"Naruto Talent Entry: Awakened Legacy – Born of the Ōtsutsuki Bloodlin

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh…

The sharp sound of air being torn echoed above Central Street.

Figures darted through the night sky. Both ninjas and civilians quickly realized something major was happening tonight.

However, no alarms rang out. Those high-speed silhouettes didn't usher the villagers into shelters either, so everyone gradually relaxed.

It had nothing to do with them—there was no danger.

On a quiet balcony, Izanami reclined on a single sofa, sipping juice and admiring the starry sky. The figures racing over his rooftop didn't even make him flinch.

Time passed. The afterimages of people flashing across the walls of Central Street gradually disappeared. Fewer pedestrians remained on the street.

Eventually, Izanami, seemingly bored, stood up and returned inside.

The living room light switched off soon after.

Having showered, Izanami emerged in his pajamas. A faint smile tugged at his handsome features.

The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique… Acquired!

No one knew that, hidden deep within a man-made cave behind a certain waterfall, multiple figures cloaked in the Invisibility Technique had melded into the rocky walls. They used long-range visual techniques—up to eighty kilometers in coverage—to monitor one specific person: Uzumaki Naruto, dressed in his signature orange jacket.

From the moment Naruto left the Hokage Building, his every step was under surveillance.

Thanks to their powerful vision and perspective abilities, neither the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within Naruto nor Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been observing him through the Crystal Ball Technique, noticed anything suspicious.

When Naruto opened the Book of Sealing, these observers simultaneously unfurled blank scrolls and began copying down the cultivation method for the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

These observers? They were all shadow clones of Izayoi, transformed through the Transformation Technique.

Once the technique was transcribed and securely hidden, the clones meticulously erased all traces and scents before dispelling themselves on the spot.

Receiving their feedback, Izanami didn't retrieve the scroll right away. The information had already been acquired—there was no need to rush.

Lying in bed, Izanami's mind drifted toward the upcoming team assignments.

Once again, a familiar thought crossed his mind.

He was almost certain that his training with Hinata and his battle with Sasuke had been monitored by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Before even graduating, he had mastered Tree Climbing, Water Walking—both skills not formally taught at the Academy—along with low-level Wind and Fire Release, and even the B-Rank Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. Whether in formal Taijutsu bouts or no-holds-barred sparring, he crushed both the Hyuga Clan's proud heiress and the Uchiha orphan with an awakened Sharingan.

A genius civilian.

Though he couldn't yet compare to Minato Namikaze, who was already Jiraiya's disciple at twelve and had defeated Cloud Ninja, or Kakashi Hatake, who had become a Jonin and developed Chidori at the same age, Izanami was still only a step behind them.

After all, Minato and Kakashi were forged in the fires of wartime, whereas Izanami belonged to a generation of peace.

Even so, in this peaceful era, he stood out among his peers. No matter how reluctant Hiruzen Sarutobi might be to offend the major clans, he surely wouldn't place Izanami in a class with ordinary students or assign him an average Jonin instructor… right?

But if that really happened—it would mean Hiruzen wasn't willing to invest in him.

And if the Third Hokage's attention diminished, Izanami would finally gain the freedom to carry out certain… extracurricular activities unnoticed.

With that in mind, he stopped worrying about team assignments and closed his eyes.

The next morning, Izanami awoke to find neither Hinata nor Hanabi had visited.

Taking advantage of the quiet, he decided to retrieve the scroll containing the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Knowing that Hiruzen's Crystal Ball Technique provided a voyeuristic, god-like perspective, Izanami simply lay on the floor to read. That way, even if he couldn't detect the surveillance, he wouldn't reveal anything compromising.

Unlike the basic Shadow Clone Technique, this advanced version had fewer hand seals—but required a tremendous amount of chakra. Attempting it without sufficient reserves could lead to severe injury or even death.

Only those with massive chakra pools could safely cultivate this technique.

It's said that Kakashi Hatake is used as a unit of chakra measurement—but even as a child of five or six, he could use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Izanami mused to himself:

Even with the Sharingan constantly draining him for over a decade, Kakashi's chakra level still reached Elite Jonin status.

After losing the Sharingan, it only took a few years for his reserves to recover enough to circle Konoha with Earth Release and carve a dog's head into it.

Without that burden, his chakra volume might rival even Kisame Hoshigaki's.

Outside of Jinchuriki, very few in this generation could wield the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Izanami was one of them.

Reflecting on it, he felt deeply relieved he hadn't wasted his newbie gift pack on Uzumaki Naruto back then. Otherwise, he'd only have the advantage of chakra volume now—useless for quickly awakening the Rinnegan, even with Sasuke's Immortal Eyes.

Looking at his current status—Otsutsuki Bloodline (Red), Sage Art – Eye (Red), Byakugan Prince (Red)—he could already sense the fetal movement period of a new power approaching.

Within five minutes, Izanami finished studying the scroll and stored it away—he had already mastered the technique.

With his chakra reserves, he could summon hundreds or even thousands of clones following the scroll's chakra flow patterns.

To avoid Hanabi discovering the scroll and trying to train with it recklessly, Izanami didn't bother hiding it—he destroyed it.

He'd already learned it, and if needed, could recreate it from memory or teach it directly.

At noon, with Hinata and Hanabi still absent, Izanami guessed they wouldn't be coming that day. So, he went out to buy ninja tools.

On his way, he spotted Uzumaki Naruto being pestered by Konohamaru, with Special Jonin Ebisu following behind.

Naruto had already replaced his green goggles with a proper Genin forehead protector—clearly, he'd just updated his ID photo.

Naruto, engrossed in conversation with Konohamaru, didn't notice Izanami at all.

Izanami didn't greet him either. He simply gave him a passing glance and continued toward the ninja tool shop.

Upon returning home, Izanami noticed two extra pairs of shoes in the entryway.

From a room on the first floor—converted into a dojo—came the sharp sounds of clashing.

Sliding the door open, he saw Hinata and Hanabi, both dressed in white training clothes. Their Byakugan were activated, temple veins bulging. They were mid-spar.

Their hands blurred with afterimages. Gentle blue chakra flames danced on their fingertips, and every strike stirred a small air wave.

A closer look revealed that Hinata wasn't truly fighting—she was feeding moves to Hanabi.

If Hinata fought seriously, Hanabi would already be covered in bruises.

To both Izanami and Hinata, Hanabi's current Gentle Fist was predictable and full of lower-body flaws.

Still, Izanami thought she had promise. Aside from her Byakugan being slightly less pure than Hinata's, Hanabi was not lacking in talent. She could definitely learn advanced chakra control techniques like Tree Climbing and Water Walking early, just as Hinata had.

"Onii-chan, take this!"

Hanabi's sudden shout snapped Izanami from his thoughts.

She had already lunged at him, veins popped, fingertips flaring with blue chakra.

Among peers, the sight was quite intimidating.

But Izanami merely smiled and, without even putting down the bag he was carrying, blurred into an afterimage.

He reappeared beside Hanabi, his bare foot gently but firmly tapping her stomach.

With a controlled burst of force, Hanabi's body flew backward—right into Hinata's arms.

Hinata reached out and caught her.

"Come at me together," Izanami said casually, tossing his bag into the corner. He hooked a finger toward them, smirking provocatively.

The Hyuga sisters exchanged a glance, then nodded with steely resolve before dashing toward him.

"Onii-chan, you're too arrogant! You'll regret this!" Hanabi shouted.

Hinata said nothing, but her slender, jade-like fingers sliced the air with astonishing force.

The crashing sounds on the first floor only grew louder, occasionally mixed with groans and yelps.

To passersby, it might have sounded… questionable.

But after half an hour, the sparring sounds faded.

Now, there were only playful squeals.

"Wuuuhh… It hurts! Onii-chan, I hate you! I'm gonna bite you!"

"Didn't you say you'd make me regret it? Where's that energy now? Stop biting—your wounds are healed. Your sister's still injured!"

"I'm still biting! Big Sis, bite the other side! Let's make Onii-chan cry together!"

"Hahaha… the teeth marks will fade. Stop licking, that tickles!"

"Hee hee… We're getting revenge, Onii-chan!"

For more chapters

patreon.com/Ben479