----
The improvement in strength undoubtedly brings joy.
But this joy didn't last long, as Shin gradually calmed down, because he knew that although Special Jonin also had the title of 'Jonin,' they were in a very awkward position.
Due to their unbalanced abilities in various aspects, they couldn't reach the level of a true Jonin, so in terms of self-preservation in combat, they were far inferior to true Jonin.
"Still lacking stamina..."
Shin pondered.
Without the Uzumaki clan's physique and no tailed beast sealed within him, his current chakra reserves, strictly speaking, were barely at the elite Chunin level, a significant gap from Jonin.
As for physical strength, there's no need to mention it. How much physical strength can a ten-year-old body have?
In the time acceleration state, physical strength is also consumed faster.
"If I also learn the Eight Inner Gates, I'll really become fast."
Shin thought of this and showed a hint of helplessness.
Before obtaining the Sage Body, physical strength and chakra would probably always be his shortcomings, and the Sage Body was something he couldn't even consider at his current stage.
However, thinking about it carefully, as long as the strength unleashed in a brief moment is powerful enough, then even without stamina, it doesn't matter. Just like Minato, who instantly cut down fifty Jonin. Even if his chakra reserves were a weakness, it didn't prevent the Yellow Flash from becoming famous throughout the ninja world.
"It seems my future combat style will be to end battles in an instant..."
Shin silently muttered to himself.
Regardless of whether stamina was a weakness, he still needed to train the Eight Inner Gates. With the Eight Inner Gates combined with the time acceleration state, he would truly have the capital to end battles at light speed.
If speed is pushed to the extreme, what does it matter if stamina is insufficient?
There's no need for a long battle.
"In my current normal state, I should be no worse than an elite Chunin. With the three-times speed state, I can be considered a Special Jonin. If I want to go further, there are three directions..."
Shin pondered in his heart.
The first direction for improvement is the most ordinary: to train taijutsu step by step, train chakra, and use time acceleration to make the body grow faster. When the body grows to around twelve or thirteen years old, he should generally have Jonin-level chakra and taijutsu.
Then, learning a standard Jonin-level ninjutsu would make him a standard Jonin in his normal state.
As for the second direction for improvement, it's to continue training the Hatake Style Kenjutsu.
If he could complete the second stage of the Hatake Style Kenjutsu, even if his chakra reserves and taijutsu were still somewhat lacking, he could still possess Jonin-level strength due to the power of 'White Fang'.
Finally, the third direction for improvement is the Eight Inner Gates.
"...It's best to train all three directions concurrently."
Shin made his judgment.
For ordinary people, choosing one of these directions to focus on would be the correct approach, because they don't have enough time to pursue three paths simultaneously. That would lead to biting off more than they can chew, resulting in none of them being mastered and their overall strength being extremely mediocre.
But he was different.
With his time acceleration ability, he had more time to train!
If the power of the illusory clock continued to improve, he might even be able to achieve four-times speed, five-times speed... In that case, he would absolutely be qualified to pursue all three paths!
"Let's set a small goal: become a Jonin in six months."
Shin clenched his fists and took a breath.
Jonin!
Here, Jonin refers to having Jonin-level strength in a normal state.
With such strength in a normal state, then in a three-times speed, or even four-times or five-times time acceleration state, he might be able to cut down Jonins like vegetables, just like Minato Namikaze!
Only by reaching this level could he possess a certain degree of self-preservation in the Third Great Ninja War that would erupt at that time, and not simply die unexpectedly.
Leaving his training spot, Shin returned to the village.
"The security has tightened a bit again."
Compared to the past two days, the number of patrolling ninjas on the streets today was noticeably higher, and the patrol frequency had also increased. This was just on the surface.
Underneath, Hidden Leaf's ANBU and the surveillance units directly under Hokage Hiruzen were probably closely monitoring every corner of the village, searching for enemy spies who might have infiltrated.
Shin could feel eyes on him, seemingly scrutinizing him. After determining there was no problem, the feeling of being watched quietly disappeared.
This feeling of being secretly monitored was naturally unpleasant, but it was unavoidable during the tense period before the Great Ninja War. Every village was sending out spies, trying every means to gather intelligence.
Due to the constant training under time acceleration, the ingredients in the refrigerator were consumed quickly, so he needed to replenish them every day or two. Shin walked towards the street where food was sold, planning to buy more ingredients.
After a few steps,
a somewhat familiar voice came from the adjacent butcher shop.
Shin looked sideways and saw a familiar figure holding a shopping bag, standing in front of the beef vendor, glaring at the boss.
"What, beef has gone up to 450 Ryo? Hey, that's too expensive!"
Might Duy complained, unable to accept it.
The shop owner spread his hands helplessly. "The wholesale price is already very high. I'm not trying to make a quick buck."
Affected by the tense situation in the ninja world, prices had undoubtedly begun to rise. Although Hidden Leaf village was still relatively stable, the various channels for Hidden Leaf to purchase supplies had become strained. Furthermore, to avoid attacks from enemy ninjas, large quantities of supplies even required ninja escorts, which also increased manpower and material consumption.
"Too expensive..."
Might Duy scratched his hair, feeling a bit helpless for a moment.
He was just a Genin, and because he couldn't find anyone willing to team up, he had very few missions he could take. The rising prices were undoubtedly a harsh blow of reality to him, but his son, Might Guy, was in his growth and development period, and a meal with meat every day was almost essential.
After struggling for a while, Might Duy still bought a piece of beef, but he reduced the portion, thinking it wouldn't be a big deal if he ate a little less.
"A tough situation."
Shin muttered as he watched Might Duy buy meat.
He was fine. Although Sakumo had passed away, he had left a considerable inheritance, enough to support him and Kakashi for several years. Plus, Kakashi had already been promoted to Chunin and could support himself, so they didn't have to worry about prices for now.
But then again, Might Duy could beat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist by opening the Eight Inner Gates, so opening the Seventh Gate should at least give him Jonin-level strength. Even if he didn't become a Jonin, a special promotion to Chunin wouldn't be a problem.
It's just that the missions Might Duy undertook were almost never combat-related, mostly cleaning trash or finding lost cats, leaving no room for him to display his abilities.
So, no one in Hidden Leaf knew Might Duy's strength.
After a brief thought, Shin quickly bought several ingredients, returned home, cooked and ate a simple meal, and then left home again to look for Might Duy.
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