Chapter 162: A rasengan?

After Homura stumbled upon the research related to Doctor Ueno, life continued on its usual course with minimal disruption.

The doctor got a poster signed but not as he had hoped. It seemed the actress didn't sign his poster because she did not even show up, her co-star was the only one who showed up to his chagrin.

And Shizuka's pregnancy was occurring without any issues. As the months went by, her pregnancy became more and more apparent. She had become slower but she never stopped coming every day. The entire staff tried to do as much as possible to make her feel comfortable.

This was overall more work for Homura, but he didn't really mind.

While it may have felt strange to witness a pregnancy as it unfolded, the experience was actually quite positive. Despite the initial unease, being there to support and assist throughout the process proved to be rather rewarding.

Their clinic mostly took care of old folks and children living on the outskirts of the village, so it was a change of pace.

But truthfully, Homura had a lot on his mind. The research that Doctor Ueno was conducting was incomplete. He seemed that it had hit a wall, that he was unable to circumvent.

The doctor was indeed smart, but he was not as smart as Homura had initially thought or was not willing to cross a few lines that put his ethics to the test.

That was as much as Homura could gather from the information he had acquired, and when it came to technical knowledge he was not able to understand some of the things present even with C helping him.

It seemed that Homura was missing years of research and scientific background in order to understand many things written and described by Doctor Ueno.

The only way that he could get some answers was either by studying or asking someone with similar knowledge to Doctor Ueno. The best option would be to ask the doctor himself but if he did, it would become obvious what Homura had done, and putting a medical ninja under an incomplete sharingan genjutsu was simply a bad idea.

Besides, he had his hands full with trying to complete the Rasengan which was proving to be more of a challenge.

The more he attempted to complete it the more it became obvious why the jutsu was of such a high rank. Not anyone could achieve such a thing and Homura understood and knew of the fundamental key points to its creation. Unfortunately, the devil is often in the details which made him fail a lot.

He had hoped to have it completed by the end of the academy year since Naruto was able to complete it in a week but reality was different. It had been almost 7 months since he started his training and although he was making decent progress when it came to the last few steps he always came short.

The Rasengan more or less acted as a perpetual motion machine, in other words as long as it was completed it didn't need the user to use his strength or in this case chakra; to keep it active.

It was the work of a genius mind, but it also meant that if the jutsu process was followed to the letter, it would be impossible to perform it.

To Homura's chagrin.

Homura's inner turmoil was palpable as he labored tirelessly on the Rasengan, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. Hours had blurred into one another, and yet the result remained elusive. The rubber ball he had been using refused to burst, no matter how much chakra he poured into it.

"kuh, darn it!" He yelled as he once again failed to burst the rubber ball.

It was easy for him to burst a normal water balloon.

Took him 2 weeks and 3 days to truly perfect that part but a rubber ball was different. Its physical integrity was much greater than a water balloon. Its mass was far more robust and hard to crack.

Under normal circumstances, Homura, would have given up on the project and tried to learn something else in order to use his time for something more productive such as working more to perfect his wind release or fire release.

He also had an affinity for lightning release that he wished to further explore, but so far, in almost 4 years, never truly had the time.

A testament to how busy he was.

Sadly, the fire release or wind release jutsus that he knew of didn't really cause that much damage. Worse, they were just that were long-range which gave his enemies enough time to avoid if they were aware of his attacks.

He needed something upfront. Something that could be performed easily and took almost no time; the rasengan was the answer to that conundrum.

But it was not something that could easily be mastered.

"It's crooked" Homura lamented as he stared at the rubber ball in his hands.

He confidently tossed it aside, effortlessly landing it in a basket filled with numerous other rubber balls of identical shape.

"My budget is going to be in the red this month too… *SIGH* One more time, " Homura said as he picked another rubber ball from a basket of perfectly clean rubber balls next to him.

The previous rubber ball was unusable.

Although Homura failed to accomplish his task, nonetheless, the rubber ball was now a bit crooked from him trying so many times to perform the rasengan with it.

His determination had pushed him to attempt the technique an astonishing 45 times today alone.

A part of himself was expecting this time to be no different, that he would undoubtedly fail his pessimistic attitude was in for a rude awakening.

At last, on this attempt, the rubber ball did shift, changing shape as though responding to his concentrated efforts. But like a fleeting dream, it swiftly reverted to its original form, mocking his persistent endeavors.

In a momentary lapse, the ball slipped from his grasp and embarked on an unintended journey. Its trajectory, guided by chance, led it to collide with a series of sturdy tree trunks before eventually finding its resting place in the nearby river.

With exhaustion weighing heavily on him, Homura collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. His mind was a whirlwind of doubts and frustration. How could I succeed at mastering this technique? He ruminated, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. At the current rate of progress, success seems almost impossible.

The crux of the matter was the need to concentrate his chakra into a single, infinitesimal point within his hand. It was a daunting task, for not only did he have to focus his chakra there, but also refine it to the point of materialization outside his body. This demanded an unparalleled level of control. I've honed my skills in medical ninjutsu as much as I could, but this is on an entirely different level.

While most academy cadets were taught jutsu that centered on molding chakra inside their bodies before releasing it, Homura's situation was unique. His proficiency in medical ninjutsu had acquainted him with the intricacies of emitting chakra through his hands, a skill far more challenging than it initially appeared. I thought having a foundation in medical ninjutsu would give me an edge, but it seems I've merely ventured into uncharted territory.

Despite his unwavering determination, every attempt left him defeated, such as when the rubber ball unexpectedly veered toward his face, forcing him to dodge with haste. It collided with a nearby rock, epitomizing his exasperating lack of progress. Every failure stings. I'm running out of options here.

Homura peered at the small dot he had painted on his left hand as a focus point for his chakra. He couldn't help but question if he was correctly infusing the chakra within the ball. He had even been meticulous about molding his chakra counterclockwise, in harmony with the natural flow dictated by his hair's growth. Yet success remained elusive, shrouded in a maddening veil of complexity. Am I missing a crucial detail?

Jiraiya's explanations, gleaned from the manga, had seemed straightforward. However, the real-world application was an enigma far more intricate. Homura couldn't shake the feeling that there were additional nuances to the Rasengan that went unmentioned. Jiraiya made it sound so simple in the manga, but this... this is a puzzle wrapped in an enigma. Perhaps Naruto had some innate knack for it that I lack. Or maybe...

Maybe the Rasengan is not meant for me, Homura pondered with a heavy heart. He couldn't help but entertain the disheartening notion. Perhaps it's a jutsu beyond my reach.

He about a year and a half before becoming a genin, and the year following that the village would be attacked by two villages.

He couldn't afford this to be a mistake.

He didn't know who his Jonin teacher would be but he would ultimately have no choice but to follow them around.

This meant his current life would be no longer possible. And a career as a medic-nin was impossible for him. It would make a bad situation worse since Homura needed power above all things.

The rasengan was a different jutsu from what Homura was used to. Rather, it was the complete opposite.

Normally most jutsus are molded by molding chakra inside their body and then expelling it and controlling it via a series of hand seals. It didn't matter if one had to expel the jutsu via their hands, use their mouth, or even touch the element they were trying to control such as water or the land around them.

But the rasengan was the opposite, it was closer to gathering chakra but then trying to mold the said chakra outside via his hands. Completely eliminating the need for hand seals since he had to mold his chakra separately in a different method. Not only that, but he had to add rotation and make his chakra dense enough.

It was a jutsu better used for someone who had a lot of chakra or had chakra dense enough that they could easily project it outside.

Either way, it didn't fit most people. Most people couldn't hope to arrive at a certain point in their lives where they could make their chakra visible. To make chakra visible a large dose of chakra needed to be concentrated on a single point, which, with the 8 gates limiting the amount of chakra that could be used at any given time, it was almost impossible to achieve such a feat without having large reserves of chakra.

Making it a jutsu perfect for Naruto but not so much for Homura, who had chakra reserves above most of his classmates but clearly not enough to compare with Naruto who had a tailed beast inside of him or was an Uzumaki.

At this point, he understood enough about the principles behind the technique that he knew that even if could perform the jutsu, chances are that it would be tiny.

A.K.A, weak.

Weak, but still useful if he could use it at a moment's notice.

If he could hit someone's heart or chest they would still suffer because it was more or less impossible to train one's internal organs.

Sadly, it was not what he had in mind.

He could not help himself from thinking that way as he saw the rubber ball getting further away from him, being swallowed by the river nearby.

"It would have been a different story if I could walk on water... but..." said Homura as he watched the rubber ball soar further beyond his reach. His earlier attempts had been a testament to his determination, but frustration had slowly begun to creep in. The concept of creating a rasengan, a technique of immense power and precision, seemed to slip further away with each failure.

He was on the brink of giving up when, to his amazement, something peculiar occurred. It was a seemingly ordinary event, but its significance was profound. The rubber ball, on a collision course with a rock in the river, suddenly veered to the right, narrowly avoiding the impact. It was a moment of revelation for Homura, a forgotten lesson from Iruka-sensei's class resurfacing in his mind.

"Flow... That's it!" Homura's voice carried the excitement of realization. His thoughts quickly connected the dots. Ninjutsu training was a multi-faceted process, involving three crucial steps: power, flow, and nature. Balancing these properties was essential before molding chakra. He had been solely focused on the power aspect, wanting to condense his chakra within the rubber ball to give it mass and force.

But now, it dawned on him that he had neglected the 'flow' component. Instead of trying to cram his chakra into a single point within the ball with brute force, he should control the flow, directing his chakra like a current. The implications of this insight were staggering, and it breathed new life into his determination.

Homura's renewed determination was palpable as he set to work, determined to put his newfound insight into practice. He retrieved another rubber ball from a nearby basket, his fingers gripping it with both hands, one at the top and the other at the bottom. With closed eyes, he cleared his mind of all distractions, seeking a state of serene focus.

In this mental cocoon of tranquility, he envisioned a solitary droplet of water, poised to strike an ethereal surface. His mind meticulously crafted the intricate details of the imagined impact—the ripples, their thickness, their multitude. Gradually, the waves grew larger in his mental canvas, mirroring the surface's transformation into liquid. With unwavering concentration, Homura channeled his chakra into a single, pinpoint focus.

As he released his chakra, the image of that solitary droplet striking the water's surface guided his efforts. The rubber ball began to undergo a dramatic transformation. Instead of random, chaotic shifts, it now contorted with purpose, as though it were intent on escaping through a single, well-defined point. Minutes passed, each one etching deeper lines of strain on Homura's face. Beads of perspiration formed, evidence of his unwavering commitment to maintaining this newfound flow.

With a sudden burst, the rubber ball reached its limits and burst, just as Homura had hoped. It was a profound moment of triumph, one that signified not only the materialization of his chakra but also the development of his skills. He had taken a significant step toward mastering the rasengan, and his journey towards becoming a formidable ninja had just gained momentum.

"The second step... accomplished. I never thought I'd see the day," he murmured, reaffirming his resolve. The rasengan was closer than ever, and he intended to claim it.

He never contemplated that he could truly perform the rasengan or be this close to it. He thought he would be stuck in the second level for another 3 to 2 months. And after failing, he would move to something else but now he completed the second phase.

It seems that he could only pass his blockage as long as he would get an epiphany. But in some case he was right. He had the training but he failed because he was not following the right procedures, it was a good thing that he remembered the core principles that any jutsu must somewhat adhere to, the rasengan was no different even if its base structure and conception were a bit different from the average jutsu.

Homura contemplated the final stage, the third step, its nuances and intricacies swirling within his thoughts. Should he fetch a balloon to aid in his visualization? The idea lingered briefly, then vanished. Success on this day was far from his expectations, and he had spent months refining the rasengan's vivid image in his mind.

"No need for a balloon," he concluded, confidence radiating in his voice. "I've visualized the rasengan for months. I feel like, almost like second nature at this point. My nearly perfect memory makes it vivid, precise."

He recognized that external aids were unnecessary. Instead, he focused on combining the first two steps of the jutsu. He positioned his hands, creating the necessary space for the rasengan's formation.

"Merge them... power and flow, unite," he muttered, as his hands drew closer.

Homura's eyes closed, and his mind transitioned to that quiet, serene place he had come to know so well. It was a space emptied of distractions and noise, allowing him to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Empty the mind, find that pure focus..."

Within this mental sanctuary, he visualized the intricate dance of chakra, its patterns swirling in perfect harmony. It was as if the rasengan's dynamic nature was etched into his very being.

"I can see it all—the rotation, the speed, the dynamics. I know this, I feel this."

The rasengan began to take shape. It was slowly starting to emerge but it was definitely the technique he remembered as it was seemingly producing overwhelming currents of air to swirl as well from the pressure it was exuding.

It was as though it emerged from the depths of his soul, growing steadily in substance and complexity.

"This is the moment. I can feel it, see it forming. It's going to work," he affirmed.

For a heartbeat, it was perfect. He was on the brink of exultation. The rasengan was manifesting, his lifelong dream within reach.

But as he got bigger it began to slow down its size.

It was rather small.

The size of a perfectly round rock.

Then, a sudden deviation occurred, catching him off guard.

"Green? That's unexpected... but it shouldn't matter. It's just a detail," he reasoned, though the unexpected oddity troubled him.

What followed defied his expectations. A spark of lightning danced around the nascent rasengan.

"sparks?" he noted inside his head.

As far as he knew it was not a natural phenomenon linked to the rasengan.

Homura found himself in a perplexing situation as he witnessed a peculiar rasengan unlike any he had seen before.

Not only was it an unexpected shade of light green, but it also emitted an increasing number of sparks, leaving him unable to intervene. The sheer effort required to sustain control over the technique demanded his complete focus and drained his reserves.

"Lightning? Why is there lightning? This isn't right," he pondered as the surge of electricity enveloped the chakra sphere.

He couldn't control it and that was starting to make him afraid it almost felt that the sphere created was about to collapse in on itself.

A surge of electricity crackled and enveloped the chakra sphere, causing the structure to explode with sudden, violent force.

The explosion sent Homura hurtling backward, surprise etched across his face, quickly replaced by pain as he collided with the unforgiving ground.

HOMURA (internal monologue) Why did it burst? I was so close...

He lay there, eyes focused on the darkening sky, grappling with the frustration of another failure.