The following day, before the first light touched the village rooftops, Naruto and his dozens of shadow clones were already knee-deep in the rushing river. The air was cold and sharp, the morning mist coiling around their bodies like smoke.
Their bare feet dug into the slick stones below as they channeled chakra into their palms, forcing the torrent to bend to their will.
The water resisted violently at first, slamming against their invisible barriers with roaring force.
Naruto gritted his teeth, his brows furrowing in concentration as he pressed both hands forward. "Come on… hold steady!" he shouted, sweat trickling down his temples even as cold droplets splashed his face.
Hours passed. The clones groaned and staggered, some popping out of existence under the pressure, only to be replaced immediately as Naruto reformed them with fierce determination.
The sun climbed, burned bright, and began to sink again, staining the water golden-red.
By sunset, the river's roar had become a muffled murmur.
Every clone strained together, their voices rising in unison, "Now!"
With a final, desperate surge of chakra, the current trembled—and then froze. The water stilled completely, shimmering like a mirror beneath the dying light. Not a single drop moved.
For a second, silence ruled the valley. Then—
"We did it!!" Naruto's voice echoed across the banks, breaking the stillness.
"Yeaaah!!" the clones shouted back, their cheers rippling through the air. They jumped, splashed, hugged each other, and laughed like children who had just conquered the impossible.
Tears streamed down a few of their faces—his own joy reflected back at him from a hundred smiling copies.
Naruto stood there in the middle of it all, chest rising and falling, eyes glimmering with pride.
'One step forward,' he thought, smiling faintly. 'Time to get me some food.'
He landed lightly on the riverbank, water dripping from his pants.
"Thanks, guys," he said softly, looking at his exhausted doubles before releasing them.
POOF
In an instant, every clone vanished into smoke, and all their fatigue, pain, and chakra strain came crashing back into him at once.
Naruto's vision blurred. His knees buckled. The sudden wave of exhaustion hit like a hammer to the chest, forcing the air from his lungs. He stumbled forward, clutching at the damp earth.
"Damn… that… was…" he mumbled weakly—before his body finally gave in.
With a dull thud, Naruto collapsed face-first onto the ground, unconscious.
...
A few hours later, Naruto's eyes fluttered open to the dim, fading light above him. The chirping of crickets filled the quiet forest, and a faint ache pulsed through every muscle in his body.
He blinked groggily, sitting up with a sharp inhale, confusion flashing across his face before it softened into a tired sigh.
Guess that was too much energy wasted, he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. Then his stomach growled—loud and pitiful.
"Ugh… great. I'm dying of hunger now."
He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling for a second before regaining his balance. Dust clung to his clothes as he stretched, arms reaching high until his joints popped. His body felt heavy, but his spirit? Still burning bright.
Naruto changed quickly into his orange jumpsuit, the fabric snapping lightly as he zipped it up. With a short nod to himself, he leapt into motion—darting from tree to tree before landing on the dirt path that led back to town.
Lanterns flickered to life one by one, painting the streets in cozy amber hues.
Naruto's destination was obvious—the fake Ichiraku shop.
He pushed aside the familiar curtain with a grin.
"Yo, old man! Three bowls, extra pork!" he shouted, taking his seat before the owner could even greet him.
Steam rose in front of him as the first bowl was placed down. Naruto clasped his hands. "Thanks for the food!" Then he dove in.
He devoured the ramen with lightning speed, noodles whipping around as he leaned over the counter, each mouthful a blur. When the third bowl hit the counter, he didn't even hesitate—he went in again until the last drop was gone.
Moments later, he leaned back in his seat, patting his stomach.
"Ahh… I think I overdid it," he muttered, a sheepish grin forming.
'Don't think I'll ever break Hinata's record,' he added inwardly, chuckling to himself.
After paying, he turned in his seat and pushed past the curtain—only for a blur of motion to zip by.
"Hey!"
A thief darted out from the shadows, snatching Naruto's frog-shaped wallet right from his belt before bolting down the street.
The sound of sandals slapping against the stone echoed as the thief leapt onto a wall and vanished onto the rooftops.
Naruto blinked once. Then a smirk spread across his face.
'Heh. Guess I get to test it out on someone other than my clones.'
Without another word, he kicked off the ground—dust bursting from beneath his feet as he launched upward.
The wind rushed past his face as he bounded across the rooftops, his movements sharper and faster than before. Each step landed with perfect rhythm.
thump, thump, thump.
In moments, he spotted the thief ahead, hopping across a narrow rooftop.
"Gotcha!" Naruto called out.
The thief turned, eyes widening—but it was too late. Naruto pushed off, body twisting mid-air as his hand shot out like a whip. He grabbed the man's shoulder, flipping both of them through the air.
"Wha—?! Wait, I—!"
They crashed into an alley below.
CRASH!
Garbage cans clattered, metal lids spinning across the ground. Naruto landed lightly beside the dazed thief, dusting off his sleeves before crouching down. He plucked his frog pouch from the thief's trembling hands.
"Thanks for holding onto that," he said with a grin. His eyes caught the glint of other stolen pouches spilling from the man's coat. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Jackpot."
He grabbed the rest without hesitation, slinging them over his shoulder.
"I'm rich," he muttered with a satisfied grin, hands behind his head as he strolled casually out of the alley.
' But that wasn't very ninja-like,' Naruto thought as he walked through the quiet streets, hands in his pockets. ' I was fast… but loud as hell. Every step sounded like thunder. I've gotta fix that if I ever wanna move like Kakashi-sensei'
The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint smell of grilled food from a nearby stall. Most shops had already closed for the night—but up ahead, one still glowed faintly.
Naruto squinted. A ninja tool shop, its sign swinging slightly in the breeze.
"Well, that's convenient," he murmured, stepping closer.
Inside, the place was quiet except for the soft creak of the wooden floor. Rows of shelves lined with shuriken, scrolls, smoke bombs, and training gear stretched around him. The air smelled faintly of oil and iron.
Naruto's eyes scanned the shelves until something caught his attention—a gleam of dark fabric folded neatly on a stand near the counter.
A grin spread across his face.' Heh, I'm so lucky.'
He left the shop a few minutes later. His stomach was full, his frog pouch heavy again, and his spirit fired up. The moon hung high above as he made his way back toward the forest, the leaves rustling softly overhead.
When he reached his campsite, the small clearing was quiet, just the sound of the river flowing faintly in the distance. He set his bags down and stretched his arms.
"Alright… let's begin," he said aloud, a grin tugging at his lips.
He unzipped his jumpsuit, tossing it aside, and pulled out the dark- green weight shirt.
The fabric was thicker than it looked, heavy enough that even lifting it made his arms strain slightly.
"Man, this thing's solid," he muttered, tugging it over his head. It clung tightly to his torso, the added weight pressing down on his shoulders.
Next came the weighted pants, socks, and shoes and arm bands. Each piece added more strain, the pressure building with every layer. By the time he stood up fully dressed, his body felt like it was moving through mud.
"Damn… how do Rock Lee and Guy-sensei survive this?" he groaned, trying to take a step. His legs trembled slightly, the earth crunching beneath his sandals as he forced himself forward.
He tried a few light jumps, but each landing felt like his body doubled in weight. Still, the grin on his face didn't fade.
"Doesn't matter," he said, straightening his back. "I'll get used to it in a few days… I hope. Otherwise, I'm totally screwed."
He laughed softly to himself, the sound echoing faintly through the trees as he began pacing around the clearing, every step slow and deliberate.
The forest leaves swayed above him, the night alive with quiet determination—Naruto's new training had just begun
TO BE CONTINUED