Chapter 38: Balance Training  

"I really envy these three kids." 

Umino Yoru watched as Shukudō and his team trained diligently nearby, a pang of envy rising in his chest. Why didn't I ever have a Chunin captain who was this dedicated? Someone who would personally guide him, helping him grow stronger step by step? 

Ever since acquiring his subsonic sensory abilities—which had solved their patrol security issues—the entire squad had thrown themselves into intense training. 

Shukudō had recently mastered water-walking, significantly improving his chakra control. Now, he was practicing a new mechanized tool jutsu, and his progress was solid. At this point, he could already be considered a low-tier Chunin in terms of combat ability. 

Kosho, coming from a civilian family with average talent, surprisingly showed exceptional skill in chakra control. Unfortunately, without access to medical ninjutsu training, she had no choice but to keep grinding her chakra precision. 

Under Yoru's guidance, after exhausting her chakra with the only D-rank Lightning Release jutsu she knew, she moved on to Spire Balance Training. 

This training was an advanced chakra control method, following tree-climbing, water-walking, vertical cliff scaling, and waterfall treading. 

At first glance, Spire Balance Training seemed simple—sitting on a wooden plank balanced atop a sharp rock—but it was far from easy. It simulated unstable terrain in real combat, forcing the user to resist chakra interference and strengthen their emergency adjustment capabilities. 

The precision required was brutal: chakra distribution had to maintain an error margin below 1% to ensure even force distribution across the plank and prevent falling. 

"Who would've thought this training could also speed up chakra and stamina recovery?" 

Yoru was genuinely surprised. Logically, balance training should drain chakra and stamina, but once mastered, sitting on the plank in a meditative state actually restored both—albeit only 10-20% faster than normal. 

It wasn't usable in battle, but for training purposes, it effectively extended their practice time by nearly 20%. Over time, that difference would be massive. 

Plus, this method opened up new research possibilities. Unfortunately, with his current knowledge and jutsu repertoire, delving deeper wasn't a priority. Survival came first. 

Compared to Shukudō and Kosho's slow but steady progress, Inuzuka Ryō—born into the Inuzuka clan—had improved leaps and bounds. 

The B-rank jutsu he'd used against the Sand Chunin, Man-Beast Combination: Twin-Headed Wolf, was now something he could wield effortlessly. Lower-rank techniques like Fang Passing Fang, Four Legs Technique, and Beast Human Clone were even easier for him. 

Now, he was training in Fang Wolf Fang—an upgraded version of Fang Passing Fang. By merging with his ninja dog, Kotamaru, they transformed into a giant spinning drill, capable of piercing through almost anything. It was a full-fledged offensive B-rank technique. 

In a direct fight, Ryō had already surpassed Shukudō, solidifying his position as Chunin-level. 

"Sometimes, you just have to admit—bloodline talent is downright unfair." 

The same life-and-death battle had pushed them all forward, but some simply progressed further than others. And Ryō, as a clan-born shinobi, was one of those blessed with innate talent. 

"FANG WOLF FANG!" 

In the distance, Ryō and Kotamaru's chakras intertwined into a spiraling storm, crashing into a boulder like a black whirlwind of destruction. 

BOOM! 

The rock shattered, debris exploding outward as Ryō landed in a half-crouch, panting slightly. Kotamaru reverted to normal size beside him, while the ground beneath them cracked and cratered, fissures snaking toward the tree roots behind them. 

"He's improved again." 

Yoru narrowed his eyes. The Inuzuka clan's Beast Mimicry Ninjutsu was truly remarkable—not just advanced transformation, but also involving Yang Release. 

Using his Subsonic Radar Technique, he could peer straight through the mechanics of Ryō's jutsu. Unlike ultrasonic radar's penetration limits, subsonic waves had unmatched depth perception, allowing him to analyze every physiological shift during the technique. 

"If I'd had this back then, I wouldn't have wasted months grinding Transformation Jutsu just to mimic summoning creatures." 

For a moment, Yoru felt a twinge of bitterness. All that effort, and now he could instantly grasp the principles with a single scan? 

But then he shook his head. 

"No—if I hadn't trained Transformation Jutsu, I wouldn't have developed the Ultrasonic Radar Technique from studying water bats. And without that, I'd never have reverse-engineered Subsonic Radar from those tiger summoning scrolls." 

Just as he lost himself in thought, a shout snapped him back to reality. 

"Captain—eat this!" 

Shukudō, moving like a six-armed deity, hurled a barrage of kunai and shuriken with flawless precision, sealing off every escape route—even predicting Yoru's next steps. 

Too bad for him. 

With Ultrasonic Radar's absolute perception field, tactical traps like this were useless. Yoru dodged effortlessly. 

"All three of you—come at me." 

He waved a hand, exuding an "I'll take you all on" aura. It was the perfect chance to test their progress—and put Shukudō in his place, reminding him of the squad's hierarchy. 

"Ryō, main assault! I'll support! Kosho, adapt on the fly!" 

Shukudō immediately took command, slipping into his vice-captain role. Team synergy was fundamental—true teamwork meant amplifying each other's strengths, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. 

"FANG WOLF FANG!" 

Ryō and Kotamaru opened with their ultimate move—clearly, they'd learned from Yoru's teachings. No pointless chatter. If you know the enemy, strike fast and hard. 

Faced with a B-rank assault, Yoru had no choice but to retreat, activating a basic Body Flicker to evade.