The crowd's reaction was immediate and visceral.
"Something's wrong," Asuma muttered, his eyes tracking Hanekawa's movements. "Something's definitely wrong here with this picture."
He wasn't alone in his confusion. Around the arena, spectators exchanged bewildered glances as Hanekawa matched Might Guy's taijutsu combination for combination—something that shouldn't have been possible.
"How is his physical combat so strong?" Asuma pressed, unable to hide his shock.
Among their generation, Guy's taijutsu reigned supreme. His dedication to the Eight Gates was legendary, his training regimen inhuman. But Hanekawa? Nobody had ever seen him focus on hand-to-hand combat before.
"Hanekawa-senpai and Guy-senpai are using the same style," Shisui observed, his Sharingan tracking the rapid exchanges. "Did Uncle Duy teach him too?"
Kakashi's expression shifted. "Could he know the Eight Gates?"
The question hung in the air like a threat.
"No," Kurenai said firmly, shaking her head. "Hanekawa told me the Eight Gates take too much time to master. He chose not to learn them."
"That's... actually a relief," Asuma breathed.
Kurenai gave him a pointed look. "Is it? Look at him."
Asuma's relief evaporated instantly. Even without the Eight Gates, Hanekawa was holding his own against Guy at full intensity. The gap between them wasn't closing—it was just... different.
"I'm his teammate," Rin said quietly, more to herself than anyone else. "And I had no idea he could do this."
She watched Hanekawa slip under a spinning kick, countering with a palm strike that forced Guy back two steps. It was flawless. Efficient. Like watching someone solve a puzzle they'd already memorized.
How does one person have so many talents?
In the stands, Obito's hands clenched into fists. His jaw worked silently as he watched Rin's eyes track Hanekawa's every movement with obvious concern.
This isn't fair.
"THIS IS YOUTH! WOOHOO!"
The sudden roar cut through the tension like a blade. Might Duy stood in the spectator section, tears streaming down his weathered face, his fists raised in triumph. The civilians around him gave him a wide berth, clearly unsure what to make of the emotional genin.
"Who is that?" Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up.
"Might Duy," Hiruzen replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Guy's father."
"A genin?"
"Technically. Though his strength with the Eight Gates suggests otherwise." Hiruzen paused thoughtfully. "If he can open three gates, he's well beyond chunin-level."
The Legendary Sannin let out a low whistle. "Father and son both mastering the Eight Gates? That's... something."
On the arena floor, the exchanges continued—punch, block, kick, dodge—each movement faster than the last. Hanekawa was holding his ground, but barely. Guy's raw speed and power were overwhelming.
Then Guy pulled back, breathing heavily but grinning with that characteristic intensity.
"Hanekawa!" he called out. "I'm going all out now! Because my dad taught me that youth means leaving no regrets!"
Oh no, Hanekawa thought, feeling his stomach drop. Here we go.
"Please," he said aloud, bracing himself.
"Eight Gate Dunjia!"
The transformation was immediate and terrifying. Chakra exploded outward in a visible wave, sending dust and debris spiraling across the arena. Guy's hair stood on end, his veins bulging as green energy enveloped his entire body.
"Open the door! Open the rest door! Open the life door!"
The words came out strained, almost inhuman. Guy's face twisted with effort and determination.
Coming, Asuma thought grimly, remembering his own fight with Guy at this level. He'd been helpless. Completely outmatched.
Kurenai's hands tightened on the railing.
Shisui activated his Sharingan, struggling to track the movements even with enhanced perception.
Obito clenched his fists so hard his nails drew blood. Win, Guy. Please.
"Hanekawa! This move is reserved for you!"
Guy's voice carried across the arena as he charged. The sound that followed was unmistakable—a high-pitched chirping, like a thousand birds crying out at once.
Chidori-Ryu, Hanekawa realized, and didn't hesitate.
Lightning erupted around him in a defensive sphere, crackling and flickering with lethal intensity. The barrier formed just as Guy reached him, moving faster than sound itself.
The collision sent shockwaves across the arena. Hanekawa slid backward, his feet carving furrows in the stone. But he held.
Guy didn't stop. Dozens of strikes followed in rapid succession—punches, kicks, elbows, knees—a relentless assault that would have shredded an ordinary opponent. Hanekawa blocked four out of five, the fifth hitting him with a dull, aching impact that his Sealless Healing immediately soothed away.
The ground around them fractured and crumbled. Dust clouds rose like smoke from a battlefield.
In the stands, Hiruzen signaled the sealing squad to expand the barrier. Civilians were already backing away from the epicenter.
"Can taijutsu users really do this?" Sakumo asked, watching the destruction with something like awe.
"Guy is the most dedicated ninja I know," Minato replied quietly. "And the most talented at hand-to-hand combat."
"Hanekawa's scarier," Kushina said, beaming with obvious pride.
Sakumo nodded slowly. "The Eight Gates have a time limit. If Guy only opens three, he'll exhaust himself first."
"How many can he open?" Tsunade asked Minato.
"I don't know. Three is the most I've seen him use." Minato hesitated. "But my instinct says Hanekawa will win."
Sakumo smiled faintly. "Mine too."
At the arena's edge, Asuma watched in despair. He'd fought Guy at the third gate and been completely overwhelmed. Yet Hanekawa was trading blows, actually fighting back.
The gap between people really is bigger than the gap between people and dogs.
"Isn't that your Chidori-Ryu?" Kakashi suddenly realized. "How does Hanekawa know it?"
"He helped develop it," Kakashi answered his own question, then frowned. Why didn't he use it against me?
On the arena floor, Guy was breathing harder now, his movements still fast but showing signs of strain. He looked at Hanekawa with fierce determination.
"Open the wound door!" he roared.
The fourth gate. The true threshold of the Eight Gates Ninjutsu. Where the body began to break down even as power surged.
"Dumenkai!"
Chakra erupted skyward in a column of green energy.
"Guy, know your limits," Hanekawa called out, his voice cutting through the chaos. "This isn't a life-or-death battle."
Might Duy's voice echoed from the stands. "That's enough, son! You've reached your limit!"
Guy nodded, breathing heavily. "Understood."
He looked at Hanekawa one final time. "Rirenkawa!"
The five-gate version. Exponentially more powerful than the three-gate version. Guy moved like lightning itself, the ground shattering beneath his feet, gravel exploding outward.
Hanekawa's body shimmered. The Chidori-Ryu's lightning intensified, doubling his speed, strength, and defense simultaneously.
He stood perfectly still and watched Guy approach.
Then he threw a single punch.
The air itself seemed to vibrate. The ground collapsed in concentric circles around them, except for the small patch where Hanekawa stood.
Guy flew backward, crashing hard against the arena wall.
The silence that followed was absolute.
---
I'm working hard to keep these mass releases coming, but I can't climb the leaderboards alone.
We have the readers, but we need the votes! High rankings and reviews are vital for this book's survival and growth. If you genuinely enjoy the translation and the plot, please Vote for Power Stones and drop a Review today. Help this book take its rightful place at the top.
Your support makes every chapter worth it!