Chapter 11: First contact
"Ninja-wires? Sure. That isn't something that's too hard to pick up at the beginner level." He told me, as he passed me most of the wire that he had.
"You have to remember. One of the main uses of these is to trap your opponents. Since their barely visible, you also have to keep track of where your wires are constantly being launched during the action."
With that, Naido sensei began to explain Shuriken-jutsu to me. It didn't awaken as a talent inside of the games system, so I was assuming it's something players had to level up by themselves.
After learning the basics from Sensei, I decided to ask for one more thing.
"Sensei. I was hearing from my friend Naruto that he learnt this Jutsu called the Shadow-Clone Jutsu. I was thinking it might be really useful for my fighting style and was wondering if I could learn it." I mentioned it to him.
"Shadow-Clones huh…I can see where you're going with this. You want to surround your opponents and use the Shadow-Possession Jutsu. Sorry Shikomu but you don't have enough Chakra for that yet. At your level, you would barely be able to create 2 Shadow-Clones. Let alone allow them to use your Jutsu."
What he said did make sense to me. I wasn't a monster like Naruto who had Jounin reserves as a kid and even a Biju to help him.
However, Chakra was going to be the least of my problem in the foreseeable future, and I already had a fighting style in mind. I needed the Shadow Clones to speed up my training speed.
"I still think it would be smart for me to get used to the Jutsu early on Sensei." I continued.
"So be it. Let me teach you how to use it."
I knew that while the advanced version of the Jutsu was considered as a forbidden level Jutsu, they still taught the Jutsu to genin, since even Kiba had learnt it for his special move for the Chunin selection exams.
[Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Jutsu
Rank: A
Description: This Jutsu allows the user to create one or more copies of themselves. The user's chakra is evenly divided between themselves and their clones: creating one clone will give it half the user's chakra, creating two clones will give each a third of the user's chakra, and so on. Depending on how much chakra the user has and how many clones they make, this rapid depletion of their reserves can be dangerous. Because of this, usually only those of at least jōnin-level can safely use the standard Shadow Clone Technique. The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique – which creates hundreds of clones to the standard version's dozens – is unsafe to the point of being forbidden. Naruto Uzumaki is an exception to this rule; because he has access to the chakra of the Nine-Tails, he can create hundreds of clones without worry.[5
Requirements: Average Genin Level Chakra
Proficiency:1/ 1,000 ]
Thankfully, seeing that even as an average Genin I would be allowed to use it, I sighed.
Thus I changed my training schedule a bit more for the following week.
I trained taijutsu with Shikamaru early in the mornings. While he didn't want to, Shikaku made it a point that he should bond with me, a cousin they met after a long time.
After that, I had group training with my squad which lasted till noon.
I could only create 1 clone right now, so I made a clone to study Fuinjutsu and train in Chakra control with leaves at the same time.
While my clone did that, I trained in the Nara clan Jutsu with Shikaku if he was free or by myself. After that I also trained in my Shurikenjutsu.
To mimic Lee's training, I also managed to get some ankle weights and was constantly wearing it throughout the day.
Under Nara-sensei's recommendation, I would slowly increase the weights to other parts of my body.
Following this, I would dispel the clone and have dinner with Naruto. Shikaku understood it was important for me to have friends outside of his family too so he was happy with that.
I was still wondering as to why Naido-sensei didn't push for team bonding more. We spent around 4 hours a day together and all just went to do our separate things.
What I also seemed to realize from the other 2 was that they only trained for those 4 hours a day with Naido sensei. I always made sure to bother Sensei whenever I could, a Jounin was a resource I had access to and wouldn't waste it.
The 2 of them had also ended up mastering the 3 academy jutsu's 5 days after me. Probably due to their lack of training and buffs that I had.
Ayumi was also hinting at the fact that she wanted to do C-rank missions but Naido sensei always didn't respond.
I didn't mention anything to be honest. While it would be nice to do higher rank missions and gain more points, I was fine grinding as is. While boring, it would help me out in the long run.
Any gamer knew, to bully people in the future, you have to do that meaningless 40 hour quest for 1 more strength stat than others.
My point being, I knew that I shouldn't waste my points. When it took too long to progress, I could just dumb them all down to master a Jutsu.
…
(Dinner time, 1 more week later. 2 weeks has passed in game time since the initiation of Elemental nations)
"So then Kakashi-sensei makes me pluck more weeds out than Sasuke. Just because I fell down and lost all of our progress." Naruto ranted as usual.
"You know Naruto, you sound like you deserve it this time." I told him as I continued to eat.
"Yeah you're right. I probably did. But that didn't stop me from taking the weed Sasuke removed and putting it in my basket. HAHA." Naruto said, as he continued to laugh with a goofy smile.
"Next time you should just swap baskets with him. It's less work."
"WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?"
"Here's your ramen boys!" Teuchi said as he put the ramen bowls in front of us.
While Naruto and I did eat at other places, we made sure to come back and eat at Ichiraku as much as we could since he loved it so much. Also, I took up paying for Naruto since he couldn't afford to always pay. I had a clan supporting me, and as long as I wasn't feeding an Akamichi daily I could easily spend this. It was chump change to me.
"The dweebs here Sakura. Just like you said he would be." Naruto and I heard an emo voice. Turning to my side, I could see a teenager in blue and another one in red join the ramen shop.
We weren't the only customers, but most didn't sit next to Naruto due to their prejudice.
"He is always here. Sasuke-Kun." Sakura said. She then turned towards Naruto and said in an annoyed tone, "Naruto, why didn't you wait for us! Kakashi-sensei said we should eat together once a week for team bonding, but you got up and left!"
"Eh? Was that meant to be today? I am sorry Sakura but I already had plans with Shikomu here." Naruto explained.
"Shikomu? Don't you mean Shikamaru?" Asked Sakura.
I was confused about that too. It was weird how Naruto never mistook me for Shikamaru.
"If you looked at him properly you would see his jawline is completely different." Sasuke chimed in.
"Now that you mention it…nope actually. I don't see him looking like Shikamaru in any way." Naruto said with a straight face.
"1 Miso-ramen please…ah wait. You guys are here too." I heard a voice from my other side and turned around.
I had to look up a little, since he was much taller than me, but the man with white hair and a mask sat right beside me.
"You must be Shikomu. I heard about you from Naido. He speaks highly of you." He talked to me as he sat right beside me.
"I am surprised. You must be Naruto's sensei. Sensei rarely talks to me and just sits around praying."
"Kakashi-sensei. You know Shikomu's monk sensei?" Naruto asked.
"Monk huh. So he is still doing that…" Kakashi said as he turned towards us to look at us during the conversation.
Sakura and Sasuke also sat down right then and ordered their ramen.
"Kakashi sensei, I thought you would look at the other side of the village for Naruto." Sakura asked.
"Well I was about to…but it seemed like destiny told me to come in this direction for some reason." He said with a completely straight face. Not that we could tell with his mask on.