Chapter 126: Turning Points

Two months had passed since Yagura's test.

Ren's training had continued relentlessly. His daily routine remained ruthless—running at dawn, strength exercises, swimming, taijutsu training, and elemental chakra control. The added weight he now wore amounted to 35 kilograms, and his body was responding, adapting to the constant pressure.

What had once been an unbearable challenge now felt almost natural.

But it wasn't just his physical endurance that had improved.

Thanks to the strategic use of two shadow clones at a time, his mastery of ninjutsu was growing at an impressive rate. With the clones sharing the workload, his ability to analyze, experiment, and correct mistakes had increased exponentially.

Yet, it still wasn't enough.

In his laboratory, hidden in the basement of his mother's shop, Ren worked with meticulous attention. The dim lantern light flickered over workbenches covered with scrolls, notes, and glass vials containing unknown solutions.

Before him, a small white rat twitched slightly as he steadily injected it with a solution of the serum obtained from Glycina Nebula.

An experimental formula. An attempt to enhance the mitochondria's role to increase both vitality and chakra reserves.

Ren narrowed his eyes, watching closely for any reaction.

"If this solution finally works, it would be a major breakthrough for my research..."

The potential was enormous.

A serum capable of increasing chakra production could make the difference between victory and defeat in battle. If perfected, it would become a secret weapon to carry with him, an emergency reserve for desperate situations.

But before getting too excited, he needed concrete results.

After carefully placing the rat back in its cage, his mind returned to analyzing his own progress.

"The Water Release: Water Spikes is mastered," he thought. "But it's nowhere near Ganryu-sama's level. I still need a water source, while he can generate it directly from the moisture in the air. And then there's my execution speed..."

He took a deep breath.

Too slow.

That was the most severe flaw. Speed decides battles. Even the most powerful technique is useless if it can't be executed in time.

He needed more practice. More refinement. More control.

In the opposite corner of the room, his two shadow clones were deeply engrossed in studying an ancient scroll.

The Small Mirror Technique—an advanced and complex jutsu, still not fully understood.

The interaction between reflections and water surfaces, the way chakra altered perceptions—every detail of the technique seemed elusive, almost intangible. But with two clones dedicated to deciphering every passage, the analysis was progressing at an accelerated pace.

In the silence of the room, the only sound was the slow dripping of water from one of the test tubes onto the cold stone of the workbench. The air was thick with the scent of herbs, minerals, and fresh ink.

"If I can master this technique, it could become my greatest tool."

He gripped the pen between his fingers, adding new annotations to his research journal.

Improve defense.Strengthen illusions.Execute an offensive application.

A faint tick-tick-tick echoed in the lab—the sound of the rat's claws scratching against the metal bottom of its cage. Ren lifted his gaze from his notes, watching the creature intently.

The effects of the Glycina Nebula serum were manifesting rapidly.

The rat, which had previously moved with its usual sluggishness, now seemed hyperactive. It frantically ran along the edges of the cage, its tiny paws almost skimming the metal walls with unusual agility.

Ren narrowed his eyes, analyzing every movement.

"When taken orally, it showed no visible symptoms, but with the injection..." he murmured, quickly noting the changes.

The rat's pupils were dilated, its muscles tense. Every fiber of its body seemed to be in a state of hyperstimulation. Its paws moved faster than normal, as if the creature was unable to manage the sudden surge of energy coursing through it.

Then, in an almost eerie gesture, the rat began hurling itself against the cage walls.

A strike. Then another. Then another.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It leaped frantically, pushing off with abnormal strength, desperately seeking an escape. Each impact made the small metal enclosure vibrate, as if it were possessed by an uncontrollable impulse to flee.

Ren stepped closer, observing carefully.

"It seems to have an energy surplus it can't dissipate..."

The realization hit him instantly. The serum was increasing mitochondrial activity, providing an extra energy reserve—but without a mechanism to regulate it. The rat's body was working too fast, without having time to adapt to the sudden increase in vitality.

The rat continued to run, its small ribcage rising and falling rapidly.

Too rapidly.

Then, suddenly—

It stopped.

Its breathing became irregular, its chest rising and falling with uncontrollable spasms. Its paws trembled violently, unable to support the weight of its own body.

And finally...

One last gasp.

Then nothing.

Ren remained still, the sudden silence filling the room, louder than the chaos just moments before.

"Damn it... the dosage was too high."

He ran a hand over his forehead, feeling a slight frustration build inside him.

He had failed.

But fortunately, he had tested it on a rat first.

Slowly approaching the cage, he observed it with cold, analytical eyes. He needed to understand exactly what had gone wrong.

The stimulation had been excessive. The rat's heart couldn't withstand the increase in metabolic activity. It wasn't just a matter of excess energy—it was the lack of a discharge mechanism. The body had received too much chakra and vitality at once, with no way to release it.

An idea crossed his mind.

"Maybe... a calming component could stabilize the energy release."

But which one?

He turned toward his shelves, his brain already processing possible solutions. Maybe an extract of Sanzashi root? Or a regulatory agent, something that would release more gradually?

Failure didn't discourage him. On the contrary, it pushed him to find a better solution.

He clenched his fist, closing his eyes for a moment.

He wouldn't let a simple mistake stop him.

[Thanks everyone specially Jayroy_63 ,Sami_Alfoheday, BagusPardana, thefarmerboy007_7, Darkosiris_Lopez, Alexx_Sejas, Werty_9247, RyuB201, shadowborn, Yasmin_Silva_3876, RyuB201, DaoistVVm1Vi, DaoistDW5XU4, Acnol,DaoistSEsItM,bndr, RyuB201, VanHellsing6969, Daoist710883, LevinCloth, Daoist0thxiB, bndr, AKIB19,LevinCloth, DaoistAZmi17,Alexx_Sejas, Morgoph, Strandarn, Nonymous_H, Ikaro_Rodrigues, Misteriboi, AKIB19, Abdul_Salam_FASAMI, shadowborn, DarkGambit, Miguel_024 and Meltis_Pach!

 Sincerely Thanks and remember about the Power Stones, these are the motivation for my work :) ]