Shigure was completely baffled by the back-and-forth conversation.
He instinctively replied, "Yeah… how did you know?"
Julian White smiled faintly, exuding a quiet, mysterious presence, and walked straight toward Might Duy.
"Hey, come help me out," Julian said.
He lifted Might Duy, letting him sit on the ground while Might Guy steadied his body.
Standing behind Might Duy, Julian placed his left hand over his head and his right hand over his left ear, using a traditional Chinese medical technique.
"Senior Duy, don't worry. This will pass soon," he said calmly.
Then, without warning, Julian's hands shot to Duy's neck.
A faint cracking sound came from within the bones. Might Duy let out a whimper, his eyes bulging in shock.
A crisp snap echoed, like a dry branch breaking. His head tilted unnaturally to the side, and yet he made no sound, no struggle.
Julian released him, and Might Duy's body slowly collapsed to the ground, motionless.
Might Kei's eyes widened in fury. The surrounding noise, the rustle of leaves, even the sound of his own roar, became distant and blurred, as though separated by thick glass.
The world fell silent, leaving only the hollow thump of his own heartbeat echoing in his ears.
Shigure's mouth hung open, words stuck in his throat, eyes fixed silently on the scene ahead.
Before anyone could react, several iridescent butterflies appeared out of nowhere. They gathered around Might Duy, gently landing on key acupuncture points on his body.
The once lifeless body suddenly bristled with vitality, and blood began to flow again.
Might Duy slowly opened his eyes, looking down at his hands, then tested his limbs. His expression turned to one of disbelief.
"Julian… your healing technique is incredible!" he exclaimed. "Even the internal injuries I suffered during training are completely healed!"
Without missing a beat, he moved fluidly, throwing punches with precision and stepping steadily.
"I feel at least thirty percent stronger than before! I can't believe it!"
He stopped mid-motion, staring blankly, noticing Shigure and Kei staring in astonishment beside him. He scratched his head in confusion.
"What's wrong with you guys? Why are you all like this?"
"No… this… just now…"
Might Guy stammered, too excited to form coherent words.
Shigure, however, seemed to suddenly realize something.
"This is my Kekkei Genkai 'Please Don't Die.' It can erase all suffering in the world and restore an injured person to perfect condition."
Julian puffed out his chest and rubbed his nose, appearing completely nonchalant.
It was as if he were saying, "This? I can do it effortlessly."
Shigure, however, didn't hold back. "There must be limits to this kind of thing, right? Otherwise, knowing your personality, you wouldn't have waited this long to show off."
Julian cleared his throat awkwardly. "Of course, such a powerful ability has minor drawbacks, but they are insignificant compared to its strength."
"'Please Don't Die' is indeed powerful, but it has one crucial condition: the person being healed must be near death, or the ability cannot activate."
"So… you're saying I was actually close to dying?"
Shigure recalled how his chakra had been completely depleted, only to be instantly restored the next moment.
"Don't tell me you did this? You bastard, how dare you attack me!"
Shigure gritted his teeth and lightly punched Julian White on the shoulder.
Julian winced, clutching his shoulder in pain.
"Alright, alright. My mistake. But with my power, if you get hurt protecting us, I can heal you immediately, even if it hurts a little."
"But that doesn't matter to you, right?"
"You mean… I was almost dead just now, and you saved me?" Might Duy asked, disbelief etched across his face.
"Exactly! As long as you're with me, Uncle Duy, you can use your secret technique Eight Gates to the fullest."
The next day, during the match… on the towering stadium stands, a few people whispered among the noisy shadows.
"Tsunade, how confident are you in Shigure this time?" a calm, aged voice asked, subtly probing.
The blonde woman frowned slightly, irritation in her tone. "Old man, you already know the odds. Why even ask me?"
A white-haired man beside her grinned and leaned closer to comment, "Isn't it obvious? The Hyuga brothers and the newly formed Team Boar-Deer-Butterfly are all strong. Compared to them, Shigure's team has two clear weaknesses; their lineup is at a disadvantage…"
Before he could finish, Tsunade's fist cut through the air with a whistling wind, striking Jiraiya's head with a solid thud.
"Shut up, Jiraiya! My brother isn't for you to criticize."
She snorted, eyes flashing with irritation at his accurate observation. Then she lifted her chin, a teasing smile playing across her lips.
"Hmph, if you don't believe in him, are you willing to bet against me?"
"I'll bet on the winner of this free-for-all. Since you all think Shigure will lose, I'll bet he wins!"
Tsunade's gaze swept across everyone, finally resting on Jiraiya, who was rubbing his head. "I'm a famously bad loser. Scared?"
"Tsunade, it's just a match. Why must you…"
A gentle voice from nearby, Kato Dan, tried to ease the tension.
"Let's bet! Who's afraid?" Jiraiya jumped up immediately, nudging his quiet companion with his elbow.
"Orochimaru, what do you think? Want to make some money?"
The pale man's lips curled slightly into a faint arc. Before he could answer, Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled.
"Heh, the old man joins in too. Here's the deal: if I lose, I'll teach each of these young ones a ninjutsu; if I win, they'll clean my house for a month, free of charge."
As soon as he finished speaking, the stands erupted with chatter and bets, everyone participating with varying enthusiasm. The stadium was alive with excitement.
Yet, when attention shifted to the vast arena below, the atmosphere instantly thickened with tension and a sense of impending conflict.
In the center, twelve young ninjas were divided into four zones, their auras colliding invisibly.
Team Ino-Shikamaru-Cho represented perfect teamwork and unity; the genius brothers from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans radiated overwhelming energy; another unexpected team included the young, golden-haired, blue-eyed Minato Namikaze, along with two seemingly ordinary teammates.
Judging by the lineups alone, the combination of Hyuga and Uchiha with Byakugan and Sharingan made them the clear favorites.
This advantage naturally translated into sharp words.
A young Hyuga man stood tall, his pale eyes full of arrogance, his voice clear and commanding.
"Resistance is futile before absolute power. Under my Byakugan, nothing you do can hide. You'd better surrender now and preserve some dignity."
His teammate, a stern-looking Uchiha boy, remained silent, but his cold eyes conveyed the same message it was a formality.
Yet, facing this almost overwhelming aura, the striking golden-haired young man, Minato Namikaze, did not flinch.
His bright blue eyes gleamed with determination, like gemstones. He stepped forward, voice steady.
"I greatly admire the skill of my seniors! That's why I am even more eager for a chance to prove myself!"
He clenched his fists slightly, body poised for battle. "I will not shrink back or surrender. Lead me!"