Chapter 10: The Spiral and the Shadow
Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Tenchi, Shimura Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura... with the support of their respective clans, the next leadership of Konoha was shaping up to be a stable, if competitive, council. But thinking of Danzo specifically, Tobirama felt a fresh headache coming on. That student, for all his flaws, had a ruthless pragmatism that resonated with Tobirama's own. To cast him aside entirely... he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Well, no use worrying about it now. The path will become clear when I reach the bridge.
Hiruzen, watching his teacher's pensive expression, broke the silence. "What are you thinking about, Sensei?"
Tobirama snapped back to the present. "Monkey," he said, his voice firming with decision. "Since you believe in him, I will trust your judgment. Train him well. If he proves his worth, granting him a position of responsibility is not out of the question."
A wave of relief washed over Hiruzen. He genuinely liked Tenchi, Uchiha heritage aside. "Thank you, Sensei. I won't let you down."
With a bow, he left the office.
Meanwhile, I was riding the high of my new power. The Rasengan had ignited a fire in me. I no longer went to bed early, instead spending hours each night sitting in meditation, refining my chakra.
Four hours later, I opened my eyes, feeling the meager increase in my reserves. It was depressingly small. A tiny trickle where I needed a river.
I couldn't help the surge of bitterness. Tobirama, Naruto... guys like you have chakra for days. You can throw around jutsu like it's nothing. I looked at my own hands. And here I am, scraping together drops. It's just not fair.
Still, a trickle was better than nothing. Drops could fill a bucket, given enough time. When I have more points, I'll check the system shop. There has to be something that can boost chakra capacity.
The next day, I met Hiruzen at our usual spot by the river. I was already there, skipping stones across the water, when he arrived—on time, for once.
He handed me a small pouch. "Your share from the mission."
I pocketed it without counting. Money was an abstraction; power was the only real currency.
"Now that the mission's done," Hiruzen began, "we should focus on training. Once you're solidly at chunin level, we'll take on more B-ranks. Maybe even an A-rank, if you're ready."
He had no idea I was already there. But I didn't correct him. I did need to consolidate my skills. "Captain Hiruzen," I said, changing the subject. "I want to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu."
He blinked. "Huh? Why that one?" He looked genuinely puzzled. In his view, the technique was mostly useless—good for scouting and cheap tricks, but splitting your chakra just weakened you in a real fight. "Wouldn't your time be better spent on a more powerful offensive jutsu?"
"It's because of the last mission," I explained. "There were too many of them. If I'd had clones, I could have herded them, created distractions. I could have finished the job in half the time without running myself ragged."
Hiruzen considered this, then nodded. "Alright, that's a solid tactical reason. It's a simple jutsu, just one seal. Watch." He brought his hands together, his right index and middle finger crossing over his left. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF!
An identical Sarutobi Hiruzen stood beside him.
I stared, a strange thought occurring to me. "Sarutobi-san... doesn't it feel weird? Seeing another person who looks exactly like you?"
He looked from his clone to me, a question mark practically visible over his head. "Weird? It's no weirder than looking in a mirror."
Shrugging, I decided to give it a try. I focused my chakra and formed the seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF! A pathetic, wobbly version of me appeared for a second before dissolving into a puff of smoke.
"Your chakra distribution was off," Hiruzen advised. "Too little."
I tried again. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF! This time, a bloated, chubby version of me appeared before popping like a balloon.
"That one was too much chakra."
Taking a deep breath, I focused, visualizing the exact split. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
POOF!
This time, it worked. A perfect copy of me stood to my left, mirroring my stance. It was an utterly surreal feeling, like my consciousness had briefly split in two.
Hiruzen's jaw went slack. "Three tries... you got it in three tries. You're a natural, kid." He quickly regained his composure. "But remember, this technique puts a strain on your body and mind. Don't make more than three or four at once. Any more, and you'll risk chakra exhaustion."
"Understood," I said, and with a thought, dismissed the clone (POOF!).
"Now, I need your help with something else. I've been working on a new jutsu. I'd like you to take a look."
I saw no reason to hide the Rasengan. Better to claim it as my own original creation now, before someone else invented it. It was shameless, but survival in this world required a certain flexibility with the truth.
"Your own jutsu?" Hiruzen's eyes lit up with interest. "Alright, let's see it! Go on, hit me with it!"
I stared at him. Hit him with it? A Rasengan to the chest? Does he have a death wish?
"Uh..." I hesitated. "How about I demonstrate it on that tree stump first? So you can see the effect."
"Sure, sure, whatever. Let's see it!"
"This one doesn't need hand signs," I explained, holding out my palm. "You just condense the chakra in your hand."
"No hand signs? That's a huge advantage in close combat," he mused, watching intently as a blue, swirling sphere of chakra formed above my palm. He leaned in, analyzing it. "The form is very dense. But it's so small. I'm not sure about its offensive potential..."
Without another word, I thrust the Rasengan into the tree stump.
There was no fiery explosion, just a terrifyingly deep, grinding CRUNCH. The entire stump disintegrated into a cloud of sawdust, and the force tore a crater about two meters wide in the earth behind it.
Hiruzen's mouth fell open. He stood utterly still, his brain seemingly struggling to process what his eyes had just seen.
"This... this..." he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. Then he found it. "THIS IS INCREDIBLE! This power... a direct hit would be instantly fatal! Tenchi, this is A-rank power, easily! You... you're a genius!"
I rubbed the back of my neck, a little embarrassed by the fervent praise for something I'd stolen. "Well, this is just the basic form. My next step is to try and mix chakra natures into it. If I can pull that off, the power should increase exponentially. It could even become a Super S-rank forbidden jutsu."
"Super S-rank..." Hiruzen breathed, the color draining from his face. A jutsu of that level was the stuff of legends, capable of altering landscapes and deciding wars.
"Brother Hiruzen," I said, seeing his awe. "Do you want to learn it? I can teach you."
For a moment, I saw the temptation flash in his eyes. Then, he shook his head, a wry smile forming. "No... no, thank you, Tenchi. It's your original creation. It wouldn't be right. Besides," he added, summoning his signature extending staff, "I have the Adamantine Staff for close-quarters. It suits me just fine."
I didn't press him. I just looked at the swirling energy in my hand, then at the devastation it had caused.
Yeah, I thought, a genuine smile spreading across my face. The Rasengan is pretty nice.
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