54 Chapter 54
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<nanami ><D WM><Tob_Gib ><Vishal S.><Thirdy Demaisip><ABold ><jayjayche990 ><Geronimo ><NovelDreamer ><Meylis D.><Golden Mold><Evan R.><Ichdaboom ><kiddeath1998 >
Tonight, as the moon shone faintly amidst the stars.
A dark figure swiftly crossed over the courtyards wall, heading towards the direction of the Forest of Death.
With the assistance of his necklace, Kyomu's sixth sense was strong, not inferior to some low to mid-level sensory ninjutsu, allowing him to easily bypass the ANBU ninjas on patrol.
Moreover, as long as Kyomu didn't cause a commotion, if he were discovered, he would only be questioned briefly without any major repercussions.
Konoha didn't have a curfew, and being a disciple of Sakumo should carried some weight, right?
The tormenting hunger drove Kyomu to run faster. As soon as he reached the outskirts of the Forest of Death, he eagerly cut down a tree.
The next moment, the rich taste of wood and the fragrance of leaves filled Kyomu's mouth, alleviating his hunger somewhat.
But it was still not enough, far from it!
Feasting on a tree as thick as two people hugging, within an hour, Kyomu devoured it completely, feeling warmth flowing through his limbs and body.
His vitality and mental strength increased slightly.
The specifics were hard to estimate, but seizing the opportunity to devour as much as possible was good enough, especially with the "Gluttony" passive skill, ensuring that no energy intake went to waste, and everything was digested completely.
With only intake and no excretion, there was no worry about using the restroom; Kyomu just need to focus on squatting down to eat.
Of course, he could also eat lying down or sideways, as long as his mouth kept moving, his body would continue to be nourished and strengthened. Even if the progress was minimal, Kyomu's eating style should not be stopped.
Crunch, crunch, crunch~
Like a starving ghost, Kyomu nibbled on tree after tree. Along the way, he also captured some small animals, roasting them quickly during the meal breaks, and swallowing them in three or four mouthfuls.
Minerals were also essential, but his kunais and shurikens had already been devoured by Aragami Kyomu, and the speed at which he bought them couldn't keep up with his eating speed.
Picking up some small stones from the ground naturally became Kyomu's best choice.
Although they had a hint of lime flavor, they were crunchy and had a peculiar chewy texture, almost like candy.
In the middle of the night, Kyomu looked back at the small patch of woods that had disappeared completely, leaving behind only bare tree stumps.
However, Kyomu still had not satisfied his hunger!
But by eating so much, Aragami Kyomu gained benefits far beyond what he usually gained from hard training. At least some of the congenital defects that had always been difficult to compensate for were gradually being filled.
The strength of the body in this world was primarily determined by bloodlines, and after a night of eating, Kyomu could feel that his chakra level had increased by one-fifth.
This may not represent much, but the amount of chakra is directly correlated with his physique. Kyomu could only measure his current gains in this way.
But it was still not enough, far from it.
Eat, continue eating! And later, go take a look at the Hokage Rock Mountains; the ore resources there were much richer than here.
---
"Did you hear? Sakumo-sama led a team to accomplish an impossible mission again, bringing great benefits to the village."
"With Sakumo-sama around, it's truly our honor. He's a great ninja who brings us peace and stable development!"
In the early morning, the streets and alleys were bustling with people having breakfast, discussing the recent events in Konoha.
"Oh, I heard an interesting rumor today. Many trees in the Forest of Death have been chopped down."
"Is someone experimenting with new ninjutsu?"
"I'm not sure, but someone said a powerful wild animal was born in the Forest of Death and it has a huge appetite!"
"Haha, the Forest of Death is so vast, how much can even the most powerful wild animal eat?"
"It's quite a lot, actually. Within a day and a night, it eats up to three acres of trees, leaving behind no greenery or living creatures in its wake."
"That's terrifying." The gossiping audience nodded. "It's better to train less in the Forest of Death; the name 'Death' isn't just for show."
Most people agreed with this sentiment, but as Kyomu passed by, he sneered.
Fortunately, he's human; otherwise, he'd have to eat all of you.
"Hey, are you hungry again?" Kakashi patted Kyomu's shoulder. "Your eyes look terrifying now, like you could eat anything."
I could eat anything from the start.
On the other side, Sakumo was curiously observing Kyomu, not with a concerned look, but noting the changes in Kyomu over the past few days.
"Kyomu, you've become much stronger." Sakumo squeezed Kyomu's arm muscles with a strange expression. "Your body's firmness is extraordinary..."
Feeling the texture in his hand, Sakumo couldn't help but click his tongue.
This kid, it's only been a little over a month since we last met, but his body is like it's been pumped with hormones. His physique, which should have been on par with Kakashi's, has now doubled.
Sakumo trusts his judgment. Although he's not a medical ninja, he has some common sense and experience.
"Kyomu, what kind of training do you usually do?"
"I guess I've been growing taller lately, so I guess I'm eating more."
"Eating more?" Sakumo stroked his chin. "Indeed, after the body starts developing, the appetite increases, and the body's quality also improves accordingly."
He chuckled, "In that case, I can teach you some more advanced ninjutsu today."
Kyomu became interested, as did Kakashi. They followed Sakumo eagerly into the depths of the Forest of Death.
"Has anything unusual happened recently?" Sakumo looked back. "How come there are so many trees missing along the way? It looks like over thirty acres have been cleared."
"You haven't been to the Hokage Rock Mountains yet," Kyomu muttered. "I dug out a cave there with my teeth."
But clearly, whether Kyomu said it or not, Sakumo wouldn't care about such trivial matters. The Forest of Death stretches for nearly ten kilometers; what's the big deal if there are fewer trees?
"Come on, Kyomu, let me see your strength now." Sakumo waved his hand. "Let's start with taijutsu and take it step by step."
Kyomu nodded, without any intention of holding back, and dashed forward with full force.
This was Sakumo's unique teaching method; he preferred practical combat and, with his strong strength as a backup, could repeatedly feed Kyomu moves without worrying about hurting himself or failing to control his strength and hurting Kyomu.
"Such heavy fists!"
Sakumo caught Kyomu's ordinary punch, but the surging force felt at the moment of contact made him feel a hint of astonishment.
Is this the strength a five-year-old should have?
Although not to the point of being abnormal, the Senju clan, known for its physique, is like this at this age, right?
Sakumo had sparred with Tsunade when they were young, so he knew their details very well.
A little monster.
Bang, bang, bang.~
The master and disciple continued their sparring. While Sakumo imparted practical experience to Kyomu, he couldn't help but feel increasingly shocked.
Not only was the force behind Kyomu's strikes heavy, but his skin also seemed as tough as rock, emitting a clanging sound with each blow, showing remarkable toughness.
Although not yet at the level of withstanding sharp weapons, he already surpassed many other ninjas.
High offense and fragile defense are the mainstream for ninjas, and such strong external defense is rare.
"That's enough." After a hundred exchanges, Sakumo called a halt. "Kyomu, you've surprised me a lot!"
"You're flattering me, it's just that my body is developing well."
"Haha, talking about body development at the age of five is a bit early." Sakumo chuckled, not asking further. "Go digest the experience I've taught you, I have an exam later."
Kyomu nodded and left. Kakashi finally had a chance to join in, and with Yukihime in his hand, he gave Sakumo a little shock.
Being able to freely adjust the length of the blade, Yukihime, provided a small surprise to Sakumo.
The next performance of Kyomu, however, left Sakumo slightly dissatisfied.
The agility he had a month ago has diminished significantly, the speed of learning new things has slowed down, and he doesn't seem to be deliberately hiding his abilities anymore.
What's the reason?
Sakumo couldn't figure it out, but he could simply increase the intensity of his training, using his fists as a means of teaching his disciple a stern lesson and properly educating Kyomu.
With a bruised and battered face, and enduring endless hunger, a day ends.
Aragami Kyomu is speechless, deciding to come back to the Forest of Death at night to clear another three acres of forest to replenish his strength.
(End of Chapter)
