Naruto: Amongst the Whirling Tides Chapter 9

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. The schedule for next week’s chapters is Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Chapter 9

The old man released Naruto free from the seal binding him to the ground. Naruto retreated out of the array, keeping a close eye on him. He was exceptionally tall, even taller than Jiraiya. He had long red hair that was liberally streaked with grey and reached down to his waist. However, his most striking feature was his impressive beard, which was nearly as long as his hair.

As was usual for him when meeting a stranger, he released his chains and tried to sense the man’s intentions. The chains passed right through his body, so he wasn’t able to get a read on him.

The old man approached him, stopping at the boundary of the array without venturing any further. Was he confined to the array on the floor? It would make sense if this was some kind of projection. Curiosity piqued, Naruto stepped forward and poked the man. His finger passed right through his body.

“Stop that,” the old man said irritably.

Startled, Naruto took a few steps backwards. “How are you reacting to what I’m doing? I assumed you were some sort of prerecorded message that activated whenever someone arrived down here."

“The array is a lot more complicated than a mere image projection,” the old man said. “My name is Hisashi Uzumaki. Who am I speaking to? Who are your parents?”

Naruto eyed him with caution. Although he didn’t have any reason to suspect that Hisashi meant him harm, the unexpectedness of the man’s autonomy was startling. Since it appeared as if the man couldn’t leave the array set in the ground, he decided it shouldn’t do any harm. “My name is Naruto Uzumaki. My parents were Minato Namikaze and my mother was Kushina Uzumaki.”

"Your Kushina's son? A direct descendent of the mainline?" Hisashi's smile swiftly transformed into a frown upon fully grasping Naruto's words."Is Kushina really dead? What happened to her?"

“The Kyuubi escaped his seal when my mother gave birth to me and attacked Konoha,” Naruto replied. “How did you know my mother?”

“She was my grand-niece,” Hisashi sighed, “Well, I suppose I should explain my presence here.”

Naruto took a seat on the ground, feeling as though Hisashi would be detaining him for some time.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Jiraiya called out from the top of the stairs.

“I’m fine,” Naruto yelled back. “There’s nothing down here except an old ghost from the past who wants to hang out and chat with me.”

“What?!

“Who is that outside?” Hisashi asked.

“That is Jiraiya, my godfather. My mother shared the secret of this place with him.”

Hisashi gently stroked his beard as he considered his words. "I have heard his name from somewhere before. Kushina must have had a lot of trust in him to have revealed our most valuable secret."

“Well, it’s lucky she did, or I may never have known about this place,” Naruto said.

“Do you trust him? Although I have great faith in Kushina's judgement, she is longer with us. People can change significantly in even a short amount of time.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “The man took a great risk in rescuing me from my prison. I'm pretty sure I can trust him.”

“That sounds like a story I want to hear,” Hisashi said, closing his eyes momentarily. “I have granted Jiraiya access to this chamber, so you may call him down here.”

“Jiraiya!” Naruto shouted. “Get your butt down here! It’s safe for you to enter.”

Jiraiya cautiously descended the steps and appeared just as stunned as Naruto when he caught sight of Hisashi. He came to stand by Naruto’s side and examined the man carefully.

“I see that you are a practitioner of fuinjutsu as well,” Hisashi remarked, noticing the scroll on Jiraiya’s back.

“That’s right,” Jiraiya said. “Based on your red hair, it's reasonable to conclude that you are from the Uzumaki clan.”

After introducing themselves, they took a seat on the ground so they could start their discussion.

“Before I reveal my purpose for being here,” Hisashi said. “Can you give me an update on recent events? How long has it been since Uzushio was destroyed?”

“Almost thirty years,” Jiraiya answered. He then proceeded to give a brief history of the world, starting from the fall of Uzushio. He covered the conclusion of the Second Great Shinobi War, the Third Shinobi War, up until the present and how they came to be in Uzushio.

“It’s a shame Hiruzen has died,” Hisashi said. “I recall facing him during the chunin exams. Our battle was certainly a highlight of the entire exam.”

“Did you lose?” Naruto asked.

“That bastard cheated, and that’s all I am going to say on the matter,” Hisashi declared.

“You must be a sore loser if it still bothers you all this time,” Naruto smirked.

"Quiet, brat," Hisashi said with a glare before adopting a serious expression. "I'm glad that Uzushio has people living in it again. Are there any other Uzumaki clan members left?

“Yes,” Jiraiya answered. “I know of one shinobi, and I imagine there are quite a few more who have hidden themselves. The man who brought us the island is from a Uzumaki civilian family that managed to escape the invasion.”

“That’s a relief,” Hisashi smiled, visibly pleased. “Naruto, I expect you to find the remaining Uzumaki clan members and bring them back to the island, so you can rebuild the clan.”

“That is not a problem,” Naruto assured him. “I was already planning on rebuilding the clan.”

“You know your duty to your clan,’ Hisashi approved. “Then I expect you to breed with all the viable Uzumaki females so the main line can continue on.”

“I can….wait, what are you saying!” Naruto yelled. “I will breed with whoever I damn well please!”

“Your response is disappointing,” Hisashi sighed.

“It's getting late, so we cannot stay here for too long,” Jiraiya said, redirecting the conversation to the main topic. “What exactly are you, and what is your purpose for being here?”

“Haven't you figured the array out yet?” Hisashi asked. “It’s a variation of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. It doesn’t call upon the Shinigami to seal someone’s soul away but instead seals my soul to a physical location. As long as I have chakra feeding the array, I can stay here indefinitely.”

“Fascinating,” Jiraiya looked at the array with interest “But why would you go to such lengths to remain here? I don’t expect the Shinigami would be pleased to be deprived of a soul.”

“I remained in hopes of passing on our greatest secret to our descendants,” Hisashi replied. “Tell me, do you know the limitations of fuinjutsu?”

Naruto looked at his godfather, interested in hearing his answer.

Jiraiya shot him a strange glance before replying. “Fuujutsu, also known as "Sealing Techniques," involves the ability to seal objects, living beings, chakra, and various other entities within different objects. Fūinjutsu can also be utilised to impose limits on movement or to release objects from containment, whether they are confined within something or someone.”

“Your description is sufficient, but you don't seem entirely confident in your answer,” Hisashi observed.

“I have encountered something recently that seemingly contradicts its limitations,” Jiraiya said. "Should I reveal to him the secret of your mindscape, Naruto?"

“I don’t see why not,” Naruto replied.

Jiraiya explained to Hisashi the nature of the seal that Minato had used. It was known as the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style and had been developed by the Uzumakis. This seal was believed to be nothing more than that. But the capabilities Naruto displayed within his mindscape had left Jiraiya feeling confused, as it went beyond anything he had seen before.

“Ha!” Hisashi slapped his legs in excitement. “This leads exactly into the secret I wish to impart. The truth of the matter is that Kushina must have helped Minato create the seal. I see no other way that such a seal can exist otherwise.”

There was something that Naruto didn’t understand. "Wait, is fuinjutsu really that limited? What about the seal on the Hyuga clan's forehead? Isn't that considered fuinjutsu?"

“That is not fuinjutsu, but juinjutsu,” Jiraiya explained. “It is more commonly known as Cursed Seal Techniques. They are an application of chakra that brings the victim's abilities and actions under their control.”

“That was the seal that Orochimaru gave Sasuke,” Naruto said in realisation.

A shiver ran down his spine as he contemplated the secondary effect of his Adamantine Sensing Chains. Having used them to manipulate Kiba before, he was well aware of their capacity to exert control over people to a certain degree. Even though they hadn't worked on Mizuku, a chunin, it may be necessary for him to improve his mastery of the chains. The question posed was whether the chains were a type of cursed seal. He understood that the typical sealing chains were created through fuinjutsu, but his chains were a lot different. Why were they so different, and what exactly was the golden chakra that gave them their strength?

“Didn’t Kakashi seal it away with fuinjutsu?” Naruto asked.

“He did, but it was only a temporary fix,” Jiraiya said. “Fuijutsu possesses the capability to permanently seal cursed seals, provided one fully comprehends their creation and devises a corresponding countermeasure.”

"Similar to how you handled the cursed seal of the Hyuga clan."

“Yes, but it took me a long time to figure out a solution,” Jiraiya admitted. “Did you know that the main house has the ability to inflict pain on branch members as a means of punishment? It functions by transmitting signals to the brain, which then activates its pain receptors. It can even destroy brain cells in extreme cases. The seal is directly connected to the brain, so I needed to create a fuinjutsu seal that could safely seal it without causing harm to the recipient’s brain.”

“Truly a horrible utilisation of chakra,” Hisashi sighed. “Getting back to the main point. Fuinjutsu does typically have restrictions on what it can do, but we made a discovery that changed everything.”

Jiraiya straightened, his face showing an alert expression. “Are you saying that the rumours were true? The four hidden villages that attacked Uzushio claimed that your clan's use of fuinjutsu was dangerous, but I have always suspected it to be a fabricated excuse aimed at weakening Konoha by depriving it of a powerful ally.”

Hisashi's eyes closed, his face filled with grief. “They were not wrong. The Uzumaki clan had made a breakthrough with fuinjutsu that would have made us a true force to be reckoned with, given enough time. However, some of our clan members were not discreet enough and ended up revealing enough information to the outside that greatly alarmed the other hidden villages. They never fully understood the true potential of what we could achieve, but their understanding was sufficient to prompt action.”

“Did it alarm Konoha as well?” Jiraiya said shrewdly.

"Yes, but perhaps not in the way you are thinking," Hisashi replied. “I believe one of the primary reasons Konoha never assisted us during the invasion was because they had received orders not to do so from the Daimyo.”

Naruto was shocked. “What do you mean?”

“Forgive me,” Jiraiya said before Hisashi could reply. "But I haven't yet educated Naruto about the true nature of the world. He doesn't understand why Konoha wasn't allowed to help one of their closest allies."

“Explain it to me,” Naruto demanded.

“Naruto,” Jiraiya sighed. “In the simplest terms, everything that happens in the Elemental Nations is aimed at achieving one thing. Ensuring that the feudal system retains its position as the exclusive governing authority.”

“You mean the Daimyo?” Naruto exclaimed. “Why were civilians given power in the first place when shinobi have all the military strength?”

“Didn’t they cover this at the academy?” Jiraiya asked. “It’s simple. During the warring states period, there was so much pain and bloodshed that showed that shinobi did not know how to govern themselves or their people. The average life expectancy of a shinobi was below thirty years of age.

“The first ninja village was established through a collaborative effort between the Senju and Uchiha clans, and forming an alliance with the Land of Fire. It was not a decision taken lightly, nor did the shinobi foolishly relinquish all of their power. They realised that shinobi were not well-equipped to govern large territories, so they made the decision to serve as the general staff for the Land of Fire. They came to an agreement to lend their military expertise to support the monarchy while leaving the administration of civil service to the Daimyo.”

“We have had three Great Ninja Wars since then,” Naruto said, deadpanned. “Doesn’t seem like it worked out so well for everyone.”

“Well, good intentions do not always equate to a good outcome,” Hisashi said. “The feudal lords began building their own forces, both shinobi and displaced samurai from the Land of Iron. Over time, the balance of power shifted, and the hidden villages were given less autonomy. Although the hidden villages had the strength to revolt, the majority of shinobi seemed satisfied with the existing system. While it is still heavily flawed, it is better than what it used to be during the warring periods. Besides, the feudal lords guarantee that shinobi never become obsolete, ensuring that they will always have a reliable means of supporting themselves.”

"How do they accomplish that?"

“The primary method is making sure that the civilians are reliant on shinobi,” Hisashi said. “Most villages, apart from the main hidden villages, cities and capitals, lack adequate protection. As a result, civilians are left vulnerable to the threats posed by bandits, rogue shinobi, and wild creatures in some cases. They must hire shinobi to handle these dangers.”

“Another approach involves imposing restrictions on the technologies that are permitted to exist,” Jiraiya added. “For example, how is it that there are computers that make our lives more convenient, yet we still lack a reliable method for long-distance communication, which is more important.”

“I don’t know,” Naruto shrugged.

“The truth is, a method was invented decades ago,” Jiraiya said. “Telephones were invented with the purpose of facilitating instant communication across all the Elemental Nations. However, they were not permitted to develop the necessary infrastructure to support their functionality. Why was that?”

“Everyone would feel more connected and less isolated from each other,” Naruto said after thinking about it for a minute. “And they wouldn’t need to rely on shinobi for communication.”

“Exactly,” Jiraiya said, clapping his hands. "There are numerous technological advancements that have yet to be developed, such as advanced weaponry and faster modes of transportation. All of these aim to integrate the role of shinobi into the everyday lives of civilians, making them indispensable.”

Naruto contemplated all the information he had just received. Although he could understand why shinobi chose the path that they did, it did not necessarily make it the right choice. There was still an excessive amount of conflict and death, all while ironically striving to preserve the status quo. There must be a better way to create a future where civilians were not vulnerable to bandits, or where entire clans were exterminated. He wasn’t arrogant enough to believe that he knew of a better direction for the Elemental Nations, but he definitely wanted to try and find it.

"We have strayed from the main topic," Hisashi stated, jolting Naruto out of his thoughts. “Before I share the Uzumaki’s secret with you, what’s our current mastery of the subject, Naruto?”

"I have no training whatsoever," Naruto confessed without a hint of shame.

“What?” Hisashi glared at Naruto before turning his ire on Jiraiya. “What have you been teaching him all this time?”

“I haven’t been part of Naruto’s life that much,” Jiraiya admitted.

“Well, this delays more plans somewhat,” Hisashi said. “He needs a solid foundation in fuinjutsu before we proceed any further.”

“He is a bit stupid, but he is a Uzumaki,” Jiraiya smirked. “It shouldn’t take long before I bring him up to speed.”

“Oi!” Naruto protested.

"Then I'll wait until he is up to scratch," Hisashi nodded, shifting his gaze towards Naruto with a gentler expression. "I am delighted to see that Kushina lives on within you, Naruto. Don’t be a stranger. I will entrust Jiraiya with the task of teaching you the basics of fuinjutsu, as I lack the necessary patience for it."

“Okay, gramps,” Naruto grinned.

“Let’s call it a night,” Jiraiya said. “Hisashi, it was an honour to meet you. I look forward to further discussion in the future.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The following day, Naruto rose early and began his training by running laps around the area to warm up his body. One positive benefit that arose from his time in the compound was the development of a work ethic that had been lacking in his training previously. While he had proven in the past that he was capable of intense training when properly motivated, his dedication was not always consistent.

Naruto was joined by Hinata and some of the other genin. Kiba was predictable in that he turned the warm-up into a race. He humoured the boy for a time but ultimately left him in the dust. The supposed alpha was not happy with this and got up right into his face.

“You think you are so good!” Kiba growled. “Why don’t we spar so I can kick your ass.”

“I don’t know,” Naruto said, rubbing his chin as he considered the idea. “Engaging a spar with you at my current skill level would constitute bullying, and I am aware that ego is fragile.”

“Asshole,” Kiba shoved him backwards.

Feeling a surge of anger, Naruto made up his mind to teach Kiba a lesson and exact some well-deserved humiliation. He was going to try something he had thought of doing for some time. Naruto released his chains and they latched onto Akamaru, who stood behind Kiba. Sending a command through them, he waited to see if his experiment worked.

“Kiba, that is enough,” Hinata said, walking up to them.

"Hinata, this doesn't concern you... oww!" Kiba screamed.

Akamaru had bitten Kiba's rear end, exactly as Naruto had intended. Desperately, Kiba tried to reach behind him and remove the ninken, but his efforts were in vain. Naruto fell to the ground in fits of laughter, and the rest of the genin soon followed suit.

“Does he taste that good, Akamaru?” Choji chortled. “Maybe I should add Kiba cheeks to the menu!”

Hinata covered her mouth to hide her giggle, but her eyes gave away her mirth.

"Oh boy, it seems like we've got ourselves a new alpha male in town!" Ino cackled. “And he has made Kiba his bitch!”

Naruto eventually regained enough composure to release the ninken from his command. Akamaru relinquished his hold on Kiba and looked around, confused as to what was going on.

“Akamaru, what the hell was that for?” Kiba cried.

Akamaru looked aggrieved, barking at his companion as if trying to explain his actions. Naruto couldn't help but feel guilty for upsetting the ninken.

“Maybe he was trying to tell you something, Kiba,” Naruto said. “Try and chill out a little.”

Kiba growled and stormed off, with Akamaru following behind him.

“What are you going to practise today, Naruto?” Hinata asked.

“I am working on a new wind release jutsu,” Naruto said. “I started practising it in the compound, but I still haven’t gotten it down yet.”

"What is the name of the jutsu?" a voice inquired.

Naruto turned and saw the three Suna siblings standing before him. It was Temari who had spoken. He remembered their promise to assist one another in their training.

“Wind Release: Gale Palm,” Naruto replied.

“I have already learned it,” Temari said. "Why don't you show me the progress you've made so far, and I'll provide some suggestions."

“That would be great,” Naruto said.

He took aim at a dummy target that had been set up nearby and performed the sequence of hand seals; Snake → Ram → Boar → Horse → Bird, and then finished the jutsu by clapping his hands together.

“Wind Release: Gale Palm.”

Shouting out the name of the jutsu was completely unnecessary, but a touch of showmanship on the training grounds never caused harm, as long as it didn’t become a habit.

A compressed burst of wind materialised between his hands, sending the surge of wind towards the target. At least, that is what is supposed to happen, but the wind sputtered out before it even reached three feet. When used correctly, it was intended to unleash a powerful surge of wind that was capable of blowing opponents off their feet. It was clear that he was still struggling with the execution.

“So, what do you think?” Naruto asked Temari.

Temari strode forward, positioning herself next to Naruto and facing the target. "Watch as I demonstrate the jutsu and try to identify the mistake you made."

She performed the same hand seals, before releasing a surge of wind from her hands, Unlike his, her attack persisted and surged forward, forcefully striking the target. As a result, the target was uprooted from the ground and propelled backwards through the air.

“I can’t see a difference between your execution and mine,” Naruto said.

“Your execution was flawless, with one exception,” Temari said. “You are not feeding it enough chakra. You are spending only enough to bring the wind into existence, but it requires more to sustain its momentum.  The amount of chakra you use will need to be adjusted, depending on the distance to the target.”

"I understand," Naruto said, as he positioned himself in front of another target. He channelled additional chakra into the wind, intending to strengthen its force. However, his efforts exceeded what was necessary, causing the wind to veer off sideways, and almost hit Temari. Luckily, she swiftly evaded it just in time.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“It takes practice,” Temari said, although she looked annoyed. “Gale palm can also be used in tandem with kunai and shuriken to amplify their velocity. However, I suggest you master the jutsu first.”

“It’s why I chose to learn it,” Naruto said.

“How about we have a taijutsu spar? I need to improve as it’s a weak point of mine.”

“You may want to choose Hinata instead,” Ino said, rolling her eyes. “Naruto is pants at taijutsu.”

"You're one to speak," Naruto retorted. “Was your fight with Sakura in the chunin exams supposed to be a fight between two shinobi? Looked more like an alley catfight to me. Meow!”

“What did you say?” Ino growled. She was about to step forward when Choji grabbed her and whispered something in her ear. With a shocked expression, she made the decision to let his rude comment go unchallenged.

By this point, a larger crowd gathered to watch them, but Naruto couldn't see Jiraiya anywhere. He wondered where his godfather had gone.

Naruto and Temari squared off, assuming their stances. He released his chains and attached them to one of her legs.

“We will not be using any ninjutsu. Taijutsu only,” Temari said. “Judging from your stance, you are a lot more proficient in taijutsu.”

“There were some benefits to being locked up in the compound,” Naruto confirmed. “Although, I would have proffered a less extreme method of training.”

The spar commences, and Temari rushed forward to engage Naruto. He fell back into his normal modus operandi when facing a single opponent, and that was to stay on the defensive until he found an opportunity to counter.

Temari was downplaying her taijutsu skills. While she may not have possessed the same level of speed as someone like Sasuke or Hinata, she compensated for this with her sheer strength. The punches and kicks coming his way carried a significant amount of force. If any of them landed, he would certainly endure substantial damage.

However, Naruto's ability to evade every blow made it a moot point. Although Temari appeared calm, he noticed that the strikes were becoming slightly erratic. Using his chains, he accurately sensed the opportune moment to counter. He swiftly seized her arm and effortlessly flipped her over his shoulder. After landing on her back, Temari quickly reacted by bringing her legs together in an attempt to trap his head in a scissor hold. He let go of her arm and stepped back. Then, he reached for her raised legs, lifted her, and forcefully slammed her back onto the ground. Temari let out a groan as she felt the full impact of the fall, hitting the ground with her face.

The spar had seemingly devolved into a wrestling match. Although Temari was strong, she was no match for Naruto. He kept her pinned to the ground, then managed to grab her in an arm bar. She twisted around frantically, but he managed to hold on.

“Do you yield,” Naruto asked.

“Yes, dammit,” Temari huffed, and he let her go. She stood up and brushed herself off, looking disgusted with herself. “You countered my every move. I was completely helpless.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Naruto said. “I just happen to be used to fighting a superior opponent. I learnt how to read an opponent's moves during a fight. It’s a big part of my taijutsu style.”

“I need to improve my speed,” Temari sighed,

"I recommend that you use chakra weights," Naruto suggested. "I had to wear them continuously while I was in the compound. But I think you are being too hard on yourself. Taijutsu is not your primary means of offence. It is clear that you possess great skill in wind release jutsu and have a substantial amount of chakra, judging from your fight with Shikamaru. Your expertise lies in mid to long-range combat.”

“Thanks for the spar,” Temari smiled, walking off to join her brothers.

“Can I spar with you next, Naruto?” Hinata asked.

“No problem,” Naruto replied. “I know I am going to have a more difficult time with you.”

Especially considering he refused to use his Adamantine Sensing Chains on her.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Jiraiya did not return until late afternoon, and Naruto occupied himself by practising his calligraphy. Last night, he was given scrolls of paper, ink, and brushes to practise with, as fuinjutsu demanded that his kanji be flawless. It had killed all his excitement about learning fuinjutsu, but he knew that it was necessary to proceed further. If he made even the slightest mistake in writing the seal, then it could fail or, worse yet, explode.

Naruto spent the rest of the time meeting and talking with the other villagers. He felt relieved that most of them harboured no animosity towards him, though this also left him burdened with guilt over his actions towards them. Having the ability to read people's intentions to a certain extent, he felt a strong sense of duty to safeguard the village by making sure that no one was harbouring thoughts of betrayal.

Thankfully, everyone that he had examined so far had no thoughts of betrayal, although he still had not approached Sai, who was the most likely person to betray them if he ever managed to escape. He didn’t know why Jiraiya bothered to bring him along. Why not just knock him out and leave him in the compound?

He also considered entering his mindscape to talk with Kurama, but he was still feeling angry at the fox for not telling him about his parents. Furthermore, Kurama did kill them, even though he had known this beforehand and eventually came to accept it. He would have to deal with it at some point, though,  and see what Kurama had to say for himself.

“Naruto, I’m back!” Jiraiya stepped into the tent. “Oh good, you are practising your calligraphy.”

Naruto sighed and placed the brush back in the inkpot. "Yes, and it's the most boring thing ever. Where have you been?”

"You did ask me to take you to Tsunade, but I am unable to do so without obtaining the toad's permission first to take you to Mount Myoboku.”

"Will she not come here?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "Tsunade is being incredibly stubborn and refuses to leave."

“Did you get permission for me to travel there at least?”

“Yes,” Jiraiya grinned. “We set out early tomorrow morning.”

“Great,” Naruto clenched his fists with determination. “I will bring that old hag back kicking and screaming if I need to.”

“I wouldn’t call her old if you wish to continue among the living,” Jiraiya said, wincing. “She goes to great lengths to hide her real age.”

“I like to live dangerously,” Naruto smirked.

“It’s your funeral. Anyway, I have something for you, ” Jiraiya said, reaching into his kimono and retrieving a storage scroll. He set it down on the ground and unsealed it, causing the contents to spill out in every direction.

“A bunch of water balloons?” Naruto asked. “I appreciate the gesture, but I am not in the mood to prank anyone at the moment.”

“It’s not for pranking,” Jiraiya said. “What if I told you that these water balloons are the first step in learning a powerful jutsu that your father invented?”

"Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, brimming with excitement. "What's the name of the jutsu?"

"The Rasengan," Jiraiya said, raising his hand. In an instant, a swirling ball of blue chakra materialised in his palm.

“Woah!” Naruto closely examined the jutsu. “It doesn’t use any hand signs. How is that possible?”

“Shape manipulation,” Jiraiya answered, "Minato aimed to develop a jutsu that would be impossible for the Uchiha to replicate using their Sharingan. This is the result of that effort.”

“I am going to learn it right now,” Naruto declared.

“Do you think it is that easy?” Jiraiya sneered. “Mastering shape manipulation is a challenging endeavour in itself, and the Rasengan can be regarded as the pinnacle of the discipline.”

“Whatever. Show me what I need to do,” Naruto said, refusing to be demoralised by the apparent difficulty.

“Grab a balloon,” Jiraiya said and waited until Naruto had done so. “This is the first of three steps to mastering the Rasengan. To complete the first step, you need to rotate the chakra in your hand sufficiently enough to make the balloon burst.”

Naruto directed his attention to his hand, determined to make his chakra circulate. It felt sluggish and unresponsive, requiring him to exert a great deal of effort to get it moving. At last, the balloon shifted slightly, creating a small ripple across its surface.

“Oh yes, it won’t take much time at all,” Jiraiya laughed.

"Quiet down! I have this under control, just wait and see. Believe it!"

So, what do you think? Next chapter, Naruto goes to Mount Myoboku, and Danzo is surprised by Orochimaru’s new appearance.

Thanks for reading.