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"Ugh… this is really difficult."
Naruto Uzumaki stared at the tall tree in front of him, sweat dripping from his forehead. He pressed his hand against the rough bark, frustration tightening his face. "Chakra control… I'm actually not that good at it," he muttered, sighing in defeat.
He knew his weakness all too well. Precise chakra manipulation had never been his strength. He always relied more on brute force and sheer willpower than delicate control. But that was exactly why he refused to give up now.
"Wait," he suddenly said, eyes lighting up. "If I'm not good at chakra control, then I just need to find something I am good at!"
Naruto grinned, his signature determination flaring up again. Then an idea struck him like lightning. He clenched his fist. "That's it! The Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a quick series of hand seals, Naruto shouted, "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
In a burst of white smoke, three identical Narutos appeared beside him. Four blond, blue-eyed versions of the same boy stood together, staring at each other with identical grins.
"Alright, listen up!" the original Naruto said, pointing dramatically. "We've got three days to climb to the top of this tree, or the system big brother will electrocute us all!"
The three clones flinched. "E-Electrocute us?!"
Naruto nodded solemnly. "That's right. So let's make it a competition! Whoever climbs the highest first wins!"
Instantly, the clones puffed up their chests.
"It's gonna be me!" said one clone confidently.
"No way! I'll reach the top first!" barked another.
"Ha! You wish, loser! I'm the fastest!" shouted the third.
"Then let's see who's right!" the original Naruto yelled, full of energy.
The four of them charged at the tree simultaneously, their voices filling the training ground. Each clone tried to maintain chakra flow under their feet, but it wasn't long before—
Smack!
Thud!
Bonk!
All four Narutos fell flat on their backs almost immediately.
"Argh! That hurts!"
But they quickly jumped back up and tried again. Again and again, they competed, laughed, shouted, and fell. To the astonishment of passing villagers, the boy trained relentlessly from early afternoon until sunset, repeating the same motion hundreds of times.
"Ha!"
"Pat—!"
"Watch me this time!"
"I'm definitely going higher!"
The shouts continued echoing through the training field.
Finally, as the sun began to sink beyond the rooftops, Naruto's real body managed something new. With one last burst of effort, he slammed his foot against the trunk and—
"Haah!"
Thump!
He managed to take three, maybe four solid steps before gravity pulled him down again.
But when he landed on the ground, instead of frustration, his face broke into a radiant smile.
"Haha! There's hope!" Naruto shouted, clenching his fists in triumph. "If I can get three or four steps, that's already four or five meters up!"
He was overjoyed, even as pain throbbed in his legs. His entire body ached from overuse, but his heart was brimming with excitement.
"Alright," he panted. "If I keep this up… I can definitely reach the top in three days!"
He tried to stand again, but his legs gave out beneath him. Exhaustion overwhelmed him. He collapsed on the grass, breathing heavily, unable to move another inch.
At that moment, his three Shadow Clones flickered, then burst into clouds of smoke—
Poof! Poof! Poof!
The memories, experiences, and sensations of all three clones rushed back into Naruto's mind at once. Every mistake, every fall, every ounce of pain—he felt it all simultaneously.
"Ahhhh!!!"
He screamed in agony, curling on the ground. The pain was unbearable—his muscles felt like they were tearing apart. But amid that torment, something clicked inside him. Through the pain and exhaustion, a new understanding of chakra control began to take shape.
His blue eyes widened with realization. "I… I think I get it now."
Shaking, Naruto forced himself up once more. Every breath was ragged, but his determination burned brighter than ever. "One last try," he muttered, pressing his hand to the tree.
"Up!"
With that roar, Naruto gathered all his remaining chakra into the soles of his feet. This time, the energy felt balanced—neither too much nor too little. Carefully, he stepped forward. His foot stuck firmly to the trunk. Another step—then another.
Three steps. Four. Five. Six… seven!
And before he knew it, Naruto's hand shot out and grabbed a branch near the top. He hung there for a second, stunned. Then, with a laugh of disbelief, he swung himself up and stood proudly on the branch.
"I… I did it!" he shouted in pure joy. "I actually did it!"
Something that had seemed impossible that morning—he had completed in a single day. He could hardly believe it.
Ignoring the sharp pain coursing through his body, Naruto jumped down and ran straight toward Asuma Sarutobi's house.
---
Later That Evening
"What?!"
Asuma nearly dropped his cigarette as Naruto burst into his home, sweaty, dirty, and grinning from ear to ear. "You're telling me… you already completed the tree-climbing training?!"
Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yup! All done!"
Asuma stared at him in disbelief. Tree climbing was a fundamental chakra control exercise, not terribly complex but demanding precision and patience. Based on what he had seen of Naruto's control earlier, it should've taken the boy at least four or five days to complete—if not a week.
But now, in just one afternoon?
That was insane.
Asuma scratched his chin, muttering to himself. Could it be… this kid's talent really is that extraordinary?
Naruto had massive chakra reserves, far beyond normal shinobi. If he ever achieved fine control over that immense power, he would become nearly unstoppable—like a man who owned an entire gold mine and knew exactly how to extract every ounce of ore.
Asuma couldn't help but feel a hint of envy. His own chakra control was top-notch, but his reserves weren't nearly as vast.
He finally composed himself and asked, "Alright then, Naruto. You say you've mastered it. Can you show me?"
"Of course!" Naruto said proudly.
Even though he was exhausted, his body automatically refined chakra thanks to his improved multitasking ability. After a few deep breaths, he gathered enough chakra to demonstrate.
"Control the chakra… focus it in the soles of my feet," he whispered to himself. "Okay—here I go!"
With a shout, Naruto sprang forward. His feet met the trunk, chakra clinging perfectly to the bark. Step by step, he ran upward—faster and faster—until he reached near the top. He twisted his body midair and landed gracefully on a thick branch, standing tall.
Asuma couldn't stop himself from smiling. "Excellent work."
Naruto dropped down with a triumphant grin. "Heh, told ya!"
Asuma chuckled softly. "To be honest, I thought it would take you at least three or four days. I never expected you to finish in a single afternoon." He exhaled a long breath, impressed. "Naruto… it seems you really are a genius."
Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Well, actually… I kinda cheated."
"Oh?" Asuma raised an eyebrow.
"I used my Shadow Clones to train with me," Naruto explained. "When I dispel them, all their experience returns to me—so I learned everything they did. That's how I got stronger so fast!"
For a moment, Asuma was speechless. Then his eyes widened. "You… used Shadow Clones for training?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah! Pretty clever, huh?"
"Clever, yes," Asuma admitted, "but also extremely dangerous! You're channeling your chakra through multiple bodies. When they're dispelled, all that exhaustion, pain, and damage transfers back to you! If you push too far, you could die!"
Naruto clenched his fists, meeting Asuma's serious gaze. "I know that. But… I have to get stronger! If I don't, no one will ever acknowledge me. That's why… I'll risk everything!"
His blue eyes burned with fierce determination. "Because one day, I'll become Hokage!"
Asuma felt something stir in his chest. The passion, the raw willpower—it reminded him of the fire that once burned in the hearts of his own teachers. "Hokage, huh?" he murmured. "That's your dream?"
"Yeah!" Naruto said with a confident grin. "And not just any Hokage—I'll be the strongest one ever! I'll surpass all the Hokage before me!"
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then Asuma smiled warmly. "That's a wonderful dream, Naruto."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, laughing awkwardly. "Heh, thanks! But enough about that, Asuma-sensei! I finished the tree-climbing exercise, so now you can finally teach me Wind Release Ninjutsu, right?"
Asuma chuckled, tapping the end of his cigarette. "Actually… I already have been teaching you."
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
"The tree-climbing exercise is a form of Wind Release training," Asuma explained. "It forces you to finely control your chakra—refining it, channeling it, maintaining it with precision. That's the foundation of mastering Wind-style techniques."
Naruto's jaw dropped. Then he laughed in realization. "Ahh, I get it now! Asuma-sensei, you're so sneaky!"
Asuma grinned. "You caught me. But since you've grasped the basics, it's time for the real thing. Try the jutsu again."
Naruto's excitement reignited. "Alright, let's go!"
He quickly formed the hand seals. "Boar! Dragon! Hands clasped!"
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
Whoosh!
A powerful gust of wind exploded from Naruto's palms, scattering dust and leaves in every direction. The force was raw and wild, but undeniably there.
Naruto stared at his hands in disbelief. "I… I did it! It worked!"
Asuma smiled proudly. "Well done. You've taken your first step into mastering Wind Release."
Naruto beamed from ear to ear, fists raised high. "Heheh! Look out, world! The future Hokage is coming through!"
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Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)