Two years ago, during a practical combat assessment, I watched Asuma sparring with an opponent. He was able to compress his chakra to an insane degree and keep it perfectly stable along the edge of his blades, forming glowing blue chakra edges that hit like absolute monsters.
Shinichi spoke calmly, eyes distant as he recalled the moment.
"At the time I thought—if chakra can be condensed that tightly onto a weapon, then why not skip the weapon entirely? Why not compress and shape it straight in the palm of your hand, creating an entirely new, bare-handed ninjutsu?"
Asuma?
High-density compression?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes sharpened. He instantly remembered the pair of chakra-conductive blades he'd gifted his son for his birthday—Shinichi Blades. A flicker of belated fear and mild scolding rose in his chest.
That boy is far too reckless!
Asuma had the advantage of specially forged chakra metal to act as both container and guide. Shinichi had tried to replicate the exact same high-density chakra shaping with nothing but his own flesh and blood. One slip in control and…
The Third Hokage kept his expression perfectly warm and grandfatherly, refusing to interrupt. He simply listened, letting the boy finish.
"Once I had the idea, I started experimenting. At first it was basic—just forcing chakra into my palm. It scattered everywhere, completely formless, zero power. Then I realized chakra needs containment and shape, so I tried water balloons. I'd release chaotic, violent chakra inside a sealed balloon until the internal pressure tore it apart from within."
Hiruzen gave a small, approving nod. The first step was clean, logical, and touched the very fundamentals of chakra shape transformation.
"After the water balloon worked, I felt the stability was still lacking. So I moved on to tougher rubber balls. The goal was to maintain a steady output of chakra while forcing it to solidify in my palm, hammering away at the inside of the ball until it burst. That stage took forever—required ridiculously precise control."
Shinichi paused, then continued.
"Once the rubber ball succeeded too…" He hesitated, as if remembering the frustration. "I still felt like something was missing. It was never quite the stable, condensed sphere I imagined. So eventually… I switched to solid iron balls."
Iron balls.
Hiruzen finally understood why the boy he'd been quietly watching had suddenly started spinning those black iron spheres in his palm more than a year ago. He had assumed it was just another obsessive training habit to improve finger dexterity and hand-seal speed. Turns out there was a much deeper reason.
This child's talent far exceeds what I expected.
The Third Hokage suppressed the wave of genuine shock and spoke with gentle affirmation.
"So that's how it was. Drawing inspiration from observation, then daring to experiment, and building such a methodical, step-by-step training regimen… that kind of creativity and perseverance is truly precious."
His tone shifted slightly.
"However, Shinichi… from what I observed today, that first fist-sized Rasengan you demonstrated has already achieved an extremely stable and exquisite balance in both shape transformation and chakra control. In my professional opinion, the technique is already remarkably mature and successful."
Mature? Successful?
Shinichi's face showed open bewilderment, as if he genuinely hadn't expected the evaluation.
Seeing his reaction, Hiruzen chuckled softly and shook his head in understanding.
"Ah, I see the misunderstanding now. In your mind, the larger version you showed afterward and the smaller one are simply two forms of the same jutsu—or rather, the bigger one was your attempt to 'fix' the flaws of an unfinished product, correct?"
"Two separate techniques? But Lord Third…" Shinichi frowned deeply, voice laced with confusion. "The smaller Rasengan has decent power, but its formation speed is too slow and the attack radius is limited. To me, those flaws are obvious. It didn't feel like a finished, practical combat jutsu at all. That's why I tried injecting far more chakra to forcibly expand its size and range, hoping to mask the weaknesses. But it became wildly unstable."
Hiruzen listened patiently, his smile warm and knowing. He slowly shook his head.
"Shinichi, the issue isn't with the technique itself." His voice was calm yet carried absolute authority. "The problem is simply that you are still very young."
Shinichi blinked.
"Your total chakra volume is still insufficient for the demands of this jutsu. Your fine control over chakra is also still maturing." The Third Hokage explained patiently, laying out the core principles.
"As you grow older, your body and spirit will continue to develop. Your chakra reserves will increase naturally, and your control will improve with training and real combat experience. One day you'll be able to form it much faster—perhaps even near-instantly. And the larger version will naturally become stable and controllable as your reserves and mastery grow."
He paused, eyes gleaming with genuine anticipation.
"Moreover, once you gain a deep enough understanding of chakra nature transformation, you'll be able to infuse Wind, Fire, or other nature changes into the Rasengan. At that point, it will truly evolve into an S-rank secret technique—an ultimate art. I have high hopes for you on this path."
The confusion in Shinichi's eyes gradually gave way to realization, then to a blazing, encouraged fire. He took a deep breath and bowed his head respectfully.
"I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Lord Third. I will keep working hard and push forward in that direction!"
Hiruzen nodded, pleased. Then his expression grew a touch more serious, his tone warm but solemn.
"Shinichi, you are a rare genius—full of creativity and the courage to experiment. That is excellent. But developing high-rank ninjutsu on your own, especially ones involving ultra-dense chakra shape transformation, carries extreme risk."
"If you ever have new ideas, or run into difficulties during training, do not keep grinding alone. Ask your academy instructors. Consult the village's senior shinobi. And if you truly encounter something you cannot solve…"
The Third Hokage looked straight into the boy's eyes, his voice gentle yet crystal clear.
"…you may come and ask this old man directly."
---
That same evening, in the Hokage's office.
"You will regret this!"
Bang!
No one outside knew exactly why Danzo Shimura had come to see the Hokage. They only knew that, after the advisor made a certain request, the Third Hokage—rarely seen truly angry—had exploded and ordered him out without leaving any room for negotiation.
---
A few days later.
Minato Namikaze had just returned home from a mission when Jiraiya showed up at his door.
"Minato, I heard about this kid whose idea lines up almost perfectly with what you were thinking back then. He…"
Jiraiya recounted the full story of how Shinichi Higashino had developed the Rasengan. Minato listened quietly, eyes gradually widening with surprise and sincere admiration.
When Jiraiya finished, Minato exhaled in genuine awe.
"That kid really is an incredible genius. Still… 'Rasengan' is a nice name, but it doesn't quite capture it."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Oh? What would you call it?"
Minato thought seriously for a moment, eyes sparkling. Then, with absolute conviction, he declared:
"Shinichi Higashino's Light-Blade Initiation · Roaring Spiral Sphere."
He paused, then added with complete seriousness:
"Actually… we should add 'Super' in the middle—Shinichi Higashino's Light-Blade Initiation · Super Roaring Spiral Sphere."
Jiraiya: "..."
...