In a small forest next to the training ground within the Uchiha family compound, a lithe figure darted rapidly between the gaps in the trees like a leopard, disappearing from sight.
Heavy breathing was reminiscent of the bellows in an old blacksmith's forge, akin to the respiration of a young beast, not fully matured yet bearing signs of its powerful future.
Through a dense thicket, constantly twisting his body to avoid the thorns within, the fleeting figure of Uchiha Toshirou emerged.
He was in the middle of his morning training. Unlike the slow jog from two years ago, he was now sprinting at full speed. His body, limbs, and the small vest he wore were burdened with substantial weights.
Altogether, they amounted to over 50 kilograms. For a boy not even 120 centimeters tall and barely weighing around 28 kilograms, this seemed excessive. However, in the ninja world, where the mystical power of chakra existed, nothing was surprising.
Unlike the original character Rock Lee, who always wore weights, he only wore them during morning training to avoid adverse effects on his future physical development.
His running exercise was also different from normal people's methods. Regular people might choose a flat area and run laps to build endurance.
Instead, he entered a forest and sprinted as fast as possible without using chakra, constantly dodging obstacles such as tree branches and thorns in the underbrush.
In the dim morning light, sprinting at high speed, this kind of training was a severe test for his reflexes, control, balance, and the joints such as ankles.
Plus, the 50 kilogram weights tested his stamina, endurance, and explosive power. A small mistake could result in injury or even serious harm.
"53 minutes and 49 seconds. This week's average is two minutes better than last week's." He checked the time on a pocket watch.
This was a calculation method he designed for himself. Whenever his average weekly time reached 50 minutes, he would add five kilograms to his weights to enhance the effectiveness of his training.
"Alright! Keep it up, give it your all!"
After giving himself a pep talk, the exhausted Uchiha Toshirou, legs trembling, walked into his house.
"I'm back!" he shouted weakly, and after removing his weights, he felt significantly lighter.
"Breakfast is almost ready, have a seat and drink some water!" called out Uchiha Mika from the kitchen, as usual.
About five minutes later, Toshirou was devouring his breakfast. Over the past two years, his appetite had increased significantly, almost matching that of Uchiha Mika, who was an adult.
To increase his body energy, strengthen his training, and improve his nutritional intake, he didn't miss out on simple and effective methods such as small, frequent meals.
As a medical ninja, Uchiha Mika might not specialize in nutrition, but every meal she prepared, whether breakfast, a lunchbox, or dinner, was both nutritious and delicious. This provided a solid foundation for him to become a strong ninja in the future.
In his home, there was another Toshirou diligently practicing swordsmanship in the dojo.
Yes, the one who went out with Uchiha Mika to the ninja academy was his shadow clone.
Since completing tree climbing and water walking training a year ago, Uchiha Toshirou began his ninjutsu training. He was not greedy and only chose the most basic four jutsus from the scrolls:
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, and one genjutsu, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Jutsu.
His training in Fire Style and genjutsu went exceptionally well and was completed within just two weeks.
However, he faced trouble when practicing the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It wasn't that he couldn't perform it; he could form shadow clones, but their duration didn't meet his standards, lasting only around twenty to thirty minutes.
This was reasonable, given his exceptional mental strength from his two lifetimes and meditation practice. His proficiency in reading, studying, chakra control, and genjutsu was impressive.
However, at six years old, his physical energy was limited, and insufficient chakra remained his greatest challenge throughout these years.
Even though he could now use a shadow clone to attend school, there were still many restrictions. In class, he remained as still as possible, usually borrowing books from the library and quietly reading, inadvertently becoming a quiet and handsome boy.
If there was an outdoor class, his main body had to participate. Fortunately, outdoor classes at the ninja academy were usually scheduled for the afternoon, with theoretical subjects in the morning.
Thus, he had significantly adjusted his training plan. Every morning before dawn, he would rise, sprint with weights, then have breakfast and meditate, before sending a shadow clone to school.
He spent the rest of the day practicing taijutsu and kenjutsu, resting for an hour halfway to eat and replenish his energy. When the shadow clone dispelled at noon, he would immediately have lunch and take a nap.
In the afternoon, his main body would attend school to handle outdoor activities, which was also a form of rest. He didn't forget to leave a shadow clone at home to practice chakra nature transformation, although this clone often dispelled itself after one or two hours.
To him, the Shadow Clone Jutsu was exceptional compared to other jutsu like fire, wind, earth, lightning, or water release.
The ability to create an identical self to train, scout, and fight, then transfer the experience and memories back to the main body was extraordinary. He suspected this jutsu was derived from Yin-Yang Release.
It was also a way to train his mental energy. By continuously using shadow clones to bring new knowledge, experience, and fatigue, his mental energy grew through cycles of consumption and recovery.
In the original story, Naruto began to excel only after acquiring this jutsu.