[Status Panel]
Physical Strength: 14
Mental Strength: 12
Chakra Amount: 12
Among them, Physical Strength had increased by 4 points, Mental Strength by 2, and Chakra by 1.
"Then, proportionally…"
Chiba muttered to himself, thinking carefully.
"Based on my training time, Physical Strength increases twice as fast, while Mental Strength and Chakra grow at about a one-to-one ratio. Without special chakra refinement, Chakra growth seems to follow a two-to-one ratio against training time."
His eyes lit up.
"So that's how it works… If I train my mind alone, it'll grow the slowest."
He nodded in understanding, then opened the attribute allocation menu.
"I'll assign the free points as follows: one to Physical Strength, eight to Mental Strength, and one to Chakra Amount."
Mental strength was, without doubt, the most important. A powerful mind meant stronger illusion resistance.
"If my mental power reaches a certain level," Chiba wondered, "could even Mangekyō-level genjutsu—like Tsukuyomi or Kotoamatsukami—have no effect on me?"
He smirked, shaking his head. "That's… way too tempting."
Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu—the three ninja arts each attacked different dimensions: physical, spiritual, and elemental. Balance was key.
Chiba focused his mind and mentally clicked the [+] signs on his panel.
[Attribute Distribution Complete]
A wave of warmth spread through his entire body, like soaking in a hot spring after an exhausting day. The fatigue melted away, replaced by a refreshing lightness that made him feel reborn.
"Cool!"
He grinned and clenched his fists. "Alright—let's keep going!"
With clear goals, training didn't feel painful anymore.
He continued practicing basic techniques—
Taijutsu drills, Chakra control, and the Three Body Techniques (Transformation, Substitution, Clone).
He knew these skills, but mastery came from repetition. True battle skill wasn't about knowing a jutsu—it was about instinctively using it under pressure.
Naruto, for example, was full of raw combat instinct. Chiba didn't yet know if he had that same gift—but he could earn it through sheer effort.
As for the Great Fireball Technique, Chiba avoided it for now. It was a C-rank jutsu, powerful but chakra-hungry. At his current level, it would only drain him dry.
By the time he finished, it was already 3:00 p.m.
Chiba's stomach growled. He wiped sweat from his forehead and sighed.
"They say there's no sense of time when you're training… and it's true. I didn't even notice the hours go by."
He smiled faintly. "Time to head back."
The weather had cleared beautifully.
The snow had stopped, and the rare winter sunlight bathed the village in a golden glow. The thick white snow began to soften and melt, reflecting light like glass.
"Looks like winter's almost over," Chiba murmured as he walked toward the village's commercial street.
His destination: Ichiraku Ramen.
That little stand was famous across the entire world—though jokes said the shopkeeper, "Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku," must be some kind of immortal being, since Ichiraku always survived every disaster in Konoha.
Chiba chuckled to himself at the thought.
He often ate there—not because of nostalgia, but because it was affordable.
The flavor wasn't top-tier like gourmet shops, but it was hearty and satisfying.
And for an orphan living off the village's modest stipend, that mattered.
Training required weapons—kunai, shuriken, practice logs—all of which cost money. He recycled his kunai multiple times, refusing to waste anything.
"Not everyone's like Tenten," he muttered, "with a family full of weapon stockpiles."
But honestly, there was another reason he loved Ichiraku.
It was the atmosphere. The warmth.
Chiba believed food cooked with love carried its own kind of happiness.
Uncle Teuchi and Ayame had never once looked down on Naruto, treating him kindly even when the village turned its back. To Chiba, they were like a light in the darkness of Naruto's lonely childhood.
"Maybe that's why Naruto loves ramen so much…" he thought, smiling softly.
His stomach growled again.
"If only it weren't winter—I could've grilled fish by the stream near the forest. But with all this snow, no chance."
He sighed and quickened his pace toward the ramen stand.
"Hm?"
Just ahead, something caught his eye.
A small wallet, embroidered with flowers, lay half-buried in the snow.
But that wasn't what drew his attention.
Above the wallet floated a red question mark.
Chiba froze.
"That… that's—!"
In almost every RPG he'd ever played, red or yellow question marks symbolized quests. Either a mission item, or an NPC in need.
Heart pounding, Chiba reached out with his mind.
Immediately, a translucent system prompt appeared before him.
[Ding! Mission System Unlocked]
[Quest Item: Yamanaka Ino's Wallet]
Description: Yamanaka Ino has lost her beloved wallet. Returning it to her may yield unexpected rewards.
Chiba blinked, then laughed softly.
"Finally…"
He clenched his fist, excitement flooding his chest.
"This is it! A real quest! A game without missions has no soul!"