"Mm…"
"Whoa!"
While Uchiha Kaien and Namikaze Minato could clearly follow the movements of Might Duy and Hatake Sakumo thanks to their enhanced dynamic vision, the two kids—Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy—could only see afterimages flickering back and forth. Their eyes sparkled with awe as they let out bursts of excitement.
It was the first time they'd ever seen a real ninja battle, and to their surprise, they couldn't even follow the action. All they could think was—ninja are so cool.
"Can't see clearly, huh?"
Kaien crouched down and gently waved both hands, summoning two harmless currents of wind to lift the boys into the air so they could get a better vantage point.
"Duy-san and Sakumo-san are among the strongest shinobi in the entire ninja world. They're elite powerhouses, just one step below the Five Kage. One day, you two will reach that level too... maybe even surpass it."
"Really?! I wanna be strong too!"
Guy's already-wide eyes grew even larger at Kaien's encouragement.
Honestly, as a kid, Might Guy's eyes were ridiculously big.
"I'll inherit my father's swordsmanship."
Kakashi stuffed his hands into his pockets and spoke with a cool detachment.
"I'm looking forward to both of your futures," Kaien said with a mysterious smile. Watching this pair of future rivals grow stronger together... it really was something to anticipate.
...
The battle raged on.
As the fight heated up, Sakumo's sword strikes became sharper and more precise, while Duy's responses grew increasingly agile and unpredictable.
One sweeping arc of Sakumo's blade sent a wave of white light slashing through the air—but it was dispersed effortlessly by a blast of chakra wind as Duy opened another Gate.
"He can go even further?"
Sakumo narrowed his eyes, sensing the surge of even more intense chakra.
Duy's entire aura shifted again, unlike anything earlier in the match. If his previous strength after opening the third Gate hovered around the elite jōnin level, then this time, his presence was stable—and still climbing.
"Gate of Pain—Open!"
"Gate of Limit—Open!"
"Gate of View—Open!"
With each Gate opened, his power surged like waves crashing upon waves.
By now, Duy's chakra was nearly equal to Sakumo's.
"Sakumo-san... this is the limit of what I can do while still holding back. If I go further, I'll betray everything I vowed to protect."
"But you're one of the most renowned shinobi in Konoha—and in the entire ninja world. I can't afford to hold anything back. To face a true warrior while suppressing my strength would be an insult."
"So for my next move... I hope you'll accept it in full!"
From the First to the Sixth Gate, Duy had unleashed nearly all his power. He could open the Seventh—but that level of power was not something he would use on a comrade.
Thus, Duy set the Sixth Gate as his upper limit for friendly sparring.
The Gate of Opening unlocks the brain's limits. The Gate of Rest releases exhaustion. The Gate of Life turns the blood red-hot. But once the Gate of Pain opens, the Eight Gates Formation truly begins.
And once opened, the damage to one's body is inevitable. Without an incredibly resilient physique, one could easily end up crippled.
As Duy reached the Fifth Gate, his strikes stirred the very air, the terrain itself becoming part of his offensive toolkit.
By the Sixth Gate, the prominent veins bulging from his skin had receded—he'd stabilized his body into an efficient, minimal-consumption state. Yet the roaring green chakra blaze around him showed he had entered a terrifying, full-power mode.
"This is an honor. I never expected Konoha to have such a formidable taijutsu user."
A bead of sweat slid down Sakumo's temple.
Even without sensory techniques, he could feel the overwhelming chakra and the burning will to fight radiating from Duy.
True warriors could communicate through their fists—and now, Sakumo clearly understood the tempered determination behind Duy's every move.
He had to get serious too.
White arcs of chakra slashed out from Sakumo's blade, but each one was nullified by the sheer pressure of Duy's wind-wreathed fists.
With the Eight Gates boosting his stats, Duy was now a match for Sakumo in every aspect—possibly even stronger.
After fending off the initial barrage, Duy leapt into the air and unleashed a flurry of rapid punches.
"By punching so fast that friction with the air causes flames to form... combining the shockwaves and fire into a barrage—this is Morning Peacock!"
With a roar, Duy rained down countless fireballs from above. The sheer heat distorted the air, blanketing the field in scorching pressure.
"No ninjutsu… all taijutsu?"
"What a genius technique!"
Creating such a move with raw physical ability alone—this was true mastery of taijutsu.
Sakumo had no choice but to respond in kind. If he held back, this onslaught would flatten him.
"Hatake Style: Sever!"
Even as he dodged, Sakumo continued to channel chakra into his White Fang blade. As his killing intent reached its peak, a seemingly unremarkable blade of light flashed across the battlefield.
And just like that, every fireball in the sky vanished. The sword slash dissipated silently.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Heh... what a spectacular battle."
A calm but powerful voice rang out from nowhere. A long, sturdy staff flew through the air and landed between the two fighters, ending the clash.
"Hokage-sama!"
Both combatants, thoroughly satisfied with the match, withdrew at once. Duy canceled the Eight Gates.
"My apologies. I had no idea we had such an exceptional taijutsu specialist in the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was beaming on the inside.
After sending off Uchiha Kagami's team, he had planned to use his Telescope Technique to check in on the villagers' daily lives. But instead, he caught sight of two powerful chakra signatures clashing.
Using the Telescope Technique, Hiruzen quickly identified Sakumo—and to his delight, witnessed this entire sparring match.
Another inheritor of the Will of Fire with Kage-level strength… what a fantastic surprise for Konoha.
...
"Ah!"
Just as Hiruzen was basking in this revelation, Duy suddenly let out a strange yelp and began to teeter backward. Luckily, Sakumo stepped in quickly to catch him.
"Ahaha... sorry, everyone. The Eight Gates' side effects are no joke. Looks like I'm not moving for a bit..."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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