Genma possessed a simple, direct, and highly efficient assassination skill set—but that didn't mean he would give up on developing a broader arsenal of attack techniques.
After all, for a shinobi, the more varied one's abilities, the more unpredictable one becomes in battle. And unpredictability often leads to victory.
That was exactly why Genma had been working hard to master Water Release ninjutsu. With such a rare opportunity before him, of course he was going to learn as much as he could from the young version of a true master of Water Release.
Unfortunately, this so-called master was rather stingy with his knowledge. In exchange for saving his life, all Genma got were two B-rank jutsu and one C-rank jutsu.
But that was fine. There was no need to rush. If he wanted more, he'd have to earn it himself, brick by brick.
After acquiring the three Water Release jutsu and understanding the hand signs and chakra flow mechanisms behind them, Genma headed straight to a secluded spot far from camp to begin his solo training.
He quickly got the hang of the C-rank Water Surface Wave, but the two B-rank jutsu were significantly more challenging. His attempt at Water Dragon Bullet Technique looked more like an oversized squirt gun.
After an entire day of fruitless practice, he immediately went to seek guidance from the injured Water Release master.
To be honest, the fact that Tobirama Senju was willing to share even three jutsu was already generous. He had no obligation whatsoever to actually teach Genma how to use them.
If Genma couldn't learn them, that was his own problem—it had nothing to do with Tobirama.
Plenty of average shinobi lacked the talent or comprehension needed to learn B-rank or higher techniques. If Genma turned out to be one of those uncarveable blocks of rotten wood, it would hardly be fair to blame Tobirama for that.
Still, Genma kept pestering him with questions, always hovering nearby.
In the end, Tobirama had no choice but to suppress his annoyance and point out the key aspects:
"For advanced Water Release techniques like these, the chakra must first be pre-converted into the water nature. Once you've refined enough water chakra, you should pre-compress it before release..."
"You want it to feel not just like a release, but like a burst—like the chakra is being launched or ejected under pressure."
"Each step needs to sync with your hand signs and guide the chakra's flow properly."
"In short, start by practicing the amount and speed at which you output water chakra. The only way to get better at this is by putting in the time..."
As expected of a master—under Tobirama's guidance, Genma quickly grasped the core principles.
He wasn't a genius. It would take more than a couple of days to truly master high-level techniques like these. But there was no rush. Now that he understood the technique and the logic behind it, all he needed was practice. With time, Genma was confident he could master these advanced Water Release jutsu.
However, Tobirama probably wouldn't be around long enough to see the results of Genma's training.
Three days later, Tobirama had recovered enough to move again, which meant he would likely be leaving soon… as he should. There was nothing here to hold him.
He'd been away from his clan for too long—any longer and they'd surely start to worry. He couldn't afford to waste more time away from home.
At least, that was what Tobirama told himself. But Genma had other plans—he would make sure Tobirama had a reason to stay.
Genma knew Tobirama was preparing to leave. So the next time they spoke, he didn't bring up Water Release at all. Instead, he steered the conversation toward the development of a new jutsu.
It was the perfect bait.
Why? Well, if you want to catch a fish, you have to chum the water first. Genma had already repaid his debt for saving Tobirama's life. If he wanted to squeeze anything more out of him, he'd have to offer something valuable in return.
And when it came to the most valuable technique Genma had… it wasn't even his originally.
"Tobirama, I've seen your Body Flicker Technique in action. Your ability to eliminate enemies in a flash is impressive. But during the flicker, you're limited to taijutsu and basic ninja tools, right? Have you ever found your attacks lacking in power? After all, instant movement and drawn-out hand signs don't exactly go hand-in-hand…"
It sounded like an academic discussion—far more palatable to Tobirama than simply being asked for more ninjutsu lessons. So he shelved his farewell speech for now and replied, "That's true. There are times when I can't break through an enemy's defense. No matter how fast I move, it's meaningless if I can't land a decisive blow."
Genma nodded, as if expecting that answer. "Then have you considered using a no-hand-sign jutsu to pair with your Body Flicker?"
"No-hand-sign ninjutsu? I've thought about it and even experimented a bit, but nothing ever came of it. Turning abstract chakra into a concrete form usually requires both hand signs and technique. That's the standard understanding. No-hand-sign jutsu goes against that foundation."
"Form... yes, you need form," Genma agreed, but then added, "But form doesn't have to be shaped by hand signs. In fact, an extreme transformation of chakra's physical properties can result in destructive power beyond imagination."
As he spoke, Genma raised his left hand, and in his palm appeared a small, spinning chakra sphere. However, the energy density and rotational speed were clearly lacking, and it didn't look remotely threatening.
That's right—what Genma was trying to demonstrate was the Rasengan.
From the moment he realized he'd arrived in the shinobi world, Genma had begun developing this high-powered, high-difficulty jutsu. In fact, he had already spent a year on it.
The Rasengan is one of the rare techniques in the original series whose training process was described in full detail. So it made perfect sense that Genma would focus on it.
However, the difficulty of mastering this jutsu was absurd, and he hadn't made much progress.
It wasn't that he lacked insight or learning ability—it was simply that his chakra quality and density weren't up to par. He didn't have the raw materials to work with. Even the most skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients.
"It doesn't seem very practical…"
Tobirama stared at the sphere in Genma's hand for a while, then shook his head, somewhat disappointed. But it was obvious that the concept intrigued him.
Everyone knew Tobirama Senju was the greatest inventor the shinobi world had seen before Orochimaru—brilliant, eccentric, and always pushing boundaries. The development of a new jutsu was exactly the kind of thing that got his blood pumping.
"To unleash this jutsu's true power, you need three things: high-density chakra, extreme energy compression, and ultra-high-speed rotation. I can't meet all three conditions right now," Genma said.
Previously, his chakra didn't meet the requirements. But now, he was ready to try again.
In the era of Konohagakure, Uzumaki Naruto—the most famous "ball-rolling" master in history—made an unparalleled contribution to the evolution of the Rasengan.
It was Naruto's "dumb" method that reduced the Rasengan's learning difficulty from S-rank to below B-rank, thanks to his ingenious use of the Shadow Clone Technique during training.
Using a no-hand-sign jutsu that still required hand signs to prepare... Whether that counts as evolution or regression is up for debate. At the very least, Naruto's approach was certainly unconventional.
"The whole point of this technique is to execute it instantly with one hand—that's when it becomes truly practical. But during the development phase, we don't have to be that strict. First, we need to complete the technique itself. We can worry about practicality and combat application later."
As he spoke, Genma placed his right hand over his left. The loosely formed chakra began to compress toward the center of his palms, eventually forming a light blue orb.
It kind of looked like a Rasengan now. Unfortunately, it was only for show—the chakra sphere was completely static.
"One hand controls the energy release, and the other maintains the form. But the problem is… I don't have a third hand," Genma said with a sigh of regret.
Tobirama's reaction was lightning-fast. He even jumped to answer: "A third hand? What about the Shadow Clone Technique?"
"I come from a small clan with no proper legacy. I don't know how to use tangible clone techniques."
"I—…"
Tobirama nearly blurted out, "I do," but managed to stop himself just in time.
Because he suddenly realized—he'd walked right into another one of Genma's traps.
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