"I've heard they're already comparing him to the second Tsunade Senju at the hospital. Naturally, not in terms of skills, but in terms of the potential he has, but it's still impressive! You know, if Shikaku hadn't inherited your laziness, you would have had two treasures like that now," Inoda seriously nodded.
"Haha, yeah, otou-san walks around like a cream-covered cat these past one and a half to two years," Shenesu snorted, "and keeps saying that in ten years everyone will be marveling at the first S-class shinobi from our clan since the founding of Konoha."
"Very possible," Choji nodded, "and what does Ryo himself say?"
"He wants to become a Jonin by the age of fifteen, and by twenty, be stronger than the Hokage's students."
"Wow, that's aiming high!"
"And he has every chance of realizing his dreams," the blonde nodded, "if he's already this strong at eight, then with age, he'll undoubtedly be among Konoha's elite. Either as a hand-to-hand combatant or as a medic."
"You think that's all? Our elders who train shinobi in the clan are simply delighted with him — he grasps all the regular subjects without the slightest problem! And if there were some minor problems with clan jutsu due to missing more than half a year, now he has surpassed all his peers, not least because of the huge reserves of chakra inherent in all Uzumaki. And let's not forget about fuinjutsu — it's thanks to training seals that he's been able to advance so far in taijutsu. So we also have a seal master on the way, which is most relevant in today's times."
"Listen, you're saying he's doing taijutsu," Yamanaka began to list, bending his fingers, "training his body, studying to be a medic and doing an internship at the hospital, learning fuinjutsu, also clan training..."
"Training in chakra control," Shenesu added.
"...training in chakra control and without any problems studying subjects from civilian school — how does he manage all this? Even if there were thirty hours in a day, it wouldn't be enough for everything!"
"The answer to that question is simple," Nara sighed, taking the sake cup and drinking the warmed sake, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. A clone goes to the hospital and studies medical treatises, a clone trains chakra, a clone learns school subjects, and Ryo himself does everything else and sometimes everything listed above when he wants to change direction."
"Kage Bunshin? Uzumaki-style Kinjutsu? But that's dangerous!" the chubby man exclaimed worriedly. "It requires too much chakra to create and maintain! Even my amount of chakra probably wouldn't be enough for more than seven or eight full-fledged clones!"
"And this puts a heavy burden on the mind when using clones in this way," Inoda added grimly. "At this rate, he'll burn himself out and could end up with brain damage from not coping with the influx of information."
"Do you think I don't know that? But our little genius also realizes this and doesn't create more than five at a time, although he's capable of more. Moreover, he disperses each clone separately and during meditation to assimilate all the learned information and eliminate any risk," Nara explained.
"And when does he rest?" Akamichi asked.
"Never!" Nara shrugged. "Two hours for meditation in the evening, five to six hours of full sleep, and all the rest of the time for study, training, and practice. I tried to make him take even short breaks every couple of days, but no success yet. He's not a Nara, I can tell you that for sure! And Saya, under his influence, has become stronger in recent years despite the long absence of practice — now she wins three out of five of our sparring matches."
"And maybe it's you who's starting to slack off and get too lazy?" the chubby man slapped his shoulder friendly.
"Hey!"
"You know, Ryo-kun could become the next clan head instead of Shikaku," Inoda smirked cunningly.
"God forbid!" Shenesu shuddered. "Our clan would be doomed!"
"You mean your laziness would be doomed!" the two friends laughed.
"Only over my dead body! I want to spend my old age in warmth and peace!"
"And your wives will be so happy..." the blonde chuckled nastily.
Nara gave a gloomy look at the laughing pair but didn't say anything.
"Alright, let's drink to the next generation," Choji declared, raising the sake cup, "may they be stronger than us and survive the upcoming war! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"