Restless Night, Big Plans

Haruto lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his body finally still after a day of grueling physical training. Normally, by the time he hit the mattress, he was mentally drained—his body, constantly pushed to the limit and healing as long as he consumed enough calories, was in a perpetual state of recovery. But after unlocking Tier 2 Cognitive Ability, his mind was sharper than ever, and no matter how hard he tried, it refused to shut down.

He had been taking it easy physically today, as his body needed to recover from the relentless push of his weight-seal training. The seal was one of the most critical parts of his regimen, allowing him to train his muscles constantly under increased pressure. Haruto had cranked it up to three times gravity when walking around the village. His body was recovering rapidly thanks to his improved stamina, so the extra pressure was necessary to push his limits.

The trouble was that while his body could recover quickly, his mind was now in a different league entirely. Normally, after a day full of physical training and mental exertion at the academy and hospital, Haruto would fall asleep easily, mentally exhausted from the strain. But tonight, it was different—his mind was buzzing. Every thought, every memory, was clearer and more vivid than ever before. His mind, supercharged by his recent reward, refused to quiet down.

He turned over, staring at the wall. This isn't working.

After tossing and turning for another hour, Haruto sighed and sat up. No point in lying here if I can't sleep. He swung his legs out of bed and walked across the small room, making his way to the kitchen. There was a pot of tea on the counter, and without thinking, Haruto set about making himself a cup. He liked tea—it helped him think.

As the water boiled, Haruto leaned against the counter, his thoughts racing in every direction. With this new cognitive ability, I can push myself even harder. Ideas flowed through his mind, plans forming one after another as he sipped the tea, letting the warmth soothe him.

First, he decided to dive into fūinjutsu—the art of seals. With his photographic memory, learning complex seals wouldn't be as time-consuming or difficult as it would have been before. He had always found seals fascinating, and now, with the ability to remember even the smallest detail of the intricate patterns, he could take on more challenging projects.

The thought of fūinjutsu opened up a world of possibilities. Haruto's mind began to churn with ideas for how he could enhance himself. He had already begun thinking of ways to push his physical training, but what if he combined medical ninjutsu with fūinjutsu? The concept had been floating in his mind for a while, but now it was becoming a real plan.

The idea was simple but ambitious: to improve his muscular and skeletal systems permanently. He knew about Tsunade's ability to enhance her strength by focusing chakra into her body, but what if he could raise his natural physical strength, not just rely on chakra enhancements?

With his enhanced memory, Haruto recalled everything he had ever learned about the human body. He could remember a documentary he had watched about muscles—how they repaired and grew stronger after being torn and stressed. He had read medical books on muscle function and the way the skeletal system adapted to strain. Now, every bit of information was crystal clear, and the idea of using this knowledge to improve his base physicality was more than exciting—it felt possible.

He wanted to be different. Why limit myself to just enhancing my strength with chakra? he thought. What if I make my baseline strength and durability higher? The chakra enhancements would only serve to make him even stronger after that. He imagined his muscles and bones growing denser and stronger, giving him a physical edge even without relying on chakra all the time.

Haruto's mind whirled with possibilities as he started crafting the framework of a plan to test out this theory. He would need to study more fūinjutsu and medical ninjutsu, but now, with his ability to retain and process information faster, it would all come together sooner rather than later.

By the time Haruto finished his tea, only an hour had passed, but he already felt like he had mapped out months of future progress. This could work. He was excited, maybe even a little too excited, to get started.

As the early hours of the morning crept in, Haruto finally returned to bed, though sleep wasn't any easier to find. His mind continued racing with ideas, plans, and possibilities. He lay there, staring at the ceiling, going over the intricacies of fūinjutsu patterns and recalling anatomical details that would help with his new project.

Eventually, he drifted into a light sleep, managing only about an hour of rest. But when he woke up, he didn't feel tired. Tier 2 stamina and Tier 2 cognitive ability worked together to leave him feeling refreshed, even with minimal sleep. Haruto sat up and stretched, his mind sharp and focused.

The academy would resume tomorrow, but Haruto was already thinking several steps ahead. This is just the beginning.Chapter 54: Restless Night, Big Plans