A Flash of Inspiration!

The practical exam drew to a successful close, and Hayato once again stepped into the journey of training he knew and loved, day after day, diligent and unceasing, like a seeker of the Way who would never waver.

On a morning when the dawn was just beginning to break, the tranquil lake was blanketed in golden sunlight, the shimmering ripples dancing like scattered stars across the surface, beautiful enough to intoxicate the soul.

Hayato and Minato stood side by side, each clutching a rubber ball—the vital tool for their exploration into the mysteries of the Rasengan.

Having completed the previous stage of arduous training, they had successfully mastered the technique of condensing chakra to burst a water balloon. This not only marked a solid first step but also laid a firm foundation for their subsequent training.

Just as they were fully immersed in their practice, a figure appeared quietly on a nearby tree branch.

It was Jiraiya, his wild, unruly white hair fluttering in the wind, making him look like a master from beyond the mortal realm.

With his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze deep and sharp, he watched them in silence, as if evaluating the fruits of their labor.

Accompanied by the crisp sound of wooden sandals striking the ground, Jiraiya walked slowly toward them, every step unhurried and filled with the poise of a master.

"Jiraiya-sensei!" Minato recognized him at a glance and shouted in pleasant surprise.

Hayato also ceased his movements, turning to look at this legendary ninja, his eyes flickering with reverence and curiosity.

Jiraiya walked up to them with a smile. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Minato, his gaze fell upon Hayato, noting the Uchiha clan crest on his sleeve.

An Uchiha brat?

Minato put away the rubber ball in his hand and came to Jiraiya's side.

"Jiraiya-sensei, is there something you need me for?"

Jiraiya nodded slightly, then pursed his lips to gesture toward Hayato.

Seeing this, Minato quickly introduced him: "Jiraiya-sensei, this is Hayato, my friend. We were just working together to develop that ninjutsu from before."

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. He crouched down, interacting with Hayato in an equal and friendly manner: "Hello there, Hayato."

Hayato responded politely: "Hello, Jiraiya-sensei."

Without much small talk, Jiraiya turned to ask about the progress of their training.

"By the way, you mentioned you were developing that ninjutsu—how is the progress coming along?"

"I think we've found the right direction," Minato said, his face full of excitement.

Minato shared their results with great enthusiasm.

After listening, Jiraiya stroked his chin, falling into deep thought.

He mentally reconstructed the technique based on his own understanding of ninjutsu.

He struck his right fist into his left palm and looked at Minato with an approving expression.

"You don't say, Minato, you really are a genius. This is bound to be a very powerful ninjutsu."

Hearing Jiraiya's praise, Minato felt a bit shy, but he did not take all the credit for himself.

"Actually, these were all things Hayato and I discussed together. In fact, Hayato's input played a key role in this."

Hearing Minato say this, Jiraiya looked at Hayato in surprise, not expecting the boy to be the one leading the way.

He had originally assumed Hayato was learning ninjutsu from Minato, not that the two were researching it together.

"Kid, you're quite impressive."

To Jiraiya's praise, Hayato responded neither servile nor overbearing: "You are too kind."

"So, you're currently stuck at the stage of increasing the power, is that it?" A moment later, Jiraiya offered his own insights and suggestions.

These precious experiences seemed to open a door to a new world for Hayato and Minato.

It had to be said that Jiraiya was an excellent teacher, with a thorough understanding of the knowledge behind ninjutsu.

The two listened as if they had discovered a treasure, exchanging a smile, their hearts filled with a desire to put it into practice.

However, Jiraiya reminded Minato at the right moment: "Minato, training is important, but missions cannot be ignored either. There is an urgent mission that requires your attention now."

Although Minato felt a sense of reluctance, he knew well the urgency of the mission.

Still, he could always try it out on the road.

He put away his rubber ball, walked over to Hayato, and bid him farewell.

"Hayato, I have to go, but you can try it on your own. We'll discuss it further later."

Hayato understood this; Minato hadn't been able to train with him constantly during this period, and whenever there was a mission, Minato had to attend to his own duties.

After all, the other boy had to support himself with mission rewards.

Jiraiya waved his hand to say goodbye to Hayato.

"See you next time, Hayato!"

After politely seeing them off, Hayato refocused his attention on the rubber ball in his hand.

He applied the method Jiraiya had taught him to try and break through the bottleneck of the second stage.

It had to be said that Hayato was highly gifted, and combined with Jiraiya's more systematic explanation, he finally made a breakthrough in the second stage that had held him back for two days.

After three more attempts, when he successfully destroyed the rubber ball in his hand, his face was filled with an indescribable joy, as if the whole world were cheering for him.

"Success!" Hayato exclaimed, his face full of excitement.

Next was the final stage. Just as Hayato was about to begin the training for the final maintenance phase, a flash of inspiration struck him, and the idea of improving the Rasengan took root.

He had previously fallen into a fixed mindset, believing that the Rasengan training only consisted of three stages.

Was it possible for him to make further improvements?

He gazed at the rubber ball that had just shattered into pieces on the ground.

It started with a water balloon, then a tougher rubber ball filled with air.

Why not add a solid ball for the final step?

Liquid, gas, solid—three states of matter?

Since the final stage was all about maintenance anyway, adding a few new phases shouldn't do any harm.

Perhaps it would yield unexpected results.

With that, he hurried to the shopping district in Konoha to select two suitable sandballs as training materials.

Back by the lakeside, he began to experiment and adjust, over and over again. Each attempt was filled with challenges and unknowns, but he never gave up his pursuit of perfection.

In the blink of an eye, the morning hours slipped away.

Hayato began to ponder the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Although he did not know much about this ninjutsu, he knew deep down that it was one of his most difficult tasks at the moment.

Relying on his unyielding perseverance, he pushed forward step by step, like a fearless warrior climbing a treacherous mountain peak.

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and Hayato remained steadfast on his path of training, like a warrior who would never admit defeat.

Not far away, Minato and Kushina walked over slowly.

As they drew near, Minato quickened his pace and hurried to Hayato's side, his face beaming with excitement.

"Hayato, I've succeeded with that technique." His words were filled with a desire to share his joy.

Hearing this, Hayato stopped his training and asked curiously, "Is it a new ninjutsu? Or the Flying Thunder God?"

Minato did not answer directly; instead, he extended his right hand and gripped his right wrist with his left.

Very quickly, a blue and white swirling sphere formed between his hands like the eye of a typhoon, shining like a brilliant pearl in the night sky.

"It's this!"

Kushina, standing to the side, was also startled. "This is... a hand-seal-less ninjutsu! Minato, you're amazing!"

Seeing this, Hayato couldn't help but feel genuinely happy for Minato's achievement.

He knew that in the original timeline, it had taken Minato three years to complete this ninjutsu.

Now, because of his own participation and intervention, Minato had achieved such astonishing results in just three short months.

This was not only Minato's pride but also a testament to their joint efforts.

Their friendship and cooperation shone as brightly as that brilliant pearl, illuminating the path ahead for each other.