Chapter 427: The Green Beast and the Blue Beast (6k)

Chapter 427: The Green Beast and the Blue Beast (6k)



Samehada, like a shark, clamped down on the Mist ninja's body, absorbing his chakra.

Although he didn't understand what they were doing, Might Guy couldn't just stand by and watch. He immediately rushed forward, intending to interrupt the process.

Suddenly, a chakra sphere shot towards Guy's path, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

Boom! !

The chakra sphere landed on the ground, causing another violent explosion, and dust rose into the twilight sky.

Samehada channeled the absorbed chakra through its hilt and into Fugu Ghost's body, stimulating the regeneration of his body cells.

With Samehada's assistance, the bloody holes in Fugu Ghost's body healed at a rapid pace, while the Mist ninja who had his chakra drained fell powerless to the ground, his body seemingly drained of all energy.

Fugu Ghost, now healed, immediately got up and brandished Samehada, fending off Guy's attack. He then lifted the unconscious Mist ninja with one hand and backed away.

"He recovered so quickly," Guy said, surprised.

Even with all of Nohara Rin's medical prowess, it would be impossible to heal such severe injuries so swiftly.

"Damn, I chose the wrong person," Kakashi muttered, his expression grim as he noticed the situation with Guy's group.

His expectation had been for Guy to unleash his full power and either kill or incapacitate one of their opponents, thus making the subsequent battle much easier and increasing their chances of survival.

However, due to their lack of intelligence on the Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they were unaware of Fugu Ghost's regenerative abilities, resulting in Guy's failed attempt to kill him with the Golden Heaven Piercer. Instead, he had only managed to render one of the Mist jonin unconscious.

One wrong step led to another, and the situation had spiraled out of Kakashi's control. He could no longer envision a way for them to emerge victorious.

Guy, having expended a significant amount of chakra and stamina to achieve their current gains, was now running low on both. With his focused breathing and perception of the world around him, he had managed to conserve just under half of his reserves. Meanwhile, Obito's efforts had also been fruitless, and he could only hold on for a few more minutes at best.

They were at the end of their ropes, while their enemies showed no signs of fatigue. The scales of victory had tipped decisively in favor of the Kirigakure shinobi.

Despite the dire circumstances, Kakashi hadn't given up. He calmly faced the onslaught of Hoko and Nurari's combined assault.

This wasn't the first time they had found themselves in such peril. Back when Obito and Guy were still genin, they had been cornered by Kumogakure jonin, and Kakashi had truly believed that their demise was inevitable. His only hope at the time had been to ensure that at least one of them made it out alive.

But Obito and Guy had shown him the power of perseverance and the possibility of miracles. Guy had pushed open more of the Eight Gates, Obito had unlocked his Sharingan, and together, they had helped Kakashi find inner peace and join forces to defeat the Kumo-nin.

During the Chunin Exams, they had faced off against Kisame's squad, leaving them exhausted and vulnerable when they encountered the Mist-nin who had infiltrated the Forest of Death.

On that occasion, everyone had been pushed to their limits, while their adversaries were fresh and powerful jonin.

Even an ordinary person could easily predict the outcome of a battle between a group of spent genin and well-rested special jonin. Yet, in that seemingly insurmountable predicament, Kakashi had ultimately understood the world around him and, with a single strike, vanquished the Mist jonin.

Perseverance might not guarantee survival, but giving up certainly meant death. Kakashi would protect his comrades until his last breath.

Guy chose not to pursue Fugu Ghost, as he wanted to bring a wounded Tokuma to Nohara Rin for treatment.

Kurama, seeing this, immediately launched an attack. He dared not act alone, as Fugu Ghost's severe injuries had only just been healed by Samehada, and Kurama lacked such a healing ability.

Ao, however, came to his aid. With Hoko and Nurari poised to defeat Kakashi, Ao wanted to help Kurama eliminate the most dangerous opponent—Might Guy.

Guy was forced to abandon his plan to get treatment for Tokuma and struggled to withstand the onslaught of the two jonin, determined to prevent them from inflicting further injuries on his teammate.

Guy glanced at Obito with his peripheral vision, knowing that he couldn't possibly make it over there. Instead, he unconsciously edged the battlefield closer to Obito's position.

Obito, too, longed to bring Tokuma to Rin for treatment, shifting the initiative of the battle away from them. All they could do now was try to minimize their own injuries.

"Looks like I'll have to become the Green Beast," Guy muttered as he took a deep breath, his eyes steeling with determination. He was about to attempt to forcibly open the sixth gate of the Eight Gates.

Currently, he had not yet reached a month of normal usage of the first five gates, and even if he could successfully enter the sixth gate, it would inflict severe damage on his body. Due to the cumulative strain of opening more gates, the internal injuries might even be irreversible.

However, the situation was dire, and Guy knew that this was not the time to consider the consequences. What their squad needed right now was overwhelming power, and the aftermath was something to worry about later—if they survived.

Moreover, with the current state of affairs, it was uncertain if opening the sixth gate would even turn the tide of the battle. So, there was no point in overthinking it.

"Eight Gates, Sixth Gate, View Gate, Open!"

Accompanying a youthful shout, a green figure appeared on the battlefield, delivering a whirlwind kick that forced Guy's opponents to retreat.

Guy stared in astonishment at the familiar green-clad figure that stood before him, his surprise preventing him from successfully opening the sixth gate.

"You've really encountered a formidable foe," Might Dai commented as he surveyed the battered state of Kakashi, Guy, and the others.

He had been carrying out a mission nearby when the commotion drew his attention. To his surprise, the squad in peril turned out to be his son's team.

"Dad..." Guy's initial astonishment gave way to joy, followed swiftly by concern.

While they desperately needed reinforcements, if it was only Might Dai, Guy would have preferred that he hadn't found them.

At a certain age, children tend to believe that their fathers are invincible, but as they grow older, they gradually realize that their fathers are merely human and fallible.

Guy was well aware of his father's capabilities, and he knew that if neither of them utilized the Eight Gates, he could easily defeat Might Dai.

Even with the Eight Gates engaged, Guy could dominate his father at the same gate count.

In other words, Might Dai, with seven gates open, wasn't much stronger than Guy with five gates open. However, the current battle situation couldn't be altered by a slightly stronger Guy. With Tokuma injured, Obito and Kakashi severely drained, the tide of the battle would soon turn against them, and they lacked the necessary firepower.

"It's Guy's father..." Kakashi also felt a pang of melancholy.

He didn't know how skilled Guy's father was, but he was certain he wasn't as formidable as Mu Yue. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken so long to be promoted to jonin; in Konoha, promotions to jonin weren't usually withheld unless there were exceptional circumstances.

Nonetheless, based on Might Dai's current performance, he was undoubtedly stronger than an average Konoha jonin.

Nurari and Hoko's hearts tightened at the sight of the approaching ninja, but they relaxed and smiled when they realized it was someone unfamiliar.

The strong ones in each ninja village were numbered, and at Might Dai's age, if he were truly powerful, he would have already made a name for himself.

"To be able to fight this well against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Guy, you've grown faster than I expected." Might Dai gave Might Guy a thumbs-up.

Being well-known throughout the ninja world, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were no strangers to Might Dai, who was stationed on the battlefield against Kirigakure. He was keenly aware of the strength of the foes Kakashi and his team were up against.

"Leave the rest to me; it's time to unseal my self-imposed limits!" Might Dai said solemnly to Might Guy, clenching his fists.

Might Guy instantly understood what Might Dai meant—he intended to open the Eighth Gate of Death to help them defeat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

The Gate of Death was the most powerful and crucial gate among the Eight Inner Gates. When all the other gates were opened and the Gate of Death was unlocked, the body entered a state known as the Eight Inner Gates Formation, capable of unleashing an incredibly powerful chakra.

The power gained from opening this final gate was said to be greater than the combined power of the first seven gates.

However, this immense power came at a cost. The Gate of Death consumed the user's life force, and once opened, it could not be closed until the user died.

Might Guy had no doubt that Might Dai possessed the ability to open the Gate of Death, having dedicated two decades of his life to mastering the Eight Inner Gates and forgoing the study of any other taijutsu or ninjutsu.

"Self-imposed limits? So, you're saying you can't be strong if you don't limit yourself?" Hoko Raiga, with his lightning and electric powers, teamed up with Nurari, who used his strength to injure a weary Kakashi. He glanced at Might Dai with contempt.

From the moment he laid eyes on Might Dai, he found him peculiar—the green chakra emanating from his body was odd enough, but his outfit was also entirely green, and the combination of his watermelon-like head and thick eyebrows made him look foolish.

Might Dai didn't bother to respond to Hoko Raiga's taunt; he paid no mind to the words of his allies from Konoha, much less those of his enemies.

"Dad, don't open the Gate of Death. The seventh gate will be enough. Please believe in our strength," Might Guy pleaded.

Might Guy trusted that his father, with the Gate of Death unlocked, had the power to defeat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. However, the cost was too high, and he couldn't bear to watch his father burn himself to death.

To prove his strength, Might Guy resolutely attempted to force the sixth gate open once more.

Looking at Kakashi's bloodstained clothes and his deteriorating condition, and imagining the aftermath of Might Dai opening the Gate of Death, Might Guy's eyes hardened with determination. He would become stronger to protect everything he held dear.

"Gate of Joy, Open!" Might Guy roared, and a terrifying aura burst forth from him, his entire body radiating an energy akin to green leaves.

With the sixth gate unlocked, Might Guy's chakra surged once more, and he could feel it welling up endlessly within him, pushing his strength to unprecedented heights.

Whoosh!

The sudden eruption of powerful chakra caused the leaves around Might Guy to stir as if caught in a gust of wind. The two Mist ninjas closest to him, Aho and Kanabun, wore looks of shock.

They couldn't believe that such a formidable aura was being emitted by a ten-year-old boy.

Biwako took notice of Might Guy's display and struck away Nohara Rin with his large sword. His expression turned grave as he redirected his attention to the young ninja.

Even though Might Guy was already marked as a priority target due to his exceptional talent, Biwako felt that Kirigakure had severely underestimated him.

Might Guy was the kind of genius who should have been assassinated. At only ten years old, he already possessed such formidable strength, and if allowed to grow, he could potentially surpass the Sannin.

"Hahaha! My son never ceases to amaze me! Gate of Shock, Open!" Might Dai laughed heartily as he unlocked the seventh gate of the Eight Inner Gates, and a powerful aura erupted from his body.

The Gate of Shock was the last gate before the Gate of Death, and while it didn't carry the same immense cost as the final gate, it still had terrifying side effects. Opening this gate inflicted severe damage on the body, and once it was deactivated, even the slightest touch would cause unbearable pain.

Might Dai chose to trust in his son. If given a choice, he would naturally prefer not to die, and he wanted to witness Might Guy's journey to becoming the strongest taijutsu user.

The powerful chakra of Might Guy and Might Dai swept across the entire battlefield, and not a single Kirigakure ninja dared to underestimate these two taijutsu users clad in green bodysuits. Their strength was visibly apparent.

Whoosh!

Might Dai's body burned with blue steam as he unleashed his chakra and rushed towards Kakashi, who was currently in the most perilous situation. Alone and injured, Kakashi was under attack from two opponents.

Nurari, with his formidable strength, swung his iron hammer at the approaching Might Dai. With surprising ease, Might Dai extended his right hand and firmly grasped the hammer's head, arresting its momentum.

Boom!

Might Dai flung Nurari away, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!"

Hoko Raiga channeled his chakra into his lightning blade and launched a dazzling lightning ball at Might Dai.

With the seventh gate unlocked, Might Dai's speed was extraordinary. He leaped into the air, tapped a few times on a nearby tree, and effortlessly dodged the lightning ball, reaching Kakashi's side.

"Thanks, Uncle Dai," Kakashi said between breaths, expressing his gratitude.

He was indeed in a precarious state, and Might Dai's arrival couldn't have come at a better time.

It wasn't easy for him, a mere Chunin, to hold off two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen simultaneously. If not for his defensive ability in the Transparent World, Kakashi wouldn't have lasted this long.

Might Dai was about to say something when Nurari and Hoko Raiga charged at him again, forcing him to engage in battle.

Instead of seeking refuge behind Might Dai to recover, Kakashi deactivated his Transparent World and assisted Might Dai in the fight.

"If only he had arrived a little earlier," Kakashi thought to himself.

If it had been the prime Kakashi, their combined efforts might have been enough to swiftly take down one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

This thought flashed through Kakashi's mind for only a fraction of a second before it vanished.

The fact that Might Guy's father had come to their aid at all was already a blessing, and it would be too much to expect him to arrive at the most opportune moment.

As Kakashi assisted Might Dai in battle, he noticed something peculiar after a few exchanges. Although Might Dai's body was incredibly strong with the seven gates unlocked, his taijutsu seemed inferior to Might Guy's.

This discrepancy presented a problem: while they had a significant advantage, they couldn't inflict substantial damage on Nurari and Hoko Raiga.

Nurari and Hoko Raiga were a well-coordinated team, having undertaken numerous missions together. Their synergy far surpassed that of Kakashi and Might Dai, who had only recently started fighting together.

Kakashi's mind raced as he sought a solution to their predicament, all the while keeping an eye on the rest of the battlefield.

Since Might Guy hadn't used any ninjutsu throughout the fight, Fugu Ghost felt that his Samehada wasn't of much use against him, so he traded opponents with Biwako, an option easily available to them as the dominant side.

In Biwako's hands, the massive Decapitating Carving Sword didn't seem clumsy at all, as he precisely aimed for Might Guy's vulnerable spots. Together with Ao and Kuro Zaru, they put immense pressure on Might Guy.

Meanwhile, Kakashi's situation was even more dire. Without timely treatment, his wounds caused severe chakra loss, leaving him increasingly weak and sluggish in his movements and reactions.

At this point, Kakashi was more of a liability than an asset to Might Guy, requiring extra attention and protection.

"Obito, that barbed knife can absorb chakra and doesn't like fire," Kakashi shouted, relaying the information he had gathered during his fight with Fugu Ghost.

Obito immediately activated his chakra, enveloping his body in flames. His punches and kicks now carried searing heat, forcing Fugu Ghost to reluctantly strike him with the hilt of Samehada.

Fugu Ghost's face darkened, and he retreated to create some distance before performing a series of hand seals to launch a Water Release technique at Obito.

Samehada was the only one among the Seven Swords of the Mist with self-awareness. If Fugu Ghost insisted on using it to block flames, it might tolerate a few instances, but repeated exposure could lead to it throwing a tantrum and refusing to cooperate.

In extreme cases, it might even disown Fugu Ghost as its wielder, as it was a picky blade.

Boom!!

Nurari furiously brandished his Blast Sword, and over a dozen explosive tags suddenly shot out from the blade, hurtling towards Rin.

"Water Body Technique!"

Rin reacted swiftly, attempting to use the Water Body Technique to dodge, but she couldn't escape the blast radius in time and ended up suffering burns from the explosion.

Even with Genma and Ebisu's support, her strength was still lacking compared to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Upon witnessing this, Obito's eyes widened with rage, the crimson color of his Sharingan deepening. He wanted to help but was blocked by Fugu Ghost.

Taking advantage of the situation, Nurari swung his massive sword towards the fallen Rin.

Clang!

Genma rushed forward, brandishing a kunai to block the deadly blow aimed at Rin.

Bang!

Nurari's right foot lashed out, kicking Genma away, sending him flying five meters backward.

Instead of pursuing Genma, Nurari suddenly changed direction and slashed towards his left side, forcing Ebisu, who was about to strike his left waist, to retreat.

"So, this is the strength of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen," Genma muttered as he struggled to his feet. "If we make it out of this alive, we need to step up our training to match Guy-sensei's intensity!"

Only when facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen directly did Genma realize the vast gap between them and Rin, who could at least hold her ground for a while. In contrast, they were like toddlers learning to walk in front of Nurari.

Genma and Ebisu picked themselves up and charged at Nurari again.

Bang, bang!!

Genma and Ebisu were knocked away once more, crashing forcefully onto the ground.

Nurari raised his sword again, ready to deliver the killing blow to Rin. His sword was about the same height as Rin, and with one slash, he could easily cut her into two pieces, leaving even Tsunade helpless to save her.

Sizzle, sizzle!!

Just as Nurari's sword was about to land the fatal blow, a lightning-infused short blade appeared, blocking his path.

It was Kakashi's White Fang.

Having assessed that even with his help, Might Dai wouldn't be able to quickly take down their enemies, Kakashi had shifted his role to a fireman, rushing to whoever was in danger. After all, his speed was unmatched when he unleashed his full potential.

However, Kakashi could only afford to play this role once, as his chakra reserves were nearly depleted. If he had more chakra, he wouldn't need to play the fireman; he could simply coordinate with Might Dai to take down their foes.

Obito's anxiousness eased slightly, but his focus on Rin's situation made him vulnerable, and Fugu Ghost seized the opportunity to strike him.

Sensing Obito's disadvantage, Might Guy felt anxious and helpless.

Biwako, Kuro Zaru, and Ao were all exceptional jonin. Kuro Zaru's destructive power was immense, and without having trained his Body Tempest, Might Guy couldn't withstand it with his physical body.

Ao's Long Needle was bizarre and tricky, and one wrong move could result in losing a chunk of flesh.

Although Biwako's Decapitating Carving Sword hadn't displayed any unique abilities, his solid foundation made him the strongest among the three.

Surrounded by these three formidable opponents, Might Guy couldn't spare any attention to support the others; protecting Kakashi was already stretching his capabilities to the limit.

"Guy, do you remember what I once told you? Youth is eternal. Death does not extinguish youth. Dying to protect what is important is the pinnacle of youth!" Might Dai said solemnly.

Even though he didn't want to separate from Might Guy, the time had come to open the Death Gate.

If he didn't, with Kakashi and Obito on the verge of defeat, the next target would be Might Guy.

Only by opening the Death Gate and obtaining overwhelming power could he turn the tide of the battle.

"I remember, but you also said that for truly important things, no matter the pain or sadness, you must persist to the end. Even if it costs your life, you must protect them with your own hands! And to me, Dad, you are one of those truly important people!" Might Guy shouted.

Might Guy understood Might Dai's thoughts and emotions at that moment. If he could open the eighth gate, Might Guy would rather it be him.

He wanted to protect his father and his teammates, no matter the cost.

With this resolve, Might Guy's breathing began to change.

A relieved expression appeared on Might Dai's face. Might Guy had indeed grown a lot, both in strength and in other ways.

"I'm glad you have this resolve, but only by my opening the eighth gate of the Eight Inner Gates can we change the situation," Might Dai prepared to open the final gate.

The reason Might Dai could give Might Guy a parting lecture in the midst of battle was that they had both opened a significant number of gates, allowing them to communicate at an incredible speed. Kakashi and Obito, on the other hand, didn't have this luxury, as the battle had reached its most critical moment.

"No, I still have one Rock Breathing technique," Might Guy suddenly realized.

 I couldn't write more, but I managed to keep it at 6k.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end