One week after the assassination attempt.
Sen accepted the two million in family dividends Danzo had paid as compensation. Now he was on the training field, having a friendly spar with Minato.
He wanted to test his "BUG exploit" plan.
"Minato, you learned Shadow Clone Jutsu in just a few days?"
Sen still found it a little hard to believe. It should have taken him around two weeks, but Minato had learned it in only a week.
He was twice as fast as me. Could it really be true that even geniuses had different levels of talent?
Minato scratched his head sheepishly as he recalled how he'd studied. "It wasn't that hard. You just sleep through class so often that you haven't kept up with the theory lessons..."
"Stop, stop, don't say another word." Sen waved frantically, hurrying to cut Minato off. "Before we start, I have two conditions. First, you have to use Shadow Clone Jutsu. Second, you have to surrender voluntarily at the end!"
Minato's face fell. "Huh? I've been practicing day and night for a whole week just so I could beat you! Now that I've learned it, I still have to surrender? Was all that practice for nothing?"
Sen wore a kindly smile and coaxed him patiently. "Minato, how can you be so petty? Think about it—who gave you the scroll? Besides, the Uchiha Clan is huge and powerful. We've got tons of ninjutsu scrolls.
"You've got Fire, Wind, and Lightning affinities, right? From now on, I'll cover the scrolls you need to learn before surrendering, buddy! It's no big deal, so don't sweat it."
Minato thought it over for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Minato formed a cross-shaped hand seal and strained for a while. A puff of white smoke later, he had produced... one Shadow Clone.
He scratched his head awkwardly. "I only just learned it, and I'm still not very good at controlling my chakra. I can only make one."
"Quit showing off, blondie! Go, Sen!" Kushina cheered from the sidelines. "Finish this quickly! We still have to take a nap at lunch!"
The fight began.
Sen soon felt the pressure.
He and Minato had been evenly matched in taijutsu, but now Minato had an extra fighter on his side. Sen was basically up against four hands at once.
If he hadn't been able to take a beating thanks to his Uzumaki Physique, he would've lost already.
Minato had an incredibly sharp battle sense. His main body launched a frontal assault while his Shadow Clone kept looking for a chance to circle around and attack from behind.
Minato seized an opening. His main body kicked upward, aiming straight for Sen's stomach.
Seeing the lightning-fast attack, Sen had no choice but to reflexively cover his stomach with both hands. Just as the blow was about to land, he suddenly felt his body tighten.
He glanced back and saw that the Shadow Clone had quietly circled behind him and was holding him in a tight grip.
Minato's battle instincts were incredible. He'd only just learned Shadow Clone Jutsu, yet he'd already figured out how to use it in a fight.
Unable to move, Sen could only watch Minato's fist loom larger and larger before his eyes.
"Stop!" Sen hurriedly called out. "Quick, quick, surrender!"
Minato pulled back his fist, dispelled his Shadow Clone, and scratched his head, pursing his lips. "All right. I promised, so I surrender."
[Minato surrendered voluntarily. Choose a trait to absorb: Shadow Clone Jutsu, Physique +1, Physique +1]
Sen was ecstatic! The plan worked! His tests of the system had been right!
As long as his opponent used a technique during the fight and then surrendered voluntarily, the system would count it as Sen's victory—and there was a good chance it would give him that technique as a reward!
The system would even optimize the technique before giving it to him. That was so much faster than optimizing it himself!
This BUG was practically tailor-made for Minato!
If only he could get everyone stronger than him to spar with him and surrender afterward. Madara Uchiha, Senju Tobirama, and the like...
But aside from Minato, there probably wasn't anyone else who'd be so easy to persuade...
Sen looked at Minato with a wide grin. He had to make sure he held on to this big catch!
Still grinning, he chose Shadow Clone Jutsu as his reward.
A vast flood of experience and memories surged into his mind, as if he'd practiced the technique tens of thousands of times.
Sen formed hand seals, and with two puffs, two Shadow Clones identical to him appeared behind him.
"Wow! You're amazing, Sen!" Kushina jumped up in amazement. "You made two clones on your first try! I knew you were better than that blondie!"
Looking at Sen's two solid-looking Shadow Clones, Minato was thoroughly convinced.
"Looks like you're the better one after all. Your Shadow Clones outclass mine in both number and skill. You really are my lifelong rival!"
Sen looked at the Shadow Clones behind him and unconsciously rubbed his nose with his index finger. It even seemed to grow longer. He spoke with an air of mystery:
"Of course. You have to understand that even geniuses have different levels of talent!"
He was even more certain of it in his heart:
After all, you geniuses only improve through training. Your progress is all superficial.
But I learn through the system, copying things step by step!
The difference is clear!
He even thought to himself: Looks like I'll have to work even harder from now on. As for how I'll do that, obviously I'll get Minato to learn more ninjutsu and spar with me. That way, I can steadily improve, one step at a time!
Having thought it through, he spoke to Minato earnestly:
"Minato, I remember you have Lightning Release Chakra too, right? How about practicing Lightning Release soon?"
Minato hesitated. "Wouldn't Lightning Release be much more complicated than Shadow Clone Jutsu?"
"What are you afraid of?" Sen put an arm around his shoulder and kept talking him into it. "You just learned Shadow Clone Jutsu. You can practice Lightning Release: Shadow Clone next!
"The principle's similar. For a genius like you, it'll be a piece of cake, right?"
Come on, you're the future Yellow Flash. How could it make sense for you not to learn Lightning Release?
If you didn't learn Lightning Release, how was I supposed to copy Lightning Release Chakra? I couldn't rely on Fire Release to get me through everything, could I?
Minato still looked worried. "But the scrolls for Lightning Release must be expensive..."
"Hey!" Sen waved his hand grandly. "With a friendship like ours, why bring money into it? I'll take care of the scrolls! It's all for your future, buddy!"
"Sen..." Minato's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so glad I met you. Otherwise, I'd never have had a chance to learn these ninjutsu techniques in my whole life."
Sen held back his laughter and sneaked a glance at Kushina, thinking:
Minato, buddy, you're going to have a tough life.
Kushina was mine now, and you still had to be my personal experience farm.
"I'm in a good mood today!" Sen declared, waving his hand at Kushina and Minato. "I'm treating you both after school. Order whatever you want!"
Kushina pouted. "We can't today."
Sen thought she didn't want to bring Minato along as a third wheel. "Aw, more people make it livelier."
"No, that's not it!" Kushina explained. "Sister Tsunade is back from a mission today, and she's coming to pick me up."
She bit her lip and looked at Sen, a little embarrassed. Then she said softly:
"She knows about us... She said she was going to... meet you."
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