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It's been three days since Naruto returned to Konoha. In that time, Team 7 got back into the usual swing of things. Wasting three hours waiting for Kakashi-sensei in the morning, before doing a D-Rank mission before ending their session with 'training', which amounted to teamwork drills. Naruto, for his part, went on with his life.
There were a few subtle differences though. For one, he wasn't as loud or chatty as he used to be. His team didn't really question it as they were thankful for the quiet. He also stopped adding the 'chan' suffix to Sakura's name, and stopped pestering her for dates.
Again, she didn't really notice as she was too lost in 'Sasuke Land'. Same could be said about Sasuke, he was too lost in his thoughts of murdering his brother now that he finally unlocked his Sharingan to care about anything else. If Kakashi noticed, he didn't say anything.
What his team didn't know was that Naruto had an army of clones constantly training in the most secluded training ground he could find. It was Training Ground 41, right next to the infamous Forest of Death. He heard whispers of it being 'abandoned', meaning it wasn't a convenient spot for most people.
He took advantage of that fact and had at least 300 clones situated there, with 100 dedicated to the water-walking exercise and another 100 practicing the Shunshin no Jutsu, and the remaining 100 are working on the Kawarimi no Jutsu. While he wanted to practice his control first before touching any jutsu, the benefits of the Shunshin, for making a quick getaway or escaping a hairy situation was too vital to pass up.
He was happy that it only took 2 days for his army of clones to perfect the water-walking technique. He could now do it for hours on end, including in combat situations without breaking his concentration. It was a small step forward, but good progress none the less.
It proved that the Kage Bunshin training method would work. He decided to have them move on to the kunai balancing next before tackling the senbon balancing.
The Shunshin was a bit trickier. While he can perform the jutsu, it's not really up to the standards he wants it to be. He decided to have his clones continually practice it till it became almost instinctive and seal less, like the Kawarimi.
While his isn't as good as he's seen from Kakashi, he knows it's better than most his age. He plans to keep training it though until it becomes second nature. Thanks to his hax training method, he would get both of those jutsu down in a few days. It would probably save his life one day.
Tonight would be the night he breaks into the shinobi library to gather what he needed. He was walking back to his apartment right now, just contemplating things before he heard his tenant speak up.
[So I noticed that you didn't ask your precious Sakura-chan out on a date today, again.]She pointed out teasingly. She sobered up though at the somewhat melancholic feeling she got from him.
'I guess you're right. But after what happened at the Wave…I'm not sure if I'm ready for being in a relationship yet. Besides, Haku-chan was an angel, she was kind, beautiful and supportive. Comparing her to Sakura is like comparing a polished diamond to a lump of shit.' Said Naruto. The Kyuubi was a little sad for her host, but knew that he wouldn't want hers, or anybody else's pity. She sweat-dropped though at his last statement.
[I believe the comparison was between diamonds and coal, not shit.] She pointed out.
'I know. But that would be an insult to the coal.' He responded causing her to chuckle.
[Before you left for that mission, you were head over heels for this girl. What changed so suddenly?] She questioned.
'Besides the fact that I experienced real love? Now that I'm whole again. My thinking is a bit clearer, and I can recognise that I latched onto Sakura, almost instinctively as a way to get attention. Before the Wave mission, I didn't even know what love felt like.
It was Haku-chan that taught me. During the academy, I just emulated what I saw from most civilians. As the loudest and most popular girl in the academy, I think I felt that if I brought her onto my side that would mean I would be acknowledged, not just by her but her followers as well.
Not to mention that it got me attention, even though it was negative, I took what I could get. Now though, I don't really care what people think of me. So her opinion means squat. Plus, now that the rose-tinted glasses are off, I can recognise what a worthless human being she truly is.
Not only is she weak, physically and mentally, she also has some serious insecurities and used to use me as a way to boost her own ego when her precious Sasuke-kun rejected her.
I'll give it a few more days for her to realise that I'm not really interested in her anymore. That would probably lower her already fragile confidence even more. But hey, that's Kakashi's problem to sort out not mine.
I'm just going to get in with my life.' He explained. She just nodded her head in understanding, happy that he wasn't chasing after that pink haired howler-monkey any longer.
....
It was the dead of the night as a shadow can be seen quickly moving about the library. Naruto was honestly disappointed at the lax security was. You would think that it would be more difficult to infiltrate one of the most important locations in a shinobi village.
But it makes sense, in a twisted sort of way. Konoha, as a whole, have become complacent. After winning three world wars, they probably feel that somebody trying to infiltrate their library is impossible. That sort of attitude was common place in the village as the arrogance and hubris of the shinobi and the civilians as well was disgusting for Naruto to see. Thankfully though, it worked out well for him as he now had full access to the shinobi section of the library.
He probably had a few hours to do what needed to be done. With that in mind, he created 30 shadow clones and sent them off to different areas to pick out and copy down what he needed. His main areas of interest were chakra control
exercises, Fuuton, Suiton and Raiton manipulation exercises and maybe a few Raiton Ninjutsu. He also wanted a good Taijutsu style that was both swift and unpredictable.
Math, history, anatomy, chemistry, politics and laws of Konoha were also something he believed he could benefit from. Luckily there were many duplicates of those books so he could afford to steal them without anyone noticing. Genjutsu was also something he wanted to at least try, it wasn't really at the top of his list but if he came across something, he would snatch it up.
The big one though, was Fūinjutsu. After hearing about his clan as well as needing knowledge to help Kyu-chan regain her other half, it was an art that he wanted to master above all others. So he and his clones got to work. He wasn't really sure what they picked out, but trusted that the selected something useful. They were copies of him after all.
It took him almost 5 hours to complete his objective. At that point he could see the sun peeking out and was happy that he was able to get his work done. He carefully put the scrolls back before sealing away all his copies and quietly sneaking out of the library and back to his apartment.
"Phew…that was way easier than I expected it to be. Scratch that, it was kind of pitiful. You would think that the most powerful shinobi village would guard their jutsu better. Oh well, I scored me a nice collection so I can't really complain. Plus if I ever need anything, I could always go back." He said.
[I agree. I find it highly amusing though. Ha! Serves you right you hippie motherfuckers! That's what you get for sealing me away!] She gloated. Naruto just shook his head in amusement. He never got tired of Kyu-chan. She always had something funny to say.
"Hmmm let's see what we've got to work with. The civilian subjects are easy to work with. I'll dedicate a handful of clones a day for each subject. It shouldn't take more than a month to complete." He said.
[ Focus more specifically on Anatomy and the Laws…those could help you in your shinobi career better than the others. I'm not say you should neglect other areas though, just pay special attention to those. ] Suggested Kyu-chan.
"You're probably right. Those civilian council assholes will probably just look for excuses to slap some infringement on us. Better read up properly. Hmmmm…charkra control….water-gliding, haven't really tried that…sounds cool though. I already have info on most of these….balancing kunai and senbon on the tips of each finger? Ouch…sounds painful. Thank the Sage for shadow clones.
Separating and organising different coloured powders on each hand using chakra. That sounds a bit tough. Nothing I can't do if I put my mind to it though." Said Naruto happily. Now that he has a lead, he can take things from there.
"Oh here's the training methods for elemental jutsu. For wind, you have to cut a leaf in half with your chakra. Then you have to split a fucking waterfall…who the hell comes up with this stuff? Water seems fairly straightforward….trying to drench regular paper with water using your chakra. Creating whirlpools of varying sizes. Heh…doesn't sound too bad.
For lightning I have to light up a light bulb with lightning natured chakra. Wow….that's…going to be expensive. Eh fuck it…I'll steal them if I have to." He said causing his tenant to sweat-drop.
"Hey! Why did they copy down Fuuton jutsu's? I already some of those….hmm…what's this? Vacuum Manipulation….how interesting." He whispered. Lost in thought about what he just read. It was an intriguing branch of wind manipulation….he knew he would have to get to that level.
"Ooh! They actually did manage to find a Genjutsu. It seems like it takes a lot of chakra, but that's right up my alley. Once I get my control up, I can start practicing it.
Ha! It would be a real surprise for me to pull out…especially since everyone said I had no talent for Genjutsu." He smirked. He always thought Genjutsu were cool. But could never pull them off. Now though, he would at least get one.
[ I will also teach you one of my illusionary techniques. Even though I'm just a mass of chakra and not a real fox, I still take characteristics from them. Foxes are naturally tricksters, so illusions are right up my alley. Using my chakra, you can form the basis of one of my favourite illusions.] She suggested.
"Wow…thanks Kyu-chan. But I think it might be a bit of a problem. I don't want people to know I can use your chakra. It would raise way too many questions. Until a time that they actually decide to train me to use it, which would give me the excuse for it." Pointed out Naruto.
[I've already taken that into consideration. Because of you accepting your dark half, and because I'm not influencing you….there is a somewhat semi-synchronisation between us. The seal still prevents full synchronisation, but if you were to call up my chakra, it would be a lot purer than what most people would expect.
It won't have any negative effects that a regular chakra shroud would have had on you either. It also won't be red and won't give off the feeling of malevolence, unless you want it to that is. So you can easily disguise its use.] She informed him.
"Sweet! That makes thing a lot easier. But I don't want to rely on your chakra for now. I want to raise my own power first. Maybe in a year or two we can find how well we can sync. For now though, it will be a trump card to use in the worst case scenario." He suggested. She just nodded her head in understanding.
"As I suspected. Taijutsu will be a bit of a problem. Although using weights and resistance seals will hone my body to the max, if I can't find the right style to allow me to use my body, it would be a waste. The Goken looks good….but a bit too rigid for my tastes. I want something more unpredictable." He bemoaned whilst scratching his head in frustration.
[Why don't you just create your own unique style? It won't be too hard if you know your body well enough. You can use another style as a base and then expand from there.] Suggested the Kyuubi.
"I could kiss you right now Kyu-chan. You're a genius!" He proclaimed, much to the embarrassment of his tenant.
[Shut up! Stop saying embarrassing things like that you bastard!] She shouted while blushing profusely.
"Fufu…you're so cute sometime Kyu-chan. Anyway, there seems to be some pretty useful non-elemental Ninjutsu here. The Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and the Bunshin Daibakuha are really great supplementary jutsu to have.
I think I can learn them pretty quickly thanks to my familiarity to with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, which I'm assuming is jutsu those two are based off. For some reason, my clones also wrote down the hand seals for the Kuchiyose no Jutsu…I don't have a contract with any summons so it's a bit pointless."
[Actually, I believe I can help you with that. Just learn the hand seals and I'll tell you why a little later.] Said the Kyuubi cryptically.
"O…kay….I want to get really far in the Fūinjutsu training though. Luckily, we've got a lot of volumes to work with here. I want to at least be at an intermediate level or above in the next few months. As for Kenjutsu, I need to find a blacksmith who isn't biased in this damn village to forge me a sword. I even have a basic design in my head. That will be for later though, I want to get the kata's down first." He said.
[That's all well and good. But we need to address a far more serious issue first.] Said the Kyuubi, in a rare serious tone of voice. Naruto too got a serious look on his face at the tone of his friend.
"What is it?" He questioned.
[I refuse to allow you to wear that hideous jumpsuit any longer!] She declared, causing him to face plant.
"What the hell Kyu-chan! I thought you had a serious issue to discuss!" He protested.
[This is serious! As a woman, with a keen sense of style, your jumpsuit is an affront to all things good in this world. I will not allow my container to wear such ugly apparel any longer! You found quite a bit of clothes in that hideout, I'm sure we can put together something that looks good.] She said. Naruto looked at his jumpsuit lying on his bed and sweat-dropped.
'Maybe Kyu-chan has a point.' He thought. He unsealed the clothes he pick up from Zabuza's hideout. There was quite a bit, and he realised that some of them weren't even his size. He probably just scavenged it from whoever he killed. He picked out a few pieces of clothing and asked his tenants opinion.
"What do you think Kyu-chan?" He questioned.
[Hmmm…not bad. It provides a lot of freedom of movement, plus it can blend in if needed. Not to mention, I think traditional clothes would look better on you. It would also be a bit more stylish if you left one side to hang loose. If you add a nice sash around your waist it would complete the look.
The snowflakes at the bottom are also a nice tribute to your mate. It also helps that there are a few pairs of this outfit. Don't start wearing it before you're far enough in Fūinjutsu though. You can add durability, self-repair and self-cleaning seals to it to ensure it never takes lasting damage.] She advised.
"Thanks Kyu-chan. I'm kind of excited to wear it now. It looks cool. You think maybe I should grow my hair out?" He inquired.
[Hmmm…I think that could work. Maybe somewhere at shoulder length. If your hair is a little shaggy, it would go great with the outfit.] She told him.
"Sweet! Anyway, I should get a few hours of sleep before I need to meet up with my team. I'll send a few hundred clones to get my training started….from then on it's straight to the top!" He said with a yawn, before letting himself hit his bed with a fall, drifting off to sleep pretty quickly. The Kyuubi just shook her head exasperatedly, before drifting off to lala-land herself, dreaming about chasing catching delicious rabbits.
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if you want you can go and read a head of the public release in p atreon :
p atreon.com/MoonLight18
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This was mainly to set the foundations for the techniques he will use later on. I don't really plan to show most of his training as I want to get to the action. I just left a few hints and it's up to you to put the rest together.
I already decided on his clothes. I actually decided it before I started this story. It's actually the outfit worn by another Shounen Jump protagonist. See if you can guess who it is from my description.
I already decided on Foxes as being his summons. I like the toads and all, but Foxes are my favourite animals and are so much more badass. If you have any suggestions…see if you can change my mind.
*Warning! Author Rant Ahead!*
Okay, I just wanted to get this off my chest….I think this was how Naruto should have been trained in canon. I think Kakashi and Jiraiya were way too neglectful with his training. And some things were absolute bullshit!
It is constantly stated that Naruto has the largest chakra reserves in the village. He can make up to a 1000 clones, as we saw against Mizuki, whereas the Hokage can't make more than 10.
Jiraiya himself said that 10 is his limit, but for some reason…Naruto needs to use the Kyuubi's chakra to summon a taod larger than a tadpole? I call bullshit! He could have easily summoned Gamabunta from his regular reserves. Jiraiya summoned him during the Tsunade Retrieval arc and didn't even break a sweat, and that's after Tsunade fucked up his chakra system!
And are you telling me that Naruto went on a three year training trip with one of the most powerful shinobi on the planet and all he learned was to make a fucking rasengan bigger?! He can't even do it with one hand in shippuuden! But during the end of the original series, in his battle with Sasuke, he formed a rasengan with one hand! Apparently he fucking forgot that afterwards!
Also, why didn't anybody tell him about the shadow clone training method earlier on? That would have made his progress astronomical during his 3 year trip! He actually mastered Wind manipulation to a level that very few people ever have….and he did it in a fucking week! And he never even learned any Fuuton jutsu! He just augmented his rasengan with it!
It's like Kisihimoto purposely kept Naruto weak just to make his favourite boy-toy Sasuke look like a badass in comparison. Naruto should have left him in the dust during Shippuuden. He was actually stronger than him at the end of the original. The only reason he lost the fight at the valley of the end is because he didn't go for the killing blow. Then comes shippuuden and Sasuke got some hax power up and Naruto is back to being a bumbling idiot. Aargh it pisses me off!
Phew…had to get that off my chest….feels good…
*Rant End*
Next chapter is the start of the chuunin exams….look forward to it!
before you go please leave a review :)