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Haruto returned to his apartment, the night air still lingering on his skin as he shut the door behind him. Without hesitation, he absorbed the memories of the shadow clone he had left working on his latest project—directional explosive tags. The knowledge came rushing back to him, flooding his mind with each minute detail, each minor tweak the clone had tested while Haruto had been away. These tags weren't like the typical explosive tags used by most shinobi. Instead of detonating in every direction and causing widespread destruction, they funneled the blast in a single, controlled burst, pushing the explosion forward while leaving everything behind the seal untouched.

Haruto smiled to himself as he grabbed a handful of the newly crafted tags, running his fingers over the intricate seal work. They represented hours of trial and error, countless moments of frustration, but also moments of breakthrough. Unlike traditional tags, these offered a level of precision that would change the way he fought. The explosion would move only in the direction the seal faced, allowing him to aim the devastation exactly where he wanted it. No wasted energy. No collateral damage.

Changing into his training gear, Haruto slipped out into the cool night, making his way to the nearby training grounds. The moon hung low, casting a soft glow over the village as he moved through the quiet streets. The crisp air filled his lungs as he arrived at the empty field, the silence a perfect backdrop for the testing ahead.

He set up a comparison test: a traditional explosive tag on one tree, and one of his directional tags on another tree of similar size just a few paces away. First, he activated the standard tag. The explosion tore through the tree, sending bark, leaves, and debris flying in every direction. It was powerful, but messy. The blast spread far and wide, leaving the surrounding area littered with splinters and wreckage.

Then he activated his directional tag. The explosion was sharp and controlled, a burst of energy that shot forward and obliterated the front of the tree, leaving the back untouched. Everything behind the seal remained perfectly still, as if the blast had never happened. The difference was profound. The directional tag delivered the same raw power, but with surgical precision.

Haruto's grin widened. This was more than an improvement—it was a breakthrough. The directional tags would give him an incredible advantage in battle, allowing him to plant them on enemies or even throw them attached to shuriken without worrying about harming his allies. The explosion would always move in the direction the seal faced, sparing anything behind it from the devastation. He could stick one of these tags directly on an opponent and walk away as the blast shredded them while leaving everything else untouched.

Eager to test more, Haruto attached a directional tag to a shuriken and hurled it at a distant boulder. The shuriken hit its mark, and with a swift hand seal, Haruto triggered the explosion. The blast tore a chunk off the boulder, but just like before, the area behind the seal remained untouched. The precision was undeniable. No longer would he need to worry about causing chaos in close quarters—he could focus his explosions exactly where he needed them to land.

Haruto continued experimenting late into the night, testing the tags from different angles, attaching them to various surfaces, and even using them in rapid succession. The results were the same each time: controlled, focused, and devastating.

But Haruto's energy wasn't spent yet. His body still buzzed with the satisfaction of his success, and his mind was racing with ideas on how to improve the tags even further. He made his way back to his apartment, but instead of winding down, he decided to push himself through an intense conditioning workout. The thrill of progress had his muscles aching for more.

In his apartment, Haruto went through his routine—sprints, push-ups, core exercises—each move building on the momentum of his day's work. His body, conditioned by his relentless training, moved fluidly through the exercises, but his mind was elsewhere. As he pushed through the final sets, he thought about the next steps. Could the tags be enhanced with elemental chakra, maybe lightning or fire? Could he make them even more compact? The possibilities swirled in his mind like a storm of untapped potential.

The directional tags were already a game-changer, but Haruto couldn't help but think about how he could refine them even further. With each breath, each rep, he envisioned how they would work in battle, how they would give him a distinct edge. The tags were about control, about precision—everything he valued as a shinobi.

By the time he finished, Haruto's muscles burned, and sweat glistened on his skin. He stretched, feeling the satisfying ache of a job well done, both mentally and physically. As he looked out the window, the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon. The night had been long, but he felt stronger, sharper, and more focused than ever.

The directional explosive tags were just the beginning. Haruto had a powerful new weapon in his arsenal, but he knew there was always more to improve, more to perfect. And that thought—the drive to keep pushing forward—was what excited him the most. Tomorrow held even more possibilities, and he couldn't wait to face them.