The Hokage's Training Troubles
As expected, the ninjutsu Uchiha Takashi boasted about—one that could supposedly help him shine among his peers—turned out to be the classic C-rank jutsu beloved by the Uchiha clan: Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
For the Hokage, a mature and capable ninja, the six seals required for this ninjutsu were no challenge at all. He could easily replicate the process Uchiha Takashi demonstrated. However, the Hokage, committed to his strategy of maintaining a facade of incompetence, deliberately refrained from performing it perfectly.
The Hokage had a plan. By pretending to be a talentless ninja, who barely scraped through the academy with his basic mastery of the Three Basic Jutsu, no one would suspect his true capabilities. After all, some ninja with strong sensory abilities could identify a person by their chakra aura, and unlike White Zetsu, the Hokage lacked a perfect disguise technique.
To maintain his cover, he avoided using any chakra-based techniques, including the iconic Great Fireball Technique, a hallmark of the Uchiha clan. "If I don't release chakra," he thought smugly, "no one can detect it. They'll just think I'm some no-name failure."
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Training Day
After explaining the process, Uchiha Xiaonan, Takashi's overly optimistic teacher, said with encouragement, "No problem! Let's give it a try!"
The Hokage, hiding his true potential, pretended to muster all his strength. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" he exclaimed. His hands flew through the seals with flawless precision, but when it came time to release the gathered chakra, he deliberately let it fizzle.
A small flicker of fire emerged from his mouth, like a weak lighter struggling to ignite.
"Success!" Uchiha Takashi cheered prematurely. But his joy was short-lived as the tiny flame quickly extinguished. It had reached no more than the size of a candle's light.
"Don't worry," Xiaonan said gently, patting the Hokage on the shoulder. "Failure is common. It took me ages to get this jutsu right when I was your age."
While Xiaonan comforted him, the Hokage remained nonchalant. After all, everything was proceeding as planned. Yet, before he knew it, he found himself roped into another task.
Xiaonan sighed and, with a warm smile, suggested, "How about we work on a genjutsu next weekend? You'll enjoy it more."
"Deal!" the Hokage replied enthusiastically. In return, he promised to help Xiaonan with an image makeover to increase his chances of finding love.
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Nightfall and Reflections
After parting ways with Xiaonan, the Hokage couldn't hide his excitement. Learning genjutsu next week was a dream come true! He recalled legendary moments from the original Uchiha clan—especially how Uchiha Itachi had defeated Orochimaru with a single glance. Surely, the Hokage, too, could master such power.
Fueled by his ambition, he skipped dinner and sat down at his desk to sketch out ideas for future applications of genjutsu. By the time the sky darkened, the Hokage had drafted the beginnings of a new "Hypnotic Domination" series for the ninja world—a mix of tactical illusion techniques and creative storytelling.
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The Clone Army's Misadventures
Meanwhile, in a dark forest near Konoha, the "Sasuke" clones were gathering after a long, grueling day. Their numbers had been decimated.
"We were annihilated!" one clone lamented. "We started with hundreds, and now only a handful of us are left."
The "Hatake" clone, leading this exhausted group, shook his head in despair. "I thought our combat skills were enough, but Kakashi killed over 30 of us today!"
One of the clones, wearing the green tights of Might Guy's team, slumped against a tree. "Don't look at me. I trained all day, but it's impossible to improve overnight. I'm so tired, I could barely lift my fists by the end."
As they reflected on their failures, another clone chimed in, "And Lin... she used us as practice material for her medical ninjutsu! She healed us just to knock us down again!"
Desperate for revenge, the clones hatched a plan. "Let's raid Kakashi's house! We'll steal all his food, and I'll sleep in his bed!"
Another clone hesitated. "Shouldn't we target someone richer? What about Asuma? His dad is the Hokage!"
The "Hatake" clone glared. "You idiot! The Hatake clan only has Kakashi—he's the weakest and easiest target. Asuma's house is way too risky!"
With their plan set, the group dispersed into the night, ready to avenge their fallen brethren.
Back at home, the Hokage smiled faintly. While his clones stumbled through life, he was steadily making progress. Each mistake they made, every failure they encountered, only solidified his resolve. Someday soon, the world would realize just how strong he truly was. For now, though, he would continue to play the fool and bide his time.