Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 374 The Rich Man's Version of Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique

Inside a hot spring inn in Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village).

Jiraiya, carrying a takeout box that smelled delicious, pushed open the door with his shoulder and strode in: "Hey, you two travelers, your lunch is here! Konoha specialty, Ichiraku Ramen Deluxe Chashu Extra Large! Of course, it's a generous gift from me, Lord Jiraiya!"

In the room, Boruto Uzumaki, who had just finished his morning taijutsu training, and Sasuke, a young man sitting on the bed wiping his Kusanagi sword, both looked up at the same time.

Boruto's eyes lit up at the smell, and he immediately jumped up from the ground, exclaiming, "Wow! Ichiraku Ramen! And with double the chashu! Thank you so much, Mr. Pervert... no, I mean, Mr. Jiraiya!"

He almost let it slip, but quickly corrected himself and excitedly accepted it.

Young Sasuke stopped wiping his Kusanagi sword, nodded to Jiraiya, and simply said, "Thank you."

His complexion was much better than when he first arrived in this era, and the melancholy and fatigue between his brows had lessened considerably.

But deep in his eyes, the vigilance that had endured so much hardship never disappeared.

Their arrival in this era was a sudden event, and most of the money they carried was Konoha currency from 63 years later, which was practically worthless here. Only a very small amount of Konoha currency from before 63 years ago was still usable.

Although Jiraiya helped them out, the two couldn't rely on others to support them forever, especially since Boruto was growing and ate a lot.

Therefore, finding ways to make money became another major task for them, besides secretly observing Konoha and Naruto in this era.

Jiraiya sat cross-legged, watching the two open the food box and eagerly begin to enjoy the steaming hot ramen, a smile spreading across his face.

He stroked his chin and casually said, "Oh, by the way, I heard some news this morning while I was hanging around. Naruto and his Team 7 have taken on a C-rank mission and have already left the village."

Boruto, who was slurping a mouthful of noodles, asked vaguely, "C-rank? What kind of mission is that? Escorting a caravan? Or eliminating bandits?"

Jiraiya said, "It seems to be escorting some old man who's building a bridge back to his country... I think it's called the Land of Waves? A small island nation with hardly any ninjas. The mission is to ensure the old man gets home safely and to provide protection while he's building the bridge."

"The Country of Waves?!"

Young Sasuke's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly paused, his brows furrowed instantly, and a flash of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.

This place name left a very deep impression on young Sasuke!
That was the first real ninja mission that he, Naruto, and Sakura carried out under Kakashi's guidance. It was also the first time they encountered a life-or-death crisis and the first time they truly witnessed the cruelty of the ninja world.

Zabuza Momochi, that cold-blooded rogue ninja from Kirigakure, and Haku...

That boy who possessed the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai and ultimately chose to save Zabuza, sacrificing himself in the process.

The battle was so brutal; Haku died under Kakashi's Lightning Blade, and Zabuza bid farewell to Haku in his final moments...

Those scenes, even after so many years and countless even more brutal battles, are still clearly etched in his memory.

That was also the first time that a true bond of camaraderie was formed between him and Naruto.

"Master?" Boruto noticed Sasuke's sudden change in expression, put down his chopsticks, and asked with some concern, "What's wrong? Is there a problem in the Land of Waves...?"

He came from a peaceful era in the future, and his understanding of the "Mission to the Land of Waves" was limited to his father's occasional, vague mention of the "first dangerous mission," with little detail.

Jiraiya looked at Sasuke with curiosity in his eyes.

Young Sasuke did not answer Boruto immediately; he closed his eyes, seemingly sorting through his memories.

Mission to the Land of Waves...

The enemy was the combination of Zabuza Momochi and Haku, who were very strong, but Kakashi-sensei at the time was able to handle Zabuza. Although he, Naruto, and Sakura went through a tough battle, they eventually defeated Haku, the mission was completed, Tazuna's bridge was built, and it was even named 'Naruto Bridge'.

And there were no strange people in his memory.

Logically, this should have been a thrilling but meaningful experience for growth.

but……

His eyes shot open.

wrong!

This timeline has deviated significantly from the history he remembered due to the appearance of that mysterious Asura!

Who can guarantee that the mission to the Land of Waves will unfold according to the script he remembers?
Was Urashiki Otsutsuki also secretly plotting against him?
The appearance of any variable could turn what was originally a safe task into a deadly trap!

Naruto, in particular, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, was the most conspicuous target.

“Let’s go too.” Young Sasuke put down his half-eaten ramen.

He looked at Jiraiya and said, "Go to the Land of Waves and secretly follow them."

Jiraiya raised his white eyebrows: "Oh? So nervous? You think Naruto's mission will be dangerous? I remember there aren't any powerful forces in the Land of Waves, right? At most, there are just some wandering ninjas or thugs hired by unscrupulous merchants."

Jiraiya had traveled the ninja world for many years and had a good understanding of the situation in various countries. It was indeed unlikely that a small place like the Land of Waves could hide an enemy that could threaten Kakashi.

“Under normal circumstances, there shouldn’t be.” Young Sasuke stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the general direction of the Land of Waves outside the village. His one arm unconsciously clenched.

Boruto, sounding a bit nervous, put down his chopsticks as well: "Master, are you saying they might encounter an accident? Then what are we waiting for? Let's set off right away!"

Jiraiya looked at the solemn-looking young Sasuke, then at the eager Boruto, touched his thick white hair, and gave a somewhat helpless yet excited smile: "Oh dear, it seems our research trip planned for this afternoon is going to be canceled."

He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Let's go together! Let's see if this C-level mission will bring any 'surprises'. Let's finish eating quickly, pack our things, and get ahead of them!"

The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted from a leisurely lunchtime to one of tension and urgency.

three days later.

Time flew by quickly amidst the hustle and bustle of the journey and the tireless energy of the young people.

Leaving the lush forests of Konoha, Team 7 headed east.

Naruto was like a puppy on its first long trip, full of curiosity about everything and bursting with boundless energy.

He would either run to the roadside to chase butterflies, or shout at the occasional wild rabbit that darted by. More often than not, he would engage in endless childish arguments with his client, Tazna.

"Hey! You drunkard! Hurry up! At this rate, we won't even reach the Land of Waves by next year!" Naruto stood with his hands on his hips, blocking Tazuna's way as he swayed slowly and took swigs of sake every now and then, and complained.

Tazuna let out a loud burp, his cloudy eyes glaring at Naruto, and retorted without any politeness: "Shut up, you shorty! Do you think everyone's like you, with springs in their legs? I'm a bridge-building craftsman, I rely on skill and brains, not brute force! Besides, I'm the client, you're the ones who are supposed to protect me! Don't you know the rules, kid!"

"Who are you calling a shorty! You drunken, smelly old man!"

"I'm talking to you, so what? Go ahead and bite me if you dare? Hehehe..."

"Ugh! I'm so angry! Menma-nii, don't stop me! I'm going to teach this old bastard a lesson about the power of Konoha ninjas today!"

Menma usually just smiles helplessly, occasionally reaching out to pull Naruto back when he's about to pounce on him.

Kakashi, as always, held "Icha Icha Paradise" in his hands, as if the noise around him had nothing to do with him. Only occasionally would his dead fish eyes peek out from above the book, glancing at the two arguing red-faced people, then he would shake his head and continue to immerse himself in his "literary world".

Hinata usually stays quietly by Menma's side. Only when Naruto and Tazuna argue too much, or when Menma intervenes to mediate, will her gaze shift back and forth between Menma's smiling profile and Naruto's puffed-up back of the head, with a shy smile on her lips. Occasionally, she will blush slightly because of some of Tazuna's overly vulgar metaphors.

Amidst this noisy yet "harmonious" journey, the humid air unique to the eastern coastal areas of the Land of Fire gradually replaced the dryness of the inland regions.

The vegetation along the roadside has also changed, with fewer tall trees and more low shrubs and salt-tolerant plants.

The salty smell in the air grew stronger, and the wind carried the unique dampness of the seaside, which seemed to penetrate clothing.

"Phew! Is this the smell of the sea breeze?" Naruto, who was walking at the front, wiped the sweat from his forehead, took an exaggerated deep breath, and then excitedly pointed to the faintly visible line of azure blue in front of him.

"Look! Look! It's the sea! We're almost at the beach! It's so hot!"

Tazuna stopped, squinted his drunken eyes at the distance, took another swig of wine, and mumbled indistinctly, "Oh... we're almost at the sea. I remember, in that little town ahead, we should be able to find someone we know to ferry us across."

Kakashi finally deigned to lift his eyes from his book, lazily glanced ahead, then looked at the sky and estimated the journey ahead.

Hinata became interested in the Land of Waves that Tazuna had mentioned, and she asked in a low voice, "Mr. Tazuna, what kind of country is the Land of Waves? I... I've never been that far before."

After she finished speaking, she subconsciously moved a little closer to Menma, as if only when she was with Menma could she muster the courage to talk to strangers.

Menma also looked at Tazuna, waiting for his answer.

He also harbored a degree of curiosity about this small country whose fate might have been altered by his intervention.

Tazuna seemed touched by Hinata's shy and polite question. The drunkenness and his usual rudeness on his face subsided somewhat. He gazed towards the sea, a complex light flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "The Land of Waves... it's a very small island nation, surrounded by the sea. Because of its proximity to the sea, its fishing industry has always been quite good. I wouldn't say it's particularly wealthy, but relying on the fish they catch, and doing business with merchant ships from the Land of Fire, the Land of Water, and the Land of the Sea, exchanging their catches and marine products for necessities, everyone manages to get by. At least no one starves."

His tone initially carried a simple pride in his hometown, but as he spoke, his voice lowered, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen: "About... three years ago. A large trading company called Matsuo Group suddenly appeared. I don't know how, but they bribed the daimyo of the Land of Waves and those greedy nobles. They issued a decree that forbids us fishermen from selling our fish directly to foreign merchant ships. All our catch must be sold at a low price to Matsuo Group, who will then buy and sell it all."

“Those small merchants who used to make a living by trading local specialties between countries in small boats were also suppressed by them in various ways, either forced into bankruptcy or... never to return.”

Tazner's voice was filled with helplessness and resentment. He took a big gulp of wine, as if trying to wash away the pent-up frustration in his heart with the spicy liquid.

"That vampire Matsuo buys our hard-earned fish, pearls, corals, and other local specialties at pitifully low prices, then resells them at exorbitant prices to big merchants from the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. We work ourselves to the bone, yet we can barely afford to eat..."

“The purpose of building that cross-sea bridge was to break their monopoly and connect the Land of Waves with the Land of Fire, so that we wouldn’t be exploited by them anymore! But… sigh…” He sighed and didn’t continue.

Menma listened quietly, without much inner turmoil.

As expected, the profit-seeking nature of capital will not change just because of the disappearance of one card.

When old monopolists fall, new greedy individuals will quickly fill the void.

Matsuo Group…

Judging from the name, it seems to be a merchant guild based in the Land of Fire?
“Then, Uncle Tazuna,” Menma began, his voice clear and youthful, “this Matsuo Group, to maintain their monopoly, surely they don’t rely solely on laws, right? Have they hired samurai or ninjas to deal with those who don’t obey, like someone like you who wants to build a bridge to break the monopoly?”

That's a rather pointed question.

Tazuna abruptly stopped, the bottle of liquor he was about to put in his mouth catching in his throat. A flicker of unease crossed his face, his eyes darting around, before he forced a calm expression and exclaimed, "Ninja... Ninja? How could that be! Matsuo may have some noble connections in the Land of Fire and keep some fierce-looking samurai as bodyguards, but that's only for his own safety! We're just a small place in the Land of Waves, why would he waste his money like that!"

His eagerness to deny the allegations and his raised voice only made him seem more suspicious.

Kakashi, who had seemed absent-minded all along, narrowed his one exposed dead-fish eye slightly, shifting his gaze from the pages of "Icha Icha Paradise" to Tazuna's somewhat flustered face. The experienced Jonin instantly noticed the incongruity.

A C-rank mission is defined as "not involving combat with ninjas, with the expected enemies being non-ninja units such as wandering samurai and bandits," and the rewards and risks are relatively low.

However, if the client deliberately conceals information about the potential ninja attack, raising the actual risk to Level B or even higher, then the situation is entirely different.

This not only violates the principle of integrity in mission assignment, but also puts the genin carrying out the mission in unpredictable danger.

Just as Kakashi was beginning to have doubts and was about to ask, Naruto, who was walking ahead, suddenly said "Eh?" and stopped.

He didn't look around, but kept walking forward, though his azure eyes were fixed on a small, inconspicuous puddle by the roadside.

The puddle reflected the shimmering light in the afternoon sun, looking no different from ordinary puddles on the roadside after rain.

But Naruto remembered that it hadn't rained for three days, and it was midday when the sun was at its strongest.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Menma turned to look at Naruto, a smile on his face, and asked softly, "You noticed too?"

"Huh?" Naruto was stunned for a moment, then turned his head to look at Menma, then at Hinata and Kakashi, and found that their gazes seemed to have also been glancing at the puddle of water.

He immediately understood, and his voice involuntarily rose: "Menma-nii! Hinata! Kakashi-sensei! You...you noticed something was wrong a long time ago?!"

Hinata's fair cheeks flushed slightly, and she said in a low voice, a little embarrassed, "Well... it's because it hasn't rained for several days."

Naruto's eyes widened. He sensed something was wrong with the puddle based entirely on his intuition honed over years of ninja games with Menma and Hinata, as well as his experience with numerous pranks and ambushes.

He glanced at Menma and Hinata, then at Kakashi-sensei, and even turned a page of his book with a hint of boredom. A huge sense of frustration welled up inside him.

"Could it be—!" Naruto screamed, clutching his head. "Am I the last one to find it again?!"

Tazuna was startled by Naruto's sudden scream, sobering up somewhat. He looked at the ninjas blankly and asked, "W-What did you find?"

Naruto had no time to pay attention to Tazuna; he felt like he was a complete idiot!
"Alright! Then let me, Naruto Uzumaki, be the first hero to charge into battle!" Naruto roared, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, using his most proficient ninjutsu.

"The art of multiple shadow clones!"

Bang bang bang bang bang-!
A series of white smoke burst open on the road in an instant. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of "Narutos" wearing the same orange jackets and with golden hedgehog heads roared and rushed towards the suspicious puddle from all directions like an orange tide!
It was a grand and impressive event.

Tazner was stunned by the sight of hundreds of living people appearing out of thin air. He almost dropped the bottle in his hand, and his mouth was agape, wide enough to fit an egg.

Walking at the very back, Kakashi silently raised "Icha Icha Paradise," then gently slapped the book against his face with a "smack," letting out a helpless sigh: "What an idiot... This isn't the way to stir up trouble."

Although I had already sensed it, I originally wanted to test the three people's ability to cope.

Menma couldn't help but put his hand to his forehead and laugh helplessly, "Well... Naruto is always like this. He has enough drive, but he's a bit... too impulsive."

Even so, his eyes sharpened instantly, and his right hand reached for the buckle of his ninja tool pouch on his thigh.

Almost simultaneously, Hinata took a deep breath and shouted, "Byakugan, activate!"

The veins near her temples bulged slightly, and the veins around her clear white eyes stood out. Her 360-degree field of vision instantly opened, firmly locking onto the puddle of water and the two clearly malicious humanoid chakra hidden beneath it.

"We've been discovered! Make your move!" Just as Naruto's shadow clone was about to step on the puddle, it suddenly "boiled," and two black shadows shot out from the puddle like ghosts!

They wore dark, tight-fitting bodysuits for concealment, covered with black robes, and wore menacing gas masks. The symbol of Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village) on their foreheads was severed by a deep scratch in the center of their forehead guards.

This is the mark of a rogue ninja!
The two moved with incredible speed and perfect coordination, clearly seasoned veterans who were adept at launching surprise attacks together.

Their arms were equipped with ferocious iron claws, the tips of which gleamed coldly.

One of them growled hoarsely, "Damn it, we were found out! But since we've been discovered, then we're all going to die!"

It was none other than the "Demon Brothers"—Karma and Mei—a group of rogue ninja from Kirigakure!

Although the two were only Chunin-level, their combined Chain Claw technique was enough to threaten ordinary Jonin.

Before they finished speaking, they swung their arms, and two heavy iron chains connected to sharp blades shot out from their iron claws, tearing through the air with a shrill sound, and strangled the shadow clones of Naruto who were charging at the front!
scoff!

puff!

Wherever the iron chain passed, Naruto's shadow clones vanished into white smoke like punctured balloons.

Although these shadow clones were numerous, they were ultimately too weak and had almost no power to resist the chain claws that the Ghost Brothers used specifically for reaping.

"Damn it!" the remaining shadow clones exclaimed, a hint of panic on their faces.

The enemy's strength is clearly far greater than that of Mizuki, whom they had previously fought.

"Don't panic! Stop them!" Naruto shouted from behind, but the Oni Brothers moved extremely fast. After clearing away the shadow clones that were in the way, the chain claws changed direction and, with a chilling killing intent, went straight for Tazuna, who was being protected in the middle, as well as Menma and Hinata beside Tazuna!
Clearly, their primary objective is to eliminate the client!

In that split second, the seemingly uninvolved person suddenly became agitated.

He took an ordinary shuriken from his ninja tool pouch with his right hand, flicked his wrist, and threw the shuriken!

Then he quickly formed hand seals.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The shuriken that slipped from his hand suddenly split into two, then four, then eight in mid-air...

In an instant, more than thirty gleaming shuriken emitted a dense buzzing sound and rained down on the demon brothers in the air!
Its wide coverage and tricky angles subtly blocked all possible evasion routes for the Ghost Brothers.

Kakashi, who was watching Naruto with great interest, suddenly opened his half-closed dead fish eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

"The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique?" He was startled.

Although the principle of this technique is not extremely complex, it requires a very high level of skill in chakra transformation and throwing techniques, making it a relatively difficult A-rank ninjutsu to learn.

Where did you learn the name "mianma" (面麻) from?
Amid Kakashi's confusion, each of the shuriken flying through the air had a burning explosive tag attached to its tail!
"What?!" Faced with the sudden and terrifying rain of shurikens, the Ghost Brothers, Ye Tou and Ming Tou, had their pupils shrink to the size of pinpoints.

They swung their chains in an attempt to block, but it was too late!
"not good!"

Boom boom boom boom—! ! !
The next instant, a series of deafening explosions rang out!
The blinding flames and billowing smoke instantly engulfed the figures of the demon brothers, and also swept up dozens of Naruto shadow clones that were unable to dodge in time.

The powerful shockwave, carrying mud and gravel, spread outwards, causing Tazuna to fall to the ground with a thud, dumbfounded, while Kakashi's silver hair was blown backwards.

The roar of the explosion and the roar of the waves mingled together, and it took a while for the noise to subside.

As the smoke cleared, several charred potholes appeared on the once smooth road surface, with soil overturned, leaving a scene of utter devastation.

The Ghost Brothers, Ye Tou and Ming Tou, lay charred black in the largest crater. Their black robes were tattered, and their gas masks were half-broken, revealing faces covered in blood and burns. They were barely breathing, clearly having suffered severe injuries in the intense explosions and losing their fighting ability.

The remaining dozens of Naruto shadow clones, who were unaffected, were stunned for a moment, then cheered and rushed forward, binding the two half-dead Kirigakure rogue ninjas like dumplings.

"Yosh! Great success!" Naruto himself excitedly clenched his fist, gave Menma a thumbs up, and his face was full of a smug smile, as if the earth-shattering explosion just now was entirely his doing.

"Brother Mianma! Our teamwork is absolutely flawless! Perfect coordination! Hahahaha!"

Menma looked at Naruto's "praise me, praise me" expression and chuckled dryly, "Ah, your teamwork... was pretty good."

He simply couldn't bear to hurt Naruto.

Hinata, standing beside Naruto, looked at his excited expression and then at Menma's slightly embarrassed yet indulgent smile. She couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. Her Byakugan closed, and her cheeks flushed from the tension just now and the relaxation at this moment.

Kakashi closed "Icha Icha Paradise," slowly walked over, and first glanced with dead fish eyes at the Oni brothers who were tied up like dumplings and were still groaning. After confirming that they were no longer a threat, he turned his gaze to Menma.

"Menma...where did you learn that 'Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique' from?"

Menma looked at Kakashi with an air of nonchalance, a hint of doubt even in his clear black eyes: "This? It's just a slight modification of the Shadow Clone technique's chakra manipulation, applied to throwing kunai and shuriken. Is it that difficult? I got it after a few tries."

"You got it after a few tries?" Kakashi repeated, looking at Menma's "Isn't this basic operation?" expression, and was momentarily speechless.

Kakashi knew that Menma was extremely talented and was the top student of this year's Konoha Ninja Academy, but seeing this level of talent displayed in person still made even this recognized genius feel somewhat impressed.

He shook his head and sighed softly to himself, "Is this what genius is...?"

He thought of his teacher, Minato Namikaze, whose talent was perhaps no less than that of Menma.

The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique does indeed have various variations depending on the user's understanding and the nature of their chakra.

When the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, unleashed his power, it was a simple and unadorned display of shuriken splitting and precise strikes.

When the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, used it, he used kunai, incorporating the spatial properties of the Flying Thunder God Technique, which made it as swift as light after splitting.

And this version of Mianma...

Rather than calling it "Shuriken Shadow Clone," it's more accurate to call it "Explosive Tag Projector - Shadow Clone Deluxe Edition."

Kakashi's gaze swept over the chaotic explosion site again, roughly estimating the number of explosive tags used in that attack. His lips twitched slightly: "Tsk, that last burst used at least twenty explosive tags..."

The standard price for a single detonating tag on the market is two thousand taels, so twenty tags would cost forty thousand taels.

This is only the cost of one attack.

Even considering the potential discounts for bulk purchases, the rate at which money is being burned is still astonishing.

Indeed, some powerful ninjutsu not only require talent, but also substantial financial resources...

He walked up to Tazuna, who was slumped on the ground, still not fully recovered. Although his face still wore that lazy expression, the gaze from his single eye carried an invisible pressure: "Mr. Tazuna, I think you should give us a more accurate explanation of the actual situation of this mission?"

"The reward for a C-rank mission does not include the portion for dealing with enemy ninjas."

His gaze swept over the bound demon brothers: "Besides, hiring ninjas to kill you probably isn't just ordinary business competition, is it? What exactly is that bridge involved in?"

Under Kakashi's gaze, Tazuna's face turned pale and then red, his lips trembled, and the empty bottle in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

(End of this chapter)