On Konoha's back mountain, the forest was facing a major survival crisis.
Upon arriving, Naruto Uzumaki didn't rest at all. He immediately started combining the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rasengan, continuing his work on developing strange new combination ninjutsu.
"Rasengan!"
"Spiral Barrage!"
"Spiral Multi-Barrage!"
Rows of trees fell to the power of the Rasengan, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Small animals that had been watching him train fled the scene in a panic.
Someone stood under a tree and pushed up his small sunglasses. "I never thought a dead-last like you could also learn an A-rank forbidden jutsu like the Rasengan."
"Who's there?"
A cyclone of chakra swirled fiercely in Naruto's palm. He turned his head and saw the figure that had suddenly appeared in black, then let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's you..."
The newcomer was a Special Jonin of Konoha named Ebisu. He was also the private tutor for Hiruzen Sarutobi's grandson, Konohamaru. The two of them had a grudge.
When Naruto was getting his ninja registration photo taken, he had been pestered by Konohamaru into teaching him the Sexy Jutsu. Unexpectedly, Ebisu had stepped in, looking down on Naruto and reprimanding him. In response, Naruto used an advanced version of the technique, the Harem Jutsu, to defeat Ebisu. Now, it seemed the Special Jonin still wasn't over it.
"What do you want?"
Naruto waved his hand, slamming the Rasengan he held into a tree trunk. He went back to his training, needing to work hard for the new will that occupied his mind. That will, which made him want to unify the ninja world, seemed to crave power in every word, even pushing him to learn a sealing jutsu like the Sealing Art: Devour, which could absorb chakra.
"Have you forgotten the shame you brought upon me a few days ago?" Ebisu said as he slowly walked toward Naruto, his expression full of contempt. "I'll admit, you do have some talent, managing to learn the Rasengan developed by the Fourth Hokage."
"But that doesn't change the fact that you're just an ordinary ninja. True masters ultimately rely on their bloodline. As an ordinary ninja, it's impossible for you to become Hokage!"
"The one who can become a master, who can become Hokage, is definitely the Third Hokage's grandson, the young master Konohamaru. He has Lord Hokage's bloodline in his body!"
This Konoha Special Jonin was clearly a firm believer in the power of bloodlines. It was why he had chosen to become Konohamaru's private tutor instead of teaching a group of children at the Ninja Academy like Iruka.
In all of Konoha, at least on the surface, there weren't many children who could compare to Konohamaru's lineage, partly due to the decline of the great ninja clans. The only one who could was probably the second daughter of the Hyuga clan's main family. It was said that the little girl's nanny was a proper Jonin—such was the foundation of Konoha's number one noble clan.
"Whatever. Think what you want," Naruto said, raising his head. The glaring sunlight made it hard to look directly at Ebisu. He continued softly, "Anyway, I don't think a good background helps a ninja. Every ninja in the village has a chance to become Hokage."
"Heh, that's not necessarily true," Ebisu said, looking down at Naruto with contempt. "Do you think you can become Hokage just because you learned the Rasengan? The Fourth Hokage's title was the Yellow Flash. His most skilled ninjutsu was the Flying Thunder God Technique!"
"...If you're just here to disturb my training, please leave. Even though I'm still young, I don't want to waste my time on you."
Naruto was getting annoyed. He wasn't particularly fond of the Fourth Hokage—maybe it was some spiritual connection, since they both developed the Rasengan? It was just that Naruto had developed it later. He didn't want to hear the words "Fourth Hokage," but the Special Jonin in front of him couldn't seem to stop saying them.
"Heh heh... would you like me to guide your training?" Ebisu slowly bent down, looking at the yellow-haired ninja through his sunglasses. A wicked smile formed on his lips. "You know, the guidance of a Special Jonin is a very valuable asset for a Genin."
Ever since being defeated by the Harem Jutsu, Ebisu hadn't been in a good mood. He had lost face in front of Konohamaru and had even caused the little boy to change his ways. Now, Konohamaru wandered the streets of Konoha every day, peeking at beautiful women and strange magazines, focusing on practicing the Sexy Jutsu.
For Ebisu, this was a much more serious matter than his own loss of face. How could a prime Hokage candidate be ruined by a few words from Naruto? This loser was misleading the youth!
He had been looking for a chance to get his revenge. Coincidentally, today he had seen Naruto leave the Ninja Academy early.
Naruto glanced at him and said seriously, "Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious!" Ebisu nodded solemnly and extended his palm toward Naruto, forming a Seal of Opposition. "I heard you little ones value this kind of ritual when you fight..."
"Although you are just an arrogant, ignorant demon fox brat that I dislike, you are still a ninja of the village..."
Naruto glanced at his hand gesture and casually formed a Seal of Opposition in return. "After listening to you talk for so long, it turns out you're just sore about losing to me last time."
"No ninja would be convinced after losing to that kind of lewd jutsu!" the Special Jonin shot back, separating his palms. "Naruto Uzumaki, this time, I won't be careless again!"
"I really don't get it. A Jonin, after losing, still has the nerve to challenge me, a Genin..." Naruto sighed and clenched his fist. "But that's fine. I didn't get to have enough fun at the Ninja Academy today anyway."
"Idiot, it's Special Jonin!" Ebisu said angrily. "And I'm not challenging you, I'm teaching you a lesson about what it means to be a ninja! Being a ninja is not a child's game!"
As his voice fell, Ebisu raised his leg, aiming a kick at Naruto's head. As an adult, he had a natural advantage in a taijutsu duel. Relying on his height and skill, he infused his leg with chakra to make his attack even stronger.
The roundhouse kick flew toward Naruto but was immediately blocked by his outstretched arm. The immense force sent through his arm made Naruto's expression turn grim. The breeze from the kick stirred his yellow hair. With his current taijutsu, he knew he couldn't defeat a Special Jonin.
Naruto leaped away to avoid Ebisu's next attack and formed a hand seal. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Heh heh, I told you," Ebisu said with a smirk, adjusting his glasses. "I'm not like that useless chunin Mizuki. The Shadow Clone Jutsu is nothing new to me."
No, the Shadow Clone Jutsu wasn't new. But the fact that this yellow-haired brat's chakra could create hundreds or even thousands of shadow clones at once... no matter how many times he saw it, it was still amazing.
Does this kid just have too much chakra?
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Bonus:
Ebisu: "I've said it before—bloodline determines a ninja's potential!"
Naruto Uzumaki: "I don't believe that! Everyone has the potential to become Hokage!"
Ebisu: "Heh… then show me your potential, Naruto."
Naruto Uzumaki: "Rasengan! Believe it now?"
Ebisu: "…I see it now. Maybe bloodline doesn't matter after all."
...
Minato Namikaze: "No—bloodline is important."
Kushina Uzumaki: "That's right! Bloodline is important!"
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: "Go on—guess what I'm about to say?"