C139

Perched silently in the shadows, the ANBU operative observed Haruto, the boy he had been tasked with monitoring for 72 hours. This type of surveillance wasn't uncommon among Konoha's elite Genin—those who showed promise and had the potential to become the village's future pillars. It was a routine mission, one that required patience and subtlety, traits any ANBU operative was well-trained in.

The kid was remarkable, though. That much was clear.

Haruto's training sessions were intense—far more than the typical Genin his age. He trained like someone with years more experience, pushing his body to the absolute limit. The ANBU noticed that Haruto constantly wore a weighted seal during his exercises. That alone would have been enough to slow most down or make them cautious, but Haruto simply pushed harder with it, using the extra weight to increase the intensity of his training.

But the amount of food… The ANBU's mind wandered as he watched the boy devour meal after meal. It was insane. Even compared to some of the clans known for their heavy appetites, Haruto's consumption was on another level. He ate with purpose, as if every calorie had a specific role to play in his recovery and performance. But where was he putting it all? The boy wasn't particularly large, yet he managed to pack away more food than seemed humanly possible. It was like watching a black hole devour everything in its path.

Then there was the shadow clone issue. The ANBU operative had seen plenty of Genin use the Shadow Clone Jutsu, but Haruto's usage was unlike anything he'd encountered before. Most shinobi couldn't handle the technique for extended periods. The feedback of information from the clones would cause mental overload after a while, especially for someone so young. Yet this kid had a clone running 24/7. He was constantly using them to train, whether in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or even medical arts.

The ANBU made a note. How is he managing that? It wasn't just unusual—it was borderline reckless. If someone else tried this, they'd burn out within a day. Yet Haruto didn't seem phased at all.

The training itself was another point of interest. Haruto never seemed to read anything more than once. The ANBU had watched him work his way through scrolls, books, and papers, yet he only ever skimmed them once before heading off to practice what he'd just learned. Most shinobi would need repeated study, especially with something as complicated as medical ninjutsu or fūinjutsu, but not Haruto. He absorbed the information quickly, then immediately put it into practice.

According to the intel from Lady Tsunade, the boy was a genius in the medical arts. The ANBU had been tasked with keeping an eye on him primarily because of this—Tsunade didn't make such statements lightly. But what stood out even more was his interest in fūinjutsu. Although the operative hadn't been able to observe the boy working on his seals directly, as that seemed to be something Haruto only practiced in his apartment, there was enough evidence to suggest that the boy was progressing at a rapid pace. What is this kid's limit? the ANBU wondered.

The intensity, the sheer amount of training, the constant pushing—Haruto wasn't normal. And the more the ANBU observed, the more he realized that this surveillance mission was revealing far more than just another promising Genin.

Suddenly, Haruto's gaze flicked upward, and for a brief second, the ANBU felt the boy's eyes land on his location.

Wait… did he just notice me?

A chill ran down the operative's spine, but he quickly shook the thought away. No. Haruto was talented, yes, but noticing an ANBU, especially one that had been trained in the art of concealment for years? That was unlikely.

Just my imagination, the ANBU reassured himself, blending deeper into the shadows.

Still, he made a mental note to mention it in the report. This mission wasn't about catching the boy in any act of wrongdoing—it was standard surveillance. The 72-hour period would soon be up, and he'd be free to write up his findings for the ANBU commander. Haruto Takeda was certainly a fascinating subject, and the village leadership would undoubtedly be interested in what had been observed.

The kid trains hard, he eats more than an entire Akimichi clan dinner, and he uses shadow clones like no one I've ever seen… the ANBU thought, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. What's next?

With only a few hours left before his shift ended, the ANBU operative settled in again, his watchful eyes never straying too far from Haruto. The boy was impressive, no doubt about it, but like everything else in the world of shinobi, only time would reveal the full picture.