More than a month ago, Yoru had wiped a day of Nobuyuki's memories, but he hadn't gone too far. As a result, the old man still retained vague impressions of certain things.
To thank him for his "generous gift" and to further blur those lingering memories, Yoru hinted to Shisui to bring the old man over often—eat well, drink good tea.
Later, it became a daily routine. Medicinal porridge was prepared once a day, and Nobuyuki always got a share. It did wonders for his body.
After over a month of focused experimentation, Yoru finally solved the biggest problem of medicinal cuisine—the bitterness.
By balancing medicinal properties to neutralize harsh flavors, then adding honey to create sweet soups or blending them into fish and meat broths for savory porridge, he turned medicine into something genuinely delicious.
Money made it possible.
A lot of money.
So much that Yoru had to use Shisui's spending as cover. Otherwise, his expenses would have attracted attention from both the clan and the village.
Thus, Shisui and Nobuyuki became his "test subjects," eating new medicinal dishes every day.
Sometimes the effects were too strong. Nobuyuki would feel comfortably warm all over, only to sweat endlessly through the night, waking up dried out the next morning.
Some recipes were rich in yang energy—excellent for the old man, but terrible for Shisui. His body wasn't mature enough, so the excess energy surged upward, causing severe nosebleeds.
Even so, Shisui loved medicinal food.
The difference was too obvious.
Even within a single day, training results improved significantly. For a genius chasing strength, how could he give up food that was both delicious and powerful?
Masayo was another major beneficiary.
Aside from necessary meat intake, her energy supply shifted almost entirely to medicinal cuisine, supporting her Sage Art training.
She no longer had to eat several times her body weight in meat like before. That method, even with rapid digestion, was a burden.
For the past two months, she had mostly eaten and slept, practicing Sage Art in dreams. It sounded carefree, but it was actually dull.
Cats weren't pigs. They needed play, movement, hunting.
More importantly, "fullness" wasn't about volume.
No matter how much ordinary food she ate, she only felt stuffed—not satisfied.
Before, even after devouring an entire pig leg, her stomach would ache, yet she still wouldn't feel truly full.
Now, a single bowl of thick porridge made from angelica, goji berries, crucian carp, and lamb testicles gave her a deep sense of satisfaction.
That was true fullness.
With energy restored, Masayo waved a paw, created a flame, and leapt into it—returning to Cat Fortress.
As the only Cat Sage, she had the important job of training younger cats, something she thoroughly enjoyed.
Meanwhile, Yoru finished an entire pot of porridge. Lunch was over.
Shisui put on the modified weighted vest Yoru had prepared and began practicing Uchiha sword techniques in the courtyard.
Weighing only sixteen kilograms himself, he carried eighty kilograms of weight. His muscles and bones cried out under the pressure, and his heart was forced into overdrive.
Under such strain, the medicinal effects activated fully.
A warmth rose from his abdomen, spreading through his body, supporting him against the crushing load.
In this high-pressure, high-recovery state, Shisui's body improved rapidly.
In just one month, his bone density, muscle toughness, and flexibility surpassed all peers—and even reached the level of many genin.
The foundation of ninjutsu was chakra. The foundation of chakra was body and spirit.
Shisui's chakra had begun to grow explosively.
The harsh training also strengthened his willpower, confidence, and control.
It was the most comprehensive training method.
But it wasn't for everyone.
The nutritional demand was enormous—far beyond what a normal digestive system could handle.
Only someone as wealthy as Shisui could sustain it.
His rapid progress naturally caught the attention of the clan head and elders. They obtained Yoru's medicinal recipes and verified their effectiveness.
To Yoru and Shisui, the only flaw was the cost.
To the clan leadership, that was its greatest strength.
It created a clear gap between main family and ordinary members, ensuring long-term dominance.
Shisui only felt a bit regretful.
Nobuyuki, however, was concerned.
"Will this create a clan within the clan?" he asked.
Yoru smiled and shook his head. "That would only happen if the current world stays unchanged for a hundred years. But that's impossible."
"The Warring States era lasted because nothing changed. That era is gone."
"The ninja village era—created by the First Hokage and Madara—is an age of constant change."
"Whether fast or slow, change never stops. In fact, it's accelerating."
"A single recipe won't secure status forever."
Of course, if the Ōtsutsuki conflict played out as planned and ended with lasting peace, things might be different.
But that was far away.
Shisui, not yet five years old, could only train under weight for forty minutes.
The moment time was up, Yoru stopped him, removed the weights, and personally massaged his body to prevent improper recovery.
After repeatedly warning him not to overtrain at home, Yoru sent him and the old man back.
Then he began his own training.
His cultivation had entered a critical stage.
Even simple standing postures could not be shown to others.
When transitioning from Hunyuan stance to horse stance, faint flames appeared around his body—manifestations of high-density fire-type natural energy.
External fire energy combined with internal earth energy, driving his body's transformation.
If anyone saw this, they would immediately realize something was wrong.
Fugaku would interfere. Setsuna would pry. Danzō would send surveillance, assassination, and framing attempts.
Yoru would lose his peaceful life.
At night, Masayo returned with news.
"The Third Kazekage… has disappeared."
Yoru fell silent.
He knew what that meant.
His quiet, comfortable days of staying hidden—
were over.
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