This was a medical masterpiece originating from the mysterious East.
Although the characters were Chinese, much of this world's culture and writing system had been transmitted from the East long ago; the locals had taken them, modified them, and adopted them as their own.
Thus, with the System guiding him, Naruto found it quite easy to begin reading the *Compendium of Materia Medica*.
Naruto was soon astonished by the sheer quantity of medicines recorded in the book, the complexity of their varieties, and the ingenuity of their applications. Truly, the author was a person greater than even a Hokage, possessing vast knowledge, and their mastery of medicinal application had reached a divine level.
Of course, the above didn't mean Naruto had already finished reading and comprehending the entire book; it merely served to express his deep admiration.
Given the extensive and complex nature of the medicines listed in the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, Naruto couldn't memorize them all at once. Therefore, the System specifically highlighted and annotated the ones Naruto needed to remember immediately.
These were all herbs used to promote blood circulation, dissolve stasis, and treat sprains and bruises.
After a morning passed, Naruto set down the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, rubbed his slightly sore eyes, and announced, "System, I've memorized all the medicines you highlighted."
"Oh, Naruto is truly smart! Eat lunch first, and then this afternoon, we'll go into the mountains to collect the herbs."
After finishing his meal, Naruto headed out with a bamboo basket strapped to his back. He spent the entire afternoon in the back mountains, and only with the System's guidance was he able to complete the collection of the necessary medicinal ingredients.
That evening, Naruto followed the steps provided by the System, processing the herbs into a paste and storing it in a bottle.
The next day, the System informed him, "Naruto, we can begin the second stage of foundation building."
Naruto immediately took the medicinal paste and a bamboo whip and headed to the back mountains.
As for why he brought a bamboo whip?
Naruto himself didn't know.
The back mountain was lush with trees. The sun shone high overhead, and rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the leaves, casting irregular patches of light onto the grassy ground.
On the grass, Naruto stood with a serious expression.
He had made ample mental preparations to welcome the second stage of forging his Body Refinement Foundation.
But the next second,
"Take off your clothes!"
"Huh?"
A massive question mark appeared over Naruto's head. Wasn't this the second stage? Why the sudden instruction to strip?!
"Hurry up, don't waste time."
Hearing the System's slightly serious tone, Naruto began stripping, though he naturally left his underwear on. The nearly naked Naruto, his body covered in tanned, muscular definition, seemed to glow alluringly under the patches of sunlight.
"Not bad. He's clearly turning into a little muscle fiend."
The System praised him, clearly satisfied with the results of its rigorous training.
"Start whipping yourself to your heart's content, Naruto!" the System exclaimed excitedly.
Naruto: o(￣ε￣*)
Naruto suddenly remembered what the System had said yesterday.
He really had to beat himself up.
"Naruto, this is the second stage of the Body Refinement Foundation: enduring the harshest beating to forge the strongest foundation. Only by strengthening your resilience against blows will you be greatly helped when practicing Body Refinement techniques later on."
"Understood!"
Naruto nodded, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
He immediately struck himself three times with the whip, and a wave of searing pain—the feeling of skin and flesh tearing—instantly assaulted his nerves.
Three hundred meters away, two Anbu ninja stood perched on a tree. These two were precisely the ones Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had dispatched to monitor Naruto.
For Naruto, the Nine-Tails' container, surveillance was perhaps a form of care.
At least, that's what Sarutobi Hiruzen told himself.
These two Anbu ninja had been tasked with monitoring Naruto since he started living alone. Any abnormal behavior from Naruto had to be reported immediately to Lord Third.
Naruto, who had diligently trained in the back mountains for a year, suddenly started acting strangely.
For instance, right now, everything was normal as they watched, but the next moment, Naruto stripped naked. What in the world was he doing?
The two Anbu ninja were utterly bewildered.
Was Naruto about to do something inappropriate toward the heavens and the earth?
He was still just a child!
But the answer quickly became apparent. Naruto picked up the bamboo whip and struck himself, 'crack, crack, crack,' leaving several red welts instantly visible on his muscular chest.
Was he giving himself a 'bamboo shoot stir-fry'?
The two Anbu ninja exchanged glances, both seeing a look of gravity in the other's eyes. One of them said, "You stay here and continue watching Naruto. I'll go report this to Lord Third."
"Whoosh~"
After speaking, the Anbu ninja vanished from the tree.
"Lord Third!"
In less than three minutes, the Anbu ninja arrived at the Third Hokage's office, expertly slid the door open, and shouted the greeting.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was in the middle of a very engaging activity, was startled by the sudden shout. Fortunately, his reaction was lightning fast, and he instantly covered the crystal ball.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up, his face placid, but his heart was screaming wildly:
"It's this guy again!"
"In the past year, this guy has startled me like this five times already."
"Sooner or later, this old man is going to get a heart attack because of him."
"Sigh, being so reckless and careless—is he even suitable for Anbu work?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was already planning the Anbu ninja's future. Such a talented young man was wasted in Anbu. He suddenly remembered that there were a few plots of undeveloped land in the village; he should send him to cultivate them later!
Despite his thoughts, his face remained kindly and amiable. He spoke warmly, using the tone of an elder appreciating a youth: "Look at you, running so fast, covered in sweat. I've told you many times, Naruto is important, but you are important too."
Hearing Lord Third's concerned reprimand, the Anbu ninja felt a wave of warmth wash over him. Immediately, with tears and snot mingling, he replied, "Lord Third, I'm fine. Your matters are far more important."
He wiped away the snot and tears that his emotion had produced and continued, "Lord Third, Naruto is acting abnormally. He... stripped off his clothes and started whipping himself!"
"Hmm?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's placid old face finally showed a flicker of emotion. He waved his hand and said, "Go wait for me outside the door. I have something to discuss with you later."
"Something to discuss?"
"Lord Third needs to discuss something with me?"
"Has he finally noticed the simmering talent beneath my handsome exterior?!"
The Anbu ninja quickly hid the delight on his face, respectfully stepped outside the door, and waited for Lord Third's summons.
As soon as the Anbu ninja left, Sarutobi Hiruzen released his hand and wiped the crystal ball, instantly revealing the scene in the back mountains.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
Of course, there was no sound accompanying the image; this was the sound Sarutobi Hiruzen was conjuring in his mind. In the image, six-year-old Uzumaki Naruto was holding a bamboo whip and striking his own body.
At the same time, a look of pleasure appeared on his face.
Looking at Naruto's chest and back, which were covered in red welts with faint traces of blood seeping through, Sarutobi Hiruzen's old face twitched in sympathy; he felt the pain himself.
"What is wrong with Naruto? Did he get dumped?"
But Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly tossed that thought away. Six-year-old Naruto didn't even have the 'weapon of love' fully grown; how could he possibly be heartbroken?
He then recalled that in the distant West, there was a sect that sought spiritual salvation by whipping and tormenting themselves.
"What is Naruto trying to redeem?"
Unable to figure it out, Sarutobi Hiruzen called out toward the door, "Hey, that young Anbu ninja, come in for a moment. I have good news!"
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