Chapter 41: Fighting Against Shadow Clone
Kaito began practicing this technique intensively.
He practiced triggering feelings of fear and despair in his Shadow Clone, then manipulating its auditory and olfactory senses.
It took him seven days to adequately master these three fundamental abilities. Then he started attempting to create a complete illusion, but he encountered an unexpected obstacle:
"What am I actually afraid of?"
He contemplated this question carefully.
"My only real concern right now is Danzo forcibly recruiting me into Root. But even that isn't something I truly fear. I suppose this is where my mental fortitude helps—I don't have any significant inner demons or traumas."
He thought more deeply and finally reached an understanding.
He cast the genjutsu on his Shadow Clone, and the clone allowed the technique to take effect.
Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the Shadow Clone perceived something terrifying.
There was a small black sphere on the distant horizon, and it was rapidly growing larger. The clone quickly recognized what it was, thinking in panic:
"Wait, is that a Tailed Beast Bomb?!"
At the sight of it, the clone felt genuine fear and despair surge through its consciousness!
However, after the training exercises of the previous few days, it realized that Kaito had artificially triggered these emotions. The Tailed Beast Bomb struck, and the illusion abruptly ended.
Subsequently, the Shadow Clone dispelled itself, transmitting all its memories and experiences back to Kaito. Kaito analyzed:
"Good progress. I suppose right now, what I fear most is dying as cannon fodder in some war, completely powerless to prevent it!"
Then he evaluated the illusion itself more critically:
"The illusion's psychological impact is quite effective. However, the visual form of the Tailed Beast Bomb is still somewhat unstable and needs refinement. And the ending was too abrupt. Although weaker opponents like Sakura might faint from shock, battle-hardened shinobi certainly won't lose consciousness when the illusion suddenly ends."
"Perhaps I can extend the illusion's duration, giving myself more time to deliver a killing blow while they're disoriented. Maybe after the explosion, I could induce the smell of earth and blood, or even show the opponent images of their own mutilated corpse, making them believe for a few critical seconds that they've actually died and are now experiencing the afterlife!"
He continued working diligently on improving his illusion's effectiveness and realism.
It took approximately another week before he felt satisfied with the illusion effects he could create.
By the time he had learned these two genjutsu techniques properly, there were less than three months remaining until the graduation exam.
Kaito was making excellent progress in all training areas. However, there was one critically important aspect he hadn't focused on yet.
He thought analytically:
"All my technical training is progressing smoothly. My chakra reserves are now comparable to weaker chunin instructors. My ninjutsu repertoire and taijutsu skills have probably surpassed average genin level. My fuinjutsu studies are also advancing well, and I should be able to complete the current intermediate scroll in approximately 6 more months."
"In terms of kenjutsu, I've absorbed the fundamental principles thoroughly, and my chakra flow technique has become much smoother. I can easily cut down trees with a chakra-enhanced sword, and I can even slice through solid rock. And I've also begun learning genjutsu techniques."
However, he was still severely lacking in actual combat experience.
In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had essentially zero real combat experience. After all, Academy taijutsu matches don't involve genuinely life-threatening situations or even the risk of permanent injuries. Students aren't even permitted to throw shuriken at each other during sparring matches.
Another critically important element was developing combat and survival instincts.
Being able to react purely on instinct during battle, or being able to sense when one's life is in imminent danger, is absolutely vital for any shinobi's survival.
Otherwise, a single surprise shuriken attack from concealment would be enough to kill even a skilled ninja.
Fortunately, since Kaito was a sensory-type ninja, his situational awareness would naturally be stronger than average, but this still wasn't sufficient.
So over the next three months, he needed to spar frequently and intensively with his Shadow Clones, simulating realistic combat scenarios.
He considered the approach carefully and decided:
"First, I'll start with wooden practice weapons. Once I become accustomed to full-contact sparring, I'll gradually transition to using real weapons."
The following Saturday, he traveled to a secluded training forest.
After thoroughly confirming that no one was in the vicinity, he created a Shadow Clone and prepared for a serious match.
Both he and his Shadow Clone were equipped with 24 wooden shuriken, 6 wooden kunai, and 2 wooden practice swords.
The two combatants stood facing each other, exactly ten meters apart.
Kaito picked up a small pebble and tossed it high into the air. The moment the pebble struck the ground would signal the beginning of combat.
Since the Shadow Clone was created after all planning was completed, no verbal communication was necessary—both understood the rules perfectly.
The instant the pebble landed, both Kaito and the Shadow Clone simultaneously leaped backward and unleashed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
The two powerful wind techniques collided violently, creating a massive gust that snapped numerous tree branches.
After releasing their jutsu, both combatants immediately dodged laterally, avoiding the chaotic wind currents they'd created.
As the wind gradually subsided, Kaito and his Shadow Clone both began carefully observing for tactical opportunities within the dissipating gusts.
Kaito quickly identified an opening:
"Right there!"
He immediately threw three wooden shuriken into the wind current. Due to the wind's natural flow pattern, they curved trajectory and flew directly toward the Shadow Clone.
The Shadow Clone detected the incoming projectiles and used the Body Flicker Jutsu to flash fifty meters to its left.
Kaito noticed the clone's repositioning, observed its new location carefully, and thought:
"That direction."
He threw three more wooden shuriken toward the predicted position.
Next, he employed the Projectile Control Technique, manipulating all six airborne shuriken to converge on his Shadow Clone's position.
Watching six shuriken closing in from multiple angles, the Shadow Clone continuously used evasive maneuvers to dodge, waiting patiently for the right counterattack opportunity.
Soon, the opportunity presented itself, and the Shadow Clone prepared two compressed Air Bullets and instantly unleashed them.
The two explosions destroyed 3 wooden shuriken completely and disrupted Kaito's wind control over 2 more.
However, Kaito maintained control over the remaining shuriken, continuing to direct it toward his Shadow Clone without giving it any respite.
The Shadow Clone observed the final approaching shuriken and thought tactically:
"If I simply dodge and he suddenly redirects it to intercept my movement, that could be dangerous. I need to create a distraction."
The Shadow Clone retreated backward and slammed both hands on the ground, raising an earthen barrier with Mud Wall.
Kaito redirected the shuriken to curve around the barrier, but found nothing behind it. He thought with concern:
"Damn, did it use Substitution Jutsu or go underground with Subterranean Voyage?"
He immediately used Body Flicker to reposition on a sturdy branch in a nearby tree. Then he activated his sensory perception, focusing his detection specifically underground, and located his Shadow Clone's chakra signature.
He thought calmly:
"I'll simply wait for it to surface before attacking."
Then he began preparing an Air Bullet in each hand.
The Shadow Clone underground was moving directly toward Kaito's position to launch a surprise attack.
But it sensed that Kaito had detected its location, and also felt the chakra being gathered for Air Bullets. It thought rapidly:
"No, I can't continue this approach. I need to exit the ground immediately—my movement speed underground is far too slow. But I might not be able to dodge his Air Bullet attack when I emerge."
The tactical analysis was completed in less than a second, and the Shadow Clone decided to surface directly rather than continue tunneling.
Kaito sensed his Shadow Clone's movement and used Body Flicker to position himself near where the clone would emerge.
The instant the Shadow Clone's head broke through the surface, Kaito fired both compressed air spheres and immediately began preparing additional projectiles.
The Shadow Clone, whose head had just emerged from the earth, thought grimly:
"Just as I predicted."
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