After Shinji announced the results, he told his disciples to pack up.
Naruto strutted up to Sasuke, rubbed his nose, and said, "Stuck-up Sasuke, I'm first place, you know."
"Tch, I'll catch up next time."
Sasuke impatiently turned his head away. Naruto's current demeanor was just too punchable.
Ino squeezed between them, wrapped her arms around both their necks and said exasperatedly, "You two, stop bickering all the time."
"Tch."
At Ino's words, Naruto and Sasuke stopped in unison.
Shinji, having announced the results, waited for a long time but received no message from the system. He glanced at the panel, it still showed two days remaining.
"So, I still have to wait until tomorrow?" Shinji murmured.
But it didn't matter. After all, this competition was good for confirming the training progress of Naruto and the others. It was just two more days, no rush.
Shinji clapped his hands and said, "Given your excellent performance, after you're done packing, we're going to the barbecue restaurant. Tomorrow, everyone gets a day off."
"Yay!"
This time, it wasn't just Naruto and Choji, even Shikamaru got excited.
Finally, a day off!
Shinji shook his head helplessly at this. Continuous training would lead to fatigue, especially for these little kids.
— — —
"Sensei, we're heading home now."
Shikamaru, Choji, and the others bid Shinji farewell and left together.
Shinji watched them walk away, then looked down at Naruto beside him and said, "Naruto, let's go."
"Yes, sensei."
Naruto naturally remembered what was waiting to be done and quickly responded.
The two arrived at Shinji's house. As for Naruto's home, Shinji thought it best to avoid it. It was too close to the central area, and any incident there could be troublesome.
"Naruto, just do it the same way as last time."
After giving Naruto instructions again, Shinji raised both hands and slowly formed several hand seals. Then, he pressed his joined right-hand fingers above Naruto's forehead.
Drip—drip—
Within the sealed space, Shinji slowly opened his eyes.
He had once again arrived in the sewer-like space, and Naruto was already standing beside him, waiting.
"Sensei!"
Seeing Shinji open his eyes, Naruto quickly spoke.
Shinji nodded, just about to tell Naruto to go to Minato.
"Shinji-kun, you're here."
Minato's gentle voice sounded, followed by a figure that materialized directly in front of Shinji.
"Fourth Hokage, long time no see." Shinji merely nodded, greeting Minato.
"Thank you for your trouble. I found what you told me about last time." Minato didn't stand on ceremony, directly telling Shinji about his discovery.
Upon hearing Minato say this, Shinji knew what it was about. Minato had been preoccupied with this matter recently, which was why he hadn't interacted much with Naruto.
"Specifically, where is it?" Shinji asked with some curiosity.
He was very curious about what the consciousness of a Chakra body would be like after reincarnation.
Minato said, his expression gradually darkening, "It's a bit complex. It can be said to be Naruto himself, yet also separate from Naruto's Chakra. It just can't leave. I searched for a long time before I found it."
"After it fluctuated again last time, I tracked it and found it in Naruto's heart."
Shinji's face darkened upon hearing this, as the heart is the most vital organ in the human body. Asura's Chakra body being there made things quite difficult.
"Is there any way, Minato?" Ahinji asked.
With his knowledge, he didn't immediately know how to handle it, but Minato might know a solution. After all, he was a true genius. He could master Fuinjutsu in just a few years, and even the most difficult Flying Thunder God could be used with divine skill.
Shinji, who had read the Scroll of Seals, couldn't help but envy Minato's abnormal talent.
Minato nodded, a gentle smile on his face. "I have a bit of an idea, but before that, I need to confirm some things with you, Shinji-kun."
Shinji raised an eyebrow.
Indeed.
If there were no solution, Minato wouldn't have had Naruto come to him so quickly.
He asked, "Confirm what?"
Minato reached out and stroked Naruto's head, his voice soft. "Your proficiency in Yang Release, can it continuously repair the link between the body and spirit?"
"Normally, Naruto should do this himself, but from last time, it's clear he can't apply it skillfully yet."
Shinji scratched his nose upon hearing this. It wasn't that he couldn't apply it skillfully, but that he couldn't use it at all right now.
Minato was probably afraid that Naruto would dislike him even more as a father if he told the truth.
Minato also realized this and quickly changed the subject, discussing his plan with Shinji.
As he gradually understood Minato's plan, Shinji couldn't help but wonder what his brain was made of.
From discovery to now, he had decided on such a comprehensive plan and it seemed to be the optimal solution derived after repeated calculations.
"What you're asking isn't difficult, but Naruto already possesses Nine-Tails's Chakra. I'm afraid my Chakra entering might disrupt his balance."
Shinji felt that the operation Minato described wasn't difficult, the only uncertainty was Naruto's body.
"Therefore, Shinji-kun, you'll need to draw a sealing array on the outside of Naruto's body using his blood."
"This Sealing Array can both convert and disguise your Yang Chakra into Chakra that Naruto's body is accustomed to. And it can forcibly manifest the Chakra body within Naruto's soul into a physical energy."
When speaking of this, Minato appeared very practiced, as Fuinjutsu was one of his trump cards.
Shinji nodded. "Understood. Then I'll trouble you to draw it for me to see first."
In Minato's plan, he only needed to maintain Naruto's body from the outside and continuously output Yang Chakra. The internal sealed space would be handled by Minato himself.
As for the so-called Chakra synchronization operation, even the intricate Flying Thunder God could be used with divine skill. So, Chakra synchronization operation was merely a trivial matter.
"Right. Then I'll be troubling you next, Shinji-kun."
Minato bowed solemnly to Shinji. This was a father's thanks to Shinji.