"What are you laughing at? It's so ugly."
As soon as Sakumo entered the door, he heard harsh laughter and, without hesitation, began to mock him.
"Might Duy is here to see you."
"Kawakaze, I'm a Chūnin now."
Might Duy sincerely expressed his gratitude to Kawakaze for his help.
"It was a trivial matter. Come, sit."
Kawakaze ignored the infuriated older brother. If he was capable, he could come and take a beating himself.
At that moment, Onimaru saw its master and barked excitedly, running over for comfort and a hug. However, Sakumo raised a hand to stop the dog. A pregnant woman couldn't handle such an enthusiastic charge.
Onimaru leaned against Sakumo's arm with its front paws, looking so aggrieved that tears welled up in its eyes.
Nayuki felt a pang of sadness as she watched and gently stroked the dog's head to comfort it.
The four of them sat at the stone table. Sakumo was curious about what this strange-looking Chūnin wanted with Kawakaze.
Onimaru sulked in a corner, nursing its emotional wounds.
Kawakaze poured tea for everyone, and Might Duy began to speak.
"Today, my wife was confirmed to be pregnant, and my promotion to Chūnin means I can now take on more advanced missions. I'll be able to earn more money to support my family, so I had to come personally to thank you."
Kawakaze thought to himself, Might Guy really is Kakashi's lifelong rival. Even their mothers' pregnancies were confirmed on the same day.
Sakumo still didn't understand what Duy's promotion had to do with Kawakaze, but this wasn't the time for questions. He quietly sipped his tea, while Nayuki drank milk, replenishing her nutrients.
"Congratulations," Kawakaze said. "I was going to ask about your Jōnin qualification, but you don't yet have the required mission completion rate or overall performance. Still, once you've accumulated more experience, becoming a Jōnin should be no problem."
"And your child will be proud of you."
Kawakaze's words nearly brought Duy to tears. This was a godsend.
"I will work hard! The passion of youth will never waver!" Duy's eyes sparkled, and his shining teeth dazzled the Hatake Clan.
"This guy has Jōnin-level strength?" Sakumo shot Kawakaze a questioning look. No matter how you looked at it, Duy didn't seem like a formidable ninja.
Ignoring his older brother's skepticism, Kawakaze came up with an idea. If you want to know, I'll let you see for yourself.
"Duy, I heard you're skilled in Taijutsu. My brother is also quite accomplished in Taijutsu. Would you mind sparring with him?"
Kawakaze mischievously pushed Sakumo forward, though he was the one eager to witness the Eight Gates in action.
Sakumo was about to refuse, but then realized there was no point in a Jōnin bullying a Chūnin.
"Of course."
"Please."
Duy, ever eager to challenge a strong opponent, stood up and politely bowed to Sakumo before striding to the center of the dojo.
His steps left a noticeable imprint in the ground, sparking Sakumo's interest.
The clash of two training fanatics was about to begin.
"To show my respect for you, I'll take off the weights."
Duy grinned at Sakumo from across the room.
Slowly, he removed the wrist weights, each half the height of a person. When they hit the ground, the impact sank the floor several inches.
Sakumo's eyes narrowed as he silently acknowledged the Chūnin's remarkable strength.
Once unburdened, Duy leapt into the air, his movements suddenly light and agile. He assumed his starting stance, one hand placed behind his back, radiating confidence.
Sakumo unsheathed his short sword, his expression turning serious. It dawned on him that he might have severely underestimated Duy.
Meanwhile, Kawakaze and Nayuki were calmly eating melon seeds as if this were their evening entertainment.
"Who do you think will win?" Nayuki asked, showing no concern whatsoever.
Kawakaze smirked. "I have no idea, but it's definitely going to be interesting." He grabbed another handful of melon seeds, his gaze fixed on the arena.
Sakumo chose not to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique. It consumed too much chakra, and this match didn't seem dire enough to warrant it.
Instead, he allowed chakra to flow into his short blade, its white glow lighting up the arena. Then, without hesitation, he lunged.
Duy's eyes narrowed. With a precise strike, he deflected Sakumo's wrist mid-swing, retreating quickly to create distance.
"Not bad," Sakumo muttered. "Next time, let's see how you dodge this."
His initial test had succeeded. In terms of pure speed, Duy was still a step behind him.
"Gate of Life, open!"
Duy's loud shout rang through the arena. His face flushed red as blood surged through his body, and a green energy aura surrounded him.
This was the third of the Eight Gates—the Gate of Life—the final threshold before venturing into dangerous territory.
"Burn, youth!"
Duy launched forward like a bolt of lightning. His afterimages filled the arena, flickering green streaks that appeared and vanished in an instant.
"Looks impressive," Nayuki commented, cracking another seed.
"It is. Fully unleashed, this technique can produce power on par with—or beyond—that of a Kage," Kawakaze replied, casually tossing a shell aside.
In the arena, the clash was reaching its peak. Duy's punches and kicks came in relentless waves, forcing Sakumo to stay on the defensive.
With every strike, Sakumo was pushed further back. Ultimately, Duy landed a powerful kick that sent him soaring into the air.
Before Sakumo could recover, Duy reappeared behind him, preparing a flurry of swift follow-up attacks. His hands moved to bind Sakumo's wrist with a bandage for a finishing move.
However, before Duy could complete the technique, Sakumo disappeared in an instant.
The Flying Thunder God Technique.
Duy blinked in confusion, staring at the now-empty space where Sakumo had been.
"He's so big—how does someone like him vanish like that?" Duy muttered, momentarily dazed.
"You're very strong, and a good opponent," Sakumo said calmly.
"But that's not enough." His voice came from behind Duy, the result of his precise use of the Flying Thunder God Technique within the confined dojo. The advantage was entirely his.
Before Duy could react, Sakumo struck, kicking him with swift precision. He had deliberately discarded his sword, opting instead for fists and feet. After being held back by Kawakaze's antics for too long, Sakumo needed to vent some frustration.
Duy crossed his arms to block the kick, but his pupils dilated in disbelief. How could anyone be this fast?
"In that case, I won't hold back."
"The flame of youth never dies! Gate of Joy, open!"
Blood surged violently through Duy's veins, his face darkening as his features twisted under the strain. His pupils disappeared entirely, and his aura became ferocious.
"Morning Peacock!"
Duy's fists moved so fast they ignited the air, creating flame-like bursts that rained down on Sakumo in a relentless barrage. Each strike carried immense force and speed, surrounding Sakumo in a blazing maelstrom.
The sheer pressure disrupted Sakumo's ability to use the Flying Thunder God Technique freely, forcing him to take several hits before finally retreating from Duy's attack range.
"That was beautiful."
"Big Brother got beaten up again."
The two shameless spectators were thoroughly enjoying the match, completely absorbed in Duy's fiery display.
"I lost," Duy said suddenly, lifting the effects of the Gate of Joy and bowing slightly in defeat.
Sakumo, halfway through reaching for his sword again, froze in place.
"...You're conceding?" he asked, his tone mixed with disbelief and frustration. His bruises throbbed, and the thought of enduring those punches for nothing made him want to cough up blood.
"You haven't lost yet," Duy said sincerely. "If this hadn't been a sparring match, I'd already be dead. You deliberately chose not to kill me, and for that, I'm grateful."
Duy had no illusions about the outcome. If Sakumo had used his sword instead of his fists, the fight would've ended in seconds.
Sakumo let out a frustrated sigh and sheathed his blade with a gloomy expression. What kind of monster are you? You're only a Chūnin!
Of course, Sakumo didn't know the full story—that without Kawakaze's intervention, Duy might have remained a Genin his entire life. Nor did he know that Duy would later become legendary for defeating the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist at the cost of his life.
After opening the Six Gates, Duy's resilience was apparent. His physical training allowed him to endure the aftereffects of the technique with ease. It was a stark contrast to his son, Might Guy, who nearly destroyed himself whenever he pushed past his limits.
With quiet composure, Duy replaced his weights and returned to the stone table.
At this point, Sakumo's disdain for the Chūnin had disappeared entirely, replaced by respect.
The two spectators, sensing Sakumo's mood, quickly straightened up and stopped their teasing. For once, they decided not to add fuel to the fire, sitting in silence like obedient children.