https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-182-The-Power-of-the-Eight-Inner-Gates-Ninja/12558127/
Chapter 183: Mu Yue's Prepared Gift
Chapter 183: Mu Yue's Prepared Gift
"Lord Third Hokage."
Having arrived at the training field, Mu Yue and Might Guy greeted Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was admiring the scenery.
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned around and, upon seeing the two, smiled and said, "Guy, I vaguely remember you as one of the most diligent trainees of the Eight Inner Gates. It seems your hard work has finally borne fruit."
As he spoke, Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked the goatee on his chin, his face bearing a kindly smile, like that of a regular elderly man happy to see his juniors' efforts pay off.
"Lord Third Hokage, I didn't expect you to still remember me," said Might Guy, surprised that Sarutobi Hiruzen recalled that period. He had thought that the Third Hokage would only remember him as a lifelong genin.
"Haha, even though I wasn't the Hokage back then, I was already striving to learn from Teacher Homura. How could I forget someone as unique as you, Guy?" Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled.
His words weren't entirely meant to curry favor; he genuinely remembered Might Guy, after all, his appearance and behavior were quite distinct from the norm.
"Hahaha, thanks for the support!" Might Guy gave a thumbs-up, his laughter revealing his gleaming white teeth.
Mu Yue couldn't help but marvel at the perks that came with a high status. Sarutobi Hiruzen's position naturally made it easier for him to build goodwill, and aside from someone like her, a time-traveler, very few in the Leaf Village could resist the allure of the Hokage's friendly overtures.
"I've long heard from Teacher Homura about the power of the Eight Inner Gates, but I've never had the chance to witness it firsthand. I wonder if you could fulfill my regret today, Guy."
Sarutobi Hiruzen casually built up some rapport before getting down to business.
"Since it's the Hokage's wish, there's no reason to refuse. Gate of Joy, Open!"
Might Guy clenched his fists, and his chakra erupted as he roared, directly activating the sixth gate, his body enveloped in green energy.
The Eight Inner Gates were meant to be opened one by one, with each successive gate only accessible after the previous one. However, with sufficient mastery, one could skip ahead and open the later gates directly. Might Guy's current limit allowed him to bypass the first five gates and open the sixth.
Whoosh!!
Might Guy's sudden burst of powerful chakra disturbed the airflow, bending the surrounding grass and ruffling Sarutobi Hiruzen's silver hair.
"Is this the sixth gate of the Eight Inner Gates?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a keen interest, sensing the might emanating from Might Guy.
Although he lacked any special eye technique to see through which gates Might Guy had opened, based on his knowledge of the Eight Inner Gates, he could deduce that Might Guy was currently in the sixth gate state.
The first five gates of the Eight Inner Gates didn't cause any outward physical changes. However, starting from the sixth gate, each gate brought about a visible transformation. The sixth gate filled one's body with green energy, the seventh gate produced blue steam, and the eighth, or Death Gate, resulted in crimson-red steam.
"Come at me, and don't hold back," Sarutobi Hiruzen invited.
The best way to test one's strength was through combat.
Although it was just a shadow clone, Sarutobi Hiruzen had imbued it with a significant portion of his chakra, roughly around thirty percent.
A glint of excitement flashed in Might Guy's eyes. Since mastering the Eight Inner Gates, he had only sparred with Mu Yue, and he never expected to have the opportunity to face the Third Hokage so soon.
As Sarutobi Hiruzen wished, Might Guy didn't hold back, harnessing the power of the sixth gate to its fullest as he launched an assault.
In an instant, Might Guy disappeared from his original spot and kicked out at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression remained calm, betraying no hint of panic. Just as Might Guy's leg was about to make contact, Sarutobi Hiruzen's figure vanished, causing Might Guy's attack to miss.
"Your speed is indeed impressive, surpassing that of many jonin," Sarutobi Hiruzen praised inwardly, having used the Body Flicker Technique to evade.
Might Guy didn't lose heart after his initial attack failed. After all, this was the Third Hokage he was facing. He quickly locked onto Sarutobi Hiruzen's new position and continued his assault.
This time, Might Guy threw a punch, and the sheer force of his strike caused the air to ripple, sending a shockwave toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!" Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly formed the necessary hand seals and spat out a large amount of earth, forming a sturdy rock wall.
Boom!!
Might Guy's fist slammed into the solid rock wall, causing it to shake and crack slightly.
Mu Yue observed this without surprise. The strength of a jutsu depended on its user. If it had been an eight-year-old Kakashi's Earth Flow Wall, Might Guy, in the sixth gate, could have shattered it with a single punch. But this was Sarutobi Hiruzen's jutsu, and for cracks to appear meant that the Third Hokage wasn't taking this seriously.
"Your strength is commendable as well," Sarutobi Hiruzen remarked, continuing to assess Might Guy's performance.
Sarutobi Hiruzen then took the initiative and attacked. Using the Body Flicker Technique, he appeared atop the earthen wall and swiftly formed hand seals, unleashing a hurricane-force wind.
Facing a formidable opponent like the Third Hokage, Might Guy dared not slack off. As soon as he sensed Sarutobi Hiruzen's incoming attack, he immediately dodged to the side.
Sarutobi Hiruzen then showcased a variety of advanced jutsu of different natures, turning the sparring ground into a chaotic mess.
After fighting for nearly seven minutes, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke up, "Let's end it here."
He then smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "The Eight Inner Gates are indeed formidable. With just the sixth gate, you're already capable of defeating many jonin.
'If the eighth gate were to be opened, perhaps one could attain strength equal to mine, if only for a short while,' Hiruzen thought to himself.
Of course, he was referring to his prime, not his shadow clone.
Hiruzen finally understood why Tobirama Senju had wanted to form a squad specializing in the Eight Inner Gates.
If they succeeded, Konoha would gain a formidable trump card during wars. They could directly target the enemy's leader in a beheading operation. Just two ninjas proficient in the Eight Inner Gates along with a few Jonin would suffice.
Hiruzen now harbored the desire to cultivate ninjas skilled in the Eight Inner Gates. However, the ongoing war made the timing inappropriate. During such turbulent times, every action had to be approached with caution.
"Guy, your achievements weren't originally enough to promote you to a Chunin. However, as the first person in Konoha to successfully cultivate the Eight Inner Gates and fulfill Teacher Tobirama's wish, I'm specially promoting you to Chunin." Hiruzen said with a solemn expression.
"Thank you, Third Hokage!" Guy clenched his right fist tightly, his heart filled with excitement.
He was grateful to Mu Yue for creating this opportunity and to Hiruzen for the special promotion.
But most of all, he was grateful to himself—for not wavering despite the gossip, for persevering in his solitary training for ten years, and for believing that his efforts would eventually pay off.
"You deserve it," Hiruzen said with a smile.
It was a case of blessings in disguise. If it weren't for his relentless cultivation of the Eight Inner Gates, Guy wouldn't have become the outcast perpetual Genin. Yet, without this path, it was uncertain how strong he could have become, and he wouldn't have received this special promotion to Chunin.
"Guy, head to the Hokage Building to collect your Chunin uniform and promotion form," Hiruzen said as he canceled his shadow clone, allowing the memory to flow back to his original body.
The difference between a Genin and a Chunin in Konoha was that Genins only had forehead protectors, while Chunins were issued a green ninja vest in addition.
"Congratulations, Senior Guy," Mu Yue congratulated with a smile.
"It's all thanks to your help, Mu Yue!" Guy expressed his gratitude, giving Mu Yue a thumbs-up.
Guy couldn't wait to bring the uniform and promotion form back to show Might Guy.
So, the two of them hurried towards the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen was efficient, and they received the Chunin vest and promotion form without any delay or waiting.
The standard-issue Chunin vest was sealed in plastic, and Guy tore it open, directly putting on the green vest. This way, Might Guy would notice it as soon as he returned.
However, just as Guy, dressed in the vest, picked up the form and prepared to head home, Mu Yue stopped him.
"Senior Guy, may I ask what present you've prepared for Kakashi for his birthday today?" Mu Yue inquired, blocking Guy's path.
Guy took out a green skintight suit from somewhere, laughing heartily as he gave a thumbs-up, "Of course, it's the practical and useful skintight suit!"
Mu Yue now understood why Might Guy had given Kakashi a skintight suit on Itachi's birthday.
"Senior Guy, I have a suggestion. How about we both write down some of our insights and experiences in body technique cultivation and give them to Kakashi? That way, even when he's on a mission, he can refer to them for training," Mu Yue proposed with a smile, adjusting his glasses.
The gap between Proficient and Perfect levels was significant, and he was concerned that Kakashi might fall slightly short of unlocking the Perfect-level skill. Hence, he thought of collaborating with Guy to create this gift.
"As always, you've thought this through, Mu Yue. Let's do as you suggested," Guy agreed, nodding vigorously. This idea was indeed better than giving a skintight suit.
...
Night fell, and everyone gathered at Might Guy's house.
Obito, Rin Nohara, Itachi, and Kakashi had all arrived at Might Guy's home.
"Hey, where's Mu Yue? It's already past seven," Obito said, scratching his head in confusion as he glanced at the time.
"Mu Yue must have his reasons for being late," Itachi remarked thoughtfully.
Kakashi glanced at Itachi, the only one he wasn't familiar with among this group. However, he recalled that Itachi and Might Guy used to run together at the Ninja Academy, so they were probably friends.
"Could he have run into a lost old lady again?" Obito speculated, projecting his own tendencies onto Mu Yue.
"Probably not. Even if he met five old ladies, Mu Yue could just use a shadow clone to help them, and his original body could return," Rin reasoned, believing that Mu Yue wouldn't be late for such a reason.
"Maybe he's doing something with my dad," Kakashi speculated, recalling Might Guy's words from yesterday.
Might Guy hadn't shown up either, and Kakashi suspected that the two of them were together, though he had no idea what this "very powerful and youthful" matter was about.
"I'm back!"
Guy's robust voice echoed in everyone's ears.
This chapter is 3.2k, and there should be another 4-5k left.
(End of Chapter)
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