Naruto: Multiverse Character Templates

"Fortunately, you haven't fully mastered the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to block it at all."

Natsuki walked up to Minato, reached out his hand, and said.

"You're still as humble as ever."

Minato grabbed his hand, stood up, shook his head, and said.

Natsuki might not have been able to block it, but he could still dodge. He could still defeat Minato.

Especially with the Shadow Assassin and Fox Illusion he had just used. Minato had absolutely no way to deal with those.

"I'm telling the truth."

Natsuki chuckled and said.

"I'll keep training."

Minato's tone was serious.

"I won't let you catch up that easily either."

Natsuki nodded and said.

The two exchanged a few more words, then left the arena.

The exam for Third Year Class A continued.

But everyone's attention was still on the battle between Natsuki and Minato.

Compared to the other battles, theirs had been far too spectacular, with one ninjutsu after another appearing in quick succession.

"Kushina, are you going back to the Uzumaki Clan during winter break?"

Natsuki asked casually.

"I'm going back for New Year's."

Kushina explained, "I can't stay there too long right now, because I still need to practice sealing jutsu."

Natsuki's heart stirred.

It seemed that Mito's condition was already very poor.

He thought of the Uzumaki Clan again.

By next year, they would be in their fourth year.

In the original story, Kushina and Minato graduated in their fifth year, which was the year the Second Shinobi World War fully broke out.

In other words, the Uzumaki Clan could be wiped out at any time.

When would it happen?

A thought suddenly flashed through Natsuki's mind.

The Uzumaki Clan and Konoha were allies.

To wipe out the Uzumaki Clan, the attackers would either need to keep Konoha in the dark, or strike when Konoha was too stretched thin to respond.

The war in the Land of Rain was already growing intense.

Especially for Iwagakure and Sunagakure.

According to the events of the original story, it would not be long before Amegakure declared war on Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Konoha.

By then, Konoha would be drawn into the war and forced to focus on the battlefield.

Natsuki did not know whether his analysis was correct, but it was definitely worth keeping an eye on.

A major event like Amegakure declaring war would spread throughout the entire shinobi world.

But how to issue a warning was still a problem.

Unless he had concrete evidence.

Otherwise, not only would no one believe him, but he might even fall under suspicion.

"Natsuki, are you going on missions during winter break?"

Kushina asked expectantly, "Can you take me with you?"

"I'll ask my sensei when the time comes."

Natsuki thought for a moment and said.

"I'll be going out on missions too."

Minato suddenly spoke.

"Who are your teammates?"

Natsuki asked curiously.

"Two genin senpai. Their team just happens to be short on members."

Minato explained.

Being a shinobi was a high-risk profession.

Three-person shinobi squads often lost members during missions.

When that happened, the missing slots would be filled.

Either someone would be chosen from the newly graduated genin, or short-handed squads would be merged together.

In the original story, this was why Kakashi, who had graduated years earlier, could still end up on the same team as Obito and Rin.

The practical exam ended, and Ishida Yū announced the final rankings for the second semester of Third Year Class A.

The top three were still Natsuki, Minato, and Kushina.

"Everyone, see you next January. Enjoy your winter break."

As Ishida Yū finished his final sentence, the students of Third Year Class A all returned home.

At the Nara Clan compound.

The current head of the Nara Clan was not Nara Shikaku, but his father, Nara Shikasuke.

Shikasuke was the commander of Konoha's jonin corps.

But what he relied on was his intellect, not brute strength.

He held many responsibilities, and one of them was intelligence analysis.

Just a moment ago, he had received a report about Natsuki.

In his battle with Minato, Natsuki had apparently used a shadow technique.

Shikasuke's first reaction was that Orochimaru had violated Konoha's rules by teaching the Nara Clan's hidden techniques to Natsuki.

But after reading the report, he found that the shadow technique Natsuki had used was completely unfamiliar.

"Did he create it himself?"

Shikasuke subconsciously clasped his hands together.

Natsuki's genius had long since spread throughout Konoha.

And among Konoha's higher-ups, there had been even more discussion, including talk that Natsuki was also a genius capable of creating his own ninjutsu.

"Hiding oneself inside shadows can not only be used for ambushes, but also to avoid physical attacks."

Shikasuke could not help saying, "If the Nara Clan could obtain this technique, our strength would rise by another level."

After thinking about it for a long time, he decided he should go and speak with Natsuki.

Meanwhile, after Natsuki and Kushina finished lunch, they arrived at Orochimaru's residence.

After winter break began, he would have more time to train and go on missions.

Natsuki took out the Sword of the Thunder God.

He had already learned Uchiha-style swordsmanship, and now he was learning the swordsmanship taught by Orochimaru.

It had no formal name and belonged to a style Orochimaru had developed himself.

In the original story, Uchiha Sasuke had also learned it.

Not far away, Nawaki, or rather, two Nawakis, were also training.

The real Nawaki was practicing taijutsu, while his shadow clone was practicing Water Release.

He had learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu in just two semesters, but Natsuki had not learned it yet.

In terms of talent for ninjutsu, he was indeed fairly ordinary.

Fortunately, he had at least managed to get started. By the end of winter break, he would likely be able to master it.

Not long after, there was a knock at the door.

Natsuki was slightly startled and put away the Sword of the Thunder God.

He walked to the door and opened it. Standing outside was a young shinobi he did not recognize.

"Are you Natsuki?"

The young shinobi introduced himself. "I am Nara Shikasuke. Shikaku is my son."

"I am Natsuki."

Natsuki nodded and asked, "Clan Head Shikasuke, are you here to see my sensei?"

"No. I came to see you."

Shikasuke spoke very directly. "The Nara Clan can trade our existing shadow techniques for the shadow technique you created."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow.

So he had come for his shadow technique.

It had to be said that his shadow technique really was well suited to the Nara Clan.

So, should he trade it or not?

Natsuki was inclined to trade.

Because for him, the shadow technique was only an ability from a character template.

He would obtain more character templates and more abilities in the future.

More importantly, the Nara Clan had something he wanted, and that was medicinal herbs.

The Nara Clan was the largest supplier of medicinal herbs in Konoha.

Natsuki's Red Healing Potion and Stamina Recovery Potion required quite a few precious herbs.

He would not hand over those two recipes to Konoha, so Konoha would not provide him with medicinal herbs for free the way it did for the Blue Healing Potion.

"I don't want the Nara Clan's shadow techniques."

Natsuki shook his head and said.

If he took the Nara Clan's shadow techniques, he would still have to learn them himself. How troublesome would that be?

"I want the Nara Clan to provide me with medicinal herbs free of charge."

Natsuki stated his condition.

Shikasuke could not help being stunned.

Provide medicinal herbs?

He suddenly remembered something. Natsuki was very close to Tsunade, and Nonō was even Tsunade's student.

"That is acceptable."

Shikasuke agreed without much thought.

For the Nara Clan, medicinal herbs were external resources. If they ran out, they could be gathered or cultivated again.

The shadow technique was different. It was the foundation of the clan, the root of their strength.

As long as the Nara Clan continued to exist, medicinal herbs would never truly run out.

(To be continued.)