As the Konoha's Elder Council and the Uchiha, these two reanimated units, fired the first shots of the war, battle broke out everywhere, and everyone also encountered their respective 'acquaintances'.
The Third Unit, led by Kakashi, was now in chaos.
Both Kakashi, the captain, and his members like Guy and Kurenai were stunned.
Because the people they encountered were exactly their own elders and acquaintances—
Might Duy.
Yuuhi Shinku.
Sarutobi Asuma.
Three greyish-white figures mixed within the White Zetsu Army.
Seeing his father he hadn't seen in over a decade, Guy wept tears of joy.
"Dad!"
However—
"Guy."
Duy flashed his big white teeth, wanting to give his signature thumbs-up like his son, but unable to control his body, he could only barely show a smile.
"You've grown so big."
Instantly,
Might Duy's body began to change.
Green Chakra surged from within him, burning like flames on his body surface. His skin began to flush, turning from greyish-white to red, from red to deep crimson. Veins bulged, muscles swelled. The air around his body twisted and distorted, emitting a low hum.
Eight Gates Released: Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View… Open!
"Guy… get away with your Konoha comrades!"
Guy's face changed dramatically.
He was all too familiar with this state.
He himself was a user of the Eight Gates, so naturally he knew what this state represented.
More importantly, he had witnessed it firsthand as a child. His own father, relying solely on opening the Gate of Death, had single-handedly turned the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist into the Three Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
"Everyone… get far away!!!"
Guy spun around and roared at the Allied Ninjas nearby.
"Spread out!"
As the captain, Kakashi used a Body Flicker Technique and retreated over fifty meters.
Kurenai pulled several young Ninjas beside her and retreated backward, not daring to stop for a single step.
But the Third Unit had thousands of people... retreat took time.
Duy didn't give them time.
After the Gate of View—
Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder… Open!
Duy's body disappeared from the spot.
It was so fast that the naked eye couldn't capture it!
On the ground.
Boom—!
With a loud crash, a huge gap was blasted open in the crowd.
Dozens of Third Unit's Ninjas were swept away by Duy's punch wind before they could even scream, flying through the air in more than a dozen parabolas, crashing heavily to the ground.
Some lost consciousness immediately, some rolled on the ground clutching broken ribs, some lay motionless, their condition unknown.
"..."
Kakashi didn't even have time to say a word before dozens of his members were killed on the spot.
The reanimated bodies were controlled by the caster's will. Although Duy's body retained his living combat instincts, his soul was bound within that greyish-white shell, unable to control his actions.
"Sorry, everyone."
Duy gritted his teeth and shouted, already completely unable to control his body.
"Hurry up and stop me!"
Eighth Gate: Gate of Death… Open!!!
Red steam burst forth from Duy's body like a volcanic eruption, shooting skyward. His skin turned completely blood red, muscles swelled to their limit, veins writhed like snakes beneath the skin. The air around his body burned, the ground cracked beneath his feet.
Guy's face turned another three shades paler.
He knew what that state meant. Once the Gate of Death is opened, the user gains power dozens of times exceeding that of a Kage-level… but the price is death.
Over ninety percent of those present couldn't even perceive the speed of Duy with the Eighth Gate open, let alone keep up.
Duy's figure flickered across the battlefield, each appearance accompanied by a loud crash and a patch of fallen figures.
Dust filled the air, screams rang out continuously.
The Third Unit fell into a panic.
Some who recognized Duy were stunned speechless.
"Is he really that former Eternal Genin of Konoha?"
"I made fun of him back in the day..."
"How is this possible... How can he be this strong..."
Back then, Duy was nearly forty but still a Genin, and he was often bullied by the nasty villagers of Konoha. Many people remembered him as the 'eternal Genin bottom-feeder', a laughingstock to be joked about in their spare time.
But they never imagined that this 'Eternal Genin' could be this powerful.
Just then.
"Dark Water."
Ai made her move.
She raised her right hand, her palm aiming at Duy's direction. A dark vortex spun, condensed, and swelled in her palm. An invisible gravitational force erupted from her palm, as if an invisible hand was tugging at Duy's body.
Duy's speed visibly slowed down.
But he still wasn't pulled over.
Duy's feet were planted firmly on the ground, stepping two half-meter-deep pits into the earth as rubble and dirt exploded to both sides.
The red steam covering his body tilted in Ai's direction due to the gravitational pull, but his body remained as steady as a boulder.
Ai couldn't help but marvel at the exaggerated physique of Duy with the Gate of Death open. It was the first time she had encountered an opponent besides Makoto that her Dark-Dark Fruit couldn't perfectly restrain.
But fortunately, Ai wasn't alone.
"Miku!"
Ai called out.
"Mm!"
"Bake-Danuki: Transformation Leaf!"
Miku responded. Two emerald green leaves appeared in her palm. Using paper as a brush, she quickly wrote two names on the leaves. Then, she flung out the Transformation Leaves.
The two leaves turned into two streams of light and fell to the ground as mid-air—
Boom—!!!
Two figures dropped from the sky, crashing onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Edward Newgate!
Kaido!
Two monsters from the One Piece World simultaneously appeared on the battlefield.
"Gurararara… Long time no see, Kaido."
Whitebeard planted his naginata on the ground, making it crack. The cracks spread outward, and the entire battlefield shook.
"Hmph."
Kaido grunted without a word, already raising the kanabo in his hand.
"Thunder Bagua—!"
The kanabo swung with wind-tearing ferocity, smashing head-on into Duy.
Whitebeard didn't hesitate either, his right arm muscles swelling, fist clenched. The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit condensed around his fist into a blinding white light.
Crack—!
A single punch was thrown.
Two forces simultaneously slammed into Duy.
Boom—!!!
The world roared with the impact.
The blast's shockwave spread in all directions, tearing up, ripping apart, and shattering the surrounding ground. Rubble splashed like raindrops in all directions, dust blocking out the sky and sun.
Everyone watched with wide eyes and gaping mouths.
'This is too terrifying!'
However—
The dust cleared.
Duy was still standing.
Although most of his body was already shattered, the red steam was still burning. Those hollow eyes were still staring ahead, and the wounds on his body were visibly regenerating.
Ai and Miku were both startled.
'This is way too exaggerated?!'
"Gate of View… Open!"
"Gate of Limit… Open!"
Suddenly, the master-student pair of Guy and Lee simultaneously opened the Eight Gates.
Guy's skin turned deep red, veins bulged, muscles swelled. Lee stood at his side. Though it was only the Fifth Gate, that green steam was still terrifying enough.
Moreover, they had also learned the Armament Haki taught by Makoto.
Black Armament Haki coated Guy's fists, coated Lee's legs, coated every vital point on their bodies.
"Konoha Great Whirlwind—!"
The two, one left and one right, simultaneously charged at Duy.
Guy's fists, Lee's kicks, attacked from two directions.
Duy raised his left hand to block, but Guy's fists, empowered by Armament Haki, were several times stronger than usual.
The master and student worked in perfect coordination, one attacking while the other blocked, one feinting while the other landed real blows.
Though they only had the Fifth and Sixth Gates open, they managed to suppress Duy in the Gate of Death state.
On the other side, the scene was a bit different.
Asuma emerged from the White Zetsu Army and approached Kurenai.
"Kurenai."
Asuma's hollow eyes were full of deep affection.
"I've always... loved you."
Kakashi stood in the distance, overhearing this, and couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
'Isn't this confession a bit inappropriate right now? Besides, you're already dead.'
Kurenai was silent for a moment, looking at Asuma's greyish-white face with expectant eyes, and sighed.
"Asuma, I already have someone I like."
"I was already with them before you died... you understand, right?"
Asuma's expression froze.
His mind took over, starting to imagine a man rampaging freely over his goddess.
"No—!!!"
Asuma howled at the sky, his voice full of despair, as if abandoned by the entire world.
In the distance, Kakashi covered his face, unable to bear watching.
"Snowflakes flutter~ Northern winds moan…"
Just then, a BGM started playing from behind Asuma.
The Kessoku Band's four members had somehow emerged from the back of the unit, and the lead singer, Ikuyo began to sing.
Even though it was wartime, seeing Asuma like this, the four members of Kessoku Band didn't know why, but they just felt like belting out a song.