Under the moonlight.
Father and son stood facing each other.
Guy looked at Duy’s excited face and had already guessed.
The Eight Gates.
That forbidden technique that would make Might Duy burn himself out, kicking the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist apart.
That peak of taijutsu that would later allow Might Guy to kick his way to the series’ climax.
Finally, it was coming.
Duy looked around, lowering his voice.
“Not here.
Too many people.” He grabbed Guy’s hand.
“Follow me!” The two of them crossed through the forest, bypassed the waterfall, and ducked into a path Guy had never taken before.
Twists and turns.
They finally stopped in a valley.
Surrounded by cliffs on all sides, with only one way in.
The ground was covered in gravel, completely barren.
Duy stopped and turned around.
He looked at Guy.
For once, he didn’t give a thumbs-up.
His expression was serious.
So serious it made Guy a little uncomfortable.
“Guy.” “Yeah?” “Do you know why Dad has been a genin for twenty years?” Guy didn’t answer.
Duy answered for himself.
“Because Dad spent all that time on one thing.” He raised his hand.
Clenched his fist.
“Taijutsu.” “Not ordinary taijutsu.” “It’s—” He paused.
“The Eight Gates.” Moonlight fell on his face.
Like something he’d hidden for twenty years had suddenly been unlocked.
“Guy, there are eight gates in the human body.” Duy began to explain.
“The Gate of Opening, Gate of Rest, Gate of Life, Gate of Injury, Gate of Closure, Gate of Wonder, Gate of Shock, and Gate of Death.” “Each gate is a limiter.” “They limit us from using our true power.” He clenched his fist tighter.
“Because if those limits were removed, the body wouldn’t be able to handle it.” “You’d get hurt.” “You’d die.” Guy nodded.
Of course he knew all this.
But he didn’t interrupt.
He just listened.
“Dad spent twenty years.” Duy continued.
“Twenty years, doing just one thing.” “Opening the gates.” “The first gate—the Gate of Opening.” He took a deep breath.
“Watch closely.” Duy dropped into a horse stance.
Both fists clenched at his sides.
“Eight Gates—” “First Gate, Gate of Opening!” “Open!” BOOM!
A wave of air exploded from his body.
Sending the gravel on the ground rolling backward.
Guy squinted.
Duy’s skin had turned slightly red.
Veins bulged on his forehead.
But his expression was calm.
“The Gate of Opening removes the brain’s limiters.” “It allows you to use 100% of your body’s physical strength.” As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished.
No—not vanished.
He was just that fast.
Before Guy’s eyes could track him, Duy had already appeared in front of a massive boulder ten meters away.
“Front Lotus!” He launched into the air.
His body spun in midair.
Moving so fast it kicked up a whirlwind.
CRASH!!!
His kick struck the boulder.
The boulder exploded.
Shards of rock flew everywhere.
The largest piece flew over twenty meters.
Duy landed.
Stood still.
His face wasn’t flushed.
His breathing was steady.
He turned to look at Guy.
“Did you see that clearly?” Guy swallowed.
He’d seen it, alright.
But that speed, that power…
The Gate of Opening was just the first gate?
Duy walked over.
“The second gate—Gate of Rest.” “Removes physical fatigue limits.” He took a deep breath.
“Eight Gates—” “Second Gate, Gate of Rest!
Open!” BOOM!
The shockwave was stronger than before.
Duy’s muscles visibly swelled.
Veins extended from his forehead down to his neck.
He vanished again.
This time, faster.
Guy couldn’t even see him.
All he could hear was the wind.
“Reverse Lotus!” BOOM!!!
Another boulder.
This time, it didn’t just explode.
It shattered into powder.
Duy stood in the dust cloud.
His breathing had become slightly heavier.
He walked out.
Looking at Guy.
“The third gate—Gate of Life.” “Opening the Gate of Life truly unleashes your power.” He paused.
“But it also begins to damage your body.” Guy looked at him.
Something flickered in Duy’s eyes.
Not hesitation.
Seriousness.
“Guy, watch closely.” “This is what Dad has spent twenty years perfecting.” He took a breath—deeper than the previous two.
“Eight Gates—” “Third Gate, Gate of Life!
Open!” BOOM!!!
The shockwave exploded outward.
This time, it didn’t just push the gravel.
It sent every piece of gravel flying into the air.
Guy raised his hand to shield his eyes.
Through the gaps in his fingers, he saw Duy’s figure.
His skin was even redder now.
Veins bulged from his forehead to his arms, spreading across his entire body.
His hair stood on end.
Green chakra, like steam, rose from his body.
“This is…” Guy murmured.
“Green Steam.” Duy moved.
This time, he didn’t just vanish.
He tore through the air.
BOOM!
Where he had stood, a crater exploded in the ground.
A split second later, he was at the other end of the valley.
There stood a boulder three times the height of a man—larger than the previous two.
Duy raised his hand.
One punch.
CRASH!!!
The boulder split from the middle.
Cracked in two.
Duy spun around.
Facing the split boulder, he threw a kick into the air.
“Leaf Great Whirlwind!” WHOOOOSH— The wind from his leg swept across.
Both halves of the boulder shattered into fragments.
Rock rained down like hail.
Duy stood in the midst of the debris.
Surrounded by green steam.
Like a demon crawling out of hell.
Like a war god descending from the heavens.
Guy was stunned.
This was the Eight Gates.
Third gate—Gate of Life.
And it could shatter a boulder three times the height of a man with one punch.
Then what about— The sixth gate?
The seventh?
Even…
the eighth?
Duy walked back.
His breathing was heavier now.
His skin was still red.
He looked at Guy.
“That was the third gate.” “The fourth gate—Gate of Injury.
Fifth—Gate of Closure.
Sixth—Gate of Wonder.
Seventh—Gate of Shock.” He paused.
“And the final eighth gate—the Gate of Death.
Dad can open that one too.” “But I can’t go any further.” Guy looked at him.
“Why?” Duy grinned.
“Opening it further would damage my body.” “You haven’t learned it yet.
I can’t cripple myself before teaching you.” Guy was silent.
This was Might Duy.
Twenty years.
He’d mastered all eight gates.
And yet, he’d never shown them to anyone.
All for the sake of— Teaching his son?
Duy walked over.
He crouched down.
Looking into Guy’s eyes.
“Guy.” “Dad spent twenty years mastering the Eight Gates.” “But you can learn it faster.” “Because you have more talent than Dad ever did.” Guy wanted to speak.
But Duy reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.
“But you must remember.” “The Eight Gates is a forbidden technique.” “Not because it isn’t strong.” “Because—” He paused.
“The higher you open them, the closer you come to death.” Guy’s heart tightened.
He knew.
Of course he knew.
In the original story, Duy opened the Gate of Death.
He kicked apart the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
And then—he burned out.
Turned to ash.
Duy looked at him.
His gaze was gentle.
“Dad is teaching you this, not so you can use it.” “But so you can understand.” “Understand what?” “Understand—” Duy stood up.
Looking up at the moon.
“Understand that in this world, some things are more important than life.” He turned back.
Looking at Guy.
“When the time comes that you truly want to protect someone.” “When you’re willing to trade your life for theirs.” “The Eight Gates will be your final ace.” End of Chapter 24