Chapter 18 - 17- The First Step Towards Rasengan

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Chapter 17: The First Step Towards Rasengan

The sun was shining brightly as I strolled through the bustling market streets of Konoha, a small smile tugging at my lips. Today's goal was clear: gather the necessary supplies to start creating the Rasengan. The weekend was coming up, and I'd finally have the time to focus on learning the jutsu. I didn't anticipate it taking too long, especially since I had all the knowledge from my previous life, but reality often had a way of humbling expectations.

My first stop was a small vendor selling packs of water balloons. I grabbed a couple of those, along with some sturdy rubber balls that I'd need for the next stage. With my supplies in hand, I left the busy streets behind and made my way toward a secluded spot by the riverbank. The river that flowed through Konoha had always been one of my favorite places to train. The sound of the water rushing by, the lush greenery around me, and the serene atmosphere made it the perfect place to sharpen my skills. Plus, there was the added bonus of being able to cool off in the river after a tough session.

Once I arrived, I took in the peaceful scenery for a moment, letting the calm of the area wash over me. Then, with the balloons and rubber balls laid out beside me, I filled my first water balloon and held it in my hand.

This was it—the beginning of the Rasengan. I recalled the process from the original work. The key was to make the water inside spin chaotically, forcing it to burst from within. Simple enough on paper, but I knew the execution would be far more difficult. It was one thing to understand it conceptually, and another thing entirely to make it happen.

Channeling my chakra into the balloon, I focused on getting the water to move. Slowly, I could feel the liquid starting to shift under my control. It expanded the balloon, stretching the thin rubber almost to its breaking point. But no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't burst. I altered the flow of chakra, spinning it in different directions, but it was still no use.

Hours passed, and with them went my chakra reserves. The sun began to sink lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the riverbank. Still, the balloon remained intact. Frustration gnawed at the edges of my concentration, but I couldn't afford to stop now.

"Come on…" I muttered under my breath, channeling the last of my chakra reserves into the balloon.

Finally—pop! The balloon burst in my hand, water splashing onto the grass. I let out a heavy breath, dropping to the ground as exhaustion overtook me. Six hours of continuous effort, six hours of trial and error, and I had barely completed the first step.

"Huff...huff...huff..." My chest rose and fell as I tried to catch my breath, wiping the sweat from my brow. The first stage of creating the Rasengan was finally done, but there was still a long road ahead. One thing was immediately clear—this jutsu demanded a lot of chakra. Much more than I had initially expected. Rasengan was classified as an A-rank ninjutsu for a reason, and I was going to need a serious upgrade in chakra capacity if I wanted to master it anytime soon.

The realization hit me hard. I couldn't afford to wait around any longer. My earlier plan to save up points was no longer viable. I needed to increase my stats now. I accessed my status screen, feeling the weight of the decision I was about to make. After a brief moment of deliberation, I began to allocate my points.

STATUS:

Strength: 19

Agility: 20

Defense: 18

Physique: 40 + 24 → 64

Mental Strength: 38 + 26 → 64

Chakra: 780 → 1280

Remaining points: 0

Skills: [Moved to separate section, accessible by thinking Status, Skill Bar]

As I allocated the points, a cool rush of energy surged through my body and mind, rejuvenating me almost instantly. The difference was remarkable. My chakra capacity had increased significantly—almost 40% more than before. The increase in my physique had also improved my chakra recovery rate, and thanks to the 10x multiplier, I was recovering chakra at an astonishing speed now. What would have taken me hours to regenerate would now only take minutes.

But that wasn't the only benefit. The boost to my mental strength was just as noticeable. I felt a newfound clarity, like the fog of fatigue had been lifted from my mind. My chakra control was sharper, more precise, and I could feel the world around me with heightened awareness. It was almost like stepping into a new dimension of perception.

The jump in mental strength also had other implications. It improved my resistance to genjutsu, as well as my ability to cast it—though, for now, I didn't plan to delve too deeply into genjutsu. That could come later. After I graduated, I'd have more time and access to higher-level jutsu. But for now, my focus remained on strengthening my core abilities.

I also couldn't help but notice the new Skills Bar feature that had been added to my status screen. The system had moved all my jutsu and other skills into a separate section, accessible by simply thinking Status, Skill Bar. It was a convenient change. As I continued to grow and master more techniques, having them all cluttered in one place would have made navigation a nightmare. The system was preparing for the long haul, knowing that eventually, I would have an arsenal of techniques. I smiled, appreciating the upgrade. It made things much more streamlined, and it would save me time as my list of skills continued to expand.

One thing that bugged me, though, was the uneven distribution of points between my physique and mental strength before, now they both sat at 64, a respectable number, but it wasn't quite perfect. I considered the idea of adding just five points to both when I have 10 more points, bringing them up to 69. The thought brought a small grin to my face—a little joke to myself—but I'd deal with that later.

With my points spent and my stats significantly improved, I decided to call it a day. Today's training had drained me, both mentally and physically, and I knew the next stage of the Rasengan was going to be even tougher. But I was confident. At this pace, I could master the Rasengan within a week or two.

As I made my way back home, the peaceful sound of the river fading behind me, I walked towards my home humming a slow song.

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