Chen moved swiftly through the shadows of dawn, his agile steps leading him to his secret training hideout.
The scent of sap tickled his nostrils as he stopped in the forest, his eyes scanning the familiar landscape.
"Let the show begin," he whispered with a crooked smile, his fingers quickly forming the seal.
*POOF!*
The silence shattered with an explosion of smoke. As it cleared, Chen found himself surrounded by a dozen perfect replicas, each one bearing the same determined look in their eyes.
"Listen up, you lazy bunch!" Chen bellowed, his voice booming with authority. "Left side, you're going to sweat blood with Armament Haki. And you on the right, get ready for your brains to explode with the Eight Gods Attack of the Void."
The clones exchanged glances before eagerly splitting up.
Satisfied with the organized chaos he had created, Chen vanished in a flash of violet light.
...
"Attention, you sacks of shadows with my face!" roared the lead clone, strutting in front of his replicas. "It's time to turn those flimsy fists into hammers. Cover them with Haki, and don't leave a single finger unpainted black!"
The clones looked at each other with determination. They closed their eyes, their faces contorting in concentration.
"Imagine you're squeezing a lemon with your whole body," the leader continued, gesticulating wildly. "But instead of juice, pure power comes out. Squeeze, you useless!"
One by one, the clones' fists began to glow with a dark aura, as if they had dipped their hands in a bucket of black paint.
"Ha! Look at this," boasted one clone, flexing his now Haki-covered arm. "I'm practically invincible."
"Yeah, yeah, you're the eighth wonder," the leader rolled his eyes. "Now, onto the legs, before I regret not staying in bed today."
The clones focused again, this time channeling the Haki into their lower limbs. Soon, they resembled living statues.
"Showtime!" the leader shouted. "Let the circus begin!"
The clones launched at each other in a frenzy of movement. The air filled with sarcastic shouts.
"Shigan!" A Haki-reinforced finger flew towards its target.
"Ha! You missed by a mile," mocked the recipient, dodging with a "Soru" so fast it left a trail of laughter.
"Geppo!" Another clone leaped into the air, kicking wildly.
"Hey, get down here, flying chicken!" his opponent yelled, trying to reach him.
"Rankyaku!" A shockwave sliced through the air.
"Is that supposed to be an attack? My grandma's farts are more intimidating," retorted the target, dodging with a contortionist-worthy "Kami-e."
The lead clone watched the chaos with a satisfied smile. "Not bad for a bunch of cheap copies," he murmured. "Maybe the boss won't disintegrate me today."
The battle continued, turning the forest into a scene of destruction.
Every technique came with a war cry.
...
Meanwhile, the other group of clones was preparing for their own adventure...
"Alright, you bunch of useless!" the lead clone bellowed, waving his arms like a crazed conductor. "It's time to pull out our chakra tentacles and become the most impressive freak show this forest has ever seen!"
The clones looked at each other, half excited, half terrified.
One by one, they began to concentrate, their faces contorting into grimaces.
Suddenly, violet chakra arms sprouted from their bodies like psychedelic fireworks.
"Ha! Look at me, I'm a ninja octopus," shouted one clone, whipping his new appendage around.
"Amateur," mocked another, growing not one, but two chakra arms. "Watch and weep, mortals." With a dramatic flourish, he tore a tree from the ground and used it as a giant flyswatter, smashing it against the earth.
Not to be outdone, a third clone sprouted multiple chakra arms, transforming into a violet, glowing version of a Hindu deity. "Behold my divine power!" he proclaimed, juggling massive rocks.
"Enough showing off, freaks!" yelled the leader. "It's time for the real fun. Last one standing wins!"
Chaos erupted. Chakra arms flew everywhere, grabbing, throwing, and striking. One clone used his arms to weave a chakra net, another to...
"This isn't a costume party!" roared the leader, dodging a flying tree. "It's training!"
But his words were lost in the cacophony of laughter, shouts, and the occasional "Oops, sorry!" when someone was accidentally catapulted into the air.
The clearing had turned into a circus of chakra-fueled madness...
...
Chen moved away from his clones, seeking a moment of solitude.
He found refuge on a high branch of an ancient tree, his back resting against the rough trunk as his eyes wandered the clear sky. Beside him, on a broad leaf, lay a freshly caught and cooked rabbit, prepared with the power of his devil fruit.
He nibbled on the meat, savoring the perfect blend of flavors his light and heat ability had achieved. He watched his clones in the distance, a smile of satisfaction curving his lips.
"The true art is delegation," he murmured, enjoying his moment of peace.
His restless mind began to drift to deeper topics. The combat power of Naruto and its inhabitants occupied his thoughts, focusing particularly on Kizaru's abilities.
"Kizaru in this world..." he pondered, his gaze lost in the bright sky. "His speed and intangibility would be formidable, but how would he fare against the titans of this universe?"
He imagined battle scenarios, weighing strengths and weaknesses. "Against Madara or Hashirama, it would be a spectacle to see. His speed would give him an edge, but Madara's Rinnegan could be the key to countering him."
He continued his mental analysis, considering other powerful opponents. "Nagato's gravitational control would be an interesting challenge. And Minato, with his Hiraishin, might be the only one able to keep up with him, if only for moments."
Chen smiled, enjoying the complexity of the analysis. "In terms of destructive power, Kizaru would be on par with the strongest Kages. Even Naruto and Sasuke, without Hagoromo's chakra, would have to take him seriously."
He watched his clones once more, noting their progress. "But intangibility isn't infallible. A skilled strategist could find his weak point."
He finished his meal, stretching with satisfaction. "It would be fascinating to see him in action here," he murmured, preparing to return.
Suddenly, a flood of memories hit him. The clones had completed their training, merging their experience with Chen's.
With a smile of satisfaction, he started back home, the sunset casting his long shadow on the path.
Upon reaching his residence, he headed straight for the shower, letting the hot water wash away the day's fatigue.
Renewed but mentally exhausted, Chen collapsed into his bed. His thoughts wandered to new techniques and improvements, vaguely recalling a chakra refinement scroll the Hyuga clan was supposed to have given him.
"I'll deal with that tomorrow," he thought, closing his eyes and drifting into sleep.
________
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