Developing Nintaijutsu

"Minato-sensei's chakra nature seems to be Wind.

"And I heard from the clan elders that Minato-sensei isn't particularly known for his ninjutsu."

Uchiha Mai looked a little puzzled. Master Minato was that amazing? He'd realized Mai wanted to develop Fire Style Nintaijutsu and was confident he could guide him.

"My chakra nature was originally only Wind, but after my chakra reserves increased, I was able to develop new chakra natures later on.

"Jonin usually develop a second, or even a third or fourth, chakra nature. That way, if they encounter an opponent whose nature counters theirs, they won't be helpless at a crucial moment.

"My chakra natures are now Wind, Fire, and Lightning."

Master Minato held up three fingers as he explained.

I see, Uchiha Mai nodded slightly. He'd almost forgotten that Naruto had this kind of setting.

In the early days of Shippuden, before power levels had spiraled out of control, ninjutsu of each nature had retained their value. The five major chakra natures even had something like the relationships between the five elements, with each nature generating or countering another.

Once the various Kekkei Genkai started appearing one after another and power levels skyrocketed, Kishimoto downplayed the relationships between chakra natures.

Water Style counters Fire Style?

That was true, but it didn't mean Water Style users countered Fire Style users. In an actual fight, it still came down to who acted faster, had more chakra, and performed better under pressure.

"As for your other question..."

Master Minato smiled faintly. He spread his hands and began molding chakra. A few moments later, two fireballs formed in his palms.

With precise control, Master Minato merged the fireballs into one, then shaped them into a long, writhing serpent of flame that coiled around Uchiha Mai, radiating heat and drying the moisture in his clothes.

Uchiha Mai raised an eyebrow and praised him. "That's impressive control."

"It's just a flashy trick with no practical use in combat."

Master Minato scratched his head, bashfully downplaying his skill. "Almost any Konoha Jonin with a Fire chakra nature can do this.

"On the battlefield, with enemies and the surrounding environment getting in the way, techniques like the Great Fireball Technique and Phoenix Sage Fire Technique are much more practical."

"True."

"In short, I have a Fire nature, and I'm fairly skilled in Fire Style."

Namikaze Minato summed up, "I've also been developing a new jutsu lately, one that doesn't require Hand Seals.

"The Nintaijutsu you're developing shouldn't require Hand Seals either, so controlling the path and rhythm of chakra as it flows through your body is going to be crucial.

"Fortunately, I've already overcome that particular hurdle with the jutsu I'm developing.

"Tell me what's troubling you. Maybe I can help you figure it out. Even if I can't, we might be able to work backward and rule out some wrong answers."

A new jutsu?

It should be the Rasengan. Master Minato was already an Elite Jonin, so it was about time he started working on his little ball.

Uchiha Mai thought for a moment, then pulled Master Minato down to squat beside him. He picked up a twig and gestured with it. "In my design, chakra should flow steadily along this route to my hand.

"Then, the instant I throw a punch, it should burst out and deal a third hit to my opponent.

"But the chakra bursts at a different time than I expect. I'm not sure if the problem is the route it takes or if my control isn't good enough..."

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm..."

Namikaze Minato nodded repeatedly to show he was listening. After thinking about his own experience, he replied, "I have a theory, though I can't promise it's right.

"Could the route be the problem? Try moving the chakra flow for the jutsu from this path to this one."

Oh?

Uchiha Mai was slightly surprised. Master Minato really knew his stuff.

Mai hadn't even figured out what to try yet, and Master Minato had already spotted something and confidently suggested a change.

After all, he was a genius who'd developed the Rasengan and improved the Flying Thunder God Technique. Mai had to trust Master Minato's ability.

"Then let's try it." Uchiha Mai nodded, intending to perform another set of 100th Style: Oniyaki.

Reading about it on paper was never enough; true understanding came from practice. You couldn't call yourself an inventor without blowing up the lab a few times, could you?

Two hours later, after four failed attempts in a row, Uchiha Mai's clothes had been blasted down to a few scraps of fabric and his underwear.

If Uchiha Mai hadn't reacted so quickly and raised his arms to shield his face every time he lost control of his chakra, the Ninja World would have lost a handsome young man.

Namikaze Minato sat cross-legged on the ground, rubbing his chin with his left hand. After a long silence, he said, "I have another idea. What if you changed the chakra's path to this one and slowed its flow by another five percent..."

What would happen? Someone would die!

Uchiha Mai looked like he'd rather die than go on. Master Minato, please, I'm begging you to let me go. If I hadn't listened to your advice, I wouldn't have been blown up so many times this afternoon.

"Haha."

Seeing the sorrowful look on Mai's face, Master Minato felt a little awkward. He encouraged him, "We should test carefully and make bold hypotheses.

"At least we've ruled out three wrong approaches, so we're one step closer to success.

"As long as we keep exploring and experimenting, I believe that one day we'll develop this technique."

"I'm out of chakra," Uchiha Mai said, trying to get out of it.

Not a drop left.jpg

Normally, a jutsu's power had no direct relationship to how much chakra it consumed.

But when Uchiha Mai developed 100th Style: Oniyaki, he was aiming for the power of an ordinary B-rank jutsu used by a Regular Jonin, and he'd unconsciously used a little too much chakra.

After several attempts in a row, his chakra was already depleted.

"You're out already?"

Minato looked a little disappointed and sighed. "In that case, go home and rest. I still need to visit Kakashi and Might Guy at the hospital.

"Same time tomorrow. We'll keep working on your Nintaijutsu."

Uchiha Mai: "..."

Please, I'm begging you to let me go.

Of course, he couldn't actually say that.

Master Minato's advice had been completely useless today, but he still had the halo of someone who'd developed the Rasengan and improved the Flying Thunder God Technique in the original story.

Call it superstition or irrational confidence—maybe one day inspiration would strike Master Minato, and he'd come up with a genuinely useful suggestion.

Over the next few days, Uchiha Mai kept his appointments, coming to the lakeside every day to work on Nintaijutsu with Master Minato. The two of them, neither any great strategist, discussed ideas and tinkered away together.

After Kakashi and Might Guy left the hospital, Master Minato spent the mornings guiding the three of them through teamwork exercises, then spent the afternoons helping Uchiha Mai develop his Nintaijutsu.

Seeing Minato and Uchiha Mai spending every day together, Kakashi and Might Guy both got a little jealous.

A disciple of one of the Legendary Sannin, the Hokage's grand-disciple, personally tutored by a Konoha Elite Jonin—what treatment!

Only someone who'd experienced it could know the truth. Only Uchiha Mai understood how painful it was.