Besides, although Might Duy was a real goofball, Uya actually felt a little closer to him for it.
How should he put it?
He was goofy, but he was sincere!
Uya could tell that Might Duy was straightforward and kind.
Since coming to this world, Uya's own experiences had taught him that it was not entirely sunshine and hot-blooded passion like the manga. Behind the sunshine, deep darkness lurked.
As a child from another village, what he experienced in Konoha was not quite as miserable as Naruto's lot in the original story, but it was not much better.
Might Duy stood in stark, unmistakable contrast to Konoha's higher-ups, the Hokage's aide Danzo, and even the overbearing, arrogant Uchiha Clan.
However goofy he was, he was positive and sunny, without a trace of darkness!
Uya knew full well that this world had darkness, but he still wanted all the more to see light like Might Duy!
"That's wonderful!!"
Seeing Uya nod in agreement, Might Duy looked excited, nearly tearing up with emotion again.
But the next moment, he wiped away his tears and looked at Uya with a serious expression.
"Young man, powerful as this technique is... it's a forbidden technique. You know what that means, right?"
"I know."
Uya nodded.
With a rare air of utter seriousness, Might Duy stared at Uya and said, "Using forbidden techniques always carries risks!"
"I'm willing to bear them."
Uya answered calmly.
Might Duy looked at Uya solemnly.
Then...
"Boo-hoo! Wonderful!! If only we'd met sooner!!"
Might Duy dissolved into tears of emotion once again.
Uya's face darkened with exasperation.
Enough already!
"That's the training process for the Eight Gates Released Formation."
Might Duy sat there earnestly, holding up one finger as he explained.
"I think you've already met its prerequisites... but I still recommend strengthening your body a little more before trying to open the first gate."
"That's because its side effects are tied to your physique. The stronger your body, the weaker the side effects. Starting from the third gate, every gate after that has severe side effects."
Uya already understood most of what Might Duy said, but he still listened quietly.
When Might Duy reached the Eighth Gate, however, Uya's expression grew much more serious, his mind turning it over constantly.
At the same time, Uya kept asking questions.
Might Duy was very surprised by the crucial questions Uya raised. There were some he could not answer, but he answered each one he could.
After getting answers to many of his questions, an idea gradually took shape in Uya's mind.
A ninja from this world might simply learn a Ninjutsu step by step.
But Uya was different.
Uya's soul came from another world, one with far broader ways of thinking!
So Uya had bolder, more unconventional ideas!
The Eight Gates Released Formation... is also a forbidden technique created by ninja.
Since it was created rather than something that existed naturally, that means... it can be improved, or even changed!
Uya spoke inwardly, a bright gleam flickering in his eyes.
The Eight Gates Released Formation in the original story was certainly powerful, but after unleashing all eight gates, death awaited. That was not what Uya wanted to see.
He wanted to change that!
After obtaining the training method for the Eight Gates Released Formation from Might Duy, Uya did not train any further, but returned home.
For an entire night, Uya pondered the Eight Gates Released Formation.
The Eight Gates Released Formation unlocked the human body's restraints, breaking through its original limits.
Starting with the two gates in the head: the Gate of Opening, the Gate of Healing, the Gate of Life, the Gate of Pain, the Gate of Limit, the Gate of View, the Gate of Limit, and the Gate of Death.
There were eight gates in total, extending downward through the chest and abdomen before returning to the heart.
Unlocking the limits throughout the body, then finally surging into the heart and unlocking the final limit there-this was the complete Eight Gates Released Formation. Its fully activated state was also called the Eight Gates Released Formation.
The heart... is the final gate of power. After breaking all the preceding limits, forcibly breaking through the gate at the heart would naturally unleash all of one's life force... and afterward, death would await.
But could the heart serve as the source?
This was the question Uya raised amid his intense contemplation.
With the heart as the endpoint, the final surge of power would naturally activate the last of one's life force.
But if the heart were the starting point, strengthening the body step by step from there, could those side effects be avoided?
How to make the heart the starting point was one problem.
But Uya was gradually forming an idea. He did not rush to try it, instead planning to discuss it further with Might Duy. After all, this was a serious matter, absolutely nothing to joke about.
The next day.
It was barely dawn, and Uya had yet to wake when someone woke him with a racket.
Without a doubt, the only person who would come to Uya's home and make a racket was Kushina.
Having overtaxed his mind, Uya was still groggy. Kushina's clamor left him dizzy, and he felt as though she was going to annoy him to death.
Still, he more or less understood why Kushina had come.
It was because he had challenged Uchiha Kan.
A student who had not graduated from the Ninja Academy challenging a Chunin from the Uchiha Clan-and to a duel to the death, no less-was outrageous.
It had never happened before.
So word had spread far too quickly. In a single day, practically the entire village knew. Naturally, Kushina had heard too, and she had barely slept all night.
Before daybreak, she had gotten up and run over to find Uya.
Although Kushina's racket was nearly driving him mad, Uya was still quite touched.
"Argh, honestly! Are you even listening to me?! I'm telling you to hurry up and call off that duel or whatever, then I'll find a way for you to live with the Senju Clan. The Uchiha Clan won't dare try anything."
Kushina gripped Uya's shoulders hard, shaking his head back and forth.
Uya could not help giving a wry chuckle.
"All right, all right. Keep shaking me and you'll shake me to death before anyone can beat me to death."
"Hmph! Who knows what you're thinking? Challenging a Chunin-I wonder if you had a fever at the time."
"Kushina."
Uya looked at Kushina solemnly and said in a low voice, "This matter... I have my own plans. Just stay out of it."
"How can I stay out of it?!!"
Kushina's voice nearly stunned Uya.
The corner of Uya's mouth twitched, and he gave another wry chuckle.
"I'm confident I can beat him in three months. Yes, that's it."
Uya finished speaking earnestly, only to find Kushina looking at him as though he were an idiot.
"Beat a Chunin in three months... Hey, are you living in a dream?!" Kushina's voice was somewhat deafening again.
Of course, that was because she was truly frantic. How could she possibly stand by and watch Uya throw his life away?