Three days later, by the campfire.
Shinji and the other two had each found a comfortable position to sit quietly, with no unnecessary words spoken.
To get through Shinji's three-day period of weakness, they hadn't rushed back to Konohagakure at full speed, instead traveling slowly along the way.
They were already not far from Konohagakure.
After discussing it, the three decided to camp in the woods for the night, rest up, and return to the village together at dawn the next day.
"Shinji, how are you feeling?" Nohara Rin asked softly.
Before Shinji could answer, Kakashi cut in, his tone full of resentment.
"At least he's not half-dead anymore."
For the past two days, he had been carrying Shinji the whole way, acting as nothing more than a laborer.
It was only today that Shinji could barely manage to keep up with him and Rin as they traveled.
Shinji chuckled, completely ignoring Kakashi's complaint, and turned to Rin.
"I can move around normally now. In a few more days, I should be fully recovered."
Nohara Rin nodded gently and said softly, "Then I'll check on you again later."
Shinji didn't refuse.
Over the past three days, Rin had repeatedly examined his body, as if only by doing so could she truly feel at ease.
He understood that this was Rin's unique way of showing concern.
Such kindness, he naturally accepted with ease.
It was just a shame that Kakashi was there as a genuine third wheel. Otherwise, if he were alone with Rin, perhaps something else good might have happened.
Thinking this, Shinji shot Kakashi a glare. Kakashi seemed to sense it and immediately returned the look. Both of their eyes held a hint of disdain before they simultaneously turned their heads away.
"Tsk."
"Tsk."
…
Shinji casually picked up a branch and poked at the campfire in front of him.
The flames crackled, and the flickering firelight drove away the chill of the night.
He extended a finger, held it level before his eyes, and slowly gathered Chakra at its tip.
A ninja's Chakra has five basic natures—Fire, Wind, Lightning, Water, and Earth—each interacting with the others in cycles of creation and destruction.
Combining Chakra of different natures can give rise to powerful Release Techniques.
What Shinji was currently testing was the Storm Release the System had just rewarded him.
Storm Release, formed by the fusion of Water Release and Lightning Release, is a top-tier Kekkei Genkai rarely seen in the Hidden Cloud Village but considered one of its signature abilities, with only a handful of users.
And now, this power was in his hands.
A light sphere about two centimeters in diameter suddenly appeared at his fingertip.
The surface of the sphere continuously flowed, its form as soft as water, yet it emitted a cool blue-white light that illuminated the surroundings brightly.
This immediately caught the attention of Kakashi and Rin.
Looking at the light sphere on Shinji's fingertip, Kakashi already had some suspicions and asked:
"Shinji, is this Lightning Release?"
He was an expert in Lightning Release himself and could clearly sense an extremely violent energy from it.
But strangely, this power was exceptionally docile in Shinji's hands.
Violence and obedience were paradoxically intertwined.
Unlike his own Lightning Release, which was full of destructive, frenzied power and extremely difficult to control.
Shinji slowly lowered his hand, and the light sphere dissipated.
"Just trying to develop a new Lightning Release," he said. "Lately, I've felt some changes in my Chakra, so I wanted to experiment a bit more."
Shinji was laying the groundwork for an excuse.
He planned to quietly spread the word after returning to the village, saying he had been studying Lightning Release all along, to cover up his sudden mastery of Storm Release.
Whether they believed it or not wasn't his concern.
He was, after all, a member of the Uchiha Clan—there was no way he'd be treated as a spy.
Storm Release was different from Transparent Escape.
Transparent Escape, if used carefully, could almost go unnoticed.
But Storm Release was different. Anyone with knowledge, like the clan elders, Danzo, or Orochimaru, would recognize it at a glance as the Hidden Cloud's unique Kekkei Genkai.
At that point, he would inevitably be targeted, even attracting various attempts at recruitment and probing.
At this moment, Shinji suddenly felt that becoming Tsunade's disciple was absolutely the right decision.
This cheap teacher could become his most reliable shield, deflecting countless unnecessary troubles for him.
As long as Tsunade was around, no one should dare force him to do anything he didn't want to do!
Nohara Rin couldn't help but praise, "Shinji, you're getting stronger and stronger."
She lowered her head, a faint trace of gloom flickering in her eyes.
Was her own strength too weak?
Perhaps she should also work on improving her combat abilities.
That way, she wouldn't always be holding them back!
This subtle shift in emotion didn't escape Shinji's notice.
He looked at Rin and comforted her, "Everyone has their own strengths."
As he spoke, he reached out and gently patted her shoulder.
"If you want to train, I can help you."
A smile returned to Nohara Rin's lips, and the slight gloom in her heart instantly faded.
"Mm, if I need it, I'll definitely ask for your guidance."
Shinji nodded. Rin's talent wasn't low; becoming stronger wouldn't be difficult for her.
After chatting a bit more, the three closed their eyes to rest.
After midnight.
When it was Shinji's turn to keep watch, he quietly opened the System Shop.
Shinji glanced at the Points on his personal panel.
[Points: 323,400]
Thanks to Kakashi, his Points had skyrocketed, enough to splurge.
Midnight had just passed, the moment the Shop refreshed for the week.
The past few weeks hadn't yielded anything good, so he silently hoped this time would bring a pleasant surprise.
With a thought, the product list expanded, and Shinji was immediately struck by surprise.
[Ninjutsu/Taijutsu/Genjutsu Training Acceleration Card (30 days): 2,400 Points]
[One Hundred Percent Barehanded Blade Catch (Consumable): 50,000 Points]
[Contact Lenses (Consumable): 2,000 Points]
[Chiyo's Medical Notes (Volume 2): 28,000 Points]
[Storm Release: Laser Circus Lv1: 100,000 Points]
[Risqué Book (New): 100 Points]
Shinji focused his thoughts, opening each item one by one to carefully examine their descriptions.
Chiyo's Medical Notes (Volume 2)—a must-buy.
Not only could he learn from it himself, but he could also give it to Rin, perfectly aligning with her interests.
As for the Risqué Book!
Looking at this item, Shinji's lips twitched, and he instinctively glanced at the sleeping Kakashi.
He couldn't help but feel this thing had appeared because of him.
After a moment's hesitation, he still bought it on a whim.
This item might actually come in handy.
A strange yet amusing idea quietly took shape in Shinji's mind.
When Kakashi came to take over the watch later, he could have a good chat with him.
Aside from these two items, the Training Acceleration Cards were also a must-buy every time. But what truly caught his eye were the remaining two items.
The Shop had actually refreshed Storm Release: Laser Circus Lv1—this was a skill, not a scroll, meaning once he bought it, he could instantly master it.
This directly solved his biggest current problem, giving the newly acquired Storm Release genuine combat utility.
He turned his gaze to that peculiar skill, its description as follows:
[Item: One Hundred Percent Barehanded Blade Catch]
[Type: Skill]
[Effect: The exclusive trait of a certain garrison commander of Chentang Pass. When swinging a blade, the enemy will definitely catch it with their hands, but the user will also be locked in place, both sides in a stalemate for 5 seconds. Any opponent unable to press their palms together will be instantly defeated! Li Jing: I am the number one swordsman of the Shang Dynasty!]
[Note: Usage Count (2/2), maximum duration per use: 30 minutes.]
This was a conceptual-level ability!
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