Might Duy

Nawaki heard the Third's reply and, with a calm smile, said, "I think Lord Hokage might have misunderstood. Our squad isn't here to take on a C-rank mission; we are here to accept a B-rank mission!"

The other genin squads in the hall were thrown into an uproar by Nawaki's words.

"What? Taking a B-rank mission directly?"

"As expected of a genius, he doesn't follow the beaten path!"

"Even though Special Jonin Nawaki has such a sunny smile, his words are so imposing. So cool!"

"But is that even allowed by the rules?"

Hearing this, the Third hurriedly denied it: "No, B-rank missions can only be accepted by chunin..." As he spoke, he seemed to realize something; his expression turned gloomy, and he picked up his pipe to take a sharp puff.

Seeing this reaction, the corners of Nawaki's mouth curled up, his eyes filled with amusement as he said, "Lord Hokage seems to have forgotten that This Humble One is already a Special Jonin. Since our squad's average strength is now above that of a chunin, according to the regulations, we should be eligible to accept B-rank missions, right?"

Hearing this, the Third tapped his pipe forcefully and said, "Hmph! You cunning brat. You were in such a rush to be promoted to Special Jonin just to take on B-rank missions, weren't you? Although you meet the standard according to the rules, have you thought about the danger this will bring to your teammates?"

Nawaki replied with a confident expression: "Shinnosuke and Hikari's strength has already reached the chunin level; all they lack is experience and analytical judgment. Moreover, I will definitely do my best to protect them. Just as I believe in them, they will surely believe in me! With our team spirit, we can overcome any difficulty and complete the mission!"

"That's right! We trust Nawaki's judgment, and we won't hold him back!" Shinnosuke and Hikari agreed with Nawaki's point with serious expressions.

"Team spirit, is it? You brat always knows how to touch people's hearts. Very well, I shall wait and see!" Seeing that their opinions were unanimous, the Third could no longer find a reason to stop them and had to reluctantly agree while puffing on his pipe.

At this moment, Nawaki noticed a lonely figure standing to the side, looking at them with envy. The thick-browed, wide-eyed face looked even more innocent than a child's.

A flash of inspiration struck Nawaki, and he asked the Third Hokage: "By the way, Lord Third, since I am now a Special Jonin, I should be qualified to be a genin's instructor, right?"

"That is true, but your squad cannot be disbanded, and there are no new graduates available to be your subordinates right now. What kind of crooked idea are you hatching now?"

"I think Might Duy could join our squad as my subordinate. This way, he won't have to go on missions alone, and our squad's overall strength will also increase." Nawaki voiced his thoughts.

Might Duy had not expected that Nawaki, a genius, would not only refrain from looking down on him after becoming a jonin but would instead take the initiative to offer a helping hand, so he was moved to tears.

The other genin nearby began to whisper among themselves.

"Why is that weirdly dressed guy always alone?"

"That? His name is Might Duy. He doesn't have a chakra nature and can't use ninjutsu; he can only practice taijutsu and the Three Basic Techniques, so he's never been able to be promoted to chunin!"

"He's the famous 'Eternal Genin'! He was abandoned by his squad for being a dead weight."

"So that's it! Why would Special Jonin Nawaki take a fancy to a guy like that?"

Although he was long accustomed to being mocked, Might Duy was particularly uneasy this time. Was it because he, too, longed for companions?

The Third glanced at the anxious Might Duy and said with difficulty: "Nawaki, you should know Duy's situation. With his strength, joining your squad will likely not be a help, but rather a burden."

Upon hearing the Third's words, Might Duy's eyes dimmed, and he said in a low voice: "Special Jonin Nawaki, thank you for your kindness, but I really can't use ninjutsu and will indeed drag everyone down! I'm going to go do my mission now!" Having said that, he prepared to turn and leave.

"Wait! Duy!" Nawaki hurriedly called out to stop him.

Might Duy stopped in his tracks and asked with a dejected look: "Is there anything else, Special Jonin Nawaki?"

"Don't be discouraged, Duy! I believe that even if one cannot use ninjutsu, one can still become a great ninja through taijutsu alone!" Nawaki looked at Might Duy and said with a serious expression.

Might Duy's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "Do you really think so, Special Jonin Nawaki?"

Nawaki nodded affirmatively: "That's right. To look no further than our own village, the Hyuga clan is famous throughout the Shinobi World for their Gentle Fist taijutsu. Furthermore, the Third Raikage also relied on his physical prowess to become the leader of his village, earning the titles of the Spear of the Strongest and the Shield of the Strongest. Am I right, Lord Hokage?"

The Third nodded: "That is correct, but the Hyuga's Gentle Fist and the Raikage's taijutsu are both advanced techniques and closely guarded secrets; they are very difficult for the average person to learn."

Nawaki smiled: "My desire for Might Duy to join the squad is not out of pity, but because I value his talent for taijutsu!"

"Oh?" The Third looked at Might Duy curiously upon hearing this. He knew Nawaki wouldn't speak nonsense; if he said this, he must have his reasons.

"Duy, if I'm not mistaken, you must have been persisting in taijutsu training, and your physical strength far exceeds that of an ordinary person. You must be wearing weights right now, aren't you?" Nawaki asked with certainty.

Might Duy had returned to normal, and when taijutsu training was mentioned, he said with confidence: "That's right, I am currently wearing one thousand kilograms of weights!"

The people around them exploded into an uproar once again.

"One thousand kilograms!"

"Isn't that too exaggerated?"

"How strong is his body?"

Nawaki, looking as if he had expected this, nodded: "I imagine that at this level, you must have developed your own taijutsu, right?"

"That's right. I developed the Eight Inner Gates based on the eight gates within the body. By opening each gate, one can remove a portion of the body's restrictions on chakra, thereby gaining a massive amount of chakra," Might Duy replied.

Nawaki nodded: "Many people know the principle of the eight gates, but very few are able to open them. Because the violent chakra places a great burden on the body, without sufficient physical strength and control, it is impossible to master, and it will only end up harming oneself! How many gates can you open freely without harming yourself?"

"Four gates!" Might Duy scratched his head. As expected of a genius, he understands the Eight Inner Gates so well; he understood it the moment I mentioned it.

"Can you demonstrate?"

"No problem! Gate of Opening, open! Gate of Healing, open! Gate of Life, open! Gate of Pain, open!" Might Duy let out several roars and opened four gates in quick succession. A massive surge of chakra erupted from his entire body, while veins bulged on his head and his skin turned red.

"Attack me with everything you've got, no holding back!"

Hearing Nawaki's words, Might Duy vanished from his spot instantly. Because his movement speed was so fast, it was almost like teleportation; one could only hear the whistling sound of him breaking the air.