The Rasengan, an A-rank jutsu and the signature technique of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had long been regarded as one of the most powerful and complex jutsu in the shinobi world. Its power, as well as the difficulty of mastering it, meant it wasn't something just anyone could learn.
In the original story, Naruto learned it in an unusually short time—mainly due to his unique physiology as a jinchūriki, and relentless day-and-night training. His chakra reserves and physical resilience far exceeded that of even many jōnin, making such an extreme method of training feasible.
For most shinobi, excessive chakra usage can result in serious consequences. Only someone like Naruto could endure the risk and intensity of that kind of training, effectively doubling or tripling his practice time compared to others.
Shikamaru, by contrast, had spent over a year rigorously training in secret before he could finally master the Rasengan—despite having prior knowledge of how Naruto had done it in the original timeline. Even with that advantage, it took time, precision, and a high level of chakra control to achieve.
Now, seeing the Rasengan's explosive power firsthand, Kawasemi Zaiman was in shock. A direct hit from that jutsu would easily be enough to kill a jōnin.
Not far away, Chōji had finally stopped spinning. His Human Boulder technique was canceled, and he leaned heavily against the base of a tree, gasping for breath. His brows furrowed, face pale from exhaustion.
The Akimichi clan's secret techniques were devastating in power, but equally draining. Their chakra consumption was massive—enough to make even veteran shinobi balk. Moreover, while using Human Boulder, the violent rotation and constant impacts put an enormous physical strain on the body. The fact that Chōji had used the technique twice already was pushing him to his absolute limit.
Shikamaru, too, was breathing heavily. After Kawasemi had tried to ambush him with an Earth Release technique, he was forced to cancel his Shadow Possession Jutsu. While incredibly versatile, the technique consumed chakra rapidly. Even with Shikamaru's skill and control, he could only sustain it for about seven minutes at most.
Fortunately, Kawasemi hadn't expected the Rasengan and was caught off guard when Shikamaru retaliated. Though he'd narrowly avoided being hit by emerging from underground, the failed ambush had still disrupted his plan—and likely shook his confidence.
Realizing that Kawasemi had reemerged and Chōji was no longer battle-capable, Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath and suddenly blew a sharp, high-pitched whistle.
"What's he doing!?" Kawasemi flinched. Shikamaru's sudden whistle made him uneasy. So far, there had only been five shinobi involved—Shikamaru, Chōji, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino—but one member of their formation had yet to appear. That absence had nagged at Kawasemi throughout the fight.
Was this whistle a signal for backup?
His eyes darted, scanning the treetops, the forest floor… even below. "Is it a trap? A pincer attack? Underground!?"
But before he could complete the thought, a sharp screech echoed from above.
A hawk.
It dived like a missile.
"Wh—!?"
Kawasemi instinctively looked up at the piercing cry—just in time to see the hawk, wings folded tight like a bullet, diving straight toward him at frightening speed.
Shikamaru's signal had been answered.
As the hawk swooped, it suddenly unfurled its wings mid-descent, slowing just enough to trigger the release of a pouch strapped to its back. The flap flew open—dozens of small, deep-purple spheres fell like hailstones toward Kawasemi's position.
Smoke bombs.
"Damn it!" Kawasemi cursed. Caught off guard by the aerial assault, he barely had time to react before the bombs hit the ground and burst open in quick succession—flooding the clearing with thick, choking violet smoke.
"Chōji, move!" Shikamaru shouted, leaping to his comrade's side. He threw one of Chōji's arms over his shoulder and began retreating rapidly, using his impeccable memory of the terrain to guide them through the smoke.
Then, another sharp whistle cut through the air.
The hawk, still circling above, responded to the call. With a quick beat of its wings, it dropped the second pouch—this one containing explosive tags.
BOOM!
The first of many explosions rocked the clearing. The tags ignited midair, scattering like deadly petals before detonating all around Kawasemi's last known position.
From outside the smoke, Kiba and Shino could only watch, the blasts and firelight reflecting in their eyes.
"Is it over?" Kiba muttered. He wasn't disappointed at not landing the finishing blow—he was annoyed. Explosive tags weren't cheap.
Then suddenly—
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
A compressed blast of air shot upward from the smoke cloud.
Not at Shikamaru. Not at Kiba. Not at Shino.
But straight into the air—toward the hawk still circling above.
Ino had been controlling the hawk with her Mind Body Switch Technique. She had been cautious, evasive—but the sheer speed and precision of the attack caught her by surprise.
"Drop the jutsu, Ino!" Shikamaru bellowed.
She obeyed, breaking the connection just as the wind bullets slammed into the hawk, tearing it apart in a burst of blood and feathers.
Back at her hiding spot, Ino gasped, coughing blood. Even though she had canceled the jutsu in time, the feedback from the hawk's destruction left her injured.
"That's bad…" Shino murmured. "He's still got chakra to use high-level Wind Release."
Just then—
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
A massive gust roared through the clearing, blowing away the thick purple smoke in an instant and revealing the damage beneath.
The ground was torn and scorched. Chunks of earth had been torn away, and Kawasemi now stood exposed in the center—his metal mask cracked, blood leaking from a wound on his temple. He looked furious, humiliated.
"I'm going to kill you all," he growled, his bloodshot eyes blazing.
As an elite jōnin, being pushed this far by genin was unacceptable. If Orochimaru heard about this, his standing would plummet.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
Shikamaru had been waiting.
The moment Kawasemi emerged, he activated his jutsu. A black shadow shot across the ground, snaking toward its target.
Kawasemi flinched, immediately pulling back. He already knew the jutsu's weakness: Shikamaru couldn't move while controlling it.
"Fang Over Fang!"
Kiba and Akamaru shot forward in a corkscrewing blur, aiming to flank him.
But Kawasemi was ready. "That's what I was waiting for!"
With a powerful leap, he launched himself out of the path of both the shadow and Kiba's attack.
WHAM!
Kiba and Akamaru slammed into the ground, carving small craters into the earth. As Kawasemi landed on a branch, he smirked.
From Shino's perspective, something felt wrong. Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, and Akamaru were now all in a straight line… vulnerable.
His eyes widened.
"Watch out!"
Kawasemi's hands blurred into rapid seals. "I'll finish this in one shot," he muttered coldly.
"Wind Release: Pressure—"
But he never finished the incantation.
His hands froze mid-seal.
His body locked in place.
His eyes widened in horror.
He didn't move.
He couldn't.
Something had gone terribly wrong.