"Anyway, just practice on your own. If there's anything you don't understand, come and ask me!" Leaving behind those words, Tsunade departed. She had taken quite a blow to her pride today and planned to go gamble for a bit to adjust her mood. Minato watched her leave and then looked at the small mountain of scrolls before him. He formed a hand seal, creating four Shadow Clones. His main body then picked up the scroll containing Wood Release Ninjutsu and began to study it in earnest.
Minato's immediate goal was the Wood Clone; it was currently the most practical Ninjutsu for his needs. Unlike Shadow Clones that pop instantly upon being hit, Wood Clones are durable and can withstand a certain amount of damage. They possess the unique ability to merge into trees or transform into wooden bindings to trap enemies upon being dispelled. The only drawback was that Wood Clones required physical contact with the main body to share information, making them less convenient than Shadow Clones for transmitting intelligence. However, Minato's cold, calculating mind already saw a solution to this.
If a Shadow Clone has enough chakra, it can create another Shadow Clone. Theoretically, a Wood Clone could also create a Shadow Clone and transmit information by dispelling it. Or perhaps in the future, if he had the chance to capture a White Zetsu, he could research the Mayfly Technique to solve the communication gap.
"Speaking of which..." Minato suddenly spoke, breaking the silence in the room. His Shadow Clones looked up at him in unison. "I haven't tested it before, but can Shadow Clones use Light Release abilities?" Hearing this, a nearby Shadow Clone drew a kunai and stabbed its own hand. A soft "poof" echoed through the room as the clone disappeared. Minato shook his head in disappointment. "It seems they can't."
The Shadow Clone sitting opposite Minato raised its index finger and sensed its own energy for a moment. "It's not just the elementalization; other abilities from that source can't be used either." Minato looked at the remaining clones. "What about Wood Release?" The clone sensed its chakra again. "It feels like I can, but also like I can't?"
Minato looked bewildered. "So, can you or can't you?" The clone tried to describe the strange sensation. "I feel like I can't grow wood directly from my own body, yet I can feel the power of Wood Release deep within."
"Won't we know if we just try?" Another Shadow Clone picked up the Wood Release scroll. "If you can't grow it directly but can feel it, let's test a theory. I'll learn a standard Wood Release technique, and you focus on the Wood Clone technique."
Soon, after memorizing the essentials of the two jutsu, they moved into the courtyard. The two Shadow Clones prepared to perform different techniques. Minato watched from the engawa porch, while the last remaining Shadow Clone sat nearby, holding the scroll and observing the results.
"Wood Release Technique!" One of the Shadow Clones clapped its hands together. With a sudden surge of energy, a small tree as tall as a person sprouted from the ground in front of it. "Wood Release: Wood Clone!" The other Shadow Clone formed the Horse, Dog, and Snake signs and clapped its hands, but nothing happened.
"As expected..." The Shadow Clone reading the scroll had an expression that suggested it had already reached a conclusion. "The principle of the Wood Clone is to use chakra to induce cellular mutation, forming a clone after division. A Shadow Clone is essentially just a mass of chakra without any real cellular components, so naturally, it cannot release a Wood Clone. However, for pure release techniques like the one used just now, Shadow Clones are capable."
"In that case..." Minato took the scroll and dispelled the Shadow Clones. He stepped into the courtyard himself and formed the hand signs. "Wood Release: Wood Clone!" With the sound of shifting timber, three pieces of wood rapidly sprouted behind him. They quickly transformed into humanoid shapes and stood beside him, looking exactly like him.
"Can you use Light Release?" Minato asked impatiently. He wasn't surprised by his success on the first try; his mind was already on the next experiment. One of the Wood Clones raised its hand, sensed for a moment, and shook its head.
"That doesn't seem right. It makes sense that Shadow Clones can't use it since they're just energy, but as a part split off from my actual body, why can't a Wood Clone use it either?" Minato mused. "Could it be because of the splitting itself? After all... you know." Minato nodded; he understood the clone's implication. The power of a Devil Fruit only acts on the primary host, and a clone is theoretically an independent entity once it is detached from his body.
"Does this mean that Light Release cannot be combined with the chakra system?" The clone asked. "Judging based on just this is a bit arbitrary," the other replied. "Exactly," Minato's main body agreed. "Besides, the focus of my cultivation right now should be on Ninjutsu. With my current arsenal, I don't have enough data to research such complex things."
The clones stopped dwelling on the Glint-Glint Fruit and shifted their attention back to the legacy of the Senju. The techniques in the scroll weren't many, but there were plenty of creative applications. For example, a Wood Clone could be turned into a seed and left on a target to serve as a tracking device. However, without trees to act as signal relays, it could not exceed his sensory range. Additionally, the scroll contained many insights on gardening and crop cultivation. Minato didn't quite understand why a combat scroll would record such things until he saw a few handwritten notes by Senju Hashirama at the very end. Given the First Hokage's eccentric personality, there was nothing to be surprised about.
In just over two hours, Minato had memorized every technique. After absorbing the three Wood Clones back into his body, the experience of the four of them stacked, making it feel as if he had studied for eight hours. The rush of information made his brain feel a bit groggy, but there was no significant fatigue. Minato felt this was likely because the Yin Release brought by his hidden Sharingan had increased his mental endurance.
His stomach suddenly growled. Minato rubbed his belly, feeling a bit weak from hunger. "I ate plenty at lunch, but overusing the brain makes you hungry fast." Creating a Wood Clone to stay behind and prep the kitchen, Minato headed out to buy ingredients for dinner. Vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, and milk... Minato walked along the street, stopping at various stalls until he was covered in bags. Thinking he looked a bit silly, he created two more Shadow Clones to help carry the load.
"Shadow Clones?" Seeing this, a shopkeeper looked astonished. "Young man, how old are you this year?"
"Five. How much is the chicken leg meat?" Minato asked politely.
"It is $16$ Ryo per pound. To be able to use Shadow Clones at this age... you're truly a genius!"
"You flatter me," Minato responded with a gentle smile. The evening sun fell on his easygoing face, making him look warm and approachable. Meanwhile, Tsunade, who had just lost everything at the casino, was walking home. She was busy changing her dice-throwing gestures and muttering as she replayed her losses. Just as she turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of the little blond boy in the distance.
She was about to wave, but her heart skipped a beat the moment she saw his face clearly. No, wait... where did this kid get such strong husband vibes from? Recalling the mysterious throb in her heart, Tsunade's face flushed slightly. She cursed herself inwardly for being single for too long, feeling embarrassed to have such a reaction to a child. Even if it was just for a fleeting moment, it was enough for her to feel like a total pervert.
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