Iruka looked at Kaito with a concerned expression. "Kaito, you can't continue slacking off like this. With your talent, you should be putting in more effort, not wasting it."
Kaito's face twisted into confusion. Slacking off? He wasn't aware he was slacking off.
"Iruka-sensei, why do you think I've been slacking off?" Kaito asked, baffled.
"Every day during extracurricular training time, you only complete the bare minimum and then just sit around and rest. That's not how someone with talent should behave." Iruka's tone was laced with frustration.
"Oh, you mean that? Actually, Sensei, I was resting efficiently during those times," Kaito explained, his brows furrowing.
Iruka shot back, "That still sounds like an excuse to be lazy."
"Just wait a moment, Iruka-sensei, and you'll understand." Kaito gave a mysterious smile before his form dissolved into a puff of smoke, disappearing entirely.
Iruka's eyes widened in shock. It was a Shadow Clone? Not just any ordinary clone, but an actual solid, thinking one—something only the Shadow Clone technique could achieve. The Shadow Clone technique was a B-rank jutsu. How did Kaito get his hands on it? And even if it was a family technique, how had he mastered it so quickly?
Still reeling from this revelation, Iruka waited patiently. Kaito said to wait, so his true form must be on its way.
Before long, the real Kaito appeared before Iruka, his clothes soaked in sweat.
"Iruka-sensei, this is the answer," Kaito said without elaborating further. His state—exhausted, drenched in sweat—was more than enough explanation.
"So you're saying that every day, you have a Shadow Clone come to school and learn, while your real body trains outside. Then during extracurricular activities, you switch and take a rest?" Iruka tried to piece it together, still a bit bewildered.
"Yes, Sensei. The intensity of the training arranged at school doesn't meet my target volume or strength goals. If I followed the school's training regime, I would be wasting time. If I trained myself in front of the others, I would stand out too much. I don't want my classmates to see me as a showoff or target," Kaito clarified calmly.
"I see… then it seems I misunderstood you," Iruka replied, stunned. Knowing the level of effort and planning Kaito put into each day's training left him in awe.
For someone as young as Kaito to be so diligent and talented—it was staggering to Iruka. What heights could Kaito reach with that combination of natural talent and unrelenting effort?
Suddenly, a thought hit Iruka, and his eyes widened. "Wait, hold on… Shadow Clones have a serious drawback. They transmit fatigue back to the original. That's why hardly anyone uses them for training or studying!"
"You mean the accumulated exhaustion when the Shadow Clone disperses, right? I've been aware of that from the start. The thing is, the clone retains the condition the user is in when created, including physical state. As you've seen, Iruka-sensei, my current state reflects that. The clone doesn't impact my training schedule." Kaito nodded, answering assuredly.
Iruka thought it through and realized that each morning, Kaito always appeared energetic in class, focused on reading. He never looked overly tired, which meant he hadn't suffered any ill effects from the jutsu.
Had the rumors been wrong? Probably not. If there were no drawbacks, more people would have used the Shadow Clone technique for training, which wasn't the case.
Iruka deduced the truth: this must also be part of Kaito's talent, something other people simply couldn't achieve.
Iruka was astounded—hard work combined with genius, what kind of powerhouse could that lead to?
Kaito, if he knew Iruka's thoughts, would have disagreed. Hard work plus genius might be powerful in many worlds, but in the world of Naruto, it could only get you so far. Without a special bloodline, limits would always remain. There weren't any regular people achieving Six Paths Mode, were there?
Iruka shook his head, setting aside his thoughts. "By the way, Kaito, do you want some advanced textbooks or supplementary reading materials? I think I heard you mention it earlier."
"Yes, actually. I've already finished most of the first-year curriculum by myself, so..." Kaito said, giving Iruka a meaningful look.
"Wait, you don't actually listen during class, do you? You just read on your own instead?" Iruka gave a strained smile, feeling like he'd lost his role as a teacher.
"Well, it's not exactly like that. I do listen when you add commentary from experience, Sensei. But most of the other teachers just stick to the textbook, so I use that time to read. Your lessons, Iruka-sensei, are really great." Kaito smiled, hoping to cheer up his teacher.
"Should I be happy about that, or not?" Iruka sighed. He wasn't really feeling the joy here.
After a moment's thought, Iruka spoke, "How about this—I'll give you a test on the current textbooks. If you pass, I'll get you a pass to borrow books from the ninja library. You can go there and borrow books to study by yourself if you like."
"Really?" Kaito's eyes widened in surprise. This was beyond his expectations. The library Iruka mentioned wasn't just any library—it contained knowledge reserved for ninjas only.
"Of course. But let me warn you, the questions will be tricky. Are you sure you don't need more preparation?" Iruka challenged, smiling smugly.
"No need. I'm ready right now," Kaito said confidently.
"Heh, alright then. Show me what you've got!" Iruka grinned.
A while later...
Iruka stared at the near-perfect answers on the test paper, feeling at a loss. He'd only wanted Kaito to score a pass. But this—this was beyond what he'd expected. There were hardly any errors at all.
"Fine, come get your library card tomorrow," Iruka conceded with a sigh, accepting that he had a student whose genius exceeded expectations.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei! Oh, and before I go, can I head home for a bit to wash up before I come back?" Kaito smiled, feeling sticky and uncomfortable in his sweat-drenched clothes.
"Of course. But remember, Kaito, always train within reasonable limits. Take care of your body," Iruka said earnestly.
"I understand, Sensei. That's why I'm the best developed in our class, right?" Kaito answered, a serious expression on his face.
Iruka blinked and looked at Kaito. Thinking back, he realized that Kaito was indeed developing faster and stronger than the other kids in their class.
Was it possible for a student to be this mature? It left Iruka feeling strangely out of place. With a sigh, he waved Kaito off.
"Go on then, but come back soon," he said, collapsing into his chair. Having a student like Kaito was something—he just wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a burden.
Kaito nodded and left, planning to complete his own training session. As for "coming back soon"? Well, his Shadow Clone would handle that.
As he glanced back at the visibly drained Iruka, Kaito decided to leave that part unspoken.
Now that Iruka knew the truth about his training, Kaito could dispel his clone right here instead of sneaking off to the restroom. After all, too many trips might give people the wrong idea.