Eight Inner Gates

Seigetsu Senju knelt anxiously beside Nawaki Senju, using her emergency medical kit to staunch his bleeding and stabilize his fractured or shattered bones.

Orochimaru glanced at Nawaki, noting that he would not die for the moment, and stood behind the others, staring at Kawadera Uchiha across from them.

He had not been fast enough to save Nawaki, but he had seen clearly that the decisive factor in the final moment was Kawadera Uchiha's genjutsu.

Under those circumstances, only a Sharingan genjutsu could be released instantly without any preparation.

Orochimaru walked toward Kawadera Uchiha and stood by his side, watching the others tend to Nawaki. He asked:

"I rarely offer words of gratitude, but this time, I must say thank you."

Kawadera Uchiha waited, only to realize that Orochimaru was offering mere thanks without providing any actual benefits.

Tobirama Senju had been far more generous, gifting him a forbidden jutsu directly.

Orochimaru squinted and asked, "I didn't even detect the assassin; how did you manage to spot them?"

Even at a time like this, Orochimaru was still pondering where his own techniques had failed.

Kawadera Uchiha replied, "My hiding spot was at a high vantage point, giving me a better field of vision than you, Lord Orochimaru. My eyesight is exceptional; the assassin could deceive your sensory perception, but they could not deceive my eyes."

Orochimaru pondered Kawadera Uchiha's words—so, he had spotted the assassin early simply because his eyesight was superior.

That was a plausible explanation.

Kawadera Uchiha did not know how he would face Shiro Uchiha and Ishiya Uchiha upon his return.

Ishiya Uchiha was his direct superior within the clan, the one who had discovered him and dispatched him to gather intelligence.

Shiro Uchiha was responsible for the clan's affairs in the Land of Grass.

If they found out he had sabotaged the clan's interests, they would not spare him.

He desperately wanted to muddy the waters.

Therefore, Kawadera Uchiha said, "I observed several characteristics of the assassin. I wonder if Lord Orochimaru has any other leads?"

"Oh? Which characteristics?"

Orochimaru stared at Kawadera Uchiha, waiting.

He had not expected that the protection squad he considered a burden of dead weight just days ago would now command such respect.

Kawadera Uchiha said, "First, the assassin knew the contents of Nawaki's mission and set an ambush in advance. Second, the assassin is skilled in genjutsu—a genjutsu so potent that even a genius like Young Master Nawaki could not break free. Third, the assassin's Body Flicker Technique is extremely advanced. After failing, they vanished instantly; even with my eyes, I couldn't see a single trace. Fourth, the assassin knows you extremely well. They actually knew how to mask your sensory perception, rendering you blind and nearly killing Young Master Nawaki right before your eyes."

A strange, wheezing laugh erupted from Orochimaru's throat, sounding like an eighty-year-old man suffering from lung cancer, which made those around him feel deeply uncomfortable.

"You are right. The key to this matter is the fourth point: the assassin knows me extremely well. Knowing the mission details, being skilled in genjutsu and the Body Flicker Technique—there are many in Konoha who can do that. But to know me so well that they could completely block my perception with simple means? There are very few in Konoha who can do that."

Orochimaru thought to himself that his snake-based abilities were extremely covert; even his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, did not know of them.

The only possible leak could be his modification laboratory.

There was a secret laboratory in the village where Orochimaru conducted his physical modifications and experiments.

The laboratory was extremely hidden, used only for his own research, with occasional cooperation from Danzō Shimura's Root.

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils narrowed into slits, and a chilling aura radiated from his entire body.

Seeing this, Kawadera Uchiha knew that Orochimaru had realized something.

Stir the pot, Orochimaru, keep stirring.

Nawaki is so important to you, and Tsunade is so important to you; now that Nawaki has nearly been killed, you must be absolutely furious.

Ken Aburame formed hand seals, and a massive swarm of Kikaichū flew out from his collar.

The Kikaichū burrowed beneath Nawaki, lifting him up like a cushion to minimize the vibrations during their journey.

The Orochimaru Squad and the Seigetsu Senju Squad hurried toward the camp.

Once they returned to the camp, with Tsunade's medical ninjutsu, they would surely be able to save Nawaki Senju.

On the way back, Kawadera Uchiha was eager and impatient to test the improvements the Eight Inner Gates had granted him.

Seigetsu Senju fell back a few steps and came to Kawadera Uchiha's side.

"Kawadera, thank you. I don't even know how to express my gratitude! You gave me the intelligence that someone was plotting against Young Master Nawaki. To be honest, I once doubted whether your information was accurate. Today's harrowing scene proves that the intelligence from Lord Kagami and yourself was flawless; someone truly intended to kill Young Master Nawaki. If you hadn't intervened, they might have even killed him right in front of Lord Orochimaru."

"Not only did you provide me with intelligence, but you also interfered with the assassin at the critical moment. Thank you so much."

Kawadera Uchiha said, "I merely did what a Konoha ninja ought to do; this is the Will of Fire that Lord Kagami taught me."

With the performance of saving Nawaki Senju's life, he should be able to gain the trust of the Senju clan.

While traveling, Kawadera Uchiha familiarized himself with the Eight Inner Gates given to him by Tobirama Senju.

Opening from the first gate to the second gate shows no external characteristics, yet taijutsu ability increases significantly.

Opening the third gate causes the skin to flush red due to rapid blood flow.

Opening from the fourth gate to the sixth gate causes the body to sweat profusely, with the sweat evaporating into green steam.

Opening the seventh gate causes blue steam to appear around the body.

Opening the eighth gate causes the legendary red steam to appear around the body.

Tobirama Senju stopped practicing after opening the sixth gate; there was no need, or perhaps his taijutsu talent was insufficient.

Kawadera Uchiha was considering whether to test the first few gates of the Eight Inner Gates on the road, but he feared that a powerhouse like Orochimaru might discover something.

This return to the main camp was a forced march with no possibility of rest. Two hours later, Kawadera Uchiha realized that his poor taijutsu could not support his return to the camp at all.

Secretly gathering chakra, he rushed toward the first gate, the Gate of Opening.

Relying on the memories and insights provided by Tobirama Senju, he easily breached the chakra acupoint of the first gate.

As the acupoint that restricts chakra within the self-protection mechanism opened, Kawadera Uchiha instantly felt his limbs filled with power.

His three taijutsu stats, originally 6.2 in body, 3.9 in strength, and 6.8 in speed, had each increased by 0.5!

As expected of a forbidden technique; just opening the first gate yielded such a significant boost.

Second gate, Gate of Healing! Open!

His three taijutsu stats increased by another 0.5, meaning each had increased by 1 in total.

Ahead, the corners of Orochimaru's mouth twitched, and he thought, What an interesting specimen; he has given me another surprise.

Kawadera Uchiha's speed increased significantly. Not only was he keeping up with the others with ease, but he even felt they were running too slowly, wasting his Eight Inner Gates.

The excess chakra that had originally been sealed within his body was completely released.

This chakra was difficult to control and could not be used to cast ninjutsu. It instinctively surged into his muscles, transforming into energy within them with extreme fluidity.

Having opened two gates as a trial, he traveled for half an hour in this manner until he finally saw the Konoha main camp.

Kawadera Uchiha's muscles were sore and weak all over; he had reached his limit.