[First use of a new skill: Hidden task completed!]
[Reward: 10 draws obtained.]
Uchiha Hayato found himself with a few more "shadows" following him around.
The first was Dekai, who claimed he wanted to learn from Hayato so that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would think better of him. To Dekai's credit, he had stopped messing around with the other boys, and since a smiling face often diffuses tension, Hayato chose to let him be.
The others were Yakushi Nono and Hyūga Ruri. Nono initially didn't want to join, as she didn't know Hayato or the others well, but Ruri dragged her along, insisting she needed to investigate how Hayato had "stolen" the Gentle Fist technique. Unable to refuse her friend, Nono reluctantly followed.
"Minato, have you learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu yet?" Hayato asked.
Minato Namikaze's lips curled into a small smile. "Of course. It's just the Shadow Clone Jutsu," he said with a hint of modesty. "But it's not particularly useful to me right now. My chakra reserves aren't large enough; I can only create three clones at a time, and they don't last very long."
"That's more than enough," Hayato assured him. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu isn't just for combat. It's also incredibly useful for learning new techniques."
He observed Minato, noting his tendency to aim high. "Not everyone has the enormous chakra reserves of the Uzumaki or Senju clans."
"Let's focus on chakra control," Hayato continued. He stepped lightly onto a tree trunk, walking up as if it were flat ground. Standing upside down, he addressed the group. "Tree climbing is the first step. You need to concentrate your chakra evenly and calmly at the soles of your feet to stay balanced like this."
He flipped off the tree and landed gracefully. "If you lose control of your chakra, you'll fall. Mistakes like that can be fatal in battle."
Kushina Uzumaki raised her hand. "Hayato, isn't this something genin usually learn? Isn't it a bit early for us?"
Hayato smiled at her, then flicked her lightly on the forehead. "You're right, Kushina. But all of you are exceptionally talented. And talented individuals on the battlefield often become prime targets. A dead genius is just a waste of potential."
Minato silently agreed, reflecting on how few notable figures remained from his generation—most had likely perished in the ongoing conflicts.
"So, who wants to try first?" Hayato picked up a twig and gestured like a teacher.
After a moment of hesitation, Yakushi Nono stepped forward, curiosity pushing her to test her limits.
"Nono, you've got the next half hour," Hayato announced.
The group watched as Nono slowly climbed a tree, falling after a few steps. Undeterred, she tried again, and after dozens of attempts, she finally reached the top, hanging upside down from a branch.
Minato, observing in silence, felt a pang of humility. Her chakra control far surpasses mine, he admitted.
"Well done, Nono," Hayato clapped. "No wonder you're destined to get the moniker of 'The Wandering Miko.'"
"Now, for your final attempt, I want you to climb to the top in one go," Hayato said, his mischievous grin hinting at trouble.
Nono hesitated, sensing something was off, but she complied.
One step, two steps… she progressed steadily. This is my best attempt yet! she thought.
"Now, Little Blaze, use Ember!"
"Raaah!"
A burst of orange flames shot toward Nono, breaking her concentration. She lost her grip and plummeted.
"Nono!"
Ruri darted forward, cushioning Nono's fall just before she hit the ground. Checking her friend's clothes for burns, Ruri sighed in relief before shooting Hayato a glare.
"Hayato! This is training, not an actual battle! Nono could have been hurt!"
In an instant, Hayato's Sharingan activated, and he moved close to Ruri, who froze under his intense gaze.
"In a real fight, do you think your enemies will give you the freedom to act?" he said coldly, pressing a kunai lightly to her neck. "Especially someone like you, a kekkei genkai user. Do you know how many people would love to rip those white eyes from your face?"
Ruri's body trembled, her eyes welling with tears.
Hayato pulled back, softening his tone. "I want to use Pokémon to turn enemies into friends, to create a world where we can coexist peacefully. But that doesn't mean we can afford to be weak."
He retrieved a vial of ointment from his pouch. "I was prepared for this. Nono wouldn't have been seriously hurt. I have burn cream as well. This type of training improves chakra control, reflexes, and even Pokémon accuracy. If this is too much, you should quit now."
Ruri ran off, tears streaming down her face. Nono offered Hayato an apologetic smile before following her friend, understanding his reasoning but preferring to comfort Ruri.
"Hayato, wasn't that a bit much? We're still just second-years," Minato said with a wry smile, scratching his head.
Hayato rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe the difficulty was a bit high."
A distant voice rang out, snapping Hayato out of his thoughts.
"Ah, such youthful training! I've decided—I will do 100 laps on my hands around the village!"