Qingyu left the Anbu dorms and stepped out into a Konoha bathed in golden sunlight. It was mid-afternoon, and the fierce sun filtered through the canopy, casting lazy, dappled patterns on the forest floor.
"It's still early. I might as well practice for a bit," Qingyu thought, glancing at the angle of the sun to gauge the time. He had a plan, and the timing was crucial.
Now that he had a week-long vacation, he didn't just need to solve the long-term leave problem; he also needed to use this time to digest what he had gained and sharpen his skills.
Since joining the Torture Force, he had spent several dozen minutes each day exercising in his small cubicle, but he had never engaged in focused ninjutsu practice. Through the vast array of memories he had absorbed, he knew many chakra cultivation methods—he just hadn't put them into practice yet.
Following his spirit of caution, he had prioritized reading memories and collecting rewards. He knew cultivation could happen anytime; there was no need to rush and "scald his tongue on hot tofu."
"Let's try the Shadow Clone Technique!"
Qingyu's eyes brightened. He extended two fingers from each hand, crossing them into a cross-shaped seal. This was the jutsu he had just stripped from the Kumogakure ninja's mind.
He channeled his chakra, and with a soft poof, another "Qingyu" appeared beside him. The two stood side-by-side, looking identical. He could clearly feel his chakra reserves being split exactly in half.
"Shadow clones create physical entities. Any experience or information they gain returns to the original body once the jutsu is released. I can use this to accelerate my training..."
While the specific memories of the spy didn't contain exhaustive training manuals for the technique, as a transmigrator who had watched Naruto, Qingyu understood its mechanics perfectly.
"I've received so many chakra rewards over the past six months, and combined with the naturally high reserves of the Sage Body, I have plenty of fuel for this. My only regret is... I don't know the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique yet."
He knew that the S-rank version was recorded in the Scroll of Seals as a forbidden technique. It would be perfect for him, but he wasn't in a hurry. Opportunities would come.
Qingyu and his clone shared a look, then both flickered away into the depths of the forest to begin their respective training sessions.
Several hours later, the sun dipped toward the horizon, and the dry heat of the afternoon began to fade.
Poof!
With a burst of white smoke, the shadow clone—which had been dispelled and recast multiple times—returned to his body, bringing with it a flood of muscle memory and experience.
"It really is a cultivation accelerator!"
After just half a day, Qingyu was already seeing the benefits. Although it drained a massive amount of chakra, it was like having a 'double experience' buff. For someone with limited free time, this was incredibly satisfying.
"This opens up a lot of possibilities..."
He realized that even when his main body couldn't train, he could secretly send out a shadow clone to do the work. It would still result in a net gain. However, he had to be extremely careful—no one could find out. Low-profile was the name of the game.
Qingyu knew his situation was unique. Other ninjas had to show off their strength to get resources; he just had to stay hidden in the "Black Room" and read memories to grow. Stability was everything. To stay stable, he had to stay "buried."
As Qingyu walked out of the forest, he looked utterly drained. His body was spent, and his stamina—despite his powerful constitution—was reaching its limit.
He headed straight for the heart of the village, specifically toward the Ichiraku Ramen shop.
"I'll have a set meal," Qingyu said, lifting the curtain. He looked at Teuchi, the young chef, with tired eyes.
"Coming right up!" Teuchi replied with a squinty-eyed, charming smile. "Haven't seen you in a while!"
Teuchi began kneading dough and heating the broth. It was still a bit early for the dinner rush, so Qingyu was the only customer in the shop.
"Work's been busy," Qingyu replied casually.
"You look exhausted," Teuchi noted while chatting.
"My health isn't great," Qingyu said, his tone somewhat flat.
"Oh?" Teuchi paused his kneading, giving Qingyu a long, searching look. He smiled again and said, "Today, I'll upgrade you to the large set meal. It's on the house!"
"I couldn't possibly..." Qingyu was stunned. In all his years of eating out, he had never been treated to a free meal by a shop owner.
"Don't worry about it! Your health is poor; you should eat more!" Teuchi waved off his concerns.
They chatted idly for about fifteen minutes until the steaming bowl of ramen was ready.
"Here you go!" Teuchi placed the bowl in front of him. "Eat slowly, don't burn yourself."
"Thank you." Qingyu nodded and sat in the corner, quietly staring at the noodles. He didn't pick up his chopsticks.
Time ticked by. Half an hour passed. Ichiraku Ramen began to fill up with the dinner crowd. Teuchi became busy, but Qingyu sat in the corner like a transparent man, completely ignored by the other customers.
Slowly, the crowd thinned out. Night fell. It was time for the shop to close.
As Teuchi was cleaning his workspace after the "battle," he suddenly noticed Qingyu was still sitting in the corner.
"You..." Teuchi looked at him in confusion. A giant question mark popped up in his mind.
"Isn't the ramen good?"