Eight Gates Released Formation!

The training ground.

Lin Ze silently recalled the original story's settings.

Konoha's ANBU did indeed have members who possessed clan bloodline abilities such as the Byakugan and Sharingan, but there were very few of them. Besides, the Byakugan usually wasn't activated casually within the village. After all, nobody liked being seen through inside and out.

His gaze swept over the dense woods at the edge of the training ground.

The ANBU should still be watching nearby, right? That Great Fireball just now must have caught certain people's attention.

That works too.

Lin Ze curled his lips and turned toward the Orphanage.

Let this "reasonable" disguise become the first layer of camouflage hiding my claws.

That afternoon, beside the little river where they trained every day.

"Lin Ze! Push harder! Youth allows no slacking!"

"Yes, Senior Duy!" Lin Ze performed squats, sweat pouring down his face. The specially made bandages on his body were already soaked through.

Might Guy was doing the same training beside him, occasionally sneaking a glance at Lin Ze.

Since witnessing Lin Ze's battle with Uchiha Onibi, Might Guy had become even more enthusiastic about training.

"All right, take a ten-minute break!"

Huff! Huff!

Lin Ze dropped onto the ground, panting heavily.

"Lin Ze." Might Duy suddenly crouched in front of him, his expression unusually serious. "I have something to tell you."

Lin Ze's heart skipped a beat. Could it be...

"I've decided to teach you the Eight Gates Released Formation."

Just as I thought!!

Yet Lin Ze wasn't as happy as he had imagined he would be.

His purpose in approaching Might Guy and his father had been the Eight Gates Released Formation. To say he didn't want it now would have been pure nonsense.

But remembering how Might Duy had activated the Eight Gates Released Formation that morning to ensure Uchiha Onibi couldn't hurt him, Lin Ze couldn't help feeling a trace of guilt toward the father and son.

Forcing those thoughts down, Lin Ze feigned composure and asked, "The Eight Gates Released Formation? What's that?"

Might Duy stood with his hands on his hips. "The Eight Gates Released Formation is our Might Clan's ultimate Taijutsu secret! By unlocking eight special nodes that restrict chakra inside the human body, it releases power far beyond normal limits!"

Might Guy eagerly leaned closer. "Father! I want to learn too!"

Might Duy shook his head. "Guy, you're not ready yet. At the very least, you'll have to wait until you can do a thousand push-ups in a row without getting out of breath."

Might Guy immediately wilted. "Yes... Father..."

Lin Ze put on a puzzled expression at the right moment. "Senior Duy, why did you suddenly decide to teach me?"

Might Duy patted Lin Ze's shoulder. "Because you've already met the requirements to train in it. Your physical fitness has improved rapidly over these two weeks of training. More importantly..."

He paused, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "You have willpower far beyond that of ordinary people! That's the most crucial requirement for learning the Eight Gates Released Formation!"

Lin Ze inwardly nodded.

In the original story, the requirements for learning the Eight Gates Released Formation were extremely demanding. It required not only a powerful physique but also unyielding willpower. Otherwise, the pain of training alone would be enough to break someone.

"Then shall we start now?" Lin Ze asked impatiently.

Might Duy laughed heartily. "Don't rush! Listen to me explain the principles first."

He drew a simple diagram of the human body on the ground. "There are eight chakra nodes inside the human body, located at..."

Over the next half hour, Might Duy explained the principles and training methods of the Eight Gates Released Formation in detail.

As Lin Ze listened, he compared the explanation against his memories of the original story:

The first gate, the Gate of Opening: removed the brain's restrictions on the body's muscles, unleashing basic physical capabilities while causing relatively little damage to the body. Located at the crown of the head.

The second gate, the Gate of Healing: further removed the body's restrictions and improved endurance. The muscles would suffer minor strains and require some recovery time. Located at the temples.

The third gate, the Gate of Life: further enhanced bodily functions, increasing the strain on the body. Located in the neck.

The Eighth Gate, the Gate of Death: located in the heart. Opening it granted power beyond Kage Level, but death was certain.

"The training method is very simple." Might Duy raised one finger. "First, use the Youth Breathing Method to guide chakra into striking the node. Once you succeed, practice opening and closing it repeatedly until you can control it freely."

Might Guy's eyes shone as he listened. "That sounds amazing!"

Lin Ze, however, frowned. "Senior Duy, isn't striking the nodes dangerous?"

Might Duy's expression grew grave. "Of course it's dangerous! The slightest mistake can rupture your chakra pathways. That's why someone must supervise you during the early stages."

"Don't worry. With me watching beside you, I won't let anything happen to you!"

Lin Ze nodded. He remembered that Rock Lee had nearly been crippled while training in the original story. Fortunately, Might Guy had been there to treat him in time.

"All right, that's it for the theory. Time to put it into practice!"

"Lin Ze, try striking the first gate, the Gate of Opening!"

Lin Ze sat cross-legged and adjusted his breathing according to Might Duy's instructions. As he practiced the Youth Breathing Method, he felt the chakra inside him begin gathering at the crown of his head.

"Concentrate! Imagine your chakra striking the node like a drill!" Might Duy instructed from beside him.

Lin Ze closed his eyes and focused, controlling his chakra as it struck the Gate of Opening at the crown of his head.

Urgh!!

A burst of intense pain suddenly hit him, and Lin Ze couldn't suppress a muffled groan. It felt as though someone were hammering the top of his skull.

"Hold on! The first attempt is the hardest!" Might Duy's voice rang out.

Lin Ze gritted his teeth and endured. He knew this was a necessary part of the process.

One minute...

Three minutes...

Ten minutes...

Boom!!!

Lin Ze felt as though the roar of a great door swinging open had sounded inside his mind.

"You did it!" Might Duy cried in delighted surprise.

Lin Ze opened his eyes and felt that the world had changed.

The sounds around him were clearer, his thoughts sharper, and even controlling his body felt easier.

Lin Ze tried moving his fingers and murmured, "So this is the effect of the Gate of Opening?"

Might Duy nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent! You succeeded on your very first attempt. You truly are a 'genius of hard work'!"

Beside him, Might Guy's eyes shone with envy. "Lin Ze! How does it feel?"

"Strange and wonderful." Lin Ze smiled. "Like... a lock inside my head has been opened."

Might Duy clapped his hands. "All right, that's enough for today. For the next week, you only need to practice opening and closing the Gate of Opening. Once you've fully adapted, you can attempt the second gate."

Lin Ze nodded. He understood the danger of biting off more than he could chew. The Eight Gates Released Formation had to be learned step by step.

On his way back to the Orphanage, Lin Ze analyzed as he walked:

"The Gate of Opening mainly improves basic physical capabilities. My limbs feel lighter, and my reaction speed has improved too."

"Once I open the Gate of Healing, my endurance will increase dramatically, and my training will become more efficient."

"But..."

Lin Ze recalled the side effects of the Eight Gates Released Formation in the original story. Even opening only the first three gates damaged the muscles. Keeping them open for extended periods could even cause muscle breakdown.

"Fortunately, I have the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon's recovery ability. The physical side effects of opening the gate just now have already healed in this short time."

Sure enough, his guess had been correct.

The Eight Gates Released Formation plus the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon-this combination was simply perfect!