Three days later.
Northwest of Konoha.
In a forest, Seimei and the others arrived.
"Is this the place?"
Ryosuke looked around and asked.
"Yes."
Furukawa nodded and said, "Next, you will collect herbs here according to the mission requirements. Remember, don't pick the wrong ones!"
That's right, they were on a mission again today.
As Seimei had expected, Furukawa didn't go crazy and continue taking C-rank missions. Instead, he found a D-rank mission to collect herbs.
Needless to say, this mission must have been issued by the Nara clan.
After all, this entire forest was contracted by them.
Not only were various medicinal herbs that were difficult to cultivate artificially planted here, but there were also large herds of deer raised here, whose antlers were precious medicinal materials.
All of this added up to an immeasurable value.
Therefore, even ninjas from the same village couldn't enter without their permission.
It was only because they had accepted the mission that they weren't stopped before even getting close.
"Got it."
Hearing Furukawa's instructions, Ryosuke waved his hand impatiently and muttered, "Really, such a simple task, even ordinary people can do it. Why do we have to do it..."
"Ryosuke, stop talking."
Hearing his words, Mizutani Shizuko first comforted him and then explained seriously, "Although this forest is relatively safe, wild beasts occasionally wander in. It would be dangerous for ordinary people to encounter them, so that's why we, the Genin, have to do it."
Seeing Mizutani Shizuko's serious explanation, Ryosuke quickly said, "Okay, okay, Shizuko, stop lecturing. I know!"
Seeing them like this, Seimei secretly felt relieved.
Obviously, three days was enough for them to adjust their mentality.
However, the mission three days ago still had an impact on them. Although they seemed no different from before now...
But after seeing blood, the childishness on their faces was significantly reduced.
And this was probably the purpose of Furukawa and even the village.
Shaking his head, he stopped thinking about it.
With a thought, Seimei gathered some chakra at the soles of his feet and then followed his two teammates into the depths of the forest.
After more than three days of practice, his 'Chakra Control' had increased from lv2 (350/500) to lv3 (3/1000), further strengthening his control over chakra.
Now, when performing the same ninjutsu, he could save 15% of his chakra while maintaining the same power.
This was already the limit that ordinary people could reach.
Even with the proficiency panel's bonus, ensuring continuous progress, it was unlikely for him to make any new breakthroughs in the short term.
The reason was simple: after reaching lv3, the efficiency of gaining proficiency had greatly decreased.
Previously, he could gain about forty to fifty proficiency points a day, but now it was at most five points.
Compared to the effort, this gain was not worth mentioning at all.
It was only because practicing 'Chakra Control' didn't consume too much chakra or take up his extra time that he hadn't stopped yet.
Before finding a more effective training method, he didn't plan to waste too much time and energy on it.
In the future, he would probably only practice it in his 'spare' time.
Just like now, during the process of collecting herbs, he could practice it when he had nothing to do.
"Seimei, hurry up!"
While Seimei was lost in thought, Ryosuke's voice came from ahead.
Hearing this, Seimei replied, "Coming."
As he spoke, he had already caught up.
Time passed slowly, and the three of them, like when they had just graduated, carried out one D-rank mission after another that required no technical skills.
In the blink of an eye, a week passed.
That night.
At home.
Seimei opened his eyes, letting the special chakra stimulated by the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' in his mind dissipate, and slowly opened the panel.
[Name: Uchiha Seimei
Age: 10 years old
Physique: 6
Spirit: 7
Chakra: 14 (1546→2011)
Bloodline: Sharingan - Unawakened (81/100)
Skills: Chakra Refining Technique: lv2 (240/500) → lv2 (360/500)
Clone Technique: lv2 (140/500) → lv2 (270/500)
Transformation Technique: lv2 (130/500) → lv2 (260/500)
Body Replacement Technique: lv2 (110/500) → lv2 (250/500)
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique: lv1 (16/200) → lv1 (30/200)
Reflecting Heart Technique: lv2 (110/500)
Basic Taijutsu: lv2 (150/500) → lv2 (280/500)
Weapon Throwing: lv2 (260/500) → lv2 (380/500)
Chakra Control: lv3 (25/1000)]
Skipping the basic attributes, Seimei immediately locked onto the Sharingan awakening progress.
"As expected, it hasn't increased, huh?"
Looking at the Sharingan awakening progress, which was still at (81/100) on the panel, Seimei murmured.
He had already felt that the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' was losing its effectiveness, and now it seemed to be true.
According to the pattern he had summarized before, the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' upgraded to lv2 (110/500) should have allowed his Sharingan awakening progress to reach (82/100).
But in reality, its progress was still at (81/100).
'As expected, the thing I was worried about still happened, huh?'
A long time ago, Seimei knew that the Sharingan wasn't so easy to awaken, and the effect of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' would inevitably become worse and worse as the awakening progress increased.
Sure enough, when the Sharingan awakening progress reached (81/100), ten proficiency points of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' were no longer enough to move it forward by one point.
If it were other Uchiha clan members, they would basically be stuck here.
After that, they would either wait for an opportunity and awaken the Sharingan in the traditional way, like those Uchiha clan members who had awakened it before, or they would work hard to improve the proficiency of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' and slowly grind it out.
If the former succeeded, it would inevitably weaken the effect of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique'. The latter basically had no hope.
Because this was just the beginning.
Now, ten proficiency points of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique' couldn't move the Sharingan awakening progress by one point. Later, maybe even twenty or thirty points wouldn't be enough.
This was a road with no end in sight.
Of course, Seimei was different.
With the proficiency panel, he could easily increase the proficiency of the 'Reflecting Heart Technique'. No matter how long the road was, he could see the end.
Suppressing the urge to continue practicing the 'Reflecting Heart Technique', Seimei looked at other parts of the panel.
He didn't need to mention the Three Basic Techniques, 'Basic Taijutsu', and 'Weapon Throwing'. Their improvement speed hadn't changed much - in ten days, they all increased by more than a hundred proficiency points.
His chakra limit, on the other hand, was a dozen points lower than expected.
Originally, with the 'Chakra Refining Technique' proficiency increasing by one hundred and twenty points, his chakra limit should have increased by four hundred and eighty points.
1546 + 480 = 2026.
But now, his chakra limit was only 2011 points, fifteen points lower than the theoretical value.
The reason for this was simple: his 'barrel' was reaching its limit.
The 'Chakra Refining Technique' accelerated the process of tapping into his potential but couldn't increase his aptitude limit itself.
Currently, the chakra limit increased by it was only a dozen points lower than the theoretical value. After a while, it might be dozens of points lower.
When his potential was completely tapped, the effect of the 'Chakra Refining Technique' would probably be limited to just recovering chakra.
"I need to awaken the Sharingan as soon as possible. Only by awakening the Sharingan can I significantly improve my aptitude."
Mumbling to himself, Seimei closed the panel and started a new round of training.
(End of Chapter)