A Hypothesis! Combining Ninjutsu and Taijutsu

"What is this...?"

Asuma watched Neji form hand seals, deeply shaken.

Had he really learned it already?

That speed was terrifying. He had never seen anything like it!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The whirlwind gathered into a mass and shot toward the woods.

Then it burst out at once!

The whirlwind spun rapidly through the woods, forming a circle.

"Shape... transformation?"

Asuma watched closely. The whirlwind had changed shape, but it wasn't a true shape transformation. It looked more like chakra had been forced to spin, without any Wind Style chakra.

Simply put, even the most basic Chakra Nature Transformation hadn't appeared.

After confirming this, he let out a breath.

"You can't rush something like this, Neji."

As expected, that kind of imagined genius didn't exist.

Asuma walked over and patted Neji on the shoulder. "Shape transformation is even more difficult than an S-rank jutsu. It takes a great deal of practice."

Neji smiled faintly in response. "Of course. I can't manage shape transformation."

"Oh?"

"I tried just now, but the chakra got blocked at my acupuncture points. Whenever I try to circulate chakra through my body, it gets blocked. I can't even think about mastering shape transformation. The chakra point at the crown of my head is at the top. Until I have a certain amount of chakra, I won't be able to achieve shape transformation."

Neji's words left Asuma stunned.

"In other words, I can't train in shape transformation until I have as much chakra as you do, sensei. Before then, it's more important to practice Chakra Nature Transformation until I can do it effortlessly."

Neji then molded chakra and held out his hand. Wind Style chakra flowed through his palm like a whirlwind.

But he still couldn't shape the chakra. If he mastered shape transformation, he would be able to release killing intent with the slightest movement, just like Asuma and Baki.

That ability would have real practical value on an actual battlefield.

What use was the strongest nature transformation if he was always slower to strike than his opponent?

It was precisely because of this that Neji knew, deep down, that he was still a long way from becoming a true jonin.

"I never expected you to see things so clearly! The Byakugan really is an incredible ability."

Asuma sighed.

The two continued their repetitive drills for a while longer. Asuma realized that Neji had already grown very proficient in Chakra Nature Transformation.

At the very least, he had applied it to certain ninjutsu or Taijutsu many times—over and over.

"Neji, try incorporating Chakra Nature Transformation into your Taijutsu."

"Okay."

Neji stepped back, formed a few simple hand seals, and activated his Byakugan.

"Release chakra through your whole body..." Asuma took a puff of his cigarette and stubbed it out.

Rumble!

Neji used Rotation, adding Wind Style chakra. Rotation stirred the air around him, turning the area into a vast field of destruction. Even the grass and soil were marked by its force.

When Rotation ended, Asuma walked over.

"Neji, how are you feeling?"

"Hm? I'm fine. What's wrong?"

Neji was determined to grow stronger now, so he tried not to hide anything from Asuma.

"...Oh, it's nothing."

Asuma turned his head, his expression grave.

He thought, A Kekkei Genkai is an ability formed by combining at least two chakra natures, and the Byakugan is an especially unique Kekkei Genkai. A Kekkei Genkai can't be fused with other chakra. Even someone as powerful as Hashirama Senju couldn't apply nature or shape transformation to Wood Release. I've heard that only by entering some exceptionally powerful mode and using special chakra can someone perform higher-level advanced jutsu...

Asuma lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought it over.

So, to infuse a Kekkei Genkai with chakra, at least one condition must be met: there has to be enough chakra. An enormous amount—so much that it's hard to imagine. Only then can it be done. If Neji can manage it, that proves he has a tremendous amount of chakra. If so, why can't he practice shape transformation yet because of a lack of chakra?

Asuma's questions about Neji only deepened.

But if Neji had known what he was thinking, he probably would have laughed aloud.

That was because the Chakra Nature Transformation in Rotation and Sixty-Four Palms came from the system.

The chakra transformation from an unknown source naturally matched the chakra required by the technique, which was why Neji could use it. But to train in shape transformation on his own, he needed a stronger physical foundation.

The two were different. And because of this, Neji understood the nature of chakra more clearly than anyone else.

Only by understanding its essence could one take the shortest path toward becoming strong!

"Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

Neji struck out with Palm Wave once again. The woods erupted in another whirlwind.

"That's Rotation's chakra..." Neji suddenly hit upon a new idea.

If he could exploit the system's bug to use an advanced version of a Kekkei Genkai, then what if he added one technique to another?

After training all afternoon, Neji shared his hypothesis with Asuma.

"Sensei, if I incorporate Palm Wave into my Taijutsu, could I get the result I'm hoping for?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Asuma chuckled. "That can't be done. Fusing ninjutsu requires at least two people working together. One person can't pull it off. The fusion has to happen at the chakra-nature stage. Once a technique has already been formed..."

But Neji's enthusiasm was unstoppable.

Neji threw himself into training with all his heart!

Meanwhile, Asuma began teaching the others about chakra natures.

Neji stayed behind to train alone, trying to combine Palm Wave and Air Palm!

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"

Neji formed hand seals as he struck out. He drove both palms forward, and a whirlwind rose!

"Failed!"

"...Again!"

He struck out with one palm!

The leaves rustled, and only a few branches fell from the woods...

"Again!"

The first day, the second day, the third day—Neji seemed possessed, free of all distractions as he pursued a single goal.

"That guy's always been like that—so stubborn and unable to adapt!" Tenten complained.

Ino sat nearby and sighed without a word. Choji and Shikamaru weren't optimistic about it either.

Asuma shook his head. "It's impossible. Maybe he'll understand something once he finally fails. Let's continue our chakra control training today!"

He was a genius, yet so stubborn. Asuma sighed. Perhaps Neji had no talent at all and was simply hardworking.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, dusk was falling and class had ended.

Asuma went alone to the foot of Konoha Waterfall. Neji lay on the ground, panting, completely drained.

"You've run out of strength, haven't you? Have some water." He walked over and handed Neji a bamboo flask.

Neji sat up and drank. He was utterly exhausted.

"Going too far down the wrong path can only cause you unnecessary trouble..."

"Sensei."

Neji suddenly stepped forward and faced the woods in the distance.

"I thought of a way a couple of days ago. Since two techniques can't both be performed in full at the same time, I realized that makes sense. But what if I could perform only half of each technique? Or mix them in a certain ratio? Maybe that would work."

As he spoke, Neji began molding chakra. Asuma froze, his heart giving a sudden lurch!