Sweat and a New Mission

After eating barbecue, Obito and Guy started clamoring to go practice shuriken again, while Rin had to go back and prepare for the next day's ninja academy classes.

"Arashi, you just got back. Get some proper rest," Rin said with concern.

"Mm." Arashi nodded.

After saying goodbye to them, Arashi did not return to the clan grounds. Instead, he headed toward the training field on the outskirts of the village.

The Hidden Leaf Village was very quiet at night, with only the streetlights giving off a soft glow.

He looked up at the sky. The moon was hidden behind dark clouds, making everything seem a little gloomy.

"The Hidden Leaf..." Arashi murmured. "What a place to love and hate."

He thought of the warmth in the barbecue restaurant, and he also thought of the coldness in the Hokage's office.

This village carried far too many things.

He did not want to rest yet. The battle in White Scale Valley had made him realize his shortcomings. Although he had killed Rock Demon, the process had still been somewhat dangerous.

In front of truly top-tier powerhouses, he was still too weak.

For example, Orochimaru. For example, Danzo. Even the Third Hokage.

He had to become stronger!

Sure enough, when he reached the area near the training field, he once again saw that familiar figure.

Might Duy.

That eternal genin was currently alone on the training field, pouring out sweat as he repeated basic taijutsu movements over and over.

His movements still looked somewhat clumsy, even a little ridiculous. Sweat had already soaked through his clothes, glittering under the moonlight.

People occasionally passed by nearby, and when they saw Might Duy, they all cast looks of contempt or mockery at him.

"Look, it's that eternal genin again."

"He's already this old, and he's still doing this useless work. What a waste of time."

"I heard his son's gone crazy with him too. It's bad enough that he can't improve himself, but he's even dragging his own son down."

Several adults spoke all at once.

"But Dad, I think that uncle is really amazing. Every time I see him, he's training so hard," a child among them said.

"Hmph, amazing my ass! Look at his shoes, they've been washed until they're turning white. And he's always wearing that ridiculous green outfit. One look and you can tell he's dirt poor. Being a ninja to his level, working hard and still making no money, he's worse off than small merchants like us who sell things."

"I'm telling you, if you ever end up like him, I'll break your legs myself," the child's father scolded loudly.

They made no effort to hide their words. Even though Arashi stood far away, he heard them.

But Might Duy seemed not to hear them at all. He remained focused on his own training, a fervent smile on his face, still shouting slogans about "youth" and the like.

Arashi stood in the darkness, silently watching Might Duy.

This man, though outwardly not strong and subjected to constant discrimination in the Hidden Leaf Village, possessed an almost terrifying persistence and conviction.

The Eight Gates Released Formation was the highest achievement in the field of taijutsu that he had summarized after walking countless wrong roads. It was a forbidden technique that could cripple or even kill an ordinary ninja the moment they used it.

His strength could not be proven to others, nor did it need to be proven to others, much less judged by others.

"Teacher." Arashi walked over and called out softly.

Might Duy stopped moving. Seeing that it was Arashi, a brilliant smile appeared on his face. "Oh! It's Arashi! You're back! How did the mission go?"

"Mm, it's completed." Arashi nodded. "Teacher, it's so late. You're still training?"

"Haha! Youth must burn day and night!" Might Duy laughed loudly. "Besides, I still have to prepare for future battles! Maybe one day, the Hidden Leaf Village will need these old bones of mine!"

Arashi looked at Might Duy's hands, covered in calluses and scars, and something stirred in his heart.

"Teacher, I want to continue cultivating the Eight Gates Released Formation," Arashi said.

Might Duy froze for a moment, then the smile on his face became even brighter. "Good! Good! Good! As expected of the disciple I set my eyes on! Youth is all about constantly challenging your limits!"

"However, cultivating the Eight Gates Released Formation is extremely difficult, and the further you go, the more dangerous it becomes. Are you sure you want to continue?" Might Duy put away his smile and asked seriously.

"I'm sure." Arashi's gaze was incomparably firm. "I need strength. Strength powerful enough."

To protect the people he cared about. To stop being treated as a pawn. To survive in this cruel world!

Might Duy looked at the determination in Arashi's eyes and nodded. "Good! Since you've decided, then we'll continue. I'll teach you everything I know!"

"Starting today, we officially begin training the third gate, the Gate of Life!"

Over the next month, Uchiha Arashi began even more brutal training in the Eight Gates Released Formation.

Under Might Duy's guidance, he started with basic physical flexibility and explosive power training, bit by bit attacking the limits of his body.

Cultivating the Eight Gates Released Formation was, in essence, continuously breaking the body's restrictions, then rebuilding through destruction, thereby obtaining even greater strength.

This process was unbearably painful.

Every time he attacked the restriction of the Gate of Life, it was as if countless small knives were slicing through his muscles and meridians.

Sweat, tears, and even blood continuously flowed from his body.

But Arashi never gave up.

Vegeta's Saiyan Physique gave him powerful recovery and endurance, while the pride and competitive drive that belonged to him made him persist through the pain.

"This still isn't enough! What does this bit of pain count for!"

"I'm going to become the strongest! How could I fall here!"

"Open for me! Open!"

Every time he was about to be unable to endure, he would think of the sacrifices in White Scale Valley, the humiliation in the Hokage's office, and his friends' smiles in the barbecue restaurant.

All of these turned into the driving force pushing him forward.

Might Duy watched silently from the side, his eyes filled with gratification and admiration.

He had never seen a child with such talent and perseverance.

After that, in only a month, Arashi's body had already gradually adapted to the burden of opening the third gate, the Gate of Life.

Now, he could steadily open and close the third gate, and in its opened state, maintain combat for a relatively long time.

Moreover, during this month of bitter training, Arashi's Saiyan Chakra and physical strength had increased by almost half!

This was simply an unbelievable speed of improvement!

"Arashi, your taijutsu ability in your normal state has already surpassed many jonin."

Might Duy looked at Arashi, a trace of pride in his tone:

"Now, if you go all out, even against some elite jonin, you'd probably have the strength to fight them head-on."

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't dare believe there could actually be a genius like you in this world."

Arashi clenched his fist, feeling the power surging through his body, and a confident smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"However, you must remember that in ninja battles, it has never been the case that whoever is stronger survives. Who knows how many geniuses have been blown to death by ordinary explosive tags. You must be careful," Might Duy said, staring at him seriously.

"I understand," he said. "But even my current strength is still far from what I want."

Might Duy smiled. "Haha! Good! Youth means never being satisfied with the status quo! It's good to have that kind of drive!"

"However, training the Eight Gates Released Formation cannot be rushed, especially the later gates. Each gate you open increases the burden on the body exponentially."

Might Duy reminded him seriously:

"What you need now is to consolidate your foundation and become familiar with the power of the third gate. After your body has completely adapted, then you can consider attacking the fourth gate, the Gate of Pain."

"I understand, Teacher." Arashi nodded.

He knew Might Duy was right. Haste made waste.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the training field.