"We meet again, Guy Sensei."
Bowl cut, unbearably tacky green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers... As soon as Guy appeared, he hooked an arm around Sean's neck and sniffed hard. "That's right, it's the smell of sweat!"
'You're really one of a kind, Emperor Kai.' Sean's eye twitched. "You know it's sweat, and you're still getting this close?"
Guy flashed a mouthful of white teeth and patted Sean's shoulder. "A true man must burn with youth and pour with sweat!"
"Sissy-like behavior... everyone will look down on him!"
Thud, thud. Sean felt his shoulder suddenly sink. 'His grip is really strong.'
'No wonder Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee get put through the wringer like that.'
"Haha, you've gotten taller, your arms are thicker, and your muscles are firmer." After a few more pats, the smile on Guy's face grew even wider.
He gave Sean a thumbs-up. "Youth, you've improved since I last saw you."
'A master knows with one look.' Sean's "First Limit Break" clearly hadn't escaped Guy's eyes.
"Unfortunately... "This bit of progress isn't enough." Sean smiled and shook his head.
Guy raised an eyebrow. 'The youth looks a bit dejected.' He turned his head, following his gaze, and looked curiously at Silva, who was holding the bell. Two meters tall, with knotted muscles, white hair falling to his waist, and a strong, chiseled face... a worthy opponent!
"Impressive. His vital energy is abundant, yet hidden. Youth, you have a good opponent!" Guy's eyes showed admiration.
Sean froze for a second, looking at him in surprise. 'He didn't think Guy could actually see Silva?'
Just then, the 'Sage' appeared to answer his question.
[Reporting to Host: After the First Limit Break, Host's spiritual power has increased. The consciousness-body shares Host's vision and can perceive surrounding images.]
'Nice.' Sean mentally copied Guy, giving the 'Sage' a thumbs-up in his mind. Then he said to Guy, "He's my dad. I urgently need you, Guy-sensei, to help me beat him up."
Hm? Guy gave Sean a strange look, then put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly. "Daring to challenge authority! As expected, this is the taste of youth!"
'Subarashii? Well...' "My dad wants to beat me up, I can't just stand here and take it, right?" Sean shrugged. "As payback, Guy-sensei, if you have any questions, you can ask them now."
"After all, "I believe you've already discovered... I know Konoha like the back of my hand.""
Guy's smile vanished. He glanced over, looking deeply at Sean. "Youth, you are one of only two people who I find truly mysterious."
"I'm 'two,' so the remaining 'one'... it couldn't be... Tobi, could it?" Sean looked at Guy with a half-smile.
Guy was stunned. "How did you know?"
'Only Jonin like them were privy to the details of the Nine-Tails night. It seems the youth's claim of knowing Konoha like the back of his hand was not an empty boast.'
"I just know." Sean gave a mysterious smile. "If Guy Sensei wants to know Tobi's identity, I can tell you right now."
"He is—"
"Don't." Guy clamped a hand over Sean's mouth. "Youth, I believe you!"
"I don't want to know about Tobi... Who he is isn't important to me at all. What matters is my students. Are they doing well in the future?"
"Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee?"
"To be precise, Tenten and Neji." Guy let go of Sean.
Sean was curious. Guy hadn't asked about Rock Lee, with whom he shared the deepest bond. He asked, puzzled, "Why leave out Rock Lee?"
"Because..." Guy smiled confidently and gave himself a thumbs-up. "I believe that child, Rock Lee, will follow his own ninja way."
"He will prove to the world that even without ninjutsu or genjutsu, one can still become an excellent ninja!"
'No one knows a son better than his father. Guy is less of a teacher to Rock Lee and more of a father.'
Sean nodded in deep agreement. "A youth of hard work will not be betrayed."
"Tenten is doing very well. In the future, she opens a ninja tool shop in Konoha, and business is good."
"Haha, is that so? That sounds just like her." Guy grinned, flashing his white teeth. "What about Neji?"
"Only one question at a time, Guy Sensei." Sean winked at Guy, really not having the heart to hurt this hot-blooded teacher who embodied youth.
"Haha, I forgot. My bad." Guy rubbed the back of his head with a dry laugh. "Well then, I'll ask next time."
'After all... "I can't let the youth's... youth... burn for nothing."'
"Boom!" An azure wave of energy exploded!
As he spoke, Guy shouted deeply, "Watch closely, youth!"
"Eight Gates Released Formation! Second Gate—'Gate of Healing,' open!"
A wave of understanding washed over him... Sean quickly closed his eyes to savor it.
In the training room.
Silva noticed Sean had closed his eyes. The hand toying with the bell paused. He chuckled, "Are you finally giving up, Sean?"
"To be honest, you can be proud of having made it this far."
"Train with me for another three years, and I promise, Dad will make you an excellent assassin!"
"Don't waste words on him, Father." Illumi's hands were already stained red with his own blood, but he paid it no mind. He glanced coldly at Sean. "This is a test. Since that bastard hasn't said to stop, it must continue."
"Heh. That damn kid. Why does he look so punchable?" In Sean's room, Maha glared at Illumi, then said to Zeno without turning his head, "When it gets dark, put a sack over that kid's head and beat him fiercely for me!"
"That little bastard. Just like his grandfather, neither is any good!"
Zeno: "..."
'Am I... collateral damage in this?'
Zeno's mouth twitched violently. He shot Maha a resentful glare. "Grandfather, Illumi isn't wrong, is he?"
"Weren't you just looking forward to seeing that kid Sean suffer a setback?"
"Was I?" Maha gave Zeno a dangerous look and slapped him again. "I recall telling you to shut your ass!"
"Who gave you permission to speak?!"
'Fuck! You're the one who wanted to see Sean fail, and you're also the one who doesn't want to see Sean fail! You old geezer, what the hell do you want?'
Zeno resentfully shut his mouth. With no one to talk back, Maha retracted his hand and snorted, "Open your dog eyes and look properly!"
"The fight isn't over yet!"
Zeno was alarmed, his gaze quickly shifting back to the training room!
A faint, almost imperceptible aura was quietly spreading from Sean's body...
Having clearly seen how to open the Second Gate, the "Gate of Healing," Sean finally grasped the trick. He slowly opened his eyes.
He looked at Guy and said meaningfully, "Guy Sensei, I'm afraid I'll be busy for a while."
Beneath his thick eyebrows, Guy's tiger-like eyes glittered. Noticing the youth could no longer suppress the boiling 'aura' inside him, he grinned, smiling happily.
"Go all out, youth!"
"Next time, I hope to hear news of your victory!"
With that, Guy waved to Sean, and his figure was swept up by the sea of clouds, disappearing into the sea of consciousness.
"Take care." Sean watched him go, took a deep breath, and dismissed the sea of clouds.
His consciousness returned.
Without hesitation, he opened the "Gate of Healing"!
"My dear Dad... since you've seen Pot Shadow Ninja..."
"You should know that the 'Eight Gates Released Formation'... doesn't just have one gate!"