"So, this forbidden technique comes with some obvious drawbacks."
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Might Duy after he released the Eight Gates, thoughtful.
"I've been trying my best to improve the technique," Duy replied, scratching his head a little awkwardly while being supported, "but the damage it causes to the body is still difficult to avoid. That's why I train day and night, trying to improve my recovery speed."
"That was the effect of the Sixth Gate just now?" Hiruzen asked. As a master of ninjutsu, he was well aware of the Eight Gates technique. The all-encompassing Scroll of Seals contained countless strange and bizarre jutsu collected by Tobirama himself.
Previously, he'd thought the descriptions of this forbidden technique were exaggerated, but now? Seeing it in action, he realized that fully opening all eight gates might truly grant strength dozens of times greater than a Kage's.
"That's right. Of the last two gates, I can only open one. As for the final Death Gate… I'm not there yet."
"There's no need to open the Death Gate," Hiruzen said with a warm chuckle. "You're all Konoha shinobi—comrades. When you have comrades by your side, you must trust in them."
He was second to none when it came to embodying and spreading the Will of Fire.
Duy was instantly moved to tears. "This is... this is so youthful! Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
"Alright, alright, no need to get so worked up."
"Yes, Lord Hokage! sniff I'm just... I'm just so touched! Someone finally understands my youth! sniff sniff"
Hiruzen quietly took two steps back—this level of passion was a bit much even for him. Sometimes, Konoha shinobi could be a little too earnest.
"The Eight Gates really are incredible. But," Hatake Sakumo added, "I still think it's Duy himself who's extraordinary. That kind of physique and raw strength... very few could ever hope to match it."
"Though, his combat experience is a little lacking."
That was something Sakumo had picked up during their spar. Duy's moves were powerful, but too straightforward and easy to read. Sakumo had dodged many of them with sheer experience.
"Well, I'm only a genin," Duy said quietly. "So I hardly get any combat missions..."
Most of his techniques were self-developed, tested on wooden stumps and trees. Since he had little real combat experience, he focused his training on human anatomy, hoping to reduce the Eight Gates' toll on the body.
That was precisely what caught Uchiha Kaien's attention. He had sought Duy out to learn about chakra pathways and training methods.
When it came to actual combat, though, the one who guided Kaien most was Uchiha Madara.
After all, cultivation and battle were two different beasts. Training required diligence and discipline; fighting demanded adaptability and instinct.
"I'll find you a more suitable role, Duy," Hiruzen said, already considering what kind of position to give him.
Though Duy was only a genin, his name had spread far and wide—though not necessarily in a good way. He'd long been mocked as the "eternal genin."
But perhaps, precisely because of that, Duy had gained an unmatched understanding of genin-level missions. And the Eight Gates—being a high-risk, high-reward technique—meant that Duy should only be deployed on the most critical missions.
The rest of the time, he needed space to refine the technique further and hone himself.
Once he could open the Eighth Gate, he would become a one-time weapon of mass deterrence. If a single genin could take down a Kage, it would be a legendary moment in the annals of shinobi history.
Of course, Hiruzen had no intention of sending the Will of Fire's inheritor on a suicide mission.
If they could fully develop the Eight Gates and teach it to others, it would offer far more strategic value than using it as a one-time nuke.
With that in mind, Hiruzen thought of the perfect place—Konoha's Ninja Academy.
"How about the Academy?"
"With a taijutsu master like you training the next generation, their fundamentals would be far stronger. And it won't interfere with your own training either."
"Besides, we must pass the Will of Fire down to as many of our children as possible."
He glanced up at the clear blue sky, then looked at everyone around him. With so many inheritors of the Will of Fire in Konoha, what could possibly go wrong?
"Sniff Thank you so much, Lord Hokage!"
"I can't believe you'd assign me such a perfect job! I'll do my best! I'll pass on youth and the Will of Fire to all the children!"
"This... this is youth!"
Duy was completely overwhelmed. Hiruzen had perfectly matched him to a role that played to all his strengths. There was no way he could let the Hokage down—he would make sure every student at the Academy felt the power of youth!
Yes, today was another beautiful and fulfilling day.
...
Uchiha Kaien had originally planned to head straight home, but this unexpected encounter ended up netting him a whole lot of affection points—and on top of that, Hiruzen even treated him to lunch.
After everything, Might Duy's heart burned with the Will of Fire. If Hiruzen had ordered him to assassinate all five Kage, he probably would've offered up his heart without hesitation.
Not that it had anything to do with Kaien. Sure, he was technically a Konoha shinobi... but in truth, he was just conning the Hokage while pretending to be a loyal inheritor of the Will of Fire.
...
Empty words can't compare to tangible benefits. If Hiruzen hadn't given Duy a job, the outcome wouldn't have been nearly as effective.
Kaien, whenever he worked his tongue, always backed it up with something extra—whether it was a gift or a meaningful action. Making people feel truly seen was the key to consistently farming affection.
After all, sincerity is the ultimate weapon—especially when paired with just the right amount of polish.
...
On his way home, Kaien decided not to waste time. Sticking to his usual motto—"draw early, use early"—he opened the lottery.
Thanks to all the affection points he'd gained since returning to Konoha, he had several draws ready.
A glowing virtual interface appeared before his eyes, unseen by anyone else. On it, five glowing orbs materialized—two blue, three white.
The two blue ones caught Kaien's attention.
"Two [Affinity] traits?" he blinked. "What's going on with this system? If I stack this thing any more, it might actually start causing problems. Even I can smell how fragrant I am right now. Keep this up and I'll turn into a walking incense burner."
Thankfully, the system didn't disappoint him. With so many stacks, the original [Affinity] trait finally upgraded into a rare one:
[Affinity] → [Spirit of Nature], evolution successful.
[Spirit of Nature: You have gained nature's blessing. The natural world will no longer resist your presence. Natural energy around you will become gentle and compliant. Your body will gradually transform under the constant nurturing of natural energy. Significantly improves first impressions.
"A natural spirit physique? Wait... does this mean Sage Body?"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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