Ding!
"Player, you have used the Tree Climbing Training Card. Time limit: 60 minutes. Tree Climbing Training begins!"
"Huh? Only 60 minutes?"
The APP's voice rang out again, leaving Koshino momentarily stunned.
Sixty minutes? That's just a single hour!
In the three months since he arrived in this world, Koshino had lost count of how many times he'd practiced tree climbing. Every session was a grueling, all-day endeavor, yet his progress was always painfully slow.
So when the APP notified him that the Tree Climbing Training Card only lasted for 60 minutes, his initial excitement quickly deflated. He no longer held much hope for the card.
Sighing, he dragged himself toward a tree, not even bothering to lay down his usual thick cushion for safety. He was just about to grit his teeth and make the most of the limited time when—
A cool, refreshing sensation suddenly spread throughout his body, causing his dark pupils to contract slightly in shock.
"This is… chakra?! Does the Tree Climbing Training Card actually enhance chakra?"
"My god! This chakra is overflowing… This must be on par with Naruto's… no, it could even rival a Tailed Beast!"
As soon as the card's effect activated, Koshino was left in complete awe of the APP's incredible power.
What was the biggest hurdle in his tree climbing training?
One part was the sheer difficulty of the technique itself, but the other was his chakra reserves. He never had enough chakra to sustain the training properly, and every attempt drained him completely.
But now, with the Tree Climbing Training Card providing an abundant chakra supply, Koshino's eyes gleamed with excitement. Without hesitation, he channeled chakra to his feet, following the method he remembered from before, and took his first step onto the tree trunk.
"With this much chakra to spare, tree climbing is no big deal at all!"
"Wait! The APP is giving me another notification!"
At first, he thought the only benefit of the training card was boosting his chakra, but the APP soon proved otherwise.
Ding!
"Player, your chakra output is too high. Penalty applied."
Ding!
"Player, your chakra output is too low. Penalty applied."
Ding!
"Player, your chakra distribution is unbalanced. Penalty applied."
Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
Every time the APP pointed out his mistakes, a faint electric current ran through his body. A sharp, nerve-wracking pain coursed through him, forcing him to pay attention.
But strangely enough, this punishment wasn't just about pain—it also seemed to engrave the lesson deep into his mind.
Each time he made an error, the APP's penalty ensured that he wouldn't repeat it.
As time passed, and as the APP's error notifications grew fewer and fewer, Koshino suddenly realized—
He had mastered tree climbing.
And not just barely—he had perfected it!
What did "perfect completion" mean?
Simply put, every bit of chakra he allocated during tree climbing was now precise, neither too much nor too little. This drastically reduced chakra wastage and increased his efficiency.
Previously, his chakra reserves were only enough for a single Shadow Imitation Technique. But now, after perfecting tree climbing, his improved chakra control allowed him to perform it twice without issue. And if he pushed himself to the limit, he could even use it three times! This was a huge leap in ability!
Then, just as Koshino was marveling at his progress, the APP notified him that the Tree Climbing Training Card had expired.
He hadn't even noticed time passing!
It felt like a dream—but when he tested his chakra again and found himself effortlessly hanging upside down on the tree, or balancing on one foot against the trunk, excitement surged through him.
It was real.
This was no illusion—he had truly mastered tree climbing!
Riding this wave of success, Koshino immediately gave the APP another command—
"Use the Water Walking Training Card!"
Determined to complete all his training in a single day, he rushed to the reindeer farm's water pool and began his next challenge.
Completely absorbed in his training, Koshino failed to notice two figures slowly approaching from a distance.
"Sigh, another funeral…"
"Chōza, it feels like we've only been seeing each other at funerals lately. It's been a long time since we've had a chance to take a proper walk like this."
"Yeah, Shikaku! Hey, do you want some chips?"
"Uh… no, thanks!"
Not far from where Koshino was training, two figures slowly strolled over. They had just left a funeral—Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Chōza.
The Nara and Akimichi clans had always been close allies, and Shikaku and Chōza were members of this generation's Ino-Shika-Chō trio. Even Koshino was used to seeing Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi around frequently. So it was nothing out of the ordinary for Shikaku to bring Chōza along for a walk at the Nara clan's reindeer farm.
However, as they neared the water pool, Chōza suddenly noticed Koshino practicing water walking. The sight caught his attention immediately.
As someone who couldn't live without snacks, Chōza reacted as if he had discovered a new continent. Pointing at Koshino, he burst into laughter.
"Shikaku, look! A Nara clan member training so diligently—now that's a miracle!"
"Oh?"
Following Chōza's gaze, Shikaku was just as surprised. He stared at the scene in disbelief.
Laziness was contagious.
The Nara clan possessed exceptional intellect, but their laziness was practically ingrained in their very bones. Just look at Shikaku and his son, Shikamaru, in the original story.
Because of this deeply rooted habit, countless Nara clan members had wasted their natural talents.
Before he became the clan leader, Shikaku never thought much of it. But during wartime, laziness was no different from a slow death. That was why, under the previous clan leader's "laziness," Shikaku had been forced to step up and take over. He had even been debating whether to push for reforms within the clan.
Now, hearing Chōza's words, Shikaku's attention immediately shifted to Koshino.
"Oh, it's Koshino. He's always been a hardworking kid, but… sigh."
Shikaku had a favorable impression of Koshino's diligence. However, when he recalled the boy's tragic past—especially how his parents had died on the battlefield—he couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.
While Shikaku was lost in thought, Chōza continued watching Koshino, his interest growing.
Then, something truly shocking happened.
Koshino, using the Water Walking Training Card, managed to perfectly master water walking in just ten minutes.
Even Chōza—renowned across the ninja world—couldn't hide his astonishment. He momentarily forgot to grab a chip from his bag, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Shikaku, your clan's genin are amazing. He mastered water walking in just ten minutes? Wait… that kid looks kind of familiar!"
"Shikaku, who is he?"
"...Wait, what? Ten minutes?"
Hearing Chōza's comment, Shikaku suddenly snapped back to reality. His eyes flickered with shock as he finally processed what Koshino was actually doing.
Chōza's words kept echoing in his mind.
"Ten minutes?!"
Shikaku was frozen in place, his expression turning incredulous. He murmured, "Chōza… that's Koshino."
"He's not just some genin—he's Koshino, the four-year-old!"
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