More than half a month had passed since the Yagui incident. During this time, nothing major happened on the surface. The skies were calm, the days routine—but Fenghuo could feel it. An undercurrent, tense and silent, building beneath the surface.
I need to get stronger—fast!
Fenghuo once again created a shadow clone to attend classes in his place, while his real body trained like a madman.
"Fenghuo, here's the chakra paper you asked for!"
On Hokage Rock, Might Dai casually tossed him a slip of chakra paper.
Fenghuo's eyes lit up as he caught it.
Chakra paper, when infused with chakra, reveals the user's chakra nature. Depending on the result, the paper will burn, wrinkle, split, become damp, or crumble—corresponding to fire, lightning, wind, water, and earth, respectively.
Kai, who was warming up nearby, jogged over curiously.
Fenghuo channeled his chakra into the paper. Instantly, half of it caught fire, while the other half wrinkled.
"Fire and Lightning style!" Dai exclaimed. "As expected of the Uchiha clan."
Fenghuo nodded. Fire Style was the signature element of the Uchiha, and many possessed Lightning Release as well. He had expected this result.
His next goal? The Rasengan.
Originally developed by the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, the Rasengan was a high-level A-rank technique requiring no hand seals (muji ninjutsu). Though difficult to master, it was powerful, compact, and didn't rely on specific chakra natures. What made it even more appealing was the clear, structured training method Minato left behind.
Fenghuo recalled the four-stage training process:
Chakra control – Gather and concentrate chakra in one palm.
Rotation – Use a water-filled balloon to make the water spin chaotically until the balloon bursts.
Power – Replace the balloon with a rubber ball and maintain chakra rotation strong enough to rupture it.
Completion – Combine all previous stages to form a dense, rotating sphere of chakra: the Rasengan.
By early morning, Kai had gone off to class, and Dai returned to his part-time construction work. Fenghuo remained alone atop Hokage Rock.
"Let's try it."
He extended his palm and focused his chakra. Thanks to his experience with medical ninjutsu, the first step was easy. Chakra gathered in his hand steadily.
"Now for stage two."
Fenghuo pulled out a water balloon he had prepared the day before, filled it at a nearby stream, and cradled it in his palm.
He pushed chakra into it—slowly, carefully.
At first, the water inside barely moved.
"Huh?"
He frowned. He was pouring in quite a bit of chakra, but the effect was minimal.
Closing his eyes, he monitored the chakra flow. That's when he noticed it—his chakra was entering the balloon but not staying within the water. It leaked outward and dispersed.
Realizing the flaw, he adjusted. He visualized the chakra being trapped inside the water. Immediately, the liquid began to swirl.
Encouraged, he increased the chakra flow. The water churned more wildly—but the balloon still held firm.
"So stubborn..."
Grinding his teeth, Fenghuo pondered the next step.
"It's not just spinning the water… I have to make it move erratically. Randomly. Like it's out of control…"
He tried again. But it was harder than expected. Trying to push chakra in multiple directions at once was like attempting to walk left and right simultaneously. Impossible—unless you were two people.
"Do I need to make a shadow clone… like Naruto?"
Unfortunately, his clone was still at the Academy.
"No, no, no. Naruto has a one-track mind, that's why it works for him. I'm more… versatile? Sophisticated? Right?"
Still, he couldn't ignore the technique's effectiveness.
Grinding his teeth, he continued practicing with renewed intensity.
Hours passed. By evening, he had developed a knack for it. Now, he could make the water in the balloon spin irregularly after just a few seconds.
He sighed in relief. "See? No one's chakra control circuit is straighter than Naruto's."
Just then, his stomach growled. Looking up, he realized the sun was setting—and he had skipped lunch entirely.
"If you're hungry, I have something to share."
A gentle voice came from behind.
Fenghuo turned—and froze.
Blond hair, blue eyes, a soft smile, and calm, clear features.
Namikaze Minato.
The Fourth Hokage. The Yellow Flash of Konoha. The creator of the Rasengan.
The very man whose jutsu he had been attempting to recreate stood before him, alive and smiling.
"Oh—sorry!" Minato chuckled. "I was watching your training earlier… That ninjutsu looks interesting. What is it?"
"I, uh… I'm Uchiha Fenghuo," he stammered, his brain short-circuiting.
Minato tossed him a small black pill. "Here, a soldier pill (bingan-yaku). It's good for recovery. I'm Minato Namikaze, just a regular shinobi."
"Thank you." Fenghuo accepted the pill and ate it without hesitation. If there was one person in the entire shinobi world you could trust not to poison you, it was Minato Namikaze.
Warmth spread through his stomach. He felt full, energized, and alert.
"Thanks for the pill."
"No problem. I should be the one apologizing for spying." Minato smiled.
Fenghuo blushed slightly. This wasn't the first time someone had caught him doing something embarrassing—Kai's Konoha Whirlwind series came to mind—but he quickly regained composure.
"It's nothing. I'm not even sure if this ninjutsu will work. It's just something I thought up."
Minato looked intrigued. "You're developing a jutsu on your own? That's amazing!"
Fenghuo hesitated, then took a gamble. "Would you be willing to help me perfect it?"
Minato blinked in surprise, then smiled gently. "Sure. I'd love to. I'm really curious about this jutsu."
Eyes shining, Fenghuo explained the four stages of Rasengan training in detail. The two began training together, exchanging techniques and thoughts like peers—despite their age gap.
Minato's calm tone and friendly nature made it feel like they were equals. For a moment, Fenghuo forgot that he was just seven years old.
By moonrise, Minato had already completed the second stage—his balloon burst easily from the internal chaos of chakra.
Fenghuo, for all his effort, still couldn't pop the balloon.
Sigh... Li Gui can't compare to Li Kui after all...
Minato, sensing his frustration, said warmly, "It's okay. Just keep practicing. I'm used to physical control—my motor coordination is one of my strengths, and that helps a lot with chakra flow."
Fenghuo's eyes sparkled.
Just then, a distant shout echoed across the mountain.
"Fenghuo!"
It was Might Dai.
Startled, Fenghuo stood up. "Oh no, I forgot I was supposed to train taijutsu with Uncle Dai!"