In the dim underground building, gray-black pipes crowded the corners of the walls, like the tentacles of some lurking monster.
"Lord Danzo!" A black-clad man wearing a Cyan Crow Mask knelt on one knee, his posture upright.
"Crow Ghost. You're here." Danzo emerged from the shadows. A faint, gloomy light from outside shone on the wound on his chin, making it look as sinister as a demon's.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. I've already tested Uchiha Houka," Crow Ghost, a member of Root, said.
"How did it go?"
"I cast a Genjutsu on him. He reacted quickly and tried to change the flow of his Chakra to break it." After calmly describing Houka's response, Crow Ghost concluded, "His awareness is decent, but he lacks strength. His potential is inferior to Uchiha Shisui's."
"Of course. Uchiha Shisui is a genius, after all." Danzo smiled, tugging at the wound on his chin and making it look even more sinister. "Keep a close eye on Uchiha Shisui. As for Houka, leave him alone for now."
"Yes, Lord Danzo!" Crow Ghost lifted his head. Three Tomoe slowly turned in his blood-red eyes, revealing a bloodthirsty, ominous sign.
The eye Danzo kept hidden in the shadows narrowed slightly, a hint of greed showing in it, but only for an instant.
Before dawn the next morning, Houka got up early, prepared breakfast and a packed lunch for noon, left a note for Obito, then ran all the way to the Small Woods.
Since his transmigration, Houka's physique had become freakishly abnormal. No matter how exhausting the training, a night's sleep restored all his strength. He was practically born to make a living at Taijutsu!
He couldn't be sure who had been responsible for what happened the night before. But since the other party hadn't openly broken with him, Houka wouldn't presume to investigate or make a fuss. For now, keeping quiet was his only way to protect himself!
"I have to get stronger as soon as possible!"
When he reached the Small Woods, Might Duy and Guy were already there.
"Houka, you're late!" Might Duy roared. "You can't waste your youth like that! Run twenty laps to warm up, and if you don't finish, jump rope twenty thousand times!"
"..." Houka hunched his shoulders, then resigned himself to running laps around the Small Woods.
"Guy, what are you standing around for? Catch up!" Might Duy roared at his son again.
"Yes, Father!" Beneath Guy's thick, bushy eyebrows shone a pair of eyes brimming with passion, fixed intently on Houka's figure up ahead.
At yesterday evening's training, Houka had performed just a little better than Guy. So Guy had already made him the second great rival of his life, after Kakashi.
"Houka, I'll surpass you, then I'll surpass Kakashi. I'll surpass both of you!" Guy's eyes were practically on fire. He could feel his blood boiling and his youth blazing. This feeling was amazing!
"Yaaah!!!"
Guy let out a mighty yell and suddenly sped up, overtaking Houka in an instant.
"..." Houka's eye twitched. Damn, was Guy seriously that much of a freak?
Houka could tell that Guy had somehow broken through his limits just now. His stamina had clearly surged.
As expected of the future Lord Guy.
Houka was only six, so he tried copying Guy and yelling, "Yaaah, yaaah, yaaah!" But no matter how long he shouted, he didn't break through.
That was awkward.
After they finished running laps around the Small Woods, neither of them got off easy. Might Duy came up with some excuse and had them jump rope, followed by squats and push-ups.
By the time the sun leaped over the horizon, Houka and Guy were drenched in sweat and exhausted, their eyes rolling back. Together, they could have made a perfect pair of matching cards.
"Excellent! That's enough for this morning. Hurry off to class!" Might Duy nodded with satisfaction.
Houka panted and quickly asked, "Uncle Dai, could you teach me the Shadow Clone Technique?"
"What? The Shadow Clone Technique?" Might Duy stared at Houka in astonishment. "How do you know about that jutsu?"
The Shadow Clone Technique was developed by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. It created a body identical to the user's while dividing half the user's Chakra between them.
Unlike the illusory copies created by the ordinary Clone Technique, the Shadow Clone Technique was practically flawless. Its clones had physical bodies, could attack, and could use all kinds of ninjutsu. But if they sustained a fatal attack, they disappeared.
One step beyond this jutsu was the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, one of Naruto's signature jutsu in the original story. It was recorded in the Scroll of Sealing held by the Third Hokage.
"Uncle Duy, I heard people in my clan talking about it. It can create solid clones, which seems really convenient."
Might Duy frowned. "Houka, the Shadow Clone Technique is used for gathering intelligence. What do you want to learn it for?"
Houka replied at once, "Uncle Duy, I want to send a Shadow Clone to class at the Ninja Academy while I train Taijutsu with you!"
Though Might Duy was an Eternal Genin, he was no weakling, and his wits weren't on vacation. He quickly realized the potential value of the Shadow Clone Technique.
In the past, Konoha Ninja used the Shadow Clone Technique to gather intelligence. Once they succeeded, they immediately dispelled their clones, and the clones' memories returned to the original. If so, why not use it to attend class?
In a way, what you learned in class wasn't all that different from intelligence!
And for training, using the Shadow Clone Technique to practice Hand Seals and other things would be incredibly convenient!
"Houka, you're so clever!" Might Duy enthusiastically slapped him on the shoulder. "No one's ever thought of using the Shadow Clone Technique to study and train before. You're the first!"
Houka bared his teeth. His shoulder was about to be beaten to pieces.
Might Duy laughed heartily, then looked awkward. "But, well..."
Houka smiled bitterly to himself. Of course. Might Duy was an Eternal Genin and a pure Taijutsu specialist. How could he know the Shadow Clone Technique?
"But it's fine. The Shadow Clone Technique isn't a particularly advanced jutsu. I'll definitely find a way to get it for you!" Might Duy promised.
Guy watched from the side, envious. "Father, I want to learn the Shadow Clone Technique too!"
Might Duy looked at him. "Guy, how's your Three Body Technique coming along?"
Guy lowered his head.
"Learning the Shadow Clone Technique requires talent for ninjutsu. Guy, you..." Might Duy couldn't finish. His eyes turned red.
"It's all right, Father! Even with only Taijutsu, if I work hard enough, I can still become an excellent ninja and defeat geniuses like Houka and Kakashi!" Beneath Guy's thick eyebrows, his eyes blazed again. A vast ocean roared behind him, and the gleaming white teeth at the corner of his mouth reflected the morning sunlight with such brilliance that they nearly blinded Houka's titanium-alloy dog eyes.
"Guy, you truly are my son! This is the passion that makes youth burn forever!" Might Duy was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't help wrapping Guy in a hug.
Guy hugged him right back, and father and son burst into tears together.
The scene quickly spiraled out of control.
Houka stood to the side, so awkward he felt like he was in the terminal stage.
You're crying already?
At what point did you two start getting so weird about what makes you cry? (To be continued)
Before you continue