Bang!
A small fist slammed squarely into Uchiha Sasuke's face.
The impact was solid and unmistakable. Sasuke's handsome left cheek instantly swelled into a large lump, and his body froze in place, completely stunned.
"Why?!"
Sasuke clutched his cheek, staring at Naruto with furious disbelief.
"How did you do that?!"
"Hehehe!~"
Naruto only grinned, hands behind his head, deliberately refusing to answer. His smug expression made it painfully clear that he was enjoying this far too much.
I won't tell you, he thought happily. It'll drive you crazy, you annoying guy.
"Although the clones created by the Clone Technique cannot use Ninjutsu," the Ninjutsu instructor said calmly, stepping forward, "the caster can apply Ninjutsu to those clones a second time."
He turned to the stunned students and explained,
"Just now, Naruto applied the Transformation Technique to one of his clones again, disguising it as Sasuke and misleading him into attacking the wrong target."
Even as he explained, the instructor couldn't hide his surprise.
He hadn't taught this method at all.
More importantly—Naruto had learned the Clone Technique less than half a day ago and had already figured out how to layer techniques together.
That level of comprehension was… alarming.
"So that's how it was."
Sasuke clenched his teeth, finally understanding what had happened. He glared fiercely at Naruto.
"Next time, I won't fall for that trick again!"
"Huh? Next time?!"
Naruto blinked, genuinely confused.
"But I already won, didn't I?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Sasuke exploded.
"I haven't lost yet!"
Fury burned in his eyes as he immediately began forming hand seals—fast, practiced, and clearly not something taught in class.
Naruto's pupils shrank.
Those hand signs…
His instincts screamed danger, and he immediately began forming hand signs of his own.
"Oh no—those seals are—!"
The instructor's expression changed drastically.
He stepped forward at once, spreading his arms to shield the other children.
"Uchiha Sasuke, stop!" he shouted. "That Ninjutsu is not meant to be used on classmates!"
This instructor was only a Genin, barely more than a name-less teacher.
But he was responsible.
And he didn't discriminate—Naruto included.
Unfortunately…
He was too late.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Sasuke completed the seals and exhaled.
A blazing fireball—half a meter wide—shot forward, roaring straight toward Naruto.
But before Sasuke could even feel proud—
He froze.
Across from him, Naruto stood in the exact same stance, hands locked into the same seals, cheeks puffed—
And he exhaled.
A larger fireball erupted from Naruto's mouth.
Boom!
The two fireballs collided midair and exploded violently, sending heat and sparks rippling outward. Shockwaves rolled through the training ground as children screamed and staggered back.
"Wind Release: Spiraling Wind Dance!"
The instructor reacted instantly.
A powerful gust swept across the field, extinguishing the scattered flames and clearing the smoke before anyone could be hurt.
His face darkened as he marched straight toward Sasuke.
"Uchiha Sasuke!" he barked. "What were you thinking?! Using that level of Ninjutsu on a classmate—were you trying to kill Naruto?!"
This had been meant to be a simple practice session.
Now he was certain disciplinary action was unavoidable.
"Impossible…"
Sasuke didn't seem to hear him.
He stared at Naruto as if looking at a monster.
"This is impossible…"
He rushed forward, grabbing Naruto by the collar.
"Why do you know that Ninjutsu?!"
The instructor froze.
He slowly turned to Naruto, eyes filled with disbelief.
The Great Fireball Technique was an Uchiha clan Ninjutsu.
Given Naruto's background, it should have been impossible for him to know it—let alone perform it perfectly.
"Hehehe!~"
Naruto grinned proudly.
"So that jutsu's called the Great Fireball Technique? I learned it just by watching you make the hand signs."
He puffed out his chest.
"I really am a genius, huh?"
"What?!"
"You can learn Ninjutsu just by watching?!"
"That's impossible!"
"Naruto-kun is… incredible!"
The surrounding children erupted in shocked whispers.
"You learned it just by watching me?"
Sasuke's face flushed red with rage.
"That's impossible! You don't have the Sharingan! How could you copy Ninjutsu just by watching hand signs?!"
He shook Naruto violently.
"You must've learned it earlier, didn't you?!"
Deep down, Sasuke already believed the truth.
And that was exactly why he couldn't accept it.
When he learned the Great Fireball Technique, his throat had burned raw from practice. He couldn't even remember how many times he'd failed before succeeding.
Yet Naruto—
Naruto saw it once.
And produced a fireball bigger than his.
"Naruto."
The instructor spoke gravely.
"Did you truly learn and release the Great Fireball Technique just now by watching Sasuke form the seals?"
"Mm."
Naruto nodded enthusiastically.
"Is that really hard? I really am a genius, right?!"
"…!"
The instructor was speechless.
This wasn't a matter of difficulty.
Outside of Uchiha with activated Sharingan, who in the world could claim to replicate a technique of that level by sight alone?!
I can't even do that…
"Oh! Right, teacher!"
Naruto suddenly spoke up again, bright-eyed.
"I also saw the Wind Release you used earlier. I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try—"
Before anyone could stop him, Naruto began gathering chakra and forming seals.
The instructor's eyes widened in horror.
"No—wait—!"
"Wind Release: Spiraling Wind Dance!"
A howling gust burst from Naruto's mouth, kicking up dust and leaves across the training ground.
The Wind Release… worked.
"Hehehe!~"
Naruto laughed smugly, hands on his hips.
"Teacher's jutsu is way easier to use than that stinky—uh—Uchiha Sasuke's!"
"…!"
The instructor stared at Naruto in complete silence.
This wasn't talent anymore.
This was monstrous comprehension.