First Meeting, Perfect Logic! (Seeking Follow-up Reads!)

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not show himself, returning instead to the Hokage office.

After a moment of contemplation, he issued an order: "Have Minato come see me!"

A quarter of an hour later, Namikaze Minato knocked and entered: "Third Hokage!"

"Ah, Minato!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up, his expression gentle: "How is the development of your new jutsu coming along?"

Namikaze Minato was taken aback for a moment, then replied: "I am still experimenting; I haven't found a good breakthrough point yet."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, then asked: "Minato, have you heard about the genius who has appeared in the academy recently?"

"(⊙o⊙)..."

Namikaze Minato felt a bit awkward: "Well... because I've been busy developing my new jutsu, I haven't been paying attention."

"Lord Hokage, has a new student graduated early?"

Namikaze Minato assumed Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted him to lead a new team.

Sarutobi Hiruzen said: "Someone did graduate early, Sakumo's child, Kakashi, whom you should know."

"But I am not talking about him, but rather Shita Genichi, a genius in the academy who is just as renowned as Kakashi."

Shita Genichi?

This was the first time Namikaze Minato had heard the name.

Sarutobi Hiruzen continued: "Minato, this child has developed a new jutsu that might provide you with some inspiration."

He did not explain it in great detail.

Although Namikaze Minato found it hard to believe, he knew Sarutobi Hiruzen would not joke about such a matter, so he immediately nodded: "I understand."

Sarutobi Hiruzen said: "Go find Futaki Ryusei!"

"Yes!"

Namikaze Minato nodded, bowed, and vanished from the office in an instant.

Outside the Hokage building, Namikaze Minato pondered for a moment before finding Futaki Ryusei.

Meanwhile.

At the dumpling shop, Shita Genichi was helping his parents serve customers.

Before he knew it, it was almost noon.

Suddenly, Shita Genichi looked up and saw two figures at the entrance, freezing in surprise.

Namikaze Minato!

In an instant, Shita Genichi realized something and quickly walked out: "Teacher Futaki Ryusei, are you here for dumplings?"

"And this senior is..."

Shita Genichi pretended not to recognize Namikaze Minato.

Futaki Ryusei smiled: "We aren't here for dumplings; we have something to discuss with you."

"This is the Jonin, Namikaze Minato."

Upon hearing this, Shita Genichi quickly bowed: "Senior Namikaze Minato!"

Namikaze Minato reached out to steady Shita Genichi: "No need to be so formal."

"It was a bit presumptuous of me to come today, but there are some things I would like to ask your advice on."

Shita Genichi scratched his head, pretending to be confused.

Futaki Ryusei smiled: "Genichi, if you have time, let's find a place to talk. How about I treat you to lunch?"

Namikaze Minato quickly added: "I'll treat. What would you like to eat, Genichi?"

Shita Genichi thought for a moment and said: "Ichiraku Ramen!"

"No problem!"

Namikaze Minato agreed immediately.

"Please wait a moment, Teacher and Senior Namikaze Minato."

With that, Shita Genichi returned to the dumpling shop and called out to his parents in the kitchen: "Dad, Mom, I have something to take care of, so don't wait for me for lunch."

He then grabbed his coat, put it on, and headed out.

At the Ichiraku Ramen shop.

Teuchi was still quite young, and the ramen shop had only been open for a short time.

"Genichi, do you have any plans to graduate early?"

"Not for the time being. I don't have the strength that Kakashi does."

"You are no worse than Kakashi, but there is indeed no need to graduate early. Foundations are very important."

"You are right, Teacher."

While eating ramen, Shita Genichi chatted idly with Futaki Ryusei. Namikaze Minato sat to the side, occasionally interjecting, but he did not immediately bring up the subject of the Rasengan.

Once they were full and satisfied, the trio arrived at an empty rooftop.

"I'll leave you two to talk."

Futaki Ryusei smiled and said, "Genichi, Minato is a disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, and he is already an outstanding ninja at his age. You should learn as much as you can from him!"

Namikaze Minato quickly replied with humility, "Ryusei, you flatter me."

Futaki Ryusei waved his hand and departed immediately using the Body Flicker Technique.

The rooftop fell silent, save for the sound of the wind.

Namikaze Minato was silent for a moment before saying, "I heard from the Third Hokage that you developed a new technique. As it happens, I am also developing a new technique."

Shita Genichi raised his hand, and a Rasengan condensed into existence. "Is this the Rasengan that Minato-senpai is referring to?"

Namikaze Minato's pupils constricted as he stared at the Rasengan.

This was exactly what he had been looking for!

"How... how did you do it?"

Namikaze Minato was slightly uncomposed.

He had worked hard for a long time, yet he had not succeeded in mastering it.

However, Namikaze Minato quickly regained his composure and said with some embarrassment, "Genichi, my apologies. The technique I am developing is somewhat similar to yours, but I have yet to complete it."

"Rasengan—a very fitting name."

Shita Genichi smiled. "Have you ever seen a drill, Minato-senpai?"

Namikaze Minato nodded, lost in thought.

Shita Genichi asked again, "And you have seen a swirling vortex, haven't you, Minato-senpai?"

Namikaze Minato nodded again.

"Follow me, Minato-senpai."

With that, Shita Genichi leaped away.

Namikaze Minato followed quickly; though curious, he did not ask any questions yet.

He followed Shita Genichi all the way as he bought a water vat, carried it to the riverside, and performed hand seals to use Water Release, manipulating the river water to fill the vat.

Such impressive control, and those hand seals...

Namikaze Minato was secretly astonished.

"I wonder if you have ever played this game, Minato-senpai."

As Shita Genichi spoke, he plunged both hands into the vat and stirred the water, causing it to rotate at high speed and form a vortex.

When the rotation reached a certain intensity, Shita Genichi suddenly pressed down with both hands. The swirling water inside the vat expanded outward, and the vat shattered into pieces instantly.

Namikaze Minato's eyes lit up as he watched. "So that's how it is."

The inspiration for his own Rasengan had come from the Tailed Beast Ball.

He had been groping in the dark, step by step, for over a year, yet he had not finished it.

But the way Shita Genichi had used a vortex to shatter the vat had suddenly cleared his mind.

"Minato-senpai, that is where my inspiration came from."

"However, chakra control is extremely difficult, and it must be constantly compressed to possess great destructive power."

Shita Genichi said helplessly, "So I thought of a method: fill a balloon with water, inject chakra into it, and drive the water to rotate until it shreds the balloon."

"Once the balloon is shredded, switch to a thicker rubber ball."

Namikaze Minato couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "Brilliant!"

"Minato-senpai, I want to show you something else."

Shita Genichi turned, and Namikaze Minato followed behind him.

Soon, the two arrived at a shop that sold yarn.

Shita Genichi picked up a ball of yarn and said to Namikaze Minato, "Compressing chakra and making it rotate is a very difficult task. Look at these interwoven threads, Minato-senpai."

Namikaze Minato stared at the ball of yarn, a sudden realization dawning on him. "Make the chakra rotate and intertwine irregularly just like these threads, layer upon layer, constantly compressing toward a single point in the center!"

Shita Genichi nodded with a smile. "Exactly. Just like refining chakra and condensing spirit for the first time, no matter which direction the chakra rotates, it must converge toward a single point in the center. That is how chakra can be unified!"

Namikaze Minato couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "You truly live up to the praise of the Third Hokage as a genius!"