35 Chapter no.35 Lessons on the Path to Strength

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As Naruto walked alongside Kakashi, his azure eyes bore into the mask that perpetually concealed his sensei's expression. His tone was alive with anticipation as he broke the silence. "So, what is it you have in mind, Sensei?"

His question caused Kakashi to turn his one visible eye toward him, the Copy Ninja's scarred visage characteristically impassive. "Well, Naruto," he began, letting a pause linger in the air between them, "I've been thinking about your Shadow Clone Jutsu. True, it does put considerable strain on you, but it's equally true that it's a waste not to take advantage of your unique ability to produce clones in mass numbers. I believe it would be best for you to increase the numbers, slowly, let's just add ten more clones, for now, though."

Naruto, always eager for action, came to a sudden halt. His eyes ignited with a fervor that burned brightly under the cloud-dappled sky, each word hanging on the verge of an excited shout.

"You mean you're going to let me use my clones to train hundreds of times faster?" His heart pounded with anticipation, having already been sneakily using his a larger clones to speed up his chakra control training and wind manipulation training outside of their formal sessions.

Naruto was like a tightly wound spring, yearning to push his limits and see just how much he could progress with the full force of his Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Kakashi lifted his hand, signaling Naruto to slow down. "I said increase your numbers slowly, Naruto. I was thinking more like fifty. You should be able to handle that without exhausting yourself."

The blond ninja's entire body jerked with unbridled energy as he launched himself into the air with a spirited shout. "All right! I'll be the strongest ninja who ever lived in no time! I-"

"Naruto, a ninja must be quiet, remember?" Kakashi interjected smoothly, the reminder causing Naruto to cut himself short. Kakashi continued, his voice gaining a rare stern quality, "That's something else we'll have to work on." Kakashi wondered how he'd ever tame the blond's boundless exuberance. Though he could see some progress in the young shinobi's self-restraint, largely thanks to some rigorous sparring sessions that helped curb Naruto's brash tendencies.

The spirited exchange concluded, and a hush descended on the pair. Naruto's gaze turned reflective, his cerulean eyes scanning the path underfoot as his mind churned with thoughts. Then, as if emerging from a deep internal debate, Naruto lifted his head, an earnest question lining his lips. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei"

The single syllable query drew the jonin's attention. "Hm?"

His gaze steady, Naruto ventured, "I've been wondering… what could I have done differently back at the bridge in Wave?"

The unexpected question caught Kakashi off guard. He ceased his stride, his silver-gray hair rustling gently in the afternoon breeze. Naruto followed suit, his gaze expectantly glued onto his sensei.

Turning around, Kakashi crossed his arms, a thoughtful tilt to his head. He regarded Naruto from behind his mask, a touch of surprise flitting across his single exposed eye. "Oh?" he raised a visible eyebrow in intrigue. "What prompted this self-reflection?"

"Well…" Naruto hesitated, his mind going back to the deadly clash on the bridge. "I've been thinking about how that fight went down…" He remembered the hair-raising peril, the raw fear, and the desperate drive to protect his comrades. "I mean, not that I'm upset with how things turned out! But…" He trailed off, his gaze sinking to the ground.

Naruto's brows knitted together, his fists curling at his sides as he worked through the remnants of that battle. "Back there at the bridge… I tried to help, but I just ended up making everything worse. I fell right into an obvious trap… and…" The admission was a heavy one, lingering in the air between them. He took a deep breath, his voice strained with the weight of his guilt. "I nearly got myself and Sasuke killed. I… I can't let that happen again. If someone got hurt… because of a mistake I made…" His words trailed off, but his clenched fist at his side revealed the intensity of his resolve.

His mind was a swirl of thoughts and emotions. The prospect of losing someone due to his mistakes was unbearable. He was willing to do just about anything to grow, so he never had to experience that guilt again. He remembered the fear he felt at the thought of a comrade, a friend, dying before him, especially when he was the one at fault.

Kakashi remained silent for a while, taking in Naruto's heartfelt confession. He finally broke the silence, his voice reflecting a new depth of seriousness. "It's good to know that you acknowledge your mistakes and are eager to grow from them. But Naruto, you must also realize that it's unrealistic to think that, no matter how much you grow, you'll be able to save everyone."

Seeing Naruto's earnest gaze turned up at him, he continued, "In order to do that, you'd have to be perfect. And no matter how many people out there claim to seek or achieve perfection, nobody is truly perfect. You won't always be able to protect everyone you want to, and no matter how much you grow, you will make mistakes."

Naruto remained silent for a moment, grappling with the harsh truth in Kakashi's words. Finally, he responded, his voice unsteady yet determined. "Yeah, I know." His eyes hardened behind his trademark orange goggles, the fire in them blazing brighter than ever. "But that's not going to stop me from doing everything I can to protect everyone precious to me."

"And what about the rest of the village?" Kakashi's question was a sudden challenge, catching Naruto off guard. "I've seen how they treat you, Naruto. Would you protect them with the same dedication? Are you willing to defend those who scorned you for so long with the same fervor?"

Naruto's mouth closed and he remained silent for a few moments, under Kakashi's scrutinizing gaze. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings, finally, he looked up at his sensei, his eyes clear and resolute. "No matter how the village has treated me, there are people in the village who have been kind to me, who are precious to me. And besides-" He broke into a broad grin, his fingers grazing the metal plate of his headband. "I'm a ninja of the Leaf, aren't I? And I'm the one who's going to be Hokage. I'll protect them, because Konoha is my home. And someday, I'll make them change their views of me and acknowledge me for who I am!" Naruto clenched his hand into a fist in front of him, his unwavering determination making his every word resonate with a strong, resounding conviction. "Because that's my dream and I never back down!"

Kakashi let a few moments pass in silence, a smirk forming behind his mask. "Heh… well said, Naruto." He looked at the young ninja before him, his earnest determination reminding him of his own mentor, Minato Namikaze.

Returning to Naruto's original query, Kakashi posed a counter-question. "Instead of me giving you a straightforward answer, I want you to consider the same question. Knowing what you do now, what would you have done differently back at that bridge?"

Naruto blinked in surprise at the redirection. He paused, his brows furrowing as he reflected upon the events of that day. "Well… I wouldn't have revealed myself in the open," he began slowly, the gears of his mind visibly turning. "Before you noticed me, I would have created my shadow clones around the bridge. When Haku left the safety of his mirrors, they could have attacked him all at once. That could have provided Sasuke an opportunity to escape. Also, instead of announcing my presence, I should have created a distraction with a clone."

"Hn." Kakashi let out a gruff noise of approval. "Good. You're learning." His visible eye narrowed slightly, his attention focused solely on Naruto. "There are two pieces of advice I'd like to share. First, learn to plan ahead. Quick-thinking and improvisation are invaluable skills in battle, but charging in recklessly without a strategy is an invitation for disaster." Naruto nodded in understanding. "Secondly, you need to master the art of staying calm and analyzing situations objectively. This will be a challenge for someone as hotheaded as you, but it's a crucial skill for a ninja. Understand?"

Naruto's response was a vigorous nod, his attention focused on the words of his mentor. With another nod of satisfaction, Kakashi turned and gestured for Naruto to follow. "Now, come on. We've got work to do."

The pair arrived at a riverside clearing, the sun glinting off the rippling surface of the water. Kakashi paused at the center of the clearing, turning to Naruto. "Alright Naruto, do your thing. Remember, these clones should have enough chakra to replenish themselves a few times."

Naruto nodded in understanding, performing the familiar hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In a sudden puff of smoke, fifty Naruto clones appeared, arrayed behind the real one.

Kakashi stepped forward, laying out his plan. "I want all of you to start gathering leaves. Half of whom will practice maintaining chakra balance while standing on water. The other clones will split into two groups of ten, focusing on either wind or water or fire.My water clones will oversee your progress. Let's get to work." As he finished, Kakashi performed the tiger hand sign, summoning two water clones from the river.

The clones quickly organized themselves and rushed off, leaving the original Naruto standing alone with Kakashi. He turned to Kakashi with a curious expression. "And what am I supposed to do?"

Kakashi's response was accompanied by a faint grin. "You'll be focusing on taijutsu and physical conditioning." He moved away briefly, returning with a boulder the size of Naruto himself. "Remember where your clone and Sakura used you for target practice? Well, your first task is to drag this boulder there and back."

Naruto could only gulp in apprehension, his mind already imagining the exhaustion he'd face by the end of the day. But if it would make him a stronger ninja, a better protector, he was willing to face any challenge.