The night air was thick with tension as Shouta Kazuki and his comrades darted through the darkened streets of Konoha, the Scroll of Seals tightly secured in Naruto's grasp. The weight of what they had just done was finally beginning to sink in. Stealing from the Hokage's office was one thing—getting away with it was another. And yet, despite the danger, excitement burned in their chests. This was an opportunity unlike any other.
Shouta glanced at Naruto, whose grin stretched ear to ear. "You do realize we just knocked out the Hokage with a nosebleed, right?"
Naruto snickered. "That's the power of my ultimate jutsu! Believe it!"
Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his temples. "This is such a drag… but since we're already in this mess, we might as well make the most of it."
Sasuke, who had been silent until now, clenched his fists. "Less talking. More moving. The old man won't stay down forever."
With that, the group made their way to a secluded clearing at the edge of the village. This was no random hideout—it was a location carefully chosen by Shouta. If the Hokage's forces were going to track them, they would likely search in the opposite direction, toward the meeting point Mizuki had originally set up. That bought them some time.
As soon as they reached the clearing, Naruto unrolled the massive Scroll of Seals and planted it on the ground. The parchment stretched out before them, filled with the forbidden jutsu that Konoha had safeguarded since the Warring States Period.
"Alright, everyone! Let's learn some crazy strong ninjutsu!" Naruto declared.
Shouta, already kneeling beside the scroll, nodded. "We don't have much time. Everyone, memorize what you can. No notes. Just commit it to memory."
The group sprang into action.
Sasuke's Sharingan whirred to life, scanning the symbols and techniques at an alarming speed. Shikamaru muttered about how troublesome this was, but his eyes never left the scroll. Hinata activated her Byakugan, mapping the seals in her mind. Even Sakura, who had always prided herself on her book smarts, was completely focused, memorizing every detail she could.
Shouta, however, was more cautious. He wasn't interested in every jutsu—just the ones that mattered. His eyes darted across the scroll until he found something that made his heart skip a beat.
"This... this is it."
Hidden among the powerful techniques was an advanced chakra control method—one that seemed tailored for his own abilities. Unlike others who sought raw power, Shouta knew that control was key. He began studying the intricate details, burning them into his mind.
Meanwhile, Naruto's attention was caught by one technique in particular.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu."
His gut told him this was the one. The name alone made his heart race. Without hesitation, he formed the seals and called out the technique.
"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A deafening explosion of chakra filled the air, and in an instant, hundreds of Naruto clones materialized, surrounding the clearing. Gasps rang out among the group.
"What the hell?!" Kiba barked.
"Incredible..." Hinata whispered.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "So this is the true power of the Shadow Clone Technique?"
Naruto, stunned by his own success, blinked at the sheer number of copies he had created. He couldn't believe it—he had learned the jutsu instantly. His clones grinned back at him, each one as real as the original.
Shouta smirked. "You really are something else, Naruto."
As Naruto reveled in his success, Shouta continued scanning the scroll until he found something even more intriguing.
"Rasengan... This could change everything."
He wasn't the only one who noticed it. Naruto, drawn by the mysterious technique, turned his attention to the Rasengan as well. Together, they studied the details, but unlike the Shadow Clone Jutsu, this one wouldn't come so easily. Naruto tried several times to shape the chakra but failed to maintain its form.
"Damn it! Why isn't it working?" Naruto grumbled.
Shouta tapped his chin. "This jutsu requires precise chakra control. You can't just brute-force it like the clones."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Then I'll just train harder!"
Shouta chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I expected you to say."
As the group continued absorbing as much as they could, a very different scene was unfolding elsewhere in Konoha.
Meanwhile… Deep in the Afterlife
In a tranquil villa within the spirit realm, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, sat at his table, enjoying a steaming hot pot. A soft tune escaped his lips—a melody he had once dismissed but now found oddly catchy.
However, his peaceful moment was shattered when a sudden vision flooded his mind.
The powerful shinobi's face twisted in disbelief. His so-called successor, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had been defeated not in battle—but by an absurdly powerful nosebleed.
"Unbelievable…" Tobirama muttered. "What the hell has become of Konoha?"
Just then, two figures entered the scene. Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were engaged in yet another one of their ridiculous competitions.
"Hahaha! Hashirama! You'll never beat me at this!" Madara bellowed, mid-contest.
Hashirama, however, suddenly stopped, his eyes going wide. "Madara! Look at this! Naruto just mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Madara scoffed. "So what? That technique is a chakra drain. The brat will burn himself out."
"But look at his chakra reserves!" Hashirama pointed excitedly. "He's using it effortlessly! It's incredible!"
Madara's expression soured. "Tch. If only the Uchiha were still in power, we wouldn't have fools losing to—wait... Why the hell do you have a nosebleed?!"
Hashirama grinned sheepishly, quickly wiping away the telltale red streak.
Madara narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me… You're thinking about learning that ridiculous transformation jutsu."
Hashirama coughed awkwardly. "Well... It is a very powerful technique..."
Madara's face paled. "No. Absolutely not. I refuse to witness that."
"Come on, Madara! Just imagine the possibilities! We could—"
"Get. Away. From me."
As Madara fled in horror, Uzumaki Mito, observing from the distance, simply sighed. She grabbed her chopsticks and viciously stabbed a long, unidentifiable ingredient in her hot pot.
"Hashirama, you absolute idiot…" she muttered under her breath.
Back in Konoha
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally regained consciousness. A pounding headache and a significant loss of blood left him disoriented. But when his eyes landed on the now-empty storage space where the Scroll of Seals had been, his stomach dropped.
"Dammit… They actually did it…"
He groaned, forcing himself to sit up. Before he could even issue an order to recover the scroll, the door burst open.
"Grandpa Hokage!" Naruto shouted, marching in with the Scroll of Seals in hand.
Sarutobi blinked in shock. "N-Naruto?!"
"We're here to report a traitor!" Naruto declared. "Mizuki tried to trick me into stealing the Scroll of Seals! But we stopped him!"
Shouta nodded, stepping forward. "We knew this scroll was too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands. So we took matters into our own hands."
Sarutobi massaged his temples. This was a disaster. He couldn't exactly punish the next generation of Konoha's strongest clan heirs. Not without consequences.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with these kids?"