Eight Inner Gates, an S-rank forbidden jutsu!
Each gate that was opened removed one layer of the body's limits, granting the practitioner a unique effect.
The first three gates had these effects—
Gate of Opening: Removed the brain's restrictions, allowing the body to use 100% of its capabilities. It consumed the body's energy beyond its limits to increase attack power and speed. Once opened, the user could perform the "Front Lotus."
Gate of Healing: Removed the body's fatigue restrictions, squeezing its energy beyond its limits to restore stamina and counteract the fatigue caused by the energy consumption of the Gate of Opening.
Gate of Life: Further increased attack power and speed. The body began to flush red. This was the final safe zone of the Eight Inner Gates, and the body began to emit green energy. Once opened, the user could perform the "Reverse Lotus."
#
After the first gate opened,
Hyuga Yu felt his mind clear in an instant. Then, the blockages in his body's chakra pathways—the ones that had always kept him from refining more chakra—opened wide!
But this didn't mean the physical defect that had troubled Hyuga Yu for years had disappeared.
On the contrary, these were cries of agony and warnings coming from his body!
Physical and spiritual energy combined with unprecedented fluidity, turning into the most basic unit of "stamina."
Then, from that "stamina," a "massive amount" of chakra was refined and surged wildly through every chakra pathway in Hyuga Yu's body!
Hyuga Yu's chakra level rose at a frantic pace,
from Spirit 2 to Spirit 3, from Spirit 3 to Spirit 4,
all the way to Spirit 5!
Along with it came a feeling of exhaustion as his body operated under extreme strain, weighing on his mind.
"Hah... Hah..."
He had only just started opening the gates, yet Hyuga Yu already felt unbearable fatigue and drowsiness.
Though he had trained hard for a long time, his body was still far from being able to open the Eight Gates.
Now that he was using Medical Ninjutsu to force the gates open, the side effects would only be more pronounced.
Hyuga Yu gritted his teeth and glared through his Byakugan, enduring the fatigue as he examined himself. He estimated he could maintain this state for about half an hour.
But in this state, his attention and concentration would plummet, which was deadly in a ninja battle.
So,
for the second cut with the Chakra Scalpel,
Hyuga Yu raised the pale-blue blade in his hand once more and slashed savagely at his own head!
The Gate of Opening was in the left brain, responsible for limiting the brain's linear, sequential control of the body.
The second gate, the Gate of Healing, was in the right brain. It limited the brain's non-linear, holistic control of the body and emotional expression, while also controlling part of the amygdala.
He made the cut and repeated the process,
severing and creating new chakra pathways to deceive the brain and the forbidden jutsu's formula, forcibly opening the acupuncture point.
"Second Gate, Gate of Healing, open!"
The second gate opened.
All the discomfort from before vanished. His mind raced through its logic at incredible speed and with crystal clarity, much like the brain development in Lucy reaching 20–30% from 10%.
His bodily functions, judgment, strength, speed, and perception all improved dramatically.
At this point, Hyuga Yu couldn't help but marvel. The person who had developed the Eight Inner Gates was a genius. The technique let taijutsu users fight in a berserk state without losing their wits, combining a ninja's agility with a berserker's brutality.
But even after being enhanced to this extent,
it still wasn't enough for the opponent Hyuga Yu was about to face!
So,
Hyuga Yu brought down the third cut with his Chakra Scalpel, now on the verge of breaking down.
"Third Gate, Gate of Life, open!"
BOOM!
Green waves of energy burst from beneath Hyuga Yu's feet, and his long black hair lifted in the windless air, making him look like a demon!
CRACK!
The branch beneath his feet snapped, unable to bear the sudden increase in his weight.
This was due to chakra's property of having weight. Now that he had opened the third gate, high-density green chakra began to surge over the surface of Hyuga Yu's body, instantly boosting his weight to 500 kilograms!
In this state, the damage dealt by each of Hyuga Yu's punches was measured in tons.
And he could maintain this form for—
five minutes!
"Sniff... Hah...!"
Hyuga Yu forcefully exhaled a white stream of vapor through his nose.
His bulging Byakugan snapped open, and he raised his head with a fierce expression, looking east!
Then,
he gripped the hilt of the ninja sword Hyuga Natsu had given him and twisted his toes into the ground before pushing off.
BANG!
The ground cracked, and dust exploded.
Like a bullet being fired, Hyuga Yu's speed instantly broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom as he shot forward like a savage green beast!
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Each step carried him hundreds of meters. Every stride brought him closer to the battlefield awaiting him!
#
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the Nameless Forest,
Hyuga Natsu looked at Ao of the Mist and another Jonin blocking her way, her expression darkening slightly.
She was certain that Hyuga Yu was on his way.
Her original plan was to use Young Master Genko's absurdly poor experience as a ninja to engineer an accident and kill him before Hyuga Yu arrived, then gouge out his Byakugan.
Finally, she would give them to her Lion-kun as a belated Valentine's Day gift.
But now...
Just as she was about to put this plan into motion, a small complication had cropped up.
Ao of the Mist.
He was a newly promoted Jonin in Kirigakure, highly valued by Genji, an elder of the village. He had been parachuted into the Kirigakure Reconnaissance Unit as its leader.
But his strengths weren't reconnaissance or sensing. They were taijutsu and Water Release. What made him even more notorious was his cunning, foxlike approach to being a ninja.
The disguise Hyuga Genko had left behind had failed to fool him completely. Instead, it had added another complication to their escape.
At the sight of the two men,
the expression on Hyuga Genko's face—just moments ago, as he spoke sweet nothings—froze. He turned stiffly toward Hyuga Natsu, his face grim,
and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes!
"Natsu... You'll protect me, right?"
He asked this, but kept his hand hidden in his sleeve, ready to form Hand Seals at any moment.
Seeing this,
the smile on Hyuga Natsu's face faltered. Then she put it away and lowered her voice, her expression grave.
"Don't worry."
"Young Master Genko, I'll protect you. Run in that direction. That road leads back to Konoha."
As she spoke, Hyuga Natsu pointed out a direction to Hyuga Genko and whispered,
"I'll hold off the sensor ninja. The blue-haired one can't sense chakra, so don't be afraid even if he comes after you. You're a Jonin yourself. As long as you get out of the sensor ninja's range, you'll make it home safely."
"Is... is that so?"
Hyuga Genko gave a quiet, strained laugh, his gaze sweeping over the two men in front of him, whose faces were full of mockery.
In the next instant,
he raised both hands and rapidly formed the Dog, Boar, and Ram Hand Seals.
POOF!
A huge cloud of smoke formed from chakra burst into the air.
When it cleared, there were now two Hyuga Natsus in the clearing!
The one Hyuga Genko had transformed into suddenly moved close to Hyuga Natsu, still holding the Ram seal for the Caged Bird.
The Transformation Jutsu's final seal was the same as the Caged Bird's.
In a sinister, icy voice, his high-pitched tone dripping with malice as he dropped all pretense, he threatened her:
"Now run the other way. Or I'll kill you!"
"You—"
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