C156

As the early evening breeze brushed through Konoha, Haruto Takeda pushed open the door to his small apartment with a focused expression. The six days of walking, even without the weighted seal, hadn't been enough to satisfy his need for real training. It was a mission, of course, and he'd had to stay alert, using his tier 2 chakra sensitivity to guard the caravan and handle his duties. But physically? It had been far too easy.

Haruto had spent most of the mission mentally refining the Thunder Scalpel technique. With one mind focused on chakra detection, the other was busy reviewing theories and calculations about the jutsu. Now that the mission was over, he could finally test the ideas he'd worked through. He felt close to a breakthrough, but first, his body needed real exertion, the kind that would push him past the limits he hadn't been able to touch while on guard duty.

Stepping into the kitchen, Haruto took note of his dwindling supplies. He was down to the bare essentials, just enough for a single large meal. He sighed, thinking about how he'd need to go grocery shopping soon. While he liked hunting and fishing to stay self-sufficient, having proper supplies after a long mission would be nice. Now that he had some income, he could restock.

Haruto threw together a simple meal—rice, a few vegetables, and a small portion of meat. It wasn't much, but it was all he had left. As the food cooked, his mind wandered to the Thunder Scalpel again, refining the plan he had in place for his Shadow Clone to work on.

When the meal was ready, he created a Shadow Clone with a quick hand seal. The clone appeared in a puff of smoke, ready for instructions.

"You're going to focus on the Thunder Scalpel tonight," Haruto said, setting his food on the table. "Work on precision and chakra control. We're close to the first phase."

The clone nodded and got to work, moving toward the desk covered in scrolls and notes on medical ninjutsu. Haruto watched for a moment as the clone began forming chakra, its hands glowing with the faint blue light of medical chakra. Satisfied, he sat down to eat.

The meal was simple but filling. It gave him the energy he needed to continue through the night. As he ate, Haruto mentally mapped out his training routine. After six days of nothing but walking, his muscles needed to be tested again. He would push his body hard tonight, letting it catch up to the progress his mind had made.

Once he finished eating, Haruto cleaned up quickly. With his clone working on the Thunder Scalpel, he could focus entirely on physical training and recovery.

He stepped into the bathroom and began preparing for the next step of his routine—the ice bath. Haruto had developed a simple fūinjutsu seal that negated heat, creating ice on demand. It was a technique he had perfected for recovery, and the cold immersion helped him recover faster after intense training sessions. He filled the tub with cold water and activated the seal, watching as the ice formed across the surface of the water.

After stripping down, Haruto stepped into the icy water, the shock of cold biting into his skin. His muscles, still tense from the light strain of the mission, began to relax as the cold water numbed the soreness. He focused on his breathing, keeping it steady as his body adjusted to the cold. It wasn't comfortable, but it was effective.

After ten minutes in the ice bath, Haruto climbed out, feeling refreshed. The soreness had faded, and his body was ready for the challenges of tomorrow. He dressed in loose clothes and glanced over at his clone, which was still hard at work refining the Thunder Scalpel.

Satisfied that everything was progressing as planned, Haruto headed to bed. He would sleep well tonight, and by tomorrow morning, his body would be fully recovered and ready for the next mission or training session. As his head hit the pillow, he felt the familiar sense of accomplishment. Whatever came next, he'd be ready.