Chapter 85: The Dragon God of Konoha, Teacher Chen
Walking onward, he pointed to both the left and the right.
"Eight Inner Gates and Seven Heavens Breathing Method each have their merits and drawbacks," Kyōichi began, pausing briefly to give everyone ample time to think. "The Eight Inner Gates are more challenging. Even the first or second gate isn't something that anyone can learn easily. It requires you to continually challenge your own limits."
The Jonin all looked towards Might Duy.
Not long ago, Might Duy had been promoted to Special Jonin. In this short time, everyone had witnessed the eccentricities of this "new Jonin"—a Daily routine filled with extreme training, accompanied by embarrassingly passionate slogans. He was the epitome of performance art.
So when Kyōichi mentioned the need to "challenge one's limits," and the name "Might Duy" was signed below the Eight Inner Gates, they immediately associated it with Duy's bizarre behaviors, shivering at the thought.
Is that what it takes to master the Eight Inner Gates?
"Cough, please don't misunderstand," Might Duy quickly explained, reading their expressions. "There are many ways to challenge one's limits. What I do are just my personal preferences, not the standard."
"Might Duy, are there other methods?" Shikaku immediately asked.
"What I did was continuously increase the quantity of training. After persisting for some time, I naturally opened the first gate, so..." Duy trailed off, somewhat embarrassed.
That was the truth.
That was also how Might Guy had learned from him.
The other Jonin fell silent.
He just practiced and opened it...?
It was a simple, brute-force method.
But it was clearly impossible to learn in a short time using such a foolish method. Everyone's eyes shifted from Might Duy to Kyōichi. They had heard of Kyōichi's abilities. Not to mention, Kyōichi's recent educational innovations were famous throughout Konoha. Every parent was aware of these measures and their significance.
At this moment, in Kyōichi's eyes, they were no different from the children he used to teach in the academy.
"Of course, there are other ways, but these methods are unconventional. For example... climbing with one hand without using chakra," Kyōichi said.
That's what Kakashi did.
Using only physical strength to climb with one hand, challenging his own limits, he indeed succeeded in opening the first gate.
As for the second, the Rest Gate, with the first one opened, it became easier to achieve.
"One-handed climbing?" Shikaku could imagine the difficulty as soon as he heard it.
No wonder that opened the first gate.
Everyone fell silent again.
That was only the first gate.
There are eight gates in the human body. How insane must one be to open all eight?
They'd heard...
Might Duy had the ability to open all eight gates.
They looked at Might Duy , their eyes now filled with respect and admiration.
There were many strong people, but...
Few in the entire ninja world had reached this level through sheer effort and struggle alone. Might Duy deserved their respect.
"So, shall we discuss the Seven Heavens Breathing Method now?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"Kyōichi-sensei, please talk about the Seven Heavens Breathing Method. I think it's easier and more suited to our use of Ninjutsu."
"Indeed."
Kyōichi's words had barely fallen when a group of Jonin immediately jumped in, some even feeling…
The Eight Inner Gates technique was so difficult; what about the Seven Heavens Breathing Method?
"Will it be simpler, or..."
"Even more challenging?"
They had heard that Kyōichi occasionally indulged in a bit of sadistic pleasure in teaching. Perhaps this was one of those times.
However,
They soon set aside their doubts.
For after Kyōichi explained it to them, they realized that though the Seven Heavens Breathing Method was challenging, it was much easier to grasp at an introductory level compared to the Eight Inner Gates.
What was difficult, was achieving a balanced mastery to enhance the entire body uniformly, not just enhancing cellular activity in one part while leaving others unimproved.
This required extraordinary chakra control, something Kyōichi had long wanted to make more accessible.
However, after much research and nearly completing the fourth activation, which he ultimately failed at, but with the experience he gained, he developed an easier version for the jutsu. What the elite shinobi were now seeing was the final version.
"Enhancing cellular activity with oxygen indeed has a lower threshold than the Eight Inner Gates," Tsunade beganb, "But the cost is correspondingly greater. Opening the first two gates only slightly harms the body, not affecting it much overall, while the Seven Heavens Breathing Method reduces one's lifespan."
"Surviving is the key."
Someone says, "A little bit of lifespan is nothing if we reduce the number of times we use it, besides..."
He bowed deeply, his voice filled with respect, "Kyōichi, I have a request. If my disciple can master the Eight Inner Gates, could you teach him the complete technique?"
Kyōichi at first did not recognize him. The man's appearance was so different from the animated version that they seemed unrelated, but the honorific used made him realize.
"Chen, please, don't do this," he insisted, helping him up. "I'm not hiding the Eight Inner Gates; it's just that this technique damages the user greatly, and its threshold is so high that I've only released the first two gates."
Might Duy quickly assisted, explaining.
Chen?
The Taijutsu master from the anime.
Kyōichi suddenly remembers.
"My disciple only knows Taijutsu. He can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, and people think he can't be a ninja, but he's become one anyway."
"He made me believe that even if you only know Taijutsu, you can still be a competent ninja. I want to give him a broader path!"
Chen began to tell the story of his disciple.
In terms of Taijutsu skills, Master Chen is even better than the current Might Duy or Might Guy, but once the Eight Inner Gates are opened, they are not in the same level.
In reality,
During the Third Great Ninja War, Chen's disciple died in battle because he couldn't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, and Master Chen himself lost his will, faking his death to retire.
Kyōichi fell silent.
This was a Taijutsu master deserving of respect.
He looked at Might Duy and the Third Hokage but said nothing, for Chen was not seeking the forbidden jutsu for himself but for his disciple.
The circumstances were different.
"I can exchange it for my own Taijutsu techniques!" Chen suddenly thougth of his own Taijutsu skills.
He could only trade this.
"Can you demonstrate it?"
The Third spoke.
He was not lured by Taijutsu techniques but by the precedent of giving away forbidden techniques for free. Otherwise, everyone would come to his door seeking them because of their unspeakable secrets, turning so-called forbidden techniques into mere fables.
"Elder Chen, let me be your opponent. Along the way, I will demonstrate the Seven Heavens Breathing Method and the application of the first two gates."
Kyōichi stepped forward.
In terms of pure physical prowess, Might Duy was naturally stronger.
However.
When it came to coordination, highlighting opponents, Might Duy definitely couldn't perform as well as he could.
"Alright, I'll hold back..."
"No need, Elder Chen. Just give it your all; don't worry about injuring him."
Tsunade smiled.
Others smiled knowingly as well.
Indeed.
Kyōichi himself was a medical expert, and with Tsunade, the renowned medical ninja throughout the ninja world, as long as he wasn't dead, there were no issues.
Chen bowed gratefully and then formed the sign of confrontation.
The next moment.
He launched the attack directly.
"Normal state."
Kyōichi didn't draw his blade, but engaged with physical combat.
As Chen was about to strike him, he narrowly dodged at the very limit. At this moment, however, he had no chance to retaliate.
It wasn't a performance; he truly had no opportunity—
Chen was too fast!
"So fast."
An elite ninja exclaimed.
Chen's speed was such that they couldn't evade it without using body-flicker or substitution techniques, yet Kyōichi dodged it with his physical speed and reaction alone.
Just for that, no one dared to underestimate Kamida Kyōichi anymore.
This kid's elite ninja status was no exaggeration.
Weekly Power Status
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