Chapter 3: Wind Breathing
"Naruto! I know a great rice ball shop. Since we trained so well together, want to grab some food?"
Might Guy's enthusiastic invitation caught Naruto slightly off guard.
Most jonin would avoid him due to his status as the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. But Might Guy not only didn't distance himself — he actively invited him to eat together.
Then again, considering Guy's straightforward personality — strong enough that even Danzo kept him at arm's length — it made sense.
"Sure," Naruto replied without overthinking it.
"Oh! Youth! Youth!"
Might Guy leaped lightly and appeared beside him. The tall man and small boy walked side by side toward the center of Konoha.
Along the way, the villagers still gave Naruto cold stares and whispered behind his back.
Might Guy noticed everything.
It reminded him of his own childhood — mocked for having no talent in ninjutsu and for his father's strange training methods. Naruto's situation was even worse than his had been.
Guy's usual bright smile gradually faded. He furrowed his thick eyebrows and glanced worriedly at the boy beside him, wanting to offer some words of comfort.
But when he saw Naruto's calm, unruffled expression, he was inwardly surprised.
[To have this kind of mindset at such a young age… truly impressive.]
Might Guy couldn't help recalling how many times he had felt discouraged and doubted himself at Naruto's age. Back then, he at least had his father's support and encouragement. But Naruto…
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Might Guy's view of the boy shifted once again.
The next second, Guy suddenly stomped the ground and struck a dramatic pose, reminiscent of a Super Saiyan transformation.
In front of all the whispering villagers, he threw his head back and roared:
"Naruto! Run! If you run fast enough, the ugly voices won't be able to catch up! Keep up with me — don't fall behind!"
The sudden outburst nearly made Naruto think Guy was about to open the Eight Gates. He was startled.
The loud shout also completely drowned out the villagers' nasty comments.
After shouting, Might Guy shot forward like a cannonball.
Once Naruto recovered, he looked at the green figure ahead and felt a rare warmth in his chest.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he chased after him.
Two Anbu with fox masks, tasked with monitoring Naruto, flickered across the rooftops, following closely behind.
One of the white-haired Anbu stared at Naruto's bright blond hair below. His eyes beneath the mask flickered with hidden emotion.
...
On a relatively quiet street, Might Guy came to a stylish stop in front of a humble little shop.
A handwritten wooden sign hung above the door: [Grandma Li's Rice Balls].
Naruto stared at the sign for a moment.
Given Might Guy's personality, he had expected loud, energetic ordering. Instead, Guy entered the shop and communicated with an elderly, kind-looking grandmother using gestures.
The old lady kept a gentle smile and nodded frequently, never speaking.
After watching for a while, Naruto realized she was deaf and mute.
Soon, two plates piled high with rice balls were placed steadily on the table.
Guy pushed one plate toward Naruto, gave a thumbs-up, and smiled, urging him to eat.
Naruto picked one up, took a big bite, chewed twice… and stopped.
Might Guy laughed heartily. "Too salty, right? But after sweating so much from training, you need to replenish salt quickly! This shop's flavor is perfect for ninjas like us!"
Naruto saw through it immediately.
It wasn't about suiting his taste — Guy was just trying to help the old grandmother's business. With Guy's appetite alone, the old lady could easily make a living.
Naruto didn't expose the kind intention. He simply drank some water and continued eating.
After his Uzumaki bloodline reached perfection, his appetite had grown significantly as well.
The mountain of rice balls quickly disappeared.
Seeing such a small child eat so much, Might Guy showed a bright, hearty smile.
"Guy-senpai, can I train with you for the next month?" Naruto asked directly.
With someone like Might Guy, being straightforward was always best.
As expected, Guy agreed without the slightest hesitation, even looking a little excited.
...
For the next month, two figures could be seen training hard from morning till night in Training Ground 3, drawing many curious glances.
The longer they trained together, the more shocked Might Guy became by Naruto's talent.
No matter how grueling the high-intensity training, Naruto could endure it. His comprehension of taijutsu was frightening — he learned techniques almost instantly and mastered them with practice.
With his monstrous physique and high comprehension, Naruto's taijutsu improved at a visible rate every single day.
Witnessing this exaggerated progress firsthand, Might Guy felt a complex mix of emotions.
Back when he trained taijutsu, every step had been earned through blood, sweat, and years of relentless effort.
But Naruto was improving dozens of times faster than he ever had — as if he had cheat codes turned on.
...
In the training ground, Naruto and Might Guy sparred.
Leaf Rising Wind! Leaf Rock Smash! Leaf Whirlwind! Leaf Great Whirlwind! Leaf Strong Whirlwind!
Naruto flowed through the Konoha-style taijutsu techniques like water, his movements swift and powerful. He exchanged blow after blow with Might Guy, fist meeting fist in solid, heavy impacts.
Although Might Guy was only using a fraction of his strength, the exchange between the large man and small boy looked surprisingly even and intense.
Feeling Naruto's taijutsu level personally, Might Guy's heart surged with excitement. A thought crossed his mind:
[Even a genius works this hard… Someone like me who relies purely on effort will probably be surpassed soon…]
Even with his rock-solid mindset, he felt a brief moment of wavering — but it vanished instantly.
The next second, he mentally pumped himself up: From now on, he would train even harder — super harder!
After displaying all the taijutsu he had learned from Might Guy, Naruto landed steadily and stopped.
The system's voice rang in his mind at the perfect moment:
"Thirty days of joint training with Might Guy completed. Self-discipline check-in successful. Reward: [Wind Breathing Method]."
In the next instant, the breathing techniques and all nine corresponding sword forms from Wind Breathing flooded into his memory.
After digesting the information, Naruto was pleasantly surprised.
This reward was actually the Wind Breathing from Demon Slayer.
He recalled the gorgeous sword techniques in his mind and thought:
[I wonder how much stronger these forms would be when used with chakra!]
The month-long self-discipline mission ended perfectly. His taijutsu had skyrocketed, and he had gained Wind Breathing.
The only regret was that he hadn't learned the Eight Gates from Might Guy.
When he had asked about it earlier, Guy had looked troubled for the first time.
Naruto guessed that the Third Hokage had probably warned Guy not to teach him such a "dangerous" technique.
But it didn't matter. He just needed to find a chance to get his hands on the Scroll of Seals.
...
Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched Naruto's impressive taijutsu display through his crystal ball.
With his pipe in his mouth, a sharp glint flashed in his aged, cloudy eyes.