Multi Shadow Clone Technique

The scroll was wrapped in thick leather, with complex, ancient runes engraved across it. It radiated a powerful chakra fluctuation that made one's heart tremble.

Even from a distance, Ling Xuan's Eye of Truth could sense the boundless, forbidden power within.

[Target: Scroll of Seals (external observation). Material: specially treated beast hide, high-density chakra fibers.]

[External seal: multilayered, linked defensive runes with automatic repair and alarm functions. Energy fluctuation level: Extremely dangerous!]

Naruto hugged the scroll and, following Mizuki's instructions, ran all the way to the designated meeting point in the forest outside the village.

After confirming that Naruto had succeeded, Mizuki broke into a triumphant, vicious grin. He turned and ran toward Kage Rock, apparently to "report" what had happened.

Ling Xuan paid Mizuki no mind. His target was the Scroll of Seals!

He followed Naruto into the familiar forest without making a sound.

Naruto found a relatively open clearing and, panting, spread the enormous scroll on the ground. By the light of the moon, he began struggling to make out the writing.

Ling Xuan had already concealed himself in the canopy of a dense tree dozens of meters away, with an excellent view.

"Here's my chance!"

The Eye of Truth instantly ramped up to maximum power. Deep within his pupils, countless stars seemed to spin and calculate at high speed!

From dozens of meters away, in the hazy moonlight, the ancient characters written in special ink on the Scroll of Seals, along with the intricate diagrams of the ninjutsu,

and the chakra pathways marked beside them, flooded into Ling Xuan's field of vision like a tide, swiftly recorded, analyzed, and stored!

[Analyzing: Multi Shadow Clone Technique... Principle: precisely divide chakra into equal portions to create tangible clones identical to the original. Each clone can act and think independently, and transmit its experiences back to the original...

[Enormous chakra consumption; also places a burden on the mind... Rating: A-rank ninjutsu, with immense strategic and training value!]

[Analyzing (fragment): Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation... Principle: use a living person as a sacrifice to summon a dead person's soul into a body of dust... A forbidden technique that tampers with life and death...]

[Warning! This technique is extremely dangerous. Analysis may trigger an unknown backlash...]

[Analyzing (diagram): Flying Thunder God Technique diagram (partial)... Construction of space-time coordinates... Technique structure...]

[Analyzing (runes): Uzumaki Clan linked sealing array (fragment)...]

Because of the distance, the lighting, and Naruto's speed as he turned the pages, Ling Xuan couldn't analyze the entire contents of the Scroll of Seals.

But he had already grasped several of its most important sections, especially the Multi Shadow Clone Technique.

He had copied its principles and structure in full!

The other techniques, such as Impure World Reincarnation, Flying Thunder God, and the Uzumaki Sealing Technique, were only fragments glimpsed in passing. Even so, they had opened a door to a higher level of power!

Just as Naruto had figured out the first hand seal for the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, Iruka appeared.

"Naruto! What are you doing here? Do you even know what you've taken?!"

Iruka was shocked and furious. Then Mizuki showed up, spewing his classic venomous words and revealing Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Ling Xuan watched coldly from the tree.

He saw Naruto crumble beneath the truth. He saw Iruka get badly injured by Mizuki's giant shuriken while protecting Naruto.

And he saw Naruto stand again, encouraged by Iruka's trust, and finally succeed in performing the technique through sheer anger and a resolve to protect.

"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!!!"

Hundreds—no, thousands—of Naruto Uzumakis instantly filled the entire clearing!

Each Shadow Clone carried Naruto's indefatigable fighting spirit!

[Target: Naruto Uzumaki. Status: Chakra surge (Nine-Tails influence), first successful use of the Multi Shadow Clone Technique.]

[Stability: Moderate. Evaluation: Astonishing potential, chakra reserves far beyond those of his peers, but control remains poor. In his hands, the Multi Shadow Clone Technique is more like a brute-force application driven by instinct and immense chakra.]

The rest of the fight was utterly one-sided. Naruto overwhelmed Mizuki with a sea of clones, beat him black and blue, and left him completely unable to fight back.

Before long, the Third Hokage arrived with Anbu Ninjas and dealt with the aftermath.

Mizuki was taken into custody, and the Scroll of Seals was recovered.

Then, before everyone's eyes, Iruka placed his own Konoha Forehead Protector on Naruto's head.

In a way no one could have imagined, Naruto Uzumaki officially became a Konoha Genin.

Night deepened. Only after all the commotion had died down did Ling Xuan quietly climb down from the tree. Without disturbing anyone, he quickly left the scene.

After a night of commotion and undercurrents, Konoha welcomed a new day.

News that Naruto Uzumaki had become a Genin in such an unexpected way spread among the recent graduates and some of the villagers who knew the truth, prompting all kinds of discussion.

Some marveled at his foolishness and good luck. A few who knew the circumstances better felt greater awe toward the immense power hidden within him and the Third Hokage's intentions.

Ling Xuan paid it little attention. The outcome had been as expected, while what he had gained along the way far exceeded his expectations.

Back at the orphanage, the first thing he did was try to practice the Multi Shadow Clone Technique he had analyzed the night before, in his crude but absolutely secure room.

[Multi Shadow Clone Technique, A-rank. Core principle: precisely divide one's chakra into equal portions to create tangible clones with independent consciousness and some combat ability.]

[Everything experienced by the clones, along with any skills and knowledge they acquire, returns to the original when they disappear...]

[Advantages: excellent for deception, diversion, assisting with training, and gathering intelligence. Disadvantages: requires immense chakra reserves and precise control, and places a considerable burden on the mind...]

Ling Xuan took a deep breath and formed the hand seals.

"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof!

A "Ling Xuan" identical to him appeared in the room, his eyes bright and his presence steady.

Ling Xuan and his clone met each other's gaze, and a peculiar sensation of thinking on two separate tracks arose within him.

He didn't try to create as many as Naruto had. Instead, he focused on quality first.

With the Eye of Truth's assistance, he achieved perfect chakra division and synchronized infusion of mental energy.

Four more soft pops sounded. Exactly five perfect Shadow Clones now stood in the room, making six "Ling Xuans" including the original.

Each radiated the same presence as the original. Unless someone deliberately sensed them, it was almost impossible to tell which was which.

"What an incredible technique..." Ling Xuan felt the independent perceptions and thoughts flowing back from his five clones. "Even if ordinary ninjas have enough chakra, their mental strength can't support multiple Shadow Clones carrying out complex tasks. But I'm different..."

Ling Xuan's mental strength already far surpassed that of ordinary people, thanks to the fusion of his two lifetimes' souls. On top of that, the Eye of Truth assisted with calculations and information integration.

So the clones should be put to full use.