"Just as I thought, this still isn't really working... it's too difficult."
"What other people call my talent was actually all given to me by the system."
"If we're talking purely about my aptitude as a ninja... it's decent, and at least I'm very satisfied with it, but I still can't compare to some of those monsters."
One day two months later, Yubi finished training and headed to the village's pedestrian street under cover of night.
His eyes flickered as he walked, barely watching where he was going, wholly absorbed in thought.
He wanted to try doing what Tsunade did, using the advantages of being a medical ninja to strengthen his body at the "cellular" level and gain that "monstrous strength"... along with her body's ability to heal itself and recover.
But over these two months, despite training his body desperately and using himself as a guinea pig... he still hadn't made any substantial breakthroughs.
His physical fitness had improved somewhat, and his gains were considerable.
But he was still far from displaying the kind of combat prowess Tsunade did.
"Well... there's no need to rush. She's one of the legendary Konoha Sannin, after all, while I'm still just a little brat... it would be absurd if I had her mastery of ninjutsu at this age. Anyway, I still have plenty of time. As long as I keep working in this direction, I'll succeed sooner or later... once I learn those ninjutsu of Tsunade's from the system, maybe I'll find the knack."
"It could also... have something to do with inherited bloodlines. She's a member of the Senju Clan, after all, with a special constitution."
"Still, this training has exposed some of my current shortcomings. Although my combat framework has begun to take shape, and with the system, I don't lack ways to arm myself... I still know too little about this world's ninjutsu system..."
He didn't mean the types of ninjutsu. After all... as someone who had transmigrated here, he knew at least the basics of almost every kind of ninjutsu in the Naruto world.
What he wanted were the principles.
The "underlying framework" of each kind of ninjutsu.
How hand seals worked together with chakra, how they drove it... details such as how chakra circulated.
"If I want to develop a strong intuitive grasp of ninjutsu... or even create a new path to power, I'll still need to read a large number of ninjutsu scrolls... only with a sufficient foundation of knowledge can I put it into practice."
"Actually... there's no need to fixate on Tsunade, either. There are bound to be abilities in the system stronger than hers."
Yubi continued talking to himself inwardly as he walked.
"I'll ask the Kazekage for some of the village's ninjutsu scrolls... whether I can use them or not, the more I understand ninjutsu, the more I'll have to rely on when facing enemies." After a while, Yubi made his decision.
It was getting late today. He would go see Arai tomorrow.
"In terms of physical strength alone... I should already be a match for an ordinary Chunin." Yubi clenched his fist, the corners of his mouth lifting.
By Chunin, he meant Konoha's standard.
Even after so long, he still clearly remembered the details of his battle against the two Root members who had tried to assassinate him. That level of strength... far surpassed Amegakure's.
They were the true benchmark for combat strength in the shinobi world... representing the level of the great shinobi villages.
"Hmm?"
Just as Yubi was about to step into a ramen shop, he caught sight of a squad of Sunagakure ninja returning from outside the village out of the corner of his eye.
They weren't injured, but every one of them looked downcast and dispirited.
This set Yubi's thoughts moving.
In fact, he had long since noticed that ninja carrying out missions outside the village had been returning frequently lately.
It wasn't because some particular incident had occurred.
Rather, the front lines were contracting, and surplus troops were being transferred elsewhere. These people were returning partly for a brief period of rest and reorganization, and partly to receive new missions and assignments.
The contraction of the front lines signified only one thing... Sunagakure was losing ground on the battlefield and beginning to prove no match for Konoha.
"The village's Medical Division has improved somewhat, but it can only relieve the immediate crisis... as time passes, Konoha will still knock us right back to where we started." Yubi drew a breath. If he could pass on all his medical skills, Sunagakure would undergo an earth-shattering transformation, and it might not end this war as the loser.
Unfortunately, willing though he was... the village's current conditions were too poor. The environment and various other factors wouldn't allow it.
The people under him were also very poor learners.
Even if he wanted the Medical Division to develop by leaps and bounds, he couldn't make it happen.
Ultimately, it came down to one thing: there had been too little time.
Even with all the ability in the world, he couldn't change the current situation.
This was the point Yubi had considered before... Sasori's further descent into darkness was inevitable.
He had long anticipated something like this.
Not just the Sunagakure ninja-even the village's civilians had unwittingly sensed the village's fading will to fight... the atmosphere was oppressive.
"Yubi... what will you have today?"
"Seafood ramen!"
Still thinking, Yubi withdrew his gaze and entered the shop.
The owner forced a smile and greeted him warmly.
Yubi sat in his usual seat, raised his hand, and responded with a brilliant smile.
Before long, a steaming bowl of ramen was set before him. It was called seafood ramen, but in reality... there were only a few pitiful scraps of dried seafood scattered through the noodle soup.
Yubi still slurped up the noodles with a hearty appetite.
The details of everyday life constantly reminded everyone just how far-reaching the effects of this shinobi world war were.
Especially on the economy.
Amegakure had been the spark that ignited this shinobi world war, but fundamentally, the fighting had begun because the Five Great Shinobi Villages wanted to redistribute the shinobi world's resources in the name of "peace and the economy"... Hanzō of the Land of Rain had been the passive party.
Last year... during the period when Yubi was carrying out missions, this shinobi world war had already been nearing its end, with Amegakure ceasing hostilities and the Konoha Sannin withdrawing from the main battlefield.
Tsunade had also developed a fear of blood.
"This year, Kumogakure will abduct Kushina because of their village's tailed beast going out of control... they want to master a way to suppress tailed beasts completely and have a perfect jinchūriki. Even if Sunagakure and Konoha stop fighting right away, Konoha should still clash with Kumogakure and a few other forces for some time... but this shinobi world war has undoubtedly already formally ended."
"The friction that follows... will merely be the subsequent chain reactions this war has caused among the villages."
"In this shinobi world war, which has lasted several years... most of the casualties have been Chunin and Genin. Yet for any village, especially Sunagakure... ninja of these ranks are the village's foundation. Among them... many were newcomers, and their premature deaths have all but destroyed Sunagakure's future."
"Judging by the situation... the higher-ups should already be considering a truce. When Sasori returns from his mission, he'll probably receive this news that will displease him."
"Ah..."
Yubi suddenly sighed.
Sasori, who was at the front, had probably already noticed something was wrong.
Although Sasori had joined the battlefield some time before him, he had never truly experienced a so-called "major battle." Granny Chiyo had protected him very well.
After all, he was her only remaining grandson.
But to "challenge" himself, even without taking part in any large-scale engagements, Sasori had consistently accepted very difficult missions.
"What's wrong? Does it taste off?"
Seeing Yubi suddenly sigh, the owner thought there was something wrong with his cooking.
"It's nothing... just yawning."
Yubi came back to his senses and laughed.
Then his hands sped up, and he polished off the noodles in no time before draining the soup.
He then set down a banknote. "Thanks for the meal!"
With that, he waved and left the little shop.