章 53: Chapter 53
Naruto only truly grasped the concept of training with clones after he dispelled the first batch and all their accumulated memories were integrated into his consciousness—thanks to my assistance.
"Sensei!"
"No," I shook my head, already knowing what the blonde wanted to say. "You need to do this to develop your skills evenly."
Naruto's gaze was filled with a sense of betrayal, but he followed my instructions nonetheless. Thus, five of his clones, disguised, headed to the library to work on his weaker areas.
"Naruto, I'm a scientist first and foremost, and you can trust me when I say that knowledge is power," I said, watching the clones disappear in the direction of the library. "To become stronger, you need to develop both physically and intellectually."
"But I want to get stronger right now!" Naruto exclaimed, his face full of determination.
"Patience, Naruto," I said with a smile. "You're already on the right path. Every clone, every minute spent in the library, adds to your strength. You'll become stronger than you can imagine."
Naruto sighed but nodded, accepting my words. His resolve hadn't wavered, and I knew this boy was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goal.
"Good, now let's continue with the training," I said, getting back to the exercises. "Use the remaining clones to perfect your combat techniques and increase your chakra control."
—= A Week Later =—
Seven days passed before Jiraiya submitted a report to the Hokage. On that same day, I was politely asked to attend a meeting with the Hokage.
"He sent a Sannin as an escort?" I asked with a slight smirk, looking at Jiraiya, with whom I had developed a good rapport over the past week.
The white-haired man theatrically replied, "Would you have preferred the Hokage himself?"
"I'd rather it be a beautiful kunoichi."
"I'd also prefer spending time with a beautiful woman rather than with you," Jiraiya quipped, and I could clearly see in his thoughts that he was already planning a visit to the hot springs to gather material for his work.
At that point, I had already closed the door and followed Jiraiya. Thanks to my telekinesis, it was easy to keep pace with the Sannin, who wasn't in a hurry.
"You left a clone with Naruto, I assume?"
Jiraiya nodded. "Thanks to your method, he's improving rapidly. I didn't expect him to figure out how to tap into the Fox's power so quickly."
Naruto still had issues with the orange furball. I hadn't addressed that yet since Kurama, being a chakra-based entity, was immune to my telepathy. For now, I was sticking to the plan I had laid out before starting the blonde's training. As we progressed, I would acquire the necessary leverage to deal with the Kurama issue.
"Heh," I chuckled, recalling whom Naruto had summoned. "Is Gamabunta still upset about being interrupted during his game?"
Jiraiya occasionally visited Mount Myoboku since Gamamaru's ability to see the future had become less clear. My interference had indeed caused ripples in this timeline.
"That's putting it mildly," Jiraiya said. "How long do you think it will take him to master the Rasengan?"
At this moment, some of Naruto's clones were working on his father's legacy. Unlike in the original timeline, I had placed a restriction preventing him from taking shortcuts in training.
This decision presented Naruto with an incredibly challenging task that would take him about two more weeks to solve, but I believe it would benefit him in the long run by improving his chakra control.
"In the best-case scenario, he'll need another two weeks."
"I see," Jiraiya grinned, understanding why I had set such constraints. "You're using battles as a catalyst for his growth. Clever."
"He'll handle Neji without the Rasengan," I said calmly, considering the blonde's current abilities.
Naruto was simply the worst possible opponent for Neji—his incredible stamina and chakra reserves, now paired with recently acquired taijutsu skills and battle tactics.
"But Gaara will be more of a challenge."
"You think Uchiha won't win?"
"I'm sure of it."
At that moment, we arrived at the Hokage's residence, where Hiruzen, his administration, and hidden ANBU were present. Though they remained concealed, I could sense them as clearly as if they were standing before me, thanks to my telepathy and electromagnetic sense.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, a student of the First and Second, the teacher of the Three Sannin, and known as the Professor, looked rather unimposing at the moment. The years had taken their toll, and even though he tried to maintain a stern demeanor, it was not particularly convincing.
"Hello, Sarutobi Hiruzen," I said, deciding on the role I would play in this interaction.
Bold, on the verge of insolence.
The ANBU around us radiated a wave of disapproval toward me.
"Good afternoon, Reed Richards," Hiruzen responded, overcoming the surprise my behavior had caused. His speech carried the same accent as the locals, something I would have to get used to.
Unlike the ANBU, Hiruzen didn't feel any negative emotions—respect, after all, was something trivial to him.
"Who are you?" Sarutobi asked the most important question.
Thanks to Jiraiya's reports to Hiruzen, Danzo wasn't present, which was a relief. Old friends of Hiruzen were not as easy to deal with as the Third Hokage. I was sure that if they were here, I would have had to resort to force.
"A scientist, inventor, and, as of recently, a teacher," I replied with a shrug.
—= Sarutobi Hiruzen =—
"What do you think, Neko?" the Hokage asked after Richards left the residence.
Next to Sarutobi appeared an ANBU operative known as Neko, wearing a mask styled like a cat's face. Her movements were so smooth and silent that it seemed as though she had materialized out of thin air.
"He doesn't emit any chakra. Our sensors detected nothing," Yugao said, her voice tense. "We assumed it might be seals or something else, but even an ordinary person should have some chakra..."
Sarutobi lit his pipe, filled with herbs from Takigakure, thoughtfully drawing in the fragrant smoke. He had already reached these conclusions himself, but it was important to hear confirmation from his people to be sure of his suspicions.
"So, we either have an incredibly skilled spy... Or he truly has no chakra at all."
"Yes," Yugao confirmed, lowering her gaze.
The Hokage squinted, watching the smoke rise slowly. His thoughts were heavy and full of suspicion. The shinobi world rarely encountered something so unusual that even experienced sensors couldn't find an explanation.
"Continue surveillance," he finally ordered, tapping the ash from his pipe. "And double your vigilance. If he really is a spy, we can't let him go unnoticed."
Jiraiya was already keeping an eye on him, but extra eyes wouldn't hurt.
"Understood, Hokage-sama," Yugao replied, disappearing as quietly as she had appeared.
Sarutobi was left alone, deep in thought. His mind told him that Reed Richards was not who he seemed to be. But who was he really? Sarutobi knew one thing: he would not allow any threat to the village, even if it meant solving the most complex puzzle of his life.
—\\—
Two days after my visit to the Hokage's residence, Danzo sent his men after me. The team of five, in terms of strength, was closer to that of ordinary chunin rather than elite jonin. I gathered this information easily through telepathy, extracting it directly from their minds.
"I have no desire to play games with them," I thought to myself.
I quickly implanted a new set of rules into their minds, rules that would take effect whenever they tried to follow me.
Complicating the lives of people already subjected to Danzo's harsh treatment would have been a cruel act on my part. Besides...
My gaze settled on a boy of about fifteen, wearing an ANBU mask.
"In any case, they don't pose a threat."
I was fully aware that very few in this world could actually harm me. Perhaps the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails or the alien parasites from the Otsutsuki clan could be a threat, but most others could only damage my physical body.
From my calculations, Raikage and those who could match his speed might be able to break through my defenses, but the damage they could inflict wouldn't be significant.
Sealing me, however, would be a difficult task since fūinjutsu relies on chakra, which I don't possess.
"Alright, that's enough," I said, focusing on my telepathic influence.
The five ANBU members froze, their movements slowing until they dropped to their knees, as if losing control over their own bodies. I wove new commands into their minds, making them forget their mission and return to Danzo empty-handed.
"Go home, guys," I said aloud, watching as they left the scene of their defeat.
Afterward, I returned to the inn, mentally planning my next steps. My goal was clear, but the paths to achieving it were varied. It was just a matter of choosing the most effective route with the least collateral damage.
—= The Final Stage of the Chunin Exams =—
On the day of the final stage, Konoha was buzzing with life. Not only did ordinary citizens arrive to enjoy the spectacle, but also influential figures who sought to evaluate the future warriors. The air was thick with tension, mixed with the anticipation of great events.
"Your ticket?" a Konoha shinobi asked, his gaze as sharp as a kunai.
I silently handed him the slip of paper bearing all the necessary seals. The shinobi examined it closely before nodding.
"Proceed," he said, satisfied that everything was in order.
Earning enough money for the best seats was child's play with my abilities. Securing a prime viewing spot was just as easy. I chose a seat near where the Konoha genin would be, knowing their teachers—who were roughly my age—would be nearby as well.
Sitting in the stands, I observed the crowd, taking in the atmosphere. My abilities kept me aware of everything happening around me. The thoughts of the snake Sannin and his subordinates, Gaara's bloodlust fueled by the oversized tanuki, and Temari's fear of her brother were all clear to me.
"Today's going to be eventful," I mused.
I leaned back in my seat, savoring the moment. There was so much in this world worth studying and understanding. But right now, I was just a spectator, ready to witness the battles and trials the genin would face.
"My brother will be so jealous when he finds out I got to see the Uchiha fight!" an excited voice came from the crowd.
Ah, yes, Sasuke was a major draw for many of the spectators. As the last surviving Uchiha, he had a reputation that intrigued many. Most of the non-shinobi world believed Sasuke survived not because of Itachi's mercy but due to his incredible skills, which only fueled interest in his match.
Soon, the stadium was filled to capacity, and the participants were already on the arena—at least, most of them.
"Sensei!" I heard Naruto's shout.
I still hadn't managed to instill a sense of fashion in that boy. He was still wearing that orange monstrosity. According to Naruto, I had no sense of style...
"Good luck," I mouthed, barely moving my lips.
Naruto had learned to read lips, so he received my message. He grinned broadly and nodded, his eyes alight with enthusiasm.
The genin and jonin seated nearby turned their attention to me, their curiosity and surprise palpable.
"Who is that man?"
I could feel their thoughts intertwining, trying to figure out who I was and what connection I had to Naruto. One of the jonin frowned, clearly trying to recall if he'd seen me before.
"I was his teacher in preparation for the finals," I preempted the question Asuma was about to ask.
My answer did nothing to lessen their suspicion. It was understandable; to them, I was an enigma with no chakra reserves and no appearance of a shinobi.
"Sakura, where's Sasuke?" Ino Yamanaka asked.
"I... I don't know," the pink-haired girl replied.
In her thoughts, I clearly heard "The Curse Mark." She was worried about what had happened to Sasuke after the Forest of Death.
At that moment, Sarutobi, from his seat, was about to disqualify Sasuke Uchiha for not arriving on time, but he was persuaded otherwise by Orochimaru.
As a result, they decided to change the order of the matches.
"Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga," the proctor announced. "The match will end either in death or incapacitation."
Naruto and Neji both nodded.
"I get it, but you should at least cheer for him," Ino said to Sakura.
"Hah, he's fighting Neji. No amount of cheering or luck will help him," Tenten declared, firmly believing her words.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," I interjected. "The Naruto you knew a month ago and the Naruto standing here today are two very different people."
The others looked at me with skepticism.
"Maybe you're saying that because you trained him," Kurenai commented. "But even you must know that reality is often far harsher than we imagine."
"Well, let's see what the battle has to say about that," I replied, watching as the fight began.
The proctor signaled the start of the match. Naruto and Neji quickly took their stances, and the crowd fell silent in anticipation of an exciting fight.
Naruto charged first, his fists flying at Neji, who skillfully dodged and blocked each strike. Neji remained calm and composed, his movements precise and quick.
Despite Naruto's improvement in taijutsu during our training, Neji's experience and specialized taijutsu skills gave him the upper hand in the first round.
"Surrender. My victory is already decided," Hyuga declared.
Naruto smirked in response and, after creating dozens of clones, launched a coordinated attack.
The first wave of clones was swiftly destroyed by Neji's Byakugan and Hyuga-style combat.
"You know," Naruto's voice echoed from within the smoke, "if everything's already decided, what do you say to this?!"
The clone attack was merely a distraction for Naruto to prepare the Rasengan.
The jonin and chunin in the stadium quickly recognized the technique in Naruto's hand.
For a moment, Sarutobi's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Rasengan!"
Neji reacted just in time to Naruto's attack.
"Kaiten!"
The Rasengan collided with the Hyuga's perfect defense. Naruto shifted the battle to a field where he couldn't lose—a battle of chakra reserves.
"Neji lost," I stated calmly.
Tenten was about to protest when, on the arena floor, Naruto's Rasengan broke through Neji's Kaiten.
Since most of the Rasengan's power was used to break the Kaiten, Neji only felt the repelling effect.
BAM
Neji was slammed into the stadium wall.
"Winner: Naruto Uzumaki."
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