Training in the Eight Gates Released Formation

"Cheers!"

The ceramic cups filled with wine clinked together in midair, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.

Hyuga Satoru drained his cup in one gulp, his cheeks slightly flushed as he pointed at the table piled high with grilled meat. "Come on, come on. It's on me this time. Eat as much as you want."

"Then I won't hold back, Satoru." Anko picked up a huge piece of grilled meat with her chopsticks and happily stuffed it into her mouth.

Beside them, Aburame Shibi smiled helplessly. Unable to withstand Hyuga Satoru and the others' persistent coaxing, he could only join the gathering.

After escorting the caravan to its destination, the Ryosuke Squad had taken only a small portion of the reward for some reason, leaving the bulk of it to his team.

Hyuga Satoru intended to make good on the promise he had made after completing the S-rank mission and treat his teammates to a meal. Dai and Guy politely declined, so the four of them found themselves in this barbecue restaurant once again.

Looking at the familiar layout of the restaurant, Aburame Shibi suddenly felt a headache coming on. When Team Three had first been established, he had suffered a setback in this very barbecue restaurant.

He did not know whether it was an illusion, but Aburame Shibi always felt that the plump owner was sneaking glances at him with a smile, as though he had found a sucker.

"Satoru said he was treating... There shouldn't be any mistake, right...?"

Aburame Shibi shuddered.

That day, Aburame Shibi recalled the terror of being dominated by Hyuga Satoru's appetite, as well as the humiliating embarrassment of being unable to pay the bill at the barbecue restaurant...

Hyuga Satoru had stuffed his mouth full of grilled meat. Naturally, he had no idea what Aburame Shibi was thinking, and even if he did, he would only laugh it off.

Aburame Shibi had taken only a small portion of the reward from the previous S-rank mission. What remained was enough to last him a long time, so there was no need for him to mooch off a meal. Besides, this gathering had another purpose beyond strengthening the team's bonds.

The Eight Gates Released Formation!

After obtaining the method from Might Dai, Hyuga Satoru could not wait to begin training.

Eating large amounts of food would allow his body to store enough energy to meet the demands of intense training.

After the gathering ended, Hyuga Satoru bid Anko and the others farewell, then went to a ninja tool shop and spent half a day commissioning the things he needed.

The training method for the Eight Gates Released Formation was not complicated. Rather than a taijutsu technique, it was more like a method for breaking through the limits of the human body. The key to mastering it was having a sufficiently powerful physique.

Therefore, Hyuga Satoru planned to begin special training for his body.

He arrived at the back mountain where he usually trained and began making simple preparations.

First, he laid metal sheets across the ground. Calling them sheets was not quite accurate—they were more like flooring, thick and sturdy, and they had cost Hyuga Satoru quite a bit of money, making his heart ache slightly.

Once they were secured, the clearing looked as though it had been covered in a smooth metal floor.

Next, Hyuga Satoru put on the metal suit tailored to his body, making him look like some kind of armored warrior.

The armor was not particularly ornate, however, and the seams where the metal pieces joined together were clearly visible.

Once he was ready, he began using Electromagnetic Force to create opposite magnetic fields.

A powerful pulling force suddenly surged from the metal floor. Hyuga Satoru staggered and nearly fell, while the metal armor on his body pressed against his skeleton until it creaked, forcing him to grit his teeth.

"Looks like the magnetic field is too strong."

Hyuga Satoru immediately weakened the magnetism by several degrees, and the pressure on his body instantly eased.

After several adjustments, Hyuga Satoru finally found the most suitable intensity. It could effectively train his body without putting him under excessive pressure.

By his rough estimate, it was equivalent to increasing gravity fourfold.

However, since the pressure came from the contact surface between the metal armor and his body, this method was much cruder than directly increasing gravity, and it was difficult to temper his internal organs.

Likewise, since the pressure came from the attractive force between metals, there were many more ways to vary the training.

For example, changing the direction of the magnetic attraction, or suddenly switching it to repulsion, could simulate the physical tempering of certain extreme environments.

Because the powerful magnetism of the metal floor attracted light objects such as fallen leaves, after training for a while, a layer of leaves had accumulated on the metal sheet, seriously affecting its appearance.

Hyuga Satoru stopped, bent down, and placed his palm on the metal sheet. The magnetic poles reversed, covering the fallen leaves with tiny charges of the same polarity.

Accompanied by a dull rumble.

Starting from where his palm touched, the leaves on the metal sheet suddenly shot into the air, rapidly spreading across the entire metal floor. It was as though a rain of leaves had fallen all around him.

Under the effect of the repulsive force, the metal floor became as smooth as a mirror, with not even the smallest speck of debris remaining.

The magnetic poles returned to normal, and Hyuga Satoru resumed tempering his body.

Over the next period of time, relying on this self-created body-tempering method, Hyuga Satoru's physical strength steadily increased until it reached a certain limit.

"As expected, when used properly, Electromagnetic Force is an enormous help in improving physical ability."

After removing the cheap armor and recovering his stamina, Hyuga Satoru's eyes flickered as he said in a low voice, "It's about time. I can try opening the Eight Gates Released Formation."

Taking a deep breath, he followed the chakra circulation method taught by Might Dai and began gradually breaking through the limitations of his body, starting with the Gate of Opening located in the brain.

"First Gate, Gate of Opening... open!"

With a low shout, faint waves of air swirled around Hyuga Satoru's body.

"Hm? Was that an illusion?"

Hyuga Satoru frowned. At the instant the Gate of Opening opened, he vaguely sensed that the purple star vortex in his mind had trembled.

Normally, the star vortex only changed when his Electromagnetic Force level increased. Hyuga Satoru did not know whether it had merely been an illusion.

"It doesn't matter. This state is still far from my limit."

Taking another breath, Hyuga Satoru refocused on the flow of chakra in his body.

"Second Gate, Gate of Healing... open!"

"So this is the Gate of Healing? Physical fatigue has been greatly reduced. It feels as if I have an endless supply of strength, but this still isn't my limit."

"Third Gate, Gate of Life, open!"

Faint green waves of air lingered around his body, while bulging blue veins formed a cross on his forehead. Hyuga Satoru experimentally clenched his fist and could not help but sigh in admiration.

"Just the third gate has already greatly increased my physical strength. The Eight Gates Released Formation truly deserves its reputation for allowing an ordinary man to battle the Six Paths."

Then, he could not help but think strangely that opening the Eight Gates would make veins bulge on his face, while activating the Byakugan would also make veins rise around his eye sockets. If he used the Byakugan while the Eight Gates were open, just how magnificent would that look?

Wouldn't it scare little kids?

Shaking his head, Hyuga Satoru cast aside the stray thoughts. He could feel that his current state was still not his limit.

"Senior Dai said that the Eight Gates Released Formation only entered the dangerous zone after opening four gates. That was when it became the true Eight Gates Released Formation. I wonder what changes will happen after I open it."

After this period of special physical training, Hyuga Satoru realized that three gates were not yet his limit.

Taking a deep breath, he mobilized his remaining chakra and began opening the Gate of Pain located in his lungs.

"Fourth Gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation, Gate of Pain... open!"

At the instant the fourth gate opened, Hyuga Satoru's pupils suddenly contracted. His Life Magnetic Field blazed fiercely like dry kindling doused in oil.

At the same time, a mutation occurred in his body.

His hair stood on end, arcs of lightning dancing between the strands. His body floated uncontrollably into the air, while his clothes flapped loudly beneath the enormous waves of air.

"What is this? This definitely isn't the Eight Gates Released Formation!"

Hyuga Satoru was horrified.