This is the third time I have seen snow in Konoha. This winter is a little colder than usual.

When Mizuki finally locked the office door and walked out of the security department, it started snowing heavily outside again.

The overwhelming chill made Shuimu once again think of using the Flying Thunder God Technique to go home directly, but after changing his mind, he gave up this plan.

Lately I've been feeling more and more disconnected from the world.

This is not an unfounded worry. Since the convenient space-time ninjutsu has been invented, the convenience of being able to reach the destination directly for anything is indeed very good, but some practical problems brought about by this cannot be ignored.

No one knows exactly where Shuimu is, and when there is nothing important, no one will think of Shuimu.

Sometimes even Xiaochun doesn't feel weird about her sudden appearance.

Basically, Shuimu is outside of everyone's consciousness. This is different from the neglect caused by position, personality, etc., but more like an unconscious alienation from people who are different from the norm.

Mizuki, realizing this problem, began to change his lifestyle.

Unless it is extremely urgent, Shuimu will not use the Flying Thunder God Technique for short-distance transportation.

Even if it is really necessary, I would try to disappear suddenly in a corner where no one notices me, so as to avoid making people feel that I am different and different.

"Habits are hard to change. After such a long time, I still unconsciously want to be lazy!"

Shuimu smiled self-deprecatingly, stepped on the snow on the road that was up to his ankles, and walked home in the heavy snow flying all over the sky.

Shuimu saw many people like him who were rushing on the road in the snow. From time to time, some reckless people fell on the slippery road, and one guy even bumped into Shuimu's shoulder as he passed by.

In addition, Mizuki also saw a drunk man with a red face staggering and falling on the side of the road, and was rescued by two members of the security department on duty.

In the freezing cold weather, most people stay at home, but the famous Ichiraku Ramen is still open. In the corner of the store, you can see a little snowman full of childishness, which may be a prank by a naughty kid.

"When the snow stops, I can bring Xiao Meixing out to make a snowman!"

Shuimu smiled, lifted the door curtain and walked in...

"Welcome... Hey, guest, you haven't been here for a long time!"

Shuimu found a seat and sat down casually:

"Uncle's business is not doing well either!"

"It's normal that the weather is bad, especially since some noisy guys don't come here often, it feels a lot quieter!"

This must be referring to Uzumaki Naruto, who will be back in a few months.

"Or would you like seafood udon?"

"Well, if you have any, give me one and take it away! Uncle, you have such a good memory, it's hard not to have a booming business!"

It’s not easy to still remember the food that Shuimu ordered two years ago. Most people are lucky enough to remember its appearance.

"Thank you for your good words!"

The uncle turned around and shouted inside.

"Acorus, prepare the ingredients!"

…

When Mizuki returned home, his head and shoulders were covered with a layer of snow.

"It's still warm at home!"

No matter how much experience one has, it cannot change people's nature of seeking comfort. Staying with wife and daughter is always much more pleasant than boring practice and work.

But ninja is, after all, a profession that sells force. Knowing the cruelty of war, they understand the value of peace even more and desire stronger power to protect this hard-earned peace.

"How's the training I told you about a while ago going?"

It's been a few months, and I don't know if there's any progress on letting Tsubaki spend more time training in ninjutsu.

“I haven’t missed anything, but I still feel like I haven’t made much progress!”

"Um!"

Mizuki responded.

For adult ninjas, this is the norm. It is basically impossible for them to have the kind of rapid growth in strength that they experienced during their growth period.

"Can you take a look at this?"

Mizuki took out a scroll and handed it over.

"What is this... a psychic contract?"

For a moment, Xiaochun thought that Shuimu took out some new summoning beast.

"That giant bear of yours is very useful and can help a lot. And the spiritual power provided by a large group of jellyfish is also very beneficial for sealing techniques. The other things are no longer needed."

“This is different!”

Mizuki smiled and shook his head.

“Try it first!”

Xiao Chun bit her index finger doubtfully, placed her own handprint on it, and then quietly experienced the changes happening in her body!

"What's this?"

After realizing the existence of something, Xiaochun formed seals with his hands, and then a ball of red chakra surged out, instantly enveloping Xiaochun's entire body.

"Try to control it."

Xiaochun followed his instructions and released his perception, trying hard to change the form of the red chakra.

"Why is it so hard to control?"

Although he lacks the ability to control chakra finely, those who can comprehend the blood limit on their own can only make the chakra that wraps around themselves like a burning red flame shake slightly!

"It looks like the contract was successful."

Mizuki nodded.

Mizuki couldn't guarantee whether it would be successful to use the sealed half-tailed beast as the summoning subject, but it was great that nothing went wrong in the end.

"Practice controlling this chakra when you have time. If you can reach this level, it will be considered a success."

Mizuki said as he spread out his left hand, and a ball of crimson tailed beast chakra appeared in his palm, then quickly condensed and shrank to form a rotating chakra ball, and finally turned into a golden Rasengan covered with black sealing patterns.

"Magnetic Release: Rasengan, if we can get to this point, it should be enough."

There is still nearly a year from now until Pain attacks Konoha Village, and it is unclear to what extent Xiaochun will be able to practice.

But as long as the senjutsu chakra can be passively formed, some of the more dangerous ninjutsu can be safely used by Xiaochun.

Improving combat effectiveness is secondary; better self-preservation capabilities are the most important.

As for being able to feel the natural energy freely or even enter the immortal mode, Shuimu doesn't count on it, just let it be!

"Could this be the chakra of the tailed beasts? But why does it feel so gentle?"

Most of the ninjas who had experienced the Nine-Tails' attack on their village had some vague intuition about the tailed beasts, so it was not surprising that Xiaochun knew this.

"I tamed a tailed beast clone."

"ah……"

Although I knew that Mizuki was very strong, I didn't expect that the thing he casually took out would be the tailed beast chakra.

"I will practice hard!"

They agreed to face the future together, but Xiaochun felt a little lost because he was left far behind.

"Don't be too anxious. It's impossible to achieve success in one go!"

"Telling me this at this time, does it mean that the danger that you have been worried about is not far away?"

“That’s about it!”