Sasuke stared at the cedar tree in front of him, his brows knitted so tightly they nearly met.
"Tree climbing?" His voice was thick with disbelief. "Is this what you meant by the 'Foundation of Konoha Village'?"
Heavenly Dao answered as if it were obvious. "Of course. What, did you think a secret technique had to be something flashy like Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique? The true foundations are always the hardest to master."
"Are you messing with me?" Sasuke's voice dropped, cold as ice.
Heavenly Dao sighed, walked over, and looked him directly in the eyes. "Sasuke, you came to me because you believe I can help you become stronger, didn't you? Then you have to trust my methods. A ninja doesn't become strong through words alone—they become strong through action."
He paused, his tone softening slightly. "And when I say tree climbing, I don't mean scrambling up with brute force. I mean precisely controlling your chakra at the soles of your feet, using it to adhere your body to the vertical surface of the trunk."
As he spoke, Heavenly Dao stepped onto the cedar tree. With calm, steady movements, he walked upward as if gravity itself no longer applied to him, ascending step by step until he reached the top.
Sasuke was stunned.
For years, he had followed the instructors at the Ninja Academy, learning the Three Body Techniques and, at best, supplementing them by self-studying the ninjutsu scrolls passed down through his family. No one had ever taught him anything like this.
"If you can't even handle the most basic chakra control," Heavenly Dao continued, "then no matter how powerful your ninjutsu is, a stronger opponent will see through your flaws immediately."
"You've already awakened the Sharingan, haven't you? But even if the Sharingan lets you see movements clearly, poor chakra control will still lead to massive waste. Vision alone can't compensate for inefficiency within your own body."
In the next moment, Heavenly Dao leaped down from the treetop and landed lightly on the ground. There was no sound—no impact—only silence where his feet touched the earth.
"See that?" he said, glancing down at his feet. "It's not about strength. It's about control. Every single bit of chakra must obey you."
Sasuke remained silent for a long time. Finally, he walked toward the tree.
"I'll try."
Heavenly Dao nodded, clearly satisfied. "That's more like it."
And so, the morning at the Third Training Ground was filled with a repetitive rhythm.
Slap—Thud!
Again and again, Sasuke rushed toward the tree trunk, only to slide down and fall back. At first, he muttered curses under his breath, but as time passed, he fell silent. All that remained were uneven footprints etched into the bark.
Meanwhile, Heavenly Dao wasn't idle. He moved to an open space nearby and began practicing ninjutsu of his own.
Although his official department was the Farm Implement Research Squad, that title was little more than a façade. In truth, their work revolved around integrating ninjutsu with technology—separated from Scientific Ninja Tools by only a thin veil.
As a researcher, Heavenly Dao had limited permission to view some of Konoha's stored ninjutsu. Not full access, of course, but enough to make use of practical techniques.
Previously, his chakra reserves had been too small to learn them effectively. Now, however, that weakness had been resolved.
Some might ask: since he already possessed the Sharingan, couldn't he simply copy techniques directly?
But what was the premise that allowed Chen Daozai to turn twenty dollars into thirty-seven million back then?
First, he had to have the twenty dollars.
Heavenly Dao couldn't rely on copying everything mid-battle without a foundation. Without basic mastery, copying was nothing more than empty potential.
So, he carefully selected techniques with high practicality.
The first was Shadow Clone Jutsu. The version classified as a Forbidden Jutsu was Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, capable of producing dozens or even hundreds of clones at once. The simplified version—the standard Shadow Clone—had always been available for learning in Konoha.
The others were Water Release: Water Severing Wave and Lightning Release: Lightning Strike. One functioned primarily as a defensive technique, while the other was a mid-range control skill with respectable offensive power. Together, they significantly boosted Heavenly Dao's current combat capabilities.
He already had considerable talent for learning techniques. After obtaining both the Uchiha and Hyuga bloodlines, progress came to him as naturally as water flowing downstream.
Before he realized it, the sun had begun to set.
Konoha Village was dyed in deep shades of orange and red. Dust drifted across the Third Training Ground, glowing softly in the afterglow.
Sasuke stood halfway up the tree trunk, panting lightly. Sweat dripped from his chin, but he didn't dare relax.
He knew that the moment he lost focus, the chakra he had painstakingly gathered at the soles of his feet would dissipate.
Heavenly Dao stood beneath the tree, hands in his pockets, looking up with a faint smile. "Not bad. You managed to stand steady for three whole seconds today."
Sasuke didn't respond. He jumped down lightly. Though there was still a faint sound when he landed, it was far quieter than the heavy thud from earlier that morning.
"Let's go," Heavenly Dao said, patting his shoulder. "You've trained all day. Time to eat. I know a place with pretty good food."
"I can keep practicing," Sasuke tried to refuse, but his stomach betrayed him with a loud growl.
He stiffened, then nodded silently, his expression cold but his cheeks tinged faintly red.
The two walked side by side through the village streets. The chirping of cicadas gradually faded, replaced by the gentle rustle of the evening breeze.
Soon, they arrived at an unremarkable little shop. The storefront was modest, but the four characters on the sign—Ichiraku Ramen—were worth their weight in gold in Heavenly Dao's eyes.
Thanks to the tireless promotion by the original protagonist, Uzumaki Naruto, this place ranked at the very top of any transmigrator's must-eat list.
There weren't many customers inside. The owner, Ichiraku, had nothing to do with the Ōtsutsuki clan—just an ordinary middle-aged man with a friendly face. When he saw Heavenly Dao, he smiled.
"Yo, brought a newcomer again?"
"The usual," Heavenly Dao said as he sat down and pulled Sasuke to the counter. "One tonkotsu ramen with a soft-boiled egg. My treat—don't be shy."
Sasuke sat quietly. His eyes never left Heavenly Dao's face. "I'll have the same."
When the bowls arrived, steaming hot, Sasuke didn't touch his chopsticks. After a moment, he spoke.
"Do you really think tree climbing is useful?"
Heavenly Dao picked up some noodles and blew on them. "When you jumped down from the tree just now, didn't your body feel lighter?"
Sasuke froze.
"Punch me," Heavenly Dao said calmly, setting his chopsticks down.
Sasuke frowned, but he stood abruptly. His right fist shot forward like lightning—only to be stopped effortlessly by Heavenly Dao's hand, mere centimeters from his nose.
The block was expected, but Sasuke's expression turned complicated.
He felt it.
His strength hadn't increased, but his chakra flowed more cleanly, more efficiently. Every bit of energy was going exactly where it needed to go.
Sasuke lowered his head and finally began eating. After a moment of silence, he asked quietly, "Why are you helping me?"
"Good question," Heavenly Dao replied, stirring his noodles and carefully picking out the cilantro. "I'm still trying to figure that out myself."
This time, Sasuke wasn't provoked. He looked straight into Heavenly Dao's eyes.
"Do you know that man… Uchiha Itachi?"
"I've heard the name," Heavenly Dao answered honestly. "A former Uchiha genius. A rogue ninja of Konoha. The man who slaughtered his clan. But what does that have to do with me?"
Sasuke's grip on his chopsticks tightened. His brows drew together—then, suddenly, he laughed.
"It doesn't matter. Whatever your purpose is, whatever you want—you can take it."
"As long as you give me strength," he whispered. "Strength enough to kill that man."
His voice was soft, yet it cut through the air like a blade.
Heavenly Dao didn't respond immediately. He calmly finished his last bite of noodles before looking up.
"Your aura is impressive."
"Then," he continued casually, "could Your Highness Sasuke lend this humble one thirty million yen?"
"What?" Sasuke froze.
"Thirty million yen," Heavenly Dao repeated naturally. "I'm planning to forge a chakra metal blade, but I'm short on funds. You said I could take whatever I wanted—surely you're not going back on your word already?"
"I'm so broke I've considered embezzling Konoha's public funds," he added cheerfully. "If I get caught, there'll be no one left to guide you, Sasuke-kun."
"…Boring," Sasuke muttered.
He finished the last drop of soup, swallowing even the lingering fragrance of the soft-boiled egg.
[Mission Complete: Obtained Uchiha Sasuke's Initial Recognition]
[Mission Reward: Two-Tomoe Sharingan has been issued. Please claim it promptly.]