The words Eight Gates froze Qianyu in his tracks. His heart hammered against his ribs.
His emotions had been on a rollercoaster for the last few minutes. Up, down, twisting violently.
"I… think I've heard an elder mention it," Qianyu said, forcing his voice steady. He tilted his head, playing dumb. "Some kind of taijutsu that stimulates the body's potential for a short, powerful burst, right?" He looked at Might Dai, feigning confusion. "Why bring it up now, Dai-san?"
He waited, outwardly calm. Inside, his heart was doing backflips.
"Young man," Dai said, straightforward as ever. No circles, no subtlety. "I promised to train you in taijutsu properly. I keep my promises. That is my youth! So, I will teach you the First Gate of the Eight Gates."
Yes!
Qianyu's excitement was a living thing in his chest. He hadn't gotten the technique from his system reward. Instead, the chance had fallen right into his lap from Might Dai himself! This feeling—of losing something only to have it return from an unexpected corner—was pure euphoria.
Dai was only offering the First Gate. But once Qianyu understood the foundational principles and training methods, he could use his system to brute-force the remaining seven!
Still… why? Qianyu wondered. I didn't ask for it. Why would he offer it so freely?
A sly operator like Qianyu genuinely struggled to understand a man like Might Dai.
Dai's philosophy was simple: if someone gave you one, you paid them back ten. That was his youth. Qianyu had healed his hidden injuries. Qianyu had given him a stable way to earn money, solving his most urgent crisis. A mere forty thousand ryo could never cover that debt.
The only thing of value Might Dai had to offer was the Eight Gates. The technique wasn't a clan secret. Teaching the non-core First Gate as repayment felt perfectly right to him.
Besides, the Eight Gates were notoriously difficult to master. Even the First Gate… Qianyu might never manage to open it.
"Inside every person," Dai began, his usual awkwardness gone, replaced by a serious, lecturing tone. Qianyu had settled back on the worn couch. "There are eight gates that restrict the body's chakra flow. The Eight Gates technique is about forcing those gates open, removing those restrictions, and unleashing power far beyond your normal limits!"
He paused, his expression grave. "But this power comes at a cost. It damages the user's body. So, before you can even think of opening a gate, you must undergo extreme, superhuman training. You must forge your body into a vessel strong enough to bear the strain."
Qianyu nodded along. I know this part. Rock Lee had opened a five-minute cheat code during the Chunin Exams and got his account suspended for what felt like five hundred episodes.
Dai, now fully in his element, continued explaining the intricacies. Finally, he guided Qianyu to locate the gates within his own body.
"Yes, there. In the left brain region, where the chakra pathways converge most densely. That point is the First Gate: the Gate of Opening. Try pushing a thread of chakra against it. Just to feel its presence."
"In the coming days, I will put you through a rigorous training regimen," Dai said, then hesitated. He didn't want to crush the boy's spirit. "With time… perhaps one day, you might push it open. Even the First Gate is very difficult, young man. It took me… years to…"
WHOOM.
A violent surge of chakra erupted from Qianyu's body, cutting Dai off mid-sentence. The man's jaw went slack, hanging open in pure, unadulterated shock. He stood there, frozen.
"Uh." Qianyu blinked, equally surprised. He was still sitting on the couch. "I think I… accidentally pushed it open?"
Honestly, he hadn't meant to show Dai up like this. He'd just done what Dai said. A gentle nudge. And the gate had swung wide.
"Dai-san? Dai-san?"
Qianyu's calls finally snapped him back to reality. Dai lunged forward, grabbing Qianyu's hands, his voice trembling with fervor. "Once! You opened it on the first try! Young man! You… would you… please become my disciple! I'll teach you all Eight Gates! All of them!"
"Become your… disciple?" Qianyu felt a wave of exasperation. Seriously? Is everyone in this village trying to recruit me as a student?
"No, no, I mean—" Dai's face flushed crimson. He'd remembered his own status—the Eternal Genin. He had no right to ask this of a prodigy. "I mean you're a taijutsu genius! A once-in-a-generation talent! If you dedicate yourself to the physical arts, you will shine brighter than anyone in the shinobi world!"
"A genius? Maybe." Qianyu shrugged, noncommittal. It made sense. Senju bloodline + Physique Enhancement + Perfect Chakra Control. The First Gate was child's play. He'd have to try not to learn it.
After the whirlwind session, the sky was darkening. Qianyu set their next meeting time and got up to leave.
At the door, despite Dai's frantic protests, Qianyu forced the 500,000 ryo banknote into his hand.
"What a fine young man…" Dai clutched the note, watching Qianyu's retreating back, tears streaming down his face. Qianyu had said he wasn't short on money, but Dai knew better. How could a boy so young have saved up 500,000 ryo? It must have been his life's savings! And just hearing about Dai's troubles, he'd insisted on an "advance," handing over every hard-earned coin!
"Young man, this great kindness… my Might family will never… never teeth… never tooth… we will never forget this, even with no teeth!"
The next day, another 500,000 ryo note casually stuffed in his pocket, Qianyu headed out again.
Disappointingly, the day yielded little of interest—except for a young woman with… notable assets, who claimed her cat could do the splits. She invited Qianyu to her home for a look, offering a "special discount" of only 10,000 ryo for someone as handsome as him.
Qianyu refused without a second thought.
What kind of cat costs that much to look at?
His path led him to the Nohara residence. He stared at the nameplate above the door. In his mind, Group Leader Nohara's boisterous laugh echoed once more.
'Hahaha! If my daughter weren't just a toddler, I'd recruit you as my son-in-law right now!'
'Quit dawdling, kid! Save the talk for when we get back to the village!'
"Group Leader… you broke your promise." Qianyu rubbed his stiffening cheeks, the words a soft murmur.
He'd always called him 'Group Leader,' but ever since joining the Medical Corps, he'd been under Nohara Hiroshi's wing. The man had always looked out for him. In Qianyu's heart, Nohara Hiroshi was… half a teacher.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Pushing the thoughts down, he stepped forward and rapped on the Nohara family door.
"Coming! Please wait a moment!" A young, clear voice called from inside. Soon, the door opened a crack, and a small girl of three or four peeked out.
She had short, chestnut-brown hair and large, expressive dark brown eyes. Chubby, childish cheeks were marked by two distinctive purple lines.
Seeing Qianyu, the little girl tilted her head, curious. "Hello. I'm Rin Nohara. And you are…?"
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