[Water Style: Water Barrier proficiency +1]
[Water Style: Water Barrier proficiency +1]
[...]
[Congratulations, Host! Water Style: Water Barrier has successfully advanced to Intermediate Level.]
[The strength of ninjutsu comes only from relentless training. Please continue to work hard.]
It took Yuichi about an hour to raise the Water Barrier to the intermediate level.
He was very satisfied with this speed.
Although it wasn't particularly fast, it was definitely not slow either.
Now, he could use the Water Barrier even in places with no nearby water source.
The hand-signing time had also been shortened to just one and a half seconds—under two seconds.
This meant the jutsu could finally be used effectively in real combat.
"Next is… Water Turbulence."
The C-rank ninjutsu, Water Turbulence, was supposed to be the most basic technique every Water Style user should master first.
But Yuichi had learned the Great Waterfall Technique first, and only then began working on Water Turbulence.
If it weren't for the system, skipping ahead like this would have been impossible—
Unless one possessed overwhelming talent.
Yuichi, however, had no such talent.
But with the system, he didn't need it.
—Contacting Water Style: Water Turbulence.
The initial hand-signing time was three seconds.
In the presence of water, he could manipulate the current to strike the enemy at high speed.
Its power was far weaker than the Great Waterfall Technique, and it didn't create such a massive, terrifying scene either.
Bang!!
The crashing sound of water echoed again and again.
Yuichi stood at the edge of a pool, repeatedly casting the jutsu.
Each cycle, the system flashed a notification:
[Water Style: Water Turbulence proficiency +1]
Every three seconds, his proficiency ticked upward.
Watching the steady increase, Yuichi didn't feel tired at all.
Another hour passed.
Finally—
[Congratulations, Host! Water Style: Water Turbulence has advanced to Intermediate Level.]
The hand-signing time was now about the same as Water Barrier—just a little over one second.
Even without an external water source, Yuichi could now gather chakra in his throat and spit out a torrent of water to strike the enemy.
The attack wasn't as overwhelming as the Great Waterfall Technique,
but getting hit head-on was like being rammed by a speeding car.
A ninja with poor physical strength would instantly be knocked unconscious.
Two ninjutsu successfully raised to intermediate level.
Yuichi wasn't tired at all, but his stomach was starting to growl.
He caught two herrings from the pool, grilled them casually, and ate without caring much about taste.
As the sky dimmed, Yuichi focused again.
He wanted to raise the Great Waterfall Technique to the highest level before nightfall.
After finishing his meal, he resumed training—
[Great Waterfall Technique proficiency +1 (620/2000)]
[(621/2000)]
[(622/2000)]
[...]
Nearly two hours later—
[Congratulations, Host! Great Waterfall Technique has advanced to Top Level!]
Yuichi smiled with satisfaction.
But at the same time…
A large portion of the forest around the pool had been utterly destroyed.
It was far too conspicuous.
Looking at his palm, Yuichi muttered:
"The power of Wood Style… should be able to restore what I destroyed with Water Style."
He decided to test it.
Approaching a tree stump broken by the waterfall's current, Yuichi placed his hand gently on it.
His chakra—melding the attributes of Water and Earth—shifted into Wood Style.
A faint green glow spread from his palm, carrying a pure breath of life.
The glow enveloped the stump.
Yuichi felt the mystery of Wood Style firsthand—
A small green sprout pushed out from the broken wood.
"Such a curious… wonderful feeling…"
It was like a spring breeze.
The earth awakened with new vitality.
A warm current surged through Yuichi's body, making his very cells rejoice.
Then—
Woosh!!
Before his eyes, the stump rapidly grew into a towering tree, even sturdier than before.
Yuichi quickly withdrew his chakra, staring up at the giant tree.
"So this… is Wood Style."
[Congratulations, Host! Wood Style proficiency +1]
[Wood Style: Tree Binding Eternal Burial Lv.1 (1/800)]
[Wood Style: Wooden Wall Lv.1 (1/900)]
[Wood Style: Silent Binding Technique Lv.1 (1/800)]
"All Wood Style ninjutsu proficiency increased at once? Can it really work like this?"
The corner of Yuichi's mouth twitched.
It took him about half an hour to restore the forest around the pool.
The broken trees that had been washed away, however, could only naturally weather over time—he wouldn't bother with those.
On his way back, Yuichi checked his system panel again:
[Wood Style: Tree Binding Eternal Burial (517/800)]
[Wood Style: Wooden Wall (517/900)]
[Wood Style: Silent Binding Technique (517/800)]
In his hand, he held a withered branch.
He had realized something—
Practicing ninjutsu wasn't the only way to raise proficiency.
By directly controlling chakra aligned to a certain nature, he could also improve proficiency.
The so-called ninjutsu was essentially a fixed operating mode for chakra:
a set running path, a set transformation, a set result.
So if he wanted to enhance the power of his ninjutsu,
refining chakra control itself was enough.
He should have realized it earlier.
Looking at the branch in his hand, Yuichi poured Wood Style chakra into it.
Snap!
The withered stick suddenly burst with life.
Green shoots sprouted, and in an instant it grew into the length of a baseball bat.
Though it was only wood, it felt solid and durable.
[Wood Style proficiency +1]
Yuichi clenched his teeth.
"Why didn't I discover this method earlier?! Damn it… I wasted so much time!"