"F-flying?"
"That guy can fly?"
"Sunagakure has a jutsu like that?"
In Konoha's spectator stands, quite a few ninja looked taken aback.
The ability to fly was exceptionally rare in the ninja world—and exceptionally troublesome to face.
"Oh! You look like a strong opponent! Let's have a match that gets our blood pumping!"
On the arena floor, Might Duy showed no fear. His eyes lit up, and he raised his thumb again as he shouted.
Tessen merely shook his head, giving no sign that Duy's enthusiasm had moved him.
The black wings of Iron Sand behind Tessen slowly dispersed. Like flowing sand, they spread across his body and formed a thin layer of black armor.
"The match—begins!"
Seeing that both sides were ready, the Chief Examiner Jonin announced the start from the raised platform.
The instant his words fell, Might Duy vanished from where he stood!
"So fast!"
Jiraiya could not help exclaiming. In sheer speed, Duy had already far surpassed him.
The next moment, Duy appeared before Tessen. His leg whistled through the air in a fierce sweeping kick aimed at Tessen's head!
But just as Duy's foot was about to touch the layer of Iron Sand covering Tessen—
Squelch!
The smooth surface of the Iron Sand suddenly erupted with countless sharp black spikes!
They pierced straight through Duy's foot!
Blood instantly stained his green tights red.
"Urgh!"
Duy gave a muffled groan, and his attack stopped dead.
Tessen's gaze was cold. The result did not seem to surprise him in the slightest.
With a casual wave, the Iron Sand around his arm gathered into an enormous fist. It slammed into Duy's chest with crushing force!
Bang!
Duy flew backward like a kite with its string cut. He hit the edge of the arena hard, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"..."
"Hahahaha! And here I thought he'd be tough!"
"That guy from Sunagakure can obviously turn his Iron Sand into spikes like a porcupine, and the one in green tights charged straight at him?"
"What an idiot!"
"Has Konoha run out of people? This is who they sent?"
The spectators were stunned for a moment. Then ninja from the other villages burst into laughter.
Mockery rose from every side, thick with undisguised contempt.
In the arena, Tessen slowly withdrew his fist. Iron Sand covered his body once more. He glanced at Duy on the ground, shook his head, then turned to the Chief Examiner Jonin, signaling him to announce the result.
As far as Tessen was concerned, the fight was over.
But just as the Chief Examiner Jonin was about to speak—
"Cough... cough..."
"It's not... over!"
Duy struggled onto his elbows and slowly pushed himself up.
Blood streamed from his right foot, and his face was pale, but the will to fight had not gone out of his eyes.
He took a fighting stance again and charged toward Tessen, one unsteady step at a time!
Tessen frowned slightly and shook his head again.
Duy's foot had been pierced through. His speed and strength had to be badly diminished, yet he still wanted to fight?
It was absurd.
Tessen flicked his hand. The Iron Sand before him formed a giant palm and swept toward the charging Duy!
Bang!
Another dull impact rang out. Duy was sent flying again and rolled several times before coming to a stop.
"Uh... contestant Might Duy..."
The Chief Examiner Jonin could hardly bear to watch. He was about to call the match.
"I... I haven't lost!"
Duy's voice was weak, but his conviction was unmistakable.
He struggled to his feet once more, swaying as blood dripped down his trouser leg onto the arena floor.
"Oh? Do you still have some finishing move?"
Tessen looked at his battered opponent, who still refused to fall. Surprise flickered in his eyes, followed by curiosity.
Anyone could see the gulf between them. Tessen had completely outmatched him.
Why would this kid from Konoha endure so much pain rather than give up? Did he truly have some hidden trump card?
"I'm not like you so-called geniuses! I'm no good at ninjutsu. I have no talent for genjutsu, either."
"The only thing I can rely on is Taijutsu!"
Duy panted and grinned, showing teeth stained red with blood.
"Uh..."
Tessen's curiosity turned to confusion.
"He can't use ninjutsu? Then why become a ninja?"
"What's he thinking? He wants to be a ninja when he can't even use ninjutsu?"
"Is Konoha really so short on people that someone like him can enter the Chunin Ninja Exams?"
The ninja from the other villages watching around the arena broke into derisive laughter again.
A ninja who could not use ninjutsu was like a chef who could not cook.
Duy heard every cutting laugh, but his expression did not waver.
He had heard those words too many times before.
That was precisely why he had signed up for these Chunin Ninja Exams without hesitation!
He wanted to prove himself to everyone!
Even if Taijutsu was all he had, even if everyone laughed at him, hard work could still make him strong!
And now was the time to prove it!
"Haaaaah!"
Duy let out a roar that shook the arena, and the Chakra in his body began to circulate in a strange way!
His muscles visibly swelled. His skin flushed red as blood rushed through it, and a powerful aura burst from him!
[Eight Inner Gates: Door Opening! Open!]
[Gate of Healing! Open!]
Two gates opened at once!
Duy's entire presence changed. The flagging air brought on by his injuries vanished, replaced by a sense of ferocious power!
The next moment, he vanished from where he stood again!
This time, he was several times faster than before!
"What?!"
Jiraiya shot to his feet, shock written across his face.
How did he do that? He's faster now that he's hurt than he was before!
Tsunade's eyes widened too. As a ninja specializing in Medical Ninjutsu, she saw more than Jiraiya did.
"Orochimaru, this... this must be some kind of forbidden technique that forcibly draws out the body's potential, right?"
She turned to Orochimaru, who remained calm beside her, and could not help asking.
"Yes. It's a Taijutsu technique that deliberately releases the brain's limits on the body, allowing the muscles to exert one hundred percent of their strength."
Orochimaru nodded as he answered.
"Release the limits? Use one hundred percent of his muscles' strength? Is that... really possible?!"
Jiraiya cried out in disbelief.
"Theoretically, yes. In extreme situations, the body releases adrenaline as a survival response, allowing a person to exert more strength than usual.
"This ninja, Might Duy, must have achieved something similar through a forbidden technique. But how did he manage it?"
Tsunade answered. Such a forbidden technique was possible in theory, but theory was all it had been.
And that mechanism alone could not account for this degree of power...
"Mastering this technique is both difficult and simple.
"You have to train harder than most people can imagine, pushing past the limits of what your body can endure again and again.
"In other words, only someone who has devoted everything to Taijutsu could possibly learn it."
As Orochimaru spoke, he looked toward Duy, who was still fighting in the arena.
Between what he knew from the original work and what he had learned about the human body from Konoha Hospital's records over the years, the principles of the Eight Inner Gates were not difficult for him to work out.
Duy's skin had not turned red, which meant he had not opened the third gate...
That meant this fight had gone as far as it could...
After hearing Orochimaru's explanation, Jiraiya watched Duy get knocked back by the Iron Sand again and again, only to stubbornly rise each time. His expression grew complicated, and he could not help feeling moved.
This guy who can only use Taijutsu... he's pushing himself way too hard!
In the arena, the battle was nearing its end...
With the Eight Inner Gates open, Duy's speed and strength had risen dramatically. For a while, he even traded blows with Tessen.
But he still could not break through Tessen's Iron Sand defense. Instead, every clash left fresh wounds on Duy's fists and feet.
Duy fought as though he felt no pain or exhaustion, charging at Tessen over and over!
His drive to press forward and his refusal to give up silenced the entire examination hall.
In the stands, the expressions of the ninja who had mocked him began to change.
Some looked surprised. Others could hardly believe what they were seeing. And in a few eyes, there was even a trace of... respect.
Tessen, his opponent, had also changed. His initial amusement and disdain had given way to gravity—and even a hint of irritation.
Is this guy a cockroach that won't die?!
"Isn't it over yet?!"
Tessen finally roared. He had no desire to keep dealing with this lunatic!
He slammed his hands together. The Iron Sand around him surged wildly, forming several thick black spears aimed at Duy as he charged again!
"Iron Sand Spear!"
This was his finishing move!
The coldly gleaming spears were about to pierce straight through Duy—
"Enough."
A steady voice rang out.
The next moment, a figure appeared in front of Duy with the Body Flicker Technique.
It was the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi!
With a casual palm strike, he stopped the oncoming Iron Sand spears as though they had struck an invisible wall. They broke apart instantly, scattering back into loose sand.
Then Hiruzen Sarutobi caught Duy by the arm and stopped his forward charge.
"Chief Examiner, announce the result."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke calmly.
The Chief Examiner Jonin jolted. Only then did he notice that Duy's eyes had lost their focus. He was clearly unconscious.
That meant he had been fighting on instinct alone, driven by sheer, unyielding will!
The ninja watching from the stands realized it too.
The entire examination hall fell silent. Shock was written on every face.
"Did he really have to go that far...?"
Jiraiya watched as the medical team hurriedly carried Duy away, bloodied and unconscious. His expression was conflicted.
"Perhaps... for someone who has only Taijutsu and wants to prove himself with it, he did..."
Orochimaru shook his head. That kind of determination deserved respect.
Just then, the names for the next match slowly appeared on the enormous screen at the center of the venue.
Konohagakure, Orochimaru.
Versus.
Kirigakure, Raiga Kurosuki.
Before you continue