Chapter 11: Harvest! (Please bookmark and read)
AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
After leaving the shop, Xuan Yi and Minato Namikaze walked to a secluded spot and stopped.
Minato Namikaze looked at Xuan Yi, pondering slightly.
Xuan Yi's honesty surprised him, and he also greatly appreciated and thanked him.
Moreover, he naturally understood what Ryuusei Nimoki had said before leaving.
Furthermore, Minato Namikaze had no intention of taking Xuan Yi's Ninjutsu for free.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi's suggestion, he was already prepared for it.
However, Minato Namikaze genuinely had no thoughts of taking on a disciple.
He was only fifteen or sixteen years old now, not yet at the age to take on a disciple.
Guiding Xuan Yi, of course, was not a problem.
Minato Namikaze was also very happy to communicate with Xuan Yi, who had many ideas, because the latter did not seem like a five or six-year-old child.
Very mature!
After what just happened, Minato Namikaze had completely placed Xuan Yi on an equal footing.
So, after pondering for a moment, Minato Namikaze smiled and said, "Xuan Yi, your talent is very high, your thinking is sharp, and you are very sensitive to Ninjutsu."
"However, although I am a Jonin now, I don't have enough experience to be your teacher, so I can't take you as a disciple."
"Of course, I welcome you to discuss Ninjutsu with me anytime. Coincidentally, I've also had some breakthroughs in Water Release."
Xuan Yi was not surprised and quickly said, "Big Brother Minato, then I won't be polite."
Minato Namikaze waved his hand and said, "Call me Big Brother Minato."
"Also, although I can't take you as a disciple, I can introduce you to Jiraiya-sensei."
"Of course, I can't guarantee whether Jiraiya-sensei will take you as a disciple."
Xuan Yi was secretly overjoyed and quickly bowed: "Thank you so much, Big Brother Minato."
He struck while the iron was hot; since he was told to call him Big Brother Minato, he certainly wouldn't be polite.
Minato Namikaze smiled and said, "You're welcome, it's nothing."
"Here, take this next."
As he spoke, Minato Namikaze pulled out a small scroll from the Ninjutsu bag behind him: "The Rasengan is a very good Ninjutsu, and I can't just take it for free."
"These are the Water Release Ninjutsu I've mastered. Although they may not compare to the Rasengan, they should suit you."
Xuan Yi rubbed his hands, hesitated for only a second, then took the scroll from Minato Namikaze: "Big Brother Minato, then I won't be polite."
Minato Namikaze couldn't help but smile at Xuan Yi's demeanor: "Take a look. If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime!"
Xuan Yi nodded, then eagerly opened the scroll in his hand.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
Xuan Yi was no stranger to this Ninjutsu; many people in his memory had used it.
For example, Kakashi, Darui, and others.
The deepest memory was of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Others would spit out water, forming a water column from top to bottom for defense.
Similar Ninjutsu included Kakuzu's Water Curtain, which worked in the same way.
However, Senju Tobirama's Water Formation Wall would involve spitting out a stream of water that would encircle the caster, forming a hollow water column that provided defense from all four sides.
Xuan Yi vividly remembered this Jutsu being used when the Edo Tensei Tobirama fought Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Besides Tobirama's unique variations of the Jutsu, there was also his hand seals.
Senju Tobirama likely used only two or three seals.
The normal hand seal sequence for Water Formation Wall is Tiger - Snake - Tiger - Snake - Tiger - Snake.
This is what Xuan Yi saw now.
As for Senju Tobirama's two hand seals, Xuan Yi vaguely remembered the first seal being the 'Front' character seal from the Nine Syllable Mantra Hand Seals, and the subsequent hand seal looked like two hand seals, but it couldn't be fully matched with any of the twelve basic hand seals.
There were no fully corresponding hand seals in the Nine Syllable Mantra Hand Seals either.
It might be the 'Ren' seal, meaning any seal, according to one's own habit, which is something only achievable when a certain Ninjutsu is mastered to perfection.
For example, when Naruto uses the Shadow Clone Technique and Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, it's a 'Ren' seal, done very casually.
However, after studying hand seals for a while, Xuan Yi felt that the Second Seal of Senju Tobirama's Water Formation Wall should be the 'Zai' character seal combined with the Snake Seal among the twelve basic hand seals.
Whether this was truly the case, Xuan Yi decided he could try to research it in the future.
If he could form two seals, there was no need to form six.
Most importantly, it was unique and cool!
...Looking at the B-rank Ninjutsu, Water Formation Wall, Xuan Yi's mind had already churned through a lot, then he continued to scroll further.
The second Jutsu appeared.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
Seeing this Jutsu, Xuan Yi's eyebrows couldn't help but twitch.
Zabuza and Kakashi's battle with forty-four seals was truly a classic.
Minato Namikaze noticed Xuan Yi's subtle expression and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the Water Dragon Bullet Technique?"
Xuan Yi smiled and said, "Because it's a B-rank Ninjutsu, I thought the hand seals would be more complex."
Also, the version Minato Namikaze gave had four seals, which should be the version from Senju Tobirama and Kosuke.
If it were Zabuza's version, that would truly be... something he wouldn't want to learn.
Minato Namikaze naturally didn't understand the hidden mischievousness in Xuan Yi's words and smiled, "The seals for the Water Dragon Bullet Technique itself aren't very complex, but they're not simple either. This is the simplified version by the Second Hokage-sama."
"Ryuusei-sensei said you have a good understanding of seals and high Water Release talent, so I used this one."
This is good, this is good!
The two then exchanged their insights on Water Release, and only then did Minato Namikaze leave.
However, before leaving, he gave Xuan Yi his home address and also reminded Xuan Yi that he could exchange the Rasengan Ninjutsu for another Ninjutsu of the same rank from the Village.
This confirmed another source of Ninjutsu for Xuan Yi.
After Minato Namikaze left, Xuan Yi opened the scroll again to look at the two Ninjutsu.
Trading the Rasengan for two B-rank Water Release Ninjutsu seemed like a loss.
But in reality, the gains were more than that.
For example, his friendship with Minato Namikaze, which meant he could frequently ask for guidance.
And Minato Namikaze also had Uzumaki Kushina behind him.
Furthermore, Minato Namikaze promised to introduce him to Jiraiya.
Although he might not necessarily gain Jiraiya's favor and be taken as a disciple, just knowing him and establishing a connection was a resource in itself.
Hidden within this was a network of connections.
"These connections must be maintained well."
"The 'genius' persona is so useful."
"Of course, the most crucial thing is... benefit!"
Without benefit.
Genius?
What does that have to do with me? (What the hell does that have to do with me!)
As for why Minato Namikaze didn't exchange an A-rank Water Release Ninjutsu, Xuan Yi was almost certain that Minato Namikaze had not mastered the Water Severing Wave Water Release.
In his memory, Minato Namikaze had never displayed Ninjutsu like Water Release or Wind Release.
With the Flying Thunder God, he had no need for those; the Rasengan was the perfect match.
"So, he must have already initially mastered the Flying Thunder God, which is why he urgently needed to develop a Jutsu that could perfectly complement the Flying Thunder God."
"How enviable!"
Xuan Yi slowly closed the scroll.
Now he had three Water Release Ninjutsu.
Water Shockwave, Water Formation Wall, Water Dragon Bullet Technique—two offensive, one defensive.
So, should he trade the Rasengan for the Water Severing Wave, a powerful A-rank Water Release offensive Ninjutsu?
He considered it for less than a second before Xuan Yi rejected the idea.
Because he knew that he absolutely could not master this Water Release Ninjutsu.
It wasn't a lack of confidence in his mind, but a lack of confidence in his Chakra reserves.