"So that's how it went… Then you really should thank Iruka-sensei properly," Fujimoto Sana said after listening, a little surprised, then smiling.
Tōma's chakra reserves had exceeded her expectations. Even more so, his extraction amount.
She remembered clearly that neither she nor Tōma's father had been exceptional in that regard. Both had been average as shinobi. And yet her son…
Of course, part of it made sense. Both parents had been shinobi, which gave Tōma a solid foundation. Still, what mattered more was that he'd never been careless with himself. Years of steady training. Eating properly. Resting when needed. Nothing flashy, nothing neglected.
That kind of foundation showed now.
"By the way," Sana said, eyes curved in a smile, "you've already looked through the Three Techniques, right? How are they? If there's anything you don't understand, I can demonstrate. I might not be good at explaining, but I can at least show you."
"I already learned them," Tōma replied.
"…Mm?" She nodded unconsciously, then froze as the meaning caught up. Her eyes widened.
Tōma didn't lie about things like this.
Which made it hard to believe.
He smiled at her reaction, then quickly formed a hand seal. Smoke puffed outward.
When it cleared, two S ana s stood facing each other. One adult, one smaller. The proportions were slightly off, but the details were precise enough to be convincing at a glance.
Sana stared.
This wasn't just functional. This was clean.
After releasing the Transformation, Tōma followed up immediately, performing the Clone and Substitution Techniques in turn. His hands moved faster than before. The Clone took under two seconds. The Substitution slightly over two.
Not perfect.
But fast.
Sana knew her own limits. She couldn't perform those techniques faster than her son had just done.
Silence hung in the room.
Only then did she fully understand it.
This wasn't just "very good."
This was genius.
Even so, the shinobi path was dangerous. Talent didn't change that. Sana sighed quietly, but she didn't try to stop him. Instead, she turned and walked into her room.
Tōma frowned, confused.
She returned with several scrolls and handed them to him.
"These are…?" he asked.
"Jutsu scrolls," Sana said calmly. "All C-rank. The Shadow Clone I gave you earlier was actually meant to be exchanged for a B-rank Wind Release technique, Vacuum Sphere. Your father saved the credit for that. But he hadn't fully mastered his other C-rank jutsu yet, so he never made the exchange."
She paused, then continued.
"I'd planned to give these to you after you became a shinobi. But with your talent, delaying would just waste time."
She looked at him seriously.
"Even so, never push beyond your limits. Talent doesn't protect you from injury."
"I understand," Tōma said quietly.
He checked the scrolls.
Four techniques. All C-rank.
Wind Release: Gale Palm.Wind Release: Wind Cutter.Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.Lightning Release: Earth Flow.
The Wind techniques were clearly his father's. Together, they covered close-range, long-range, and wide-area use. A complete beginner set.
As for Lightning Release: Earth Flow… that was his mother's. A situational technique. Stronger with terrain and synergy, but not ideal alone.
Useful later.
Not now.
Tōma could probably cast them already, but once or twice would drain him dry. That kind of practice was inefficient.
Right now, Substitution and Shadow Clone offered far better returns. Shadow Clones consumed chakra evenly, but maintenance alone was light. Even with modest reserves, he should manage at least one.
That alone changed everything.
"Mom, I'm heading out," Tōma said as he packed the scrolls away.
"Alright. Make sure you thank Iruka-sensei properly," Sana replied. "If there's a chance, you can invite him to the barbecue place where I work. I'll make sure the ingredients are fresh."
"That probably won't work," Tōma said. "He wouldn't accept."
"…That does sound like him," Sana admitted, smiling faintly. "A good teacher."
Ichiraku Ramen was lively as always when Tōma arrived.
He was early. Iruka hadn't arrived yet.
The smell alone explained the popularity. Affordable, filling, and genuinely good. Teuchi, the owner, looked younger than Tōma remembered from stories.
"Tōma, you're early," Iruka said in surprise when he spotted him. "I thought I was early."
"I invited you," Tōma replied. "It wouldn't feel right to arrive late."
"…You really don't sound like a kid," Iruka muttered, scratching his head.
"Let's go inside, Iruka-sensei."
They took seats at the counter.
"Teuchi, two deluxe bowls, please," Tōma said.
"Oh? Deluxe today?" Teuchi smiled. "Something good happen?"
"Yes," Tōma said earnestly. "A lot of good things."
"Iruka-sensei, this is too much," Iruka protested.
"It's not," Tōma replied. "And it still doesn't feel like enough. Unless you agree to eat at the barbecue place sometime. My mom works there. We get a discount."
"…Let's talk about that some other time," Iruka said with a laugh, declining again.
They waited.
For a while, Iruka glanced at Tōma repeatedly, hesitation clear on his face.
"If you want to ask something," Tōma said calmly, "you can. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."
Iruka sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Is it that obvious?"
Then he looked serious.
"Tōma… what do you think about Uzumaki Naruto?"