17 Getting Familiar with the Configuration, The Root?

"Although the Eight Inner Gates can cause damage to the user's body, the gates before the Eighth Gate will not lead to immediate death. As the limits are released, chakra and physical condition will show different levels of change."

"So ordinary taijutsu will no longer be applicable."

The First Gate of the Seven Day Breaths is at least an A-rank forbidden jutsu, probably only elite chunin and above have the qualification to learn it.

There's no need to rush on this.

Kyōichi feels that developing taijutsu to complement the Eight Inner Gates is the most urgent need.

Might Duy is very strong!

However, his utilization of the Eight Inner Gates is too low-level.

If he could learn the taijutsu Guy developed, Might Duy could probably take down all of the Seven Swordsmen, or even just using up to the Seventh Gate he could repel his opponent.

So, researching complementary taijutsu is the most pressing task.

"Hmm...that makes sense, but teacher, I have no ideas at all, I don't know how to create it at the moment."

Might Duy scratched his head.

He could talk expertly about the Seven Heavenly Breaths, because he had researched the Eight Inner Gates for twenty years, accumulating a lot of experience and knowledge in the process.

However, taijutsu moves were not in his scope of research. Might Duy himself was not a belligerent person, he knew of his own lack of talent, and was not interested in such things.

"I have a rough idea..."

Kyōichi understood very well.

Might Duy didn't have much fighting experience.

He had always been a genin, apart from during wartime, he rarely had experience killing and fighting. His experiences were completely different from his son's future.

After all, being able to create the Eight Inner Gates was already extremely impressive.

"Alright!"

Might Duy scratched his head.

He racked his brains but his mind was still blank without any ideas.

Kyōichi looked to Might Duy.

Might Duy didn't understand combat, but Guy did. Although he was only a genin, he had gone through more battles than Might Duy.

Like the Leaf Whirlwind and other such moves.

had mastered them much faster than his father.

", have you mastered the Eight Inner Gates?"

"I've only trained up to the Third Gate."

Might Guy was very ashamed.

However, Kyōichi was already very surprised, to open three gates at only nine years old, his talent was anything but weak.

But thinking of his future achievements, this was not surprising at all.

Kyōichi explained the concept of the Lotus style.

"Do you understand?"

"I got it!"

Might Guy's battle talent was indeed better than Duy's.

While Duy was still pondering it, he already understood the essence - the Lotus was about speed and continuous attacks. This kind of attack would place great strain on the body, but was more suited to the state after opening the gates.

"Could there be a way to utilize the qualitative changes from the Viewing Gate and Shock Gate, to complement them with taijutsu created specifically for those states?"

Kyōichi added.

Might Duy fell into contemplation.

He was naturally very familiar with the Viewing Gate state. In the past when demonstrating the Eight Inner Gates to Might Guy, he had directly opened the Viewing Gate state.

Utilizing the characteristics of the gates...Seemed feasible.

The exchange stopped here.

Might Duy's comprehension itself wasn't that high. Saying too much might just confuse him more, rather than giving him ideas. It was better to introduce a concept and let them grasp the principle before pondering it themselves.

There wouldn't be too much war this year.

So Might Duy had plenty of time to think about it.

As for Kyōichi, he had more important matters - the jōnin exams!

These past days, his taijutsu had greatly improved. His kenjutsu did not lag behind, also having very high increases.

It was just that the kenjutsu notes granny got were mostly scattered notes and theoretical concepts, without forming a systematic set of moves. His kenjutsu was just barely passable.

On the fifth day morning, Kyōichi came to the Forest of Death as agreed.

The Forest of Death was very big.

There were many traps and beasts here, divided into several training grounds.

After Kyōichi arrived, he discovered the participants in the jōnin exams were not just him. Apart from him there were around seven to eight other ninja, among them three were from the Aburame and Hyūga clans.

This configuration was very familiar!

And those people seemed to be secretly observing him.

The Root?

As for the other three, one or two were possibly ordinary ninja like him, but one was definitely not -

The one with a ponytail and scar at the corner of his mouth, Hayama Shirakumo.

He was definitely not an ordinary ninja.

ANBU?

Kyōichi guessed in his heart.

(End of chapter)