Jiraiya's Rasengan

Jiraiya wanted to test Naruto Uzumaki's strength.

This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. There were many reasons, the most important being to observe the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's seal, since Team Seven had relied on the Nine-Tails' explosive power when escaping the bandits' hideout.

The chances of their journey encountering enemies were simply too high.

If Naruto Uzumaki used the Nine-Tails' Chakra during battle but could not control its power, the threat it posed might be greater than that of their enemies.

Besides that, Jiraiya also wanted to see Naruto Uzumaki's own fighting habits, because Naruto was the next generation inheriting the legacy of his disciple, Minato Namikaze.

There was too little time. There was no faster way to test him than through battle.

To avoid drawing the attention of other shinobi, they deliberately found a secluded valley near Yugakure as the site for this test.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto Uzumaki, his expression more serious than ever. "You may use any power you have in this battle, including the Nine-Tails inside you."

He even hoped Naruto Uzumaki would use the Nine-Tails' power. Only then could he gain more information through his firsthand impressions in battle.

Naruto Uzumaki shook his head at Jiraiya. "After the last battle, the Nine-Tails is too tired. It can't provide me with Chakra anymore..."

Jiraiya: "..."

What a joke. How could the Nine-Tails possibly be unable to provide Chakra?!

And it was the strongest Tailed Beast in the shinobi world. How could it be exhausted by one small battle... Was this brat being fooled by the Nine-Tails?!

Jiraiya's original plan had been to drive Naruto into a corner during the coming battle and force him to use the Nine-Tails' Chakra...

Now, though, things were a little strange...

Didn't Tailed Beasts always try desperately to release their Chakra, influence their Jinchuriki's will, and reshape them into the personalities they wanted?

The process of a Jinchuriki's training was to do everything possible to preserve their own will from being eroded and changed by the Tailed Beast when it released Chakra...

Why was the Nine-Tails... so laid-back?

It was even stingy about providing Chakra.

If the Nine-Tails knew what Jiraiya was thinking, it would definitely step forward and tell him that Tailed Beasts provided Chakra for a reason. Yet Naruto Uzumaki could effortlessly turn Tailed Beast Chakra into his own, leaving it unable to see any hope of changing him.

Why should it keep giving him Chakra?

It was like a miserable unrequited love story.

If Jiraiya had to quietly devote himself to a woman who was a bottomless pit for money, yet never even got the chance to hold her hand, would he still be willing?

"Forget it. Let's try first..."

Jiraiya felt Naruto's will was probably not strong enough yet. Perhaps putting him through a difficult trial would awaken his potential.

Kakashi Hatake raised a hand, sweeping his gaze over the old man and the boy as he temporarily acted as referee. "Are you ready? Naruto? Senior Jiraiya?"

"Begin!"

The ground beneath Jiraiya's feet instantly shattered!

His forward dash was so fast that it kicked up a light breeze in an instant!

Even Kakashi Hatake watched Jiraiya charge at Naruto in surprise. A figure like one of Konoha's Three Sannin was actually the first to attack?

Bang!

Naruto only had time to see a burly figure appear in front of him before Jiraiya's strike landed squarely on his chest!

"Brat!"

White hair streamed in the wind as Konoha's heroic shinobi appeared at Naruto's side in the blink of an eye. "This isn't like the Survival Exercise you took after graduation. This is a battle where one lapse in focus could cost you your life!"

Jiraiya fiercely rebuked him and kicked Naruto in the shoulder, sending him flying!

In midair, Naruto Uzumaki gritted his teeth. Because of the force behind the blow, he still could not control the direction his body was flying...

But Jiraiya had already caught up!

"Rasengan... Impact Wave!"

A swirling mass of Chakra gathered in Naruto Uzumaki's palm. He slammed it toward the ground, using the impact wave's force to redirect his body!

He flipped and landed!

Naruto Uzumaki steadied himself. A Rasengan formed in each palm, and before they could take shape, he abruptly brought his hands together and thrust the Chakra outward!

"Rasengan Impact Wave: Combined!"

A wave of azure Chakra instantly destroyed everything in front of Naruto!

The heroic shinobi of Konoha flashed aside from the oncoming blast. He looked at the destructive power of the technique and spoke uncertainly, "That technique... was it the result of failing to train the Rasengan?"

As another user of the Rasengan, Jiraiya had studied other possibilities for it after learning the Rasengan from his disciple...

While the Rasengan's Chakra was rotating at high speed and gathering together, opening a gap to release it could indeed create an extraordinarily powerful impact...

However, that method was far too dangerous. One careless mistake and the Rasengan would explode, and Jiraiya's Chakra did not allow him to waste it like that!

Yet Naruto had reached this point and even developed a new technique based on his own Chakra advantages...

This brat was truly too much like his father!

A Chakra vortex rapidly gathered in Jiraiya's palm. He laughed heartily at Naruto. "Brat, then let me show you a real Rasengan!"

"..."

Naruto Uzumaki's expression finally turned tense. Ever since learning the Rasengan, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds!

As one of its users, Naruto Uzumaki knew full well how much room the Rasengan had for growth. Jiraiya had certainly used it longer than he had, so he must have developed far more Rasengan variants!

I have to be twice as careful...

A Chakra vortex gathered in Naruto Uzumaki's palm. His eyes did not dare relax as he stared intently at Jiraiya's next move, watching the Rasengan in his palm.

If both fighters used the Rasengan, the first factor deciding victory would be the amount and density of Chakra within the Rasengan. The second would be the nature transformation within it.

In theory, whoever struck first would lose!

Only by changing the nature transformation of one's own Rasengan based on the opponent's Rasengan could one possibly glimpse an opportunity for victory!

Having personally experienced Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Kakashi Hatake also knew the key to victory. "Senior Jiraiya... Naruto... whose Rasengan has been developed further? Whose technique is more powerful?"

No!

The Rasengan was no minor ninjutsu!

If both of their techniques were powerful, one of them would definitely be injured. They might even both end up badly hurt!

Kakashi Hatake's face turned grave. "Senior Jiraiya, isn't it too dangerous for you to clash using techniques like the Rasengan?"

"Kakashi, if you never push yourself to the limit, you'll never become stronger!"

Jiraiya answered him, then saw that the Rasengan in Naruto Uzumaki's palm had already formed. His eyes narrowed, and his expression immediately became solemn. "I guessed wrong... That brat has already learned the Rasengan!"

"But that works out perfectly!"

Jiraiya smiled, glanced at the Rasengan in his hand, and leaped toward Naruto Uzumaki!

He wanted to see this brat's limit!

When Kakashi Hatake saw Jiraiya charge in with a small Rasengan raised in his hand, the corner of his mouth twitched. "Hey, hey, hey, Senior Jiraiya, don't underestimate him!"

First update

Day one.

Jiraiya: Brat, I see you're naturally gifted. How about learning ninjutsu from me?

Naruto: What ninjutsu?

Jiraiya: What do you think of this Rasengan?

Naruto: It's... all right?

Jiraiya: Then do you want to learn it?

Naruto: Sure.

Day two.

Jiraiya: First, I need to give you a ball...

Naruto: Pervy Sage, I've already developed Wind Release nature transformation and the more powerful Big Ball Rasengan. Just teach me the nature transformation inside it...

Jiraiya: ...Well...

Naruto: What?

Jiraiya: Brat, do you know who I learned the Rasengan from?

Naruto: ???

Day three.

Konoha Morning News headline: "Is Jiraiya, One of Konoha's Three Sannin, Overrated? Is He Good at Teaching Disciples, or Good at Picking Them?"

Konoha Morning News report:

According to our reporter, Jiraiya learned the Rasengan from his disciple Minato Namikaze many years ago, but he was never able to master its nature transformation.

Recently, Jiraiya suddenly used a new form of the Rasengan. Some have suggested that he learned it from another disciple of his, Naruto Uzumaki.

As far as we know, the copyright dispute over the Rasengan between Naruto Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze only recently concluded in the underworld. Could Jiraiya have some unknown connection to this matter?

Please stay tuned for our reporter's next report.