"What's the matter you need me for at this time?"
Ruri entered Hakushi's office, inquiring about the reason he summoned her.
After the Dragon Vein matter, Ruri continued her tedious training, whether it was further honing the eye power of the Sharingan or developing more potent Immortal Techniques, it seemed that Ruri had found ways to make herself stronger.
While marveling at Ruri's talent, Hakushi also had to accept the fact that he was just an 'ordinary person.'
Compared to these geniuses, his talent in Ninja abilities really was too mediocre, forcing him to find a different path to grow stronger.
"There's something I need you to do. I've thought it over, and it seems only you can accomplish this task; I don't feel assured leaving it to anyone else."
Ayane's Byakugan is strong, but too reliant on Taijutsu. Besides the Divine Sky Strike and enhanced Revolving Heaven, she lacks wide-range attack moves to counter that mysterious force, exposing some shortfalls.
And both Divine Sky Strike and enhanced Revolving Heaven require consuming large amounts of Chakra to unleash, unsuitable for prolonged battles.
This time, the enemy possibly has a Sharingan, along with the legendary Power of Wood Style; overall, Ruri is a Ninja without any weaknesses.
Ninja Techniques, Taijutsu, Illusion Technique - a well-rounded, versatile Ninja.
Even her weakest Illusion Technique isn't something ordinary Ninjas can resist.
Moreover, the Sharingan amplifies Illusion Techniques, and with the ability to use Immortal Technique, both melee and long-range can be addressed.
The most important factor in dealing with the Sharingan is using the Sharingan itself.
"What?"
"The force behind controlling White Zetsu."
"A Sharingan user?"
Ruri squinted her eyes.
She had known about that mysterious force much earlier, but at the time, there were too many issues to handle, so she couldn't attend to this.
Focusing on Konoha and the secretive mouse eyeing Uchiha makes her, this inheritor of the Uchiha bloodline, feel uneasy.
Also, she finds the hidden mastermind with a powerful Sharingan intriguing.
As she knows it, only Uchiha Madara left Konoha prior.
But Uchiha Madara has been confirmed deceased, so who would this Uchiha be?
Thinking about this, Ruri feels a strong surge of fighting spirit.
If she could encounter this person, it would be a good opportunity to test the eye power of someone supposedly stronger than her, as per Hakushi's claim.
"By the way, how are your clanspeople doing with their Natural Energy training?"
Hakushi suddenly remembered something and asked Ruri.
Natural Energy training can calm a person's inner self, simplifying it as improving a Ninja's psychological resilience, making it a suitable exercise for Uchiha Race Ninjas.
"Currently, only two have barely sensed Natural Energy."
Ruri frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the result.
"Two people?"
Hakushi was startled.
It couldn't be; the method of training Natural Energy has been passed down to the Uchiha Race Ninjas from the Land of Demons for a while now, not to mention only two have succeeded, and that's merely sensing Natural Energy.
Does that mean the rest have all failed?
"Their hearts can't maintain the calm to align with nature; their inner world is too turbulent. Especially those who have opened their Sharingan, they're the worst at sensing Natural Energy."
Ruri thus evaluated those clanspeople.
"However, the Hyuga Clan over there has generally completed the basic sensing training of Natural Energy... Well, perhaps that's a deviation caused by differing lifestyles of the two clans."
Hakushi could only think this way.
"Any good solutions?"
Ruri felt a bit annoyed hearing Hakushi's words.
Not to be arrogant, but even if the Hyuga Clan in the Land of Demons combines with Hyuga Ayane, they wouldn't be able to match her.
When did the mere Hyuga Clan ever get the chance to climb above the Uchiha Race?
"Overcoming Natural Energy training requires one's own efforts; cultivating this energy naturally requires a tranquil heart as a fundamental, or else even with external aid, it's challenging for them to utilize this energy in combat. If this continues, the gap in this aspect of training will only widen against others."
Hakushi wouldn't advise Ruri's clanspeople to grasp Natural Energy using tricks unless absolutely necessary.
Although Hakushi could help them achieve this, it's likely to fail under combat conditions.
For instance, it requires a long 'loading bar' time; in extremely dangerous situations, they might be defeated before they even use this form of power.
Ruri sighed lightly.
She seemed to understand this point, so didn't dwell on the matter.
After all, in the recent years, the Land of Demons doesn't need to resist external enemies much, no need for these clanspeople to provide effective combat power.
Their task is to train, quickly master Natural Energy, and also procreate, expand the clan's population.
The latter is significantly important.
The prosperity of a clan shouldn't rely on one or a few people to sustain; that kind of dependency not only exhausts but also easily warrants problem occurrence.
Expanding the population is the fundamental reason for a clan's thriving.
It may sound mundane, but Ruri fully supports those clanspeople marrying and bearing children.