"Balance exists between all things."
Nara Shikadan disposed of the chakra test paper and fell into deep thought.
"Does this mean I'll eventually leave the 'Shadow School' and return to the 'Balance School' someday?"
He chuckled to himself at the private joke no one else would understand.
The test results had been better than expected—almost too good.
Chakra attributes were innate.
To be born with four natural affinities meant that Nara Shikadan's qualifications in this regard far surpassed those of most ninja.
Even though the Nara clan's [Shadow Secret Techniques] were intricate, versatile, and balanced between offense and control…
No one could deny the raw advantages of the five basic elemental releases—Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, and Lightning.
However—
Shikadan summoned the [Lazy Ghost System] and scrolled up to that one unsettling message that continued to gnaw at him.
[You are currently affected by: Six Paths Sage Art · Self-Injury Curse Binding Technique!]
"…A Six Paths-level technique… cast by the Sage of Six Paths himself?"
Shikadan stared at the notification on the virtual panel with a grim expression.
"But what exactly is this technique's purpose?"
At first, he had worried it was punishment—like he'd "smuggled himself" into the world illegally and got flagged by some underworld admin.
But his actual experiences since then had slowly debunked that theory.
The most important point: aside from the passive notification, the so-called [Six Paths Sage Art · Self-Injury Curse Binding Technique] had never made its presence felt again.
"Could my unusual chakra attributes be caused by this Sage of Six Paths technique? …No, probably not."
Shikadan dismissed the panel with a flick of thought.
"If it really was the Six Paths Sage, I should have all five elemental affinities—including Lightning. Plus Yin and Yang. Seven in total."
"So… these four balanced affinities of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire are truly my own?"
He hesitated for a moment but eventually dropped the speculation.
Even if the balance was influenced by the Sage of Six Paths, what could he do about it now?
For a behind-the-scenes boss on that level—
Shikadan, who hadn't even left the "Novice Village," could only lay flat and play dead.
There was no use resisting.
Damn it!
"One day... there will be no more rivals in front of me!"
He popped a soldier pill into his mouth.
"Lazy guy, add some points!"
[Stamina +10]
"What an incredible effect!"
With just one golden pill, he felt as if he'd grabbed hold of his destiny.
Afternoon
Carrying the newly compiled [Lacquer Eye] ritual scroll, a very satisfied Nara Shikadan departed from Konoha and headed toward Kikyo Castle.
With the help of the freshly learned [Body Flicker Technique], his return trip was cut down dramatically. For the first time, he truly experienced a ninja's swift mobility.
Of course, under normal circumstances, most ninja wouldn't waste chakra on long-distance travel using [Body Flicker Technique].
But Shikadan had prepared well in advance.
After discovering that each soldier pill boosted his [Stamina] by 10 points…
He had decisively begun a "maximum reinforcement program" within the safe limits of his body.
And it had to be said—the Ration Pills manufactured by Mandian Hall were very filling.
In a single day, he had only taken three, and yet his [Stamina] had jumped from the bottom of D-rank to nearly the top.
His chakra reserves were practically overflowing.
'E-rank attributes range from 1 to 10; D-rank from 11 to 100.'
'At this rate, I'll hit C-rank—Chunin level—by the day after tomorrow!'
Shikadan hadn't ignored the side effects of rapid [Stamina] growth.
But according to the system, [Stamina] wasn't simply "chakra amount"—it was more precisely described as "vital constitution and cellular activity."
Unlike chakra volume, which a perceptive ninja could observe directly…
[Stamina] improvements were subtle and restrained.
Unless a medical ninja conducted a thorough scan—
Who could spot a Genin's body undergoing quiet, rapid evolution?
'One Ration Pill gives 10 points. A hundred pills is 1,000 points.'
After arriving at Kikyo Castle, Shikadan first made his way home.
'In about a month, I'll match [Intelligence] with [Stamina] and hit B-rank.'
The numerical threshold for B-rank was 1,000.
Breaking through that wouldn't be difficult.
The real wall would be after that.
If A-rank truly started at 10,000 points—
Then even at three pills a day, it'd take nearly a year just to reach A-rank [Stamina].
'Once my medical knowledge improves, I can develop even better Ration Pills myself.'
'And there are definitely other ways to boost Stamina…'
At Home
Nara Shusuke was still at the research institute. Only Nara Heiko was home.
"Little Horn? You're back again?"
Hearing that familiar tone of disdain, Nara Shikadan pursed his lips.
"I'm here to deliver the [Lacquer Eye] scroll to Clan Leader Shikano—"
Seeing Heiko stand up to go cook, Shikadan quickly cut her off.
"No need to prepare food. I'm not hungry."
"Spared me the trouble."
Nara Heiko sat back down lazily.
"Didn't you say the scroll was due in three days? Given your personality, I figured you'd procrastinate a few more."
The Nara clan was full of lazy people.
Everyone knew it.
(Proudly.)
"Some unexpected things came up."
Shikadan didn't elaborate.
The reason he finished the scroll early was twofold:
One, the real battle against an Uchiha that morning had given him valuable combat experience with [Lacquer Eye].
And two, he'd finally found a clear path to grow stronger—no more drifting aimlessly.
One of the laws of energy conservation: keep things simple.
Shikadan was living out his ninja way.
"I came back for two reasons."
His brisk and decisive tone surprised Nara Heiko.
"First is about Shusuke's research… but I'll wait until he returns from the lab tonight."
"The second is even more important. I just received intel from the Hokage's office—"
"If it's truly important, then don't tell me."
Nara Heiko interrupted, her gaze softening slightly.
"Ninjas must be responsible for the information they carry. Little Horn, you've matured a lot... I feel more comfortable letting you live on your own now."
Shikadan almost rolled his eyes at her sudden switch in tone—but he held it in. He was used to this by now.
"It is important news."
He took a breath.
"But the secrecy level is low. I think the higher-ups deliberately leaked it—half the village was talking about it by the time I got back."
"The Third Kazekage of Sunagakure has disappeared."
"Who's the 'Third Kazekage'?"
"…The leader of the Sand Village."
"Pfft!"
Nara Heiko suddenly burst out laughing.
"Sorry, I just remembered something funny."
"Still, thanks for cheering me up, Little Horn."
Shikadan was confused.
"What?"
"You mean the guy with blue hair, white robes, and iron sand pouring down like a thunderstorm?"
She waved it off, reacting like any seasoned shinobi hearing absurd gossip.
"How could someone that powerful just vanish?"
She pointed to her right leg.
"If he were really so weak, do you think my leg would be like this today?"
Shikadan didn't know the details of Heiko's injury. Only that during the Second Shinobi World War, her right leg's meridians were damaged and she was forced to retire.
But now...
Shikadan looked over the casually dressed, housewife-like figure in front of him.
He was in awe.
"Hirako… you fought the Third Kazekage?"
Nara Heiko wanted to nod—but her honesty (and her strength) didn't permit such lies.
"…Not directly."
She turned her head away, muttering softly.
"I was just caught in the aftermath of one of his attacks… couldn't get out of the range in time."
Shikadan nodded solemnly.
"Anyway, the Third Kazekage's disappearance has been ongoing for a while.
Odds are he's already dead, somewhere deep in the Wind Country."
He exhaled, his expression hardening.
"Unless something unexpected happens—War is coming."
In the evening, after saying goodbye to Heiko, Shikadan took the scroll and headed for the clan leader's house.
Nara Shikano, born near the end of the Warring States Period, had grown up alongside Konoha.
Besides being the Nara clan's leader, he also served as the squad leader of Konoha's Jonin Corps.
Just as Shikadan arrived, Shikano returned home as well.
"Shikadan? What brings you here?"
"Clan leader."
Shikadan respectfully handed over a scroll from his ninja pouch.
"The [Lacquer Eye] technique… is complete."
"...Really?"
Shikano blinked, visibly surprised—his weathered face briefly lighting up.
"Don't joke around... You do know how important this technique is to our clan, right? To you, this is like an S-rank mission."
Nara Shikadan's heart skipped a beat.
S-rank… mission?