Shadow Clones have physical form, capable of attacking, unlike regular clones.
With strong enough mental fortitude, they can even be used for training, as their memories and experiences transfer back to the user.
However, most avoid this.
Fatigue and exhaustion also return, and weak mental strength risks injury.
Not everyone's Naruto, an Asura reincarnation.
Ebara didn't dispel his clone immediately, instead letting it help supervise the students' training.
He wanted to test his mental limits.
Time flew, and two hours passed quickly.
The shuriken test left only three teams punished.
"So unlucky!"
"I could cry!"
"We're toast!"
Minato, Shikaku, and Inoichi looked grim.
As team leaders, they'd all scored perfectly, but their teammates dragged them down.
Inoichi's team had three failures, Shikaku's two, Minato's one.
"Inoichi, your team did great," Ebara said, smirking.
Inoichi, unyielding, replied, "Sorry, Teacher."
Ebara nodded, pleased he didn't make excuses.
Inoichi's team got thirty laps, Shikaku's twenty, Minato's ten.
That afternoon, Ebara taught them Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Minato grasped it fastest.
By evening, he summoned a wobbly clone—unstable but unmatched in the class.
"Minato's leaving us in the dust again," Shikaku said with a wry smile.
"His talent's insane," Inoichi said, envious.
Choza grinned. "That's Minato for you."
By the end of the second day, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza summoned clones too, clearly having practiced hard overnight.
Choza used his clan's Insect Clone instead.
No one else managed a Shadow Clone.
By the third day, Minato could use his clone in combat.
His freakish talent left everyone speechless.
"What's up, Third?" Ebara asked, summoned to the Hokage's office one morning. "Oh, Orochimaru, you're here too?"
"Hey, kid," Orochimaru said, smiling.
Ebara sighed. "Didn't we agree no nicknames?"
"You started it," Orochimaru shot back.
"Habit."
"Same."
"…"
The Third interrupted. "Enough bickering. Ebara, I called you for business."
"Another mission?" Ebara asked.
"Sort of," the Third said cryptically. "As a Ninja Academy teacher."
Ebara blinked. "What kind?"
"A five-day field trip."
A school bonding event to learn and build camaraderie.
To Ebara, it was a publicly funded vacation.
He'd proposed it earlier, and now the Third approved.
"When?" Ebara asked, excited.
"Two days from now," the Third said. "Stay close to the village, away from borders."
Tensions were rising between nations (Chapter 64). Enemy ninjas could infiltrate the Land of Fire.
Too far from Konoha, and danger loomed.
"Got it," Ebara nodded.
Chiyo's ambush (Chapter 59) was a wake-up call.
If he faced her with a gaggle of kids, he'd be the one fleeing.
"I can't manage so many kids alone. Send someone with me," Ebara said, eyes gleaming.
Tsunade hadn't been on missions lately.
A funded romantic getaway? Perfect.
The Third saw through Ebara's scheming instantly.
"No Tsunade," he said, just to mess with him.
"I'll go," Orochimaru offered, smirking.
Ebara shivered at his creepy smile. "Nah, you're too busy. Plenty of idle folks in the village. Tsunade's free, and I'm planning the Valley of the End as the first stop. Having Hashirama's granddaughter there will make it twice as effective."
He pitched hard.
"As the First and Second Hokage's granddaughter, educating the next generation is my duty!" a clear voice called from behind the Third.
Tsunade landed gracefully on the windowsill.
Her figure captivated Ebara, especially as she crouched, accentuating her curves.
The Third shook his head, chuckling. As the elders say, you can't keep a grown woman.
He saw Tsunade as a daughter.
"Fine, go," he said, waving them off.
Ebara and Tsunade beamed.
"Oh, Third, how much is the trip budget?" Ebara asked, staring intently. "Trips are expensive."
"One thousand ryō," the Third said grumpily.
He'd planned two thousand but cut it to spite Ebara's smugness.
"Forty people, five days, and only one thousand? That's stingy," Ebara complained. "These kids eat like pigs. It won't cover it."
"Go or don't. I'll find someone else," the Third snapped.
"One thousand's enough," Tsunade said, eyes gleaming.
Her gambling itch was back.
Most of her mission earnings went to casinos.
She wasn't yet the "Legendary Sucker," losing ten out of ten bets, but nine out of ten was close.
If she got the money, it'd vanish like meat buns to a dog.
"No way, I'll handle it," Ebara said quickly.
The Third sighed. "Go. You're done here."
Orochimaru started to leave with them but was stopped.
Once Ebara and Tsunade left, Orochimaru asked, "What's up, Third?"
The Third's face reddened, hesitant. "Orochimaru, I have a friend… who asked me to check if you've got that… male enhancement drug Ebara mentioned before."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "This friend…"
The Third squirmed. "If you don't have it, no worries. He just asked me to ask."
Orochimaru grinned. "Your friend… has good taste."