Tomorrow, they would be leaving the Village for a mission, so essential equipment was a must.
Shin spent an hour buying what he needed.
Ten Kunai, twenty Shuriken, ten Exploding Tags, a bottle of ointment for external injuries, three rolls of bandages, and a pack of military rations.
Those supplies alone cost nearly three thousand Ryu.
For an ordinary family, that could be an entire month’s income.
Ninja appeared to earn a lot, but after factoring in equipment, consumables, and the risk of losing their lives, there wasn’t actually much left.
Once his supplies were ready, Shin immediately began to train.
He summoned a Shadow Clone.
Although doing so doubled his energy consumption, his cultivation speed also doubled.
The Shadow Clone focused on cultivating Multitude Clone, while Shin picked up the final scroll.
Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique.
It was a Sharingan secret technique.
Now that Shin had awakened his Sharingan, it was time to start training it.
The day passed quickly.
Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique reached Level 1 Beginner (Entry Level), but Advanced Three-Body Technique remained stuck at the same level, showing no signs of another breakthrough.
Shin wasn’t discouraged.
He had expected this.
Cultivating Advanced Three-Body Technique was bound to be much harder than before.
At exactly nine the next morning, Shin arrived alone at the Konoha gate.
From a distance, he spotted Ito Miyuki and Abero.
Both were fully equipped, but neither looked particularly energetic.
Judging by their dark circles, they hadn’t spent yesterday doing nothing either.
When Shin approached, Abero yawned.
“Shin, you’re punctual as always.” Shin ignored the remark.
Instead, he glanced at their dark circles.
“What, were you out stealing last night?” “Tch.” Ito Miyuki turned her head away, pulled out a small mirror, and began fixing her appearance.
Abero threw an arm around Shin’s shoulder.
“Don’t remind me.
I was excited the whole day yesterday and couldn’t fall asleep at night.” His mouth stretched into a huge yawn.
He looked half-dead.
Shin knocked his arm away.
“If you’re tired, sit down and sleep for a while.
Nakagawa Ichiryū won’t be here for another half hour.” “Good idea.
I’ll sleep for a bit.
Once we start traveling, there won’t be any time to rest.” Abero didn’t care about his appearance at all.
He found an empty spot, leaned against a rock, and promptly dozed off.
Shin shook his head.
So much for being unable to sleep.
He had just been too excited.
“Miyuki, do you want to sleep too?
I’ll keep watch here and wake you both when Sensei arrives.” “No need.” Ito Miyuki sat cross-legged on the grass, opened her backpack, and pulled out a lunchbox.
Inside were several small rice balls shaped like pigs.
“Shin, come eat with me.
My mother made these for me when she saw me heading out.” Shin was about to refuse, but then he reconsidered.
They were teammates now.
Maintaining a good relationship with them would be useful.
He sat beside her and took out a Spirit Transformation Fruit.
“This is for you.
I have one for Abero too.” Ito Miyuki picked up the fruit and examined it curiously.
“What kind of fruit is this?
I’ve never seen one like it.” “I found it by chance.
It’s edible.
I’ve eaten one before,” Shin explained.
“I didn’t say it was poisonous.
Why are you explaining yourself?” Ito Miyuki snorted and took a bite.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
“It’s delicious!” She took another bite, then looked at Shin.
“Where did you find it?
When we get back, I’ll pick some and take them home for my parents.” Shin could only shake his head.
“There aren’t any left.” Miyuki’s shoulders drooped slightly.
“Really?
What a shame.” Still, she continued eating, clearly enjoying the sweet fruit.
The two sat together, eating the rice balls made by Miyuki’s mother while talking about cultivation.
Half an hour later, Nakagawa Ichiryū finally appeared in front of them.
“Eating without inviting your teacher.
Is that how good students behave?” Miyuki reluctantly picked up the final rice ball and handed it over.
“Nakagawa Ichiryū, from now on, I’m never believing anything you say again.
It’s always the same.” Nakagawa Ichiryū didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.
He tossed the rice ball into his mouth, chewed twice, and smiled with narrowed eyes.
“Abero, wake up.” Shin walked over and nudged the sleeping boy.
“Kill, kill, kill!
Hokage Abero is here!
Who dares to be presumptuous?” The three stared at him.
Abero was still half-asleep, waving his fists around as he mumbled.
Miyuki and Nakagawa Ichiryū silently turned their heads away.
Their expressions clearly said, I don’t know this guy.
“Hey, wait for me!” Abero finally came to his senses.
Seeing the other three already walking away, he scrambled to his feet and chased after them.
“Shin, my good brother, why didn’t you wake me earlier?” “You were sleeping like a pig.
You didn’t even notice when Sensei arrived.” “I was dreaming about becoming Hokage.
I was too excited!” The four gradually disappeared down the main road.
Abero’s straightforward personality kept the long journey from becoming too dull, and his occasional nonsense drew a few laughs from the others.
By evening, Team 7 reached the area around Blackhead Mountain.
They had traveled for the entire day without stopping to rest.
Their pace hadn’t been particularly fast, but after hours on the road, the strain was already beginning to settle into their bodies.
More accurately, Abero was exhausted, Ito Miyuki was only slightly tired, while Shin and Nakagawa Ichiryū looked as though they had barely exerted themselves.
Nakagawa Ichiryū’s condition was understandable.
He was a Jonin, and his physical strength was naturally far beyond that of a Genin.
Shin, however, was another matter entirely.
“Shin, did you take some kind of medicine?
How is your stamina this good?” Abero asked between heavy breaths.
Ito Miyuki also turned her eyes toward Shin.
She wanted to know how he had trained to reach this level.
As for medicine, she quickly ruled it out.
She had been sitting beside Shin that morning and hadn’t noticed even the slightest medicinal scent on him.
Anyone who regularly consumed medicinal pills or herbs would inevitably carry some of that smell on their body.
“If you exercise more often, your stamina will naturally improve,” Shin said.
In reality, his Physique was already high enough to approach the level of an ordinary Chunin.
A full day of travel like this barely put any strain on him.
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