Next day

Ryosuke received a red envelope from Orochimaru in the afternoon.

Inside the red envelope were a thousand hairs, all from Kage-level clones.

After decomposing all these thousand hairs, he gained 950,000 experience points.

Coupled with the remaining 10,000 from yesterday, that's more than 960,000 experience points.

It's enough for Ryosuke to convert the attributes of the super god-level talent entry 96 times.

Last night, he had estimated the upper limit of super god-level talent entries with single-attribute, and double-attribute.

Today, he intends to test it himself to see if it aligns with his guesses.

As for collecting exp to synthesize supreme talent entries?

That can wait a day or two!

"Ryosuke, why do you look like you're not in a good mood?"

In the private box of the barbecue shop, Kushina placed a piece of grilled meat into Ryosuke's bowl, looking at her sullen boyfriend with a puzzled expression.

"It's nothing, I just encountered some frustrating things." He replied, shaking his head.

He did face an annoying setback.

Because in the afternoon, he spent 960,000 experience points, yet he still couldn't get the attributes he wanted.

In the entire afternoon, he had been refining a single talent entry—[Advanced Divine Body]!

Ryosuke was aiming for a 100,000% bonus attribute.

But despite his efforts all afternoon...

After spending 960,000 experience points, he only managed to boost the bonus to 90,000%!

He was still 10,000% short of his goal.

"I don't believe this… I'll continue tomorrow!"

Ryosuke decided to resume converting this attribute immediately once he received another 950,000 experience points the next day.

He had to perfect it.

What's a little more experience value?

Ryosuke wasn't lacking!!

Half an hour later, Ryosuke and Kushina had nearly finished eating.

Just then, Mikoto finally arrived at the box.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Mikoto apologized with a sheepish smile.

"Mikoto, you're too slow!"

Kushina's blunt personality made her incapable of sugarcoating things.

But it was precisely because of this that she and Mikoto had become best friends.

Otherwise, their relationship wouldn't be this close.

"I couldn't help it. Something urgent came up." Mikoto replied helplessly.

"What happened? Can you tell us?" Ryosuke asked curiously.

At this moment, he set aside the disappointment from earlier. After all, he'd already decided to try again tomorrow.

And besides—

Today wasn't a complete failure, was it?

At the very least, he had realized that the upper limit of dual attribute talent entries is at least 90,000%.

That was still progress!

Even if it had cost him 960,000 experience points…

Improvement always comes at a price.

So what if it took a ton of experience points?

Totally worth it!!

"It's nothing major. It's just that the situation on the frontline battlefield isn't looking good. Our Uchiha clan is sending reinforcements again, and this time… I'm on the list." Mikoto explained.

"Ah~! Mikoto, you're going to the battlefield?!" Kushina gasped, then quickly pouted with jealousy.

"That's so unfair! I want to go to the battlefield too!" She sulked, clearly unhappy.

Her best friend was heading to battle, yet she was stuck in the village every day.

How boring!

"Kushina, the battlefield isn't a playground." Mikoto said, exasperated.

She could already guess what was going through Kushina's mind.

But to be honest—

If she had the choice, she wouldn't go. But the clan had made its decision.

The Uchiha clan desperately needed to prove their strength.

And just recently, Mikoto had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. This made her the ideal candidate.

On the battlefield, Mikoto could use her Mangekyō's abilities to crush enemies and restore the Uchiha clan's prestige.

By then, would the village higher-ups still dare to suppress them?

But—

That wasn't the real reason.

The real reason was that Madara wanted her to gain experience.

After all, among the younger generation, she was the only one who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Madara was personally grooming Mikoto.

Especially after discovering her pupil technique's abilities—

He firmly believed Mikoto had the potential to become the strongest Uchiha after him.

Of course, the true strongest Uchiha would always be himself.

On this Madara was absolutely confident. After all, he had already awakened the Rinnegan.

There was no way he would lose to a junior.

After hearing that Mikoto would be deploying to the Kumogakure battlefield tomorrow, Kushina immediately bombarded her with questions.

Kushina had always been fascinated by war stories. But Mikoto herself had never been to the battlefield.

So, she couldn't exactly describe what it was like.

She could only promise to tell Kushina everything when she returned.

Later that night—

When the three of them left the barbecue shop, Kushina was reluctant to part.

"Mikoto, you have to be careful on the battlefield!"

"We made a deal—you have to come back and tell me all the exciting stories!"

Kushina grasped Mikoto's hands tightly, and for the first time, she looked genuinely worried.

After all, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly.

Even though Mikoto has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and possesses Kage-level strength, Kushina still couldn't help but worry about her safety.

"Don't worry, you know my pupil technique. I'll be fine."

Mikoto lightly patted the back of Kushina's hand, reassuring her.

Then, she subconsciously glanced at Ryosuke beside her.

"Be careful."

Ryosuke met her gaze and said.

"Mm."

Mikoto nodded slightly.

"I have to go. There are still some things I need to prepare."

"Alright! Ryosuke and I will see you off tomorrow morning!"

Kushina waved her hand, watching as Mikoto walked away. Then, she finally lowered her hand.

"Ryosuke, do you think Mikoto will be in danger?"

On the way home, Kushina clung to Ryosuke's arm, still anxious about Mikoto's safety.

"There shouldn't be any danger. Mikoto's pupil technique is one of the best for survival." Ryosuke reassured her.

But in reality, those words were just to comfort Kushina because the Kumogakure battlefield was no joke.

Everyone in the ninja world knew what those lunatics in Kumogakure were like.

They fought like their lives depended on it.

And their ninjutsu is exceptionally strong.

Especially their leader, the Fourth Raikage, who had just taken over.

If Mikoto ends up facing someone like him, her pupil technique alone might not be enough to save her.

After all, Mikoto's pupil technique had clear limitations.

And ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan users couldn't sustain their abilities for long.

Otherwise, it would only accelerate blindness!

Losing her eyes mid-battle…

That was not an option.

"No, I'm still worried about Mikoto."

Kushina still couldn't shake off her unease.

Then, she suddenly raised her head and looked at Ryosuke beside her.

"Ryosuke, you're so strong! Why don't you go to the front lines and protect Mikoto?" Kushina suggested.

"You… want me to protect Mikoto?" Ryosuke was caught off guard by her request.

"Yes!" Kushina nodded eagerly.

"Ryosuke, you know the Flying Thunder God Technique, right? If Mikoto is ever in danger, you can instantly teleport to her and save her!"

"I'm really worried about letting Mikoto go alone. If only I could go to the battlefield! If I fought alongside Mikoto, there would be no problem!" Kushina said confidently.

Ryosuke looked at her and thought to himself.

Wouldn't you actually be more of a problem if you went?

After all, with Kushina's hot-tempered nature, she was bound to cause trouble.

On the other hand, Mikoto was far less impulsive. And besides, Mikoto isn't going alone!

The entire Uchiha clan id sending reinforcements.

Not to mention the frontline troops already stationed there.

How did it suddenly become Mikoto all by herself?

In reality, Konoha had deployed many elite fighters to the Kumogakure battlefield.

Not just Kage-level ninjas like Jiraiya and Minato, but also top-tier ninjas like Ino–Shika–Chō!

If Kumogakure wasn't so powerful, and if Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki hadn't just been transferred, leaving them unable to deploy her—

This war might have already been won.

"Fine. I'll secretly protect Mikoto when the time comes."

Seeing how worried Kushina was, Ryosuke also felt that Mikoto's safety wasn't guaranteed on the Kumogakure battlefield.

So, he nodded and agreed to Kushina's request.

"But… since I agreed to protect Mikoto, shouldn't you promise me something in return?" Ryosuke suddenly smirked at Kushina.

"Huh?"

Kushina had a bad feeling.

She hesitated.

"W-Well… what do you want me to promise?"

Ryosuke leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

In an instant—

Kushina's face flushed bright red.

"N-No way! That's too…!"

Kushina instinctively wanted to refuse. But when she looked up and met Ryosuke's expectant gaze…

She suddenly felt guilty.

"T-Then… I'll agree to just one of them!" Kushina said.

"Deal!" Ryosuke agreed immediately.

He had never expected Kushina to agree to everything anyway.

After all, that kind of "advanced knowledge" was still too much for her to handle right now.

It had to be a step-by-step process.

And Ryosuke would personally help her learn those advanced techniques…

One step at a time.