"Akashika... why do you always use a shadow clone to cast Great Fireball Jutsu?"
In the woods just outside Konoha, Byakko glanced at the clone Kazuki had just created and couldn't help asking.
Over these past few months, Byakko had come to understand his two teammates fairly well.
Captain Rokurō was powerful and possessed the Sharingan—an ability that utterly betrayed his supposed anonymity. Between his hair color and eye technique, it was pretty obvious that he was none other than Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja himself.
Well, Byakko didn't quite know how to describe him.
Erratic. Lethally competent. Smart. And just a little sadistic.
That was Byakko's assessment of Nara Kazuki.
They'd taken several missions involving minor skirmishes with enemy shinobi. Most of their targets weren't high-tier, but every time, Akashika was consistently the most ruthless.
If you were lucky, he'd kill you clean with a Great Fireball. If you weren't, he'd trap you with his shadow, force you into some bizarre, ritualistic dance—then twist every bone in your body until you died in a heap.
Byakko had also guessed Kazuki's true identity. With his mastery of shadow techniques, there was no mistaking it—he had to be from the Nara Clan.
"Because... it's a matter of wisdom," Kazuki replied nonchalantly, brushing off the question. "Anyway, it's lunch. Let's go."
He stood and stretched.
They'd spent most of their recent days stationed in the village, which had given Kazuki time to grind hard.
Given how dangerous Obito was—not just in terms of raw strength, but in versatility—Kazuki had doubled down on practicing Great Fireball Jutsu and Shadow Imitation Technique.
He was clear-eyed about the situation. Compared to Obito, he was still weaker.
But he never planned to be the main attacker. That job belonged to Minato Namikaze.
Kazuki's role? The supporting carry.
Still, after so many reps of Great Fireball, maybe he could offer Obito a little "surprise."
Over the last two months, Kazuki had managed to level up the jutsu enough to unlock Flame of the Tarsal Bone, though he was still a ways off from unlocking Fireburst Limit Release.
"Right on time, huh," Byakko muttered, glancing at the sky.
He'd been hanging around Kazuki so long that even he had developed a sarcastic streak.
"Not clocking out on time? Must have brain damage," Kazuki quipped with a completely straight face, leading the way back into town.
Kakashi didn't come with them—he'd gone to file a mission report.
Recently, ANBU had become much more active, but from the outside, it just looked like Konoha was tightening security. Foreign village spies probably assumed it was a routine crackdown.
After all, a Kumogakure spy had just been caught fighting in the streets. A lot of people had seen that happen.
Even within ANBU, most believed this was just about internal defense.
Kazuki, of course, knew the truth.
Kushina Uzumaki's pregnancy wasn't just important—it was pivotal.
After finishing the day's patrol, Kazuki went to find Kakashi. He caught him just as he stepped out of the Hokage Tower, holding—again—two bundles of chrysanthemums.
"Visiting again today?" Kazuki asked casually.
Minato must've called him in to talk about the imminent birth. Judging by Kakashi's slight smile, his mood had improved thanks to the Hokage's joy.
Kazuki said nothing. He just clapped Kakashi on the shoulder.
He'd already reminded him several times about keeping quiet, especially around the cemetery.
"Heading to pay respects?" Kakashi asked.
Kazuki considered turning him down—he didn't have deep feelings for his parents—but thought better of it.
They were too close to the critical moment. If Kakashi slipped up emotionally and let something leak now, it would ruin everything.
Thankfully, Kakashi said nothing at the graves. He just stood there quietly, lost in thought.
Kazuki left him alone.
His Thunder Orbs had reached the threshold for an upgrade.
For two months straight, Kazuki had trained obsessively. Even while asleep, his shadow clones were out grinding.
Every night, before bed, he'd create a clone to burn through his chakra reserves. When the chakra ran dry, he'd sleep.
Every morning, like clockwork—bed at 11, rise at 5.
Just like the hardest cram year of high school.
And the payoff was real.
Both Thunder Orbs and Great Fire Dragon Jutsu were now primed for evolution.
Only his OG jutsus—Great Fireball and Shadow Imitation—were still far from their next level.
But Kazuki wasn't surprised. Their proficiency bars were now massive: Great Fireball required 50,000 reps to level up. Same for Shadow Imitation.
No wonder they were stagnating.
He absentmindedly tossed out a Great Fireball. It burst in the sky—burning with a slightly whiter hue.
Hidden within it, a Thunder Orb silently dispersed.
Thunder Orb proficiency: MAX.
Kazuki eyed the graveyard around him. Was this really the place to level up?
"...Eh, whatever. It's not like it's a gacha pull."
He confirmed the upgrade.
The Night of the Nine-Tails was almost here. If he wanted a Rewind Point, he had to grab every edge he could.
[Great Thunder Fireball]Every time you cast Great Fireball Jutsu, it now deals Lightning-style damage in addition to Fire.
Enemies struck have a chance to be paralyzed.
Great Fireball Jutsu's AOE and speed are doubled.
Unlocks additional upgrade branches.
[Enel Would Offer You a Smoke and Call You "Raijin"]
Your understanding of lightning chakra deepens.
You can now faintly manipulate positive and negative ions.
[Thunder Thunder Thunder Orb]
Chakra cost of Thunder Orb reduced by 75%.
You can now forge them much faster.
The choices popped up.
Kazuki didn't hesitate.
This had been his plan from the moment he chose to specialize in Thunder Orb—to unlock its synergies with Great Fireball.
Judging by the description, this was just the beginning.
And if it kept tying into his main attack, it was absolutely the only rational choice.