Chapter 89 - Minato's Crossroads

Translation:

Hanma didn't pay attention to Minato, who had entered a goofy state; instead, he focused on the buzzing Rasengan in Minato's hand, deep in thought:

"Did Minato really figure out the Rasengan in advance?"

Hanma couldn't help but recall a joke from his previous life: "Minato took one day to create the Rasengan, and three years to think of a cool name for it."

The Rasengan, the signature jutsu of this "Prince of the Ninja World," runs throughout the entire "Naruto" series and holds special significance for the entire ninja world.

In the original timeline, the Rasengan was inspired by the Tailed Beast Bomb during Minato's participation in the Third Great Ninja War. After three years of research, he developed this jutsu.

However, the current Minato received top-tier ninja education since childhood, laying a much stronger foundation than in the original timeline.

In the last war, Hanma saved Minato and the others by physically withstanding a Tailed Beast Bomb, which left Minato both shocked and with a clearer understanding of his own abilities, sparking a desire for improvement.

After returning to the village, Minato dedicated himself wholeheartedly to developing the Rasengan, leading to its earlier creation.

Seeing Hanma deep in thought, Minato showed a hint of pride on his face.

"Bro, the critical aspect of the Rasengan is that it requires no hand signs, making it highly compatible with my Flying Thunder God Technique."

"However, I'm still not satisfied with its power. Against some highly defensive enemies, it can't effectively break through their defenses."

Hanma glanced at Minato, nodded in agreement, and extended an arm, signalling Minato to demonstrate the Rasengan's effect.

Minato didn't hesitate; there was no need for modesty between them. He activated the Rasengan and pressed it against Hanma's sturdy arm.

"Zzziii!"

The Rasengan collided with Hanma's iron-like arm. The high-velocity spinning chakra created a harsh noise as it rubbed against Hanma's skin.

"Whew."

The Rasengan's attack couldn't penetrate Hanma's skin. After a violent clash, it gradually broke apart into streams of chakra and vanished into the air.

Minato sighed. Though he was well aware of Hanma's terrifying defense, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Hanma looked at his arm, full of white marks from the Rasengan's friction, and clapped his hands in admiration:

"The Rasengan is indeed a formidable jutsu. If its nature transformation were more profound, I'd even ask Tsunade to learn it."

Hearing this, Minato's eyes lit up. "Brother, do you really rate the Rasengan that highly?"

But then he shook his head, objectively suggesting: "Currently, the Rasengan's power is still no match for Tsunade-sensei's superhuman strength. Improving her speed and perception would be more beneficial than learning this technique."

Hanma raised an eyebrow and mocked: "I meant, after Tsunade learns the Rasengan, she could help me scrub my back."

However, Minato's assessment of Tsunade was very accurate.

Tsunade's greatest shortcoming is her mobility. Improving her perception and movement capabilities is why she went to Shikkotsu Forest to study Sage Mode.

Minato wasn't bothered by Hanma's mockery; their dynamic had always been like this since childhood, and he was used to it.

What frustrated him more was his own dissatisfaction with the Rasengan's current power.

Having experienced the last war, confronting Hanzo's might and the Tailed Beasts up close, Minato developed a deeper understanding of the ninja world's top combatants.

Currently, his goal was to have techniques that could harm Tailed Beasts while ensuring his own safety.

Minato formed another Rasengan, staring at the swirling chakra currents, and slowly said:

"I'm also not satisfied with the Rasengan's power, but it's difficult to improve it. I'd like your guidance, brother."

Hanma nodded. For regular ninja conditions, the Rasengan's power was sufficient. But against Jinchurikis or individuals like the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud, it was inadequate.

These ninjas shared the trait of exceptionally strong defenses or extraordinary healing abilities. To defeat them, more powerful jutsus were required.

Although the Flying Thunder God Technique could ensure Minato's survival, it was clear he aspired to take on a greater role.

Hanma pondered. While not an expert in ninjutsu, relying on his experience and knowledge from his previous life, he could still offer Minato some advice.

"To enhance a jutsu's power, the simplest way is to increase the amount of chakra, as chakra is the foundation of all jutsus."

"For the Rasengan, increasing the chakra amount could enhance its power, though it's challenging to maintain a large amount of chakra in the Rasengan's form. This is the simplest path."

Hanma's first suggestion was straightforward: make more, bigger Rasengans, just like Naruto did!

Minato nodded. Though his chakra amount wasn't as astonishing as Kushina's, it was still top-tier in the ninja world.

As an adult, Minato could control Sage Mode, proving his substantial chakra reserves, and utilized the Flying Thunder God Technique multiple times during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Minato gradually expanded the Rasengan in his hand until it reached the size of a basketball, giving Hanma a signal with his eyes.

Testing a jutsu's power is most accurate with a live experiment, and at this moment, Hanma was playing this role.

Hanma's face darkened. How did he end up with such a "blessed" disciple?

He extended his hand and gripped the enlarged Rasengan with force.

"Bang!"

The basketball-sized Rasengan exploded, but Hanma's hand, though covered with complex white marks, had no deep wounds.

Feeling the temperature from the explosion in his hand, Hanma commented:

"While increasing chakra can enhance the Rasengan's power, it's a crude method, merely expanding its attack range rather than fundamentally boosting its power."

Minato agreed, having long realized this issue.

No matter how big the Rasengan, its core principle remained the same: killing the opponent with high-density spinning chakra.

Meaning, if a regular Rasengan couldn't break through a defense, neither could a Giant Rasengan. The fundamental destructive power hadn't improved.

Forming another Rasengan, this time Minato infused it with Wind Release chakra, creating a blue chakra ball with translucent blades around it.

"Wind Release: Rasengan!"

"Brother, to fundamentally change the Rasengan, my current idea is to use Wind Release chakra's unparalleled slicing power to enhance its lethality."

"But the issue is that using the Wind Release Rasengan against an enemy causes an explosion that might also backfire on me, making it counterproductive."

"My original intent was to see if I could inject more Wind Release chakra into the Rasengan, achieving a fundamental change. If successful, the enhanced Rasengan would be a collection of countless micro-blades at a microscopic level, capable of directly damaging enemy cells. Even you might get hurt by this!"

Hanma's face darkened further. This blond-haired kid isn't just using him as a guinea pig; now he's outright targeting him. What kind of "filial" disciple is this?

"Duang!"

Minato, rubbing his bruised head, sat meekly by the side. Seeing Hanma's slightly improved expression, he cautiously continued:

"Even with the regular Rasengan, I can't make it leave my hand; once I lose control, it disintegrates. So, I'm not sure how to proceed with development."

Hanma's expression turned serious. This issue couldn't be resolved by mere inspiration. Mishandling it could severely harm Minato's foundation.

In the original timeline, Naruto nearly crippled his hand using the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken without substantial healing abilities from Kurama and Ashura's power.

Hanma couldn't provide Minato with an Ashura's soul or make him a Jinchuriki of Kurama.

Although Kurama eventually recognized Minato in the original series, that happened in the Shinigami's stomach. Hanma didn't believe Minato could normally tame Kurama.

In absolute silence, they stared at each other for seventeen years. Recognizing Kurama wouldn't be enough; they might even fall in love.

"If you persist with developing the Rasengan, we'd need another source of chakra to stabilize its state post-transformation, or you'll need a body resilient enough to withstand the chakra energy storm."

Only with Sage Mode or Kurama's chakra mode in the original timeline could Naruto safely throw the Rasenshuriken.

Minato, an academic prodigy, had a deeper understanding of chakra nature transformation and form manipulation than Naruto.

The consistent challenge was due to the impossible requirements this path posed for any typical ninja.

To develop this jutsu, one must endure the breaking process from semi-finished to finished Rasenshuriken, tearing muscles, and bones, a path unwalkable for almost 100% of ninjas.

Even Jiraiya once told Naruto, "No previous Hokage managed to infuse Wind Release into the Rasengan," showing the underlying issue of physical limitations.

Having Sage Mode or earning Kurama's recognition would make the Rasenshuriken less crucial as a pursuit.

Lamenting, Minato wished: "If only I had a physique like yours, Brother. Then there'd be no need to throw the Rasenshuriken; I could slam it directly into the enemy's face."

Hanma humorously shook his head, teasing: "In a few years, I'll show you what it means to punch through a Tailed Beast Bomb. Relying on chakra alone is too inefficient!"

Minato looked at Hanma with disdain, silently fuming: "Talented ninjas are the worst!"

He failed to notice how extraordinarily talented he was, mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique at sixteen, creating the Rasengan, and researching nature transformation.

Effort may rival talent, but both lose to cheats; this is the truth of the ninja world.

Minato, for once, looked troubled. Creating a jutsu that saw immediate stagnation left the blonde perplexed.

In the original timeline, Minato was hindered by the lack of a powerful single-target killing jutsu, preventing him from reaching the super Kage level.

Had Minato possessed such destructive power, the Nine-Tails Incident with Obito would've ended differently.

Seeing Minato's troubled face, Hanma sighed inwardly:

"Recognizing one's shortcomings early is a virtue."

"Actually, you can consider creating a new Kekkei Genkai by combining multiple chakra natures. You possess numerous chakra attributes."

Minato blinked, curious: "Kekkei Genkai techniques are usually inherited, though. There's no record of notable bloodline limits in my ancestry."

Hanma chuckled, explaining:

"Kekkei Genkai broadly falls into two categories."

"One is organic, involving an altered body part, like the Hyuga's Byakugan or the Uchiha's Sharingan."

"The other is chakra-based, where combining two chakra natures creates a new jutsu, known as Kekkei Genkai, such as the Hidden Mist's Ice Release or the Hidden Sand's Magnet Release, and these can be inherited."

"Kekkei Genkai formed from chakra combinations can be invented by ninjas and then recorded in their genes, to be passed down."

Minato's eyes lit up again, invigorating the rarely challenged prodigy. Creating a new Kekkei Genkai attracted him greatly.

Hanma encouraged: "Achieving the fusion of three chakra natures becomes a Kekkei Tota, boasting superior power over all jutsus, like the Hidden Stone's Dust Release, which even I would avoid."

"Kekkei Tota can also be learned through training. The Second and Third Tsuchikage from the Hidden Stone weren't related but both mastered Dust Release."

"If you invent a new Kekkei Tota, you'd gain unmatched power. Your future kids with Kushina would also benefit."

Motivating him further, Hanma hoped the power of love would inspire Minato.

Minato's eyes shone with ambition, contemplating what kind of jutsu he envisioned.

Hanma was puzzled:

"What sort of jutsu is Minato imagining?"