"How's life as a genin treating you, Minato?"
Jiraiya chose to start with small talk, hoping to get a feel for his student's daily life before diving into the real questions.
"Every day's been pretty fulfilling, Jiraiya-sensei. Ever since Lord Sakumo left on a mission, Kaien and I have been training under Kagami-sensei to gain more experience..."
Namikaze Minato kept it short and to the point so Jiraiya could follow along more easily.
It wasn't until Uchiha Kaien was about to summon his contract beast again that Jiraiya finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.
"When did Kaien get so... violent?"
"Oh, well, he's actually really gentle."
Except for that one time he punched me straight into the hospital.
"It's just that he's... strong. You know how it is, Jiraiya-sensei. Kaien's body was already tougher than mine to begin with, and after recovering from his hereditary illness, it's gotten even better."
Minato chose not to mention the time he'd been sent flying with a single punch. Some dark moments were best kept to oneself.
"By the way, Jiraiya-sensei, Kaien and I came up with a jutsu that doesn't require hand seals. It's surprisingly practical."
Scratching his head, Minato tried to push the memory of that one-punch out of his mind and swiftly changed the topic.
If there was one thing Minato had mastered, it was the Art of the Seamless Subject Switch.
He extended his right hand forward. Chakra flowed slowly from his chakra points, compressing and stabilizing until it formed a dense, spinning sphere—stable on the outside, but chaotic within.
Then he pressed the ball into the ground.
As the Rasengan met the earth, dirt and dust burst outward, only to be pulled back in by the jutsu's suction force. When the technique ended, it left behind a clean, hemispherical crater in the soil.
Jiraiya's expression shifted from casual curiosity to genuine astonishment. Gone was the idle interest—replaced by focused intensity.
"This jutsu... could really go places."
"Yeah. Kagami-sensei said that if I add nature transformation to it, its power would increase dramatically. It might even become a finishing move."
"You're underestimating it, Jiraiya," said a new voice.
Orochimaru and Uchiha Kaien had joined them at some point. Kaien was holding a smooth, egg-shaped snake egg in his arms.
"In terms of shape transformation, this jutsu is nearly perfected."
"To take chakra and mold it into a sphere from nothing—while keeping it stable on the outside and chaotic within... judging by the impact, the main damage comes from that internal turbulence, doesn't it?"
With his deep understanding of ninjutsu, Orochimaru had instantly grasped the Rasengan's core mechanics. It came with the territory when your dream was to master every jutsu in the world.
"That's right, Orochimaru-senpai. I couldn't have completed it on my own. It was thanks to Kaien's Sharingan. Without it, finding the right chakra pathways for condensation would've taken me years."
"Plus, if it hits an enemy, it disrupts their chakra flow. That alone gives a huge advantage in battle."
Kaien added calmly, "It's a great tool for one-shotting small fry, though it loses value if the opponent's already overwhelmed. Lord Third evaluated it and classified it as an A-rank jutsu."
"The Sharingan really is incredible," Jiraiya muttered. "Kaien, I may need your help when we get back to the village."
He'd never paid much attention to the Sharingan before, but now it was clear how convenient and powerful it really was. Could genjutsu of that caliber really be achieved with just the Sharingan alone?
Probably not. Kaien's natural talent had a lot to do with it, too.
A jutsu in one person's hands could be wildly different in another's—Orochimaru believed that wholeheartedly.
"If I can be of help, Orochimaru-sensei, I'd be glad to assist."
Kaien gave a polite reply, then turned his attention back to the snake egg in his hands. He was curious—what would happen if he infused it with a little chakra?
[Affection from Orochimaru +1]
Orochimaru's faint smile deepened. Though it was subtle, Jiraiya could tell—Orochimaru hadn't been this pleased in a long time.
...
The development of this new jutsu didn't take long to reach Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears. Uchiha Kagami, being one of his close comrades, mentioned in passing that two of Konoha's prodigies had created a powerful new technique.
And Kaien himself was already aligned with the Hokage's faction, so sharing the jutsu with the Hokage was perfectly reasonable.
In fact, after classifying the Rasengan as an A-rank technique, Hiruzen even taught them his own original jutsu: the Shadow Shuriken Clone Technique.
And then, after Kaien's stream of flattery—lines like "Lord Hokage, you're amazing to create such a powerful jutsu," and "You figured out the mechanics in seconds—you're incredible!"—Hiruzen got swept up in the praise and ended up teaching Kaien a second A-rank genjutsu.
If it were just a random kid spouting compliments, it wouldn't have mattered. But when it came from a good-looking, gifted, and respectful grandson-like disciple?
Well... that had twice the impact.
Especially with Kaien's pure, admiring eyes—anyone would've felt their ego swell.
...
"What about chakra consumption?" Orochimaru asked, still analyzing the jutsu's utility. Being labeled A-rank by Hiruzen already proved it had real value.
"In terms of stamina, I can use it a bunch of times!"
Kaien answered confidently. He'd even tested it by launching a Rasengan at the Fan, only to get blown away and laughed at by Uchiha Madara.
"Still, I have the Sharingan. Honestly, genjutsu is way more convenient."
Why fight up close when you can end a battle from afar? Kaien took pride in his efficient combat style.
"For me," Minato said, "I can use it about five times at full power."
Naturally, "full power" meant blasting open craters several meters wide—not the toned-down version he'd just demonstrated.
"That actually complements Jiraiya quite well," Orochimaru noted, glancing over at his teammate. "He's got more chakra than I do."
Jiraiya looked intrigued, and Orochimaru—while usually aloof—chose to lend a hand. After all, they were comrades. Helping Jiraiya save face wasn't too much trouble.
As for Orochimaru himself, with his own arsenal of snake-based techniques, he wasn't particularly suited for this jutsu.
What, was he going to spit a Rasengan out of a snake's mouth?
Only a tailed beast could pull off a move like that—that was classic Tailed Beast Bomb territory.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (156 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)