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Sakumo Hatake remained hidden in the trees, quietly watching his Genin team as they trained. His mission had been canceled at the last minute, and rather than revealing his presence, he decided to stay and observe them without their knowledge. They were preparing for their upcoming 3-on-1 challenge, so he avoided watching them work on their teamwork. Didn't want to give myself an unfair advantage, Sakumo thought with a small smile.

However, their individual training was something different, something he could observe. Each of his students had a distinct method of pushing themselves, and it was here that their potential truly became visible. Talent matters, but effort is what truly shapes a shinobi, Sakumo mused, thinking back on the great Jonin he had known. They weren't just born skilled—they built themselves up through relentless work and perseverance.

His gaze first focused on Shisui Uchiha. The boy was already exceptional, even with just one tomoe Sharingan. Shisui had impressive reaction times and an innate ability to adapt during combat, but what stood out even more was how intelligently he trained. Unlike many Uchiha, Shisui didn't over-rely on his Sharingan while training. It wasn't that he avoided using it, but rather that he understood its true power—it amplified his base abilities. Shisui knew that to get the most out of the Sharingan, he needed to focus on improving his fundamentals. So, he trained his taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu without constantly activating his dojutsu. An Uchiha who understands that the Sharingan only multiplies what's already there, Sakumo thought with admiration. He's building a strong foundation—something many shinobi overlook.

Shisui's awareness of this balance impressed Sakumo. By not over-relying on the Sharingan, he was preparing himself for the day when he'd truly need to combine the Uchiha's famous dojutsu with his already sharp skills.

Next, Sakumo's eyes moved to Daichi Uzumaki. Like all Uzumaki, Daichi had enormous chakra reserves, but it was the boy's focus on chakra control that caught Sakumo's attention. Uzumaki were notorious for struggling with control due to their vast reserves, but Daichi was methodically improving that aspect. Sakumo watched as Daichi stood upside down on the ceiling, several leaves stuck to his forehead as he timed himself with incense sticks. Daichi was pushing the fundamentals, making his exercises more challenging by adding layers of complexity. He's not just relying on the natural gifts of his clan; he's working to overcome its weaknesses, Sakumo thought approvingly. That's how you create a truly formidable shinobi.

Finally, Sakumo's focus shifted to Haruto Takeda, the most enigmatic of the three. Haruto's training habits were unusual. For one, the boy only slept four hours a night, something Sakumo had noticed over time. Despite the limited rest, Haruto was relentless in his training, always pushing his limits.

But what really intrigued Sakumo tonight was Haruto's mastery of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Earlier, Sakumo had watched as Haruto opened a scroll in his apartment. It was clear from his actions and reactions that this was the first time Haruto had seen the Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll. The boy had immediately begun practicing the hand signs, step by step. What amazed Sakumo wasn't just that Haruto was attempting the jutsu—an advanced B-rank technique—but how quickly he had mastered it.

In just one hour, Haruto had the jutsu down.

Sakumo could hardly believe it. The Shadow Clone Jutsu was notoriously difficult for Genin, and even many Chunin struggled with it due to the chakra control required. Most shinobi took weeks to learn it, but Haruto? He had picked it up in an hour. And it wasn't just that Haruto could create the clones—he immediately began experimenting with them, testing their limits.

Sakumo observed as Haruto created a clone and left it up to train all night while he slept. Most shinobi wouldn't dare use clones like this, Sakumo thought, frowning slightly. The mental strain from the information overload would be too much. But not for him… Interesting.

When a shadow clone dispels, all of its experiences and memories flood back to the original. For most shinobi, this would lead to severe fatigue or mental overload. But Haruto absorbed the information effortlessly the next morning, showing no signs of strain. He even created another clone to continue training while he worked on other tasks.

He's pushing the jutsu to its limits, Sakumo mused. He's not just using it—he's exploring its full potential.

The more Sakumo watched, the more impressed he became with his students. Shisui, with his intelligent balance of training with and without the Sharingan. Daichi, diligently working on his chakra control, overcoming the usual Uzumaki weakness. And Haruto, whose ability to grasp and push advanced techniques in record time set him apart from the rest.

The 3-on-1 challenge he had planned for them was going to be a real test of their abilities, and Sakumo was eager to see how they would handle it. They were each training hard individually, but how would they fare when they had to come together as a team?

They have no idea what's coming, Sakumo thought with a small smile. But I'm looking forward to finding out.