Chapter 49

"Hey folks, how's it going?" I called out to the clones busy with the same task.

"So far, same old," shrugged the nearest one.

"I have a theory," chimed in another. "Despite this jutsu's low level, it requires deeper manipulation of chakra into Doton and spreading it through the surrounding earth."

"And why is that important? Transformation is still done through seals," I shrugged.

"True, but here it's not just transformation; it's also about controlling the released transformed chakra, and we're not doing so well with that."

"Hmm, true. Looking at it from that angle, burrowing into the ground requires control," I scratched my head, grasping the idea.

"I don't think we'll master the technique quickly, but with each attempt, we manage to sink a bit deeper," observed the same clone.

"By a couple of millimeters," I confirmed grimly, "how much longer until we can use it properly this way?"

"Well, we've struggled with Fire and Wind jutsu a lot too, but we did achieve results eventually, so why don't you go focus on something more productive while we keep plowing ahead."

"Alright, I'll go check on Saya."

I love my clones, especially when they have the right attitude!

  ***

"Hmm, not bad-looking cream at all. I plucked a couple from the tree and popped them into my mouth. Yum yum. Juicy and sweet to taste! I think it's time to harvest part of the crop and start making some liqueur. Considering the tree has grown significantly in just three years, the harvested yield should now be enough not only for eating.

Just learning about the scarcity of local alcohol production, I immediately got the idea of making moonshine for personal use. Fortunately, making vodka at home for a fuinjutsu user isn't particularly difficult, and I've been familiar with the process for a long time in detail, especially since there are plenty of trees around. However, I definitely didn't enjoy drinking vodka or even sake neat, but various tasty cocktails...

Now that's something else! So convincing Ma to plant plums in our garden as an addition to apples, cherries, apricots, and peaches turned out to be easier than expected. The first proper harvest came out just last year, when I managed to make the first bottle of plum liqueur. Making it isn't much of a hassle—press some ripe plums, add sugar, and pour in some vodka.

Just have to wait a month or two, and voila, plum liqueur that beats many liqueurs in taste, and it's completely natural! I even thought about starting an alcohol production, but then discarded the idea—let this drink be a reminder of my past home. Unfortunately, the locals here don't really appreciate the idea of drinking; sake is the most popular way to unwind and relax. Well, not surprising with such a profession.

For me, alcohol serves as a nerve tonic and something tasty during celebrations. If I'm going to drink something, it has to be delicious and inherently beneficial, or at least not too harmful. And for that, a little effort is required. With such an excellent tool as chakra at my disposal, even the simplest process can be spiced up with a bit of imagination. So far, I've only shared my moonshine-making experiments with Ma, but she really enjoyed it.

Perhaps it's best not to offer tasting to anyone else—they'll demand more, and I only have a couple of bottles in reserve for emergencies; the rest gets quickly dispatched in family circles for various occasions. Saya even stopped buying sake, although she used to enjoy polishing off a bottle or two for a melancholic mood or while browsing through her old photos with Ryuta.

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