Unfortunately, Naruto didn't get to see Ayame today.
Still, Ichiraku Ramen tasted amazing. Even Naruto, who had enjoyed many delicacies as a time traveler, couldn't get enough after finishing his bowl.
No wonder Ichiraku Ramen had thrived in Konoha for so long and even expanded by the time of Boruto. It really lived up to its reputation.
However, Yūgao didn't let Naruto eat too much, since she had to train him in his basic ninja skills.
They quickly arrived at the training grounds. Yūgao wanted Naruto to show his abilities first, so she could give him more targeted training.
She had heard that Naruto had always been the worst in his class and couldn't even perform the basic Three Academy Jutsu properly. With only half a month left before graduation, Yūgao was worried he wouldn't pass the exam. That's why she decided to take the time to train him.
Starting today, they'd meet here after school every day.
Yūgao had been laying low recently, swapping patrol shifts with others to clear up her schedule for the next two weeks.
Though, honestly, with Naruto's current strength, there wasn't much she could teach him.
To be blunt, even without using the Nine-Tails' power, Naruto could easily defeat her.
Yet, Naruto happily agreed to the training.
After all, it was a great opportunity to grow closer to her and "improve" his abilities in a reasonable way. Why wouldn't he take advantage of it?
Naruto didn't act as clumsy as his original self either. His taijutsu, ninja tools, and the Three Academy Jutsu were all at a decent level.
Overall, he was only slightly weaker than Sasuke, and more than ready to handle the graduation exam.
"I didn't expect this," Yūgao said, surprised after testing Naruto's abilities. "With your current strength, passing the graduation exam should be no problem. I guess I worried for nothing."
She didn't want Naruto to think she was meddling or that she didn't trust him.
Naruto grabbed Yūgao's hand and smiled, "Of course not! It's probably because Yūgao-neechan has brought me good luck!"
"Ever since I met you, it's like my brain suddenly clicked, and now I learn everything so quickly. That's why I've reached this level," he added with a playful grin.
Yūgao chuckled softly and scolded him, "Always joking around! This is all because of your own hard work. But remember, even after passing the exam, you can't slack off. This is only the beginning."
"Once you become a ninja, you'll face all sorts of dangers. One small mistake, and your life could be on the line. Countless ninjas die on missions every year, and I don't want you to become one of them."
"So, during this time, I'll still be putting you through special training. Don't complain if I'm too harsh!"
"Does that mean Yūgao-neechan is going to teach me ninjutsu?" Naruto asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Yūgao thought for a moment before replying, "I'm skilled in the Konoha-style sword technique, but I don't think that suits your strengths. From what I've observed, you have a massive amount of chakra, so I'm going to teach you the Shadow Clone Jutsu instead."
Naruto was thrilled. Shadow Clone Jutsu was exactly what he wanted. He already knew it, having learned it from Minato, but he couldn't reveal that just yet. Now, with Yūgao as a cover, he could use it freely.
"The Shadow Clone Jutsu is a B-rank technique," Yūgao explained. "It creates clones with actual physical bodies, capable of fighting and acting independently from the user. Unlike ordinary clones, shadow clones are solid and can attack enemies. When they're dispelled, their memories and experiences are transferred back to the original body."
"This means shadow clones aren't just useful in battle but can also be used to gather information or detect traps. And with your chakra reserves, you can even use shadow clones for daily training."
Yūgao thoroughly explained every detail of the jutsu, leaving nothing out.
In the original story, Naruto had learned this technique from the Scroll of Seals, but because he had no guidance and wasn't the brightest, he kept using it inefficiently in battle.
"This sounds awesome! I want to learn it right now! Teach me, Yūgao-neechan!" Naruto said, pretending to be overly eager.
Seeing Naruto's enthusiasm made Yūgao smile with satisfaction. She began teaching him how to perform the jutsu.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto, playing the role of a beginner, clumsily followed Yūgao's instructions.
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
In an instant, dozens of shadow clones filled the training ground.
It seemed like Naruto had gone a little overboard. Thanks to his immense chakra reserves, he accidentally used the technique as a Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
At a glance, there were easily over two thousand clones spread across the field.
"I can't believe you succeeded on the first try... And this many?! That's outrageous!" Yūgao was left speechless.
With her chakra capacity as a special jonin, even pushing herself to the limit, she could barely create ten shadow clones.
Creating too many clones usually weakened their combat ability due to limited chakra distribution. However, Naruto's clones showed no such weakness, maintaining the same power as his original body.
The sheer amount of chakra he possessed was astonishing—unlike anything Yūgao had ever seen.
"Hahaha! This technique is amazing! Thank you, Yūgao-neechan!" Naruto laughed, full of excitement.
Yūgao, snapping out of her shock, quickly cautioned him, "Having more numbers is useful in combat, but if there's a significant power gap, no amount of clones will help you."
As she spoke, Yūgao drew her sword and leaped into the air.
"Konoha-style Sword Technique: Crescent Moon Dance!"
In midair, she swung her blade, creating a shimmering crescent moon in the sky.
With that, multiple afterimages of Yūgao, each wielding a sword, swooped down from above, slicing through Naruto's clones.
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
Yūgao's afterimages took out more than half of Naruto's shadow clones in mere moments.
It was only then that Naruto seemed to realize he needed to fight back, but with his low-level skills as a genin, he stood no chance against Yūgao. His clones continued to vanish, one after another.
After a few more minutes, all two thousand clones were gone, leaving only Naruto standing there, looking rather frustrated.
Yūgao landed gracefully and patted Naruto on the head with a smile. "Any thoughts?"
She didn't mean to crush his spirits but wanted to remind him not to get overconfident just because he had learned a new technique.
"You're too mean!" Naruto complained, throwing himself into Yūgao's arms and rubbing his head against her chest like a sulking child.
"Haha!" Yūgao couldn't help but laugh at his adorable pout and hugged him close, letting him enjoy his moment of comfort.