Naruto's main body led a smaller group to a wide, empty training field. The grass rippled softly in the breeze, but every Genin there was tense—eyes fixed on him, waiting to see what kind of training the Smiling Demon King had in store.
They were eager. Nervous. A little too confident.
"Before we start," Naruto said calmly, "I want to see how strong you really are."
He formed a quick seal.
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Fifteen clones appeared around him in neat formation.
"Go all out," he said with a faint grin.
Each clone stepped forward and faced one Genin.
Inuzuka Kiba was the first to move, slamming his hands to the ground. "Then don't blame me for being rude!"
"Four-Legged Technique!"
Chakra flared around him, his posture dropping low like a wild animal. He kicked off, launching forward in a blur.
"Not bad," Naruto's clone said casually, sidestepping the claw swipe like it was nothing.
"Akamaru, let's go! Beast-Man Clone!"
"Woof!"
The white dog leapt onto Kiba's back, transforming into an identical copy of his partner. The two spun into twin whirlwinds of destruction, roaring toward Naruto's clone.
"Fang Over Fang!"
The drill-like attack ripped through the air, splitting the ground. But Naruto's clone simply tilted his body and let them rush past harmlessly.
"Damn it, he dodged again! Akamaru, faster!"
The twin drills twisted midair, adjusting their angle to strike from both sides—only to hit nothing but wind.
To Naruto, it was child's play. Every movement, every strike, was full of openings.
The others joined in.
"Parasitic Insects: Devour!" Aburame Shino released a swarm that darkened the air, forming living projectiles. The clones darted through the black cloud like ghosts, not a single insect touching them.
"Binding Bloom Technique!" Yamanaka Ino's flowers exploded around her like shuriken, bright petals spinning toward Naruto's clone while a chakra rope slithered behind them like a snake.
"Human Boulder!" Chōji transformed into a massive spinning ball, tearing across the field like a boulder on fire.
Meanwhile, Sakura hurled a wave of shuriken—precise, spinning, unpredictable—forcing the clone to deflect them one by one.
Then came Lee, a blur of motion.
"Leaf Hurricane!"
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
"Leaf Rising Wind!"
The air exploded with every kick. Lee's attacks were pure power and speed, a cyclone of green energy.
All around, Genin unleashed everything they had—ninjutsu, taijutsu, teamwork. The training field was filled with noise, smoke, and flashes of chakra.
And through it all, Naruto's clones never once broke a sweat.
They slipped between attacks with effortless precision, countering without striking back. To them, it wasn't a battle—it was observation.
Outside the field, the instructors watched in silence.
"The gap is too wide," Asuma muttered, scratching his head.
Kurenai folded her arms. "What do you expect? Most of them have only been Genin for a year or two. Their progress is already impressive. But…"
Her eyes narrowed. "…their opponent is Naruto. That's not fair to anyone."
Guy chuckled. "Still, their spirit is burning bright! They'll learn more from defeat than they ever could from comfort."
Kakashi, however, said nothing. He just watched his former student with quiet pride.
He was the only one among them who truly understood just how monstrous Naruto's growth had become.
Back on the field, the Genin were gasping for air. Sweat poured down their faces. Their chakra reserves were nearly empty.
They'd given everything—everything—but their attacks had accomplished nothing. Not even a scratch.
Naruto's clone stood before them, calm and smiling, not a drop of sweat on his brow.
Frustration filled the air.
"Why?!" Kiba roared. "It's just a clone! How can I not even touch a clone?!"
"This is insane!" Tenten shouted. "We trained for years!"
"I've worked so hard…" Sakura whispered, clutching her trembling hands. "Why does the gap only keep getting bigger…?"
Naruto's main body clapped his hands once, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright," he said lightly, "I've seen enough."
He looked around, eyes sharp, voice carrying across the field.
"To be honest," he said, "you're not bad. For Genin, you're exceptional. Keep walking this path, and I've got no doubt you'll reach Chūnin—maybe even Jōnin someday."
Some of the Genin perked up slightly—until Naruto's tone shifted.
"But that's not why you're here."
His eyes hardened. The smile faded.
"If all you want is to be an ordinary ninja, then this training camp is a waste of my time."
The words hit like a slap.
"You came here because you want more. Because you want to surpass limits. To become extraordinary."
He took a step forward, his presence heavy and commanding.
"In that case," Naruto said coldly, "let me be blunt—your strength right now is a mess."
No one dared speak.
He was still smiling, but his eyes… they were ice. The air around him seemed to freeze.
Though they were the same age, standing before him felt like standing before the Hokage himself.
"From now on," Naruto continued, "I'll train you individually."
Then, in a low, calm voice that somehow made every hair on their bodies stand on end—
"If you can't handle it…"
He smiled.
"…you'll die."
Everyone shivered.
Terrifying.
"Rock Lee, you're with me."
"Akimichi Chōji, you too."
"Aburame Shino, come along."
"Sakura," he said, glancing toward her, "you'll be trained by Uchiha Sasuke, Chūnin rank."
Sakura's face turned bright red. "Y-Yes, sir!"
"Ino," Naruto said next, "your opponent will be Hyūga Hinata."
Ino blinked in disbelief. "Wait—Hinata?! She's a Chūnin?!"
Naruto nodded. "Both of them are instructors for this camp."
Hinata smiled softly, her eyes calm and confident—a far cry from the shy girl everyone remembered.
Naruto had planned to invite others like Neji and Shikamaru too, but they were away on missions.
Still, this would be enough.
Sometimes, growth didn't come from endless practice—but from facing someone who could show you what you were missing.
And as Naruto looked around at the group one last time, his grin returned.
"Alright then," he said lightly, "let's clean up this mess of yours."
The real training… was about to begin.
-------------------------
For advanced chapters, visit patreon.com/Varnok