Chapter 121: Unexpected Progress
Tsunade sat at her desk, fully immersed in paperwork. Her sharp mind remained focused on the endless tasks required to run the hospital. As she flipped through yet another report, the door creaked open, and in walked Shizune, a familiar bright smile on her face, carrying yet another stack of documents.
Tsunade looked up, and immediately noticed something different. Shizune's smile was lighter than usual, almost too bright, and Tsunade's instincts kicked in. That smile… Haruto must have been here, she thought, knowing her apprentice all too well. They had a bond that went back years, ever since Tsunade took Shizune in after her uncle, Dan Katō, had died. Shizune had lost her parents at a young age, and after Dan's death, Tsunade had cared for her, training her into an excellent ninja, and a genius in medical ninjutsu and poisons.
Shizune set the papers down neatly on the desk, completely oblivious to Tsunade's scrutinizing gaze. Tsunade leaned back in her chair, a playful smirk forming on her face. She decided to tease her protégé.
"So," Tsunade began, her voice casual but with an undercurrent of amusement, "how was your day? Anyone… special come by?"
Shizune blinked, clearly confused. "Special?" she repeated, tilting her head slightly.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, leaning forward a bit, her tone even more playful now. "You know, someone who might've made your day better?"
Shizune's face brightened in realization. "Oh! You mean Haruto?" she said with a wider smile. "Yes, his shadow clone came by earlier."
Tsunade's expression froze. She blinked, sure she'd misheard. "Wait… did you just say shadow clone?"
Shizune nodded, still cheerfully organizing the papers, not noticing Tsunade's sudden change in expression. "Yes, he did really well! You'd barely know it was a clone unless he told you. I was impressed."
Tsunade's eyes widened. She had just given Haruto the Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll yesterday. The technique wasn't easy, even for talented ninjas. It required significant chakra control and capacity. It was a B-rank jutsu most Genin couldn't handle at all, and yet… he's already mastered it? Tsunade thought, the shock evident on her face.
Shizune, however, remained completely unaware of Tsunade's growing astonishment. "Anyway, I'm heading home for the night. See you tomorrow, Tsunade-sama!" she chirped, waving as she turned to leave.
Tsunade sat there, momentarily stunned, watching Shizune's back as she exited the office. The door closed softly behind her, but Tsunade remained still, processing what she had just heard. Shadow clone? Already?
She stared blankly at her desk, replaying Shizune's words in her mind. I just gave him the scroll yesterday.
A jutsu of that level wasn't something that could be mastered overnight—not by normal Genin. Even some Jonin had trouble with it due to the intense chakra control it required. Yet here was Haruto, casually using it like he had been practicing for weeks.
He's already mastered it… in just one day, Tsunade thought, completely floored. Haruto had been progressing fast since his early graduation, but this? This was beyond her expectations. Most Genin would struggle for weeks, if not months, with a jutsu like this. The fact that he had learned it so quickly was almost unbelievable.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. Haruto Takeda… you're something else, aren't you? she thought, shaking her head in disbelief.
She had known Haruto was exceptional—he had shown that time and again—but his ability to learn and master techniques this quickly was nothing short of astonishing. Tsunade couldn't help but wonder just how far he would go.
Returning her focus to the pile of paperwork, Tsunade smirked to herself. I'm going to have to keep a much closer eye on him, she thought.
There were definitely more surprises to come from Haruto, and Tsunade was eager to see what he'd accomplish next.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone