34 The boys

The shadow clone Jutsu.

Why it took me this long to learn I couldn't say.

Well, that's not true, I know exactly why.

After I learned the Genjutsu: False Surroundings technique, I never really bothered learning any new Jutsu.

I mean, the academy three are way underutilised and have carried me thus far, and with my chakra control I don't really need specific Jutsu to do anything elemental, I can just do what I want with pure chakra and shape manipulation.

So, I stopped thinking about new Jutsu altogether, wanting to just master what I have along with focusing on my stealth and sensing.

Not to mention reminding myself to speed up my whirlpool every now and then.

Then there are also my medical chakra experiments and my Fuinjutsu.

All of this led to the shadow clone Jutsu slipping my mind.

But in hindsight, that was pretty stupid of me. There are plenty of Jutsu I should probably learn, from shadow clone, to Summoning, to... well I can't think of any others right now but there's probably something.

Anyway, what matters now, is the shadow clone.

I've already requested the scroll and got it from inventory, it was the first thing I did after Wolf left me alone. I did promise myself it would be the first thing I would do when I got back, and even if it's actually something like the fourth thing, well that's close enough.

Sitting in my room, as I do, I contemplate the Jutsu.

Since I refuse to use hand seals on principle, I have to figure it out a little more.

Not that it's too difficult, since the scrolls explain things very well, but still, no one masters a Jutsu instantly.

Well except sharingan users I guess, but they're just a bag of cheats so they don't count.

Speaking of though, I have met a few Uchiha's in ANBU and they were actually surprisingly chill. Apparently, they just have to act like that around the, ah, 'common folk' so to speak, kind of like how ANBU in general are supposed to avoid talking around those who aren't ANBU.

It's all about reputation really.

Anyway! Before I get distracted again, I mould my chakra like I'm going to make a Bunshin, only instead of using a select amount of chakra, I basically split myself in half, supposedly the act of splitting your chakra instead of funnelling it into the Jutsu, is a big part of how the Kage Bunshin has its own agency.

Well, it works, kinda, he looks a little.. off.

But hey, after a bit of practice, it'll be fine. Then I can progress my Fuinjutsu further without risking killing myself by accident.

Well, that once Jutsu is enough practice for today. I'm going to sleep.

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Today I should be getting a squad of my own, which will be interesting I suppose.

I can't see anyone being happy with me as a squad leader though, unless it's going to be made of people I already know, like Hound. Heh. I could give Hound orders that he would have to follow. Hehehe.

I sure hope he's in my squad.

Making my way through ANBU HQ to the right training room, I share nods with those I pass by, because despite what I just said, I have made myself quite the reputation in ANBU.

It's kind of hard not to be noticed when you are so much smaller than everyone, being 140cm (4'6) but reputation is a good thing, so I won't complain.

Opening the door to the training room, the first thing I notice is Hound. Heh.

Then I actually look at the others and see Mantis, which I didn't expect, since we are both stealth specialists, and usually a squad would only have one person specialised in stealth, the last person is an ANBU that I don't think I've ever seen before, someone new?

"yo hound, how's it feel to be beholden to someone a third your age?"

"ahhh, taichou, you're finally here, it was getting awkward waiting for you."

"oi, show some respect to your superior."

"my mistake, i will show you all the respect you deserve taichou-sama."

"and don't forget it, now i know you mantis, good to see you again by the way, but who're you?"

Mantis nods in response to me while the mystery man proceeds to take off his mask, showing some rather familiar, bright red hair and a big friendly smile.

"My name is Kaito Uzumaki, or fox, when I heard you were going to be making a squad, I asked if I could join ANBU to join you."

Please don't be a creepy stalker, please don't be a creepy stalker, please don't be a creepy stalker.

"ah, cool, wait, wasn't fox taken?"

I look to mantis for the answer, since he has seniority even if I have authority,

"fox died recently, some heart problem, guy was old."

"grouchy too."

Mumbling so, I decide to take of my mask and sit down in front of my new squad, prompting the others to also unmask and sit down too, in a circle.

"Well, let's do introductions then, so we all know each other, I'll go first, I am Hanabira Haruno, or Butterfly and I am your squad leader, I don't really like formality so when were alone don't bother with it, also I am aware I'm young, so please do speak up if you think I'm making a mistake of some sort."

Hound follows, and introduces himself,

"My name is Hound or Ryūki Tanaka and I am a combat specialist, I'm pretty chill, just don't drop rotting corpses on me and we'll be fine."

Hah. he doesn't even glance at me when he said that, so they have absolutely zero context, which just makes their confused faces funnier, but I hold back my reaction, since if I laugh, they might just think it's an inside joke and let it go. But I want them to think about it. It's funnier that way.

Mantis shakes his head and gets over it first, being somewhat used to me and Hound, having interacted with me quite a bit for stealth missions and the like.

"My name is Mantis or Yūkichi Yoshida, I am a stealth specialist."

Leaving the Uzumaki for last,

"Well as I've already said I am Kaito Uzumaki, or fox, I am a long distance sensor and I hope to get along."

"Well with that out of the way, you guys wanna go civilian and grab something to eat? I skipped breakfast."

Hound immediately agrees with Mantis not too far behind, followed by Fox who took a moment, probably not used to superiors being so affable or something, maybe he was expecting me to be the kind of guy who tries to be extra professional to make up for the fact that I'm so young.

But nah, I don't suffer any anxieties like that.

Anyway, we agree to meet in a certain restaurant in a few minutes, giving us all time to get home and changed.

Showing to the place in my civilian clothes, I see Ryūki already there, and it only takes a moment to see Yūkichi and Kaito approaching together.

When they do though, we all walk in together,

"Hello! A table for four?"

Saying so the cute waitress leads us to a table by the window, where we all sit allowing her to continue,

"What can I get for you today?"

Ryu orders first, a Tempura with rice, Yuki orders a cold soba and Kaito orders a miso ramen, then Ryu turns to me, mischief in his eyes and a coo in his voice,

"And what would you like, Nii-chan? They have a nice miso soup?"

Playing along.

"I want a tempura too, Onii-san!!"

The waitress practically melts as I get on my knees on my seat and half turn to shake Ryu's arm while looking at him all wide eyed.

"Haha, well you heard him, one more Tempura with rice please."

"Of course!"

With a hand over her heart the waitress practically skips away, while me and Ryu laugh quietly and Yu and Kaito just stare at us incredulously.

""What?""

"What do you mean what? What was that?"

"Oh, yeah Ryu was having women problems, so I said I'd wingman for him, and having a kid with you is as good a wingman as having a cute dog. It works."

"Hehe, it certainly does."

"Stop having perverted thoughts next to a child, it's paedophilic."

"You brought it up, what was I supposed to do? Just not remember?"

After that, things are rather chill, the ice broken by mine and Ryu's friendliness, conversation flows rather smoothly until the end of the meal, where I remember something I was wondering.

"Hey Yu, is it cool if I call you Yu?"

"It's fine."

"Right, Yu, how come you're on my team? doesn't this make us too stealth specialised?"

"You weren't told?"

"I wasn't told a lot of things, this was kinda sprung upon me yesterday."

"Well, it's because we are a stealth squad, rather than a general, more versatile one, we aren't going to be expected to join the front lines like we have been, instead we will do more hidden stuff, like assassinations."

Ah, that makes sense then. It's also pretty much exactly what I wanted when I chose to become a murder wizard.

"Cool, also if nothing comes up, then we will do some team training tomorrow, training ground 2 first thing in the morning."

After getting their agreement, the day dies down, and with the meal over, I remember that I'm supposed to dismiss them when it's time to leave, and do so, each of us heading our own way home.

Making it to my home, I decide I probably shouldn't put off mastering the Kage Bunshin, and get to doing that, not that it should take long.

Then I will finally be able to start trying to make a seal I've stopped working on since it exploded and nearly killed me, since now I will just get clones to do it.

Speaking of clone labour, I remember reading about peoples Shadow clones rebelling and forming unions and dumb shit like that.

But I know I won't have that problem, because as far as I am concerned, if I were a clone, then I would only want to make the life of Prime better, because once I dispel, I will go back to being Prime, so whatever feelings I have as a clone don't matter in the slightest.

Besides it's not like getting clones to do painful stuff will even stop you from feeling the pain, since y'know, memory transference.

Point is, shadow clones are gonna be super useful, even if with my average Jonin reserves I could probably only make like four clones while still operating at full capacity.

There is a reason why it's only Naruto, who is a Jinchuriki, that spams clones and not just everyone.

Then again maybe it's not obvious, since no one uses the academy three once they graduate.

Well they use henge, but they rarely use kawarimi and normal bunshin, all three of which are my most used Jutsu, easily, since stealth isn't a Jutsu, else that would be first obviously, I use it every second after all.

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A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!

Fuck, so many more names to remember, i gotta start writing this shit down.

Fuck I don't know japanese food. more shit i gotta look up damnit.

Also so much shit in Naruto doesnt make sense, but I don't want to just change things, which means I have to come up with explanations for why no one uses what is basically sasuke's Mangekyou ability as much as they should

Also I am glad I had 2 chaps saved up today, cuz i slept terribly and was too depressed to write anything.

https://ko-fi.com/bored_works