000 blackening points. He felt he had struck an incredible bargain!
Besides, wasn't the Hashirama Constitution combined with Uchiha blood exactly the path Madara had taken to evolve?
That meant that as long as he kept developing, he could one day reach Madara's level.
At that thought, Mu Feng immediately grew excited and could hardly wait to try it out.
Just then, another notification came.
[Ding! Congratulations on activating the Hashirama body. You can now learn Wood Release!]
"Wood Release!"
Mu Feng's eyes lit up, but he had no opportunity to get his hands on Wood Release yet.
Fortunately, Mu Feng could also redeem ninjutsu through the system. However, those techniques would not award any blackening points and would instead deduct a certain amount, making them a poor bargain. Still, to experience the legendary Wood Release ninjutsu, Mu Feng decided to splurge.
After scanning the system's Wood Release ninjutsu menu, Mu Feng finally made his choice.
[Wood Release: Cutting Branch Technique requires 400 blackening points!]
Mu Feng remembered this technique vividly. In the original story, after Obito Uchiha turned to darkness, received Hashirama cells, and recovered, the first Wood Release technique he used against an enemy was the Cutting Branch Technique. It had instantly killed Kirigakure's Chunin.
[Congratulations! You have learned Wood Release: Cutting Branch Technique!]
After 400 blackening points were deducted, Mu Feng was penniless again. But his strength was now far greater than it had been before.
"Now I can put up a fight even against a Special Jōnin!"
"And with this Wood Release constitution, my recovery has improved, which indirectly strengthens my Eight Gates Released Formation!"
"Let's try this Cutting Branch Technique first!"
As he finished speaking, Mu Feng gathered his chakra to form the ninjutsu. His hands flew through the seals as he fixed his target on a large tree opposite him.
"Wood Release: Cutting Branch Technique!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three dull impacts rang out through the woods as three hard branches pierced straight through a tree as thick as a bucket.
Mu Feng approached to inspect the results and was thoroughly satisfied.
"If I used this on someone, it'd punch straight through them!"
After seeing the Cutting Branch Technique's effects, Mu Feng decided to practice it more. If he used it for a surprise attack in future battles, an ordinary ninja would never see it coming.
"Before I knew it, I gained the ability to protect myself! Even if I really went to the battlefield, I wouldn't be cannon fodder anymore!"
Looking up at the moon over Konoha, Mu Feng sighed with emotion.
"But I still can't let my guard down. I'm no match for a stronger Jonin or a Kage-level opponent yet."
"I'll keep training and reach Kage level before joining the war!"
Clenching his fists, Mu Feng made his vow with conviction.
But just then...
A rustling disturbance came from the dense woods nearby, drawing Mu Feng's attention.
Before you continue