"Is it really possible?!"
After a deep conversation, Might Duy looked at Minato with teary eyes, his emotions surging with excitement.
Duy knew that the young man before him was not only an outstanding jōnin but also the disciple of Uchiha Fuma.
As a taijutsu ninja, Duy had always held deep admiration for Fuma—not because of his strength, but because of his unwavering dedication to training.
Duy was from the same generation as Sakumo, an old senior to Fuma and the Three Sannin.
Back in the Ninja Academy, he had personally witnessed Fuma's hellish training regimen and had taken it as his own benchmark.
However, due to his body's limitations, he had quietly given up on keeping pace, though he had never stopped paying attention.
"Won't this be too much trouble for you? My son, Guy, has the burning passion of youth, but in terms of talent…"
Duy scratched his head. As a veteran genin past his thirties, though he believed in the power of youth, he wasn't completely oblivious to reality.
The Uchiha Clan was known for producing elites. Even though Duy firmly believed his son, Might Guy, would one day become an exceptional ninja, he was also well aware that right now, Guy still had a long way to go.
Minato waved his hand and glanced at Obito, who was running alongside Guy.
"A true genius is someone who surpasses everyone in a particular field…"
"In terms of physique alone, Guy is an undisputed genius and an excellent candidate for taijutsu training. He mustn't be left to struggle alone…"
Minato pointed at Might Guy's slightly thin face and sighed.
"For a ninja—especially a taijutsu ninja—to succeed, they become a terrifying money sink…"
"High-quality meat for nutrition, specialized herbal baths for muscle recovery, chiropractic therapy for hidden injuries, close combat guidance for precise technique…"
"For a taijutsu ninja to rise, it is far more difficult than for an ordinary ninja."
In the current shinobi world, every renowned taijutsu ninja hailed from prestigious clans—the Hyūga, the Yotsuki, the Kaguya…
Minato, who had undergone grueling training since childhood, had only been able to withstand such high-intensity regimens because of the resources Fuma had invested in him.
Without proper nutrition and correction of hidden injuries, no matter how talented he was, Minato would never have reached his current level.
Might Duy lowered his head in shame. As a ninja with a family name to pass down, how could he not know that Minato was speaking the absolute truth?
But money was a real problem.
Konoha's current policy required its ninjas to be well-rounded—proficiency in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu was necessary to be promoted to chūnin.
Only after becoming a chūnin could one specialize and aim for the rank of special jōnin. Everything was interconnected.
In the entirety of Konoha, only one person had broken this unwritten rule—Fuma, who had single-handedly defeated all of Konoha's ANBU jōnin with pure taijutsu five years ago and ascended to the rank of jōnin.
Currently, Might Duy was undoubtedly stronger than the average chūnin, but his lack of ninjutsu and genjutsu proficiency prevented his promotion.
If he revealed the Eight Gates Release, he might gain instant recognition—but once he entered his weakened state after opening the gates, his financially struggling household would only suffer further, hindering Guy's training.
Moreover, Duy had no confidence that the village would grant him any special exceptions.
He couldn't take that gamble.
So, despite his immense strength, this man, shackled by the system, could only carry his dreams quietly—releasing his passion in the only way he knew—guiding and inspiring his son.
"Lord Minato… as a father, I have truly failed…"
Recalling Guy's tattered training clothes and his constant complaints of hunger, Duy couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his face.
"Guy is far more talented than I am, but as nothing more than a genin, I fear that I am hindering his potential…"
Minato patted the older man on the shoulder, sighing.
"To endure all that fate throws at you as a man… you have done well. You are a fine ninja and a fine father. Our meeting here today… perhaps it is fate choosing us both."
Duy nodded gratefully and excitedly waved at his son.
"Guy! Today's youth training ends here! Come and meet your new teacher!"
Might Guy, sweating from his run, turned his head in confusion, his thick eyebrows twitching, "Father, I haven't even entered the Academy yet… what teacher?"
"I plan to be your teacher. Would that be acceptable, Guy?" Minato asked gently, beckoning him over.
"Lord Minato!"
To Minato's surprise, Guy seemed to recognize him immediately. He rushed over in excitement.
"You're really going to take me as your student? Lord Minato, I'm a huge fan of yours!"
Minato blinked in confusion.
He had always kept a relatively low profile in the village. Though he had earned some renown among the ninja clans, in Konoha as a whole, he was still considered just a regular jōnin.
After all, his feat of destroying Amegakure had been carefully reattributed by the Third Hokage—six parts credited to Hiruzen's leadership, two to Orochimaru, one to Nawaki, and the last fraction shared between Minato and Kushina.
"I once saw you training, Lord Minato! Your intensity and dedication have always been my inspiration. I want to be a ninja like you!"
Guy's face flushed with excitement. "I may not be up to your standards yet, but I will keep working hard!"
Minato let out a long "Oh" and suddenly understood.
Back when the Uchiha district was still under development, Fuma had taken him to train in various locations around Konoha. It was no surprise that someone had seen them.
Meanwhile, Duy grinned widely, his large front teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
"Guy… you don't understand… what real taijutsu training is! Compared to that great man, Minato-kun is hardworking, but he's still just a kid…"
Minato gently patted Guy's bowl-cut head, "Don't worry. At your age, I wasn't as good as you. The future is yours, Guy."
"Huh?" Obito, who had just jogged over, frowned.
"Sensei, didn't you just say that at my age, you weren't as good as me either?"
"Wait… Sensei, were you the dead last in the Academy at ten? How could you be worse than both of us? That's way too weak! Hah! I, the great Obito, am one of the top students in the Academy!"
Minato's smile remained warm, but his eyes turned toward Obito.
"Run two hundred more laps, or I'll reassign you and Konan to different squads."
"S-Sumimasen!!"
Obito slapped his own mouth and immediately shut up, turning to run without a word.
As the sun set, Obito learned an important lesson—never trash-talk his petty teacher.
"So strong! Is this my new teammate?! As expected, everyone under Lord Minato's guidance is a hard-working warrior of youth!"
Guy teared up with admiration.
"I won't fall behind! Spiky-haired friend, let us protect our youth together!"
Duy was so excited that he flipped into a handstand and gave a thumbs-up, "Guy! I always knew—you have no limits in the face of youthful energy!"
Minato barely managed to keep his expression straight. Looking at the identical father-and-son duo—the same green tights, thick eyebrows, and gleaming teeth—he was struggling to hold back his laughter.
With a light cough, Minato turned to Duy.
"Duy-san… being a genin while supporting a family must be tough, right?"
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