-----A few days later-------
Duy's excitement showed on his face as we witnessed the fruits of our labour. The location for the restaurant had been selected, a prime spot beside the renowned Hot Springs. It was an ideal location, sure to attract both locals and tourists alike.
CLANG
TANG
TUCK
".....Load the weights up. Tell the hired shinobi to fill in the pit."
"Yeah, Yeah. We do that Hanashi-san. Earth style: Pit fill."
BOOM
The construction process proceeded swiftly, thanks to our decision to hire skilled D and C-ranked mission workers.
They worked hard to bring the blueprint to life, ensuring that the restaurant was not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.
I can only say they are worth the money.
Thankfully, interior design and renovation costs were covered by the earnings from the pizza stall, which boosted my confidence about the future of the restaurant.
The restaurant took shape, each brick and tile a path to my life as a millionaire, building up my shinobi career. Yes, shinobi training is the path of money, but of course, that is only if you don't want to be left behind by your peers. So no matter how talented you are, resources need to be used.
I shook my thoughts from money-sucking bitchy regimes. And concentrated on the plans going on.
There was a need to meet the increased work demands of our expanding business.
Luckily Duy, over the past year, took it upon himself to train a server from the orphanage, Yuma Jingo. He asked Duy to teach him. Duy, being Duy, didn't hesitate to teach him.
He is one of the few older inhabitants of orphanages, about 16 years old. He would be sent out in 2 years. So, he got permanently hired. It was a good thing he was a civilian, otherwise the academy ninja kids would be sent out of the orphanage immediately after graduation, and the other reason being they wouldn't bother with searching for civilian pay. So, Yuma was officially hired as a cook for the restaurant, ensuring that we could meet the growing needs of our customers. One more check on my list of things to do.
Fuck this bullshit, I rather do the shinobi training than this. Trust me, it is way more peaceful and straightforward than this. But, money is calling. And I tell you this money opens the door no matter the world.
I believe even Duy did so because he saw that the money helped him through his 8 gates.
Yes, to my surprise, Taijutsu demands more resources than any other shinobi skill, even more than Fuinjutsu.
The intense effort compined with sheer cost required makes it no wonder that many shinobi dislike specializing in Taijutsu.
The scorn is the combination of helplessness and envy of the poor, lazy, pathetic idiots.
WHOOOOOSH
I turned to see a bottle of pills in front of me, deposited right beside my seat. "Fucking Anbu."
Right after the approval from the Hokage, The Anbu operatives started a weekly delivery of High-Energy Ration Pills/ aka Chakra pills, along with a note.
The message was simple-the funds had been deducted from Kyudo Kirito's bank account.
Thuck Thuck
The sun was dipping below the horizon as I continued to oversee the final touches on the plan for the restaurant's interior.
Guy and Duy approached me, their footsteps echoing through the empty dining area.
Guy was the first to speak. "Hey, Kyudo, what are these pills?"
I smiled, realizing it was better to explain the use and risks of the High-Energy Ration Pills. After all, I need to use them regularly.
"Of course, guys. These pills are commonly called chakra pills. It can be said to be a game-changer for me. Let me break it down for you."
Duy, the smarter of the two, nodded thoughtfully. "Go on, Kyudo. We're listening."
While highlighting the pills' capacity to swiftly replenish chakra and cautioning against their misuse without adequate chakra control, Duy's brows knitted together as he focused on my words.
"...…so, we are lucky the hokage accepted the request."
When I finished explaining, Duy suggested we move to a quieter spot behind the orphanage. "There's something I'd like to show you both," he said with a hint of excitement.
WHOOSH
Looking at Duy running, I exchanged a glance with Guy. With a nod, we followed Duy to a training spot behind the orphanage.
As we arrived at the secluded training area, Duy's face took on a serious expression. Trust me, it is eerie to see him like that.
It is as weird as seeing Mr.Bean crying his heart out with heart-wrenching sorrow. Too weird and the impact is insane.
"I am trash at Ninjutsu and Genjutsu."
I could feel the emotion in his voice at that, despair. Pure despair. The guy was shouting out, "Dad", just as he was about to approach him. Duy held his hand out to stop him and continued with, "Not just them. I tried non-chakra-intensive fields. They are information analysis, tracking, and even the torture department. Even the desk duties."
He shook his head as he dejectedly said, "Seeing my current position, you can more or less understand how they went."
He then punched the air. "But I didn't stop, always getting up. I just punched, kicked, jumped and everything else I needed for my body to go forward."
BAM
The next punch tore the air, as he said, " I kept going until my body hit a limit. A limit that the academy warned about."
I nodded at the common knowledge of every shinobi aspirant- the eight limits/gates of the human chakra pathway.
"So, I punched them away, too."
I felt oddly amused at that. I meant he bluntly broke his body over and over until it became strong enough to hold the open gates.
[ Eight chakra gates exist within the human body, each one representing a different limit.
From the stomach gate to the brain and spine gates, each meticulously limits the chakra usage as biological /chakra/ mental limiters.
It was knowledge that had been publicized by the Second Hokage, as a caution to never harm themself by being stupid of strength gain. Instead, slowly increase the limit with proper training.]
But Duy is the first to say fuck it to Tobirama's knowledge. He turned his words off, not into a technique. - Eight gates
I watched as Duy's muscles seemed to swell with power, and he moved with through strong fist-style kata. He executed impressive acrobatics, leaping high into the air and landing effortlessly. Even his voice had a newfound vigor as he called out, "The Gate of Opening!"
[Gate of Opening: This gate controls calorie storage in the stomach, managing how Chakra from physical energy and mental energy is infused.]
Duy broke this gate, allowing him to mold chakra beyond his normal limits by using up his body's crucial energy reserves.
His muscles bulged with power, and his movements became a blur as he executed remarkable feats of agility and strength. His skin turned red from the usage.
[A/N: note this point.]
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
Fucking hell, the speed of the punches is insane. It is almost the same speed as the body flicker, but this is controlled to the extreme.
I watched as Duy left holes in the ground and ripped the air with his punches.
BANG
BANG
BANG
Guy couldn't contain his excitement and cheered, "Go, Dad! That's amazing!"
Duy, his eyes filled with a mix of pride and determination, as he continued the demonstration. With a shout of "The Gate of Rest,"
[Gate of rest: The bio limiter of the muscles and body to never cross certain force.]
Now, Guy no longer has such limits. In a way, he is wet with adrenaline.
I felt the chakra moving out of his body as he moved onto the Second Gate. His movements became even more fluid, and there was no longer a hint of exhaustion in his muscles.
I watched as Duy-san punched a tree.
THUD
It fell.
I watched him punch a Boulder in the path of his kata.
BOOOM
It Broke.
But they are not the only things being broken. Duy's muscles snapped like rubber bands in my sight. I held myself from shouting out. I know it would be an insult at this moment, this Duy's moment to shine.
The demonstration continued as Duy unlocked the Third Gate, his voice resonating with power. "The Gate of Life!"
[Gate of life: The cellular limit of healing. The chakra that surged from 1st gate is used by cells to break them.]
His physical abilities reached new astonishing heights, with his body healing the damage done, and he was operating at the peak of human potential.
Now, it seemed Duy was comfortable, easily controlling his strength. I watched him do his daily kata with no problem. Except this one is scary with sounds of booms and tremors.
BOOOM
BANG
BANG
His muscles bulged with power, and his movements became a blur as he executed remarkable feats of agility and strength. His skin turned red from the usage.
WHOOSH
Under the rising chakra surge that almost ripped my footings, Duy unlocked the Fourth Gate. He shouted, "The Gate of Pain!"
[Gate of pain: The pseudo chakra-mental limiter in blood vessels and nerves, which limits the transport of chakra speed. ]
While the red skin looked cool, I, as a medic, was ripped blood vessels and nerves burning up from overloaded chakra. I can only say I can't do this.
It is simply because of my mindset of having alternate paths, breaking these limits will fail. I just don't Duy or Guy's desperation to fuel my will to proceed.
I watched with bated breath, fully aware of the immense strain this technique placed on the body. While Guy marvelled at the Eight Gates used by Duy, I knew the true capacity of it. Duy simply showed speed and strength that is visible to us.
He didn't go all out.
I am sure that at this stage Duy can take on a Jonin with ease, even if the elite Jonin will face trouble. In one on one, I can see he is unmatched.
Why I am sure?
It is simply because I am hanging on to the ground to stop myself from flying as the causal Kata he is doing is sending Whirlwinds towards me and Guy.
WHOORRRL
BANG
WHOOORL
BANG
I watched as he jumped, twisting his body in the air, and did his signature move. "Leaf Whirlwind."
I watched in awe as the chakra surged into his leg and came down onto the ground with a spinning force.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM
I watched as the dust settled to see Duy, heaving in exhaustion. Most impressive is the wounds are just a few torn muscles.
Looking at the gigantic crater that can swallow an entire block, I can only say it is worth the effort put, but I am incapable of doing so.
At this moment, as Duy concluded the demonstration, he wore a satisfied smile. This mastery was a personal achievement for him. It is.
He made a forbidden technique that has no talent requirements except hard work. Allowing the user to match the freaks in this world.
Duy panted and slowed down as he looked at us. "This is the power of the Eight Gates," he explained between breaths. "Each gate unlocks greater physical capabilities, but it comes at a price. The toll on the body and the risk of severe injury are significant."
I couldn't contain my awe, exclaiming, "Duy, that's truly remarkable!"
However, recognizing the potential dangers involved, I added, "But pushing the boundaries like that, Duy-san..."
Duy nodded solemnly. "I know, Kyudo. It's a path I took, and I've trained extensively to minimize the risks. But it's not a technique to be used lightly."
Guy, still somewhat overwhelmed by the display, added, "Dad, it was so cool."
I watched in silence as Guy didn't understand the true consequence. Taijutsu users mostly live longer because of their care for their bodies, but Duy-san, sigh, I can't see him reaching old age.
He will die.
Duy-san grinned proudly at his son, not showing any sign of my doubts. "Guy, my boy, I wanted to show you both that dedication and hard work can lead to extraordinary abilities. But always remember, it's not just about power; it's about using it wisely."
It was this constant motivation that Duy-san didn't have. Guy had it from Duy, and Lee had it from Guy, but he, Duy-san, the pioneer, was the one who was alone.
Duy-san turned to me, his eyes filled with curiosity, and asked a question that would spark a new line of thinking. "Kyudo-kun, do you think it's possible to use these chakra pills for my training? "
His question hung in the air, and I couldn't help but ponder the possibilities.
I realized that the answer might have been right in front of me all along. "You know, Duy," I began, "it's interesting when you think about it. These chakra pills essentially flood the body with calories, providing a rapid energy boost."
I drew in the sand as I explained, "And the Eight Gates, they push the body's limits to new heights by overloading the body with the chakra, consuming the vital reserves in the body. With the chakra pills, you can avoid that. Not just that, but even increase the training time for it. So, it is useful for the eight gates training."
However, it is not useful for combat, as the chakra pills require proper usage that is just not workable for normal shinobi in the middle of combat. Still, it is useful.
That would explain how Rock Lee opened the Fourth Gate during the Chunin Exams. He had everything laid down for him by Guy.
I only realized now that I was adding the honorific to the Duy-san name.
I guess, seeing his efforts, my respect rose before it was like a fan of seeing a celebrity. Now, I genuinely respect his philosophy and way of life, most importantly, him.