"This is a ninjutsu the Second Hokage personally developed with shinobi like you in mind, Kushina," Uchiha Hayashi said, his eyes carrying a flicker of envy.
Kushina gave him a skeptical look, her lips twitching. "Are you kidding me?"
She could practically imagine the Second Hokage's coffin rattling in protest.
"Even if I'm not great at history, I know the Second Hokage has been dead for a long time. Do you really expect me to believe he made a jutsu just for me?" she asked bluntly.
Hayashi sighed. Her doubt stung more than he expected.
If he were to choose the most remarkable Hokage, he would place the Second Hokage above the rest. Not only had Tobirama Senju given his life for Konoha, but he had also built institutions that shaped the very future of the shinobi world: the Ninja Academy, the Anbu, and more. He had trained the next generation of leaders, including the Third Hokage.
And perhaps most impressively, Tobirama had anticipated that future generations would produce incredible geniuses. For them, he had created an arsenal of jutsu, some forbidden, some revolutionary.
It was the Second Hokage who developed the Edo Tensei, later twisted by Orochimaru and Kabuto to plunge the entire shinobi world into chaos.
It was Tobirama who created the Flying Thunder God Technique, which Minato Namikaze later perfected, earning him the name "Yellow Flash" and saving Konoha in the Third Great Ninja War.
And it was Tobirama who designed the Shadow Clone Jutsu, the very technique that would one day become Naruto's greatest weapon.
Truly, the Second Hokage was Konoha's hidden genius—a man whose contributions carried the village long after his death.
Sometimes, Hayashi even wondered if Tobirama had been something more than human. His foresight seemed unreal.
Now, standing before Kushina, Hayashi couldn't help but feel jealous. Because one of those jutsu was practically made for her.
"Watch closely," Hayashi said, forming the hand seals. "This is the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu."
He demonstrated slowly, explaining each movement, though he knew his chakra wasn't strong enough to pull it off at Kushina's level. Still, the technique belonged to her, not him.
Kushina's violet eyes gleamed with anticipation. Without hesitation, she mirrored his seals.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Her fingers formed a cross, and with a sharp burst of chakra, the air filled with rapid poof, poof, poof sounds.
In an instant, dozens of Kushinas surrounded them.
Hayashi nearly tripped backward in surprise. "Careful—don't push yourself too far!" he called out. If he hadn't stopped her, she might have flooded the entire training ground with clones.
The numerous Kushinas looked at each other, poking arms and shoulders in amazement.
"Wow, they're solid!" one exclaimed.
"It feels so strange…" another muttered.
"This is incredible!"
Hayashi groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Kushina, I know you're excited, but be careful how you say things. People might get the wrong idea."
She blinked at him innocently. "Eh? What do you mean?"
The clones tilted their heads in unison.
Hayashi sighed. "Never mind. Just… don't worry about it."
It was his first time seeing anyone summon so many clones on their very first attempt. Even though he'd been prepared, the sight was overwhelming.
Yet, Kushina had done it with ease.
As the cloud of red-haired girls beamed proudly, Hayashi realized just how perfectly suited this jutsu was for her.
"You really pulled it off…" he said softly, still impressed.
Kushina's smile widened, relief flickering in her eyes. At last, she had something that could amaze even Hayashi.
"With this many clones, next time anyone tries to mock me, they'll be crushed!" Kushina declared triumphantly.
Hayashi twitched. Red-Hot Habanero indeed. Please don't use forbidden jutsu for petty grudges…
Still, he forced a smile. "Alright, dispel them for now."
"Fine," she huffed. With a simple seal, every clone burst into a puff of smoke, leaving only the original standing before him.
Hayashi crossed his arms, his expression turning serious. "Kushina, you've mastered the basics quickly, but listen carefully. The Shadow Clone Jutsu evenly splits your chakra. That means the more clones you create, the weaker your main body becomes. If you're careless, you'll drain yourself dry."
Kushina nodded, absorbing his words.
"Also, while your clones are physical and capable of fighting, they don't match your full strength. Without proper tactics, charging in recklessly will just waste chakra."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone firmer. "But the most important thing is this: shadow clones aren't ordinary duplicates. They carry their own consciousness. When they disperse, every bit of their knowledge, experience, and memories returns to you instantly. That's what makes this jutsu so powerful."
Kushina's eyes widened. "So… if I make a bunch of clones to study different things, I can learn super fast?"
"Exactly," Hayashi confirmed.
Kushina practically vibrated with excitement. "That's amazing! No wonder the Second Hokage was a genius. From now on, this will be my signature jutsu!"
Hayashi chuckled despite himself. "Just promise me one thing."
"What?" she asked, tilting her head.
He gave her a grave look. "Don't abuse forbidden jutsu. Power always has a cost."
Kushina fell silent at that, her playful expression fading as she nodded.
Hayashi let out a quiet breath of relief.
Please, Kushina. Don't let this gift become your burden.
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Milestone
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.