Konoha: I Have a Gravity Training Room

Xia Mu stepped directly onto the air and actually began running through the sky, leaving Tenten and Shino dumbstruck. Then he swept out a kick midair, sending out a crescent-shaped slash that sliced both Insect Clones apart.

There was no need to demonstrate Kami-e—Shino had mastered it long ago.

After Xia Mu landed, he faced Tenten's sparkling eyes and Shino's reflective sunglasses, then smiled. "This is the Six Styles. Although they require Water Release and Earth Release Chakra, you can still learn them even without those corresponding Chakra Natures. Next, I'll explain the principles behind the Six Styles..."

Before long, Xia Mu had thoroughly explained the principles and training methods of the Six Styles without holding anything back.

He also covered the precautions. For instance, Iron Body and Finger Pistol required the Iron Transformation Technique, which caused the body to absorb the properties of iron. That was rather dangerous, so they had to use Shadow Clones for training first. Furthermore, the Iron Transformation Technique could not be used for more than a minute, or it could easily damage the body. That would not be worth it.

Shino nodded repeatedly as he listened, clearly quite satisfied with the Six Styles.

Once he mastered them, he would no longer fear enemies getting close and engaging him in taijutsu. Iron Body alone would be enough to send them away empty-handed.

"Oh, right, Shino. Once you've learned it, teach the Six Styles to Uncle Shibi and let him handle the arrangements," Xia Mu suddenly said.

"This..."

Shino did not quite agree. "Xia Mu, this is the result of your research..."

Xia Mu chuckled. "It is indeed my research result, but it was also made possible by the Aburame Clan's strong support. Don't think I don't know that Uncle Shibi approved the ninjutsu you gave me. You and I don't stand on ceremony, but I still have to thank Uncle Shibi. Otherwise, what kind of person would that make me?"

Shino opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He understood Xia Mu's intentions, and he knew Xia Mu was doing the right thing.

Even if the clan did not think much of those ninjutsu, they were still clan assets. As the clan head's son, giving them to an outsider on his own would inevitably draw criticism—not only toward him as the clan head's son, but possibly toward Xia Mu as well. Even the clan head himself might be questioned.

But if Xia Mu gave back the Six Styles, which could make up for the Aburame Clan's weakness in taijutsu, those doubts and criticisms would naturally disappear, replaced by praise.

Moreover, Xia Mu was returning the favor. His relationship with Shino and the Aburame Clan would only grow stronger.

Still, Shino felt uncomfortable about it, because his original intention had been to help Xia Mu, not seek repayment. Even if Xia Mu shared the Six Styles with him and he could accept them with a clear conscience, he did not want to watch Xia Mu's research results get shared with others.

It made him feel as though their friendship had been mixed with something else.

Tenten seemed to see what Shino was thinking and hurriedly said, "Shino, don't overthink it. The Six Styles are only one of Xia Mu's small accomplishments. He has even more important results he hasn't revealed yet. He didn't dare tell you because he was afraid you'd think he was being selfish by not sharing them with you."

"Oh? Something even more important?"

Shino did not quite believe her, assuming Tenten was just trying to comfort him.

Xia Mu had no choice but to tell him quietly, "Based on the ninjutsu you provided, I comprehended Chakra Nature Transformation and fused it with Chakra Shape Transformation. The technique is currently too powerful and still needs refinement, so I can't use it for now."

Shino was stunned, then overjoyed.

He had not expected Xia Mu to have already completed the fusion of Chakra Shape Transformation and Nature Transformation. That was something only jonin could do.

Compared to that, the Six Styles were hardly worth mentioning.

He asked uncertainly, "Really?"

Xia Mu answered with absolute certainty, "Of course. But I can't teach it to you."

Shino quickly waved his hands. "It's fine, it's fine. I mainly cultivate the Insect Control Technique. I wouldn't be able to learn something like that anyway. In that case, I'll spread the Six Styles through the clan without standing on ceremony."

Xia Mu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been afraid Shino would get hung up on it.

Still, he reminded him, "For now, it needs to remain a secret. Don't say I created it. Wait until I become a ninja, or I might wake up one day to find a Dark Ninja at my bedside."

Shino naturally understood and nodded with utmost solemnity.

Tenten also looked serious. Having spent so much time with Xia Mu, she had naturally been warned by him to hide her abilities. Thinking of those Dark Ninjas lurking in the shadows and abducting geniuses, Tenten could not help feeling uneasy.

Her future boyfriend was such a genius. She really hoped he would not be targeted.

Not long after, Shibi Aburame called the three of them to eat.

Although the Aburame Clan raised insects, they did not eat them. It was simply because they all liked insects.

Shino displayed this quite clearly. For example, whenever they occasionally encountered insects crossing the road, Shino would not allow his companions to step on them. It made him uncomfortable.

However, they were quite good at growing vegetables. Aside from using them to feed insects, they naturally ate them as well.

They were also rather skilled at cooking vegetables. Shino's Mother, for instance, was an excellent cook.

Living at Tenten's House

Shino's Mother had never been mentioned in the original story, but seeing her dressed in the exact same sunglasses-and-covered-up outfit made it clear that she was a member of the main Aburame Clan.

Thinking about it, that made sense. Setting aside whether they married outsiders, the Aburame Clan's habit of raising insects alone was enough to make countless women keep their distance.

Other than marrying someone from their own clan, what else could they do?

Fortunately, although Shino's parents looked difficult to get along with, they were actually extremely hospitable. Especially because Xia Mu and Tenten were Shino's friends, their hospitality was a little excessive.

The key problem was that Shino's Mother loved teasing Xia Mu and Tenten, saying that they were a perfect match and worrying whether Shino would be able to find someone in the future. By the end of it, Shino was blushing furiously, while Xia Mu and Tenten were so embarrassed they wanted to dig holes through their shoes.

Xia Mu could only use the Art of Changing the Subject and steer the conversation toward food.

"Wow! Auntie, this dish is so delicious! How did you make it?"

"Wow! This winter melon soup is amazing. No wonder Shino likes winter melon so much. Your cooking is incredible, Auntie!"

"Auntie, I saw pumpkins growing in your yard. Pumpkin flowers and pumpkin vines can also be made into dishes. Just peel off the outer skin of the vines and stir-fry them with lean meat—it tastes great. Oh, and pumpkin flowers can be made into tempura too..."

For a while, Xia Mu and Shino's Mother chatted endlessly. As expected, two cooks always had plenty to talk about.

By the end of the meal, Shino and Tenten both felt physically and mentally exhausted.

Xia Mu, on the other hand, learned quite a few cooking tips. Before he left, Shino's Mother even stuffed two baskets of vegetables into his hands. Her enthusiasm was truly hard to resist.

Xia Mu carried the two baskets of vegetables and went home with Tenten.

As soon as they arrived, Tenten could not help laughing. "Xia Mu, I never thought you'd be so good at chatting with Auntie. Shino and I couldn't handle her at all."

Xia Mu did not think much of it. "Middle-aged aunties are all like that. You just go along with their topic, then shift it elsewhere. Auntie usually cooks alone at home, so it is rare for her to have someone to share cooking with. Of course she got carried away talking. Better that than letting her tease us."

Thinking of Shino's Mother saying they were a perfect match, Tenten blushed again.

Xia Mu rummaged through the baskets and found quite a few pumpkin vines and pumpkin flowers at the bottom, immediately making his eyes light up.

"Tenten, Auntie gave us pumpkin flowers and pumpkin vines. Let's go to your house tonight and make some pumpkin vine meat soup. I guarantee your dad will like it. Oh, can you make tempura? You can use the pumpkin flowers to make some. They're delicious."

"Tempura? I can make that."

Tenten was also drawn into Xia Mu's topic and began rummaging through the baskets.

By evening, the two of them carried one basket of vegetables back to Tenten's house and began cooking.

Shop Owner Uncle beamed at the sight. He was growing less and less displeased with Xia Mu, and was even starting to look at him like a future son-in-law. When he learned that the two were not dating yet, he actually became somewhat anxious.

These days, geniuses were coveted by others. This future son-in-law could not be allowed to get away.

At dinner, the pumpkin vine lean meat soup and Pumpkin Flower Tempura received unanimous praise. Xia Mu and Tenten even considered asking Shino to bring more next time.

After dinner, Shop Owner Uncle glanced at the dark sky outside and said unusually, "It's getting late. Your home is far away, and it isn't safe to go back at night. Stay here tonight."

Xia Mu was stunned. "Shop Owner Uncle, are you serious?"

Shop Owner Uncle's face immediately darkened. "Do I need to say it twice? Kid, I'm worried someone might kidnap you. The village hasn't been peaceful lately, so you'd better be careful. But let me warn you: don't even think about sneaking into Tenten's room. If I catch you, I'll break your legs!"

With that, he turned around, closed the shop door, and went back inside.

Xia Mu and Tenten stood there staring at each other, feeling both awkward and strangely intimate.

However, Shop Owner Uncle was actually right.

Recently, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village higher-ups seemed to have become increasingly unstable. It was like an Explosive Tag about to detonate, and even ordinary villagers could feel the oppressive atmosphere. According to some loose-lipped villagers, the village appeared to have sent ninjas specifically to monitor the Uchiha Clan compound. Uchiha ninjas had also been recalled and would no longer be assigned missions outside the village.

It looked like a fight was about to break out!

He just did not know whether Shisui Uchiha had died yet.

Under such circumstances, Xia Mu really should not be walking alone at night. It would be bad if he got caught up in it. Who knew when that Weasel would make his move?

"Xia Mu? Xia Mu! What are you spacing out for? I'll take you to your room."

Tenten snapped Xia Mu out of it, then led him to an empty room and thoughtfully made up the bedding for him.

Still, Tenten had been blushing the entire time. She was probably embarrassed by the thought of Xia Mu staying at her house. But the girl quickly regained her composure and arranged everything neatly.

Xia Mu did not stand on ceremony. After washing up, he lay down.

Yet not long afterward, a small figure cautiously pushed open the door in the darkness, holding a little lamp as she slowly walked in.

The lamp lit up, revealing Tenten with her twin tails.

"Tenten..."

"Shh! Keep it down. Don't let my dad hear."

Like a thief, Tenten carefully closed the door, then sat beside the bed. She looked hesitant, yet said nothing for a long while.

Xia Mu looked at Tenten's pajamas and said something startling. "Tenten, isn't this progressing a little too fast?"

Tenten's face instantly turned bright red. She glared at him. "In your dreams! I came to tell you something private. It's about training—I just didn't know where to begin. Don't get the wrong idea!"

You came over in pajamas in the middle of the night and acted all bashful. How could I not get the wrong idea?

If we weren't so young and unable to do anything, I might not have merely gotten the wrong idea!

Fortunately, Tenten quickly organized her thoughts. "Xia Mu, I've trained under your guidance for several months now. My physical fitness has indeed improved. My Chakra has grown slowly, but it has grown. My Chakra control has also become more refined, and I've learned some of your ninjutsu. Most importantly, I've become proficient with the Summoning Jutsu and mastered several types of ninja tools..."

Xia Mu listened quietly without rushing her, waiting for her to finish setting things up.

"But I feel like I've hit a bottleneck. I'm still young, so I can't train at high intensity, and because of that, my Chakra has stagnated. But you keep becoming more and more outstanding. I feel like you're going to leave me far behind. I... I don't want that. I want to stand by your side, but I'm really not strong enough. Can you think of a way..."

Xia Mu understood.

Tenten was becoming anxious.

The three friends had clearly been training together, but her progress was slow while the other two were pulling farther and farther ahead. Xia Mu in particular had become increasingly outstanding, to the point where Tenten felt she would soon lose sight of his back. Of course she would be anxious.

But there was nothing she could do. At this point, she could only ask Xia Mu for help.

Electrocution and Puppy Love

In that regard, she was somewhat like Sasuke in the original story.

During the Chunin Exams in the original story, Naruto, who had once been the Dead Last, became increasingly dazzling. He even summoned a giant toad and defeated the monstrous Gaara in one fell swoop.

That left Sasuke, who had only just learned Lightning Release: Chidori, utterly stunned.

During the missions that followed, Sasuke bore the Uchiha name yet rarely played much of a role, while Naruto, the former Dead Last, grew stronger and stronger.

Sasuke carried the blood feud of his clan and was determined to kill Itachi Uchiha. His pride would not allow Naruto to surpass him. Eventually, the conflict between them erupted on the hospital rooftop.

In short, Team 7's relationship at the time went like this:

"Naruto!"

"Sasuke!"

"Stop it! Don't fight anymore!"

Well, it was not raining heavily at the time, but Sasuke was indeed deeply anxious. He had been a genius surpassed by the Dead Last, then left farther and farther behind. His eventual decision to defect to Orochimaru was only natural.

Tenten's mindset was somewhat similar, yet different.

She cared deeply about her friend—her boyfriend—and wanted to stand beside him rather than be left behind.

Thinking this, Xia Mu did not grow anxious. Instead, he affectionately rubbed Tenten's hair. "You finally came to tell me. I've been waiting for this. I've been researching training methods not just to repay Shino, but also for you, you little cutie."

Tenten's eyes lit up. "So there is a way to help me improve? Xia Mu, hurry and tell me!"

"Don't rush. Listen carefully. I actually comprehended the Nature Transformation of Lightning Release Chakra, and then discovered that if you control lightning properly to stimulate the body, you can continuously activate your cells..."

Lightning was a miraculous force.

There was a reason cultivators in immortal cultivation novels had to be struck by lightning during tribulation.

Lightning was extremely powerful, yet it could stimulate the body and make it stronger, even accelerating its natural regeneration. In scientific terms, the power of lightning stimulated cellular activity, strengthening cells while speeding up the body's metabolism. Naturally, this enhanced physical strength.

After Xia Mu discovered this benefit, he found time to personally test it several times in the Special Laboratory. It hurt so wonderfully that he nearly died from how wonderful it felt.

Fortunately, he ultimately mastered the proper lightning intensity for stimulating cells, activating them without damaging them.

Now that Tenten had encountered a bottleneck and was too young for high-intensity training, they could try lightning stimulation.

Xia Mu was not afraid of anything going wrong. With his precise Chakra control, even if there was an accident, it would not be fatal. With a Senzu Bean as a safeguard, he could boldly help Tenten.

"Xia Mu, Xia Mu, hurry and give it to me..." Tenten urged.

"Don't say something that can be misunderstood!"