Chapter 154: Six-Gate Mighty
"Since you requested it, Mugetsu-sensei, I can't refuse," Duy said with a grin, leading Mugetsu and Guy to his training ground.
"Mugetsu-sensei, how would you like to see it?" Duy asked once they arrived. "Should I demonstrate the effects after opening a Gate?"
"If possible," Mugetsu replied, "I'd like to spar with you while you're in the state of the Sixth Gate."
For an ordinary person, the Third Gate was already the limit of safety. But for someone like Duy—who had trained the Eight Gates for over twenty years—opening up to the Sixth Gate briefly wasn't dangerous.
"Alright, then I'll open up to the Sixth Gate," Dai nodded firmly.
"Gate of Pain, open… Gate of View, open!"
With each word, Duy aura flared stronger and brighter. When he reached the Sixth Gate, the Gate of View, green energy erupted around him like wildfire. The sheer pressure made Guy freeze in place, unable to move under the overwhelming force.
Through his Byakugan, Mugetsu watched Dai's chakra surging and expanding with each Gate opened.
"Mugetsu-sensei, won't you use the Eight Gates as well?" Dai asked curiously. He had assumed Mugetsu wanted to test him gate-for-gate.
"I have other Taijutsu methods," Mugetsu said calmly. "Duy, come at me with your full strength."
He estimated that Duy in his Sixth Gate state should be roughly at the level of an elite Jōnin.
"Then, please be careful!" Duy warned—and in the next instant, vanished. His fist came crashing down toward Mugetsu.
Mugetsu had long since maintained Rock Breathing Constant State twenty-four hours a day, granting him a massive boost in speed and power. Combined with the Byakugan's insight, he shifted his body slightly and dodged effortlessly.
"Haha! It seems this will be a battle full of youth!" Duy laughed, his eyes blazing with excitement.
He had held back at first, worried about injuring Mugetsu. But now, realizing Mugetsu's capability, he decided to stop restraining himself.
"Next, I'll move even faster!" Duy announced before disappearing again, his leg sweeping toward Mugetsu.
"Rock Breathing—Total Concentration!"
Mugetsu drew a deep breath, stacking it atop his Constant State, further amplifying his body. Then, he threw a counterpunch with all his strength.
Bang!!
The sound of their collision thundered through the clearing. The shockwave from their clash toppled several surrounding trees and sent Guy stumbling backward, unable to stay steady.
"They're both so fast—and so strong!" Guy's eyes widened in awe.
He was currently studying both the Eight Gates and the Breathing Techniques, but witnessing his father's Sixth Gate and Mugetsu's combined Breathing power firsthand was a revelation.
After the first impact, Duy retreated one meter while Mugetsu slid back three.
"My body still isn't fully adapted to the Breathing Technique," Mugetsu thought to himself.
"Gate of Opening, open!"
Mugetsu opened the first of the Eight Gates. Immediately, his physical power surged again, and the fight resumed.
Now, with both of them at full power—Dai's Sixth Gate against Mugetsu's enhanced Breathing and single Gate—their battle turned into a blur of motion and impact.
Even with the full might of the Sixth Gate, Dai could only match Mugetsu blow for blow.
"Gate of Healing, open!"
Mugetsu activated the second Gate. His chakra roared to life, his body radiating even greater power.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Mugetsu kicked out, his leg cutting through the air in a violent arc. Dai met it head-on with all his strength.
Boom!!
The resulting explosion shattered the ground beneath them, cracks spreading outward as debris and dust filled the air.
When the dust settled, Mugetsu had only stepped back half a pace. Duy had been forced back three full meters.
In pure Taijutsu… without even activating my Mark, just two Gates combined with the Breathing Technique and Byakugan are enough to surpass an elite Jōnin, Mugetsu calculated.
He hadn't even used his mastery-level ninjutsu or his ability to switch Breathing styles mid-combat. If he had switched to Lightning Breathing, Duy wouldn't even have been able to touch him. And he hadn't yet relied on the Transparent World either.
Mugetsu realized he currently stood in an in-between state—he lacked the endurance for long Kage-level battles, but he could easily annihilate most Jōnin.
"Duy, let's stop here," Mugetsu suggested, lowering his stance.
After all, the Sixth Gate placed tremendous strain on the body. There was no need to overextend in a friendly spar.
"Understood," Duy said, quickly closing the Gates one by one. The emerald aura faded away, and the air calmed.
"So strong!" Duy laughed heartily. "You only opened two Gates, yet your power exceeded my Sixth! Truly amazing!"
He gave Mugetsu a big thumbs-up. He was genuinely delighted. Mugetsu's strength wasn't just impressive—it meant that Guy had found a truly exceptional teacher.
Mugetsu smiled faintly. "Dai, I'd heard some people in the village speak ill of you before."
"Haha! You mean things like 'Eternal Genin,' right?" Duy laughed boldly. "Mugetsu-sensei, you don't need to worry about that. I don't care what others say."
"Even before meeting you, I thought those rumors were nonsense," Mugetsu said. "A man who can raise such a hardworking son could never be as they describe."
He continued sincerely, "Now that I've seen your strength firsthand, I'm even more certain of it. With your power, Duy, becoming a Jōnin under normal circumstances would be more than enough."
"It's not their fault," Dai said humbly. "Before I succeeded with the Eight Gates, I truly was a weak Genin."
He smiled faintly, his voice calm as he continued, "The Eight Gates took me more than twenty years to master. For a long time, I was so weak that I dragged down every team I joined. By the time I finally succeeded, I already had the title of 'Eternal Genin.' No one wanted to work with me, no one believed in me… the only missions I could take were catching cats, picking up trash, or hauling supplies. Sometimes I even had to beg clients to give me those jobs."
Mugetsu's gaze softened. "It's Konoha's loss that someone like you remains a Genin."
"Haha! Catching cats still helps keep the village peaceful," Duy said cheerfully. His optimism was unshakable.
To him, his own position no longer mattered. As long as Guy could achieve his dream, everything was worth it.
"Dad! Mugetsu-sensei! You're both amazing!" Guy exclaimed, his eyes still wide with excitement. The scene of their battle replayed vividly in his mind.
After chatting with the father and son for a while, Mugetsu finally took his leave.
He had two goals for today: to lay the groundwork for his trust-level improvement plan, and to test his own strength.
Both had been accomplished perfectly.
With just the Breathing Technique and two Gates, Mugetsu had surpassed Dai's Sixth Gate in raw power. Now, among the shinobi of Konoha, only a handful could truly pose a threat to him.
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