Eight Inner Gates: Third Hokage Attacked

Yuzuru Hyuga was starting to like Might Guy.

Don't get the wrong idea, it was just that this man possessed inexhaustible stamina, like a perpetual motion machine, and his fighting spirit, which allowed him to train all day without getting tired, was exactly to Yuzuru's taste.

This was also the first person Yuzuru Hyuga had ever seen who trained even more crazily than he did.

Unaware of fatigue, unaware of pain, no matter when or where, as long as Yuzuru Hyuga asked if he wanted to spar, this man would enthusiastically go head-to-head with him using Taijutsu until one of them collapsed and couldn't get up.

After Kakashi left, Yuzuru Hyuga, who had originally just intended to get some Taijutsu experience like shearing sheep, became engrossed in the training with Might Guy.

For the next two days, he completely forgot about Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, Shisui Uchiha, and the like. As soon as he woke up, he would go find Might Guy for special training.

The free experience points gained from training with Might Guy all day sometimes reached a terrifying nearly a thousand points, and even his existing skills improved rapidly.

He was truly a treasure boy.

Might Guy also had a very good impression of Yuzuru Hyuga.

In fact, Might Guy's relationship with Kakashi was like Rock Lee's future relationship with Neji.

When Might Guy was in school, he was like the Dead Last of his class, not recognized by others. After all, specializing in Taijutsu could also be interpreted as having no talent in Ninjutsu.

And for ninjas, the perception and understanding of the vast majority was that Ninjutsu was king.

Might Duy's story had not spread widely, and the power of the Eight Inner Gates was not well known to most people, which made Might Guy's situation in the village quite awkward.

Those weaker than him did not see him as an idol or goal, just an ordinary senior.

Those stronger than him, for the most part, considered him a Taijutsu ninja without talent, with a slight disdain.

This was why he regarded Kakashi as his lifelong rival. Might Guy believed that as long as he finally surpassed this genius friend through hard work, he would gain the recognition of others.

However, this genius, Yuzuru Hyuga, had never shown the slightest contempt for his specialization in Taijutsu. His efforts were even more diligent than when he was younger, which made Might Guy feel a sense of recognition. Furthermore, through training and combat, he saw Yuzuru Hyuga's approval and praise for him.

Their strengths were comparable, and without the determination to kill each other, it was difficult to say who was stronger in Taijutsu at that moment. However, looking at their long-term sparring, the fourteen-year-old Might Guy, who was the same age as Kakashi, was still slightly inferior to the Hyuga clan's Taijutsu.

After all, the Gentle Fist combined with the Byakugan was a practically cheating ability in close-quarters combat. No matter how fierce the Taijutsu, it was difficult to avoid the observation of the Byakugan and break through Rotation. On the contrary, once the Gentle Fist landed, a whole set of attacks would follow.

If it weren't for his young age, once his body fully developed, he might never have a chance to defeat Yuzuru Hyuga, who possessed the Byakugan, Gentle Fist, and Rotation, in the way of Taijutsu without opening the Eight Inner Gates. Even if he opened the Eight Inner Gates, if he didn't open them to the extent that it would harm his body, he wouldn't dare to say he could win with certainty.

But Might Guy wouldn't be jealous of this. He had long known that geniuses were different from "idiots" like him who only had effort left. He had also accepted the fact that people were born with differences. Even though Yuzuru Hyuga's terrifying talent and the speed at which he realized his talent were monstrous, he wouldn't be discouraged by it.

He also wouldn't be petty and hide some of his skills. Instead, because of Yuzuru Hyuga's diligence and recognition, he taught him everything he knew.

In addition to a lot of Taijutsu he knew, Might Guy even taught Yuzuru Hyuga an extremely precious forbidden jutsu—the Eight Inner Gates.

This was also one of Yuzuru Hyuga's most significant gains in the past few days.

Unlike others who might only be able to open one or two gates in their lifetime, as long as he practiced diligently, he would one day master the Eight Inner Gates to an unprecedented level, reaching a realm that even the founder of this forbidden jutsu had never reached.

However, this forbidden jutsu also made Yuzuru Hyuga discover a slight problem.

[Forbidden Jutsu: Eight Inner Gates (S): 671/10000 (Level 1).]

The experience points required to upgrade this S-rank skill seemed to be a bit... a lot.

But no matter what.

He had made a huge profit.

Even though this was a forbidden jutsu that couldn't be used casually even at high levels, and the improvement in the first two or three levels was minimal.

He had still made a huge profit.

This was also why Hizashi Hyuga was suspicious until Yuzuru Hyuga went to sleep that day—this kid was smiling so happily, could he be planning something big again?

The next morning, Yuzuru Hyuga woke up early, changed into a black tight-fitting outfit, put on a white tactical vest, and wore a fox mask.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he felt no different from a background character in the Hokage's Anbu—even because of his short stature, he seemed even weaker than a background character.

As he put on this outfit, Yuzuru Hyuga also gained a new name.

'Heavenly Fox'.

Although not everyone in the Anbu had a codename, like Kakashi, the Third Hokage, out of a conflicted protective instinct, gave him a codename to prevent this genius from attracting too much attention and targeting from enemies too early due to mission assignments.

After briefly examining his appearance, Yuzuru Hyuga gracefully walked out of the room, but at the doorway, he stopped unexpectedly.

"Father?"

Hizashi Hyuga's tall figure stood at the doorway, his back to Yuzuru's room, admiring the bright moon that had not yet hidden in the early morning.

"I just couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk," he said, not telling the truth.

Yuzuru Hyuga smiled slightly, not paying too much attention. He walked over to him and gently nudged his thigh with his elbow, "Don't worry, I'm this small. If a fight breaks out, I'll just hide behind someone, and no one will care about me."

You wish.

Hizashi Hyuga snorted, but after Yuzuru finished speaking, he lowered his head to meet his gaze. After a moment, he spoke softly, "Be careful."

Yuzuru Hyuga patted his butt—due to his height, that was as far as he could reach.

"I know, old man."

"I'm leaving the house to you."

Yuzuru Hyuga said meaningfully, then stepped away and quietly left home.

Hizashi Hyuga watched him leave until he disappeared, then turned back, sighed, and returned to his room.

As a father, even if I can't shield him from the wind and rain, I must do my best not to hold him back.

Yuzuru Hyuga's figure nimbly darted out of the house. He waited by the entrance for a short while, and Kakashi, wearing a mask, arrived precisely on time.

"Good, punctuality is also important for ninjas." Kakashi expressed his satisfaction with Yuzuru Hyuga appearing at his doorstep on time.

Yuzuru Hyuga's voice, muffled by the mask, carried a smile, "I hope you can remember your words now in the future."

?

Kakashi Hatake's masked face vaguely formed a question mark. He didn't understand why Yuzuru would say that. However, Kakashi in Anbu mode was quite different from his usual self, and he coldly said, "Follow me."

The two leaped across the rooftops. Yuzuru Hyuga's excellent Body Flicker Technique made it effortless for him to keep up with Kakashi.

In less than a minute, they arrived beneath the Hokage Building. At this moment, many other Anbu members, all wearing similar tight-fitting clothes and masks, had already gathered in the shadows.

Kakashi silently made a few hand signals to the others. No words were exchanged. The eyes behind the masks of the other Anbu members lingered on Yuzuru Hyuga's small frame for a moment. Most of them already knew his identity.

Yuzuru Hyuga was too famous. Out of ten people, nine knew that this 'Heavenly Fox' was the young genius of the Hyuga Clan. This was perhaps something even the Third Hokage hadn't entirely anticipated.

A group of Anbu members squatted in various shadows, waiting quietly. Soon, a man wearing a conical hat, whose face couldn't be seen, appeared in front of the Hokage Building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded at the Anbu members. Without needing any verbal commands, they transformed into fleeting shadows and advanced towards the outskirts of Konoha, taking an unconventional route.

Yuzuru Hyuga found it a bit strenuous to keep up—not because his speed or stamina was failing, but because the Anbu and the Hokage maintained a tacit formation as they moved. It appeared loose but was coordinated, with some leading, some covering the rear, some on alert, and some providing protection.

He felt like an outsider, only able to follow Kakashi silently, trying his best not to appear out of place.

"This is normal. This mission is for you to familiarize yourself with the workflow. You'll be assigned a position later."

"For now, just keep close to me and activate your Byakugan to scout when necessary."

Kakashi whispered a few words of advice.

He and Yuzuru Hyuga were closer to the Third Hokage. Their mission was clearly to escort the Third Hokage, and they didn't need to take responsibility for clearing the path, maintaining vigilance, or external reconnaissance.

The Third Hokage approached Yuzuru Hyuga, his voice steady and powerful, "Don't be nervous. If there's danger, just preserve yourself. I'm not so old that I need a five-year-old child to protect me."

Yuzuru Hyuga nodded obediently, "Yes!"

He didn't feel like the Third Hokage was just saying pleasantries or being polite. While the Third Hokage was indeed old, he wasn't as frail as he would become in the future; overall, he still possessed the demeanor of a formidable ninja.

His primary goal in having Yuzuru Hyuga join the Anbu was to win over this genius from the Hyuga branch family, gain his approval, and thereby strengthen the Hokage's faction.

Seeing that Yuzuru Hyuga wasn't being overconfident, the Third Hokage smiled slightly, lowered his conical hat, and his thoughts suddenly turned grim.

Danzo.

His gaze lingered for a moment on Kakashi, who was moving forward, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

What does it feel like to be bitten fiercely by a vicious dog you raised with your own hands?

The Third Hokage felt that he would soon find out.

It was also around the afternoon when they were marching, only half a day after leaving Konoha.

Kakashi Hatake subtly used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as the Third Hokage, while the Third Hokage transformed into a regular Anbu member. The formation was slightly adjusted, and then they continued their advance.

Yuzuru Hyuga instinctively wanted to activate his Byakugan but was patted on the shoulder by Kakashi, who had transformed into the Third Hokage.

Without any exchange of words, he understood their plan.

Therefore, Yuzuru Hyuga pretended to be exhausted and fell behind the formation, positioning himself not too close nor too far from Kakashi, but precisely within the safe zone at the center of the Anbu's encirclement.

Safety first!

And as they advanced through the dense forest.

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed through the woods.

Several trees, as if alive, grew out and lunged directly at the Third Hokage.

This was clearly an ambush set by someone who knew the Third Hokage's route in advance. The timing was extremely precise. The moment the Third Hokage was attacked, opponents appeared before each of the Anbu members. It was evident that the enemy knew exactly how many Anbu members had been dispatched, intending to tie them down and prevent anyone from reinforcing the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage was pierced by wooden spikes without any defense, looking like a hedgehog impaled by wood.

But...

Kakashi Hatake appeared on a tree branch. The original Third Hokage had been replaced by a log using the Substitution Technique. "Attack!"

Yuzuru Hyuga didn't need a reminder. He had already prepared himself and assumed a stance, sighing softly as he faced a masked ninja dressed as a rogue ninja.

The moment he had to kill someone for the first time.

His enemy was, surprisingly, one of his own villagers.

This farcical reality gave him a deeper understanding of the current state of Konoha.

They spoke of righteousness and the village, but in the end, they resorted to such ugly behavior for the mere position of Hokage... Danzo, just look at yourself.

Without any pity or hesitation for a fellow villager.

Yuzuru Hyuga's Byakugan veins bulged, and his eyes no longer held their usual gentleness.

Ever since he had decided to step onto the stage, become a ninja, and change his destiny.

He had prepared himself for everything that was to come!

PS: A question, does Kotoamatsukami have a cooldown of over ten years only when used by others, or does it also have a cooldown of many years when he uses it himself? The information isn't accurate; some say it's only needed for others, while others say it's impossible without Hashirama Cells.