Although it was getting late, the excited Kazuki was full of energy. Without hesitation, he ran to the small forge in the backyard, lit the charcoal fire, pulled up the bellows, placed a thick iron ingot on the anvil, and swung his hammer, beginning the forging process.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp sound of metal striking metal echoed through the night. Sparks scattered in all directions as he worked. At only six years old, he had to exert all his strength to swing the hammer, and after a few strikes, exhaustion set in.
Panting, he rested for a moment before gripping the hammer again. Over and over, he repeated the cycle—lifting, striking, resting—until sweat dripped down his face. Slowly, under his determined effort, the rough shape of a kunai began to take form.
Three hours later, Kazuki gazed at the kunai standing before him. Its black surface gleamed under the dim light, and an uncontrollable joy surged in his heart.
Clone Kunai—he had created it!
The creation of the Clone Kunai was complete.
Kazuki carefully picked up the newly forged weapon, inspecting it closely. As it was his first self-made ninja tool, the craftsmanship was still rough. In terms of quality, it couldn't compare to the high-grade kunai imported from the Land of Iron and sold in his family's weapon shop.
However, this kunai was different—it possessed a special ability.
The moment he completed the forging, knowledge of its function surfaced in his mind:
[Clone Kunai: By injecting chakra, the kunai instantly forms a physical clone capable of attack and defense.]
A physical clone—unlike the illusory clones created by the standard Clone Technique.
The basic Clone Technique, one of the fundamental Three Basic Jutsu, merely created a mirage identical to the user. It lacked physical form, serving only to mislead opponents without any offensive or defensive capabilities.
Physical clones, on the other hand, were entirely different. Techniques like the Water Clone, Earth Clone, and Crow Clone Jutsu produced tangible copies, each possessing substance and capable of interacting with the environment. However, these clones required a substantial amount of chakra and didn't transfer experience back to the user once dispersed. Essentially, they functioned like puppets, controlled by the user's consciousness.
This kunai changed everything.
Kazuki took a deep breath and channeled his chakra into the kunai. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he hurled it forward.
As expected—two meters ahead of him—a perfect clone materialized, identical to himself.
"This… this is incredible!" His eyes gleamed with excitement.
At that moment, he realized the immense potential of his creation. He had forged a weapon that could rival ninjutsu itself!
With just a chakra infusion, the Clone Kunai could replicate the effects of advanced clone techniques—without the need for hand seals. It was instant, seamless, and efficient.
In actual combat, this would grant him a massive advantage.
This was more than just a simple ninja tool—it was a breakthrough!
If every weapon he forged carried such abilities… then his craft would transcend ordinary smithing. It would become something extraordinary!
Kazuki opened his system properties panel again.
There were some noticeable changes.
Data as follows:
[Host: Kazuki]
[Age: 6 years old]
[Forging Level: Beginner]
[Unlocked Weapon: Clone Kunai (7%)]
[Self-Created Weapon: None]
7%?
What does that mean?
Could it be that the Clone kunai hasn't been fully unlocked yet?
Sensing Kazuki's confusion, the system immediately provided an answer:
[The host's proficiency in forging the Clone Kunai is currently 7%. As proficiency increases, the probability and speed of successful weapon creation will also improve.]
After hearing the system's explanation, Kazuki suddenly understood.
Even though he had obtained the blueprint for the Clone Kunai, his chances of forging it successfully weren't 100%. Instead, success depended on his proficiency level.
This means that despite it being his first attempt, he had managed to successfully create a Clone Kunai. That was incredibly lucky!
His confidence surged.
"Let's keep forging!"
Kazuki's eyes gleamed with determination as he picked up another piece of iron, placed it on the anvil, and swung his hammer once again.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The rhythmic sound of the hammer echoed through the room. The bellows roared steadily, feeding air into the forge, making the flames dance wildly.
The red-hot iron let out a crisp ring each time it met the hammer's strike.
Slowly but surely, a kunai-shaped weapon took form under Kazuki's meticulous forging.
However, not every attempt was a success.
A failed forging attempt resulted in a kunai that lacked the ability to create a material clone, rendering it no different from an ordinary kunai.
[Ding! Forging failed. Result: Ordinary Kunai.]
[Ding! Forging failed. Result: Ordinary Kunai.]
[Ding! Forging successful! Result: Clone Kunai ×1!]
[Ding! Forging failed. Result: Ordinary Kunai.]
…
The night passed quietly.
As the darkness faded, the distant sky turned a pale shade of white.
"Hahh—"
Kazuki let out a deep breath as he finally ended his forging session, which had lasted for several hours.
His arms, sore from repeatedly swinging the hammer, trembled with exhaustion. Lifting them was now a struggle.
Even though he had pushed himself to the limits of his physical endurance—depleting his stamina, recovering, then exhausting it again—he had achieved something significant.
With satisfaction, Kazuki looked down at the three kunai lying quietly in his hands. Their black, polished surfaces glowed faintly under the morning light, exuding a cold, menacing aura.
In one night…
He had successfully forged three Clone Kunai!
Not only that, but his forging proficiency had risen from 7% to 25%!
A great improvement!
Kazuki carefully stored the three kunai before finally stepping out of the forging room.
Only then did he realize that his clothes were drenched in sweat, carrying a distinct, musky odor.
A full night of forging—
For a six-year-old, this was an extreme training regimen.
Forging a kunai wasn't as simple as just hammering a piece of metal.
While shaping the iron, he also had to continuously infuse chakra into it.
This meant that throughout the forging process, both his physical stamina and chakra reserves had been severely drained.
His strength had been pushed to its limit multiple times. His clothes had been soaked in sweat again and again.
No wonder the smell.
Dragging his exhausted body, Kazuki headed to the bathhouse to rinse off.
Only after washing up did he finally feel relief.
The moment his body hit the bed, his eyelids shut, and he instantly fell into a deep sleep.