The time was already well past nine, and most shops were open by now.
On his way back, Ryuku stopped by a general store to purchase a few bottles of ink, stacks of empty paper, and a decent brush before quickly heading home.
There was so much to do, so much to accomplish, and all he had was a single week of free time until graduation. If he counted the start of the medical campaign in three days, his free time was shrinking even further.
Setting his supplies aside, he sat down on the sofa and started weighing the idea of learning a free offensive jutsu—Rasengan. Given its ridiculous chakra consumption if used incorrectly, he had dismissed it early on. But now, with his improved chakra control and progress in emission, he was confident he could make it work.
Of course, it wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as the original A-rank Rasengan, but with some adjustments, he could make a manageable, albeit far less destructive, version.
Let's give it a try in the evening… I need offensive jutsu anyway. Even if it doesn't work, I still have my original plan to fall back on…
After resting, Ryuku picked up the second scroll—A Study on Mastering Sealing Marks—and began reading while sipping on a drink he had concocted from fruit juice and leftover beer from his great-uncle's stash.
It seemed he had vastly underestimated his great-uncle's love for alcohol—the man had stashed away three full stacks of beer all over his room. Now, after his passing, Ryuku had no choice but to inherit his great-uncle's legacy and keep the tradition alive.
"Oh, these symbols look complex and imposing… but they operate similarly to coding languages from Earth," he muttered, eyes locked onto the Fūinjutsu symbols.
Diving fully into his studies, he practiced calligraphy with the ink and papers he had bought earlier. It was a completely new skill for him, vastly different from anything he had done before. Yet, with every attempt, his strokes became steadier and more precise.
However, simply imitating the symbols was only the first step. With no teacher to guide him and Fūinjutsu being an entirely foreign field, mastering it would take relentless effort, patience, and intelligence.
Time passed. Afternoon came and went.
Only when his stomach let out a loud growl did he pause to prepare a protein-rich meal.
After eating, he spent some time practicing wall climbing in his living room before resuming his Fūinjutsu study.
Besides, Ryuku also became aware that his increased chakra control now allowed him to cast any E-rank Jutsu dozens of times without running out of chakra.
With that in mind, he continued his calligraphy practice with unwavering dedication. His surroundings were soon filled with sheets of paper, each carefully inscribed with sealing symbols. Yet, he remained undeterred, fully immersed in perfecting his strokes. His focus was so intense that he barely noticed the passage of time.
Before he knew it, five hours had passed in the blink of an eye.
....
Sitting in the small garden next to his house, Ryuku let out a silent breath and began focusing his chakra into his palm, maintaining precise control.
As he did, he could visibly see his blue chakra flowing over his hand.
So chakra really is blue, huh... he noted.
With the garden's decently sized walls and a locked iron gate, no one could see him practicing inside. That was why he chose to train here instead of heading to the forest.
The next instant, he sharpened his focus and heightened his chakra control.
Now, all I need to do is swirl the raw chakra into a sphere at high velocity while keeping its shape stable... But my version of Rasengan should be small—much smaller than the original.
Positioning his right hand toward the ground, Ryuku began shaping his chakra into a sphere. He didn't find it difficult at all—both the speed and form were better than expected. After a few moments of extreme focus, a rotating blue sphere, only three centimeters in diameter, formed in his palm.
Yet, despite the success, Ryuku wasn't satisfied. The damn thing had consumed thirty percent of his chakra, and he wasn't sure if something this tiny would even be useful in battle.
Well, here goes nothing...
The Change in Chakra Form—a technique said to be difficult even for Chūnin—was effortlessly overcome by him on the first try. Ryuku stared at it for a moment, then, without hesitation, slammed his Mini-Rasengan into the ground.
The moment of impact sent a jolt through his palm, and as he twisted the sphere slightly, he felt the earth soften beneath it. The next instant, a spiraling hole, three times the size of his attack, appeared before him. Though not deep, it was clearly carved with a meticulous, human-like precision.
I guess this is all I can get from an attack of this size... He analyzed.
Considering its strength, this should fall between D-rank and C-rank... No, calling it C-rank is a bit of a stretch—for now.
Noticing his depleted chakra, he let out a small chuckle.
I'll get better... I have to... Because for those without strength, only death awaits.
Ryuku then decided to practice the damn thing—no, the Mini-Rasengan—two more times since he had enough chakra left. On his second attempt, he formed it a few seconds faster and then dispelled the chakra, not wanting to carve another hole in his garden.
Yet, as he was trying it for the third time, something clicked in his mind. He formed another Mini-Rasengan, but this time, the spinning force inside was far more violent and powerful.
His face grimaced, and exhaustion weighed on his body. Beads of sweat rolled down his temples as he barely kept the Mini-Rasengan stable.
But what truly excited him was the fact that this time, the Mini-Rasengan was forming next to his forefinger. Though harder to control, he managed to maintain it flawlessly.
Still, he wasn't done. Forcing a surge of chakra through his pathways—like a bullet—he crashed it all into the Mini-Rasengan.
His finger pointed skyward.
The Mini-Rasengan vanished from his fingertip in an instant, and the next thing he saw made his eyes widen in sheer disbelief.
A small mass of chakra shot into the sky like a shining water droplet, accelerating at an incredible pace. It soared past twenty meters before finally dispersing into the air.
"Bloody hell…" he whispered, awestruck.
At that moment, he realized—he had just done something that could alter his future plans in a way he never expected.
....
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