This is my first story. Don't hate for no reason. Will take fair criticism though.

I do not own Naruto or anything related. That goes to Masashi Kishimoto

CHAPTER 3

Winter was ending with three months left before the genin exams and Naruto was nervous. Five years of chakra control exercises and he still couldn't make a damn clone. He learned leaf sticking, tree climbing, and water walking. He even tried combining exercises. He could stick leaves to different parts of his body while water walking and he still couldn't control the minimal amount of chakra necessary to make clones. He read that elemental clones cost more chakra and figured it would be easier for him to do without overloading the clone but when he went to the library to find a scroll it was in the ninja section he wasn't allowed in yet.

Naruto always thought he would have time to learn the clone but with time running out he only knew one more solution. Opening the door to the hokage building he was unsure if the Hokage would even see him. Naruto hadn't visited in a while.

"Good Morning, May I see the Hokage today?"

Staring at the boy the secretary responded, "Ok go upstairs. He isn't in a meeting."

Scratching the back of his head with a grin he thanks the woman and runs up the stairs excited. Reaching the door he knocked and entered when he heard, "Come in."

"Hey Jiji."

"Ah Naruto, I haven't seen you in a while. How's the academy?"

"I'm second in my class." he says with a slight puff of his chest.

With a slight smirk Hiruzen responds, "Oh, not First?"

"Sasuke Uchiha is ahead of me but only because he does better in shurikenjutsu and ninjutsu. But that's why I'm here."

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Slight concern in his voice.

"May you please help me with my clone jutsu?"

The old man slowly adopted a knowing smile, 'Being a jinchuriki and an Uzumaki is making it impossible for him.' "Why do you need my help?"

Naruto begins to fidget nervously, "Well first I tried making my chakra control better but I kept using too much chakra. Then I tried finding a more costly clone jutsu but I needed to be a ninja to have access to that section. The graduation exam is coming up so I figured that either you would know how I could use the clone or be able to find me a jutsu I could use."

'Ah, Kushina had the same problem.' Hiruzen smiles as he begins to write down on a scroll. "I am writing down all the information on shadow clones. However, this is technically a forbidden jutsu so you have read all of it."

There was a twinkle in Naruto's eyes as he looked back and forth between the scroll and the old man. Naruto hugged the hokage crying, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much Jiji."

Holding the blond in a warm embrace, Hiruzen responds, "Anytime my boy, anytime."

"I gotta go, Jiji. I have to practice so I can have this Jutsu down by graduation. Naruto excitedly runs out of the building on a beeline to the nearest training ground.

Reaching Training Ground 31 Naruto sits down on the ground to read the scroll.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: B-rank

Seals: Clone Seal: Form a cross with index and middle finger of both hands

Description: User splits chakra evenly to form solid clones of pure chakra that can be used to complete tasks. This makes the chakra cost extremely heavy. Each individual clone has its own mind and chakra system allowing clones to use jutsu and work on their own. Once a clone has completed its task it may dispel itself or the user may dispel the clone. One clone has been dispelled for any reason including combat, all memories, experiences, and remaining chakra of the clone are transferred back into the user. Extremely useful for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance.

Drawbacks: Too many memories from clones will cause headaches and can damage the user's brain. If many clones are used, once dispelled the user will amass the fatigue of all the clones.

"This…This Jutsu… IT'S PERFECT! I could have a clone go to the library while I'm in school. I could learn so much faster!" Naruto jumped off the ground and put himself in a steady position.

Forming the clone seal with his hands he closed his eyes and focused on his chakra. 'Okay, release chakra through my hands and mold it into a person. A perfect copy of me. Give the clone half my chakra and' "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Naruto slowly opened his right eye hoping for the best but then he let out a sigh. No clones were made. He tried splitting his chakra evenly but the clone didn't form, though most of his chakra was returning from the failed attempt. Trying again he tried to pour more than half his chakra figuring he didn't use enough chakra but again no clones had formed. 'Am I using too much. The scroll said half my chakra but it's not forming. I mean I have so much chakra I'm physically incapable of forming a normal clone, maybe the cost for me isn't half.'

Forming the seal one more time Naruto focused about a quarter of his chakra into the clone. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." In front of him there was himself with the identical clothes grinning.

"Oh. My. God. I DID IT!"

The clone happily responds, "YOU DID IT"

They hug each other jumping and chanting, "We did it! We did it!"

After calming down Naruto turns to the clone, "Okay the scroll said that I get your memories after you dispel so go over to those trees and do something memorable while I test how many clones I can make.

Naruto only made one clone so this time he made two. Seeing two perfect clones he made 3 more. He was about to make 4 but then he received his first clone's memory. He held his stomach thinking, 'That kinda hurt. I got every memory from me creating him to him stabbing himself in the stomach.'

-time skip-

Naruto was lying down on the ground hungry and exhausted. It was lunchtime and he had been trying to find his limit for the past hour. 'I have to have made at least a few hundred clones. How much chakra do I have?' Slowly pushing himself off the ground Naruto got up to go eat. He wanted to test the limit of what his clones could do but knew he needed sustenance. With a smile he began to walk towards Ichiraku Ramen. He hadn't been there in a while and even though he ate a balanced diet he figured that today might be a great day to grace himself with the godliness that was ramen. Entering the stand the cook at the front turned to see Naruto and smiled, "Hi Naruto. How are you today?"

"Hi Ayame. Just did some training and couldn't wait for some of your ramen."

"Of course. Ours is the best. What will you be having today?"

"Two bowls of Miso ramen and 2 bowls of pork. Thank you."

Ayame turned and shouted to the kitchen, "Tou-san two bowls of miso and two of pork for our favorite customer."

They heard a shout in response, "Coming right up. Great to see you, Naruto."

"Thanks old man."

After slurping down his ramen and paying he gets up to leave,"Thanks for the ramen."

Ayame waves, "Come back soon"

Running back to the training fields Naruto was thinking, 'The scroll said that clones transfer memory. But does that include chakra and muscle memory? I'm going to have to test that.'

Making a clone Naruto gave it instructions, "Go get my sealing stuff from the apartment."

With a shout of "Hai!" The clone ran off. When Naruto got to the training ground he created 10 clones. "Alright to check for chakra memory I want you all to do some chakra control. Last time I could waterwalk while sticking 5 leaves to myself. I want you all to try and get to 6 or 7."

After the clones ran off towards the lake the first clone he made arrived with his sealing supplies. Creating 9 more clones Naruto gave out more orders, "To check for muscle memory I want you all to draw some seals. I'm trying to learn the restriction seal for my training so I want you all to practice drawing it."

Watching the clones walk away, Naruto dropped to the floor to begin a workout. There was one major thought on his mind, 'If this works then I can learn so much faster.'

To be Continued…

I apologize for such a late post.

I will post every one to two weeks. Thank you for reading.