Shadow Clone Cheat

"Mikoto, come play with us! Why are you always staying in the classroom?"

Just then, a loud redhead with a round pancake-like face appeared at the classroom door.

"Ah, Kushina... Sure, wait for me. I'll be right there!"

Kushina's appearance left Mikoto a little flustered.

"You, come here."

At that moment, Katsuo suddenly crooked a finger at her.

"W-what..."

Kushina blushed, at a loss, but she still obediently walked over.

Katsuo remained silent, making the atmosphere extremely strange. Kushina nervously lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes as she waited for his next words.

"Why do you keep sneaking looks at me?"

"!!!"

Both girls froze at the same time.

"Y-you... what did you say?"

Kushina asked uncertainly.

"I said, why have you been staring at me and sneaking glances lately?"

Katsuo looked at her and asked again.

"What nonsense are you talking about..."

Kushina's face turned bright red as she replied nervously.

"Answer me!"

Recently, Kushina had kept using the excuse of coming to see Mikoto to "peep" at him. He had caught her several times already...

"Pervert..."

Kushina suddenly threw a punch at him. Katsuo was standing close to her and had not been on guard at all. Unable to dodge in time, he was blasted into a puff of smoke by her fist!

"Shadow Clone!"

The two girls cried out at once.

In the Death Forest, far from the Academy.

Katsuo, wearing only white shorts, sat cross-legged beneath a waterfall. A roaring, heavy column of water poured down over his head. An almost transparent Chakra barrier enveloped his body, its thin "cloak" helping him withstand the crashing torrent!

This was the full-body advanced version of the Water-Walking Chakra Control Method, a Chakra control training method created by Katsuo himself!

Water Walking training involved steadily outputting Chakra through one's feet to stand on water. This training had a remarkably noticeable effect on improving Chakra control.

The advanced version Katsuo had developed recently increased the difficulty severalfold from the original foundation. He intended to steadily release Chakra from his entire body to resist the rushing waterfall, further training his control over Chakra.

It could also temper his body. The waterfall's impact was immensely powerful, and the Chakra cloak would be washed away after holding for only a short while. Then, the heavy waterfall would strike his physical body evenly, allowing Katsuo to achieve his goal of body tempering!

Unfortunately, my Chakra natures are Fire and Earth. I don't have the Lightning nature that the other clansmen possess. Otherwise, I could imitate the Raikage's Lightning Release Cloak. It could use electric currents to temper my body while also increasing my speed and attack power...

He even had the idea of imitating a Tailed Beast cloak!

While his thoughts wandered, he suddenly received the information transmitted when a Shadow Clone dispersed.

"Kushina! She really is the violent Red Hot Habanero. She attacks at the slightest disagreement..."

A flood of memories returned to his mind. Unable to maintain his Chakra cloak, the water once again washed over his entire body.

"Hm? This exhausted feeling again! I'm so weak, so tired... What exactly is going on?"

Katsuo stepped out from beneath the waterfall, breathing heavily. He felt as though something had gone wrong with his body.

Poof! Poof! Poof...

All around him, the Shadow Clones that had been training were dismissed. A huge amount of memories instantly flooded back into his mind.

Katsuo let out a muffled groan, and his mental state became incredibly exhausted as well.

He had begun using Shadow Clones for training two years ago. Aside from physical training, which could not be replaced by Shadow Clones, he had delegated nearly everything else—skills and proficiency training—to them. Over the past three years, he had improved enormously, all thanks to Shadow Clones!

He had unlocked a cheat!

This was the Shadow Clone cheat Kakashi taught Naruto!

Unlike the mental fatigue that came after massive amounts of memories were poured back into the original body, he felt that his body itself seemed to have developed some invisible yet serious problem!

Especially recently, he had actually begun to feel his bodily functions declining!

His hands and feet were slightly uncoordinated, he lacked strength, his fatigue had greatly increased, and his reactions had begun to slow. Sometimes, his mind was perfectly clear and his brain had clearly issued the command, yet his body would act a fraction too slowly!

"Why? My body is obviously still healthy, and my checkups have found nothing wrong. Why is this happening?!"

Katsuo suddenly dropped to his knees, gasping for breath as a weak, powerless sensation flooded his entire body.

"Where exactly is the problem?!"

He was a little afraid. His physical condition seemed to be worsening every day, and this unknown influence left him anxious and unsettled.

For someone who desperately craved strength and had devoted every effort to pursuing it, to suddenly one day clearly feel himself declining, then gradually losing his strength—this was the kind of blow he found hardest to accept.

"A problem with my body... Right, Tsunade! I need to find Tsunade!"

Not only was she proficient in all kinds of medical knowledge, she was also highly skilled in Medical Ninjutsu. She was widely acknowledged as a master healer in the ninja world!

Although her medical skills had not yet reached their peak, her reputation as a medical sage had already spread throughout Konoha!

By the time he found Tsunade, the sun had completely set. Katsuo found her in a bar.

The Sannin had gathered together again to drink and chat nonsense. At this time, their relationship was genuinely very close!

"Hm? You're looking for me?"

Tsunade was slightly taken aback when she saw Katsuo staring at her.

"Tsunade, I need to talk to you about something!"

"Hehe, what could you possibly need me for? Here, finish this cup first, then we'll talk!"

Tsunade teased him, pouring a cup of alcohol and handing it to Katsuo.

"There's something wrong with my body."

Katsuo spoke seriously, though he still took the drink and downed it in one gulp.

"What could possibly be wrong with your body? I used to think you'd have problems sooner or later, but your growth hasn't shown any issues these past two years. You really are an odd one!"

Tsunade said drunkenly. As she spoke, she drained another cup of sake and smacked her lips.

"Your body is extremely strong, far beyond others your age."

Orochimaru suddenly stated with certainty. He possessed snake-like heat perception, and at such close range, he could already sense the vigorous heat radiating from Katsuo. This was a body brimming with vitality—there was clearly nothing wrong with it!

"Little brother Katsuo, which part of your body has a problem? Hehe..."

Jiraiya was slightly drunk as well. He suddenly asked with a lecherous expression.

"Tsunade!"

Katsuo called out in a low voice. His expression was stern and serious, his large eyes fixed unwaveringly on Tsunade.

"Hehe... Heh..."

The smile on Tsunade's face gradually stiffened. Katsuo's low voice sobered Jiraiya up, while Orochimaru also snapped back to his senses at once!

"..."

Tsunade suddenly put away her smile, grasped Katsuo's wrist, and began examining his physical condition.

"Everything is normal."

Tsunade frowned, her expression gradually turning unpleasant. There was even a trace of hostility in the way she looked at Katsuo.

"I don't know what's wrong with my body either... Recently, every aspect of my physical condition has been declining. I can clearly feel it!"

"I can't precisely describe that feeling. If I had to put it into words, it feels like my bodily functions are gradually deteriorating, as though I've already started going downhill!"

"What kind of joke are you making?"

Jiraiya sneered. He felt that the brat was becoming more and more outrageous, taking things too far.