Never Dare Again

"Nawaki, I wasn't asking you about that. I'm asking you—when did Kirito learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

Mito gripped Nawaki's head with one hand and applied a little force as she spoke to him with a gentle smile.

Feeling as though his head was about to explode, Nawaki immediately sold out his teammate without hesitation. "Two weeks ago."

Using the fact that shadow clones returned their memories to the original upon dispelling to speed up training was an efficient cultivation method Kirito had told him about.

After testing it out, he discovered that it was a training method particularly suited to ninjas like him with enormous reserves of Chakra. The only problem was that when a shadow clone dispersed, it brought its fatigue back as well, forcing him to frequently sleep through class.

Still, the training results were outstanding. With it, he had successfully learned several ninjutsu that he had previously been unable to master no matter how hard he tried.

To repay Kirito, he taught him the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Since it was originally his family's ninjutsu and belonged to him, and since it was not particularly important, he did not need anyone else's permission to teach it to Kirito.

As a result, after Kirito learned the technique, his enthusiasm for studying became even more crazed than before.

Every day, he created three clones to do different things. One stayed in the Orphanage basement conducting strange experiments; one came here to learn Sealing Jutsu from Grandma Mito and read books in the library; another trained in ninjutsu, while the original attended classes at the Ninja Academy.

Day after day, he never stopped working hard.

In truth, Nawaki was not much better—if anything, he was even worse. It was just that his enthusiasm for studying, meaning reading books and learning Sealing Jutsu, was not as great as Kirito's. Because he had far more Chakra than Kirito, he created more than a dozen clones every day to study ninjutsu and Taijutsu.

Therefore, he knew very well why Kirito's shadow clone had suddenly disappeared here. Something must have happened to the original body for that to occur.

Most likely, he had exhausted himself.

"Two weeks... That child really doesn't know how to make people worry."

Hearing Nawaki's answer, Mito rubbed her forehead and sighed.

Of course, she understood the effects of shadow clones. She simply had not expected Nawaki to teach the Shadow Clone Jutsu to Kirito.

I was still too careless. Since that idiot Nawaki knew how to use shadow clones to accelerate his training, how could Kirito possibly not know? I really am an irresponsible teacher.

Thinking of the side effects of training with shadow clones, Mito felt deeply guilty.

Because of her physical condition, her energy was nowhere near what it had once been. She spent most of every day resting and suppressing the increasingly restless Nine-Tails.

Thus, after accepting Kirito as her disciple, she had not actually paid him much attention. She only made time every day to teach him the knowledge of Sealing Jutsu, while most of her attention remained focused on Nawaki.

It could not be helped. Nawaki was simply the sort of child people could not help worrying about.

Although he had shown decent improvement recently, he was still far from reassuring.

And in her interactions with Kirito, she had found him to be a very smart and sensible child, one she did not need to worry much about at all.

Who would have thought that he, too, would turn out to be such a worry?

"Momoka."

Mito's expression turned serious as she spoke toward the door.

The next instant, a snake-faced woman appeared before Mito using the Body Flicker Technique. Dropping to one knee, she lowered her head and said respectfully, "Mito-sama, please give your orders."

Momoka Senju, an Elite Jonin of the Senju Clan and captain of Mito's personal guard.

"Go bring Kirito back immediately," Mito ordered.

"Yes."

Momoka accepted the order and departed with the Body Flicker Technique.

Ever since the Second Hokage's death and the heavy losses suffered by the clan during the First Shinobi World War, the Senju Clan had shown clear signs of decline. But with Mito and Tsunade still around, their influence in Konoha remained immense. Relying on the village's powerful intelligence network, Momoka quickly found Kirito fast asleep at Chizuru's Home.

When Kirito woke up, he found himself lying in a room that looked very familiar.

Though his mind was still hazy and exhausted, the memories returned by his shadow clones quickly woke him up, allowing him to understand what had happened and what he was about to face.

His expression immediately turned extremely ugly, and he cursed inwardly, It's all because that guy coated his Senbon with that weird paralytic poison. Not only did it numb my body, it also seriously disrupted the flow of my Chakra, making the clones impossible to maintain and causing them to dispel early. Then the mental fatigue that came back knocked me unconscious.

Soon after Kirito woke up, the door opened. Nawaki entered, his face bruised and swollen as though someone had given him a brutal beating.

The moment Kirito saw Nawaki appear, he immediately remembered where he was.

This was the guest room in Nawaki's home. He had taken naps here before.

"What happened? Why did your shadow clones suddenly disappear?" Nawaki asked as soon as he came in.

Kirito answered truthfully.

"Grandma Mito is really angry this time. You'd better prepare yourself, hehehe~"

Once Nawaki learned the reason and realized Kirito had not encountered any danger, he was relieved. Then he immediately delivered some very bad news to Kirito and laughed in schadenfreude.

But he laughed so wildly that he pulled at the injuries on his face. The pain made him bare his teeth as tears of agony streamed down his face.

Looking at the bandages wrapped around Nawaki's face, Kirito could not help swallowing.

He had witnessed Mito's terrifying side on the very first day he entered the academy. Later, when she taught him and Nawaki Sealing Jutsu, he often saw it through Nawaki as well.

Whenever he thought of Nawaki being hung up and beaten, having his head shoved into the ceiling, or ending up sprawled in a pile of rubble, he felt that it was not easy for Nawaki to have grown up this much. Then he began worrying about receiving the same treatment himself.

Mito's control over her own strength had reached an incredibly meticulous level, so she would not beat anyone to death—but it would hurt. Very, very much.

Using a Shadow Clone to attend class was undoubtedly a grave sign of disrespect. It would have been fine if he had not been discovered, but now that he had been caught, punishment was inevitable.

Before long, Momoka summoned him to see Mito.

She still looked young and beautiful, yet she always gave people the sense that the sun was setting on her life.

What surprised Kirito was that Mito did not seem angry at the moment. The way she looked at him was also different from usual.

Mito's gaze toward him was normally gentle, but he could tell that she looked at everyone in the village the same way. There was nothing particularly special about it. Only when her gaze fell upon Nawaki was it different, carrying an extra measure of affection and expectation, and she would unconsciously smile.

Kirito did not find that strange, nor was he jealous.

That was only natural. Nawaki was Mito's grandson, so naturally he received all of Mito's love. At most, Kirito was merely a tool meant to spur Nawaki's progress, much like how the Uchiha Clan had once treated him as Chizuru's whetstone.

He had long accepted that fact. He held no expectations, so naturally he felt no disappointment.

On the contrary, he was very grateful to Mito. She was extremely attentive when teaching him Sealing Jutsu, and she answered his questions in detail. She was a good teacher.

Therefore, he would do his best to play his role, encouraging and helping Nawaki by his side and properly repaying the kindness of her instruction.

Only, things seemed to have changed now.

The way Mito looked at him was different, and there was also a table full of fragrant, exquisite food in the room.

It seemed that Mito was not angry with him. Instead, she was treating him to a feast.

Could it be some kind of incredibly disgusting food?

Kirito stared doubtfully at the table full of dishes that looked delicious.

"Eat, little Kirito. This was all prepared for you. You must finish it all. Don't waste any."

Mito said kindly.

One did not refuse a gift from an elder.

"Thank you, Teacher Mito. Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Since Mito had said so, Kirito did not hold back. He was just a tiny bit hungry.

The food tasted wonderful. It was not some terrible experimental cuisine, and it even had astonishing effects.

Could this be the legendary medicinal cuisine made by a Kitchen Ninja? My Chakra is recovering rapidly, and my mental fatigue is also quickly easing.

Feeling the changes occurring in his body, Kirito revealed a surprised expression.

"Well? It tastes good, doesn't it?"

Seeing Kirito's somewhat pale face swiftly regain its color, Mito smiled.

"Yes, it's very delicious."

Kirito nodded obediently.

"Then stay and eat with me every day from now on."

Mito personally served Kirito another bowl of rice and continued smiling.

"This... wouldn't that be inconveni—"

Kirito accepted the bowl with both hands. When he heard Mito's words, he was greatly surprised and instinctively wanted to decline, but swallowed the rest of his words halfway through.

Because Mito's expression suddenly became somewhat eerily kind.

"Little Kirito, you mustn't leave class early like you did today, alright? Your teacher would be saddened."

Mito said with a smiling face.

As she spoke, she placed her hand on Kirito's head.

"Yes, Teacher Mito. I won't ever dare do it again."

Kirito immediately sat upright and nodded obediently like a pecking chick.

Thus, Kirito adjusted the division of labor between himself and his Shadow Clones. His main body had to personally come to Mito's place to study Sealing Jutsu.

And because Kirito was able to eat the medicinal cuisine Mito prepared every day, he never again exhausted his body by studying and training with three Shadow Clones at the same time.

It is difficult for a newcomer to get started. I hope all readers will visit often and help raise the follow rate. After finishing, please vote for and invest in this book. If you could spare some monthly tickets and rewards, Haruko would be endlessly grateful. Being a newcomer with a new book is just too difficult.