"Tsk tsk, what a little sly one."
Takumi couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Compared to Kurotsuchi's depressed expression when being scolded, the effect was even better.
[Feeling your body's sturdiness had risen another level.]
[You sought out Kurotsuchi again to help you test it.]
[Learning from last time, Kurotsuchi didn't use full power immediately.]
[Instead, she gradually increased the level and power of the Ninjutsu.]
[The final test result was that you could now ignore all Ninjutsu performed by Genin.]
[However, Ninjutsu of B-Rank or higher performed by Chunin could still pose a threat to you.]
['I'm still young; I have plenty of time to grow.' You were very satisfied with this, because you were only a five-year-old child.]
[You had a lot of time in the future to improve yourself.]
[And as your body's sturdiness increased, you believed that one day you could forge a body harder than steel.]
[For you, you just needed to improve step by step.]
'Indeed, can't be impatient.'
'Although the effect is obvious, it's also a gradual process.'
'Being too impatient might instead hinder the pace of improvement.'
''Sharpening the axe won't delay the chopping'… we should still respect the wisdom of the ancients.'
Takumi nodded silently, giving Little Takumi's attitude a thumbs up.
[After eating the Black Ironwood, you believed your bite was very powerful.]
[So, you turned your gaze towards something you couldn't touch before: stones.]
[But when you picked up a roadside stone and put it in your mouth, you immediately understood the difference between stone and bark.]
[No matter how sturdy bark is, its nature determines it won't make you break your teeth.]
[But stones can.]
[You unfortunately entered your teething period.]
[Although there were Ninjutsu aids, this period still lasted nearly half a year.]
[During this year, you couldn't challenge yourself, only continuously eating things you had eaten before to slowly improve your body's sturdiness.]
[Although unwilling, you could only helplessly accept it.]
'This really is an unexpected misfortune.'
'But it's normal… everyone goes through a teething period.'
'And reducing a teething period that could last several years to just half a year is pretty good too.'
Although Takumi said this, it was just words of comfort.
It is not sure if he was comforting the simulated Little Takumi or himself.
This half-year wasn't too long, but not too short either.
If Little Takumi could have continued challenging himself during this half-year, his body's sturdiness would probably have risen another level.
[After the last tooth-breaking incident, you knew you couldn't challenge very hard stones yet.]
[What was before you now were still other things that were both sturdy and had toughness.]
[Namely, other sturdy trees.]
[And Onoki timely placed another type of tree, even harder than Black Ironwood, in front of you.]
[This tree was called Lignum Vitae, its wood very beautiful, like green bird feathers.]
[It was one of the high-grade materials for making furniture, and also extremely sturdy wood.]
'It does look quite beautiful.'
Looking at the few pieces of furniture made from Lignum Vitae shown in the simulation, they indeed had a very natural green luster, not bright but very pretty.
'Maybe I can get a set of furniture made from similar material when I have the chance.'
'It would probably look very tasteful.'
Imagining future furniture arrangements, while also fantasizing about several girls by his side, living a happy and fulfilling life, Takumi couldn't help but let his mind wander.
After a good while, he snapped back to reality.
The simulation was still continuing.
[After your attempt, Lignum Vitae was indeed very sturdy, but not to the extent of being unbiteable like when you first encountered Black Ironwood and Patagonian Rosewood.]
[After such a long period of training, your bite force was already very impressive.]
[Although it was still effortful, at least it didn't take one or two days to eat one piece.]
[This led to you spending only half a month before you could eat Lignum Vitae like a snack, casually consuming it.]
[Onoki marveled at your talent, then presented several other types of wood known as the hardest that he had prepared.]
[Snakewood, Acacia, Guaiacum, Quebracho, etc.]
[However, except for the final Quebracho, you could easily eat the others within half a month at most.]
[Only the Quebracho took you a full month to successfully eat easily.]
[By this time, your body's sturdiness could already ignore all Ninjutsu performed by Chunin.]
[Even facing B-Rank Ninjutsu performed by Jonin, you had no fear, though Ninjutsu above A-Rank still posed a threat to you.]
[Not to mention those unbelievable Forbidden Techniques, which were currently beyond your resistance.]
'Already able to resist most Ninjutsu?'
Takumi looked surprised.
Just a year ago, he could barely block a Chunin's B-Rank Ninjutsu.
But now, he could take head-on a Jonin's B-Rank Ninjutsu.
That improvement speed was too fast.
But what to eat next?
After all, he has finished eating the hardest trees.
So next...
[To continue improving your body's strength, you planned to resume the unfinished challenge from last time.]
[Eat stones. Eat hard stones.]
[Then eat metal.]
[Currently, the sturdy metals that could be refined in the Shinobi World were only copper and iron.]
[It could be said that after safely eating these two things, you could be considered ready to make your debut.]
[But before that, you still had several hurdles to pass.]
[First, the first hurdle.]
[Talc, which is not very hard and can be scratched with a fingernail soon became your dessert.]
[Then Gypsum, which was also easily handled.]
[Then, a piece of diamond Kurotsuchi accidentally obtained.]
[The transparent diamond looked very beautiful and fragile, but when you actually tried it, you knew this wasn't something you could attempt yet.]
'Well, it's diamond after all. Trying to challenge diamond now is still too early.'
Takumi couldn't help but comment.
But it was understandable.
After eating so many hard objects, trying diamond was possible.
If you can't eat it now, save it for later when you can.
As the hardest naturally occurring substance in nature, diamond's hardness is famous.
[You stored the diamond away and continued trying stones of other hardness levels.]
[Calcite, Fluorite, Apatite, etc., were all easily conquered by you, making their contribution to your talent.]
[Glass, Crystal, Agate, etc., gave you some challenge, but after some effort, you still successfully ate them.]
[By now, you could ignore A-Rank Ninjutsu performed by Jonin.]
[Apart from encountering those freaks of the Shinobi World, you were practically an invincible existence.]
[But this wasn't enough. You wanted to become stronger. You could feel you hadn't reached your limit yet.]
[Because you hadn't managed to eat copper and iron.]
[After eating copper and iron, you still wanted to try the diamond you hadn't managed to gnaw through.]
[You were full of anticipation for your future.]
'I'm also full of anticipation.'
Takumi smiled.
Little Takumi was now eight years old.
Although not tall, his super-strong body gave him much greater strength than his peers.
[Deidara heard that your body was incredibly sturdy, but he believed his art was stronger.]
["Go ahead and try. If I move even one step, I lose." You were brimming with confidence, provocatively saying to Deidara.]
["You brat! Don't blame me if you die!" Deidara was angered by you. Originally planning a small test, he immediately brought out his specialty.]
[Deidara used Explosive Clay to create a several-meter-tall white clay doll. Then the clay doll erupted with violent light, engulfing you within it.]
["Wait!" Kurotsuchi couldn't stop it in time, reaching out anxiously from the side, but the explosion's blast soon threw her far away.]
["Oh no! The old man will kill me if he finds out!" Deidara regained his senses, his eyes filled with regret.]
[But then, his eyes widened in disbelief.]
[As the explosion dust cleared, you, completely naked, still stood straight on the spot.]
[Just as you said, you hadn't moved an inch, but your clothes couldn't withstand the explosion's power and turned to ashes.]
["Thank goodness!" Kurotsuchi, seeing you were fine, immediately breathed a sigh of relief.]
'This really is exceptional innate talent... no, this should count as acquired training, right?'
Takumi couldn't help but comment, while also feeling a bit envious.
Although his own wasn't small, Little Takumi was already that big at eight years old.
He would definitely be even bigger in the future.
As a man, who wouldn't want to be bigger?
[After this test, your strength was recognized by the village, but you weren't satisfied yet.]
[Because the village lacked reserves of hard ores and gems.]
[You and Kurotsuchi, using funds provided by Onoki, went around searching and buying them.]
[Once, at a gem auction house, you spotted a nicely priced piece of agate.]
[But someone else also had their eye on it.]
[You glanced at her and were surprised to find it was Terumi Mei from Kirigakure.]
[Although surprised, you bought it with money without hesitation, then ate the agate in front of her as if biting a soft candy.]
[Before Mei could show an angry expression, it turned into one of astonishment and disbelief.]
[Not just her, everyone around stared at you in utter amazement, especially the stall owner who sold you the agate, who was dumbfounded, his eyes glazed over.]