Exploiting a Cheat-System Bug?

The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was not difficult to learn. Compared to the ordinary Shadow Clone Technique, it was not much harder.

In the original story, Naruto had not even become a Genin. He had wandered through the forest all night with the Book of Seals in his arms, mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, and then gave Mizuki a thorough beating.

That showed just how low the training difficulty was!

The reason it was classified as a forbidden technique was that creating a large number of Shadow Clones at once would rapidly drain a ninja's chakra, eventually squeezing him dry into a husk.

One Shadow Clone took away half of the original body's chakra. With two, the original body would only have a quarter left. The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique's terrifying chakra consumption was obvious!

Chakra was refined from physical and spiritual energy. Only a cheat-user like Naruto, born with both the Uzumaki Physique and the Nine-Tails, could constantly throw out big moves and clones. If it were Kakashi, he would be dry after only a few moves.

"Unfortunately, I'm a cheat-user too." Hyuga Satoru smiled.

He might not have the Uzumaki Physique, but he had the Life Magnetic Field!

Because of the Life Magnetic Field, his physical condition would automatically adjust itself to its optimal state. Once too much was drained at once, the Life Magnetic Field would work desperately to make up for the loss.

Besides that, thanks to the Life Magnetic Field's vigorous nourishment, his chakra reserves had always far surpassed those of ninjas at the same level, roughly approaching Jonin standards.

With this buff's enhancement, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique still had a long way to go before it could drain him dry.

Thinking of this, Hyuga Satoru took a deep breath and began practicing the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

The way chakra circulated was similar to the Shadow Clone Technique, except several complicated steps were added during release. This multiplied the release pathways, greatly increasing the number of Shadow Clones.

"The Second Hokage really was a genius. How did he come up with such an ingenious chakra flow?"

Hyuga Satoru could not help but marvel.

When his chakra circulation reached its peak, he formed hand seals and shouted the classic line.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof! Poof! Poof!

As clouds of white smoke rose, a whole group of identical Satorus appeared beside him, staring wide-eyed at one another.

It felt as though his body had been hollowed out. Hyuga Satoru felt an empty void in his abdomen, and before he could do anything, the area around him suddenly erupted into noise.

"Hey, why did I see so many ugly bastards the moment I opened my eyes?"

"Bastard, who are you calling ugly?! Take a look at yourself! Your eyeballs are as round as marbles!" x10

"You want a beating?!" x10

"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who?!" x20

Listening to dozens of versions of himself arguing in perfect unison, Hyuga Satoru felt his head swell.

He had not expected the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to have such a drawback. But thinking back carefully, Naruto seemed to have argued with his clones quite a few times too.

Especially when practicing the Rasenshuriken, a group of Shadow Clones had started competing with one another, openly mocking the clones making slower progress. They had nearly come to blows.

Back then, Hyuga Satoru had nearly laughed himself unconscious in front of the television. He had not expected this scene to happen to him now.

"Stop arguing! I summoned you. I'm the original body, so you have to listen to me!"

Unable to endure it any longer, Hyuga Satoru barked out a reprimand, finally quieting the commotion around him.

"The original body? Fine, if you're the original body, then judge this. Isn't he uglier?"

"Nonsense! He's obviously uglier! His nose is practically pointed at the sky!"

Seeing the clones' argument grow more and more intense, Hyuga Satoru took out a scroll and tossed it into the air. The white smoke dispersed, and countless metal ninja tools—shuriken, kunai, ninja blades, and more—suddenly rained down from above like a storm of metal, embedding themselves in the ground before the clones.

The sight stunned every clone into silence.

"So awesome!"

Hyuga Satoru let out a long breath and spoke.

"Try communicating with the metal ninja tools in front of you with your minds. See if you can control them."

"Like this...?"

Some clever clones tried a few times and gradually found the method. Amid the envious looks of the others, the shuriken before them began to wobble into the air.

Hyuga Satoru relaxed.

Just as he had expected, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique could also use the power of Electromagnetic Force. He had previously trained Electromagnetic Force with Shadow Clones, so he had guessed that Multiple Shadow Clones could do the same.

Seeing that someone had already learned it, the other clones refused to be outdone and began competing among themselves as well.

"Damn it! I won't fall behind either."

"Time to show you what real skill looks like..."

"Move, move, move... Move for me..."

Seeing the clones start competing on their own, Hyuga Satoru looked delighted. He used metal ninja tools to build a chair, then crossed one leg over the other and leaned back against it.

[Experience +56]

[Experience +59]

[Experience +61]

...

Seeing his experience points shoot upward, Hyuga Satoru felt utterly refreshed.

Just as he had envisioned, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique could share training experience with the original body.

Moreover, perhaps because of the cheat-system's upgrade method, he could gain this experience without the clones even disappearing.

Electromagnetic Force at LV2 required 6,000 experience points to level up. He currently had 5,021 points, leaving him about 1,000 short of leveling up.

If nothing unexpected happened, he should have enough time to reach LV3 before the next mission.

He remembered that when Naruto practiced the Rasenshuriken in the original story, he had summoned thousands of clones. With the experience-sharing buff, his training progress had soared like a rocket.

Hyuga Satoru had chosen the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique precisely because he knew this.

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, and an odd expression appeared on his face.

"Does this count as exploiting a cheat-system bug?"

Whatever!

Hyuga Satoru looked relieved as he lay comfortably on the chair. If there was a bug and he did not exploit it, there had to be something wrong with his brain!

Around him, dozens of clones were like lush green leeks, constantly glowing and giving off heat as this capitalist sucked them dry of blood and flesh.

One clone's hand trembled, and the shuriken he held flew off course, embedding itself in the clone he had just been arguing with.

"Damn it! You're playing dirty with me, huh?!"

That clone pointed at the other and cursed, but before he could finish speaking, he turned into white smoke with a poof and dispersed.

"After all, they're still Shadow Clones. The trait of bursting with one poke can't be changed."

Hyuga Satoru frowned, suppressing the impact of the memories that had just returned. He formed hand seals and mobilized the chakra he had just recovered.

The white smoke dispersed, and another batch of lush green leeks sprouted.