Duy's Chance

"No way..."

With the enhancement of the enchanted body-tempering technique, Might Duy had actually opened the sixth gate of the Eight Gates Formation!

Dense green steam coiled around Duy's body. His berserk aura exploded like a bomb, and astonishing Chakra erupted, repelling everything around him!

"Ugh..."

Duy was clearly struggling to control this state. After a series of low growls, Duy gasped for air, his eyes returning to normal.

"This is..."

"Hoo... hoo... Suc... Success!"

Green light still swirled around Duy's body, but his skin color and gaze had returned to normal. He managed to give Satoru a happy smile, clearly finding it difficult to maintain his current state.

"Little brother Satoru... this is the unique state of the sixth gate of the Eight Gates Formation, the Gate of View, the buffer!"

"In this state, I can maintain low body consumption, but when needed, I can instantly unleash my full power without having to open each gate one by one..."

Duy could no longer hold on. The green light vanished, and he returned to his normal state, collapsing onto the ground. However, tears streamed down his face as he let out a happy, low chuckle:

"Hahaha... Little brother Satoru, this 10% all-around increase in physical strength has not only allowed me to open the sixth Gate of View ahead of schedule but also to control the buffer state!"

"In my estimations, this would have taken at least another year of hard training!"

For a pure Taijutsu ninja like Duy, he understood better than anyone how difficult it was to increase physical strength.

"Little brother Satoru, you've given me a new life!"

"No, big brother Duy, even without my help, you would have opened the sixth gate sooner or later."

Satoru waved his hand. The idea of a new life was indeed an exaggeration, but Duy's easily excitable nature...

"It's just, big brother Duy, with your current strength, you could already easily defeat a regular Jonin, and you're still a Genin. It's truly..."

Satoru sighed, "The village's rules are too rigid."

"For a powerhouse like you to only take on boring Genin missions is a complete waste of talent!"

"Uh..."

Duy fell silent, then could only force a bitter smile:

"Well... I'm used to it. Rules are rules. At least I'm still a Genin, a true ninja."

Sitting up, Duy took the soda water Satoru handed him and drank it down heartily:

"Even if I'm just a Genin, it doesn't stop me from unleashing my youth!"

"Youth is always forged through thorns and hardships, isn't that what makes it precious? Hahaha!"

"Big brother Duy, your youth should be burning on a grander stage..."

Satoru patted Duy's arm and gave him a thumbs-up:

"I'll talk to my dad when I get home. Wait for my good news – even if your ninja rank can't be promoted, based on your strength alone, you shouldn't continue to waste your life on D-rank missions!"

"This..."

Duy stared blankly at Satoru's departing figure, holding his cup, his eyes welling up with tears again.

"Even though you're the son of a consultant, this is challenging the rules..."

Although Duy held no hope, he inexplicably felt a sliver of anticipation.

"He can accomplish even this incredible feat. Perhaps he can truly break the rules..."

His expression turned resolute, and Duy secretly made a decision:

"Little brother Satoru, it's okay even if it doesn't succeed. I, Might Duy, consider you a brother!"

Opposite Satoru sat his father, Mitokado Homura.

"I never imagined... as a mage, I would one day have to petition for a Taijutsu user."

Silently marveling, Satoru watched his father ponder, feeling that this matter likely had some merit.

Otherwise, his father would have directly rejected it.

Konoha's rules weren't unchangeable, but in the original timeline, this change was bought with Duy's life.

"This matter you speak of..."

After a long pause, Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and finally spoke:

"There's a ninja in the village who can cultivate the Eight Gates Formation to the point of opening the sixth gate..."

"This is not something that can be achieved through sheer effort. In a sense, he is also a genius, a genius in Taijutsu."

As a high-ranking consultant, Mitokado Homura was somewhat cautious in his strategies for the village's development...

However, in his prime, he was clearly not as stubborn and conservative as he would be in his old age.

He was well aware of what the Eight Gates Formation was – a forbidden jutsu.

And cultivating it was a choice born out of utter desperation.

Opening six gates, this was already unprecedented in Konoha's history, and Satoru's claim of easily defeating Jonin wasn't an exaggeration.

Such a person truly shouldn't be wasted on C-rank or D-rank missions.

"I will discuss this matter with Lord Third Hokage. Even a special promotion requires the Hokage's signature."

"Ha! Old man, you're finally open-minded for once!"

Before Satoru could finish speaking, Mitokado Homura shot him a glance, his eye twitching twice, clearly displeased with the word "finally."

"Don't get too excited. Special promotions are usually for ninjas who have made significant contributions to the village, not based on combat power."

"He doesn't have enough achievements to be directly promoted to Chunin yet, but we can give him opportunities to earn them."

Mitokado Homura said seriously, "No one who can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu has ever been qualified as a Chunin. He must prove himself."

"No problem."

Upon receiving Satoru's news, Might Duy was excited, but not entirely surprised.

The Chunin Exams required a comprehensive assessment, but Duy's situation was one of severe specialization, where his combat prowess far exceeded the standards expected of a Chunin.

If he participated in the Chunin Exams, he would likely crush everyone else—but he could also be taken down by a single Genjutsu.

Therefore, after discussions between Mitokado Homura and the Third Hokage, a plan was proposed.

Might Duy could, under the status of Genin, specially accept high-difficulty C-rank and B-rank missions that Chunin would normally handle.

As a condition, he had to defeat an elite Chunin from the Anbu, assigned by the Third Hokage, to prove his strength.

Once Duy accumulated sufficient merit, the higher-ups would then discuss his promotion plan.

For Duy, this was already enough.

An opportunity to prove himself was all he needed.

"Youth truly holds all sorts of wonders!"

Duy confidently gave Satoru a thumbs-up, as if golden starlight was twinkling beside his pearly white front teeth:

"Little brother Satoru, I won't let this opportunity go to waste. I'm already looking forward to the exhilarating feeling of burning my youth on the battlefield!"

"Then... I wish you success!"

Satoru smiled and gave Duy a thumbs-up.

Perhaps Duy was the first person whose fate had been changed by his own existence?

"It's too early to draw conclusions..."

Satoru looked at his small frame and silently shook his head:

"I need to be faster. The interpretation of The Book of Medivh needs to be faster..."

"I must gain the capital to survive on the battlefield within the absolutely safe environment of the academy."

"Defensive spells... it's really a headache that this knowledge is so far down the line."

The Book of Medivh, interpretation progress at 25%. Knowledge related to defensive spells had finally appeared.

"Three types of shields, very good."

It's much more reassuring to cast Fireball while shielded