"Here you go~"
Seeing that Sasuke's stoic face was about to break, Naruto immediately pulled out the gift he had prepared long ago to interrupt his brooding.
As expected, the attention of the Sasuke, who was on the verge of erupting, was instantly diverted.
"What is this?" Sasuke asked curiously, staring at the wooden box.
Sakura, who had been laughing on the sidelines, also crowded closer.
"A magnificent sword!" Naruto kept his smile, speaking mysteriously.
"A sword?" Sasuke looked doubtfully at the box, which was shorter than a kunai. He was utterly unconvinced, but he accepted the gift nonetheless, out of respect for Naruto.
Seeing Sasuke's mood improve, Naruto was about to launch into his next arrogant routine, but then he saw Sakura frantically signaling him with her eyes.
Sakura's winking and twitching was almost sending Morse code.
Naruto instantly understood.
"Uh," he scratched the back of his head, acting as if he had suddenly remembered something important, "I think I forgot to turn off the gas at home. I've gotta run."
"See you tonight, by the way~" Naruto added as he turned to leave.
Before he even finished the sentence, he leaped onto the roof and vanished in the blink of an eye.
His voice drifted back on the wind.
Of course, this disappearance was just a fake-out.
Swoosh~
After getting out of their sight, Naruto, who was mid-jump between two rooftops, used the Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly disappear and reappear nearby, stashing himself on the closest roof to observe the two. He was ready for the dramatic payoff.
He thought Sakura was about to stage a grand scene, making big news that would fulfill Sasuke's wish of family revival.
But...
It was still the same "passionate supporting actress" and "ice-cold second lead" drama that Naruto had been watching for months.
It bored the kid, who yawned openly.
"Boring. I'm never watching this silent film again."
Muttering his boredom, Naruto looked up at the sky. It was almost noon.
He planned to drop by the Root organization for a quick appearance to earn his daily 500,000 ryo salary before going to lunch.
Swoosh~
In a flash, Naruto used the Flying Thunder God to arrive at his incredibly loyal Root base.
He lounged comfortably on the soft sofa, his legs casually propped on the desk, feeling quite content.
Noticing a red button on the desk, he reached out and slapped it.
Clack, clack, clack...
In the hallway outside the door, the sound of high heels quickly approached. Creek~
A moment later, Karin, with her bright red hair, pushed the door open slightly and peeked in.
"Naruto-kun!"
Seeing Naruto truly there, her normally cold face instantly blossomed into a smile.
She then opened the door and entered. She was holding a bottle of cola and a tall glass.
Coming up to the desk, Karin neatly set down the glass and began pouring the cola. Gulp, gulp...
Once the bubbles filled the cup, she gestured to him.
"Please enjoy~"
Naruto gave her a brief, indifferent look before reaching for the glass.
The moment he touched the glass, Naruto sensed the cola's temperature.
Six degrees.
Not too much, not too little—the perfect temperature for an ice-cold cola.
He took a satisfying gulp, then offered a look of appreciation.
"Not bad!"
He had just given the compliment when, Bang!
A stack of files, a veritable mountain taller than Naruto, suddenly landed on the desk. Naruto stared, dumbfounded.
"What is this?"
"Naruto-kun, this is a half-day's worth of business for the Root organization. Please review it." Karin Uzumaki was smiling, but Naruto felt a hidden blade in her cheer.
He looked back at the mountain of files.
Yes, confirmed. There was definitely a hidden blade.
This many files would absolutely work him to death!
"Only half a day? That much?"
"Yes. Look," Karin said, dividing the huge stack of files into several smaller piles of varying heights. "These are finance-related, these are personnel matters, and these are from the various sections of the four main departments—"
Listening to Karin's orderly presentation, Naruto suddenly felt his vision go dark.
He was about to faint.
He hadn't seen this much work during the previous days he'd spent at Root. Why was there suddenly so much today?
Skeptically, he picked up a random file.
They were all indeed Root-related documents. As the organization got back on track, the sheer number of documents requiring review was increasing exponentially.
Glancing at the massive pile, Naruto felt a sense of dread.
Wouldn't it be nightfall by the time he finished all this?
And Karin said this was only for half a day?
Naruto suddenly didn't want to do it anymore!
He began to miss his school days, when he could skip class freely, had a ton of free time, and could play however he wanted!
What a paradise that was!
And now?
No way!
Naruto decided he had to find a solution!
If even the small-scale, intelligence-spanning Root organization had this much work, what would it be like when he became the Hokage? Or the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, or whatever he'd be called?
What if he eventually united the entire Shinobi world?
Wouldn't he be worked to death?
Even with Shikamaru's help, the workload would still be terrifying!
Besides, Naruto couldn't trust this kind of work to anyone else. So, in that case...
"It looks like it has to be a Shadow Clone, huh?"
Karin, hearing Naruto muttering, asked curiously, "What is it, Naruto-kun?"
"Nothing," he answered offhandedly, glancing at her. "Leave these documents for now. Wait for me to get back."
Naruto made up his mind. He had originally planned to take his time finding the right clone, but now he couldn't wait another second!
"Where are you going?"
Naruto didn't have time to answer Karin's question. Swoosh~
He disappeared in a flash, the golden light condensing into a singularity that vanished from the spot.
Inside a remote mountain deep within the Land of Fire.
This was Naruto's base, his secret, safe house, known only to him.
The base was carved out of a massive rock mountain. Naruto had used Dust Release to create a space from thin air, completely sealed off with no connection to the outside.
Even Naruto himself had to use Earth Release just to enter initially.
The safe house was enormous, a secret base where he had everything he needed for fun and relaxation.
However, Naruto's goal today wasn't to escape the world and enjoy a personal holiday. He was here to begin a period of isolated training.
Swoosh~
As soon as he flashed over, Naruto's gaze passed over the small stream, the water park, and other recreational facilities, then he leaped onto a gigantic combat arena made from a single, huge block of rock.
'Let's start!'
Naruto silently commanded. He clapped his hands, the orange eyeshadow of Sage Mode appeared, and then...
Poof~~~~~~
More than a dozen puffs of smoke appeared in succession, and one "Naruto" after another materialized on the platform.
Seeing these figures, a smile touched Naruto's lips.
His goal today was to find a good workhorse—a clone—to help him fulfill his current duties, and later, the administrative work of ruling Konoha, the Land of Fire, and even the Shinobi world.
Otherwise, he would be worked to death before he could finish!
Oh, right, he can't actually die anymore.
In short, the mission was to find a replacement to handle all the tedious chores.
Naruto chuckled, looking at the lively clones who had just appeared.
Good! They had plenty of spirit.
"Roll call!" Naruto shouted, capturing everyone's attention.
But the scene that followed made his face darken.
"Hello~ Naruto-kun!" The first clone raised his arm high in a salute.
The second clone began a weird, jerky squatting dance, as if playing some kind of FPS game.
The third clone yelled: "The Fourth Calamity has descended upon the other world! We shall become the masters of this world!"
The fourth clone simply stripped right there, exposing Naruto's "elephant."
Naruto couldn't bear to look at the rest.
'What the hell are all these bizarre things?!'
Cursing under his breath, Naruto immediately dispelled all the clones.
He had assumed that using Sage Mode would enhance his clones, but there was absolutely no change.
They were exactly as weird as they always were!
Naruto was quite perplexed. Was he cursed by something? Why did they all turn out to be these schizophrenic messes?
But, he couldn't stop! He wouldn't give up until he found the right one today!
Clap!
Naruto clapped his hands again. Again!
Poof~~~~~~
More than a dozen puffs of smoke appeared in succession, and one "Naruto" after another materialized on the platform again.
No good. Next batch!
One batch, two batches, three batches...
After a total of over ten batches, Naruto still hadn't found a single usable clone.
He started to doubt his life choices. The probability of finding a good one was never this low before. Why did it drop even more after entering Sage Mode?
Was this Senjutsu actually counterproductive?
With this thought, Naruto immediately exited Sage Mode.
Again!
Two more batches passed, and Naruto realized he was having particularly bad luck today, encountering one weirdo after another, with not a single useful one among them.
Naruto secretly lamented his poor luck.
Everyone has off days.
Especially with Shadow Clones, which are like a full random roll with no safety net.
Seeing that continued rolls wouldn't likely yield results, Naruto suddenly thought of one thing—the unidentified chakra still residing within him!
Naruto previously had three distinct chakra reserves in his body.
His father, Minato Namikaze, his mother, Kushina Uzumaki, and the third was an unknown chakra.
The first two chakras had been resolved, leaving only the last one with no clues, so he had simply maintained the status quo.
Naruto knew nothing about this extra chakra energy. Why not... use it?
Also, Naruto had previously sensed his clones out of curiosity and hadn't found the presence of this "unknown chakra" in them.
So, this unknown chakra did not participate in Naruto's Clone Technique.
He was curious what would happen if he separated this thing and infused it into a clone.
Naruto was a man of action, doing as soon as he decided.
He clapped his hands.
"Sage Art: Shadow Clone!"
While dividing his chakra, Naruto carefully stripped away that unique chakra and injected it into the clone's body.
Poof!
Smoke appeared, and an exact replica of Naruto materialized.
Unlike the clones that immediately went wild upon appearing, this Naruto was extremely quiet and had his eyes closed.
Looking at him, a thought suddenly popped into Naruto's mind.
This clone was very different!
Perhaps this one could save the Shinobi world.
Naruto stared at him. Seeing the clone remain motionless with his eyes closed, Naruto couldn't help himself.
"Hey!" he called out softly. They were close enough that Naruto's breath could touch the clone's face.
Finally, the clone opened his eyes.
The moment he did, Naruto noticed the difference even more.
The clone's gaze was incredibly calm. Those blue eyes were like a still lake, completely undisturbed.
Crap, Naruto immediately felt something was wrong.
Didn't he know his own personality?
He was a person who absolutely could not sit still!
All those "pranks" he pulled in school when he was younger—no, even before that—while he used the System's missions as an excuse, Naruto himself was actually very, very keen on doing them!
But how did this guy's genes suddenly mutate?
Sensing for a moment, Naruto found no issue with the chakra link between the clone and himself. He could control the clone's existence and disappearance at any moment.
With just a thought, this unusual clone could vanish instantly.
Relieved by this, Naruto began to probe.
"Hey, roll call."
The clone pointed to himself, confusion flickering in his beautiful eyes. "Me?"
"Yes," Naruto raised his chin, signaling, "Introduce yourself."
The clone stared blankly for a moment, as if his system had crashed. After a pause, Naruto, who was intently watching him, clearly saw a flash of light suddenly appear in the clone's eyes.
He seemed to have been activated.
Then, the clone spoke.
"Boss, I think something's wrong."
The moment he spoke, the familiar flavor was back.
Confirmed. He was indeed his own clone.
However, Naruto watched his eyes and found that this familiar flavor did not dominate the clone entirely; it was merely in the leading position.
"What's wrong?" Naruto replied.
"I feel like I'm not clean anymore!"
The clone tried to whine in a playful tone, but it seemed to be pulled back on track by that certain force, making his voice sound strange.
"How are you not clean?"
The clone also seemed to realize the abnormality. His blue eyes pleaded with Naruto: "Help me, Boss! I feel like there's another consciousness in my body! He's trying to control me!"
That look...
Naruto had always thought that the exaggerated literary device—where a cold CEO's eyes revealed "three parts indifference, three parts mockery, and four parts nonchalance"—was ridiculous, but now he was witnessing the real thing.
In the clone's eyes, there were seven parts desperate plea and three parts tranquility.
Naruto decided to wait and see.
"Control you?" Naruto was very curious. "What do you want to do? What does he want to control you to do?"
"I, of course, want to salute you first, then do a street dance, and check out my junk while I'm at it. You know, Boss, I'm from an arts background and I love to dance, but this guy won't let me do anything."
Salute? Dance? Check out his junk?
Naruto: Go to hell!
So, you are exactly the same as those clowns just now? You were only this quiet because that unknown chakra was holding you back?
Naruto was speechless.
These clones, they always want to cause a scene!
Seeing the clone trying to complain more, Naruto cut him off directly. "Stop talking. Just stay like this."
"Are you a normal person, besides wanting to do all those bizarre things?"
"Of course, Boss! I'm you! Can't you just help me?"
Help you?
I wish I could replace you!
Seeing the clone's rapidly changing expressions and mischievous little eyes, Naruto knew this was another troublemaker!
Seeing this, Naruto reached out and violently pulled out a large portion of the clone's chakra.
The "self" that had dominated with seven parts was now reduced to five parts.
Naruto withdrew his hand.
Instantly, the clone's previously lively gaze became less mischievous, yet more peaceful and steady.
"Roll call," Naruto asked again.
"Boss," a calm voice replied, "I am your Clone Number One."
"Mm." Naruto nodded slightly. It seemed to have worked.
He hadn't expected the unknown chakra to actually neutralize his own hyperactive side.
As long as it was useful, that's what mattered. The specifics could be examined later.
"Your name is Naruto Uzumaki: Bamboo Shoot."
"Bamboo Shoot?" The clone was confused.
The name was admittedly a bit random. He had wanted to call him "Grilled Fish," but wouldn't that sound a bit ugly?
Bamboo Shoot was fine.
Naruto explained without changing his expression: "Yes. I like to eat bamboo shoots. This is your codename from now on. You must introduce yourself to everyone as my clone, codename Bamboo Shoot. Understand?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Naruto felt something was wrong.
The clone inherited part of his memory and knew he didn't like to eat bamboo shoots.
Was the lie about to be exposed?
However, the clone was exceptionally obedient. He just nodded and affirmed, "Understood!"
Naruto frowned and glanced at him. "Do you know your mission?"
"I do." Bamboo Shoot nodded and said clearly, word for word: "To become your administrative assistant, Boss, to help you handle all kinds of administrative chores, fully execute the mission you have given me, and carry out your will! Loyalty!"
Mm, excellent.
Naruto smiled. This clone was far too well-behaved.
And although this clone didn't have much chakra—only about 1,000,000 units—all of Naruto's passive abilities were present, such as his SSSSSS talent.
With that talent, any task would be twice as easy.
"Good. Now, go back to work." Naruto waved his hand and brought the clone back immediately.
Under Karin's odd gaze, Naruto spent two hours supervising Bamboo Shoot as he completed all the work.
This workhorse was too good!
Naruto then let Bamboo Shoot handle the rest freely.
However, unlike his other clones, due to the crucial nature of Bamboo Shoot's work, Naruto decided to synchronize his memories every eight hours to keep an eye on him.
After a quick, simple meal, Naruto rushed to the coast.
There, two Root work teams were still engaged in the "Casting a Wide Net for a Turtle" operation.
This time, Naruto was going to see for himself what kind of turtle could evade a dozen Jounin for days on end.
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi