Cultivation of the Eight Inner Gates!

It was as if to punish Houka for his cheating, a lingering drowsiness clung to him for two full days before finally dissipating.

"Houka, lying in bed is a waste of youth! It's time to go out and train!"

Early that morning, Might Duy appeared at Houka's home, hands on his hips, roaring with great authority as the ocean roared in the background. However, Guy, who was beside him, was acting rather strange.

Houka rubbed his head and gave a wry smile. "Uncle Duy, your timing is truly impeccable."

He had just recovered, and the man arrived; not even a fortune teller could be that precise.

Houka summoned a Shadow Clone, while his real body followed Might Duy out.

Guy was indeed acting strange today, keeping his head down as if he had encountered a problem he couldn't solve.

"Guy, what's wrong with you?" Houka looked at the two thick eyebrows on Guy's face that were about to tangle together, and felt like he was about to be driven crazy himself.

"Houka, I, I..." Guy gritted his teeth and frowned, his two thick, bushy eyebrows nearly touching.

Might Duy glanced at them sideways and sighed. Just two days ago, Might Duy had decided to pass on the Eight Inner Gates to Guy, but Guy wasn't very happy because Houka had been excluded by his father.

Guy had been very angry at the time, questioning his father as to why he wouldn't teach Houka. In his view, since Houka had selflessly contributed his own created Taijutsu like the Leaf Whirlwind, there was no reason for Might Duy to keep secrets; it was simply too unfair to Houka.

Guy had indignantly declared that if Houka wasn't going to learn the Eight Inner Gates, then he wouldn't learn it either!

What a stubborn child!

Might Duy smiled bitterly to himself.

In fact, just yesterday, he had specifically gone to find the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo, to discuss the matter of the Eight Inner Gates with him.

Although Might Duy had repeatedly emphasized the terrifying nature of the Eight Inner Gates, Hatake Sakumo couldn't fully grasp it, yet he still offered his advice.

Whether it was the high regard of the Third Hokage or the intelligence passed down from Tsunade and Yuhi Shinku, all signs indicated that this child, Houka, was very special. He was not arrogant, conceited, or dismissive like others in the Uchiha clan, and he had the potential to inherit the Will of Fire in the future!

Therefore, Hatake Sakumo's advice was: it is acceptable!

When Might Duy heard those words, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief in his heart. It was only then that he realized he had long since accepted Houka from the bottom of his heart and had wanted to teach him the Eight Inner Gates all along, but had been worried about interference from others. Now that even Lord Hatake Sakumo had given the go-ahead, he had no more reservations.

The three of them began to run through the slightly dim streets, their destination being the Hokage Rock.

Whoosh!

Three figures sprinted rapidly, quickly leaping from the streets onto the buildings, moving like a gale, and vaulted onto the Hokage Rock just before the sun was about to rise.

"Guy, Houka, follow me!"

Might Duy walked forward without looking back, arriving at a dense forest behind the Hokage Rock.

Houka felt a bit strange. Had this father and son been possessed today? Why were they both acting so weird?

Guy still wore that conflicted expression, wanting to speak but holding back.

Might Duy said solemnly, "Starting today, your training will enter a brand new stage!"

Guy froze, seemingly realizing something, and looked up at Might Duy with pleasant surprise.

Might Duy nodded at him, then looked at Houka and said in a low voice, "Given your current physical fitness, you are already capable of training in this forbidden technique ahead of schedule."

The smile on Houka's face froze instantly.

A forbidden technique?

Could it be... the Eight Inner Gates?

I've waited so long for this day, I've dreamed of this moment for so long~

Thump-thump!

Houka's heart hammered like thunder, his blood surged, and he was incredibly excited.

Might Duy looked at him strangely. "Houka, you seem a bit excited."

Houka couldn't even speak clearly. "Th-that, Uncle Duy, I, cough, I just have a bit of altitude sickness, it will pass soon."

"Altitude sickness? What is that?" Might Duy asked, confused, then added, "Perhaps you should rest for another day."

"No, absolutely not!" Houka nearly jumped up, wishing he could slap himself. "I'm already better!"

He quickly suppressed the excitement in his heart and steadied his heartbeat.

Might Duy nodded and continued, "This forbidden technique took me nearly twenty years to barely master. It has extremely high requirements for physical fitness. If used improperly... you will die!!!"

Guy wore a grave expression.

Houka nodded; he was very clear on this point, perhaps even more so than Might Duy himself.

"I originally intended to wait a few more years before teaching it to you, but now that there is constant friction at the borders between the Land of Fire and other nations, and the other four great ninja villages are restless, war could descend at any moment. Therefore, I have decided to teach you now!"

Might Duy's expression was solemn. "Before that, you must promise me that you will never easily pass this forbidden technique on to anyone else!"

"Of course, Father!" Guy said loudly.

"I promise you!" Houka said solemnly.

"Then, listen well."

Following that, Might Duy officially began the instruction.

"The name of this forbidden technique is the Eight Inner Gates!"

Bang!

Houka's heart felt like it was about to explode.

Might Duy gave him a strange look before continuing his explanation.

"The Eight Gates are the Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder, and the Gate of Death! Opening the Gate of Opening allows one to break through the brain's inhibitions, while opening the Gate of Healing forcibly increases stamina... At the same time, opening the gates in sequence continuously unlocks the body's restrictions on Chakra. Once all eight are opened, one can obtain power that surpasses the Hokage for a short period of time!"

"Nani?!" Guy was shocked. "Power that surpasses the Hokage?"

Houka was also feeling incredibly stirred and unable to contain himself; the thought of the scene from the original story where Guy opened the Eight Gates to pummel Six Paths Madara made his blood boil!

Might Duy said solemnly, "However, opening all eight gates also signifies the end of one's life!"

Guy's expression turned to one of horror. "Father, such a technique is too dangerous."

Might Duy replied, "That is why it is a forbidden technique! Guy, Houka, remember this: unless it is an absolute last resort, you must never use this forbidden technique!"

Houka and Guy nodded solemnly.

Next, Might Duy explained the specific locations of the Eight Gates: "The Gate of Opening and the Gate of Healing are located in the brain, the Gate of Life is located below the Adam's apple, the Gate of Pain is in the center of the chest... and the Gate of Death is located at the heart."

Houka and Guy closed their eyes, carefully sensing the Eight Gates within their bodies under Might Duy's guidance.

So these are the Eight Gates that constrain the limits of human strength.

Houka quickly located the eight gates, but they felt like iron locks embedded in his flesh and blood; without undergoing insane, extreme training, there was no way to force them open.

"Guy, your current physical condition is still a little lacking, but Houka, you should already be able to open the first gate, the Gate of Opening!" Might Duy suddenly said. "Concentrate your energy and surge all your Chakra along your meridians toward the Gate of Opening."

Houka immediately followed his instructions, mobilizing all the Chakra within his body.

Thanks to his powerful spiritual energy and the physical strength gained from his insane training, Houka's internal Chakra had finally reached the level of a Chunin after more than half a year of diligent cultivation.

Hum...

As the Chakra gathered, the 'iron lock' of the Gate of Opening began to tremble slightly, as if it sensed it was about to lose its virginity.

Boom!

Houka's brain jolted, and for a split second, it felt as if his soul had ascended to the heavens. Everything felt different; he could clearly sense his body becoming lighter, his strength becoming greater, and even the flow of his Chakra becoming exceptionally active.

The human body is actually very powerful, but the brain forcibly suppresses the body's strength for the sake of protection. At this moment, for Houka, that suppression from his brain had vanished!