Chapter 301: Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and Chidori
"Let's eat dinner first. Tonight, I'll teach you two a new jutsu."
Haneda looked at Naruto and Sasuke, both visibly brimming with excitement. Seeing their enthusiasm reminded him of the joy he felt when first learning ninjutsu.
There's something about encountering something new—it always sparks a natural curiosity.
Shifting his gaze to Itachi, Haneda asked, "Itachi, aren't you usually with Shisui? Is he resting right now?"
Before Itachi could respond, Kakashi interjected on his behalf:
"Itachi and Shisui were supposed to be inspecting Experimental Farm No. 7. It's near the Forest of Death, so there's a chance wild animals might break in. I'm guessing Itachi came back to report, right?"
Itachi realized Kakashi was covering for him, helping to hide the fact that he'd left his task to check on his brother, Sasuke. Grateful, he glanced at Kakashi and nodded.
"That's right, Haneda-ojisan. Shisui-san has already inspected more than half of it."
But Itachi couldn't suppress the guilt gnawing at him. Experimental Farm No. 7, located at the Forest of Death's edge, frequently faced invasions from wild boars sneaking in to steal crops.
He and Shisui had split the work evenly, but leaving early to visit Sasuke meant that Shisui would likely have to pick up the slack.
"I guess I'll have to work overtime tonight," Itachi thought silently.
Observing Itachi's demeanor, Haneda quickly pieced everything together. It was obvious Itachi had taken time off to visit his brother. Kakashi's little cover-up had not only saved Itachi from getting in trouble but also ensured he maintained full credit for the mission.
Haneda couldn't help but admire Kakashi's considerate mentorship toward Itachi and Shisui.
Deciding not to expose the matter, Haneda thought to himself that he would visit the farm himself later. With his presence, there would be no risk to anyone's safety—and perhaps it would even turn into a good training opportunity for Naruto and Sasuke.
Feeling the hunger pangs in his stomach, Haneda casually remarked, "Alright, Kakashi, let's head out for some barbecue. I'm starving."
"Which place?" Kakashi asked.
"The new one in town. It's pretty good. Let's go; it's dinner time, and the seats will fill up fast."
"What about Naruto? He hasn't eaten either."
"He can just eat at Sasuke's place. I'm sure both he and Sasuke's family would be happy with that arrangement."
Before Naruto could voice his complaints, Haneda placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, and with a flash of Flying Thunder God, the two disappeared.
Watching them vanish, Naruto pouted in frustration and grumbled, "That annoying Haneda-ojisan, running off with Kakashi-ojisan again for their 'date!'"
Sasuke, however, seemed to be in a good mood. He grabbed Naruto's hand and started leading him toward the Uchiha household.
"Let's go, dead last. The faster we eat, the sooner we can get Haneda-ojisan to train us," Sasuke said, smirking.
…
Using the Flying Thunder God to secure a good spot at restaurants had become second nature to Haneda. He had left markers at several places with great food, allowing him to beat the dinner rush every time.
Although they were a bit late today, they didn't have to wait long before getting a table, thanks to some quick diners.
After placing their orders, Haneda and Kakashi started chatting.
"Isn't it too early to teach them A-rank jutsu?" Kakashi asked, frowning slightly. "Haneda, weren't you the one who said Naruto should enjoy his childhood more? And now you're teaching him something as dangerous as a forbidden jutsu?"
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu was created by the Second Hokage. It's recorded in the Scroll of Seals, after all."
Haneda sipped his orange juice casually, his face showing no sign of concern.
"Think about it—Naruto in the original timeline had far worse conditions and still mastered the technique after seeing it just once. With Sasuke's patient guidance and Kurama's chakra backing him up, do you think he could possibly do worse?"
At the thought of Kurama's infamous line, "I'll never befriend humans," Haneda suddenly laughed out loud, shaking his head.
Grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth, he said with a grin, "Besides, Kurama's watching over him. Nothing's going to happen. For all its pride and sass, Kurama does have a sense of responsibility."
"And teaching Naruto something he's genuinely excited about is another way to let him enjoy himself."
Kakashi tilted his head slightly in agreement. "You're not wrong. Kurama has been unusually cooperative and even taught Naruto how to use its chakra properly."
"But what about Sasuke? Chidori is an A-rank lightning-style jutsu that you created. Even I needed over a month to learn it."
Haneda chuckled knowingly. "Sasuke will manage just fine. His fire-style jutsu is already impressive—Itachi mentioned he mastered the Great Fireball Jutsu in just a few days."
"His aptitude for lightning-style techniques should be even higher."
Kakashi didn't look convinced. A-rank jutsu weren't easy to master. But seeing Haneda take an interest in Naruto's development was something Kakashi appreciated.
"Fine, do as you like. Honestly, letting them struggle a bit might not be a bad thing—it'll keep them grounded."
Before they could continue, their food arrived: perfectly marinated meat glistening with juices that tantalized the senses.
The two fell silent, their mutual love for good food taking precedence.
…
Around 7 PM, Haneda returned home alone. Kakashi had to stop by the Hokage's office to deal with some Anbu matters, including signing off on Haneda's pending paperwork and keeping Shikaku on task.
As Haneda approached his house, he saw Naruto and Sasuke sitting on the steps, both looking slightly exasperated.
Naruto, who had been waiting for nearly half an hour, complained loudly:
"You're so slow, Haneda-ojisan! Did you get lost on the path of life again?"
Sasuke muttered under his breath, "Technically, he never gave a specific time, so he's not actually late…"
Hearing Sasuke's remark, Haneda let out a small laugh, then cleared his throat to regain his composure.
"Follow me," he said simply.
Naruto's mood instantly brightened. Grabbing Sasuke's hand, he ran to catch up to Haneda.
Once they were close, Naruto placed his hands on his hips and teased: "I'm about to learn an A-rank jutsu! How do you feel about that, Sasuke~?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned away. "With your idiot brain, it'll be a waste of time even if you learn it."
Annoyed, Sasuke gave Naruto a swift kick to the rear.
"Just keep up, dead last!" Sasuke huffed.
…
Haneda led the two to a secluded section of the Uchiha clan's training grounds, stopping under a large tree.
Naruto, expecting to be the first to receive direct guidance, was taken aback when Haneda casually tossed him a copy of the Scroll of Seals.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, confused. "Haneda-ojisan! What about me? What's with the lightning in your hands? I thought you were going to teach me the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
…
(To be continued)
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