"I guess I'll have to steal that Jutsu and start another playthrough. I'm not sure how Naruto learned it in a heartbeat, but I can't afford to waste this ability by being a coward. Not when I can get a signature move than can multiply my learning speed..."

I had finally arrived at the training grounds and began with my physical training. I was enthusiastic at first, but I soon figured out that I was too cautious. I realized this after I did push-ups till exhaustion for an hour, paused the game, and slept. I was completely rejuvenated even if a bit thirsty. I would need to store provisions the next time I came to the forest. The nearby water current would have to do for now...

However, Chakra was magical in the way that you could enhance your body functions as long as you had some. Pushing through minor soreness wasn't that bad with a brain that used some sleep. I completed the process two times before about three hours passed. I figured it was midnight when I returned home to put my clock and some snacks in my pocket.

It was on the road back that I understood that I was acting like a dumbass. I could literally gamble with my own life.

Repercussions? NONE.

I was scared to die; once I stole that Multi shadow Clone Jutsu, I would put a target on my back. Old man Hiruzen was a monkey. One, you didn't teach how to perform a trick.

I couldn't think of a justification not to steal the Jutsu. The problem was how to find it. Dying was scary and all, but it wasn't the end for me. Perhaps being put in confinement or getting tortured by Danzo would change my way of thinking. Nevertheless, I could end the game at any moment and restart with the skill in my arsenal.

The two problems I was currently faced with were how to find the scroll of seals and how to steal it. Once I figured the location, I could think about how to stall time and learn it, in this game or another. Opening the scroll before using "pause" wouldn't count as cheating. I just couldn't practice the seals simultaneously.

I could also save or respawn before I died.

Death would erase the save, though. Not that it would matter that much, the Jutsu itself could kill me if used wrongly, unlike Naruto. I didn't have his Uzumaki Kage-like Chakra capacity, so using too much vitality on the first try was dangerous.

Learning Shadow Clone Jutsu and potentially the other forbidden techniques with some luck was the GOAL for now.

"Let's check the encyclopedia for that.

"Scroll of seals." I thought and began to scan through all the material and forums at my disposal, extremely thankful to all the geeks and narutards who shared my passion. The anime had been created a century ago, but it was still popular. It just went to prove how much of a shonen masterpiece it was—a masterpiece with plotholes here and there, but still a masterpiece.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The scroll was in the Hokage mansion, according to people on forums. I hadn't paid particular attention to that part of the anime. In fact, I would have needed to read the manga to notice that Naruto used a Sexy Jutsu on Hiruzen and fled. So Hiruzen was aware of what happened and let it slide until he noticed that Naruto was in danger and caused a commotion in the village. Letting the kid learn the Jutsu was probably one of the best decisions he ever made. Even if he reacted more to the situation than actually provoking it.

In fact, it seems as if Hiruzen was the one to alert Iruka that Naruto stole the scroll. Probably to watch over him, since the behavior was suspicious. Coming at night and stealing something he should never have information about and all.

If he was really less concerned with a potential mastermind than Naruto's well-being, he wouldn't have sent a weak Iruka but Kakashi. God forbid that the Hokage chase himself. I don't know if it was because the Hokage was old or because he was overconfident in his chunins, but some of his decisions didn't reflect the level of care he claimed to have for the young protagonist.

Poor Mizuki. Despite all of this, the kid he hated with all his guts was the still the little protégé of the man he was trying to be sneaky around. Hiruzen not showing support to the blonde has caused a lot of people to become full of themselves. He would have probably died even if he was allowed to escape that day. Naruto would get injured or die, so the "God of Shinobi" was bound to chase after him and bloody his hands once more.

Even if the title became rusty and highly inaccurate due to his old age and some retcons, the fellow wasn't someone he could flee from anywhere near the leaf. Add Kakashi and his hounds to the mix, and Mizuki wouldn't even be able to stretch his fugitive gimmicks for more than a few minutes.

If, like everyone thought, and he was helped by Orochimaru, he had even more chances to die once he brought him the scroll. The snake only cherished one rat, and he was called Kabuto.

Comparing Mizuki to Kabuto...It was just sad.

I continued to search through the material, but I wasn't able to get further info. The Hokage building was the only lead I found.

So with a lot of recklessness and an extreme deal of bravery, I decided to head there. Like I said:

I would only die at best. The EXIT button was my friend.

*****************

It was around 1 AM when I arrived near the Hokage building. I didn't want to hope in vain since I knew that ANBU were posted around.

What I could only wish for now was that the old monkey would show me the same leniency he did for the son of his successor. Sadly, he was a lot younger and not as appreciative of youth as in the future.

"Well, here goes nothing," I muttered before entering a window clumsily. The objective was to show that I was clearly a child playing pranks. By doing things this way, I hoped that Hiruzen would let his guards remain on standby. I wasn't stupid enough to think that no one had already detected my presence.

When I landed the next moment, I looked around. The place looked exactly like I had envisioned it to be.

I was inside a huge hall with a desk close to me. I recognized it as the desk used by the Hokage's secretary, so it was logical to think that the door next to it was his office.

I decided to try and check the place first since I didn't have any idea where to go from this point forward. Lightning had been clear and told me that he wouldn't help me accomplish this task. He didn't explain why but I figured that the shadow clone jutsu was too broken for him to provide help in acquiring it. It was even more so when you could literally sleep or rest your way through almost anything.

I was excited when I found out that the door was actually opened. But the moment I stepped inside the office, I winced when I recognized the voice sounding behind me:

"What were you doing here at this hour?"