90. Spooky

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"Well," Sora began, his voice hesitant, "something weird happened. After dropping Hanabi off at her home, I headed back when I felt a chakra coming towards me. It was my chakra, the same feeling I get when a shadow clone dispels, but I didn't have any shadow clones active at the time."

He paused, gauging the reactions of those around him before continuing. "When I received the memories, I found they were incomplete. Somehow, parts of them had been destroyed or lost."

The group fell silent, processing this unusual information. Jiraiya was the first to speak up. "How is that possible?"

After a moment of contemplation, Kakashi offered a theory. "Maybe the chakra of the clone somehow became imbalanced and dissipated, causing some memories to be deleted."

The others nodded, acknowledging that it was possible in theory, though the underlying cause remained a mystery. Naruto also nodded pretending that he understood what they were talking about.

 Naruto, asked, "So, what was in the memories you did receive?"

All eyes turned to Sora, waiting to hear what could have caused him such distress. Sora took a deep breath, his face settling into a calm mask. "My clone... had its right hand destroyed for some reason."

Gasps echoed across the rooftop. Sasuke's eyes widened noticeably, a reaction that didn't escape Kakashi's observant gaze.

Before anyone could interject, Sora quickly added, "No, it wasn't a side effect of shape-shifting or something else to keep the shadow clone from dispelling. It was a copy of my main body."

The atmosphere grew tense as the implications of Sora's words sank in. How could this be possible? Had Sora somehow lost his arm, created a shadow clone he couldn't remember, and then miraculously regenerated the limb? The scenario seemed too far-fetched to be true.

Naruto, attempting to lighten the mood, quipped, "Maybe we should just say the Sage of Six Paths is a pervert while we're at it." His joke fell flat in the face of the serious situation.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was visibly shaken, though for reasons unknown to the others. His mind raced with fragmented memories that seemed to overlap with Sora's account.

"I don't remember anything else, but..." Sora trailed off, turning to face away from the group. With his left hand, he quickly formed a series of hand seals and unleashed a fireball jutsu into the sky.

Sasuke's eyes widened further, the scene before him merging with a memory from that time. The words of a clone echoed in his mind

"Well, I'm using this jutsu for the first time, and I don't need Sharingan to copy it."

'So, it wasn't a dream after all' Sasuke was feeling a mix of emotions, he didn't know what to think about it, as technically for him Sora had died already once.

Unaware of Sasuke's internal struggle, Sora continued, "I don't know how my clone knew how to use this jutsu, especially with one hand. But according to the memories, he used it to burn a dismembered corpse."

A heavy silence fell over the group. The revelation left them all at a loss for words, struggling to make sense of the bizarre situation. Sasuke, still reeling from his own conflicting thoughts, remained quiet.

Kakashi, ever the analytical mind, pressed for more information. "Do you remember anything else?"

Sora hesitated before answering, "I'm not sure. It's more of a gut feeling, but I think the corpse had red hair."

The eerie detail sent a chill through the group. Naruto, unable to contain his nervousness, blurted out, "So-Sora, I think you're being haunted by your ancestors!" He ducked behind Jiraiya, seeking shelter from the increasingly spooky turn of events.

Tsunade, maintaining her composure, spoke up. "Let's wait and see. If this happens again, tell me immediately. I'll discuss this with Sarutobi-sensei, as he seems to be the most knowledgeable about the Shadow Clone Jutsu and ninjutsu in general. If any of you have ideas or conclusions, let me know." She paused, then added, "Aren't you four leaving soon? I hope you've packed your things."

Sora's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean these guys are leaving? Another mission? Why wasn't I told before?"

"Well, kid, you were asleep for the last three days," Tsunade reminded him. Sora had the decency to look sheepish at this revelation.

Jiraiya stepped forward to explain. "Sora, Naruto and I are going on a training journey for the next 2-3 years." He glanced at Kakashi and Sasuke before continuing, "These two are also embarking on a training journey of their own for a similar duration, I believe."

Sora's face fell. "What about my training? And why do you guys need to leave the village for it? I mean, you do call yourself a sage, which is similar to a monk who likes to live in seclusion, but your habits..." He trailed off, pointing at the Icha Icha Paradise book peeking out of Kakashi's pocket. "They're not really sage-like."

Jiraiya looked embarrassed, while Tsunade shot a glare at both him and Kakashi. The copy ninja quickly tucked the book deeper into his pocket, wary of potential physical repercussions.

Clearing his throat, Jiraiya elaborated, "Well, this is because these guys need some outdoor experience-"

Sora's deadpan expression made it clear he wasn't buying the flimsy excuse.

Seeing the young ninja's scepticism, Jiraiya changed tack. "Plus, weren't you going to focus on Medical Ninjutsu under Tsunade? I've built your basics in Fuinjutsu; you should be able to reach Grandmaster level in a few years. Your Water Style is also good. You should focus now on Nature Transformation. You can ask Sensei to guide you there if you need help when you decide to create your advanced jutsus. And don't you have a Rasengan variation to practice? I think it would still take you a few months to increase it to the standard to incorporate it into your existing combat system."

Sora opened his mouth to argue, but Jiraiya pressed on. "Plus, you're six years old, kid. Despite being a Chunin, you have no experience in actual Shinobi work outside of fighting and stealth. I think it's better for you to focus on that now."

Sora's shoulders slumped, his arguments exhausted. Kakashi, sensing the boy's disappointment, tried to cheer him up. "Maa, maa, Sora. It's not the end of the world. Plus, don't you still have friends in the village? I don't think they'd be particularly happy if you left on short notice again."

Sora nodded glumly, but after a few moments, his expression shifted back to its usual jovial state. This sudden change caught everyone off guard.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Sora quipped, "Well, I guess staying in the village is beneficial for me." He paused for effect, then added cheekily, "Also, you guys better train hard." He looked pointedly at Sasuke and Naruto. "I'd be worried if I were you, getting taught by perverts who either have a habit of peeping on women or reading indecent books in public."

The statement left everyone speechless. Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously as she turned to Jiraiya and Kakashi, a sweet smile on her face that did nothing to mask her murderous intent. "I hope you guys will train them seriously."

Both men nodded quickly, eager to avoid Tsunade's wrath.

"Well, when are you guys leaving?" Sora asked, changing the subject.

"I'll be leaving in the evening," Naruto replied.

"Tomorrow morning," Sasuke added quietly.

Sora nodded, then suggested, "Well, let's have lunch at Ichiraku since we're here." He carefully removed the IV tube and created a shadow clone to take care of the stand.

As the group prepared to leave, Tsunade spoke up. "I'll be heading back. Paperwork calls." She turned to Sora. "Meet me tomorrow morning. We'll discuss your path in medical ninjutsu."

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