I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

Chapter 453: The Potential of the Rasengan

On an unnamed mountain in the Land of Fire, occasional explosions rock the terrain, sending debris flying. Is someone experimenting with bombs there? Of course not, it’s Nagasawa again, testing the potential of the Squad Captain jutsu.

Earlier trials showed that if you let chakra erupt internally to strengthen the body, then overlay it with Reaper power, it increases strength somewhat. But for Nagasawa, who isn’t just a pure taijutsu ninja, he uses chakra to boost his body, this bonus felt inadequate. His strongest move remains the Hinokami Kagura powerful slash in Sage Mode, capable of burning a planet if unleashed fully.

That’s not enough for him. So he started new experiments.

Nagasawa believes chakra has hidden potential. Everyone refines chakra similarly, but individuals differ greatly.

Take Kushina, her chakra was so unique that it was ideal for sealing a Tailed Beast. Without her, they couldn’t have contained the Nine-Tails. Other chakra types also have special properties, the Six Paths chakra grants near-immortality, Indra’s chakra enables endless reincarnation (Naruto wasn’t exactly Hashirama, but a distinct reincarnation).

Hashirama’s Senjutsu chakra could heal wounds instantly, whereas Tailed Beast chakra is raw power incarnate.

If ordinary chakra can fuse with nature to become Senjutsu chakra, why can’t chakra merge with Reaper power to create a new hybrid? That’s what Nagasawa wants to explore.

Even failing to create a new chakra type, he aims to develop a technique where chakra and spiritual energy, like Japanese spiritual pressure, can coexist. He doesn’t need synergy, just stability. Until now, combining chakra and spiritual power caused mutual cancellation, weakening both.

Nagasawa sighs at the cratered earth, another failure. Initially, he balanced both energies, but it failed. He increased spiritual power and the chakra spiraled out of control and exploded. Undeterred, he studies the failures.

Combining two different energy systems, even someone as talented as Tobirama would struggle.

He’s been cautious in choosing historical templates, not only power levels, but also abilities. The Second Hokage template gave him powerful water jutsu, vast chakra, and unrivaled creative potential (e.g., summoning steel tags, forbidden techniques).

But world-level fusion... that’s a challenge.

He almost considered using Edo Tensei to revive the Second to help, but that would be disrespectful. The current Konoha leadership all learned from the Second, Edo Tensei would be defilement. Tobirama wouldn’t cooperate, and the leaders would kill him as a traitor. Too risky.

Better to rely on Orochimaru, who has long studied soul and body mastery, and even developed body-transfer jutsu.

Nagasawa wonders, maybe spiritual energy and mental energy share properties but imbalance chakra, causing instability and explosions. More spiritual energy boosts mental energy, which in turn might disrupt chakra balance.

Yet this discovery is still valuable, it shows increasing spiritual energy could raise a ninja’s ceiling, even without new chakra types. Chakra volume measures ninja strength, but mental resilience and spiritual energy can matter too. Even a C-rank rookie could fail a forbidden jutsu, while a strong student with balanced energy might succeed.

The idea, raising spiritual energy raises potential.

A thought flashes, Rasengan.

Everyone knows Naruto didn’t learn many jutsu, mainly Shadow Clones and the Rasengan. Not because he was weak, but because the Rasengan itself is high-level.

If Naruto is Konoha’s protagonist, the Rasengan is the protagonist jutsu.

It’s innately an S-rank A-technique, with enormous potential, Great Ball Rasengan, Massive Rasengan, Rasenshuriken, Sage Rasengan, Sage Cascade Rasengan, and more. Other powerful jutsu exist, but none offer such creative potential.

Nagasawa thinks, "If Rasengan holds this much possibility, maybe I can use it to test my energy fusion."

He gathers chakra in his palm, swirling it in all directions, then infuses spiritual power into the Rasengan, letting its unstable energy swirl.

"Hey, no cancellation!" he exclaims, amazed at the absence of interference. Rasengan is powerful.

BOOM! A massive explosion engulfs the area. A huge crater forms. Nagasawa stands at the center, still spinning his hand, they’re uninjured, but clad in soot and ash.

He brushes off dust, steps out of the crater, then ponders. They’d only used moderate power, yet the crater is massive. So while the Rasengan exploded, it’s a form of success, it’s far from the "less than additive" failures before. He’s on the right track.

He examines the crater, wondering why the Rasengan detonated like that. Normally a failed Rasengan just loses power, this explosion is abnormal. Maybe the explosion mechanism is the same as earlier failures when forcibly infusing chakra and spiritual power.

He decides to reduce spiritual output and increase chakra. Previously, spiritual power eclipsed chakra, causing explosions. Adjusting the ratio should solve it.

He repeats the experiment carefully, little result. Finally, after dozens more tries, none succeed, still getting uncontrolled explosion each time.

"Is my thought wrong? Maybe the causes are different?" he wonders again.

Unwilling to give up, he forms a standard Rasengan using pure chakra, nothing added, and watches it spin steadily with no spiritual overlay.

Recalling how Naruto learned it step-by-step, forming chakra sphere, breaking waterball, breaking balloon, Nagasawa thinks, if he repeats each training step but adds spiritual power at each stage, maybe he’ll find a solution.

... Meanwhile, Itachi, and his friend and mentor finish their farewells. It’s time to leave.

Itachi will depart Konoha for travels in the Land of Fire. Only his inner circle knows, not the entire Uchiha clan. Even though he’s a prodigy, he’s still eight years old. Itachi only told Shisui and Izumi.

Shisui is a senior mentor, stronger and wiser than Itachi, they are close friends with shared ideals. Itachi not only told Shisui about his travels but also shared his goals and next plans. Shisui, being mentor and friend, is genuinely glad. He’s one of Nagasawa’s old retainer era, attached to the training teams.

He admires Nagasawa as a great shinobi, filled with the Will of Fire, who truly loves Konoha. That pride surpasses even the Hokage’s.

Itachi gains deep joy knowing a respected elder wishes him well.

At Konoha’s main gate, the Uchiha Casablanca family and Kabuto and others come to send him off.

Fugaku folds his arms and says, "You’ve probably heard this a hundred times, but as a father, I’ll say it once more, stay safe on your travels, and come home in one piece."

Mikoto gently adds, "Itachi, you’ve always been so dependable. Promise me you’ll look after yourself."

Sasuke grins, "Big brother, hurry back. I’ll be waiting!"

Itachi ruffles his younger brother’s hair. "I’ll be safe."

"Hopefully, you get the answers you seek, and this is your chance to beat me." says Kabuto lightheartedly.

"It’s not a vacation," Itachi says calmly. "But I won’t slack either."

Izumi smiles wistfully, "Travel safely."

"Itachi nods. Then Shisui encourages, "Your current life is better than mine ever was. Go fulfill your dream." Itachi smiles back in agreement.

Nagasawa gives Itachi two custom Summoning Steel Tags, "Use these if you’re in danger, they summon help with chakra. But use only within safe range to avoid injury."

"Thank you, Nagasawa-sensei," Itachi bows earnestly.

Under the watch of loved ones, Itachi steps past the gate and leaves Konoha.

Once Itachi shrugs off the goodbyes, the group leaves, though Izumi and Sasuke are subdued. Shisui and Nagasawa return to the training squad.

Shisui asks Nagasawa quietly, "You did send protection, right?"

Though Nagasawa said he wouldn’t station guards with Itachi, Shisui didn’t fully believe it, Nagasawa is practical. No one leaves unguarded.

Nagasawa meets Shisui’s gaze and smiles, "Of course I arranged protection. So many dangers in the world."

He knows Itachi is strong enough, but risking his safety would be unacceptable.

Besides, Nagasawa wouldn’t let Uchiha clan members roam unguarded.