"However, the two of them probably didn't even realize it themselves…"
Ino fell into a reverie… "When you put it that way, it's true…"
"Sasuke-kun never initiates conversation with anyone, but he always enjoys mocking Naruto…"
"And Naruto always likes to pick fights with Sasuke-kun…"
"Is this what they call 'loving to kill'?"
Hinata, blushing, smiled and nodded slightly.
"M-maybe…"
Ino sighed deeply: "Oh, I really don't get it…"
As the sun set, the two girls, each lost in thought, walked side by side.
Golden light spilled, and their shadows stretched… On the other side, Naruto was experiencing unprecedented happiness.
Not only had he proven his strength, but now Iruka was treating him to Ichiraku Ramen.
What more could he ask for in life… He devoured bowl after bowl, eating like a madman.
Iruka couldn't help but sigh, rubbing his forehead.
"Slow down, Naruto, it's not like I won't let you eat your fill."
"I said I'm treating."
Naruto continued to gobble down his food, mumbling.
"Precisely because Iruka is treating, I should eat even more bowls!"
"This is a rare good thing…"
Iruka frowned: "Have I treated you to ramen any less often?"
"Your appetite seems even bigger than before…"
Naruto suddenly remembered something.
"I'm nowhere near a true big eater!"
"A true big eater?"
"Are you talking about Choji?"
Naruto shook his head frantically.
"Iruka will never guess…"
"It's Hinata!"
"Hin-Hinata?!"
Iruka was indeed shocked. That small body, a big eater?
He wouldn't believe it even if he was beaten to death.
However, Ayame secretly chuckled.
"Naruto is telling the truth. Last time Naruto treated Hinata to a meal, she ate a full seventeen bowls!"
"Se-seventeen bowls?!"
Iruka was dumbfounded.
Naruto swelled with pride, looking triumphant.
"How about that, impressive, right?!"
Iruka: "It's not you, why are you so proud?"
Naruto burst out laughing: "Because…"
He suddenly froze, scratching his head frantically.
"Because of what…"
"You're right, it's Hinata, not me…"
"But, for some reason, it feels kind of similar…"
Ayame, who had long seen through the mystery, couldn't help but cover her mouth and secretly giggle.
Ichiraku's Uncle, Iruka, and even Naruto himself, were all confused.
"Speaking of which, Iruka, why are you treating?"
Ichiraku's Uncle asked as he refilled Naruto's ramen bowl.
"Ah, Naruto has been performing very well recently, so it's a reward for him."
"Oh, in that case, this bowl is on me, consider it a reward for Naruto too!"
Naruto laughed: "Thank you, Ichiraku's Uncle!"
"Eh, wait, it's Iruka who's treating anyway, why am I so happy…"
…After finishing the ramen, Iruka encouraged Naruto a few more times, and then the two parted ways.
Back home, Naruto, though still excited, didn't forget to continue his diligent training.
With the system's gentle reminders, he couldn't forget even if he wanted to.
Tonight's training involved… Clone Technique and Divided Attention.
Naruto activated the power of the [Divided Attention] entry.
He practiced the Chakra Refining Technique while continuing to train in the Clone Technique.
As the proficiency of these Ninjutsu increased, Naruto also became more skilled.
He could completely do both without interfering with or affecting each other.
Naruto's secret to practicing the Clone Technique was the mirror training he had thought of.
This way, the clone, which was originally imagined in his mind, became a concrete image, making the Clone Technique training twice as effective.
However, tonight, he decided not to rely on the mirror anymore.
He would train solely by his own power.
Because he had been staring at it for so long, even without a mirror now, Naruto's image of himself was already deeply ingrained.
"Clone!"
Before he finished speaking, three exquisitely perfect clones appeared on either side of Naruto's body.
Lifelike, indistinguishable from the real thing.
The fourth, however, was still a bit blurry.
"Damn it…"
"That bastard Sasuke can easily make five clones, and each one is identical to the original!"
"Keep going!"
But in reality, Naruto's current level of Clone Technique already surpassed most of his peers.
Ordinary Ninja Academy students could at most create two clones by the time they graduated.
Naruto, being able to create four, was already at the level of an honor student.
It was just that he always took Sasuke as his goal, so he naturally felt he still had a long way to go.
"Alright, let's temporarily stop Divided Attention and focus on training the Clone Technique!"
The system didn't stop him, and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, putting all his thoughts into the Clone Technique.
"Clone!"
This time, as expected, the fourth clone also became much clearer and more realistic.
Naruto was overjoyed.
"It seems that even with the power of the [Divided Attention] entry, Divided Attention ultimately can't compare to training with full dedication…"
Looking at these virtual clones, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Naruto, and some thought seemed to cross his mind.
"Clone Technique, Divided Attention…"
"What did I just think of?"
Naruto looked left and right, gazing at the four clones beside his body… Suddenly, he slammed his fist into his palm.
"Ah, that's right…"
"Since I can use Divided Attention, if these clones also had my thoughts, wouldn't they be able to act on their own?!"
"I'm a genius!"
"However…"
Naruto's expression darkened again.
"These clones are only formed from a tiny bit of Chakra; they are mere illusions, not physical entities. They can only confuse and lure enemies, it's impossible for them to truly act…"
"If I want to achieve what I envision, I first need to make these clones physical…"
"How should I do it?"
Naruto fell into deep thought.
"Ah, the simplest idea first is to allocate a bit more Chakra to the clones!"
He immediately began to experiment.
This was Naruto; if it were any normal person with such an idea, they would never dare to risk experimenting.
Because it was an extremely dangerous thing to do.
Moreover, there was no elder Ninja to protect him.
But Naruto's personality was precisely like this: carefree, reckless, and impulsive, doing whatever came to mind.
He had no qualms whatsoever and immediately began his attempt.
"Allocate more Chakra…"
"Clone Technique!"
This time, Naruto used more Chakra, but he only created one clone.
Indeed, the clone looked much more solid, but it still couldn't be considered a physical entity.
"Still not enough…"
"This time, I'll try using one-tenth of my Chakra directly!"
"Clone Technique!"
Still not enough… "One-fifth!"
Still not enough… "One-third!"
Not enough… Naruto also started to pant. Just to verify a sudden hunch, he had already used