"YAAAHHH!! The battle isn't over yet! Gate of View—Open! Gate of Wonder—Open!"
With a thunderous roar, Guy pushed himself even further, opening two more gates. Now, he had activated the Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder. One more step, and he would be knocking on death's door.
"Guy! Have you lost your mind?! This is just a sparring match—you don't have to go this far!" Kakashi shouted in alarm.
Guy's speed and power surged once again, his entire being consumed by the blue flames of his chakra. Yet, despite his overwhelming might, he still couldn't land a single hit on Goku. The difference between them was simply too vast. Even if he opened the final Eighth Gate, it wouldn't change anything.
Everyone watching was left in stunned silence.
All except for Goku's women.
They were already used to his absurd power.
But for the others, witnessing such an impossible gap in strength firsthand was utterly mind-blowing. Not even the legendary First Hokage, who was hailed as the strongest in ninja history, could achieve such a feat.
"It seems… this is your limit," Goku said casually.
Then, with a simple flick of his wrist, he slapped Guy on the back.
BOOM!
The air exploded as Guy's body was slammed into the ground at high speed. He lay there, groaning, unable to move for several moments.
The only reason Goku had let the fight drag on this long was simple—he wanted to see the full power of the Eight Inner Gates in action.
And after witnessing it, he had to admit—it was a terrifying technique. But in the end, it was just a self-destructive last resort. Against someone like him, it was completely useless.
"Guy! Are you okay?!"
Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai rushed to his side in concern.
"Ow… ow… don't touch me… it hurts…" Guy whimpered in agony.
Opening Seven Gates had taken a devastating toll on his body—his muscles were torn, his veins strained to their limits. And to top it off, Goku had smacked him so hard he was practically half-dead.
"I told you not to fight him," Kakashi sighed. "You brought this on yourself. And for what? This was just a spar—there was no need to push yourself to this extent."
Despite his battered state, Guy's eyes still burned with passion.
"I… I had no idea someone this absurd existed…" He trembled with excitement. "Even after opening Seven Gates, I couldn't even touch him… A single human being, reaching such heights in Taijutsu… It's unbelievable… But thanks to him, I've seen a new world… I now understand—there's an even greater level I must strive for… My youth is burning even brighter!"
"Alright, alright, shut up and rest before you die," Kurenai muttered, shaking her head.
At that moment, Bulma and the other women gathered around, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Seeing Guy's miserable state, Bulma gasped. "Goku! You went way too far! He's barely human anymore!"
Saeko, however, shook her head. "No… these don't look like external injuries. It's more like… his own technique backfired on him."
Goku knelt beside Guy and smirked. "That's exactly what happened. The technique he used is called the Eight Inner Gates. There are eight gates in total: Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder, and finally, Gate of Death. Normally, even opening the Fourth Gate puts immense strain on the body. By the time you reach the Seventh Gate, you're already gambling with your life. As for the Eighth Gate… well, that one guarantees death."
After explaining, Goku casually kicked Guy twice.
"Aghhh!! OW! What the hell?!" Guy screamed, writhing in pain.
"If you're gonna train Taijutsu, then train your damn body properly! Relying on self-destructive techniques like this is just stupid," Goku scolded.
"Hey, hey! Stop kicking him!" Kurenai immediately pulled Goku back, glaring at him. "He's already in horrible shape, and you're making it worse!"
"Tch. Don't worry, he's not dying," Goku muttered, rolling his eyes.
And with that, he really kicked Guy—this time launching him into the air.
WHOOSH!
Guy let out a scream so pitiful it could put a dying pig to shame. If not for his sheer willpower, he would have passed out on the spot.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Kakashi and Asuma both shouted in alarm. They tensed up, ready to attack, but they knew deep down they had no chance.
Goku shot them a bored glance. "What, you two seriously think you can stop me?"
With a casual wave of his hand, a burst of invisible force sent them flying backward, slamming them into a tree. Meanwhile, Kurenai remained completely untouched.
It was obvious.
He had spared her.
"Tsk, if it weren't for this lovely lady here, I wouldn't even bother healing him," Goku smirked, glancing at Kurenai.
He then turned his back to them and activated his God's Eye and made a few hand seals. A radiant white light enveloped Guy's body, his injuries rapidly healing within seconds.
As the light faded, Goku blinked, shaking his head. "Tch. This damn technique requires hand seals. Annoying. I need to practice this more later…"
Guy slowly sat up, looking down at his now-healed body in shock.
"Incredible… even my muscles feel better than before…" He turned to Goku and bowed deeply. "Thank you! Your medical ninjutsu is on a completely different level. Even Lady Tsunade wouldn't be able to heal injuries this fast!"
Kakashi and the others hesitated before also bowing.
"We… we misjudged you, Goku-sama," Kakashi said solemnly. "Please accept our apologies."
Goku waved them off. "Whatever. Just pretend none of this ever happened. Got it?"
They paused for a moment before nodding in unison.
"Understood, Goku-sama."
At that moment, they glanced at the four masked enemy ninjas still bound nearby.
"What about them?" Asuma asked.
"They're just trash. Kill them," Goku said flatly.
Kakashi hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. As much as he wanted to interrogate them for intel, Goku's word was final.
SWISH!
With swift precision, Kakashi's kunai sliced across their throats. The assassins didn't even flinch.
"Heh… at least we got to witness a battle like that before dying," one of them whispered before collapsing.
Their bodies hit the ground, lifeless.
Kakashi sighed but showed no regret. They had sealed their fate the moment they tried to kill Kurenai.
With the fight over, Kakashi turned back to Goku.
"Goku-sama, we need to return to the village immediately. With the recent Uchiha Massacre, many forces are eyeing Konoha. We can't afford to waste time here."
Goku nodded. "Go on, then."
He then turned to Kurenai with a playful grin. "Hey, beautiful. Want to come with us on a little adventure?"
Kurenai crossed her arms. "Sorry, but I have no interest in being anyone's side chick. You guys have fun."
"Ouch. So cold," Goku sighed dramatically. "And here I thought I was your knight in shining armor…"
As he turned to leave, Kurenai watched his back disappear into the distance.
For just a moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossed her eyes.
"He really is… an incredible man. If only he weren't such a womanizer…"
She sighed, turning away—completely missing the brief look of jealousy that flashed through Asuma's eyes.
___
Goku and his companions spent a few days exploring, taking in the unique culture and scenery of the ninja world. Eventually, they arrived in the Land of Grass, near the borders of the Land of Fire.
Inside a luxurious hotel, the women sat together, chatting excitedly about everything they had seen and experienced over the past few days. As usual, Goku had no interest in their conversations—he couldn't even get a word in—so he simply sat alone, sipping his drink while gazing out the window.
Meanwhile, in a small alley nearby, a young girl in tattered clothing sat on a stone ledge, her eyes fixed on a nearby meat bun stall. The rich aroma of freshly steamed buns filled the air, making her stomach growl. She swallowed hard, resisting the temptation as she stared longingly at the food.
Goku's eyes were instantly drawn to the little girl. It wasn't just her ragged appearance that caught his attention—it was her striking red hair and her familiar face.
"Karin Uzumaki!" His eyes lit up with recognition. "I didn't expect to run into you so soon. Looks like fate brought us together!" Goku had an uncanny ability to recognize every beautiful girl from Naruto at first glance. And, in fact, the very reason he had come to the Land of Grass was to find her!
"Red hair… Could she be one of the Uzumaki Clan?" A gentle voice spoke beside him. It was Kushina Uzumaki, who had unknowingly followed Goku. Her gaze landed on the little girl in the alley, surprise flashing across her face. After all, red hair was the defining trait of their clan.
Goku smiled. "Why don't we just ask her and find out? Wait here." Without another word, he jumped straight out of the window.
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Why is he so eager? He better not be up to something weird again."
Mikoto Uchiha approached the window as well, glancing outside before smirking. "What else could it be? Knowing him, he probably took a liking to that little girl and wants to 'raise' her or something."
Yuriko chuckled. "You've only just met Goku, and yet you already understand him so well!"
Mikoto's face flushed red. "That guy's thoughts are written all over his face. Anyone could tell what he's thinking!"
—
Goku walked up to the meat bun stall, bought two steaming hot buns, and approached Karin.
Sensing his presence, Karin instinctively tensed up, but then she picked up on the chakra he was deliberately leaking out. Her expression softened, her eyes half-closing in a look of bliss. "Your chakra… it smells so good! It's so warm and comforting… It gives me a sense of security I've never felt before."
"Oh? You're the first person to ever compliment my chakra like that." Goku chuckled before holding out a bun. "You must be hungry. Here, eat up!"
"Thank you!" Karin didn't hesitate. She grabbed the bun and took a big bite. As she chewed, her eyes widened in delight. "This… this is the best meat bun I've ever had in my life!"
That one simple sentence nearly brought tears to Goku's eyes. He had no hesitation when it came to eliminating his enemies. He could kill anyone who stood in his way without a second thought. But when it came to girls? He was always gentle.
"Come with me," he said warmly, patting her head. "I want to introduce you to someone. And there are lots of big sisters for you to meet too!"
Karin hesitated, then asked, "Will there be food?"
"Of course! You can eat as much as you want—delicacies from all over the world!" Goku laughed heartily.
"Alright, I'll go with you! Your chakra tells me you're not a bad person." Karin took another bite of her bun, then stood up and looked at him seriously.
"Of course not. I'm always gentle with girls." Goku grinned. Holding her hand, he flickered away, reappearing instantly at the women's dining table in the hotel.
"Whoa… that was amazing! You moved so fast!, are you a ninja?" Karin's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"This? It's nothing special." Before Goku could continue, Alice ran over excitedly. Seeing the little girl he had brought back, she immediately grabbed Karin's hands and beamed. "Hi! My name is Alice! What's yours?"
"K-Karin…" she answered softly. As she sensed the warmth of the other women's chakra, a smile spread across her face. "Your chakra… it's so warm too!"
"Aww, what a cute little girl!" One of the women giggled. "Your name is Karin, right? Your hair is just as beautiful as Kushina's!"
The women quickly surrounded Karin, introducing themselves one after another. In no time at all, they had already bonded like old friends. The way women could connect so quickly was always astonishing—especially when it came to an adorable little girl like Karin.