Late at night.
Shihui Aburame returned to his room after drinking the milk Tsunade had given him.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and held out his hand.
The Liquor Worm appeared, looking like a little silkworm.
Its entire body gave off a pearly sheen, looking quite beautiful.
The Liquor Worm fed on alcohol and could fly through the air.
Its greatest value lay in refining primeval essence.
For that very reason, although it was a rank one Gu, it was more precious than some rank two Gu.
Gu Masters were divided into Rank One through Rank Nine, with each rank further divided into four stages: initial, middle, upper, and peak.
After Shihui Aburame reincarnated into this world, the system had used the Hope Gu to open his aperture, officially making him a Gu Master.
But he had been too young to cultivate and had only begun making gradual attempts at three or four years old.
He was now a Rank One Middle Stage Gu Master.
With the Liquor Worm, his primeval essence would be equivalent to that of a Rank One Upper Stage Gu Master.
The only pity was that a rank one Gu could only work for rank one Gu Masters; it would no longer have any effect for rank two Gu Masters.
However, the Liquor Worm could advance through combined refinement, reaching rank eight at most.
Although that was only a legend, the system might have it.
Shihui Aburame closed his eyes and sank his awareness into his aperture.
The Liquor Worm in his hand also entered the bronze sea formed from condensed primeval essence.
Shihui Aburame willed it.
The Liquor Worm flew into the air.
The waters of the bronze sea churned, and streams of primeval essence flew out, swallowed by it.
Mist-like alcoholic vapor spread from its body, forming a cloud.
Shihui Aburame continued to mobilize his green copper primeval essence, sending it into the mist to refine it.
Time passed.
The green copper primeval essence deepened in color.
This indicated that Shihui Aburame already had one foot in the realm of rank two Gu Masters.
But actually advancing would not be that easy.
With A-grade aptitude and the full resources of a clan, one could become a rank four Gu Master in about ten years.
He had A-grade aptitude, but he did not have the resources of a Gu Master clan.
But he had a cheat.
Besides, the Shinobi World was vast. There might well be things like Primeval Stones in it.
Especially in the Three Great Sage Lands, which could use natural energy.
When he had chosen to become Tsunade's student, he had also had this in mind.
She was a contract holder of Shikkotsu Forest.
Barring any surprises, Shihui Aburame would also become a contract holder.
Then he could investigate.
Shihui Aburame opened his eyes.
After a little thought, he prepared to perform combined refinement on his Gu.
Previously, it had been like making a small horse pull a large cart. A rank one Gu Master could not sustain a rank two Gu.
Now that he had the Liquor Worm, it was like gaining a thick, sturdy rein, barely allowing him to control a rank two Gu ahead of time.
He took out the White Boar Gu, Jade Skin Gu, and wild boar teeth.
Soon, two lines of text appeared before his eyes.
[Combined refinement successful.] [White Jade Gu: a rank two Gu with more than twice the defense of the Jade Skin Gu.]
Shihui Aburame looked at his first rank two Gu.
It resembled a pebble from a riverbank, but was more beautiful, with a smooth, rounded, jade-like luster.
Not bad. I'll find Sasuke tomorrow and test its power.
Shihui Aburame yawned and crawled under the covers to sleep.
A new day dawned.
Shihui Aburame headed to school with his schoolbag.
When he reached the Konoha River, he saw Sasuke Uchiha.
He leaned against a large roadside tree, expressionless, with both hands in his pockets, looking as though he had never met his match.
"Shihui Aburame."
Sasuke Uchiha raised his head to look at him and said, "Spar with me."
That impatient?
Or did he not want anyone else to see him embarrass himself?
Shihui Aburame suspected it was both.
"I have one request."
Sasuke Uchiha said with a serious expression, "I want to see your full strength."
Shihui Aburame walked up to him and stopped.
He said calmly, "You'll die."
Sasuke Uchiha shuddered for no apparent reason.
For some reason, he felt that Shihui Aburame was telling the truth.
But rationally, he did not believe it.
The gap between us couldn't possibly be that big! My brother said my strength far surpassed others my age.
"Let's try."
Sasuke Uchiha gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"Over there."
Shihui Aburame glanced around as he spoke.
The two came to the edge of a small grove by the river.
The spot was secluded, and there was no one to disturb them.
Sasuke Uchiha put some distance between them, holding a wooden kunai in each hand.
"Switch to iron kunai."
Shihui Aburame glanced at them as he spoke.
Wooden kunai could not test the White Jade Gu's defense at all.
"Are you sure?"
Sasuke Uchiha paused, then said, "Don't blame me if I hurt you."
"I won't."
Shihui Aburame smiled faintly.
"You said it!"
Sasuke Uchiha gave a soft snort. He felt he was being looked down on.
After switching weapons, he attacked without another word.
Two kunai flew toward Shihui Aburame.
But midway through, they suddenly arced upward and accelerated sharply.
Sasuke Uchiha frowned.
Because Shihui Aburame stood in place without dodging at all.
Hesitation arose in his heart.
This is going to end badly.
Just then, Shihui Aburame reached out.
He caught the kunai with perfect accuracy.
Sasuke Uchiha's breath caught.
What kind of move was that?
Using flesh and blood to withstand iron kunai.
The thought had barely arisen when Sasuke Uchiha felt a tremendous pull through the wires in his hands connected to the kunai.
He could not resist it at all and fell flat on his face.
Sasuke Uchiha's face flushed red, and he hurriedly scrambled up.
He raised his head and was instantly dumbfounded.
Shihui Aburame tightened his fingers, and the kunai in his hand immediately deformed.
He casually flicked it away.
Sasuke Uchiha felt an indescribable threat of death.
The kunai flew past his ear. Half a second later, something burst apart with a dull bang.
Sasuke Uchiha swallowed and slowly turned his head.
The kunai had pierced straight through a large tree thicker than he was.
If that had hit me... Sasuke Uchiha's scalp tingled involuntarily.
Shihui Aburame bent down and picked up his schoolbag.
The White Jade Gu's defense was quite good.
Ordinary kunai would not leave any marks.
Only long after he had left did Sasuke Uchiha come back to his senses.
Was this Shihui Aburame at full strength?
He had not been able to react at all.
Sasuke Uchiha felt an unprecedented sense of defeat.
Especially since Shihui Aburame was the same age as him.
He faced the bright sunlight, looking dazed.
Am I really that bad?
[Achievement unlocked for Sasuke Uchiha: "If you're bad, practice more." Reward obtained: Little Light Gu.] [Little Light Gu: a rank one Gu. Using this Gu to assist the Moonlight Gu strengthens Moon Blade attacks.] [The Moonlight Gu and two Little Light Gu can be combined into the rank two Moon Raiment Gu.] [Proceed with combined refinement?]
Shihui Aburame could not help smiling.
He had finally unlocked this achievement.
If he had not unlocked it soon, he really would have had to beat Sasuke up every day.
Although the reward was a Little Light Gu, it was effectively a Moon Raiment Gu.
Without hesitation, Shihui Aburame immediately performed the combined refinement.
[Moon Raiment Gu: a rank two Gu with three times the attack power of the Moonlight Gu.]
Simply put, the Moon Raiment Gu was the evolved form of the Moonlight Gu.
The two Gu looked almost identical, curved like crescent moons and seemingly made of crystal.
The only difference was that the Moon Raiment Gu was larger.
Another chapter in two minutes.
(End of chapter)