"Just over 37,000 left... Time to strengthen my body!"
Shigure cast his gaze over the physical fitness classification screen.
[Basic Physical Fitness Enhancement (LV1): Strength, Speed, and Stamina +5. Already purchased.]
[Basic Physical Fitness Enhancement (LV2): Strength, Speed, and Stamina +15. Price: 2500 Emotion Points.]
[Basic Physical Fitness Enhancement (LV3): Strength, Speed, and Stamina +30. Price: 5000 Emotion Points.]
[Basic Physical Fitness Enhancement (LV4): Strength, Speed, and Stamina +50. Price: 8000 Emotion Points.]
[Basic Physical Fitness Enhancement (LV5): Strength, Speed, and Stamina +80. Price: 15,000 Emotion Points.]
"LV5 costs fifteen thousand? If I buy it, I'll use up all my remaining Emotion Points! Forget it! My body is the capital of revolution. The higher the enhancement, the greater the improvement, and the better the cost-effectiveness. I must lay a solid foundation!"
Shigure muttered to himself, decisively placing an order for the remaining Physical Enhancements.
[Ding! Successfully purchased "Basic Physical Enhancements (LV2-LV5)"! Cumulative Emotion Points consumed: 37,500.]
[Current Emotion Points Remaining: 7,300.]
Boom!
A torrent of energy, countless times more powerful than all the previous enhancements combined, exploded within him!
It felt like an endless stream of life-giving water flowing through every limb, sweeping through his entire body like the Big Bang!
"Ughhhhhh!!!" Shigure couldn't help but let out a low roar of pain and pleasure.
He could clearly feel every bone groaning under the strain, then rapidly strengthening and reshaping, becoming tougher and denser.
He felt every inch of muscle fiber violently tearing, only to be instantly reborn with even greater resilience and strength. He felt his internal organs, meridians, and blood vessels being washed, cleansed, widened, and strengthened by a warm and powerful force. His five senses were dramatically heightened at this moment.
The entire world seemed to have become clearer and more vivid than ever before.
This feeling... was truly wonderful!
When the terrifying, intensifying energy finally subsided, Shigure collapsed onto the bed, panting heavily, his entire body drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.
His dark eyes gleamed like the brightest stars in the night sky.
He could clearly sense the transformation that had taken place within his physique, a transformation so profound that it was like a complete rebirth.
Now, his physical strength alone was enough to crush most Genin, even rivaling those of Chunin who specialized in physical techniques.
"Awesome! This is so freaking awesome!"
Shigure roared excitedly again, pumping his fist with a mighty force, letting the surging power surge through his body.
He glanced at his balance. "Left... 7,300 emotion points. That's not enough to buy anything good... Yeah, right!" An idea suddenly struck him, and he remembered the ninjutsu in the Water Style gift pack he'd just acquired.
"Time to upgrade my skill levels, too."
Shigure immediately switched to the ninjutsu interface, clicking on the "Water Style" category and finding the few jutsu he'd just learned.
[Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu (LV1) - Required Emotion Points to Upgrade to LV2: 1000]
[Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu (LV1) - Required Emotion Points to Upgrade to LV2: 800]
[Water Style: Mist Concealment Jutsu (LV1) - Required Emotion Points to Upgrade to LV2: 1200]
[Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu (LV1) - Required Emotion Points to Upgrade to LV2: 1500]
[Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu (LV1) - Required Emotion Points to Upgrade to LV2: 2000]
Shigure glanced at them and muttered, "Water Dragon Bullet and Great Waterfall are too expensive to upgrade... Let's upgrade the Mist Concealment Jutsu first. It can be used for both offense and defense at full power. It's really perverted."
He made a quick decision.
[Ding! Successfully upgraded "Water Style: Mist Concealment Jutsu" to LV4! Consumed 7200 Emotion Points!]
[Current Emotion Points Remaining: 100].
A new wave of deeper insights into the Hidden Mist Jutsu flooded his mind. He felt his mastery of this jutsu elevate several levels.
"Huh... Only 100 points left. I'll have to save them for next time." Shigure smacked his lips with a sense of unfulfilled satisfaction, looking at the dwindling points, but a smile of satisfaction spread across his face.
This dream had yielded a bountiful harvest. Not only had his physical strength greatly improved, but he had also mastered the basic Three Body Techniques and the Instant Body Technique.
He also mastered the Level 4 Hidden Mist Jutsu, the Level 1 Water Clone Technique, Water Waves, Water Prison Technique, Water Dragon Bullet, and Waterfall Technique, as well as the Level 1 Lightning Release: Ground Walk, Lightning Release: Electric Discharge, and Lightning Release: Chakra Flow.
Although he still had no combat experience, with this skill set and enhanced attributes alone, he figured that even against an ordinary Jonin, even if he couldn't defeat him, he could still escape.
The next morning.
Naruto was still half-dazed when he opened the door to his house, his mind still replaying the blissful yet slightly regretful dream of last night.
"Mom's cooking... it's so delicious..." He smacked his lips with nostalgia, swallowing hard, a satisfied, nostalgic grin spreading across his face.
Though he felt a moment of disappointment upon waking up, realizing nothing was real, he still—
"But! That ninjutsu Dad taught me in my dream seems to actually work!" Naruto's eyes suddenly lit up.
This morning, after waking up, he tried to focus his chakra according to his dream, and a powerful burst of energy erupted from his palms.
This proved that the training he'd experienced in the dream wasn't just wishful thinking but real and effective.
Naruto clenched his fists, his heart pounding. With hard practice, he'd definitely master that incredibly powerful jutsu.
Then... hehehe, he'd definitely impress Sasuke and Sakura, astonishing them!
The thought of this filled Naruto with renewed energy. He fondled the battered rubber ball in his arms like a treasure—a practice prop he'd painstakingly dug out from among the junk. Then, filled with anticipation, he rushed out of the house, humming a tuneless tune as he ran toward the usual gathering spot for Team 7.
However, when Naruto excitedly arrived at the bridgehead, the sight before him froze his smile.
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Early chapters: patreon.com/Reborn_noob