Naruto, That's Just a Technique to Relieve Your Loneliness! Please Vote!

He had no choice but to stop for the time being and resume refining his chakra.

"If a third isn't enough, do I have to use half my chakra to make a clone?"

"Fine. Once I've finished refining my chakra and replenished it all, I'll give it a try!"

Before long, his chakra had been replenished. Thanks to his special physique and skill with the Chakra Refinement Technique, it hadn't taken much time.

Naruto took a deep breath.

He allocated half of his chakra to his clone.

"Clone Technique!"

Poof...

A cloud of white smoke passed, and an incredibly solid clone, completely indistinguishable from the original...

Finally appeared before Naruto!

Naruto was exhausted, but overjoyed.

"It, it worked!"

"This is a real, solid clone!"

The clone grinned along with him. "Aha, that's great!"

Naruto jumped in fright. "Waaah!"

"Y-you can talk?!"

"Of course!"

Naruto had no idea that, entirely unconsciously, he had created something far beyond the ordinary Clone Technique...

The Shadow Clone Technique!

In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the scene in the Crystal Ball. The pipe in his mouth slipped from his lips and clattered to the floor...

"Th-that's the Shadow Clone Technique, created by the Second?!"

"That Naruto actually recreated it on his own, without a teacher, relying only on his own strength?!"

"Could he... really be a genius?!"

Chapter 47: Naruto, That's Just a Technique to Relieve Your Loneliness! Please Vote!

The Shadow Clone Technique.

Of course, it was nothing new in the Shinobi World by now.

In fact, it had become widespread.

But the truth was, it wasn't a technique that had existed since ancient times.

It had been created by the Second, Tobirama Senju.

Originally, it was meant for espionage, gathering intelligence, and similar purposes.

But by now, it had spread through nearly all of the Five Great Shinobi Villages and become one of the essential techniques for any capable ninja.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared blankly at Naruto and his Shadow Clone. He hadn't even noticed his pipe fall to the floor.

He didn't know how the Second had created the Shadow Clone Technique back then. But now, he had witnessed Naruto recreate it on his own with his very own eyes!

Naruto's current skill level made it impossible for him to have learned the Shadow Clone Technique.

The Ninja Academy certainly wouldn't teach a high-level technique like that.

In other words...

He was a peerless genius who had figured it out on his own!

Sarutobi Hiruzen remembered visiting Naruto's home and hearing him talk about his training: Dual-Tasking and the Clone Technique...

"Was that where he got his inspiration?"

"Combining the two to create a solid clone that can act independently?"

"But even with the inspiration, what ninja would be reckless enough to start experimenting right away...?"

Creating a new technique was no easy task.

And it wasn't just difficult. The dangers were unimaginable.

Just as Naruto had done moments ago, he'd kept increasing the amount of chakra he allocated to his clone until he was using half of it. One small mistake could have depleted his chakra entirely or even left him physically exhausted, with serious consequences.

But...

Because it was Naruto, he dared to think of it and dared to do it!

Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent for a long time, then sighed deeply in the darkness.

"Naruto..."

"It seems the entire Shinobi World, myself included, has underestimated you..."

"Perhaps you really are a genius!"

The Anbu Ninjas secretly assigned to watch over and protect Naruto were just as dumbfounded.

Creating a new technique was something legendary ninja were said to be capable of.

Forget one Naruto Uzumaki—even among all the Jonin and elite Jonin in Konoha, how many could do it?!

They exchanged looks, stunned. It was as if they were reassessing Naruto's abilities. When they looked at him again, their eyes held even more surprise and admiration.

Naruto stared at the Shadow Clone, who could talk with him.

He was both astonished and delighted.

He'd actually created a solid clone!

And it had its own thoughts. It could talk and have a conversation!

"C-can you fight, too?"

The Shadow Clone Naruto grinned smugly. "Of course!"

"Anything you can do, I can do!"

Naruto was overjoyed. "Then, want to spar and see how it goes?"

"Sure! I won't lose to a guy like you!"

In an instant, the "two of them" got ready to fight. Then, with a shout, they charged at each other!

Since their chakra was divided evenly, the Shadow Clone was almost exactly like the original.

Forget the Byakugan or the Sharingan—even Kaguya Otsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra, wouldn't have been able to tell them apart.

As for their strength, they were evenly matched, too.

Their fists and feet collided with a tremendous impact, unleashing a powerful shock wave!

Naruto could feel that his solid clone really was just as strong as he was!

He was overjoyed, and his fighting spirit flared.

"Great! Then let's have a proper fight!"

The two of them soon fought so fiercely that the sky and earth seemed to darken, and the room became a battlefield.

The only problem was...

Since they'd both learned from the same teacher, they knew each other's moves too well.

But Naruto was thoroughly enjoying himself.

In the end, the Leaf Whirlwind decided the match. The Shadow Clone used the same finishing move.

Their attacks collided. Both were sent flying, but Naruto only felt pain. The Shadow Clone finally disappeared...

All that remained was a cloud of white smoke.

"Hm? It disappeared?"

Naruto felt a pang of disappointment.

"I see. It really is just like me, but its defenses aren't as strong as the original's after all..."

"A powerful hit makes it disappear..."

"Then..."

"I'll just make another one!"

Naruto immediately got to work, allocating half his chakra again and creating another Shadow Clone!

The pipe Sarutobi Hiruzen had just picked up trembled slightly in his hand.

"If Naruto keeps this up, he'll be in danger..."

His situation was somewhat like when Jiraiya had taught him the Summoning Technique in the original story.

Jiraiya had made him use up all his chakra so he could draw on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra and summon Gamabunta.

Back then, Naruto had also kept making Shadow Clones and having them fight the original. Before long, he'd been completely exhausted and collapsed on the ground.

But Jiraiya had been there to protect him.

It had been dangerous, but not life-threatening.

Now he was messing around like this on his own. Something might really go wrong...

Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately prepared to notify the Anbu and have them step in to stop Naruto if necessary...

But just then,

Naruto made another Shadow Clone, but didn't continue fighting.

Instead...

He started chatting with it.

No one understood him better than he did himself.

For the first time, Naruto had someone to talk to late at night before bed.

Even if it was only a Shadow Clone,

he was still overjoyed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and all the Anbu members sighed inwardly.

"He's treating the Shadow Clone Technique as a way to ease his loneliness..."

"Sigh..."

Naruto chatted with his Shadow Clone for a long time, and even the system didn't stop him.

Clearly, Naruto's ability to create the Shadow Clone Technique on his own had astonished even the cold, mechanical system. His talent was beyond anything it could have imagined.

As Naruto chatted with the Shadow Clone, he eventually drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

This time, he fell asleep with a smile on his face...

The Shadow Clone Naruto looked at the original, lay down beside him, and soon fell asleep, too...

But a Shadow Clone couldn't last forever.

Especially one Naruto had only just created.

Even as he slept, the Shadow Clone dissolved into white smoke...

Strangely enough...

In his dreams, the person he was sparring with had changed from Sasuke to himself...

Naruto was thrilled, fighting himself with all his might.

Perhaps...

You were your own best friend, and your own best rival.