Chapter 3: Secrets Uncovered
The next day dawned, bringing with it the familiar routine of Team 7's training session. As the sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the training ground, it became evident that Naruto was struggling. His usual energetic demeanor was noticeably absent. The once lively boy was now moving with a lethargy that was impossible to ignore. His attempts at the exercises were clumsy, and he lagged significantly behind his teammates.
Sasuke, ever observant and critical, noticed Naruto's diminished performance. With a hint of frustration, he commented, "Extra training won't help you catch up if you're going to be in this state during our team drills." His tone was blunt, underscoring his point. Sakura, though concerned, chose not to confront Naruto directly. She didn't entirely disagree with Sasuke's assessment but felt his words were colder than necessary. She gave Naruto a sympathetic glance before following Sasuke as he walked past, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts.
Kakashi approached Naruto with a serious expression. "You're dragging down your teammates with this. You need to cut back on the extra training," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. He could see that Naruto's excessive training was taking a toll, both physically and on the team's overall performance.
Naruto stood silently as his teammates departed, staring at the ground with a mixture of frustration and resignation. The weight of Kakashi's words pressed heavily on him. He couldn't afford to stop his training; it was his only means of getting stronger quickly. The thought of giving up on this method was disheartening, and his resolve remained unshaken despite the weariness.
That Night
As night fell and the village quieted down, Naruto slipped out of the house once again. He returned to the familiar forest clearing, driven by a sense of urgency. Tonight, he was determined to push his limits even further. Summoning his Shadow Clones, he watched as they sprang into action. This time, however, the exhaustion was evident even among the clones. Their movements were sluggish, mirroring Naruto's own fatigue. Within an hour, the clearing was filled with clones struggling through their exercises—some clumsily climbing trees, others missing their targets with kunai, and a few engaged in lackluster taijutsu sparring.
Naruto, standing amid the chaos, felt frustration boiling inside him. "Come on! We need to push harder!" he shouted, trying to rally his clones. Despite his efforts, the clones were too worn out to perform at their best, their sluggishness a direct result of Naruto's own exhaustion.
Suddenly, a hand rested gently on Naruto's shoulder, startling him. Instinctively, Naruto tried to react defensively but collapsed awkwardly onto the ground. He looked up to see Kakashi standing there, his expression a mix of solemnity and understanding.
"Naruto," Kakashi began, his voice steady. "So this is why you're so exhausted. Honestly, I'm impressed. I thought you were just doing some extra training, but you've figured out an advanced training method implementing your Shadow Clones. Only someone with considerable chakra reserves could attempt something like this. But as you can see, there are significant downsides to this approach. I'm ordering you, as your Jonin sensei, to stop this."
Naruto's face fell, a mix of shock and disappointment crossing his features. He opened his mouth to protest, but Kakashi raised a hand to silence him. Defeated, Naruto nodded and slowly rose to his feet. He followed Kakashi back towards Tazuna's house, his steps heavy with reluctance.
As they arrived at the house, Kakashi turned to Naruto with a gentle, if tired, smile. "Get some rest, Naruto. You need it."
Naruto nodded silently, his mind overwhelmed by a sense of loss. The prospect of not being able to use his method for speeding up his training weighed heavily on him. As he entered his room, his thoughts remained clouded with sadness. However, the exhaustion proved too much. As soon as his head touched the pillow, the weariness overtook him, and he succumbed to a deep, much-needed sleep.