Eight Inner Gates

Seigetsu Senju crouched anxiously beside Nawaki Senju, using her emergency medical kit to stop the bleeding and stabilize his broken or crushed bones.

Orochimaru glanced at Nawaki. He knew the boy wouldn't die just yet. Standing behind the others, he stared at Kawadera Uchiha across from him.

He hadn't managed to save Nawaki, but he'd seen clearly that it was Kawadera Uchiha's genjutsu that had made the difference at the crucial moment.

In that situation, only Sharingan Genjutsu could be released instantly, without any preparation.

Orochimaru walked over to Kawadera Uchiha and stood beside him, watching the others try to save Nawaki. He said,

"I don't often say thank you, but I owe you one this time."

Kawadera Uchiha waited a moment, then realized Orochimaru was only thanking him—he wasn't getting anything out of it.

Tobirama Senju had been more generous. He'd given him a Forbidden Technique outright.

Orochimaru asked sidelong, "I didn't even detect the assassin. How did you?"

Even now, Orochimaru was still trying to figure out what was wrong with his technique.

Kawadera Uchiha said, "I was hiding somewhere high up, so I had a better view than Lord Orochimaru.

"My eyesight is excellent. The assassin could fool your senses, but not my eyes."

Orochimaru mulled over Kawadera Uchiha's words. So he'd spotted the assassin early because of his keen eyesight?

It made sense, at least.

Kawadera Uchiha had no idea how he'd face Shiro Uchiha and Ishiya Uchiha when he got back.

Ishiya Uchiha was his direct superior in the clan. He'd discovered Kawadera and assigned him to gather intelligence for the clan.

Shiro Uchiha handled the clan's affairs in the Land of Grass.

If they found out he'd ruined the clan's plans, they wouldn't let him off.

He wanted to muddy the waters.

So Kawadera Uchiha said, "I noticed several things about the killer. I wonder if Lord Orochimaru has any other clues."

"Oh? What did you notice?"

Orochimaru watched Kawadera Uchiha, waiting for his answer.

He hadn't expected that the protective detail he'd dismissed as a useless burden just a few days ago would now command so much of his attention.

Kawadera Uchiha said, "First, the killer knew the details of Nawaki's team's mission and had laid an ambush in advance.

"Second, the killer was skilled in genjutsu—skilled enough to ensnare a prodigy like Young Master Nawaki, who couldn't break free.

"Third, the killer was exceptionally skilled in the Body Flicker Technique. After failing, he vanished in an instant. Even my eyes couldn't catch a trace of him.

"Fourth, the killer knew you extremely well.

"He knew how to block your senses, leaving you completely blind. He nearly killed Young Master Nawaki right in front of you."

Orochimaru let out a raspy, strange chuckle that sounded like it came from an eighty-year-old with lung cancer. It was deeply unpleasant.

"You're right. The key to this is the fourth point: the killer knew me extremely well.

"There are many people in Konoha who know the details of Nawaki's mission and are skilled in genjutsu and the Body Flicker Technique. But very few know me well enough to block my senses so completely with such simple means."

Orochimaru thought to himself that his abilities involving snakes were extremely well concealed. Even his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, didn't know about them.

The only place that might have leaked information was his modification laboratory.

Orochimaru had a secret laboratory in the village. That was where he carried out his bodily modifications and experiments.

The laboratory was extremely well hidden. He conducted experiments there on his own, though he occasionally cooperated with Shimura Danzō's Root.

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils narrowed to slits, and a chilling aura radiated from him.

Seeing his reaction, Kawadera Uchiha knew Orochimaru had thought of something.

Go on, Orochimaru. Stir things up.

Nawaki meant so much to you, and Tsunade meant so much to you. Nawaki had nearly been killed. Surely you'd be furious.

Ken Aburame formed Hand Seals, and a swarm of Kikaichū flew out from his collar.

The Kikaichū burrowed beneath Nawaki and lifted him like a cushion, minimizing the jolts as they traveled.

Orochimaru Squad and Seigetsu Senju's team hurried toward the camp.

Once they reached camp, Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu would surely be enough to save Nawaki Senju.

On the way back, Kawadera Uchiha could hardly wait to test how much the Eight Inner Gates would enhance his abilities.

Seigetsu Senju dropped back a few steps and came up beside Kawadera Uchiha.

"Kawadera, thank you. I don't even know how to repay you!

"You gave me the intelligence that someone was plotting against Young Master Nawaki. To be honest, I'd wondered whether your information was accurate.

"What happened today proved that Lord Kagami's and your intelligence were completely correct. Someone really was trying to kill Young Master Nawaki.

"If you hadn't stepped in, they might even have killed him right in front of Lord Orochimaru.

"You didn't just give me the intelligence—you also disrupted the killer at the critical moment. Thank you so much."

Kawadera Uchiha said, "I only did what a Konoha Ninja should. That's the Will of Fire Lord Kagami taught me."

Saving Nawaki Senju ought to earn him the Senju Clan's trust.

As they traveled, Kawadera Uchiha familiarized himself with the Eight Inner Gates Tobirama Senju had taught him.

When he opened the first or second gate, there was no visible change, but his Taijutsu ability increased greatly.

When he opened the third gate, his skin turned red as his blood surged through his body.

When he opened the fourth through sixth gates, he sweated heavily, and the sweat evaporated into green steam.

When he opened the seventh gate, blue steam appeared around his body.

When he opened the eighth gate, the legendary red steam would appear around him.

Tobirama Senju had stopped practicing after opening the sixth gate. There was no need to go further—or perhaps he lacked the talent for Taijutsu.

Kawadera Uchiha wondered whether he should try opening the first few gates on the way, but he was afraid someone as powerful as Orochimaru might notice.

They were hurrying back to camp and couldn't stop to rest. After two hours, Kawadera Uchiha realized his terrible Taijutsu meant he couldn't make it back to camp at this pace.

He secretly gathered his chakra and sent it toward the first gate, the Gate of Opening.

With the memories and insights Tobirama Senju had given him, he easily opened the chakra points controlling the first gate.

The chakra points that restrained his chakra as part of his body's protective mechanism opened. Kawadera Uchiha instantly felt his limbs fill with strength.

His three Taijutsu stats had been Body 6.2, Strength 3.9, and Speed 6.8. Each one had increased by 0.5!

As expected of a Forbidden Technique. Opening just the first gate had given him such a significant boost.

"Second gate, Gate of Healing! Open!"

His three Taijutsu stats increased by another 0.5 each, bringing the total increase for every stat to 1.

Up ahead, the corner of Orochimaru's mouth twitched. What an interesting specimen. He'd surprised him again.

Kawadera Uchiha was much faster now. He could easily keep up with the others, and they even seemed too slow, wasting the potential of his Eight Inner Gates.

The excess chakra that had been sealed inside him was now fully released.

This chakra was difficult to control and couldn't be used to perform ninjutsu. Instead, it instinctively surged toward his muscles, where it transformed into energy with remarkable ease.

He'd opened two gates and given them a quick test. After half an hour of traveling like this, they finally saw the Konoha camp.

Kawadera Uchiha's muscles were sore and weak all over. He'd reached his limit.