Unique Body

Immediately, he felt an intense heat radiating from the lower part of his abdomen, spreading throughout his body. It was as if something inside him had ignited, illuminating his surroundings from within.

For the first time, he could see his body from a unique perspective.

His bones trembled violently, his cells seemed to vibrate with joy, and his blood boiled. His heart beat as if he had entered Gear 5. His entire body radiated immense vitality.

The heat flowed like a river, coursing through every vein, every fiber of his being, and with every passing moment, his body... no longer felt like his own. It seemed as though he had been reborn. He felt stronger, more energetic than ever before.

After a year of refining chakra, the little he had accumulated until now seemed ridiculous compared to what was happening.

If before his chakra reserves were like a drop of water in a pond, now he felt the flow had been unleashed.

At first, it was like a poorly closed faucet, dripping slowly. But now it felt as though someone had fully opened the valve. The heat continued to flow, and he could feel the chakra within him growing ceaselessly.

Soon, it would stop being a drip, becoming a puddle, then a river, then a lake... and finally an ocean.

Everything was happening naturally, without the need for his intervention.

!!!

Kuro's eyes shot open, and he quickly stripped off his clothes and jumped into the nearby river.

The vitality inside him made him feel as if he had taken an ultra-potent pre-workout. His chest and abdomen burned, his vision was slightly blurred, and his face felt hot.

The moment he touched the cold water, it immediately warmed, surrounding him with steam.

Fortunately, this change didn't last long.

After about fifteen minutes, the heat began to dissipate, and his body returned to a calm state.

Kuro emerged slowly from the water and looked at his reflection on the river's surface.

His skin looked warm and damp, his muscles perfectly defined and evenly distributed. Neither too large nor too small, his body had the strength and proportion of a perfectly polished stone.

"Well... at least I didn't end up with that pale skin of the Ōtsutsuki," he said as he touched his forehead, enjoying the smoothness of his skin.

He clenched a fist, feeling the strength emanating from it.

So strong.

It was such a powerful sensation that he almost believed he was invincible. Although his appearance didn't seem to have changed much, Kuro knew that every part of his body, every organ, every cell, had been completely renewed.

He was now more vigorous, more resilient, more energetic.

As for his chakra... he no longer knew how to describe it.

Before, his reserves were so scarce that he could barely perform the Henge no Jutsu once. Now, he could use it a thousand times and not even consume one percent of his chakra.

From what he had read in the biography his parents had left him, he knew his chakra reserves already surpassed those of a Chūnin.

"Yes! Now I'm truly on my way to the top," he murmured, clenching his fists.

Yes, he just needed to have a good physique.

Even Hagoromo and Ashura, born with a Perfect Sage Body, weren't invincible from the start.

Both needed years of training and effort before reaching the strength they possessed.

The body is just a foundation. If I want to be invincible, I have to train harder than ever.

With that thought, he stepped out of the river, letting the water on his body dry before dressing.

Then, with a determined look, he resumed his training right where he had left off.

I want to see the difference between the old Kuro and the new one.

He stood in front of the stake, legs apart and knees slightly bent. Without hesitation, he launched a powerful punch.

300 punches.

That had been his training goal lately. Over the past week, he had reached 260 consecutive punches. Even pushing himself to the limit, with his hands covered in blood, he barely managed to hit 280.

But this time, he reached 300 effortlessly, completing the goal with ease. Not only that, he didn't feel tired at all.

A satisfied smile lit up his face.

Keep going until you can't move your arms.

He wanted to explore the limits of his new body.

Maintaining a steady rhythm, he struck the stake with both hands, one after the other. The impacts left deep marks in the wood, showing the strength behind each blow.

The breeze blew softly, rustling the leaves of the trees around him. The birds in the nearby branches, already accustomed to his routine, yawned and settled into their nests as he continued training tirelessly.

As the hours passed, the sun began to set, and the birds returned to their nests.

Finally, the sound of punches stopped.

"Ha... haa... haaa..." Kuro panted as he collapsed onto the grass, exhausted but smiling.

He had far exceeded his own limits. For the first time, he fully understood the benefits of his new body.

No matter how hard he pushed himself, his body recovered energy quickly. Even minor wounds on his knuckles healed within seconds.

Moreover, the results were extraordinary. Before, every small improvement required titanic effort. Now, progress came quickly, as if his body responded exponentially to training.

However, his chakra remained a mystery. During practice, he had used a small amount to maintain the Henge no Jutsu, but it didn't regenerate as quickly as he expected.

After resting for a while, he got up, brushed the grass and dirt off his back, picked up the empty bento box he had left under a tree, and decided to head home.

Even with such a powerful body, you have to respect the laws of energy.

Although he felt physically fine, his stomach growled with hunger. If he kept training without eating, it would be counterproductive.

Training must be planned. Otherwise, you'll end up getting half the results with twice the effort.

Besides, life couldn't be all training. That would be terribly boring!

Yes, this deserves a celebration.

Kuro smiled.

A barbecue would be perfect.

After arriving home, he washed his lunchbox, took a quick shower, and put on a clean dark green kimono. He grabbed his pig-shaped wallet and headed out.

The sun had already set, and the full moon shone high in the sky. However, the streets of the eastern commercial district were still bustling, lit up and full of people coming and going.

Kuro walked among the crowd, feeling a joy he hadn't experienced in a long time. A genuine smile appeared on his face, different from the polite one he usually wore.

This time, his happiness was real.

Perhaps it had something to do with all the good things that had happened this past month.

After a few minutes, he arrived at a shop called "Yakiniku Q."

He knew this place was famous for its grilled meat. He even knew that Chōji often came here, and if Chōji approved, the food had to be incredible!

Kuro entered the shop, but it was crowded.

"Ugh... I don't know if I'll be able to eat here..." he said, looking around at the packed space.

With his limited budget, eating at a place like this was already a luxury.

The waitress nearby heard him and pointed to a table in the corner.

"There's still space there, but you'll have to share the table with others. Of course, it depends on whether the diners mind."

Kuro looked at the indicated table.

It was long, with room for six people, but the high-backed chairs made it seem like a private space.

You could only see the inside by walking down the aisle.

Two people were already seated at the table. Both were a bit bulky, taking up half the space, but there was still enough room for one more.

Seeing them, Kuro's eyes lit up.

"Of course, I don't mind," he replied enthusiastically.