The next day, before dawn broke.
Might Guy was still dreaming.
In the dream, he was using Vajra Leg to kick apart a massive boulder.
Behind the boulder was Madara Uchiha’s shocked face.
“Guy!” The blanket was yanked off in one swift motion.
Duy’s large face appeared before him, teeth gleaming in the early morning light.
“Youth does not allow for sleeping in!
Get up for training!” Might Guy groggily opened his eyes.
Before he could react, Duy had already dragged him out of bed.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry!
The early bird catches the worm!
A man’s passion must start burning before the sun even rises!” Five minutes later.
Two green figures—one big, one small—were running through the streets of Konohagakure.
“Guy!
Follow Dad’s rhythm!
One, two!
One, two!” Duy’s booming voice echoed especially loudly through the cold, quiet streets.
The ramen shop owner, who had opened early for business, poked his head out with a yawn.
Seeing the two green-clad figures, he shook his head.
“That Eternal Genin again…” Beside him, a vegetable-shopping auntie lowered her voice: “I heard his son failed too.
Can’t do ninjutsu or genjutsu, they say… sigh…” “That’s the kid, right?
Poor thing.
He’ll probably end up just like his father…” The voices weren’t loud, but they were loud enough to reach his ears.
Might Guy’s steps faltered for a moment.
Duy, however, acted as if he’d heard nothing, raising his voice even louder: “Guy!
Speed up!
Let the morning wind blow away all your worries!
Youth is all about running!” He turned back, gave Might Guy a thumbs-up, and flashed his teeth.
The sun hadn’t even risen yet, but his smile was more dazzling than sunlight.
Might Guy stared at that back.
This man—using his own way—was protecting his son’s dignity.
“Dad.” He quickened his pace to catch up.
“How many times did you take the exam back then?” Duy was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing.
“Three times!
Dad took it three times before getting into the Ninja Academy!” “Back then, I was mocked as the dead last among dead lasts!” He ran while looking back, his expression proud, as if he were bragging about something incredible.
“But Guy, look at your Dad now—aren’t I still an excellent—” He paused, his voice dropping slightly: “—Eternal Genin?” Then he laughed at himself.
Might Guy couldn’t help but laugh too.
The small sense of distance in his heart melted away in that laughter.
Duy suddenly stopped, his expression turning serious.
He crouched down and lowered his voice: “Guy, Dad’s going to tell you a secret.” Might Guy’s heart stirred.
“Dad spent twenty years mastering a forbidden technique.” Duy leaned close to his ear, his voice dropping even lower.
“It’s called the Eight Gates.
I can only stay a genin in normal times, but at critical moments, Dad can unleash tremendous power, you know!” He finished by raising his thumbs-up again, his eyes shining with an intensity that was almost startling.
“So, Guy—as long as you work hard, nothing is impossible!” “Taijutsu can become the strongest weapon too!” “To protect the people you want to protect!” Might Guy looked into those eyes.
It was a pure, unwavering belief in his own path.
The last traces of the original body’s lingering emotions finally settled.
Replacing them was a brand-new resolve.
Since he was here, he would live a life of extraordinary brilliance.
And more importantly—he would protect this foolish father standing right in front of him.
He lifted his head and flashed a smile identical to Duy’s: “No worries!
Youth is meant to be burned!” Duy froze.
His eyes reddened visibly.
He scooped Might Guy up in his arms and spun him around on the spot: “That’s my boy!
Well said!
Youth is meant to be burned!” Might Guy felt dizzy from the spinning: “Put me down—” “No way!
Dad’s too happy!” … The two ran all the way to the back mountains of Konoha.
A quiet clearing in the woods.
Duy pointed at a tree ahead, about as thick as a human thigh.
“First lesson: five thousand front snap kicks before dawn!
Watch Dad demonstrate!” He took a deep breath and suddenly raised his leg.
Whoosh— The sound of air being split was sharp and piercing.
Each kick carried immense force, the blur of his legs merging into a continuous motion.
He kicked fifty times in a row without even changing expression.
“Did you see that clearly?” Duy lowered his leg.
“Follow that form.
Begin!” Might Guy nodded.
He walked up to the tree, imitated Duy’s stance, raised his leg, and kicked.
One.
Two.
Three… At first, he could keep up.
One hundred, two hundred, five hundred… Guy’s foundation was decent.
But by the time he reached one thousand, his legs were starting to feel weak.
At two thousand, the muscles in his thighs ached as if they were about to tear.
At three thousand, every single lift of his leg required gritted teeth.
Sweat dripped down his forehead into his eyes, stinging fiercely.
His jumpsuit was soaked through, clinging to his skin.
Duy sat off to the side, silent.
Might Guy clenched his jaw and kept kicking.
Since he was Guy, he had to work hard.
Inside his body, the warm current of the Shaolin Muscle-Tendon Change Classic flowed slowly.
Though his muscles ached, his stamina recovered noticeably faster than an ordinary person’s.
Just enough to keep him going.
Thirty-five hundred… Four thousand… Forty-five hundred… “Four thousand nine hundred ninety-eight!
Four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine!
Five thousand!” The last kick landed.
Might Guy collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air.
His legs felt as if the bones had been pulled out—as limp as two strands of noodles.
By then, the sun had just appeared on the horizon.
Its rays filtered through the forest leaves and fell upon his face.
Warm.
Comfortable.
Duy crouched beside him and gave him a thumbs-up: “Great job, Guy!
Tomorrow we increase it to fifty-five hundred!” Might Guy rolled over onto his back and stared up at the sky.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
He had done it.
Through his own willpower, he had done it.
[Vajra Leg: Beginner: 5/99] Five thousand front snap kicks had raised his Vajra Leg proficiency by 5 points.
At this rate— Only two hundred days!
Just two hundred days, and he could cultivate Vajra Leg to its supreme completion!
No!
Maybe even sooner!
Feeling the strength slowly returning to his body— Guy stood up.
He looked at Duy and flashed a mouthful of white teeth.
“Dad, I want to train a little longer.” Duy grinned and patted Guy’s shoulder.
“Okay!
Dad will head back and cook first!
Don’t stay out too late!” “A real man needs to fill his stomach too!” Duy strode off with big steps.
Might Guy walked over to another tree and began practicing the basic movements of Vajra Finger.
He jabbed his fingers into the tree trunk, feeling the power transfer.
One.
Two.
Three.
His fingertips quickly turned red and swollen.
But he didn’t stop.
The warm current of the Muscle-Tendon Change Classic wrapped around his fingers, healing them faster than the damage could accumulate.
The swelling subsided a little—then he jabbed again, and it subsided again.
By the time he had jabbed over two hundred times, he heard light footsteps behind him.
Might Guy turned around.
A middle-aged man with long silver hair stood not far away, holding the hand of a young boy about his age.
Short silver hair, wearing a Konoha forehead protector on his forehead.
A short blade rested on his left shoulder, its hilt white.
Sakumo Hatake.
The White Fang of Konoha.
Might Guy’s pupils contracted slightly.
He looked down at the young boy.
White hair, white mask, his bangs covering one eye.
Kakashi Hatake.
Kakashi at age five.
Sakumo seemed to have brought his son here to get familiar with the training grounds as well.
He noticed Might Guy training alone.
He noticed his swollen, chafed fingers.
He noticed his worn-out shoes.
He looked toward the horizon, at the sun that had only just risen.
Something flickered in his eyes.
He crouched down and said to Kakashi: “Kakashi, look at that child.” Kakashi lifted his eyes toward Might Guy.
His gaze carried the characteristic cold detachment of a prodigy.
“Dad heard he failed the entrance exam,” Sakumo said calmly.
“Because he can’t use ninjutsu or genjutsu.” Kakashi said nothing.
Sakumo continued: “But he hasn’t given up.
Before dawn even broke, he was already here training in taijutsu.” “His fundamentals are solid, and he has that kind of perseverance.” He paused.
“Kakashi, remember what your father is telling you—one day, he might surpass you.” For the first time, surprise appeared in Kakashi’s eyes.
He looked seriously at that green-clad youth jabbing the tree.
Might Guy felt that gaze upon him.
He didn’t turn around.
He kept jabbing the tree trunk, one after another.
Sakumo stood up, took Kakashi’s hand, and prepared to leave.
After two steps, he looked back.
He gave Might Guy a gentle smile.
Then he turned and walked away.
Under the setting sun, the backs of Sakumo and his son gradually faded into the distance.
Might Guy stood in place, staring in that direction, unmoving for a long time.
He thought about the timeline in the original story.
At most one year.
When Kakashi turned seven, this hero of Konoha would take his own life because of rumors and slander.
All because he chose to save his comrades over completing the mission.
The entire village blamed him.
The very people he saved blamed him.
And in the end… Might Guy clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.
He wanted to run up and tell him—tell him there was nothing wrong with saving his comrades!
Tell him that words could wound, but he had to hold on!
Tell him that his son would become an incredible shinobi one day!
But he was just a six-year-old who had failed the entrance exam.
His words carried no weight.
Rushing in recklessly would only make him seem strange.
It was too early now.
He couldn’t interfere.
He could only wait for the right opportunity.
Or— Make himself stronger.
More influential.
Then maybe—just maybe—he could change something.
Guy’s gaze gradually grew resolute.
End of Chapter 2