Chapter 9

In the forests of Konoha.

Gin's body leaned slightly forward, his hands naturally hanging down, ready to draw the weapons on his legs at any moment.

His eyes were focused as he watched Might Duy scratching his head in hesitation.

Might Duy was still reluctant; he really didn't want to fight a kid.

"We don't really have to do this."

Even though this kid was driving him crazy, it wasn't enough to make him want to hit him.

Especially a child from the Uchiha clan; he didn't want the police force storming into his house later.

But Gin had no interest in listening to this nonsense. He stepped forward, and his figure instantly disappeared from where he was.

Soru.

He poured all his chakra into his feet, stomping the ground rapidly dozens of times to create explosive reaction force for high-speed movement.

In the next moment, Gin appeared behind Might Duy and kicked out.

Might Duy raised his arm just in time to block.

"Bang!"

The sound of a solid collision echoed as Might Duy's body was sent flying sideways. In mid-air, he adjusted his posture, landing on both feet and one hand, sliding back a distance to stabilize himself.

"Strong," Might Duy was surprised by the power of that kick.

"It's not over yet."

The voice came from above. Might Duy looked up to see Gin's leg coming down in a high arc.

He rolled to the side just in time to avoid it.

Bang!

Gin's foot struck the ground, creating a small crater and kicking up dust.

"Tsunade's monstrous strength technique!!" Might Duy recognized the signature move of Tsunade, one of the future Sannin, with whom he was familiar.

But Gin's attack hadn't ended. He firmly planted his hands on the ground, his legs spinning like a wheel, one foot connecting with Might Duy's face.

Gin kicked him hard, sending him flying.

As Might Duy's body crashed to the ground, Gin's figure slowly emerged from the dust cloud, frowning at the fallen Duy.

In just a brief exchange, Might Duy's taijutsu was at a Chunin level in his estimation. If ninjutsu were included, then Might Duy was indeed a Genin.

But that wasn't enough to satisfy him.

He wanted to see the Eight Gates, and although he considered threatening with words, he thought better of it seeing Duy's serious expression earlier.

"Uncle Duy, didn't you say your wife is pregnant? Don't you need money? I'll hire you for a C-rank mission, fifty thousand ryo, to defeat me with all your strength."

Gin pulled out his crow-shaped wallet and withdrew a fifty thousand ryo bill, flicking it. The soft bill stuck to a tree nearby.

Might Duy rubbed his face and sat up.

Looking at the money on the tree, fifty thousand ryo could indeed solve his financial issues for a while.

"But young man, didn't you say you didn't have money and gave me that jutsu?"

His head was full of questions.

"Ha... ha." Gin laughed awkwardly, scratching his head.

His parents had left him plenty of money, and no Uchiha would embezzle it. The proud Uchiha wouldn't touch the inheritance left for a child. Konoha couldn't compare in this regard.

Props to the Uchiha.

"That's not important. The only thing you need to think about is defeating me."

Gin didn't want to continue this conversation. He just wanted to test his true strength.

This was his first real fight with a ninja.

"Fight me with the intent to kill because I'll be fighting with the intent to kill."

For twelve years, he had been fighting wild beasts. The students at the ninja academy posed no threat or challenge.

With war approaching, he needed to know his exact strength.

Might Duy's expression turned serious.

"I understand. I see your determination, young man."

"Let me show you the power of my self-restraint."

Might Duy crossed his arms in front of him, feeling Gin's urgent emotions, though he didn't understand why.

"Eight Gates, First Gate, Open!"

Green chakra burst from his body, cracking the ground beneath him.

In an instant, he appeared in front of Gin, his body spinning mid-air, kicking out.

"That's it!!"

Gin leaned back to dodge the incoming kick.

Might Duy landed, attacking with both fists and feet.

But amidst Duy's rapid punches and kicks, Gin's body swayed like paper in the wind, evading every strike.

Kami-e

Using his sensitive skin to feel the air currents, he let chakra guide his body like paper, dodging all attacks.

"Not enough!!"

"Understood, young man. Second Gate, Rest Gate, Third Gate, Life Gate, Fourth Gate, Pain Gate, Open!!"

Might Duy's skin turned red, his speed increasing, and his punches carrying sharp winds.

A cut appeared on Gin's face from the wind pressure alone.

Kami-e couldn't hold up anymore.

Raising his arm, there was a clear sound as Might Duy's punch landed on it.

In the next moment, both of them disappeared from sight.

In the forest, two black shadows clashed and moved rapidly.

The air currents from their punches and kicks rustled the trees, causing birds to fly out.

"Boom!"

A tree bore the mark of a punch, a hole appearing in its trunk.

Might Duy and Gin's figures appeared and disappeared rapidly.

As their intense battle reached its peak, Gin was sent flying, crashing into a tree with enough force to break it.

Gin landed on the ground, panting heavily.

"This is my limit."

His taijutsu testing was over. He had been overwhelmed throughout the fight, unable to gain the upper hand.

Next was ninjutsu.

Might Duy's attack came with a horizontal kick.

"Bang!"

Smoke dispersed as a wooden log exploded from his kick.

Gin hung upside down nearby, quickly forming hand seals.

Serpent – Ram – Monkey – Boar – Horse – Tiger.

He inhaled deeply and blew out.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu"

A massive fireball shot towards Might Duy.

But Duy's figure flashed, evading the fireball.

In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Gin, punching down with great force.

"Bang!" Gin's figure turned into smoke.

Using Soru, Gin appeared behind Might Duy, clasping his hands together and hammering down.

Veins bulged on Duy's forehead, and green chakra flared even more intensely.

"Fifth Gate, Closing Gate, Open!"

Gin's attack missed, the figure before him disappearing. Before he could react, the scenery around him changed rapidly.

He was flying backward, crashing into a tree, feeling pain in his abdomen.

Too fast, he couldn't react.

"Young man, you've lost," Might Duy appeared before Gin.

Gin wiped the blood from his mouth, lying flat on the grass.

"Hahaha, I lost."

He had lost cleanly but now knew his limits. The fourth gate was equivalent to a Tokubetsu Jonin.

Comparing to the future, Rock Lee, after opening four gates, couldn't even beat Gaara, who could easily defeat Tokubetsu Jonin.

So at twelve, he had reached the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin.

"Hahahaha," he was genuinely happy.

Though not comparable to the elite in the ninja world, he was at a genius level.

Ninjas were inherently high-attack, low-defense beings. Excelling in one aspect meant a Genin could kill a Jonin.

Like Kakashi's future Raikiri. Even a Genin using it could kill a Jonin with one hit.

Too bad he wasn't strong enough to counter the fifth gate. That was Jonin level, the sixth gate was elite Jonin, the seventh gate was Kage-level for non-Might Guy users, and the eighth gate was beyond Kage, reaching Six Paths.

Might Duy retrieved the money from the tree, carefully placing it in his clothes. This amount would support his family for a while.

"Young Gin, how can you use ninjutsu now?"

Back to normal, Might Duy limped over and sat beside Gin.

The fifth gate was his limit, and his body couldn't avoid injuries.

"Advancing to the second stage of Basic Inner Power allows you to easily learn most ninjutsu, even without ninjutsu talent."

Too bad he only had time to learn Shadow Clone and Great Fireball last night.

Lying on the ground, too tired to move, Gin pulled out his wallet and placed fifty thousand ryo on the ground.

"This is for medical expenses and to keep this a secret. Remember to keep it confidential."

He knew it wasn't easy for a Genin like Might Duy to earn money.

In current ninja evaluations, ninjutsu and genjutsu were crucial. Might Duy, with only taijutsu talent, couldn't advance to Chunin.

Maybe that would change after he kicked the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist into oblivion in the future.

"I can't accept it. These minor injuries are nothing," Might Duy refused the money.

"Take the money, or I'll have to use the fact that you know I can use ninjutsu to make you take it."

Might Duy's face fell. Didn't he just say it would be forgotten if he won?

Seeing Gin remain silent, he could only sigh and accept the money. He had never felt so miserable taking money.

"Young Gin, why are you pushing yourself so hard?"

Might Duy didn't understand why Gin fought so intensely.

Gin watched the white clouds drift across the clear blue sky, feeling a peace he had never known.

"I just want to live freely."

Sadly, in this war-torn ninja world, such a simple wish was impossible.

"That's... a nice dream." Might Duy also lay on the ground. With ten thousand ryo, he wouldn't need to take on hard labor tasks for a while.

"Too bad," Gin sighed.

The war was coming, and keeping Might Duy's secret about his newfound strength was to avoid being pushed into dangerous missions.

If he were a ninja from another clan, even a civilian ninja, it would be a matter of chance. But as an Uchiha, dangerous missions were a certainty.

Suddenly, Might Duy spoke.

"Young Gin, would you like to learn my Eight Gates?"

"Huh?"

(End of Chapter)