In the following days, Naruto continued to treat Yakumo Kurama on a regular basis.
Each session, he would deliberately put on a pale and exhausted look.
This, in turn, made Yakumo trust and rely on him even more.
In truth, using one's own life energy to cleanse another person's body was no less significant than purifying the marrow and washing the tendons.
It consumed a tremendous amount of one's strength—and right now, only Naruto, as the system's founder, was capable of fully restoring Yakumo to a state where she could be like a normal person.
Anyone else could, at best, stabilize her condition and prevent her from being too frail.
"Alright, that's enough for today. I'll come back next time," Naruto said, feigning exhaustion.
Yakumo quickly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from his brow.
"You don't need to push yourself this hard… we can take it slower," she said softly, her voice tinged with concern. Though she longed to return to normal as soon as possible, seeing Naruto work so tirelessly for her made her heart ache.
"You're the first person to ever treat me this kindly…" Yakumo whispered, her eyes glistening with tears.
Naruto couldn't help but feel a trace of satisfaction. If things continued this way, Yakumo's complete loyalty wouldn't be far off. When that time came, she would become a powerful ally—no less valuable than the Mangekyō Sharingan itself.
"It's fine, Yakumo. Helping you also helps me. I really do need you," Naruto said.
His words made her pause. Tears slipped down her cheeks as warmth spread in her chest.
In the shinobi world, countless people longed for recognition. For Yakumo, Naruto's words were like sunlight breaking through the cracks of her long-closed heart.
"If Naruto-kun needs me… then I'll become your greatest strength," she declared, her voice trembling with resolve.
For someone who had always seen herself as useless, Naruto's recognition meant everything.
"Don't rush it. For now, the most important thing is to take care of your body," Naruto said gently, patting her head.
He continued, "And Yakumo… you're aware of that entity inside you. You need to learn to accept it, because it's a part of you. It can also be the source of your power."
Yakumo's face twisted with conflict. Naruto knew she wasn't ready to accept Ido's existence. To her, Ido was the reason she had suffered all these years, and she resented it deeply.
But Naruto believed he could help her gain control. If she and Ido became one, then combined with the Kurama clan's unique genjutsu bloodline, Yakumo could unleash terrifying power.
Afterward, Naruto left quickly. His visits to Yakumo had to remain secret from the Third Hokage.
Yakumo was a special case. Her power was unstable.
Yet, if used properly, that same power could bring immense benefits. It was a talent so remarkable that even Kurenai Yūhi had once felt jealousy toward it.
But the drawbacks were clear—Yakumo's techniques required preparation, and activation took time. She was best suited for wide-range attacks, or as an assassin-type shinobi who struck at the perfect moment.
When Naruto returned to the training ground, Sasuke and Neji immediately noticed. They both knew he had recently been meeting with a girl of unusual talent, though they didn't know the details.
Graduation was approaching, and Sasuke felt a heavy sense of urgency. Within a year, he needed the strength to leave Konoha.
For the past two years, Sasuke no longer thought about surpassing Naruto. Naruto was a monster—beyond reach. All Sasuke could do was surpass himself, again and again, until the day he avenged the Uchiha by killing both Konoha and Itachi.
Naruto had yet to reveal the truth about the surviving Uchiha to Sasuke. For now, Sasuke still believed only he and Itachi remained. That belief became the fuel driving his relentless training.
As for Yakumo, Naruto didn't plan on revealing her abilities to either Sasuke or Neji. Perhaps, in the future, her genjutsu might play a role in Sasuke awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But Naruto wasn't about to help Sasuke achieve that now. The Mangekyō would place far too heavy a burden on him—it might even destroy him, as it had with Itachi.
"Let's continue training," Naruto said, pulling out a book titled Mighty Fist.
Sasuke, meanwhile, was buried in another book—this one on electromagnetism. Naruto clearly intended for him to push his Lightning Release to new heights. Sometimes, reading theory really did make a difference.
Neji, on the other hand, focused on his Gentle Fist. Inspired by Naruto's philosophy of Taiji, he had already begun to shape his own unique style.
Naruto glanced at the two of them, then returned to the notes in his own book, filled with techniques and training methods.
Martial Arts, as a newly created system, had an upper limit at the Kage level. But even so, Naruto could tell—it was still far too narrow, far too singular.
Thus, the birth of Martial Techniques truly began.
The Six Styles had already been classified as Martial Techniques, but in essence, they were still closer to shinobi Taijutsu training than true Martial Arts.
Now came this book—Mighty Fist!
Naruto had designed it as a way to strengthen martial artists, giving them a practical path to follow.
Though it was considered an introductory technique, the principles it contained were far from simple.
Naruto, with his philosophy of Heaven rewards diligence, had spent a long time perfecting it.
Mighty Fist, as a foundational Martial Technique, was divided into five stages of mastery: Introductory, Proficient, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection.
Introductory: movements are fluid and natural.
Proficient: strikes carry a sound like the bellow of an ox.
Minor Accomplishment: one can condense and channel vital energy, forming a phantom ox figure.
Major Accomplishment: the ox figure becomes more realistic, with immense destructive power—similar to Might Guy's Evening Elephant, though bolstered by vital energy, making it distinctly different.
Perfection: movements are seamless, effortless, and refined. The ox projection manifests with such presence that it feels almost alive, carrying profound meaning and an overwhelming aura.
Reaching such heights, however, was no simple matter.
At the Skin Refining stage, most practitioners could only reach the Introductory level. A few managed Proficient, while only true geniuses reached Minor Accomplishment, condensing vital energy ahead of time.
Major Accomplishment required stepping into the Bone Refining stage, where vast reserves of vital energy became available.
As for Perfection—only those at the Tendon Refining stage could hope to achieve it, their tendons and bones unified into a beacon of vital energy. At that point, every strike reverberated with unstoppable force.
Below the Kage level, few shinobi could withstand such an art, unless they wielded powerful ninjutsu or possessed kekkei genkai.
Yet cultivation of Martial Arts was never simple. It demanded not only strength and progression through stages, but also deep comprehension.
Naruto also encouraged practitioners to create their own Martial Techniques. Those who succeeded earned points and recognition—greater achievements meant greater rewards.
But few had managed this. Even Shisui had remarked that the attack methods were too narrow, limited to the Six Styles and a handful of ordinary moves. Many Taijutsu techniques simply didn't align with the path of vital energy.
That was precisely why Naruto developed the universally accessible Mighty Fist.
He wanted it to be easy enough to learn while still granting considerable power. For that reason, Naruto had poured immense effort into its creation.
...
TN:
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