Rasenshuriken

Clearly, what Neji had used in front of Sasuke was the Rasengan, a Hand Seal-less Ninjutsu the Fourth Hokage had created by imitating the Tailed Beast Bomb after observing it.

Of course, Sasuke knew none of that. He did not even know the technique was called the Rasengan.

Neji smiled. "What do you think? This is the Rasengan, a Hand Seal-less Ninjutsu created by the Fourth Hokage. It's a difficult A-rank technique."

"So the Fourth Hokage created it," Sasuke murmured. Then he snapped his head up. "How do you know the Fourth Hokage's technique?"

"Heh. The Rasengan is a Ninjutsu the Fourth Hokage created by imitating the Tailed Beast Bomb. Quite a few people know how it works, and as it happens, my father, Hizashi Hyuga, is one of them." Neji made up the first explanation that came to mind.

"I have to admit it, Neji. You really are a genius," Sasuke said with a sigh.

"Heh. Some genius. I haven't done anything special." Neji shook his head.

Sasuke did not dwell on that pointless argument. "Is the ultimate technique you mentioned derived from this Rasengan?"

"That's right." Neji nodded. "The Rasengan has no elemental nature. Its form gives it enormous room to develop. Infuse it with Chakra of different natures, and it becomes a different technique each time."

"Here, watch. I'll infuse it with fire-nature Chakra." Neji motioned for Sasuke to look closely.

As he spoke, flecks of crimson began to spread across the blue Rasengan in his palm.

More and more crimson appeared until it swallowed the blue sphere whole. In its place spun a blazing red ball of fire.

The crimson sphere spun erratically, bathing the entire Basement in red light. The heat rolling off it left Sasuke's mouth dry.

"You did it?!" Sasuke could not hide his shock. He stared at the sphere in Neji's hand, his eyes wide.

Through his Sharingan, he could see that the once neutral sphere had become a Fire Release Ninjutsu, plainly far more powerful than before.

He did not dare imagine how much of him would be left if it struck him.

"It's not quite finished. It's still a little short of what I envisioned." Neji shook his head and dispersed the Fire Release Ninjutsu he had named the Explosive Flame Rasengan.

He turned to Sasuke. "Did you copy the Rasengan with your Sharingan?"

Sasuke shook his head. "My Sharingan isn't quite capable of it yet. This technique seems to be beyond what my eyes can handle in their current state."

"That's a shame," Neji said. "You'll have to practice it the slow way."

Sasuke nodded. Being able to learn a powerful Ninjutsu was enough to satisfy him. His Sharingan had its limitations, but he believed it would eventually evolve to Three-Tomoe.

"What did you envision?" Sasuke asked curiously. "Wasn't that the final form? I'd already call it an S-rank ultimate Ninjutsu."

"The first nature I wanted to add to the Rasengan was wind," Neji explained. "Wind-nature Chakra would give it a spinning, cutting effect, changing the sphere into something like a Shuriken. It would no longer be a close-range technique. You could throw it as an incredibly powerful long-range Wind Release attack. Other Chakra natures could reach that stage too, but I think the wind version would be best suited for throwing. A Rasenshuriken of another nature might be harder to make."

Just from Neji's explanation, Sasuke could picture how powerful the Ninjutsu would be. The compressed Chakra would inevitably expand. If it had become wind-nature Chakra by the time it burst, it would make for a devastating wide-area Ninjutsu.

"Wind nature?" Sasuke soon frowned. He possessed that Chakra nature, but he had barely studied it.

In fact, he had hardly studied it at all. He had devoted his energy to his Sharingan, his family's Fire Release Ninjutsu, and their projectile techniques.

"Don't you have wind nature?" Sasuke asked Neji.

Neji shook his head. "I haven't developed it. Wind isn't among my innate Chakra natures."

"Then I'll give it a try," Sasuke said. "I've still got plenty of time before graduation."

Neji nodded. Sasuke had the talent. After inheriting Chidori from Kakashi in the original story, he had developed Kirin while studying under Orochimaru. It was worth letting him try the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.

He might not succeed, but what if he did?

"I'll have to ask Cat Granny to find me some Wind Release techniques," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "The village cleaned everything out. All they left me were a few Fire Release techniques."

"Turning resources into strength is always a good idea," Neji said.

"Don't get your hopes too high. I doubt I can figure this Ninjutsu out anytime soon," Sasuke warned him.

"Don't worry. When you can only train in secret, I'm not expecting much." Neji's hopes had never been particularly high.

"It's a shame I'll only be able to use this Ninjutsu when it really matters. Otherwise, I'd have no way to explain it to the village." Sasuke finally knew what it felt like to have power he could not freely use.

"I'll tell you what I know about the Rasengan, the Explosive Flame Rasengan, and the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken in a moment," Neji said. "Right now, the most important thing is bringing together the Yin-Yang Polarity and obtaining the Power of All-Creation!"

At the mention of the Yin-Yang Polarity and the Power of All-Creation, anticipation crept onto Sasuke's face. "We're about to begin."

"Summoning Technique!"

Poof! Smoke burst outward, and an Orange Cat appeared within it, carrying a huge scroll on its back.

Neji grinned when he saw the Orange Cat. "Sangbiao Mimi, you've gotten even fatter."

The plump Orange Flame gave Neji a sidelong look. "Hyuga kid, call me Lord Sangbiao. I'm tired of correcting you people!"

"Orange Flame, knock it off. Cat Granny already told me your name." Sasuke unceremoniously rubbed the Orange Cat's forehead.

"Hmph!" Orange Flame looked indignant. "My name is Sangbiao, no matter what!"

Neji suddenly said, "Two bags of Dried Fish! For today, you're Orange Flame Mimi."

Orange Flame's green eyes went wide, and drool trickled from the cat's mouth. After swallowing, Orange Flame declared solemnly, "Do you think I, Sangbiao, am a cat with so little willpower? Two measly bags of Dried Fish? Is that how you test a cat?"

"Five bags!" As expected of the heir to a great clan, Sasuke more than doubled the offer without hesitation.

Orange Flame slurped up the drool and immediately said, "Deal. Today, I'm your Orange Flame Mimi."

"Woohoo!" Orange Flame's fat body darted nimbly toward the Dried Fish in the corner.