Reborn as Shanks in Naruto

Learning the Water Clone Jutsu took Shanks about seven days—way longer than he expected. He thought that since this technique was pretty similar to the regular Clone Jutsu, it shouldn't take more than two or three days. Yeah… he was dead wrong.

The Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu (Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu) was a C-rank ninjutsu that allowed the user to create copies of themselves using water. The process of performing the jutsu was almost identical to the Clone Jutsu, except instead of using Yin chakra, it used Water chakra. These clones looked just like the user and could even perform some of their techniques, but they had major limitations in power and durability. They needed to stay within a certain distance of the original; otherwise, they'd vanish instantly. Since they had physical form, they could land actual hits—but they were super fragile. One solid punch, and poof—gone. Still, they were useful for distractions and teamwork.

Shanks sighed, stretching his arms.

"Finally! I mastered this technique, and now I can unlock the B-rank Clone Jutsus. But damn, my training was all over the place. Barely got any physical conditioning in. My strength is seriously lagging behind. During the academy's sparring matches, I almost lost to Kiba and Naruto—not because they were better, but because I was weaker physically. The only reason I won was because of strategy… and that seriously pissed me off. Ugh, whatever. Now, all that's left is Shadow Clone Jutsu. Once I learn that, I can finally start proper training."

With the Water Clone Jutsu mastered, Shanks had now unlocked the rest of the Clone Jutsus. He entered his mental library and began going through them. There were tons—Lightning Clone, Fire Clone, Ice Clone (which only those with the Ice Release kekkei genkai could use), and many more.

But Shanks didn't care about the others. His eyes were set on one thing—Shadow Clone Jutsu.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu (Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) was created by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage. It was a B-rank technique, but unlike the basic Clone Jutsu, which created illusionary images, Shadow Clones were real, physical duplicates that could attack, defend, and use jutsu. There were three major differences between this and the Water Clone Jutsu:

1. Instead of being made of water, these clones were created by splitting the user's chakra evenly among them.

2. Shadow Clones could think and act independently of the user.

3. Most importantly, when a Shadow Clone was dispelled, all the information and experiences it gathered would return to the original.

This last ability made the jutsu invaluable for training. If a ninja summoned two clones and had all three of them train, they'd essentially triple their learning speed. By the end of the day, when the clones disappeared, all their experiences would merge back with the original. This technique was also great for gathering intel without risking one's life.

After re-reading the description a few times and watching videos of skilled users like Tobirama and Naruto performing it, Shanks exited his mental space, ready to start training.

He was hopeful. After all, he had already mastered two Clone Jutsus. How hard could this one be?

Time flew by. Days passed, and Shanks had made serious progress in his training. But… he still hadn't mastered it.

At the moment, he was sitting with Hinata and Naruto, chatting. Naruto, bored out of his mind, had his head resting on the table.

Naruto: "Ugh, the academy is sooo boring, dattebayo! All we do is study and do lame exercises. When are they gonna teach us real jutsu?!"

Shanks chuckled. He couldn't deny it—Naruto had a point. It was about time they started learning actual ninjutsu.

Hinata: "N-Naruto-kun, since we're still academy students, w-we need to focus on the basics first. That's why they haven't taught us any real jutsu yet."

Naruto: "But that's so lame! Dattebayo!"

Shanks: "She's right, Naruto. Before, we didn't have the necessary foundation. But now? We're ready. They'll probably start teaching us jutsu soon."

As he spoke, he reached out and patted Hinata's head.

Shanks: "Hinata-chan is such a smart and kind girl… unlike a certain yellow-haired idiot."

Hinata's face instantly turned bright red. Her entire body started radiating heat.

"S-Shanks-kun is not only touching me… but he's patting my head?! I-It feels nice, but it's so embarrassing!"

She wanted to run away, but her body refused to move.

Meanwhile, Naruto pouted, puffing out his cheeks.

Naruto: "Shanks, you jerk! Baka Shanks! Baka, baka!"

He stuck out his tongue at Shanks, who just grinned.

Shanks: "Aww, thanks, Naruto! Love you too, buddy."

Before Naruto could retaliate, the school bell rang. Iruka entered the classroom and started roll call. Once that was done, he got serious.

Iruka: "Alright, class. Today, I'll be teaching you one of the three fundamental ninjutsu that every ninja must know—the Transformation Jutsu."

The Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu) was one of the most basic yet essential ninjutsu techniques taught at the academy. It was an E-rank technique, meaning it was beginner-level, but it had plenty of strategic uses in battle and missions. The jutsu allowed the user to change their appearance into anything—people, animals, even objects. Skilled users could even adjust their size, but weight remained unchanged.

To perform it, a ninja had to focus their chakra, creating a thin layer around their body that altered their appearance. However, maintaining the transformation required constant concentration. If the user lost focus, the jutsu would be dispelled. It was mainly used for infiltration, deception, and distractions during missions.

Iruka continued explaining.

For the students from civilian families—or orphans like Naruto—learning a new jutsu was exciting. They hadn't had any real training outside of the academy. But for kids from ninja clans? This was basic stuff. Their families didn't bother teaching them simple jutsu like this because they knew the academy would cover it. Instead, they had been learning their clan's exclusive techniques from a young age.

Once Iruka finished his explanation, he demonstrated the jutsu multiple times in slow motion before asking the students to practice along with him. He walked around the class, supervising their attempts and answering any questions.Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoyed it, please consider supporting me by leaving comments, voting with power stones, and adding the story to your library. Your support motivates me to write more and improve the story even further. Let me know your thoughts, feedback, or even funny ideas in the comments!