Chapter 23: The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist (Part 2)
"I have the Eight Gates Formation—the Gate of Death."
"But that technique…"
Might Duy seemed to have made up his mind. Perhaps he had already decided the moment he came here. Tilting his head slightly, he raised a thumb toward the three behind him, a relieved smile on his side profile as he continued:
"Right now…is the moment when you must protect what is most important to you—even at the cost of your life."
"F-Father…"
Looking at his father's back, Might Guy felt as though something had struck his heart like a hammer. For the first time, he realized just how fortunate he was to have a father like this.
Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. Gritting his teeth, he stared deeply at his father's figure, as if trying to etch it into his soul forever. Then, suppressing the grief surging within him, he turned to his teammates and said:
"Ebisu, Genma… let's go…"
Hearing Guy's words, Genma Shiranui and Ebisu clenched their fists tightly. Their gazes, filled with respect, lingered on Might Duy's back before they nodded and vanished in a Body Flicker toward Konoha.
Back in the village, they had often seen Guy training with his father. At the time, they hadn't thought much of it. They had even found it amusing when villagers and some ninja mocked Might Duy as the "Eternal Genin."
But now—
They wished they could punch those mocking faces.
"Hahahahaha! A Konoha Genin, huh?!"
Zabuza Momochi laughed wildly, licking his lips as he suddenly raised the massive Kubikiribōchō and stepped forward. In the blink of an eye, he charged toward them, his voice filled with cruelty:
"Don't worry—you won't escape."
Watching the three figures disappear into the distance, Might Duy slowly turned his head, facing the incoming Zabuza.
For a moment—
It felt as though time itself had frozen.
He exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing… then suddenly snapping open.
In that instant, a terrifying aura—one the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had never encountered before—erupted from his seemingly small body like a ferocious beast awakening from slumber.
"The Eight Gates Formation…
The Eighth Gate—Gate of Death… OPEN!!"
BOOM—
Under the pressure of that overwhelming aura, the grass and trees beneath Duy's feet were flattened as if crushed by a violent storm. The force radiated outward, spreading in all directions until it enveloped the entire forest, startling countless birds and beasts into flight.
"Wh-What kind of monster is this?!"
Zabuza came to an abrupt halt, his eyes wide with shock, a deep sense of fear rising in his heart.
The man before him was no longer the simple, slightly foolish-looking person from before. Now, he was like a blade slowly being drawn from its sheath—revealing a flash of cold, lethal brilliance that was impossible to face directly.
It wasn't just him.
The expressions of the other six changed drastically as well, all traces of contempt vanishing instantly.
Over the past few days, they had slaughtered countless enemies—yet none had forced them to take things seriously. Not even elite jōnin or prodigies from great clans.
But now—
They all drew their weapons.
Because they knew—
If they didn't fight seriously, they would die.
In the forest, Might Duy calmly raised his head. The green vapor surrounding him began to shift, slowly turning red.
The Eight Gates was a taijutsu technique he had spent twenty years developing. Unlike dazzling ninjutsu or mysterious genjutsu, it was the ultimate refinement of physical combat—granting immense power in a short time.
But that power came at a cost—
Severe damage to the body.
The Eight Gates Formation referred to the state of opening all eight gates at once. The power it granted was dozens of times greater than that of a Hokage—enough to step on air itself and traverse the sky.
However, the Eighth Gate—the Gate of Death—was the final gate.
Once opened, it burned away the user's life force, ending in death.
And the red vapor surrounding Might Duy now— Was his blood.
Guy… This is the last thing your father can teach you…
True victory is not about defeating so-called strong enemies…
It is about protecting what matters most—even unto death.
That… is the meaning of youth.
That… is your father's youth.
Looking at his fists, now glowing like a blazing sunset beneath the blood-red vapor, Might Duy opened his mouth and let out a thunderous roar—
Then vanished.
With a light step of his foot, his figure became a fleeting afterimage.
"Wh-What kind of speed is this?!"
Zabuza's vision blurred. He had just raised the Kubikiribōchō to block—
In the next instant—
A tremendous force struck his body, sending him flying violently through the air.
Mid-flight, the Kubikiribōchō shattered under the impact. The broken blade spun through the air, its tip embedding itself deep into the ground.
"Y-You've got to be kidding… Is he really just a Genin?! This is more like a Jinchūriki!"
Jinin Akebino's hand trembled as he gripped the Blunt Sword—Kabutowari, staring in shock at the afterimage where Zabuza had stood—and at Zabuza himself, now lying in the distance, his condition unknown.
"He shattered the Kubikiribōchō with a single strike… that kind of strength…"
"Don't panic! If he's using a forbidden technique like this, he won't last long! Stall him!"
As a figure of ANBU captain-level experience, Fuguki Suikazan quickly recovered from the initial shock. Stepping forward with his massive frame, he raised Samehada and shouted loudly.
Hearing his words, Might Duy, suspended in midair, curled his lips into a faint smile.
"So they've realized the drawback of my technique… But that's fine. It's enough time for Guy and the others to escape."
His gaze swept coldly across the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Seeing them all gripping their weapons defensively, a trace of killing intent flashed through his eyes.
"Next… is the moment to burn my youth."
"Let's see just how long you can hold out."