Both of them laughed at the same time, raising their hands in sync.
"Yo! Since I've got the Shadow Clone down…" I said, eyes sparkling, "Let's create our own jutsu! A jutsu using the Ten Shadows!"
The clone raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're thinking what I'm thinking, right?"
"A shadow clone made from the Ten Shadows Technique," we both said at the same time.
We grinned at each other.
"Yep, exactly. It'd be like Hashirama's wood clones," I explained, waving my hands for emphasis. "Stronger than a normal shadow clone, and instead of sending info back only when it's dispelled, it could transmit intel in real time."
The clone whistled. "That's actually genius, dude. We'd basically have living shadow soldiers on call, way smarter and sturdier than the normal clones."
"Alright, let's try this—Shadow Ghost Clone Jutsu!" I shouted, pressing my hands together.
My shadow stirred under my feet, rippling like water. For a second, a lump began to rise… but it collapsed instantly, splattering back into a flat shadow.
"...Wow. That's worse than a kid's mud pie," the clone muttered, deadpan.
"Don't act like you're better. You are me," I snapped, cheeks twitching.
"Yeah, but at least I didn't make that mess," the clone smirked.
Grinding my teeth, I pushed more chakra into my shadow. This time, a faint outline began to form—legs, a torso, then shoulders. It looked like someone was crawling out from beneath me, clawing their way into reality.
My heart skipped. "Yes, yes, it's working—!"
But halfway through, the shape crumbled back down, vanishing into the darkness.
"Almost," the clone said with a mock-sympathetic sigh.
"Almost is better than nothing. Now shut up and help me concentrate."
Together, we poured chakra into the shadow again, steady and controlled. Slowly, the outline rose higher—feet stepping free, knees, chest, then finally a head. And when the figure's face cleared, it was… me.
The new clone stood tall, dusting off his shoulders with a cocky grin. "Finally! Took you long enough."
The original clone whistled. "Damn. He looks even more handsome than us."
"Of course he does. He's me," I said, smirking.
The three of us locked eyes. For a moment, it was like standing between mirrors—three Danavas, all with the same smirk.
"Shadow Ghost Clone Jutsu," I muttered under my breath, a grin spreading across my face. "This… is going to change everything."
I turned to the regular shadow clone, smirking. "So, I guess this is goodbye, huh? Can't see myself using a downgraded version now that I've got Shadow Ghost Clones." My grin widened, deliberately mocking.
The clone scoffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, yeah, shut up. I was going to leave anyway."
With a puff, he vanished in smoke, memories rushing back into me in a brief flash.
I blinked, processing it, then turned toward my new creation—the Shadow Ghost Clone. He was still there, no smoke, no fading. Solid. Real. He cracked his neck with the same cocky grin I wore.
"Dude," I said, excitement bubbling up, "we have so many jutsus to create."
The clone grinned back. "Oh, you read my mind."
For a moment, we both laughed—identically, perfectly mirrored. Except now… this was different. This wasn't just a copy. This was a partner born from my own shadow.
And together, we were going to change the meaning of ninjutsu.
Danava pressed his hands together, shadows stretching and rippling outward like disturbed water. From the darkness beneath his feet, more figures clawed their way up—first a pair of hands, then heads, then entire bodies emerging as if peeling free from a mirror's reflection.
One… two… three…
By the time the tenth figure stepped out, the clearing was packed. Ten identical versions of him stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their smirks sharp and alive. Unlike ordinary shadow clones, there was no smoke, no flicker of chakra, and no sense of fragility. Each one radiated presence—solid, breathing, real.
Danava let out a slow breath, sweat beading at his temple. "Ten… Shadow Ghost Clones."
The first clone cracked his neck. "Now that feels like an upgrade."
Another chuckled darkly, folding his arms. "We're not just illusions anymore."
Danava's grin widened, eyes scanning the circle of his own shadows. "Good. Then it's time we see just how far this kekkei genkai can go."
The clones exchanged looks, some smirking, others already testing their fingers like eager warriors before battle. For the first time, it wasn't Danava standing alone—it was an entire squad of himself, each brimming with potential.
Danava gathered all ten clones in a circle, raising his hands like a squad captain about to give a speech.
"Alright guys, I've gathered you all here today to—" He paused, frowned, then laughed. "Wait a second… Why am I even explaining this? You all already know. Never mind."
The clones chuckled knowingly.
"So," Danava continued, "any suggestions?"
One clone leaned back casually. "Yo, captain, you already came up with that Shadow Possession Jutsu when you saved Ashura. That's a good starting point. But what if we make something more offensive—like Shadow-Piercing Jutsu? Sharp shadow tentacles emerging straight from our own shadows, or maybe a shadow armour that can stab right through the enemy?"
Danava grinned and gave a thumbs up. "Great suggestion, me. We'll work on that."
Another clone raised his hand, smirking. "Boss, hear me out. What if we create a giant Shadow Golem? Big, hulking, terrifying. Think Venom from Marvel, but made of shadow. It'd look sick, and we'd finally have something that could go head-to-head with Susanoo or Hashirama's Wood Golem."
Danava's eyes lit up, but he shook his head. "Even better idea, me… But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Right now, we don't have the chakra pool to pull off something on that scale. For now, we'll focus on smaller projects. We'll climb step by step until we can manage monsters like that."
The clones all nodded, their identical smirks showing the same eagerness. The air buzzed with energy—an army of minds working as one, each ready to turn shadows into weapons the shinobi world had never seen.
Danava crossed his arms, intrigued. The clone demonstrating with a shadow kunai spun it on his finger with a cocky grin.
Another clone raised his hand eagerly. "Boss, what if we take that Venom-style Shadow Armour and push it further? Like, instead of just armour, we make it adaptive. The armour reacts on instinct—spikes when we're attacked, shields when we're punched, and claws when we're on offence. Basically, a living shadow battle suit that evolves with the fight."
A clone lounging in the back suddenly sat up. "Or how about Shadow Wings? Not just for flight—imagine giant raven-like wings that can slice enemies or even scatter feathers that turn into shadow shuriken midair. It's intimidation and utility in one package."
Another clone, stroking his chin thoughtfully, added, "We could also create Shadow Storage Jutsu. Like a pocket dimension of darkness inside our own shadow. We can stash weapons, scrolls, or even hide clones inside. Imagine pulling out an entire arsenal mid-fight when the enemy thinks we're unarmed."
One clone grinned mischievously. "Boss, listen. Shadow Doppelgänger Switch. If an enemy is about to hit us, we instantly swap places with a shadow clone hidden nearby. Basically, a teleport substitution. Super tricky, super annoying to deal with."
A more serious clone interjected, "We should consider Shadow Absorption Jutsu. If an enemy's shadow overlaps with ours, we drain their chakra little by little, feeding it back into ourselves. Not flashy, but extremely deadly in drawn-out battles."
The last clone stretched and added casually, "Here's a crazy one. Shadow Beast Summoning. We mould our chakra into giant shadow animals—wolves, snakes, even dragons. Pure offence and intimidation. They won't be alive like summons, but raw, destructive puppets made of darkness."
Danava's eyes gleamed as he looked around the group, each idea fuelling his excitement. "…Heh. You guys are me, but damn, sometimes you impress even me."
-----------------------
A/N: If you can, please support me on Patreon.
Link: www.Patreon.com/Gottle
(No spaces btw)
Can read up to 8 chapters ahead.