"Shin, what are you daydreaming about?"
Kushina nudged Shin, snapping him out of his trance.
His conversation with the System had been a mental one, so to Kushina, he just seemed spaced out.
"Nothing much," Shin replied with a grin he couldn't quite suppress.
"Liar! You wouldn't be grinning like that if it was nothing. Something good must have happened. Fine, keep your secrets," Kushina huffed, pouting.
Shin shook his head, his smile fading. He realized his earlier plan had been a bit too ambitious.
Just as the System had said, his progress was limited by Replication Cards. Even with dozens of Common cards, he wouldn't be able to stack his physique to Might Guy's Eight Inner Gates level.
Besides, he'd never wanted to be a one-trick pony, specializing only in Taijutsu. Being well-rounded was the key to minimizing weaknesses. Specializing in one area made you an easy target.
"Uzumaki Shin, is that you?"
Uzumaki Hikaru, the Jonin whose physique Shin had just copied, looked over.
A Jonin's senses were sharp; Hikaru had noticed Shin staring at him.
He had no idea that the physique he'd spent over a decade honing, enduring countless hardships to achieve, had been duplicated in an instant.
Shin's System was truly broken; it allowed him to gain the fruits of someone else's labor without putting in the work.
If Hikaru knew, he'd probably want to strangle Shin.
But even without knowing, Hikaru wasn't exactly thrilled to see Shin. They had a history.
Or rather, Shin had a history with Hikaru's son. Back when Shin was still living in the clan grounds, he'd had a run-in with the boy.
Shin had broken the kid's leg, putting him out of commission for three months.
Hikaru had been furious, ready to tear Shin apart. But even though Shin wasn't popular, he was still the clan elder's grandson. Hikaru couldn't touch him.
"Yo, Hikaru. Fancy meeting you here. How's your son doing?"
Shin asked with a casual smile. He wasn't afraid of the Jonin.
Not because of his own strength, though. Honestly, even with Hikaru's physique stacked on top of his own, he was no match for the experienced Jonin in a fight.
Shin lacked Combat Experience. Hikaru, on the other hand, was a seasoned warrior. Even with superior physical abilities, Shin would lose.
He thought of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who, despite her immense power, was ultimately sealed due to her lack of battle experience.
If Madara Uchiha had obtained Kaguya's power, he would have been truly unstoppable.
Shin's confidence stemmed from his identity. No matter how disliked he was, he was still the clan elder's grandson. Would Hikaru dare lay a finger on him?
Hikaru snorted, reminding himself that Shin was just a child, not worth his time.
But even so, he couldn't completely let it go. He glared at Shin before turning and walking away.
He couldn't do anything to Shin, so out of sight, out of mind.
Shin continued exploring the training grounds. He used another Common Replication Card, this time copying a Jutsu: the B-rank Shadow Clone Jutsu.
The Shadow Clone Jutsu was created by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. But its practicality led to it being stolen by ninjas from other nations.
Countless Shinobi in the ninja world knew the Shadow Clone Jutsu, including those in the Uzumaki Clan. Shin copied it from an elite Chunin.
With his [Perfect Sage Body] and the Shadow Clone Jutsu, his training efficiency would skyrocket.
Of course, he would have preferred the forbidden Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Despite being A-rank, it was classified as forbidden. Forbidden didn't necessarily mean powerful.
Jutsu that caused harm to the user or were deemed too dangerous were classified as forbidden. This included Jutsu like the Edo Tensei.
Unfortunately, Common Replication Cards couldn't copy A-rank Jutsu, only B-rank at most.
And even if he could copy it, he wouldn't find anyone to copy from. While many knew the Shadow Clone Jutsu, those who knew the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu were few and far between.
With three Replication Cards remaining, Shin decided to call it a day. He left the training grounds with Kushina and bought some ninja tools and two Chakra Papers.
Chakra Papers were used to determine a Shinobi's Chakra Nature. There were seven Chakra Natures in total:
Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, Earth, Yin, and Yang.
The Yin and Yang Natures couldn't be tested with Chakra Paper.
"Why did you buy these? They're so expensive, a thousand Ryō each!" Kushina looked at the papers with distress.
"These are Chakra Papers. They tell you what kind of Chakra you have. Here, try it."
Kushina curiously took a Chakra Paper and channeled her Chakra into it. The paper reacted immediately.
It split down the middle, and the corners became damp.
"Kushina, your Chakra Natures are Wind and Water," Shin explained.
Kushina looked confused; she didn't understand these concepts yet.
Shin took a Chakra Paper and infused it with his Chakra. The paper split, indicating Wind Nature. One corner ignited, revealing Fire Nature.
Then, a corner became damp (Water), another wrinkled (Lightning), and the last one crumbled (Earth).
Shin possessed five Chakra Natures: Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth.
Yin and Yang couldn't be detected with the paper, but with his [Perfect Sage Body], he definitely had Yang.
And he also had the Sharingan, a manifestation of Yin Release, suggesting he likely possessed Yin Nature as well.
This meant he might have all seven Chakra Natures. That was definitely something to be excited about.
"Whoa, five Transformations! You have five Chakra Natures?"
Shin smiled faintly, choosing not to mention Yin and Yang for now.
It was getting late. They returned home before dark. Shin put away the ninja tools he'd bought and started preparing dinner.
"Kushina, what do you want to eat?"
"Hee hee, anything you make is delicious."
Shin smiled and decided to make a hearty meal. They'd had a long day of training and needed to replenish their energy.
It was especially important at their age to eat nutritious food to support their growth and development.
After a satisfying dinner, Kushina, exhausted, washed up and went to bed. Shin, however, continued studying the [Adamantine Sealing Chains].
~ If you like the story, please leave a review.