A single-player post-apocalyptic game, but with an all-female teammate mod.

But today, perhaps because the hostess and hostess were absent, the rest of the people seemed to have become hesitant and restrained.

They reached a tacit understanding: neither of them knocked on the door, and they even ate and spoke more quietly.

The atmosphere at breakfast was much quieter than usual, with everyone talking in hushed tones about the growth of the crops in the fields and the supplies they had recently collected.

His gaze occasionally swept over the two still-closed doors, then he casually looked away.

After finishing their meal, everyone dispersed according to their previous assignments.

Those who went out to clear maps went out, those responsible for farming went to the farm, and even Coco and Asagi, who were researching economic and network systems, quietly went to the quieter office.

It wasn't until noon, after all the girls had finished lunch, that the bedroom door creaked slightly.

Aono walked out with messy black hair, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, as if they had just been tempered by electricity.

Ying followed behind him, her steps still steady.

However, her usually expressionless face seemed to reveal a subtle hint of satisfaction and rosy cheeks.

Neither of them spoke. They hastily ate a few bites of the cold food and headed straight for the training room located deep in the basement.

"Thousand Thunder Throne..."

Upon entering the training room, where all external noise was blocked out, Aono couldn't help but whisper the name of his talent.

As soon as he woke up, he couldn't wait to experience his new talent.

Like him, or rather, she had always been incredibly obsessed with cultivation.

So the two hit it off immediately, and after waking up and having a quick bite to eat, they went straight to the training room.

Aono sat cross-legged on the cold dojo floor, sensing the lightning element floating in the air.

In the past, when faced with these energies, he was like a blind student trying to understand an elephant; even when Ying taught him step by step, he could never grasp the essentials.

Not to mention precise control.

But now, the situation is completely different.

The talent 【Throne of Ten Thousand Thunders】 is like having a highly efficient "translator" and "receiver" installed inside his body.

The previously obscure and difficult-to-understand power of lightning has now become clear and understandable.

With just a glance or a simple gesture, Ying could convey Qingye's meaning.

"Okay."

Ying raised her right hand without any hesitation, and the surrounding air instantly became hot.

Purple electric snakes leaped out of thin air, gathering in her palm and transforming into a ball of lightning that was both violent and docile.

Aono stared at the purple light.

In the past, even if he used chakra to imitate it, it would probably take him half a month.

But now, he was almost subconsciously mobilizing the energy within his body.

Sizzle—!

Blue lightning erupted from his palm first, and almost instantly, his chakra nature changed to lightning.

Immediately following, guided by the [Throne of Ten Thousand Thunders] talent, the free-floating lightning elements from the outside world began to surge towards him, joining the ball of blue lightning.

The two types of lightning power intertwined, collided, and merged...

In just a few breaths, a ball of lightning similar in shape to the one in the Shadow's hand appeared in Aono's hand.

Although the color is bluish and the oppressive aura is far less suffocating than that of a shadow, the essence is already close.

"Is this what it feels like to be talented...?"

Aono stared blankly at his palm.

Next, the "Lightning Release Chakra Mode," which had troubled him for a long time and which he had only barely grasped after researching it, was successfully mastered in a similar manner.

It's very simple. Just learn how to use lightning to temper and strengthen yourself.

Of course, this simplicity is based on the premise of having talent.

This feeling of understanding things instantly, even without a teacher, almost became an addiction for Aono.

"Next step……"

Aono's eyes gleamed with excitement, but he didn't rush to celebrate this small victory. Instead, he immediately turned his gaze to a more distant place.

Originally, according to the normal training schedule, the next step should have been to study the Eight Gates Formation.

This is the strongest taijutsu in the chakra system.

Forbidden techniques capable of unleashing several times or even dozens of times the power in a short period of time are incredibly powerful.

But now Aono has rejected this idea.

"The Eight Gates Formation is too inefficient."

He secretly made his own plans.

"Opening the Gate of Death can certainly unleash powerful combat strength, but that's risking your life. Moreover, to fully master the first seven gates, or even modify them to suit my physique, would probably take years."

Keep in mind that he has only been in this world for less than three months.

His gaze fell on the figure wielding the naginata alone, and a vague idea formed in his mind.

Specializing in physical techniques is the established direction, but rather than starting from scratch to study the Eight Gates, it would be better to leverage one's own strengths and study Sage Mode.

Once the thought arises, it can no longer be suppressed.

Even before he could control chakra, he realized that the so-called "natural energy" was likely just a general term for various external energies.

Naturally, the power of lightning is also a natural energy.

With the [Throne of Ten Thousand Thunders], he can easily absorb thunder-attribute energy from the external environment without worrying about backlash.

This completely eliminates the risks of cultivating Immortal Mode.

Secondly, Sage Mode is in no way inferior to the Eight Gates Formation. If we don't count the life-threatening attack, Sage Mode is far more powerful than the Eight Gates Formation.

It's even possible to cultivate it to its ultimate level and make it a permanent state.

Moreover, the Shadow, the God of Thunder, personally imparted his experience on how to integrate external lightning elemental power!

The more Aono thought about it, the more promising it seemed.

Unlike the traditional immortal mode, it does not require absolute stillness to draw upon natural energy, for fear of absorbing too much and being petrified.

Unlike Naruto, they don't need to rush to replenish their strength during breaks in battle.

His next focus will be on a modified, permanent version of the "Lightning Attribute Sage Mode"!

Once this idea is completed, he will be at his peak, his body wreathed in purple lightning, and his defense, attack power, and speed will all experience a qualitative leap.

Of course, Aono wasn't blinded by excitement.

He knew it was just a beautiful idea.

Aono glanced at the purple-haired older woman beside him who had put down her naginata and was taking a short rest, and felt a deep admiration for her.

Talent alone is not enough; hard work is also required.

As a demon god, Shadow also went through countless life-and-death trials and tribulations throughout his long life, and through persistent training, before he was able to use the power of lightning and martial arts to a superb degree.

The most critical problem now is that he knows nothing about the orthodox Sage Mode.

Those subtle techniques about balancing one's own energy with the energy of nature are key to success.

"It seems we'll have to rely on Tsunade again."

Aono frowned, the image of a blonde, busty female ninja flashing through his mind.

If she knew Sage Mode, even just a little bit of it could provide me with a huge amount of ideas.

If all else fails, I'll just have to rely on my memory of the Naruto storyline and keep trying and failing, slowly working my way up.

With that thought in mind, Aono took a deep breath and stopped hesitating.

He closed his eyes and fully activated the perception of the [Throne of Ten Thousand Thunders], trying to naturally absorb the thunder elements from the outside world into his body, just like breathing.

And it attempts to fuse with cells, just like a shadow.

In an instant, lightning flashed in the training room, and fine arcs of electricity coursed across Aono's body, producing a series of loud crackling sounds.

Ying watched quietly from the side, occasionally flicking a barely perceptible current with her fingertip when he went astray, helping him bring the out-of-control energy back on track.

This training lasted for several hours.

It wasn't until dinner time that Aono slowly opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Although it's still a long way from achieving "permanent immortal mode," this experiment has convinced him that it's a viable direction.

The atmosphere became a bit more lively around dinner time.

Everyone sat around the table, and Qingye wolfed down his food to replenish his energy.

Ying's performance was the same as usual, but the women could clearly feel that her aura as the main wife was stronger.

No, it should be said that no one can rival them.

Because she felt that irresistible force, just like Coco thought, some of her secret little thoughts naturally disappeared.

After dinner, Aono and Kazukage returned to the training room.

Having just acquired a powerful new talent, Qingye was now like a child who had received a new toy, and he developed a great enthusiasm for cultivation.

And it seems that this enthusiasm won't fade anytime soon.

Because the feeling of constantly getting stronger is just too fascinating.

Aono originally wanted to call Tsunade over to ask her about Sage Mode.

As a result, this guy who was just giving up pretended to be drunk while holding a bottle of alcohol, saying that he was tired and refused to "work overtime" no matter what.

Aono had no choice but to start researching it on his own.

Once things at the farm are settled, I'll bring Tsunade over to mentor me.

Although Tsunade didn't come, there was still one more person in the training room.

"Chuchun-chan, why aren't you resting?"

Seeing the adorable little Haruharu arrive at the training room, Aono curiously stepped forward and asked.

The girl twisted her fingers, shook her head, and said, "It's nothing, I just want to practice some more."

Although Chu Chun is soft and cute, and somewhat introverted in front of strangers, she is actually a lively and kind girl.

But she looked clearly not right today.

"what happened?"

Qingye noticed her unusual behavior, stopped cultivating, and asked gently, "You must be tired after a day of farm work?"

"Even though your level is high and your physique has been strengthened, you don't need to push yourself so hard. You should get more rest tonight."

Faced with Aono's concern, Haru finally couldn't hold back and chose to confess.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, and whispered, "Brother Qingye... I feel like I'm not of any use."

"Oh?" Aono asked, somewhat surprised. "Why would you think that?"

"With Sister Bingli and the other three around, the exploration went very smoothly."

"At this rate, the map should be completely cleared in just one week."

Xiao Chuchun said somewhat sadly, "You were so looking forward to my talent being put to good use, but I can't improve my superpower level in a week, and even if I do, I don't know if I'll be able to use it."

After hearing this, Aono was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.

He reached out and gently patted Xiao Chuchun's head.

What are you thinking about?

Aono's voice seemed to carry a soothing power, "I'm looking forward to you, not putting pressure on you. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how far your superpowers will eventually evolve."

"Bingli and the others are perfectly suited for this level's extreme cold map. No, you should say they exist specifically for this purpose, but that doesn't mean your talents are worthless."

He patiently explained, "You have to think about it, we still have a long way to go. Temperature control can play a role in many situations, not just in keeping warm."

Aono paused, his gaze becoming deep.