Chapter 8

Three days later, at 2:00 p.m.

The wind playfully danced, causing the vines to sway and rustle against the courtyard fence.

Red threads that had aged over time, thin bamboo tubes, and vibrant shells were all hanging from the eaves. Together, they swayed and produced a beautiful and harmonious melody.

The room was bathed in sunlight, casting shadows that danced across the elegant cupboards and rustic wooden table. The table was cluttered with scrolls, materials, and notes, adding to the room's lively atmosphere.

It playfully made its way to the couch, gently stroking the sleeping person's forehead.

The breeze continued its mischievous waltz, casting a radiant glow that playfully brushed the man's cheek, leaving behind a subtle warmth as it gracefully floated away.

"Hmm!" Toshiro jolted awake, rising from the couch. He surveyed the scattered notes on the table, rubbing his temples to clear his mind.

The scrolls and books before him mostly delved into chakra control and refinement techniques. Over the past two months of practice, he consistently made time to read them. Whenever he encountered insightful passages or harbored doubts and conjectures, he diligently documented them in a dedicated notebook. He firmly believed in the anecdote: a weak pen is better than the strongest memory.

Gathering the materials and notes strewn across the table and storing them in the rack. He headed to the bathroom to splash his face with cold water, invigorating himself before returning to the living room.

"Toshiro Okami, are you home? We're here to play!" echoed Uchiha Ryo's boisterous voice from the courtyard outside, accompanied by the chatter of friends.

Indeed, it was 'Toshiro Okami' not 'Toshiro Uchiha'. Thanks to the recent craze for the werewolf-killing game among the clan's children, the moniker had caught on. As the game's inventor and frequent player of the role of wolf, he had earned this nickname among his peers.

"Don't go adding nicknames to people without their consent!" With the game gaining popularity among the family's children, Toshiro had noticed an intriguing pattern.

For some mysterious reason, everyone silently agreed not to spread this game beyond the confines of the Uchiha clan. It remained an exclusive activity within the clan's territory, where all the kids would join in. Whether intentionally or not, a sneaky air of superiority managed to infiltrate the group.

"Not today! Someone will be delivering some books to my home, and there won't be anyone to receive them if I am away." Toshiro remarked. A hint of disappointment colored Ryo's expression. Out of nowhere, a brilliant idea appeared to hit him, instantly boosting his mood.

"How about we play at your house today?"

"No!" Toshiro promptly dismissed Ryo's suggestion. 'Just imagine those little troublemakers running amok in the house all afternoon, making a mess. And I'll be responsible for helping Mei clean up all of it.!!'

With a few words, he bid farewell to the new friends he had made in recent days. Instead of returning to the main house, Toshiro entered the building to the left of the house.

This ancestral house, passed down through generations, boasts a unique architectural layout. In the center lies the family's living quarters, encompassing bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and a dining area. To the right stands an empty training ground reserved for the family's children to practice.

On the left, however, is a small shed that looks very quaint from the outside. But within it are various ninja tools such as shuriken, kunai, steel wire, wind demon shuriken, tantos, as well as ninja gear like sword armor, arm guards, and capes, all neatly displayed.

Rummaging through one of the chests,Toshiro came across a set of crimson armor reminiscent of the Sengoku period. However, there were no hazardous items like explosion tags or poisons, suggesting they had been disposed of or placed somewhere else beforehand.

With a rag and grease from the cabinet, Toshiro meticulously began to clean and maintain each weapon. This task had been assigned to him by Mei, who believed that, given his precocious nature, it wouldn't hurt for him to familiarize himself with the tools ninjas use in missions and fights. After instructing him on the proper maintenance techniques and supervising his work, she entrusted the task to him.

Half an hour later, having completed his tasks, he made his way to the dojo, carrying a small wooden sword.

Toshiro anxiously held his breath, tightly gripping the sword with both hands. His intense focus was on the dummy in front of him, focusing precisely on its head, neck, heart, kidneys, and other vital spots.

He let out a spirited cry as he swung his sword with full force, aiming for the dummy's face. The wooden sword made a snappy "pop" sound when it hit the dummy. With each strike, he could feel the recoil pulsating through the hilt of the sword, sending a jolt up his arm. Undeterred, he pressed on, unleashing a flurry of strikes on the dummy, targeting its vulnerable spots with precision.

Yet all that hard work eventually resulted in exhaustion. After just ten minutes, the intense battle between the wooden sword and the dummy came to a quiet end for a few minutes, and it began again. After a grueling half hour, Toshiro finally called it quits, panting and covered in sweat.

In the living room, Toshiro casually grabbed an apple from the table, took a big bite, and plopped down on the sofa to unwind. As he looked back, a wave of memories washed over him. He couldn't help but reminisce about the endless books and materials he had immersed himself in for the past few months, not to mention his fond memories of the Naruto anime from his previous life. 

The source of a ninja's power, chakra, comes from the combination of human spiritual and physical energy. In a nutshell, spiritual energy originates from the human brain and will power.

As people gain more knowledge, experience, age, and resilience, they go through personal breakthroughs or advancements. During this process, their spiritual energy increases. On the flip side, boosting physical energy requires some serious sweat sessions, bouncing back from injuries, popping some supplements, and always pushing yourself to the max. These methods, along with a little patience, can really amp up your physical energy. 

It only makes sense to have methods that help increase both yin and yang energies efficiently and balancedly. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, there was nothing to be found after searching through all the books in the house. Determined, he accepted the challenge of becoming better through rigorous training for now but will still keep an eye out for it in other places.

Once again, evening settled upon the household, and Toshiro found himself seated at the low table in the living room, completely absorbed in a book that delved into the origins of sealing techniques. Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a voice suddenly reached his ears. It was none other than Mei's, coming from outside.

"The materials are all here. Let's place this large stone slab over here!"

Toshiro went out to see what was happening and noticed Mei bossing around two burly guys in the corner of the courtyard. They managed to heave and position a ridiculously large stone slab. Next to it, there was a bucket of cement, a big stone ball, and a bunch of smaller stone slabs. It was pretty obvious from the looks on their faces that the items weren't exactly lightweight.

The colossal stone slab boasted irregular contours, with one side polished to a mirror-like sheen while the other remained rough. Along the edges, a series of protrusions resembled the serrations of a coin.

"This large slab needs to be positioned smoothly and precisely... "

"Don't worry, Mei-chan, we'll ensure this slab is installed exactly as you want," assured a middle-aged man standing beside the two laborers, patting his chest confidently.

"There he is. Hello, Toshiro-kun. Wow, you've grown big since the last time I saw you.!" The middle-aged man greeted Toshiro with a smile, seeing him come out of the house.

 AN : For every 50 power stones an extra chapter to be released.

AN 2 : You can read chapters published ahead on my p@treon account - p@treon.com/noviceauthor777