"Well… the Third Gate is also stable."
"Lee, open the Fourth Gate!"
"Understood!"
At Kazuki's command, Lee immediately followed his words and opened the Fourth Gate.
"The Gate of Pain—open!"
Lee's chakra surged again, doubling in intensity. With this tremendous boost, his speed increased drastically—so much so that even Neji Hyuga's Byakugan could barely track his movements. All Neji could see was Lee's afterimages flickering across the battlefield.
Neji's normally composed face twitched several times.
He had something to say, but he held back…
Neji Hyuga: How am I supposed to be the genius of our generation when you, Lee, have been holding back this much power just for me?!
"Lee, stop!"
Deep within the Forest of Death, Kazuki intervened, signaling for Lee to halt and deactivate the Eight Gates technique.
Lee complied immediately. A few meters away from Kazuki, he released the Eight Gates state, his breathing ragged from the immense strain that weighed down his body.
"You're not controlling your chakra well enough when opening the Fourth Gate," Kazuki observed. "Your body still isn't used to handling such a massive chakra flow."
He paused, then continued, "You should focus on refining your control before trying the Fifth Gate. Otherwise, if you force it open, your body won't be able to withstand the strain."
Lee nodded firmly. "Understood! Thank you, Brother Kazuki!"
Kazuki grinned. "You've improved a lot, Lee. Keep up the hard work!"
"That's enough for today. Remember—unless it's a life-or-death situation, do not forcefully open the Fifth Gate."
Kazuki's words were serious, and Lee acknowledged them with a determined nod.
"I will follow your advice, Brother Kazuki!"
With that, Lee's training session concluded.
Kazuki then turned to Neji. "Neji, you're up next."
Neji, who had just witnessed Lee's overwhelming speed and raw power, remained silent for a moment. His expression was unreadable.
After a brief hesitation, he shook his head.
"No… no, I'll ask for your guidance another time."
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Wait… didn't you just say you wanted to spar with me?"
Earlier, while Kazuki was coaching Lee, Neji had expressed interest in training. But now, his resolve had vanished in an instant.
Kazuki found it odd but didn't press the matter.
Training duels were meant to push individuals forward, but if Neji wasn't ready, that was his choice.
"Well… the sun hasn't set yet, so we still have time."
"I'll treat everyone to a light meal."
Since Neji withdrew from the session, there was now extra time.
It was the perfect chance to head to a better restaurant and let Gai-sensei have a drink or two outside.
"Cough, cough…"
"If Neji won't step up, then I will!"
A voice suddenly rang out.
Might Guy stood up, grinning at Kazuki.
"Watching you and Lee's passionate battle has reignited my fighting spirit!" Guy declared. "Kazuki, we haven't had a match in a while. Let me see how strong you've become!"
Kazuki blinked.
"Uh… this…"
Might Guy's words echoed in Kazuki's mind.
Sparring with Might Guy…
This isn't what he had in mind!
"It just so happens that no one is around in the Forest of Death. You can go all out—come at me, Kazuki!"
"You're not going to turn me down, are you?!" Might Guy added enthusiastically.
Rejecting Might Guy…
To be honest, Kazuki considered it for a moment.
But Might Guy was his teacher—the one who had taught him the Eight Gates Released Formation and had always been kind to him.
Naturally, Kazuki couldn't bring himself to refuse and dampen Guy-sensei's enthusiasm.
"Well… okay."
"Since we're alone in the Forest of Death…"
"Let's do this, Guy-sensei!"
"But it's getting late, and we'll need to grab a meal soon—how about using just 80% of our power?"
With that, Kazuki activated the Eight Gates, and an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted from his body.
The sheer force of it sent shockwaves through the area, causing the trees in the Forest of Death to sway violently.
Nearby, Neji Hyuga was nearly swept off his feet by the blast of wind.
"T-Kazuki…"
"He… he…"
"He's so strong…" Neji stammered.
He could see the chakra condensing around Kazuki, almost taking on a physical form.
His power… was beyond anything Neji had ever imagined!
"Eighty percent…"
"Just eighty percent is this strong?" Neji muttered in disbelief.
At the same time, Might Guy burst into laughter and immediately opened his own Eight Gates.
His chakra, denser and even more refined than Kazuki's, surged out in a fiery aura.
Neji was stunned once again.
The man who always preached about "youth" and acted like a passionate fool… was this powerful?!
"Kazuki, I won't hold back!"
"You can count on me, Guy-sensei!"
With those words, the two launched at each other, fists colliding in a fierce exchange.
There was no doubt—both of them were elite-level fighters.
And now, both had activated the Eight Gates…
At that moment, Neji's entire worldview…
Shattered.
The speed of their battle was unreal—so fast that even Neji's Byakugan struggled to track them.
Only the sound of their blows colliding filled the air, a series of deafening impacts.
Despite the focus of their fight being elsewhere, the sheer force of their movements was enough to shatter the towering trees around them.
The shockwaves alone splintered the trunks into fragments, sending debris flying.
The immense pressure of their attacks whipped up violent gusts of wind, flinging both Neji and Lee away from the battlefield.
Even the surrounding trees couldn't withstand the storm—entire sections of the forest were being obliterated!
"This… This is the power of Kazuki and Guy-sensei…"
Neji watched, wide-eyed, as the once-dense Forest of Death was reduced to a wasteland by the aftermath of their battle alone.
Thirty minutes later…
The winds finally died down.
Might Guy and Kazuki emerged from the battlefield, both looking exhilarated.
"Hahaha! That was an amazing fight!"
"Kazuki, you've grown so much stronger!" Guy grinned, his energy still radiating.
"No matter how strong I get, I can't compare to you, Guy-sensei," Kazuki replied humbly.
The idea of surpassing his teacher…
It wasn't something Kazuki wanted to think about.
After all, he didn't want to see his ever-optimistic Guy-sensei feeling left behind.
"Alright, that's enough for today!"
Visit patreon.com/shirokendama for more chapters