After realizing that when a Shadow Clone is released, the memories and experience return to the original body, Sasuke was completely tempted.
If he could master this ninjutsu, wouldn't that mean his improvement speed could skyrocket?
Rarely, Sasuke took the initiative to ask Yami.
After listening to his request, Yami first nodded, then shook his head.
"I can teach you the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, but this jutsu isn't suitable for you."
Sasuke's expression immediately changed.
"Why?"
"I know you're eager, but don't be in such a rush."
Yami raised his hand and buried Sasuke in the dirt to calm him down, then explained,
"Do you know why the Multi Shadow Clone Technique is a Forbidden Jutsu?"
"To use this technique, you need a large amount of Chakra. If someone with insufficient Chakra forcibly creates too many clones, a single mistake can kill them."
"Although your Chakra is decent, around half of Kakashi's level, it's still too risky for you to learn it."
"But you can use the basic Shadow Clone Technique, and splitting into two or three clones at a time should be fine."
Half-buried in the ground, Sasuke calmed down and nodded. "Yami-sensei, then I want to learn the Shadow Clone Technique."
"See? You're anxious again."
Yami looked helpless. "That's only the first condition. I haven't mentioned the second one. Shadow Clones don't just return memories and experiences, they also return fatigue and the Chakra they consumed."
"Can your body withstand the shock of suddenly being exhausted for several days and nights?"
"I can!" Sasuke gritted his teeth.
"Then let's give it a try."
Yami released Sasuke and taught him how to control his Chakra and form the seals.
The technique itself wasn't difficult, and Sasuke quickly learned how to form two clones, joining them in tree-climbing training.
As for Hinata, she had already completed tree climbing and water walking thanks to her noble upbringing.
Yami's task for Hinata was focused solely on refining Chakra.
The Hyūga clan naturally possessed more physical energy than others, so they should have more Chakra. But in Hinata's case, that wasn't true.
According to data recorded in the Scroll of the Ninja, even by the Fourth Shinobi World War, Hinata's Chakra level was only four, while Neji's had reached seven.
The root of the issue was mental. The temperament of Hinata was still too gentle, which weakened her will during Chakra refinement, resulting in poor efficiency and low Chakra quality.
Yami had intentionally allowed Hinata to enjoy a happy childhood without interference, but now that she was a shinobi, she had to work hard.
Thankfully, Hinata's greatest strength was her obedience. As long as Yami gave instructions, she carried them out diligently without slacking. That alone gave him peace of mind.
After checking on Hinata's progress and seeing no issues, Yami turned his attention to Naruto.
"Naruto, where's your real body? Come here."
Hearing the call, Naruto, who had just fallen from a tree, ran over excitedly.
"Yami-nii, what is it?"
"Can you make more Shadow Clones?"
"No problem! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
With a confident grin, Naruto formed the hand seal and summoned dozens of Shadow Clones. Sasuke, watching from the side, cursed under his breath at the monster.
How much Chakra does this guy even have?
Thinking Yami wanted him to use more Shadow Clones for tree climbing, Naruto had all the clones rush up the nearest trees.
"Wait, come back! I didn't call you here for tree climbing. I have something else to teach you."
Hearing Yami's shout, the group of Shadow Clones skidded to a halt and crashed into each other. Smoke burst out, and several were knocked out of existence.
Yami's forehead twitched.
As expected of the ninja ranked number one in accidental incidents. Even his clones were unreliable.
Naruto didn't care at all about the little accident. Instead, he asked with bright eyes, "Yami-nii, are you going to teach me a new ninjutsu? I'm not picky, as long as I can beat that arrogant Sasuke!"
He was so loud that Sasuke, who was training nearby, clearly heard him. Sasuke glared fiercely at Naruto but still quietly came over, curious to see what Yami was about to teach.
"If you master this jutsu, forget about being Hokage. Even the Sage of Six Paths won't be able to beat you."
Yami leaned in and whispered the name of the technique. Naruto was confused at first, then his eyes sparkled as he clapped his fists together.
"I got it! As expected of Yami-nii!"
Sasuke was even more curious now. He watched as Naruto's Shadow Clones began forming seals.
"Harem Technique!"
As the smoke cleared, dozens of Shadow Clones turned into Naruko, all with blond twin-tails, striking seductive poses and letting out flirty giggles.
Sasuke: "...Lame."
He wiped the blood from his nose and turned away expressionless, not wanting to waste time with the two clowns. He returned to training.
But Yami had already noticed.
He grabbed Sasuke and began his heartfelt lecture:
"Three forbidden shinobi vices—porn, gambling, and drugs. Do you think I indulge for fun?"
"Wrong! Completely wrong!"
"I do this to train you, dumb pillar. Look, you even got a nosebleed. That means you're weak against beauty. If these Narukos jumped on you, you'd be completely defenseless."
"My team captain, Hizashi, once lost to a beautiful woman and almost let a Kirigakure spy escape."
"Come on, look with me. A man must have the courage to face his weaknesses."
Saying that, Yami forcefully turned Sasuke's head back and started critiquing the clones.
"Naruto, why is one side of you bigger than the other? Fix it."
"And your butt's not round enough. Pay attention to details. How else will you seduce me?"
"Make your legs sleeker, more toned. Yes, right there…"
"That's it…."
Seeing how seriously Yami evaluated his technique, Naruto was filled with energy and eagerly adjusted each flaw.
You really couldn't underestimate this kid's talent in that department.
Soon, Naruko's beauty and charm reached a new level. Sasuke's face turned red again and his nose started bleeding. He quickly stuffed paper into his nostrils.
Still, he kept a calm face and even gave suggestions.
"Always using blonde twin-tails… Can't you get a little more creative?"
"Damn you Sasuke! Fine, I'll change them to black long-straight!"
"Tch, just barely acceptable. A few more, now."
By the time the sun began to set, Hinata had finished her training. When she opened her eyes, what she saw made her vision go black.
A large group of half-dressed, gorgeous women surrounded Yami, giggling and fawning over him.
"Y-Yami-kun…"
Yami casually waved his hand, releasing a gust of wind that blew away all of Naruto's Shadow Clones.
"Hinata, don't misunderstand. This was Sasuke's request to train his resistance to beauty. I couldn't do this, so I asked Naruto for help.."
Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but Yami's death glare shut him up. He nodded stiffly.
"Y-Yeah. That's… what it was."
Hinata nodded blankly, not doubting it at all.
"Alright, that's it for today. Let's meet at this training ground again tomorrow."
Naruto and Sasuke released their Shadow Clones simultaneously. The difference was instantly clear.
As dozens of clones dissipated, Naruto was just a little winded and looked a bit tired. Meanwhile, Sasuke's vision went dark and he nearly collapsed.
Even Yami glanced at Naruto, who had recovered in just seconds, as if nothing had happened.
This couldn't be explained by the Uzumaki physique alone. Karin didn't have this level of recovery either.
It was the combined result of Nine Tails Chakra, Naruto's own body, and Ashura Chakra that created such a monster.
"Naruto, take care of Sasuke. We're leaving."
Yami said his goodbyes and took Hinata's hand, leaving the training field. Even from a distance, he could still hear their bickering.
The next day, Sasuke, who had learned his lesson, was much more disciplined. He only dared to create one Shadow Clone to assist in training.
He could barely endure this intensity, but his progress was clearly faster.
In half a month, he had completed Chakra control training for tree climbing and was now beginning water walking.
But Yami couldn't wait anymore.
For a simple reason—he was broke.
Yami was a big spender. His research cost a lot. Plus, he had demolished the buildings around his house and rebuilt them. Even after completing over fifty S-rank missions, his wallet was running dry.
Lately, all his spending money came from squeezing mission rewards from Team 7.
Anyway, Naruto and Sasuke didn't lack money and had no idea how much their missions were worth.
Even though the Uchiha estate was seized, the village didn't touch the clan's funds. All of it went to Sasuke, thanks to the deterrent left behind by Itachi.
As for Naruto... no one knew where his parents' mission rewards went, but Hiruzen hadn't been stingy with his living expenses. The reason he drank expired milk was because few shops were willing to sell to him.
Even with all that, the money from D-rank missions wasn't nearly enough to meet Yami's needs.
With no choice, Team 7's training was suspended temporarily, and Yami brought them to the Hokage building to apply for a higher-paying mission.
"You want to take a mission outside the village..."
Hiruzen, smoking his pipe, glanced at Naruto and Sasuke.
"Looks like they've met your expectations."
Naruto, who used to yell and run wild whenever he saw Hiruzen, was unusually quiet today.
Hiruzen assumed Naruto had matured after a few missions. He didn't question it and even felt a bit relieved.
"You didn't need to come to me over something so small, right?"
Hiruzen smiled at Yami. "Can't you just go to the mission center and pick one yourself?"
"That was the plan."
Yami didn't deny it. He glanced at the doorway. "But I want the mission from the old man who just left. So I had to come see you."
Yami had originally been browsing missions in the lobby, but when he saw a sloppy-looking old man walk out, he changed his mind and brought his team to the Hokage's office.
"You mean Tazuna from the Land of Waves?"
Hiruzen immediately understood and ordered Anbu to bring him back.
Tazuna, who had just issued the mission, trembled when he was called back, thinking his deception had been exposed.
Once he heard that someone had accepted his mission, he calmed down and looked suspiciously at Yami and Naruto.
A teenager barely in his teens and three newly graduated Genin. This didn't inspire confidence.
"Hokage-sama, are they really capable of escorting me back to the Land of Waves?" Tazuna asked bluntly.
"Old man! Are you looking down on us?" Naruto shouted angrily, pointing at Tazuna. "I'm gonna be Hokage! It's your honor to have me escort you!"
"Naruto, don't be rude to the client."
After scolding Naruto, Hiruzen smiled and reassured Tazuna, "Don't worry, Tazuna-san. Yami is one of our most exceptional Jōnin. If it weren't for the fact that he's leading new Genin, this kind of C-rank mission wouldn't even come to him."
"Is that so?" Tazuna's expression relaxed a bit. "Then I'll leave it to them. I'm ready to leave today."
"Hold on, old man."
Yami stopped him. "When you registered the mission, did you only listen to the client's version of events?"
"Yami, what do you mean?"
Hiruzen's expression immediately turned serious. Tazuna, whose back was to them, suddenly froze, his face turning pale.
"This old man is building a bridge in the Land of Waves."
"That area belongs to the tycoon Gato. He made a fortune in shipping."
"You think… Gato wouldn't hire ninja to stop him?"
"If ninja are involved, the mission rating should be B-rank at minimum."
Thud! Tazuna collapsed on the spot, and Hiruzen instantly realized Yami was right.
Naruto, Sasuke, and even Hinata understood how dangerous it was to lie about a mission's difficulty. They looked at Tazuna, who had tear-filled eyes.
Yami slowly drew the Kusanagi sword and pressed it to Tazuna's neck.
"Cry if you want. Once you're done, I'll send you on your way."
"And I'll destroy the entire Land of Waves to make up for your lie to Konoha."
Hearing such terrifying words, Tazuna's sobbing stopped instantly. He stared at Yami in fear, as if a devil stood before him.
(To be continued.)