It wasn't easy, but after five to six hours of intense discussion, Haruto Saito finally obtained a Flying Thunder God Technique Card Fragment. Though he had only acquired a single fragment, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
It worked!
Using this method, as long as he had enough time, Haruto was certain he could master the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Even if it took several hours to get just one fragment, even if he could only obtain one per day, it was still an astonishingly fast speed.
After all, even though Namikaze Minato had a natural spatial affinity, he was still just a student—not even a full-fledged ninja yet. His understanding and knowledge of ninjutsu were quite limited. Compared to Terado, the gap between them was like heaven and earth.
But even so, Minato could still provide valuable insights that helped Haruto gain progress, and that was enough!
Even if it was just one fragment per day, in a hundred days, Haruto would have fully mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Mastering it in just a hundred days was absolutely unheard of!
"Let's go out and grab something to eat," Haruto suggested. He had things to take care of later that night, so there was no need to continue discussing the technique with Minato for now. There was no rush.
"Sure!" Minato agreed immediately. He was both hungry and exhausted, but his excitement kept him energized.
"Let's go!" Haruto pulled Minato up and led him outside. As they walked, he cautioned, "When we're outside, don't call me 'Teacher.' For now, keep our relationship private. I have enemies, and if they find out you're my direct disciple, you could be in trouble. You have no power or backing yet, and that would put you at risk."
"Understood," Minato nodded seriously.
"Good," Haruto continued as they walked. "By the way, you should take a leave of absence from the academy. The knowledge in the textbooks can be studied on your own. As for your strength, I believe you already have the ability to pass the graduation exam, so there's no point in staying. If you take time off, you'll have more freedom to train, and we can focus more on mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique. Once you're ready, I'll arrange a special graduation exam for you."
"Alright. I'll take a leave of absence," Minato agreed without hesitation.
He had no reason to stay in the ninja academy anymore. He had already promised Haruto that he would graduate early, and his desire to master the Flying Thunder God Technique was too strong to waste time at school.
One Hour Later
Anbu Base – Prison Cells
Haruto arrived on time. This time, he didn't bother with small talk and immediately began consulting Terado about the Breaking Barrier Technique. Terado didn't waste time either—he simply started explaining.
Five Days Later
The days passed in a blur. Every morning, Haruto underwent specialized training. In the afternoons, he discussed the Flying Thunder God Technique with Minato. At night, he sought out Terado to learn the Breaking Barrier Technique. This cycle repeated daily.
At this point, Haruto had accumulated six Flying Thunder God Technique Card Fragments and eighty-nine Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragments!
Although the number of fragments he earned each time varied, he consistently obtained more than ten every day, with little fluctuation.
Tonight, he was confident that he would gather the full one hundred Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragments!
Once again, under the cover of night, Haruto arrived at the Anbu base's prison cells.
This time, he entered the cell carrying a food box. After quickly finishing dinner with Terado, they immediately resumed their discussion.
Over the past several days, Terado had already taught Haruto everything he could. However, Haruto constantly pushed for deeper explanations, turning simple questions into complex discussions. Because of this, he always had new questions to ask.
Terado, despite his gruff nature, was surprisingly patient.
Or rather, this man had an unshakable will—he didn't seem to understand the concept of "annoyance." Since Haruto had freely given him the Secret Manual of Severing Harm, Terado felt no need to hold back any longer.
Ding! Host has gained new insights through an in-depth discussion with Terado. Obtained 'Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragment' x4.
Ding! Host has gained new insights through an in-depth discussion with Terado. Obtained 'Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragment' x3.
Ding! Host has gained new insights through an in-depth discussion with Terado. Obtained 'Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragment' x3.
Ding! Host has gained new insights through an in-depth discussion with Terado. Obtained 'Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragment' x2.
After four straight hours of discussion, Haruto had received four separate rewards, earning a total of twelve more Breaking Barrier Technique Card Fragments.
This brought his total to 101 fragments—he had enough!
"That's it. Terado-san, I sincerely appreciate your help," Haruto suddenly interrupted Terado, making it clear that he wasn't interested in hearing more.
"You should have given up earlier," Terado said with a smirk, shaking his head. "This technique isn't suited for you. But at least you didn't waste too much time before realizing it."
"Heh, who said I was giving up?" Haruto grinned, spreading his hands. "I've already mastered it. That's why I'm done here."
"You little brat, you sure have no shame," Terado scoffed. "You dare say something so ridiculous?"
"You don't believe me?"
"Why would I?"
"Come on, can't you have a little faith in me?"
"Who do you think you are? Even if Hashirama Senju were reborn, he wouldn't be able to master the Breaking Barrier Technique in just seven days. Why should I believe you?"
"Hmph! So you look down on me? How about we make a bet!" Haruto smirked, as if he was eager to prove himself.
Terado suddenly fell silent. His instincts told him that Haruto was acting suspiciously—almost like he was trying to provoke him on purpose.
Haruto was making another bet!
If Tsunade were here, no matter what Haruto said, she would definitely refuse to gamble with him. She might even warn Terado, telling him, Don't bet with that brat. He's got the devil's luck!
But Tsunade wasn't here.
And Terado didn't know about Haruto's past gambling victories.
Even though Terado sensed something was off, there was no way Haruto could have mastered the Breaking Barrier Technique in just seven days. It was impossible!
"What's the bet?" Terado finally asked after a pause.
"If I've already mastered the Breaking Barrier Technique, I win. If not, you win," Haruto stated simply.
"And the stakes?" Terado pressed.
Haruto thought for a moment, then his eyes flashed with a sharp glint. "If I win, you'll reveal an important intelligence report about Konoha to me."
"Oh? That's a big bet," Terado chuckled. He had always known Haruto's real goal was information, but he didn't mind. He was a prisoner—he knew his own situation well.
"So, do you accept?" Haruto asked.
"And if you lose?" Terado countered.
"I can't release you—that's beyond my authority. But I can promise you this: from now on, no one will try to force information out of you. You can just sit tight and wait for Amegakure to rescue you… if they ever come."
"Alright, I accept."
Terado agreed without hesitation. The terms were clear, and there was no reason to hesitate.
"You're doomed to lose!" Haruto grinned—then suddenly raised a hand to cover his mouth, coughing heavily.
At that moment, he silently activated the Breaking Barrier Technique Card, sending it into his mouth.
Biting down on the fragment, golden light erupted in his mind.
But Terado couldn't see any of it.