"Is it a Chakra control problem? Or is it a Chakra volume problem?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, muttering with frustration.
This really was difficult to figure out.
If it was a Chakra control issue—
That just didn't make any sense.
All three techniques—the Three Basic Jutsu—are built on the same foundation. There's no logical reason why Clone Jutsu (Bunshin no Jutsu) would be harder to control than the Substitution Jutsu (Kawarimi no Jutsu) or the Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu). In fact, Naruto actually felt that the Substitution Jutsu should be the hardest to master out of the three. After all, when using Kawarimi, a ninja has to not only consider the replacement object but also the exact timing of the technique, including predicting an opponent's attack and coordinating a seamless substitution.
It shouldn't be more complicated to create an intangible, illusionary clone.
Besides that—
Naruto had already completed the basic Chakra control exercises—tree climbing and water walking. Both were regarded as effective means to refine Chakra manipulation, and Naruto had succeeded at both, which should've sharpened his control considerably.
As for the quantity of Chakra—
That explanation made even less sense.
In neither his past life nor this one had Naruto ever heard of the Clone Technique being so sensitive to Chakra levels. The Three Basic Techniques are taught to every Academy student for a reason—they're foundational, designed to be accessible regardless of the student's Chakra reserves. They weren't advanced jutsu that demanded precise levels of Chakra to function. And even if quantity did play a role, Naruto had already tested that theory.
He had tried controlling the output of his Chakra—adjusting the amount, the pacing, the focus—everything he could think of. He had even specifically asked Iruka for advice on modulation, and still, the result had always been the same: an awkward, nearly unusable Clone Technique.
Even Iruka, who had watched Naruto perform the technique firsthand, had no real explanation. Naruto could use the Substitution Jutsu and the Transformation Jutsu almost perfectly.
Why not the Clone Jutsu?
Iruka wasn't exactly a master of advanced theory himself, so his advice had boiled down to encouragement and perseverance.
"Just keep practicing. You're only in second grade. You've got over four years until the graduation exam."
That was true. But it wasn't satisfying.
"Oh well... at least the clones are starting to look somewhat human," Naruto muttered with a sigh.
Another attempt. Another puff of smoke.
This time, the 'clone' looked vaguely like Naruto—enough to identify it as such—but its proportions were still distorted. He was improving, technically. Just... not fast enough.
Naruto stared at the half-decent clone, then exhaled slowly.
"Release!"
With another puff, the deformed clones vanished.
"Where exactly is the problem?"
He sat cross-legged on the ground again, his face tightening in confusion and frustration. It had failed again—one more in a long string of failures today alone.
He reviewed everything again in his mind—the hand seals, the Chakra flow, the intent. Clone Jutsu was one of the most basic ninjutsu taught at the Academy. It was supposed to be simple. Why did it just not work?
Naruto could only assume that the cause was some sort of bug in the system—a flaw he couldn't quite name.
"Forget it. That's enough for today."
The sun was beginning to dip beneath the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing. Naruto stood, stretched his sore neck and shoulders, and began packing up his gear. He gathered his training tools, along with a bundle of wild vegetables and fruit he'd foraged earlier.
As he made his way toward the edge of the forest, he spoke quietly to himself.
"I'll need to tweak the training plan a bit…"
"I can still spend some time practicing Clone Jutsu, but I can't let it take up the bulk of my schedule anymore…"
"I need to focus more on improving my physical strength…"
"The kunai I borrowed are getting worn out too. I'll ask Iruka-sensei for a few more tomorrow…"
"Man… I'm beat."
The golden hue of dusk washed over Konoha, stretching Naruto's shadow long behind him.
That night, Naruto returned home and quickly settled into his nightly routine. After a simple dinner, he sat down at his desk, flipped open one of his textbooks, and began to read.
His routine this year was simple:
Train by day. Study by night.
And not just the basic classwork.
Thanks to Iruka, Naruto had managed to get permission to borrow additional materials—scrolls and books related to ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu. Although his access was still restricted due to his age and rank, Iruka occasionally made exceptions, especially because of Naruto's visible dedication.
Still, Iruka often reminded Naruto not to get ahead of himself.
"Don't aim too high too fast. Learn what's in front of you first."
Naruto heard that advice more times than he could count.
Even so, Iruka was quietly pleased.
He had grown close to Naruto. Over the past year, the cheerful, hardworking boy had gradually broken through Iruka's initial reservations. The tragic loss of his parents still weighed on Iruka, but he no longer saw Naruto as the fox demon that had taken them.
The Nine-Tails was the Nine-Tails.
Naruto was Naruto.
They were not the same.
The more Iruka saw the warmth and sincerity in Naruto, the more his heart softened. If anything, Naruto's status as the village pariah made Iruka care more. He wanted Naruto to succeed. He needed him to be acknowledged.
And so, Iruka paid close attention to Naruto's progress—both in training and in studies.
Though Naruto's learning speed sometimes surpassed expectations, he still made occasional blunders and took longer to grasp more complex theories. This gave Iruka the false impression that Naruto was a bit clumsy, but Naruto didn't mind. Repetition reinforced memory, and Naruto was no stranger to persistence.
That night, Naruto immersed himself in his studies, poring over the lesson with rapt focus.
"Ugh… what time is it?"
Naruto finally straightened his stiff neck, glancing at the clock.
Yawning, he closed the book and stood up, stretching again.
"I've got to wake up early tomorrow. Better hit the sack."
He shuffled to the bathroom, washed up, and climbed into bed.
Within minutes, fatigue overtook him.
Sleep came easily.
But this night—unlike most—would not pass in peace.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion shattered the silence of the night.
The blast echoed across Konoha, lighting up the sky in a blaze of fire. A dark orange cloud bloomed high above the rooftops, followed by distant shouts and the unmistakable clash of weapons.
Naruto bolted upright in bed.
Without hesitation, he rushed to the window.
From the northwest corner of the village, smoke and flames billowed upward. In the distance, he could see Konoha-nin rushing toward the site, their chakra signatures flaring as they leapt across rooftops.
Naruto's pupils constricted.
"That direction… If I'm not mistaken, that's where the Uchiha clan lives…"
Such destruction—
Could it be?
"Is this... the Uchiha Massacre? The night Itachi destroyed the entire clan?" Naruto whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
He had been unsure about the exact timeline, but if Sasuke had already entered the Academy, the Uchiha downfall should be close. Judging by the scale of the blaze—
This was it.
The turning point.
The Night of the Uchiha Clan's Fall.
But… something still didn't feel right.
Naruto frowned, unsure if he was recalling every detail correctly.