Wind Release: Rasenshuriken

"Brother Minato, are you planning to continue developing the [Rasengan]?" Yamanaka Tohru asked.

Namikaze Minato shook his head. "Not for now. I plan to first perfect the Second Hokage's [Flying Thunder God]. After all, the [Flying Thunder God] is my most fundamental fighting style."

Only after hearing Namikaze Minato's explanation did Yamanaka Tohru realize why he had not developed the [Wind Release: Rasenshuriken]—he simply did not have enough time.

Given the complexity of the [Flying Thunder God], it would already be difficult enough for Namikaze Minato to develop the third stage of the [Flying Thunder God] and other combat methods to complement it before the Third Shinobi War began.

Moreover, after the war began, the Third Shinobi War was far more intense than the previous two, and Madara Uchiha's shadow could vaguely be seen behind it. In the original story, Konoha had lost two Kage-level powerhouses: Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade.

The village's only Kage-level fighters were the Third Hokage, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Namikaze Minato. Konoha was already struggling to fight one against four.

During the Third Shinobi War, Namikaze Minato became Konoha's strongest fighter through the [Flying Thunder God]. Without him, Konoha would likely have surrendered long ago. The intensity of the war kept Namikaze Minato constantly on the move, leaving him no time to continue developing the Rasenshuriken.

In the end, the technique was never completed. But now that Yamanaka Tohru had helped complete the development of the [Rasengan] ahead of time, Namikaze Minato could fully develop the Rasenshuriken first before continuing his research into the [Flying Thunder God].

"Brother Minato, I think you should continue developing the [Rasengan] first."

"Hm? Why, Tohru?"

"Brother Minato, what is the nature transformation of the Wind attribute?" Rather than state his reason outright, Yamanaka Tohru answered Namikaze Minato's question with one of his own.

"Cutting! Wind has many properties, but cutting is the most commonly used one in the shinobi world." Namikaze Minato had studied Wind attribute nature transformation for years and had his own unique understanding of how to use it.

"Just as I thought! Brother Minato, when I saw you use the [Rasengan] with Wind attribute nature transformation earlier, the chakra inside the [Rasengan] turned into something like countless shuriken."

Yamanaka Tohru's words caught Namikaze Minato's attention. Without the Sharingan, he naturally could not see what the chakra inside the [Rasengan] looked like.

"Tohru, continue. Tell me what you're thinking."

"Brother Minato, I'm a Medical Ninja. From a Medical Ninja's perspective, the thing that causes the greatest harm to the human body—or rather, the thing most likely to injure it—is a sharp blade." As he spoke, Yamanaka Tohru condensed a Chakra Scalpel and picked up a stone.

"Brother Minato, between a stone and a blade, which is more likely to hurt someone with the same amount of force behind it?"

Namikaze Minato fell silent. Yamanaka Tohru's words showed him the potential of an advanced version of the [Rasengan]. Just imagine it: if this technique were successfully developed, countless Wind Blades would slice through an enemy's body tissue and cells upon impact. The thought alone was terrifying.

"Tohru, I understand. I'll put my research on the [Flying Thunder God] on hold for now. During this period, I'll focus on researching an advanced version of the [Rasengan]."

For the next two weeks, the four of them spent their time at the Third Training Ground.

Yamanaka Tohru and Kakashi practiced the Rasengan on one side of the training ground, while Namikaze Minato researched the [Wind Release: Rasenshuriken] on the other.

Kushina, who had always been free-spirited and carefree, sat beside Minato tinkering with several scrolls.

"Tohru! Come over here!" Kushina interrupted Yamanaka Tohru's training.

Yamanaka Tohru did not have Naruto's cheat-like Shadow Clone technique. After two weeks, he still had not completely mastered the [Rasengan]. Even so, compared to Kakashi, his progress was already much faster.

"Sister Kushina, what is it?"

"Tohru, this is for you! I had nothing to do these past few days, so I made a few Sealing Scrolls."

"Sister Kushina, how did you know I wanted Sealing Scrolls?"

"I saw you practically drooling while staring at Kakashi's Sealing Scroll. Hmph! You're envious of something that low-grade? Looks like I need to teach you some Sealing Jutsu in the future. Your teacher is from the Uzumaki Clan. That kind of low-grade thing isn't worth envying!"

Kushina's words sent a warm current through Yamanaka Tohru's heart. Though this teacher of his was careless and had not been able to teach him many ninjutsu, she truly treated him well. Yamanaka Tohru secretly made up his mind. On the night of the Nine-Tails, he would definitely change things.

Yamanaka Tohru accepted the Sealing Scroll and examined it. Before long, he sighed. "As expected of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu. Compared to this scroll, Kakashi's really is low-grade."

After putting away the scroll, Yamanaka Tohru continued training the [Rasengan]. Another week passed, and he finally completed his [Rasengan] training.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Third Training Ground, the [Rasengan] in Namikaze Minato's right hand continued to grow larger. Shuriken blades began to appear around it, and as chakra was poured into it, the Rasengan started spinning with a piercing shriek.

"Sister Kushina, Kakashi, hide! Brother Minato's technique succeeded!"

Yamanaka Tohru remembered the power of the Rasenshuriken from the original story. Even the incomplete version had crippled Kakuzu, who had two hearts. Who knew how far Namikaze Minato had developed his Rasenshuriken? If they got caught in the blast, there would be nowhere to cry about it.

"Kushina, I'll be right back." Namikaze Minato also realized the power of the technique and planned to test it in the Forest of Death.

"Brother Minato, take me with you!" Yamanaka Tohru was afraid of being caught in the blast, but he wanted even more to see the technique's actual power. After hesitating for a moment, Namikaze Minato brought him along.

Namikaze Minato had long since left a Flying Thunder God mark in the Forest of Death. In an instant, the two arrived there.

"Tohru, I'm throwing it!"

"Wait, Brother Minato. Let me find a big tree."

Yamanaka Tohru found the thickest tree nearby and hid behind it. Once he was safely in position, Namikaze Minato threw the Rasenshuriken deep into the forest.

"Screech—Bzzzz!" The Rasenshuriken's piercing whine tore through the forest's silence. The moment the shuriken exploded, a massive storm surged forth. Yamanaka Tohru clung tightly to the tree and activated his Sharingan, staring at the center of the explosion.

Countless chakra Wind Blades swept through like a locust swarm. Leaves, branches, and tree trunks began to vanish bit by bit. Just as the original story described, the Rasenshuriken was actually formed from an immeasurable number of Wind Blades.

The tiny Wind Blades acted directly upon the cells, slicing through their walls from within.

The explosion finally ended. A massive crater had appeared at the center of the Rasenshuriken's blast.

"Gasp—!" Both Yamanaka Tohru and Namikaze Minato were stunned by the enormous crater before them and sharply inhaled.

"How could it be this terrifying?" Even when Naruto first used the Rasenshuriken in the original story, it had not caused such devastating destruction.

Not only Yamanaka Tohru—even Namikaze Minato, who was always calm and wise, was dumbfounded by the sight before him.