After that small incident, where I ended up getting lightly scolded and lectured about subtlety, Hiruzen finally getting into the main reason of his visit.
"So, Takeshi-kun, Iruka told me that you want to learn ‘real’ bunshin. And the reason so you can keep up with your studies without abandoning your hobby in cooking?"
I nodded solemnly. "That's right, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen stroked his goatee. "Hmm, you certainly have showed me your expertise with these cookies. Let's see..."
…Could it be? Will it really be that easy to obtain it?
"Alright, here's what we'll do.” Hiruzen then paused for a second before continuing solemnly. “Nobu Takeshi, I will permit you to learn the ‘real’ bunshin in your second year, but if and only if you remain as top ranker for the next two terms.”
‘Course it ain't. But hey, it is not bad at all. I still beamed at that promise, which I didn't bother conceal to my two guests.
I hurriedly stood up and bowed. "Thank you very much, Hokage-sama!"
"Hoho, you are very welcome, Takeshi-kun."
"Good for you, Takeshi. Make sure you do your best in both training and studying, okay?"
“I will, Iruka-sensei.” I just have to grit my teeth for the rest of this first year and do my bestest so I can protect my spot at the first place from Sasuke.
Iruka nodded while smiling, then he made a face as if he remembered something. “By the way, Takeshi, have you been to the library yet?”
I nodded in affirmation. “I have, Iruka-sensei. Yesterday was my fourth visit, actually.”
Speaking of, turns out the library was situated behind one inconspicuous and unlabeled door in one of academy’s building. Something I found after a bit of ASKING, which I ironically never tried before.
Guess I was just paranoid that I would wound up asking something I shouldn't.
“Four times in two weeks? That’s quite studious of you, Takeshi. I’m glad you found your first place reward useful. So, what have you been reading thus far?”
Going to library twice a week are considered studious? Heh. I guess he doesn’t know the torment that most of Earth’s college student have to go through.
Add to the fact that this particular library doesn’t allow borrowing books, at least for me, makes reading book can only be done on site.
But I digress.
I crossed my arm while trying to make a thoughtful expression. “At first, I was trying to find books about foods, especially recipes. But what I have found so far are only stories and anecdotes surrounding certain foods and cultures.
“After that, I became interested about stories and anecdotes itself. So, for a while I just focused on reading any that I stumbled upon.”
Seeing that I still have the attention of both men, I continued. “But at the end of my second visit, I found some stories surrounding previous great wars. From then on, I became interested and has since been reading about history instead.”
Well, I actually have been interested about this world’s history for more than two years. But I think it’s too conspicuous if I immediately went for history on my first ever library visit. Thankfully, my hobby in cooking provided a cover, a segue if you will, for my interest in history.
Again, I don’t have eidetic memory of the Naruto’s whole story details nor it’s wiki pages. But I did hope that reading historical texts could jolt my memories if I found some discrepancies from what I once know about the story.
Long story short, so far this world doesn’t seem like an AU.
Hiruzen then put down his cup before asking gently. “Takeshi-kun, could you tell us what you think about the history that you have read so far?”
Another profiling, is it? Well, here goes nothing…
“I think war is the most horrible thing, and there shouldn’t be another, period. Unfortunately, it seems we never have any choice in that matter. I read that every Great War that ever happened always initiated by others against us. So I’m afraid that if there’s a first, second, and third, there’s a big chance that someone would start a fourth.”
I mean, I know the cause of the three Great Wars was most probably the Land of Fire’s fertility and prosperity that made it such an alluring target. So the other parties aggression kinda made sense. But I know that from meta-knowledge, I haven’t found any text that explicitly state or even imply such line of thinking.
I paused for a bit while gauging my guests’ reaction through my sunglasses. Especially Iruka’s, as I thought his expression would be much easier to gauge compared to an old fox like Hiruzen. Seeing that they did not interrupt and still have that “adult-listening-to-kid” kind of face, I continue. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“That knowledge made me realize that getting stronger are a necessity, so I can protect my friends and my comrades. Or at least strong enough that I wouldn’t be burdening them and ended up needing being protected.”
After I said that, Hiruzen’s and Iruka’s smile grew noticeably warmer and gentler. They nodded several times like they are satisfied with my answer.
“That’s admirable thought, Takeshi-kun. Make sure you keep that ember of motivation alight all the time, it will help you in your training.”
“I will keep that in mind, Hokage-sama.”
“Let’s work hard together, Takeshi. Let’s see to it that you become an amazing ninja that can protect others.”
“Please take care of me, Iruka-sensei.”
“Hmm, now that I think about it, I actually never inquired about what kind of training that you did on your own. Do you mind sharing your training routine, Takeshi?”
Well, well, well. Another tricky inquiry, huh?
In the end, I just told them the Saitama’s that I did daily before school, every training that was recommended by my parents’ books, and the juggling training to top it off.
I also added that right now I am gradually upping my afternoon session so I could have double Saitama’s training daily as normal. By normal, I mean doing the double Saitama without abandoning other training because of exhaustion, like when I tried it once before.
Of course, I didn’t and wouldn’t tell them that I already practiced advanced ninja stuff. That’s a recipe for disaster. But even telling them just that much earned me praises of how diligent I was.
Trying to strike the iron while it’s hot, I attempted to asks Iruka and Hiruzen to improve my training plan while their minds are still full of praises toward me. And what do you know, they did actually give some input to further my training progress.
The impromptu consultation ran for just about 10 minutes, all with Hiruzen and Iruka (mostly Hiruzen) taking turns giving out suggestion while I was scrambling taking notes of the pointers they given to me.
It was then that Hiruzen dropped the answer to the question I’ve been holding in since earlier.
“While we are on this topic, I guess it is time for you to know the correct name of the jutsu that you asked for, so you can stop calling it ‘real bunshin’.”
I stopped writing and looked at Hiruzen, focusing so I don’t mishear anything he was about to say.
“The name of the jutsu that we have been talking about are Kage Bunshin.”
BINGO.
“It was one of many jutsus created by my late teacher, Lord Second, Senju Tobirama.”
I tried my hardest to not shout and punch the air in excitement and relief.
“It is a bunshin that, as you needed, create a real, physical copies of yourself that can act independently. Of course, there’s more than that to this jutsu, but let’s leave that for when you have earned it."
… ‘When I have earned it’, huh?
Well, that certainly works in dousing my excitement somewhat. Though the relief remains the same.
It did cross my mind during one of my library visit that there’s a chance the “advanced Bunshin” Iruka mentioned are one of the “elemental Bunshin” instead of Kage Bunshin.
Thankfully that is not the case here.
Now, a little bit of play to distract from my over-eagerness.
“Kage Bunshin? Umm, so, is it okay for anyone other than a Kage to learn it?”
Hiruzen and Iruka laughed hearing that question. “That’s not what the ‘Kage’ in the jutsu’s name means, Takeshi-kun. But, yes, as long as one have enough chakra then they could learn it.”
Hiruzen then looked at the windows before looking back at Iruka and me. “Unfortunately, I have another task waiting to be done, so I have to go now. Iruka, you can stay if you still want to talk with Takeshi-kun.” Read the latest chapters at novelping . com.
Hearing that, I looked at Iruka, which also was looking at me. Then Iruka looked back at Hiruzen. “I think I’ve conveyed everything I need to for today, Hokage-sama.”
“Wait a minute. Let me pack some of these for you.” So I stood up and hurriedly went to the kitchen.
“No need to trouble yourself, Takeshi!” Half-shouted Iruka from the dining room.
“Well, I’m not troubled at all! Please wait just a minute!” I half-shouted back as my hand was busy neatly inserting some of the pineapple tart to the two jars that I’ve prepared.
A couple minutes later, I returned to the dining room with a couple jars full of my own pineapple tarts. I handed one each to Hiruzen and Iruka. Then Hiruzen and Iruka left after thanking me and giving me some more words of encouragement.
I saw them off until their backs leave my vision, then I went back inside
Immediately after that, I began tidying up the dining room. Of course, I also make sure to store the note I’ve wrote properly. While doing so, I count my gains from earlier guests visit.
The most important one is the confirmation that I have a shot at learning the Kage Bunshin, on my second academic year at the earliest.
Though, I do think that’s the only chance for me to learn it while I’m still in the academy. Even if I am sure that Hiruzen will give me another chance in other year if I failed the requirement that he gave for this year.
See, the Uchiha Downfall will most likely ended up happening on this timeline, if the pieces of murmurs and gossips that I caught whenever I was shopping were any indicators. Canonically, it happened when Sasuke was in his second year at the academy.
If I recall that correctly.
Now the problem is, as the year went on, I’m sure there will be more practical class compared to theoretical. That too surely with increased difficulty lessons in taijutsu, bukijutsu, and others.
And I simply don’t think I could outdo an avenger mode Sasuke in those kinds of lessons.
Heck, I don’t think I could outdo a non-avenger Sasuke, a bona fide Uchiha genius, in those kinds of lessons.
So, yeah. Gotta grit my teeth and give my bestest for the next two terms.
Another major thing that I gained was the advices from the consultation session. Both Hiruzen and Iruka gave me reading list to further my study and training. With it, I can finally move to the next phase after the training prescribed in my parents’ books.
Of course, let’s not forget that I also probably gained several more brownie points from two of them. Both because of my Will-of-Fire-esque answers and also my treat of cookies.
Now, to continue making some more of that pineapple tarts. After all, I was planning to give not just Shikamaru and his family, but also others who visited with me tomorrow. That’d be Aki, Sora, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and Choji.
So, that will be two jars for the Nara family and one each for the other invitees. Then I guess one more for taste test of sort. That’s 9 jars in total. Thankfully I bought way more ingredients than I needed, so I don’t have to go out and buy some more after giving one jar each to Hiruzen and Iruka.
Also, yes, Hinata was also invited and actually accepted the invite.
Or more like, it seems her father was allowing her to accept the invitation this time.
Speaking of Hinata, I am happy to personally confirm through long observation that she does still have a crush on Naruto. Thankfully, my presence didn’t ruin whatever moment that birthed the feeling.
… Though, that also mean I might have to deal with Boruto, huh?
Note
Promise fulfilled; the MC did not get the Shadow Clone immediately.
Also a bit of jumping through the details here, like what whispers MC heard to tell that the Massacre drew near, what kind of book MC have read, what kind of input/suggestion MC received etc etc. I honestly find that level of detail overwhelming to write.
About Boruto, I don’t have a plan to include that in this story for now. Mostly because I haven’t really followed neither anime nor manga of the series. But we’ll see if that change in the future.