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It wasn't that other people didn't understand the power of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
It was simply that their chakra reserves couldn't sustain it. On top of that, the technique placed extraordinary demands on the body and mind. Even if someone barely had enough chakra to cast it, once the clones dispersed, the mental backlash alone could drive them insane.
That was exactly why this Technique had been recorded in the Scroll of Seals.
In a very real sense, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was a forbidden technique.
Naruto looked at the solid, tangible clone he had just created and nodded in satisfaction.
Success—on the first try.
His talent for thisTechniqueswas beyond doubt.
With a flicker of thought, the clone nodded back at him.
Whoosh!
Its figure blurred, vanishing from sight.
Since he had already created it, there was no need to dismiss it. Though Mizuki wasn't due to arrive for a while yet, Naruto wasn't about to risk any surprises. He ordered the clone to patrol the surroundings, keeping watch just in case.
Once the clone had gone, Naruto sat back down cross-legged.
For the rest of the night, he didn't plan on testing any more techniques.
One reason was obvious—he couldn't risk being discovered.
The other was more practical—every moment mattered, and he needed to squeeze out as much learning as he could.
Especially the Flying Thunder God Technique.
That was one of his two ultimate goals for the night.
Everything else was secondary. The Multiple Shadow Clone and Flying Thunder God were theTechniqueshe had to acquire.
But of course, things never went as smoothly as he wished.
As he scrolled through the massive scroll, Naruto couldn't find either the Flying Thunder God or the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Worse still, when he reached about one-fifth of the way through, the parchment simply refused to budge. No matter how much strength he put into it, it wouldn't move an inch, as though some invisible force were locking it in place.
The realization left him dumbstruck. After several more attempts that all failed, his expression turned downright ugly.
"Damn it!? So that old man didn't even bother using the Telescope Technique to keep watch because he already set this up? Some kind of sealing barrier? I can't see anything past this point at all, that bastard!"
Naruto's face twisted, teeth gritted.
This suffocating sense of being outmaneuvered was infuriating.
It was probably not just a change in this life—most likely, in the original timeline, the Third Hokage had prepared this safeguard as well. It was just that the original Naruto, with his laughable IQ at the time, had only ever learned the Multiple Shadow Clone and never even tried flipping further. So the backup plan had never needed to trigger.
But this time, because he had specifically set his sights on the Flying Thunder God and had even taken an interest in the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, he had run headlong into Hiruzen Sarutobi's barrier. No wonder he felt so dejected.
"Damn you, you old geezer! I curse you—next time you peek at the women's bathhouse, may it be full of terrifying old grannies! Argh!"
He couldn't stop himself from cursing out loud.
If he held it in, he'd suffocate.
Besides, the old man wasn't using the Crystal Ball to spy on him right now.
Might as well vent and get it out of his system.
After grumbling until his irritation eased a little, Naruto reluctantly flipped back toward the earlier sections of the scroll. Even if he couldn't get his hands on the techniques he truly wanted, there might still be others worth learning. After all, every Technique recorded here was at least, and usually the most destructive of their class. They might not compare to the forbidden arts he sought, but they were far better than leaving empty-handed.
And sure enough, he quickly found two or threeTechniquesof high practical value, ones he could begin learning immediately.
One name in particular made his eyes narrow the instant he saw it.
"The Rasengan."
Created by the Fourth Hokage—his own father, Namikaze Minato—this seal-less technique had been inspired by the Tailed Beast Bomb. In the original timeline, it had been Naruto's sharpest weapon. From beginning to end, it was the Technique that defined his battles, forming the foundation for later evolutions like the Big Ball Rasengan and the Rasenshuriken—his most powerful means of defeating enemies.
In this life, Naruto had originally planned to try and learn it early from Kakashi. He hadn't expected to find it right here in the Scroll of Seals.
Ranked A-class, recorded with notes that it required no hand seals and still remained incomplete—with room for further development—it fully qualified for inclusion.
That saved him a lot of trouble.
"The key is chakra manipulation, huh? Rotation, compression… is it like a whirlpool?"
Naruto murmured as his eyes skimmed over his father's training notes. His pupils sharpened with concentration.
He couldn't remember exactly how the original Naruto had trained the Rasengan—something about water balloons and sand balls, maybe.
But now, seeing Minato's remarks, and tying them together with fragments of his own past-life memories, it all came together.
At its core, the Rasengan was about compressing chakra into a central point, forcing it to rotate in multiple directions simultaneously. Concentrated to the extreme, it would unleash devastating destructive power.
"…Looks like I'll need to tweak my training plan a little."
He made a mental note as he shifted his attention to other entries.
Then, suddenly, his focus snapped.
A fragment of information flashed in his mind—the feedback from the clone he had sent earlier.
Its instructions had been simple: if the target appeared, dispel immediately and transmit the message back.
The instant the sensation hit him, Naruto froze for a moment—then the corner of his mouth curled into a sly grin.
"Earlier than expected, huh? Well, since the actor's on stage already… the play can begin. And the sooner I wrap this up, the sooner I can get back—tomorrow's training schedule won't wait."
Dusting off his clothes, Naruto slung the scroll onto his back and, with a leap, vanished into the endless night.