I Want to Stand at the Pinnacle of the Ninja World

"I finally got to see a real Rasengan!"

Lin Mu was thoroughly excited this time.

He believed that anyone who had watched Naruto had imagined what it would be like to form a Rasengan with their own hands.

With a Rasengan in hand, the whole world was mine!

The Rasengan was an A-rank ninjutsu of extreme difficulty, and its formidable power matched the difficulty of mastering it.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had spent three years developing this technique, and in the end, his son, Naruto Uzumaki, had made it famous.

Besides its tremendous power, the technique had another great advantage.

The Rasengan didn't require Hand Seals.

And among all ninjutsu that didn't require Hand Seals, it could absolutely be considered one of the strongest.

Its speed of execution, practicality in combat, attack power, and chakra consumption all offered exceptional value.

At the same time, changes in chakra nature could be used to form all sorts of different variations.

Of all the techniques Naruto Uzumaki had used, the Rasengan was certainly the one he'd used the most.

It seemed almost wrong not to form a few Rasengan during every battle.

"..."

As Lin Mu watched Jiraiya explain the principles behind using the Rasengan to Naruto, he couldn't help feeling envious.

If I could form Rasengan, why would I ever fight with my fists?

Still, Lin Mu didn't ask Jiraiya to teach him the technique.

For one thing, there was no telling whether Jiraiya would teach it to him.

To Jiraiya, the technique was more than just a ninjutsu. It was more like a legacy.

It had come from Minato Namikaze, one of Jiraiya's most cherished disciples.

Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's son, so teaching him the Rasengan was only natural.

Even throughout the entire Ninja World, there weren't many people who knew this technique.

It wasn't something just anyone could learn.

Even if someone taught them, those who lacked the insight might still be unable to master it.

Of course, Lin Mu would never admit that he lacked talent.

He just felt that he'd recently learned several new techniques, and the Rasengan was, at most, an optional extra.

His Wood Release: Explosive Spear Technique could form giant trees from his body, letting him attack and defend with equal ease!

What's more, he could even use an advanced technique like the Wood Dragon Technique.

So whether or not he learned the Rasengan wouldn't make much difference to his strength.

Even if he mastered it, it would only be the icing on the cake.

With the legacy of Hashirama's template, he would never be weaker than anyone, even someone trained by a teacher like Jiraiya.

I'm definitely not jealous!

"All right, that's the basic principle behind the Rasengan. Did you understand?"

After explaining everything in detail, Jiraiya looked at Naruto Uzumaki.

He'd taught many disciples before, and he was very confident in his teaching ability.

"No..."

Naruto Uzumaki grimaced. That whole explanation had left his head spinning.

"..."

Jiraiya was at a loss for words. Of all the students he'd taught, Naruto Uzumaki might have been the slowest to catch on.

But that was all right. He was Minato Namikaze's son, after all. How bad could he be?

Besides, I was very much like him once, and now I'm one of the Sannin, renowned throughout the Ninja World.

And I've taught plenty of disciples. Every one of them has been a gifted talent.

If he couldn't understand it when I explained it, I'd try teaching him through practice instead!

Jiraiya rubbed his forehead, thinking it over.

How could he get Naruto to master this advanced technique?

After a brief moment, he came up with a plan.

"Naruto, let's head to the market and buy a few things to help with your Rasengan training!"

"Sure! Let's go!"

When Naruto Uzumaki heard that they were buying things to help with his training, his spirits immediately soared.

Seeing Naruto like that, Lin Mu felt a stirring in his heart.

Whether it was before he crossed over, when he only knew Naruto Uzumaki from the anime, or afterward, when he'd met the ninja in person, his opinion of him had changed very little.

First and foremost, Naruto Uzumaki was an optimist. No matter what hardships he faced, they couldn't defeat him.

He treasured friendship above all else, placing the bonds he shared with his comrades above everything in his heart.

On top of that, he had an extraordinary determination when it came to training.

Because of the Nine-Tails and the seal, he'd once found it nearly impossible to gather chakra.

Back then, he'd been the dead-last through and through.

But he'd never given up training, nor had he ever lost faith. Even when it seemed to make no difference, he was willing to try again and again.

If revenge—the desire to kill Itachi Uchiha—was what drove Sasuke Uchiha to survive and grow stronger, then what allowed Naruto Uzumaki to keep growing stronger was his unwavering goal of becoming Hokage, his incredible perseverance, and the support of the bonds he shared with his comrades.

Lin Mu watched Naruto Uzumaki, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

That was the kind of optimistic, forward-looking person he was. There was something uniquely captivating about him.

Even Lin Mu couldn't help believing in him, relying on him, and forming a bond of camaraderie with him.

"So Naruto Uzumaki ended up standing at the pinnacle of the entire Ninja World?"

A smile appeared on Lin Mu's face as he put those thoughts aside.

When he looked up, he saw that Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya had already gone far ahead. He hurried to catch up.

Naruto Uzumaki was training desperately to grow stronger. I couldn't let my own training fall behind, either!

This had stirred something in Lin Mu. His strength had improved by leaps and bounds lately, and his restless heart gradually settled down.

A restless heart could never make someone stronger.

Restlessness only made people complacent and arrogant, until they gradually fell into decline!

"One day, I, Lin Mu, will stand at the pinnacle of the Ninja World. I won't be inferior to any of you!"

At that moment, Lin Mu's state of mind seemed to undergo a transformation.

Before, he'd had no clear goal. He'd simply relied on the system to grow stronger, step by step.

Now, he truly had the heart of a strong man.

He'd made up his mind, once and for all, to reach the pinnacle of the Ninja World.

"Naruto... really is captivating!"

Naruto had played a large part in Lin Mu's leap in perspective.

Before crossing over, when he'd watched Naruto, he hadn't understood why some powerful people had surrendered to Naruto's Talk no Jutsu and changed their ways.

Now he was beginning to understand.

There was something uniquely captivating about Naruto Uzumaki. He inspired those around him to grow stronger and improve alongside him.

The Prince really was the chosen one. Even I, someone who crossed over with a cheat, have gradually been influenced by him!