I stood in my usual training spot. A secluded clearing nestled within one of Konoha's quieter forests. Dense trees surrounded me, their leaves whispering softly in the wind, filtering the sun into gentle patterns on the forest floor. Birds chirped lazily above, blissfully unaware of my latest training scheme and the chaos that was about to unfold.
I stared at my hands, hesitating, debating internally whether to summon another Shadow Clone. The memories of last time still lingered sharply. I wasn't keen on seeing my old, resigned to its fate self ever again, nor was I eager to experience another existential crisis. But I knew it was unlikely to ever repeat, that had been an anomaly born from deep-seated uncertainty and self-doubt. At least, I desperately hoped so.
With a resigned sigh, I steeled myself and weaved the familiar hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."
A soft pop echoed through the clearing, accompanied by a cloud of smoke that quickly dissipated, leaving behind… me. This time, thankfully, it was just the current me, not some twisted mirror from my past. The clone immediately inspected himself with exaggerated curiosity, flexing his fingers and nodding approvingly.
"Nice. I was a bit worried we'd end up with the version that will cause us to need therapy."
I rolled my eyes, fighting off a wave of dizziness as half of my chakra vanished instantly. It felt like someone had pulled a plug, draining my energy away in a single breath. This feeling was disturbingly unpleasant, almost debilitating, and I finally understood why summoning clones in combat was so risky. Fighting at half capacity seemed borderline suicidal.
The clone smirked, noticing my momentary stumble. "You're weak."
I gave him a deadpan stare. "You mean we're weak."
The clone paused, blinking rapidly before the realization hit him. "Ah, you're right, comrade. Our chakra reserves seriously suck."
I sighed heavily at the antics of my own clone, wondering briefly how anyone tolerated me at all. I shook off the thought and focused. "Alright, I want to test the memory transfer aspect of the Shadow Clone jutsu properly this time. Take the Lightning Release: Pulse Chain scroll, read and memorize every detail thoroughly, and then I'll dispel you. Afterward, I'll check if the memory transfer is stable."
The clone folded his arms, eyeing me skeptically. "And since when can you boss me around, idiot? Read it yourself. I've got better things to do, like hunting down those damn birds for revenge."
I facepalmed. "Could you just cooperate, please? We'll only do this test once, and afterward you can chase all the birds you want. Deal?"
The clone narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then let out a defeated sigh and extended his hand. I stared at him, confused.
"The scroll, you idiot," he said impatiently, shaking his open palm.
I sighed yet again, pulling the scroll from my bag and handing it over. Dealing with myself was proving far more exhausting than anticipated, and it felt strangely surreal, as if I couldn't fully separate the existence of the two of us. The clone promptly snatched the scroll and unrolled it, his face immediately becoming a mask of exaggerated seriousness as he began reading with laser-like focus.
I sat cross-legged in the grass, enjoying the peaceful surroundings as I meditated quietly, replenishing my depleted chakra reserves. The calm breeze brushing my skin was soothing, carrying the subtle scent of damp earth and fresh foliage. Occasionally, I'd hear the rustling of leaves or small creatures scurrying about, adding to the tranquility.
An hour later, my peaceful meditation was shattered by the annoyingly loud voice of my clone, accompanied by a smug grin.
"All done, your majesty."
I stood up, brushing leaves off my pants and stretching slightly. "Good. Ready to go?"
The clone scoffed dismissively. "You're probably the one who'll disappear. I bet I'm more real than you."
My eyebrow twitched as I fought the urge to retort, instead silently weaving the hand sign. Instantly, the clone vanished with another gentle pop, dispersing into smoke. I was now waiting for the mental kickback the jutsu scroll talked about.
At first, nothing happened. I frowned, glancing around uncertainly, wondering if something had gone wrong.
And then it hit me. Like a freight train smashing through my skull, the clone's memories crashed into me without mercy. My vision blurred as a splitting headache surged violently, overwhelming my senses. I fell to my knees, clutching my head and screaming out curses with enough color and variety to traumatize any innocent wildlife within earshot.
"Fu*k! Sh*t ! Motherfu*ker! Oh my god, what the hell?!"
I rolled on the ground, helplessly tearing yet another orphan uniform until it resembled the classic orphan's clothes depicted in you favourite depressing classic novels. Dirty, tattered, and barely holding together.my mind nearly imploding from the relentless flood of knowledge. After what felt like an eternity, the agonizing pain slowly receded, leaving behind only a dull, threatening ache lurking just behind my temples.
Groaning, I sat up slowly. "Now I understand why nobody abuses this thing. I'd rather cram for a month than feel that again."
I cautiously probed my mind, pleasantly surprised to find the Pulse Chain technique perfectly memorized. Every detail was clear, as if I had personally studied the scroll myself. The results were undeniably impressive, yet the headache left me reluctant to celebrate.
Interestingly, because the clone hadn't used much chakra, most of it returned upon dispelling. That part was reassuring, at least. It meant clones could act as chakra reserves or temporary storage, especially if they remained inactive. Less movement, fewer memories, and hopefully fewer headaches.
Satisfied, I created another clone for assistance, only for it to appear and immediately burst into laughter, pointing mockingly at my disheveled state. "Serves you right, moron!"
With narrowed eyes, I promptly dispelled the annoying bastard. Clearly, I wasn't mentally prepared to endure any more interactions with myself today.
Refocusing, I mentally reviewed the Pulse Chain jutsu. It was impressive, releasing a precise, concentrated pulse of lightning chakra in a forward arc. Upon hitting the first target, the lightning would leap between conductive surfaces or chakra signatures, chaining from enemy to enemy, weakening slightly with each jump but causing increasingly greater disorientation. The closest targets would be hardest hit, while those further away would suffer minor shocks, buying me valuable time to plan or reposition.
My first goal was mastering the initial pulse. A compact burst that didn't scatter chaotically like a Lightning Needle or stab through like a Chidori. Instead, I needed it to form a brief, controlled sphere, unstable enough to jump but not explode prematurely.
After mastering the sphere, I planned to test chakra lock-on. Thanks to my recent sensory training, identifying and guiding the pulse between chakra signatures should be manageable, possibly even straightforward.
But first, I decided to skip ahead, experimenting with metal kunai to test conductivity. Once confident, I'd summon two clones for a real-world combat test, mainly to punish them for their incessant mockery. Revenge was a powerful motivator, after all.
With renewed determination, I retrieved several kunai from my pouch, scattering them across the clearing. The sun dipped lower, casting lengthening shadows across the grass, as I took a deep breath and prepared my hands. A faint smile crept onto my face, excitement slowly building within me.
Time to learn a new jutsu.
Read before you all start swinging kunai at each other and at me in the comments section:
This rebellious clone idea comes from Naruto Shippuden episode 230 where Naruto's clones actually revolt. I thought the concept was too funny to ignore and it fits Noa's personality perfectly so I thought why not use it.
The in-world explanation is that because of his previous incident with the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Noa's subconscious believes his clones should act differently enough from the clone of his old self and also not act as characterless drones to protect his mind.
Noa's clones know they are clones and given his sarcastic personality and struggle with self-identity they hate that fact so they act out a little bit. It is annoyance, not malice. They might complain about being used for chores or training but they would never refuse an order and When it comes to serious situations or fights they will always act without a hint of hesitation.
So yes, they will give him flack, lots of it, but they cannot truly betray themselves. They are just the side of Noa that is tired of putting up with Noa.
Alright, swing dem kunais away. I'm ready.