KonohaGakure No Sato :
Exclusive Training Ground :
The sun hung high over the village, casting long, sharp shadows across the dirt, yet the air in Naruto's private training ground was thick with the scent of ozone and damp earth.
Having spent his morning submerged in the dust-choked depths of the Archives Library, Naruto arrived at his training sanctuary with a quiet, focused intensity. He dropped his things near his usual rest spot, a gnarled root of an ancient oak Tree .
Naruto was immediately approached by a Shadow Clone that he had left behind at his apartment . The clone already arrived at the tarining Ground before. The clone handed him a wooden bento box prepared beforehand.
Before taking his first bite, Naruto crossed his fingers, channeling a precise, rhythmic burst of chakra that had become second nature.
Puff. Puff. Puff. Puff. Puff.
Five clones materialized in a plume of white smoke. Without needing a single command, they trotted to the west side of the clearing and formed a circle.
They began the grueling task of hand-seal conditioning and training , their fingers blurring in repetitive, high-speed motions. Not just Hand-signs bit also the Chakra control that comes with the seals.
Naruto watched them for a moment, knowing that every muscle twitch and finger placement was being recorded by the clones to be later uploaded into his own brain.
Naruto sat and ate his lunch with the hunger of a growing boy . In just fifteen minutes, he felt the familiar, warm rush of energy returning to his limbs. Naruto felt his Chakra replenished in full after just 15 minutes/
(Thanks to the Kyuubi )
Naruto thought, feeling the subtle hum of the beast's power beneath his own.
Under normal circumstances, a shinobi of his age would need high-grade food pills , Soldier Pills or three to five hours of deep rest to replenish such a massive drain on their spiritual and physical energies.
But with the Kyuubi's passive influence acting as a secondary reactor, his own chakra reserves were topped off and humming with power in a quarter of an hour.
Naruto stood and formed five more clones. These headed to the East side of the training ground where the wooden dummies and practice targets were positioned.
These clones began a lethal dance of projectiles—practicing kunai, shuriken, and the experimental Chakra Blade: Wind Sword jutsu.
Two clones focused on the basics of trajectory, while the other three pushed the limits of the Spiral Shuriken, trying to maintain the razor-thin edge without the rotation collapsing.
Naruto moved to the center of the clearing, unwrapping a ration bar and munching on it as he pulled up his status panel. He focused on the buff he had been signing in for every day since the academy vacation began.
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Great Sage: 5 hours 31 minutes left
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Naruto had made a calculated decision to sign in for the Great Sage skill daily as he left the library around 1:00 PM.
The skill was a massive boon, granting him a level of cognitive processing that felt like having a supercomputer inside his skull, but it came with a heavy price:
once the six-hour window closed, Naruto would lose consciousness and sleep like a dead log.
Despite the strain, Naruto had noticed over the last two months that the side effects were becoming more manageable.
Previously, he would fall into a twelve-hour coma and wake up with a lingering, soul-crushing headache that felt like his brain had been put through a meat grinder.
Now, while Naruto still required twelve hours of sleep, the morning fog had vanished. After analyzing his own state with the Great Sage, he had identified two primary reasons for this improvement.
The first was the Kyuubi's chakra and the natural resilience of his Uzumaki body, which treated the mental fatigue as a form of "damage" to be repaired overnight.
The second was a skill he had almost neglected:
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Inner Strength : The mental and emotional resilience that allows one to persevere through difficulties. It is not physical, but Mental fortitude forged through loneliness and self-reliance. It allows you to manage emotions and stay focused on goals despite setbacks.
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Naruto narrowed his eyes as he chewed.
(No matter how small the progress, perseverance despite failure builds mental fortitude. My mind is literally getting tougher because I refuse to break.)
Mental fortitude.
The Great Sage skill wasn't becoming gentler.
He was becoming stronger.
Seeing his chakra fully replenished, Naruto formed another five clones.
(There is a limit placed on the B-Rank Shadow Clone jutsu compared to the Multi-Clone variant,)
he reminded himself.
( But I can still spam it again and again )
*Puff* *Puff**Puff**Puff**Puff*
The new clones headed to the North side, taking positions far apart from each other to practice the Body Flicker technique.
Naruto unwrapped another ration bar, his mind wandering to the other clones scattered across Konoha. Five were still at the Archives Library, five were at his apartment taking care of Simba and the household chores
( Simba and others should've finished lunch by now… The Shadow clones are probably preparing dinner or making calligraphy for the money )
There are also other five clones that were at the Academy library .
"acting" the part of a diligent student interested in medical ninjutsu , Fuinjutsu and almost everything.
(Having a cheat that everyone knows is a good feeling. By "studying" in public, no one will question how I suddenly know Sealing or high-level anatomy later. It's the perfect cover.)
Naruto performed the jutsu again, sending five more clones to the South side to practice various Ninjutsus.
He prioritized jutsus that were still stuck at Level 2 experience. Finally, he summoned a last batch of five clones, dividing them into teams of two and three. They engaged in a fierce Taijutsu battle to sharpen his combat instincts.
Naruto sat in the center. Every fifteen minutes, his chakra hit maximum, and he would summon five new clones. Every thirty minutes, a set of clones would disperse.
Naruto was only able to be this reckless because of the Great Sage skill. Usually, the feedback from so many clones would jumble the memories and cause an agonizing headache.
But the Great Sage sorted, filed, and optimized every scrap of experience before feeding it to him.
Every memory was sorted. Analyzed. Optimized.
(Daily sign-in was the right decision.)
Originally, Naruto had considered rotating skills—Medical Shinobi, Genin Growth skill and maybe some other BUFFS.
But Great Sage Skill was a Great foundation.
It absorbed mental fatigue.Increased training efficiency.Allowed parallel progress.
Without it, Naruto would have been forced to hyper-focus on one discipline at a time. Even with Shadow Clone Jutsu . The Memories will be jumbled up and efficiency will drop sharply .
Now, he could train everything—simultaneously.
The price was twelve hours of sleep.
And Naruto was more than willing to pay it.
By design, he would always be home before 6 PM.Dinner at 6:30.Bed by 7.
Then Out Cold for 12 Hours Awake at 7 AM sharp.
From 9 to 1—Archives.
Sign-in at archives just before leaving .
Then Training ground.
This routine had been uninterrupted for seven days straight.
Naruto sat calmly, a mango-flavored lollipop in his mouth.
Clones dispersed from every direction, memories flowing back in steady waves.
Experience climbed visibly.
(The backlash will come after the buff ends… but I'll be asleep by then.)
Kurama's chakra.
Naruto's own recovery
And the skills.
It would be enough.
Naruto activated Dynamic Vision, Keen Eyes, and MindHub, analyzing the sparring clones while jogging with weights around the field.
(Grandpa Hokage said he'll teach me Overdrive today… finally. After Two months and two weeks.)
Three hours passed in a blur of motion and mental processing.
It was 4:00 PM when Naruto sensed a shift in the air. He ditched his training weights and activated his [Acting] skill, wiping the hardworking look from his face and replacing it with the boisterous, sunshiny mask of the village prankster.
"Grandpa!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped into the clearing, the smoke from his pipe trailing behind him like a grey ghost. His eyes, usually filled with a tired warmth, were tight with an obvious, gnawing worry as he surveyed the field.
( it's been 7 days since Naruto started this reckless training , and he is being stubborn too .... *sigh* The Uzumaki Stubborness )
The Hokage saw dozens of clones engaged in high-level training, and for a moment, he saw not a boy, but a weapon being forged too quickly.
"Naruto..." Hiruzen spoke, his tone heavy.
"You look... exhausted, even if you try to hide it. You are pushing yourself harder than a seasoned Jonin."
Naruto grinned, wiping a bead of sweat from his nose.
"Haha! I told you, Gramps, this much is nothing! I've got more energy than everyone in this village put together!"
Hiruzen didn't smile back. He looked at the clones in the distance, then back at Naruto's small frame.
(This level of Shadow Clone usage should be impossible for a child's mind to handle )
The Hokage thought, his heart sinking.
( Is the fox's influence leaking into his psyche, pushing him to this madness? Or The Kyuubi's Chakra is also responsible for taking on all that Mental Fatigue Or is Naruto simply so lonely that he fills the clearing with himself just to feel a crowd?)
"Well... let's go to the hospital tomorrow, just in case," Hiruzen decided, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Naruto's expression shifted to one of genuine annoyance. "Grandpa, I told you I'm fine! I feel great!"
"Come on, Naruto, for your Grandpa's sake," Hiruzen spoke patiently, placing a hand on Naruto's Head.
"I am worried. If you are fine, the doctors will tell me, and I can stop pestering you. Hmm? Let's check up... just in case."
Naruto huffed, acting the part of the stubborn child while speaking disgruntedly
"Fine, fine! I'll go! But what about my Overdrive jutsu? You promised!"
Hiruzen tried to stall, his gaze drifting to the clones. "How about after the hospital tomorrow?"
"NO WAY!" Naruto declared, his patience seemingly snapping.
"It's been two months and two weeks already! If you keep stalling, I'm just going to start trying it myself, and if I blow up the apartment, it's on you!"
The Hokage winced at the thought. He saw Naruto's jaw set in that familiar Uzumaki stubborness. The Hokage knew that if he didn't guide the boy now, Naruto would indeed attempt it alone. He sighed, a long trail of smoke escaping his lips.
"Haaaaaaaa... Fine, fine. Let's begin."
"Yosh! With my Shadow Clones, I'll master it in an hour!" Naruto cheered.
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "Naruto, listen carefully. You cannot train the Overdrive Jutsu with Shadow Clones."
Naruto blinked, looking genuinely stunned. "Ehh? Why? They move and think just like me!"
"Hoho, that you will need to find out yourself," Hiruzen chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"Ehh come on, tell me!"
"Haha, the Overdrive jutsu uses Lightning release to speed up the electrical signals from the brain to the body... you remember that theory, right?"
"Urghh, yeah?" Naruto replied, tilting his head.
"Hmm. But Shadow Clones don't have biological brains, Naruto," Hiruzen explained, his teacher persona taking over.
Naruto 'acted' confused, pointing at a nearby clone. "They don't? But they all move and think and complain when I hit them!"
Hiruzen laughed softly, but his eyes remained observant. "That is chakra, Naruto. *Sigh*. Tell me, what is Chakra made of?"
"Spiritual and Physical energy," Naruto answered promptly and then speaks again with a sudden 'realisation' on his face
"So... the reason clones can move and think is because of that energy, not because they have guts and brains?"
"Exactly. So now do you understand why clones can't train in Overdrive? The jutsu requires a biological nervous system to ground the lightning chakra. If a clone tries it, the balance of energy will crumble and they will simply disperse into smoke."
Naruto crossed his arms, pouting. "Then what about medical Jutsu and Genjutsu?"
"The same. Medical ninjutsu requires a physical connection to the life force, and Genjutsu requires a brain to mold the illusion. If the Shadow Clones use those , The chakra balance collapses and they disperse "
" ohhhh " Naruto exclaimes in amazement , The Hokage smiles inside and continues to speak
" Some jutsus can be trained, but others—especially Taijutsu—will only help in honing combat experience, not in building your actual physical strength or speed. You can train Chakra Control and Hand-signs, as you have been doing, but the Overdrive JUTSU is for the 'real' you."
Naruto took a deep breath, absorbing the "lesson." (I already predicted that, but hearing the Hokage confirm the mechanics helps the Great Sage fine-tune the training plan.)
The Hokage speaks again
"And once Overdrive Jutsu is active," Hiruzen said firmly, "no other elemental jutsu will work either "
"Eh?! None?"
"Because the system is already flooded with lightning chakra."
"…Okay."
"Now," the Hokage smiled, "let's begin."
"FINALLY!"
For the next hour, Hiruzen taught Naruto the hand-seals and the specific chakra-flow for Overdrive.
Under the Hokage's meticulous eye and Naruto's own improved control, the boy began to grasp the spark of lightning release.
Naruto asked pointed questions about chakra pathways—questions he had formulated with the Great Sage's help—which Hiruzen answered with a mix of surprise and pride.
They parted ways near 5:30 PM. Naruto headed back to his apartment, greeted Simba, and hurriedly took a bath. After a quick dinner, he lay on his bed, a mango-flavored lollipop in his mouth.
He activated his MindHub and Great Sage skills in unison. With a final hand-seal, he released every Shadow Clone in the village.
Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!
A tsunami of experience—from the Archives, the libraries, and the field—hit him simultaneously.
His experience in multiple fields soared to new heights. The Great Sage worked at maximum capacity, sorting the chaos into usable knowledge.
As the buff finally ended, Naruto's consciousness was snuffed out by the impending twelve-hour sleep, his body sinking into the mattress as the Kyuubi's chakra began the nightly ritual of repair.
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Hokage Office:
While Naruto was pushing his limits at the training ground, the man who had set this chain of events in motion was navigating a different kind of battlefield .
The hallways of the Hokage Tower.
Hattori walked out of the Hokage's office, a thick manila file gripped in his hand. He had just finished a tense debriefing, successfully navigating Hiruzen's probes regarding his "unauthorized" outing .
Hattori had provided a blend of truth and fiction—citing a need to secure Tsunade's return and resolve certain "clan-related matters" that required her medical expertise.
Hiruzen had seemed to catch the hint, or perhaps he simply lacked the leverage to push further. Either way, the probing stopped. But then, the Old Monkey had played a card Hattori hadn't expected: a new assignment.
A Graduation Team Assignment
Only two months had passed since Hiruzen had reluctantly allowed him close to Naruto again. And already, the Hokage was interfering—subtly, cleanly, within the rules.
Hattori almost laughed.
(I worried too much about Tsunade and slipped.)
Of course, Hattori had applied for a teaching position before, but the timing was suspiciously perfect. Hiruzen was using Hattori's own past request against him.
(Amusing )
Hattori thought, his lips curling into a cold smirk as he descended the stairs.
Nine years ago, Naruto had been declared too young.
Isolation had been framed as protection.
Delays justified as necessity.
Later, the Jinchūriki identity had become the excuse—safety, secrecy, containment.
Hattori scoffed quietly.
Konoha was not a tyrant's state.
The First Hokage had ensured that.
The Second Hokage had cemented it.
A single Hokage did not rule absolutely
The Second Hokage had created the Jōnin Council, ensuring that every major decision required votes. Beyond that, power was fractured by design:
Sealing Division
Police Force
Intelligence Division
Genin Corps
Interrogation Department
Prison Authority
Each autonomous. Each limited but each with power .
The only division under absolute Hokage control was ANBU.
Even the Daimyō—born to rule—could not override nobles at will.
And the Hokage?He commanded shinobi who wielded power with their own hands.
(Power cannot be enslaved. Tobirama Sama knew that.)
For everything else, there was the Jonin Council—a body Tobirama Senju had created to ensure no single man could enslave the shinobi for his own benefit.
Once, Hiruzen had held overwhelming support.
Sarutobi.Mitokado.Homura.Shimura.Ino–Shika–Chō jōnin.Civilian jōnin.Even partial backing from Inuzuka and Aburame
( Only Jonins have real power in the village and Clans have 35-45% of the total jonins )
Hattori knew the political landscape better than anyone. Before their recent deal, Hiruzen held the loyalty of the major clans. But now, the clans were taking their distance, and the remnants of Minato's faction were beginning to mobilize under the 'subtle' banner of the Uzumaki heir and the clans Teamplay .
Back then, Hattori and The Third Hokage had struck a deal.
Support in the Jōnin Council—in exchange for Naruto's mentorship.
This was a mutually beneficial arrangement. It was not a charity from the Hokage, nor could the Hokage now simply order Hattori on random missions or take Naruto away from him.
This was a Give and Take Deal
Hattori's political support in the Jonin Council in exchange for the right to mentor the Jinchuriki.
Hiruzen gained stability.
Hattori gained access to Kushina's child.
But now?
Hiruzen's influence had narrowed. Quickly
He still commanded genin and chūnin easily.
But jōnin?
They were not soldiers.They were stakeholders.
( every Village has to give power to those who are powerful )
Even declaring one rogue required evidence, votes, and justification.
Which was why tactics were chosen before and the tactics are chosen now . Hattori understood the tactic
Rules.
Assignments.
Distance.
Hattori stepped into the street, sunlight cutting across his face.
He scoffed.
(Already threatened, Hiruzen? In just two months?)
He glanced down at the file.
(I could fail this team. Spend all my time with Naruto.)
But—
Hattori stopped walking.
Slowly, he opened the file again and read the names.
Gian Gouda
Suneo Honekawa
Shizuka Minamoto
His eyes narrowed.
(Naruto's friends.)
During the last two months, Hattori hadn't only trained Naruto.
He had observed.
Civilian children.
Clan heirs.
Nara Akimichi.
The subtle bonds forming around Naruto—natural, unforced.
Hattori understood instantly.
Hiruzen's scheme was transparent:
If Hattori failed this team despite their qualifications, the Hokage would use that failure to drive a wedge between Hattori and Naruto.
(If I fail them despite qualification, Hiruzen will "properly" use it.)
Disappointment.
Distance.
Authority over Naruto's emotions.
And If Hattori passed them, The Rules and the duties of a Sensei would consume the time he used for Naruto's private mentorship.
(Let the old man play with his files,) Hattori mused
But then—
Hattori smiled.
Not wide.
Not warm.
Sharp.
(You're late. Hiruzen )
His thoughts drifted to the Crimson Time Bomb resting quietly beside Tsunade.
Protected by clans.
Shielded by Senju prestige of Tsunade
They will be counted as civilians
not Shinobi and under Hokage's order
Backed by medical authority and bloodline legitimacy
By then, the balance would shift.
Votes would shift.
Loyalty would shift.
(In one year, Tsunade and the Uzumakis will return. They will be backed by the Tsunade and the allied clans, legally untouchable. .......And I will spend this year turning the "Strongest Hokage" into a king without generals or soldiers.)
Hattori closed the file.
( Don't blame me Hiruzen , but since you have already made a move then you should understand that the deal is over ........not everyone plays by the rules)
Hattori's step became lighter. And He thought again and smirked.
He didn't need to choose between the new team and Naruto. He would use the team to increase his influence.
(I can use his friends to close the distance even further. And since most of my high-intensity training can be condensed into two hours... well, most of that is just beating anyway.)
As the sun began to set over Konoha, the two most important figures in the village's future were both preparing for a long game. Hattori was walking away with a list of names that Hiruzen thought were a tether, but Hattori knew were a bridge.
The year of preparation had begun. For Naruto, it was a year to become the strongest genius of Konoha . For Hattori, it was a year to dismantle a throne.