Shadow Clone Technique

As time passed, Konoha's forty-third year came and went amid waves of spring breeze. Eight-year-old Uchiha Kyohaku's life still followed the monotonous yet resilient rhythm that outsiders saw. But changes had quietly begun to take place among the people familiar to him.

The most obvious was his cousin, Uchiha Maiyi. At sixteen, she had shed her girlish immaturity and grown into a graceful young woman, her features carrying more of a ninja's sharpness and composure. She had passed the brutal Chunin Exams and become a respected chunin, naturally joining the Konoha Security Force overseen by the Uchiha Clan. The brand-new chunin vest she wore made her look especially valiant.

Her new position kept her busier, but she still used holidays to make time to visit Kyohaku's secluded little courtyard. What she brought was no longer merely fruit and snacks, but more often the practical experience she had accumulated on missions as a chunin, along with a deeper understanding of ninjutsu.

"Kyohaku, look. If you tilt the angle of this shuriken throw upward by another five degrees, using the subtle change in wind resistance, its landing point will become much harder to predict." In the courtyard, Maiyi held a kunai and demonstrated seriously, imparting every technique she had discovered.

Or, "When you're ambushed, your first reaction shouldn't be to look for the enemy. It should be to immediately find the nearest cover while sensing chakra fluctuations. You need to survive before you have a chance to strike back."

Kyohaku always listened attentively, occasionally asking carefully disguised questions appropriate to "his level." He could feel that Maiyi sincerely wanted him to become stronger, to go farther down the difficult path of a ninja. Such unreserved sharing was especially precious within this cold and indifferent clan, and it brought a trace of barely perceptible warmth to a corner of Kyohaku's coldly calculating heart.

His eldest uncle, Uchiha Shota, had also visited several times. He still looked like the travel-worn captain of a Security Force squad, his expression marked by fatigue, but there was more approval in his eyes when he looked at Kyohaku. Seeing that Kyohaku had kept the small house in perfect order and seemed sturdier than before, especially after learning that he had persisted in studying medical ninjutsu and established himself in the hospital's beast-taming class, Uchiha Shota's stern face even revealed a rare, almost imperceptible smile.

"Looks like making you move out on your own has forced you to become more independent," he had commented once, his tone complicated. "If you run into trouble, make sure you come to me. I still have some influence in the Security Force." It was a restrained promise, one that implied a certain degree of protection.

Kyohaku answered respectfully, but his mind was rapidly weighing his options. He had always had an idea—a technique that could greatly improve his learning efficiency and training progress, yet was completely beyond his ability to obtain on his own. And his uncle before him might be the best route.

During one visit from Uchiha Shota, when he seemed to be in a good mood, Kyohaku cautiously made his request.

"Uncle," he chose his words carefully, wearing an appropriate expression of longing and hesitation, "I... I saw a ninjutsu in the library. They say it's very helpful for training. It's called... the Shadow Clone Technique. But it's a B-rank forbidden technique, and special permission is needed to learn it... I..."

"The Shadow Clone Technique?" Uchiha Shota's brow immediately furrowed, and his tone turned stern. "Why would you want to learn that? That isn't a technique you should be coming into contact with yet! It consumes an enormous amount of chakra. One mistake could cause severe backlash, even endanger your life! It's far too dangerous for your current body!"

Kyohaku had expected this question. He lowered his head, his voice quiet but clear. "I know it's dangerous... but Uncle, my taijutsu and much of my training... can't keep up with everyone else because of my foot. I only thought... if I could use shadow clones to help study theory and practice hand seals... wouldn't that save a lot of time and make up for some of the gap? I'll be extremely careful about controlling my chakra usage. I definitely won't push myself..."

He raised his head, his eyes glimmering with a mixture of unwillingness and pleading, like a child desperately trying to seize every chance to catch up with his peers.

Uchiha Shota fell silent. He looked at Kyohaku's slightly limping right foot, then at the unyielding flame in his eyes. The severity in his expression gradually softened. He understood that longing, especially for a child with a physical flaw whose heart was set on the path of the ninja. Using the Shadow Clone Technique to assist with learning and precise practice was indeed, in theory, a viable shortcut, though the risks were extremely high.

After a long while, he sighed. "Fine. At your age and with your physical condition, you ordinarily would have no chance of coming into contact with this technique. But you may look frail, yet your will is more resilient than that of many clan members, and your chakra control far surpasses that of ordinary people... Perhaps it's worth trying."

Kyohaku's heart settled, and he immediately put on an expression of overwhelming gratitude. "Thank you, Uncle!"

"Don't celebrate too soon." Uchiha Shota pulled a stern face. "I'll teach you, but you must promise that you will never use it in front of outsiders. Every practice session must be carried out under the supervision of either me or your sister Maiyi! The moment you feel your chakra running low, you must immediately release the technique! Understood?"

"Yes! I promise!" Kyohaku answered without hesitation.

Over the next few days, Uchiha Shota used breaks between missions to come to Kyohaku's courtyard and begin teaching him the B-rank ninjutsu, the Shadow Clone Technique. His explanation was extraordinarily detailed, covering the technique's intense chakra consumption, the clone's physical nature, the memory feedback mechanism, and most importantly, the ratio of chakra allocation and maintenance techniques. He even covered every detail of the mental shock and physical exhaustion that could result from a failed technique.

"The key to this technique lies in 'equal division,'" Uchiha Shota said gravely. "It's not as simple as splitting off a portion of your chakra. You must divide your chakra, and even part of your spiritual energy, completely evenly among every clone. When the clone disperses, all the fatigue and memories it experienced will be superimposed and fed back to the original body. So, with your current amount of chakra, you can create at most one clone, and it absolutely cannot be maintained for long!"

Kyohaku listened with full concentration, memorizing every point without missing a word. To him, these complex principles and risks were far more important than the hand seal itself.

The hand seal sequence was Ren.

He raised his hands, his movements steady and clear.

Under Uchiha Shota's tense gaze, Kyohaku mobilized the chakra within his body. He precisely controlled its flow and, according to the principle of "equal division," carefully separated nearly half of his chakra and spiritual energy.

Poof!

A puff of pale smoke flashed, and another identical "Uchiha Kyohaku" appeared beside him. He too leaned on a crutch, his eyes somewhat vacant, but he was undeniably a physical clone!

He had succeeded!

Surprise and satisfaction flashed through Uchiha Shota's eyes. Success on the first try! Though the clone seemed somewhat sluggish, this first attempt had far exceeded his expectations. This child's chakra control was frighteningly precise.

"Very good! Keep it up! Feel the rate at which your chakra is draining!" he instructed in a low voice.

After roughly a minute, Kyohaku voluntarily released the technique. The clone vanished with a poof, and a distinct wave of fatigue along with fragmented memories surged into his mind. He swayed slightly, his face turning pale.

"How do you feel?" Uchiha Shota hurriedly supported him.

"I'm... I'm fine." Kyohaku caught his breath and shook his head, but excitement glimmered in his eyes. "Just a little tired... The memories all came back..."

Though the consumption was enormous and the experience could hardly be called comfortable, he had succeeded! This meant that from today onward, his learning and training efficiency could potentially double!

Uchiha Shota continued cautioning him for a long time, leaving behind several ration pills to replenish his strength before departing with a trace of concern and a measure of pride.

The courtyard returned to silence. Kyohaku felt the nearly half of his chakra that had been depleted, yet an exceedingly serious smile slowly appeared on his pale face.

The Shadow Clone Technique... was finally in his hands.

In the days to come, he would no longer move forward alone.