Chapter 30: White Fang’s Favor

"Lord Hatake!"

"It's the White Fang of Konoha!"

"What's he doing here?"

As soon as Hatake Sakumo appeared in the mission hall, most of the ninja nodded politely, their faces showing respect. However, a few from noble clans had a different look in their eyes.

The name of Konoha's White Fang resounded throughout the ninja world. He was now the head of the ANBU and a close confidant of the Third Hokage, holding a position of great power. Naturally, some wanted to curry favor with him, while others, envious or resentful, kept their distance. But none dared challenge his terrifying strength openly.

"Lord Hatake!"

Might Duy had first met Sakumo the previous year when their sons, Guy and Kakashi, had started at the academy. They had exchanged polite greetings, but nothing more.

"I saw you and thought I'd say hello," Sakumo said with a warm smile, nothing like the ruthless figure he was known to be on the battlefield.

"You're too kind, Lord Hatake," Duy replied.

"Shall we talk outside?" Sakumo suggested.

The two left the hall and walked to a quiet spot near a utility pole outside the Hokage's office.

"Is there something you need from me, Lord Hatake?" Duy asked.

"No, not really," Sakumo sighed suddenly. "I've been pushing for changes in the way ninjas are promoted, but I keep running into opposition."

Duy looked puzzled.

"I can sense your strength, Duy. You're an exceptional taijutsu ninja. I could tell the moment I saw you," Sakumo said seriously.

Duy was taken aback but then gave a bitter smile. "No, Lord Hatake, I'm just a lowly Genin. I've only learned one forbidden jutsu."

"A forbidden jutsu?" Sakumo's instincts told him that Duy was indeed strong—a feeling honed by years of battlefield experience. But he couldn't quite gauge how strong.

"I call it... the Eight Gates Technique," Duy said solemnly. "But I haven't fully mastered it yet."

"The Eight Gates Technique?" Sakumo mused, realizing he had never heard of such a jutsu before. Could it be that Duy had developed it himself?

"I'm looking forward to seeing it," Sakumo said, smiling again. "If there's anything you need help with, don't hesitate to ask."

"Really? You mean that?" Duy asked his excitement barely contained.

"Of course! After all, our sons are good friends," Sakumo laughed heartily.

"That's wonderful! Lord Hatake, I've been wondering... could you teach me the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Duy asked eagerly.

"No problem," Sakumo replied. "Wait here a moment."

In the blink of an eye, Sakumo disappeared.

Duy's pupils contracted. So fast!

Even after more than twenty years of training in taijutsu, Duy knew he couldn't match that speed unless he opened the Eight Gates.

About half a minute later, Sakumo reappeared, holding a small scroll, which he handed to Duy. "This is the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"Thank you so much!" Duy said gratefully.

"This jutsu was created by the Second Hokage and has spread across the ninja world through the wars. It's nothing to keep secret," Sakumo said nonchalantly. "Well, I have to meet with the Third Hokage, so I'll take my leave."

...

That evening, as the ninja academy let out, Fūka and Guy sprinted toward the small forest.

After a day of "studying" (or rather, resting), the two were full of energy again. Especially Fūka, who had been using medical ninjutsu to relax his muscles with chakra. Thanks to his quick recovery abilities, his stamina was fully restored.

In the forest, Might Duy had already started training.

Before him stood the largest tree in the area, too thick for even a full-grown man to wrap his arms around.

Duy closed his eyes, and the flow of his chakra began to intensify. Soon, the sound of rushing water seemed to echo within him as his blood surged, his skin taking on an eerie crimson hue. A blue, flame-like aura of chakra enveloped him, and a powerful pressure radiated outward, causing the grass to bow and the animals to flee.

Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Closing... Open!

Suddenly, Duy's eyes snapped open, and the pressure around him intensified, rippling through the air.

Just as Duy was about to strike, he heard the approaching footsteps of Fūka and Guy.

Whoosh!

Duy slowly unclenched his fists, the chakra flow returned to normal, and the strange changes in his appearance quickly faded.

Not far away, Fūka suddenly stopped a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Fūka, what's up?" Guy asked, noticing his friend's hesitation.

"Didn't you feel that?" Fūka asked in return.

"Feel what?"

"Uh, never mind. Let's go," Fūka said, running ahead, though his heart was racing with excitement. That wasn't my imagination. That powerful aura that appeared and vanished so quickly—it was like a primordial beast! It had to be Duy using the Eight Gates Technique!

"You two are late again!"

As soon as Duy saw Fūka and Guy, he exploded in anger. "Start running, now!"

The brutal warm-up began once more.

After running twenty laps around the forest, Fūka was gasping for breath, his chest feeling like it was about to burst.

"Fūka, three hundred side kicks!" Duy commanded, turning into a merciless drill sergeant.

With heavy steps, Fūka made his way to a wooden post and began kicking it with his left leg. Once, twice, ten times...

Hiss!

Fūka suddenly sucked in a sharp breath—his left leg was cramping!

Even with chakra constantly soothing his muscles, the sheer volume of exercise was wearing him down.

Beside him, Guy was already on the ground, clutching his leg and groaning.

Duy watched coldly, his heart aching for them, but he didn't let it show.

After the cramp eased, Fūka resumed kicking. After fifty more kicks, his left ankle started to bleed, but he kept going, unaware, until the post was stained with blood.

"Keep going! Don't give up here!"

Fūka gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, his left leg throbbing with pain, but he continued to kick the post, over and over.

Sixty-one!

Seventy-two!

One hundred!

Finally, at one hundred and twenty-five kicks, Fūka could no longer lift his left leg.

"Use your right leg!" Duy's voice came from behind him.

Fūka bit down, shifted all his weight onto his left leg, and began kicking with his right.

Guy's training was identical to Fūka's—after exhausting one leg, he switched to the other. Soon, both boys were bleeding from their legs, trembling like jellyfish, and eventually collapsed, utterly spent.

"If you can't finish the side kicks, do a hundred squats!" Duy barked without a hint of mercy.

"Yes, sir!" Fūka and Guy shouted back, despite having long since reached their limits. Neither complained, neither asked for a break.

The two boys gritted their teeth, stood up, clasped their hands behind their heads, and began squatting.

But after just one squat, Guy crumpled to the ground, clutching his legs in pain.

Fūka wasn't faring much better—his wounds had reopened, bleeding once more.

Fūka tried to use his healing jutsu to stop the bleeding, but when he reached out his hands, he realized he had no chakra left.

The intense training had drained him completely as he used chakra to keep his body going.

"Alright, that's enough for today."

Seeing that the two boys had reached their absolute limit, Duy finally called off the training. In the next instant, he sprang over to Guy, tears streaming down his face as he hugged his son tightly. "Guy, you're my greatest pride!"

"Father, you're my greatest pride too."

Once again, father and son embraced, crying their hearts out, their tears splashing onto Fūka's face.

Fūka lay there, unable to move, too exhausted to even wipe away the tears. He could only lie there, wishing he could bury himself in the ground out of sheer embarrassment.