This Isn't Scientific

How could he possibly use a jutsu like that?

For a moment, Sasuke even wondered if he was dreaming.

Otherwise, there was no way to explain what he was seeing.

This wasn't scientific.

It completely contradicted everything he had come to understand about Naruto over the past four years.

But the lingering burn in his throat and the tears stinging his eyes from the smoke told him clearly that this wasn't a dream. It was real.

"Teacher Qiushui, I... did I really do it?"

He looked down at his hands, then up at the dozen or so identical versions of himself around him. His face was full of confusion and disbelief.

"Th-this really is a jutsu I performed?"

Qiushui stood to one side and said with certainty, "You performed it."

He couldn't help but sigh.

People really did make you sick with envy.

Back when he'd first learned it, it had taken him two months, and he'd only managed to create one clone.

Curiosity showed on Naruto's face as he started talking to the clones. Before long, the dozen Narutos were making so much noise that Qiushui's head began to ache.

He started teaching Naruto how to dispel the Shadow Clone Technique.

Although he knew that two years from now, Naruto would be able to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique without batting an eye, creating hundreds of clones to charge into battle, the Naruto standing here was still a beginner who had only just touched the technique.

Qiushui didn't dare let his guard down. The moment the Shadow Clones were dispelled, all their fatigue and memories would flood into the original body at once. If he let them remain active for too long, they might cause Naruto harm.

Naruto was reluctant, but obediently did as he was told. He'd discovered that the clones each had their own independent consciousness, and they were all very pleasant to talk to.

The moment they vanished, his body lurched. An overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed through every inch of him, accompanied by scattered memories from the clones.

He stumbled, his knees buckling, and looked about to fall.

Qiushui reacted instantly and caught him. "Sit down and take a moment to recover." He helped Naruto onto a chair nearby.

Out of the corner of his eye, Qiushui glanced at Uchiha Sasuke, who was standing not far away. He had seen Sasuke's every move just now.

He had deliberately let Sasuke see this.

As he'd said before, people who were too eager rarely got a good outcome. So even though he was dying to bind Sasuke and claim the rewards, he had to hold back. It was all for the sake of the long-term plan.

Even if Sasuke didn't come over to ask today, in the days to come he would watch Naruto's strength grow more impressive by the day, see him surpass Sasuke again and again in class combat practice, and naturally come to Qiushui himself.

For the next two hours, Qiushui didn't let Naruto try anything new. He had him practice repeatedly to consolidate the Shadow Clone Technique.

Since the Shadow Clone Technique was only a B-rank jutsu, its structure wasn't like that of the A-rank Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, which could create hundreds or even thousands of clones.

Qiushui gradually figured out the limits of Naruto's current use of the Shadow Clone Technique. He could create at most twenty clones at a time, but that wasn't Naruto's limit—it was the jutsu's.

To keep Naruto from collapsing like he had today every time he dispelled his clones, Qiushui told him not to create too many during his usual practice. Three or four would be enough.

"Take it step by step. Got it?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, gazing at Qiushui with admiration.

For four whole years, he hadn't even been able to learn the most basic Three Basic Techniques. Yet just now, he had used the more advanced Shadow Clone Technique.

Naruto thought Teacher Qiushui was incredible.

A notification appeared before Qiushui.

[The SSS-rank high-quality talent Naruto Uzumaki's favorability toward you has increased. Your cultivation relationship has advanced to level two.]

[New features unlocked—Gift Critical Bonus, Training Rebate]

[Gift Critical Bonus: When a player gives any item to a bound talent, the system will randomly return a corresponding reward. The higher the cultivation level, the better the reward quality.]

[Note: Can be used once per day.]

[Training Rebate: After a bound high-quality talent finishes training each day, a corresponding percentage of their training results will be returned according to the cultivation relationship level. Naruto Uzumaki is currently bound to you at cultivation relationship level two. After each training session, twenty percent of the total gains from that session will be returned.]

[Note: The higher the cultivation level, the greater the rebate percentage.]

Qiushui's eyes lit up. These two new features came as a pleasant surprise.

Although he already had several ways to earn rewards, more was always better. No one would turn down something like this.

Besides, Qiushui's goal now was no longer simply to scrape by and survive, as it had been at first. He wanted to live a more exciting life. He only had eight short years left, and then he'd be facing opponents at the Six Paths level. Unless he could raise his strength to that level or beyond, he'd have no choice but to keep lying low.

The system hadn't said what to give or how valuable it should be, but based on Qiushui's understanding of this kind of mechanic, the more thought he put into the gift, the greater the chance of getting something good. And the first gift deserved a little ceremony.

He lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then looked at the scroll on the desk—the one he'd just used to teach Naruto.

It was a training scroll for the Shadow Clone Technique, with detailed notes on the hand-seal sequence, chakra circulation, and some basic precautions.

Qiushui picked up the pen beside him and began adding notes, word by word, in the blank space at the end of the scroll.

"After a Shadow Clone is dispelled, its fatigue and memories return to the original body. Do not create too many clones at once, or the original body may not be able to withstand it."

"Everything experienced by a clone can be sensed by the original body. The technique can be used for scouting, testing, and passing on information."

Qiushui finished writing the last character and set down his pen. He rolled the scroll back up, turned to Naruto, and said solemnly, "These are some notes I put together about the Shadow Clone Technique, based on your current situation. It's also the first jutsu you've ever learned, so it's a little special. I'm giving it to you."

Naruto froze for a moment, then eagerly accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure.

"Practice it properly when you get home. I'll check on you from time to time." Qiushui looked at Naruto, his expression serious. "Remember, learning a jutsu doesn't mean anything by itself. Don't get carried away over something this small. Don't use it casually, and don't show off with it."

"Thank you, Teacher Qiushui," Naruto said, looking up. "I'll do what you told me. I won't let you down."

He'd been thinking that at the next practical exam, he would make all the classmates who looked down on him eat their words. But now, he pushed that thought aside.

If Teacher Qiushui said not to show off, then he wouldn't. He didn't want to disappoint him.