"Hmm?"
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Might Duy was a taijutsu expert—
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Although he didn't think so himself. He only felt that he was a Genin.
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The moment Kyoichi's aura changed, he sensed it. This feeling...
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It was very similar to the Eight Gates!
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Could he use the Eight Gates too?
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Might Duy was curious and couldn't help taking a few more looks.
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No!
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It was different.
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This wasn't the Eight Gates.
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"Teacher Kanda, what... what technique is this?"
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Might Duy was somewhat shocked.
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He had studied the Eight Gates for twenty years and consulted countless records. In the end, through half-exploration and half-experimentation, he had developed this technique of his own. Yet Kyoichi was only fifteen and seemed to have mastered something similar.
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"This is a taijutsu I came up with—the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods."
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Kyoichi didn't hide it.
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He had "practiced" this technique precisely to attract Might Duy's attention.
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"The Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods?"
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Might Duy was astonished.
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It was indeed different from his own!
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The Eight Gates relied on the Eight Inner Gates of the human body. No matter how it changed, its foundation was still the Eight Gates. Kyoichi's technique, however, mentioned "breathing," so...
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Was it related to respiration?
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Although Might Duy had practiced only the Eight Gates day after day for twenty years, his research into the technique had given him an extremely thorough understanding of taijutsu.
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From the name alone, he had guessed its core.
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However.
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He naturally had no idea how it was done.
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"Lightning Release chakra can stimulate cellular activity. Inhaling large amounts of oxygen can stimulate cellular activity as well."
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Kyoichi explained.
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That was the core of the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods.
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Compared to stimulation by Lightning Release chakra, however, the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods were more violent. The resulting speed and strength had higher limits and were more powerful, but the price was correspondingly greater.
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"I see... Its side effects really are much smaller than mine."
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Might Duy might have lacked knowledge, but after twenty years of research and experimentation, his understanding of the body was exceptionally profound. He instantly understood the benefits of the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods.
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They placed less strain on the body!
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"Yours?"
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"Teacher Kanda, to be honest, based on some old records, I also created a taijutsu that unleashes the human body's limits over the course of more than twenty years. It's called the Eight Gates!"
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Might Duy nodded, then began explaining the general principles.
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The more he explained, the more impressed he became with Kyoichi.
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In a certain sense, the Eight Inner Gates of the human body restricted the upper limit of its chakra and prevented that chakra from harming the body.
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They were eight gates that protected the body.
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Opening them granted tremendous power, but naturally brought backlash from "unlocking" them. Torn muscles and a collapsing body were merely the smallest of the costs.
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Although the upper limit of the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods might not match that of the Eight Gates, they were more suitable for widespread use. Although they came at the cost of cellular division, on the battlefield...
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This kind of explosive taijutsu could save a life at a crucial moment.
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Moreover.
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Since it merely stimulated the body's vitality, it would not greatly affect chakra usage.
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That made it superior to the Eight Gates as well—
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The restrictions on opening the Eight Gates and the resulting chakra surge were far too terrifying, far beyond what a human could control.
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Compared to these benefits, mere cellular division was truly nothing.
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At this thought, he cast aside his reservations and asked, "Teacher Kanda, my Eight Gates is based on the Eight Inner Gates of the human body, which is why I named it the Eight Gates. What about your Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods?"
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"I predict that there should be seven levels of activation, but for now, I've only developed the Third Activation."
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Kyoichi explained.
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Might Guy, who was standing nearby, had long since become confused.
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Although he had begun practicing the Eight Gates, he still didn't have a thorough understanding of the essence of the human body and taijutsu. He couldn't understand this kind of discussion at all, let alone offer his own insights.
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After listening for a while, he simply went off to practice his taijutsu techniques.
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"The Third Activation..."
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Might Duy was itching to try it.
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The idea of stimulating cellular activity was novel. He had never thought that taijutsu could be strengthened from this angle.
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"For now, it's all based on the amount of oxygen inhaled. At present, I can inhale four times as much oxygen, but as development continues, I don't think it can stop there."
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"Wait! You came up with and developed all of this yourself. I can't listen for free. I'll exchange the Eight Gates with you, but... Hmm, no. Given Teacher Kanda's character, you'll definitely use this technique at the proper time."
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Might Duy had initially intended to give Kyoichi some earnest instructions, as he would to his son.
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But.
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After thinking it over, was there really anything about Kanda Kyoichi's character that needed worrying about?
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With Teacher Kanda's personality, he would definitely use the Eight Gates to protect others.
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"Thank you, Senior. To be honest, I'm also very interested in taijutsu that opens the Eight Gates. However, the Eight Gates are the locks on the body's chakra. This technique should be classified as a forbidden technique and cannot be used frequently."
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"Just as I thought. Teacher Kanda, you understood without me needing to say much."
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Might Duy laughed several times, then began quietly exchanging the techniques with him.
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Kyoichi also taught him the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods.
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However.
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Starting from the Fourth Activation, the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods offered no further reference at all. Unless the system could create the later stages out of nothing, he could only explore and research them himself.
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Compared to the incomplete Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods, the complete Eight Gates were naturally superior.
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But.
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Might Duy didn't feel that he had lost out.
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The Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods had shown him an entirely different direction. Although using them together with the Eight Gates was unrealistic, he was very interested in them—
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If he could research and improve them, perhaps he could popularize the activation method.
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"Teacher Kanda, if we lower the functions and requirements of the First Activation a little more, could it be promoted as ordinary taijutsu?"
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"I've had the same thought. I'm still researching it."
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"I may be foolish, and I'm still only a Genin, but I can try to help..."
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"That would be wonderful!"
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While Kyoichi was excited, he couldn't help feeling secretly ashamed.
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He had wanted to exchange for the Eight Gates, but Might Duy was thinking about improving the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods into a low-level breathing technique suitable for most shinobi. His own outlook was far narrower by comparison.
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The key point was...
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In Might Duy's eyes, Kyoichi's character seemed exceedingly noble.
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After speaking with Might Duy for a while, Kyoichi couldn't help sighing. The Third Hokage had kept someone like Might Duy as nothing more than a Genin. It was truly a waste.
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So.
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Was Konoha lacking talent?
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No. It was just that the Third Hokage and Danzo had failed to cultivate or preserve it.
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Compared to Tobirama Senju, the Third Hokage was far weaker in this regard.
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That day.
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Kyoichi and Might Duy spent the entire day discussing and experimenting.
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The Eight Gates and the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods.
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The two taijutsu techniques belonged to entirely different systems, but both were explosive forbidden techniques. Might Duy still had considerable insight, and he quickly mastered the First Activation.
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"I've had some inspiration, but... I don't know how to explain it."
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Might Duy flushed anxiously.
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He practiced taijutsu through sheer hard work and had little theoretical knowledge. He could explain the Eight Gates clearly enough, but when it came to studying and summarizing the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods, he couldn't articulate the principles for a while.
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Generally speaking, he was just a self-taught brawler.
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Kyoichi understood perfectly.
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After thinking for a moment, he said, "Senior Duy, there's no need to rush this. If all else fails, we can simply make the First Activation public. Its applicability is already sufficient. As for the Eight Gates, I think we can create different accompanying techniques for it."
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"Different accompanying techniques? Why?"
Before you continue