Early morning, in a forest clearing outside Konoha—
The wind howled through the trees, scattering dry leaves across the worn earth. Two figures clashed with relentless energy until, finally, with a pained grunt, one fell to the ground, bringing the sparring to an end.
"Kai, you have to keep pushing yourself," said Might Duy, folding his arms as he looked seriously at his son. "If you don't, the fire will only blaze further ahead without you."
"Understood, Father!" Kai grinned despite the bruises on his nose and the swelling on his cheek. His thick eyebrows were bent comically out of shape, but his spirit remained unshaken.
Might Duy turned to glance at Fenghuo, the young Uchiha boy who had been training alongside them for the past six months. A flicker of awe crossed his face.
This boy… he's born for taijutsu.
No matter how intense or grueling the training was—brutal sparring, endless endurance drills, mountain sprints—Fenghuo would bounce back after a single night of sleep. His recovery was absurd. And his physical growth was even more shocking. After half a year, he had already reached the level of a skilled Chūnin in terms of taijutsu, comparable to even the Hyūga.
Kai tried desperately to keep up, but the gap only widened. Still, where most would have given up, Kai kept going. That perseverance—that flame of youth—was what made him special.
"Son… Youth never gives up! Guts and willpower, Gabai!" Duy wiped a proud tear from his eye.
"Father! I'll become a splendid ninja! I'll never let you down!"
The father and son embraced emotionally. Meanwhile, Fenghuo leaned against a nearby tree, his expression troubled.
Duy eventually patted Kai on the shoulder and sent him off for warm-up training. Then, walking over to Fenghuo, he raised an eyebrow.
"You've got something on your mind, don't you?" Duy smiled warmly. "That's not the kind of face a seven-year-old should be making."
Seven?
Fenghuo blinked. That's right… Half a year had passed. It was already Year 40 of the Hidden Leaf.
"Are you worried about your family?" Duy asked quietly. He had heard the rumors about Uchiha Yexing. "Didn't the clan already imprison him? You shouldn't have to worry anymore."
Fenghuo exhaled slowly.
Yexing was only a pawn. The real threat was still in the shadows. But he couldn't share that with Duy.
"I'm fine, Uncle Duy. I'll adjust my mindset soon," Fenghuo said with forced cheer.
Duy nodded, though a flicker of hesitation crossed his face.
"What's wrong?" Fenghuo asked, noticing.
"Ah—nothing. Go do your warm-ups," Duy said, brushing it off. But as he watched Fenghuo's back, his thoughts churned.
Should I… pass down the Eight Gates technique?
Fenghuo's physique—his resilience and stamina—was like it was tailor-made for the Hachimon. But that was precisely what made Duy hesitate.
The Eight Gates technique was not a simple matter. Its effects varied drastically depending on the user's body and chakra. Opening all eight gates—the Gate of Opening, Rest, Life, Pain, Limit, View, Wonder, and Death—could grant strength far beyond the limits of human ability, unleashing the user's full chakra at once. The power was unimaginable… but so was the cost.
In the manga, only two people had ever used the Eight Gates Formation.
The first was Might Duy himself. He used it against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, killing four of them… but losing his life in the process.
The second was Might Guy. He opened all eight gates to battle Madara in his Ten-Tails Jinchūriki form and nearly killed him. That wasn't just an impressive feat—it was godlike.
But the difference between their battles was vast. Could the Seven Swordsmen truly compare to Madara, the man who nearly destroyed the world? Of course not.
The same technique… but the results were determined by the user's chakra reserves.
Duy had chakra around the level of a Chūnin. That's why he could only take down four of the Seven Swordsmen. Guy, on the other hand, was an elite Jōnin with vast chakra and battle experience. When he opened all eight gates, he could shake the heavens.
Could Fenghuo one day possess chakra like that? He was already a prodigy—and he was an Uchiha. If he awakened the Sharingan, trained his body, and learned the Eight Gates…
Duy swallowed. The thought of a young Uchiha wielding the Eight Gates Formation and the Sharingan together was both thrilling and terrifying.
Let's wait a little longer, he told himself.
Elsewhere, in the Hokage Office…
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the Hokage's office, casting golden rays over a desk piled with scrolls. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffed on his pipe with a thoughtful expression as he sorted through paperwork.
Suddenly—
Bang!
The door slammed open.
"Old man! Why'd you summon me this early?!" Tsunade barged in, her blonde hair a bit wild. Even though it was winter, she wore her usual low-cut top, arms crossed over her chest and attitude flaring.
"Tsunade," Hiruzen said with a sigh, "this is the Hokage's office. Can you try not to destroy the door every time?"
Tsunade plopped down in the chair opposite him. "Just get to the point already."
Hiruzen chuckled softly, then asked, "Do you remember Uchiha Fenghuo?"
"Who?" Tsunade tilted her head. After a second, she nodded. "Oh, right—the ambitious little brat. You mentioned him half a year ago."
"Yes," Hiruzen said. "He's come a long way since then."
"Let me guess—he caused trouble?"
"No," Hiruzen said, and then explained everything: Fenghuo's taijutsu progress, his use of Shadow Clones, and the recent mock duel he had with a Chūnin.
Tsunade raised a brow. "He's using Shadow Clones to spar against Chūnin? Not bad for someone his age. Hmph… I turn my head for five minutes and the brat's already leveling up."
Hiruzen smiled behind his pipe. "He's level-headed and hardworking. Watching him train with Might Duy reminded me of my old friend Kagami."
Uchiha Kagami—Tobirama's student and Sarutobi's peer—was known for his loyalty and virtue, despite his Uchiha blood.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you're thinking of recruiting him. You know he's from the Uchiha clan."
Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke. "He's also a loyal shinobi of the Leaf."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You're plotting something again."
"Nothing major. Just… if he continues to grow, maybe you could help guide him."
Tsunade scowled. "Wait—me? You want me to train that kid?"
Hiruzen coughed dramatically. "Well, you did meet him before. And you are one of the Sannin…"
"Don't give me that wheezing act. I'm not falling for it."
"Please, Tsunade. Just give him a chance."
She stood, clearly annoyed. "Fine. But don't get your hopes up."
And with that, she marched out of the office, grumbling all the way.