Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

His body was constantly undergoing the process of injury and repair.

Although he could be considered immortal, he still experienced fatigue.

After fighting Orochimaru and Ten Thousand Snakes for so long, his physical strength was rapidly depleting.

"It seems I'm still limited by my age. At my current stage, my stamina is still somewhat lacking," Chiba murmured to himself.

What he didn't realize was that Orochimaru and Manda were not in any better condition than he was.

Manda glanced at its battered tail, swollen significantly from the repeated blows. Each attack from Chiba left lasting effects.

"Orochimaru, do you still want to continue fighting this brat? We've been at it for so long, and neither of us has gained the upper hand,"Manda hissed irritably.

"There's no need to fight anymore. Chiba-kun's strength has truly impressed me," Orochimaru said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

To be honest, he hadn't expected to sweat this much, especially in such cold weather. Despite only supporting Manda from the sidelines by releasing ninjutsu to interfere with Chiba, the prolonged engagement had taken its toll.

"Well, I need to go back and heal. Orochimaru, remember the sacrifice I made for you today. If you forget, I'll devour you the next time we meet," Manda spat venomously.

With those parting words, the massive snake vanished into a puff of smoke, returning to its domain.

"Hm?"

Chiba watched the sudden disappearance of Manda, momentarily confused by the situation.

At that moment, Orochimaru's voice echoed from the front. "Chiba-kun, let's end the battle here for today."

Chiba was curious about the sudden shift but decided to hear what Orochimaru had to say.

"Your strength has left a deep impression on me, Chiba-kun. There's no point in continuing this fight," Orochimaru said as he approached.

"It's truly surprising, Chiba-kun, that someone of your age possesses such power," he added.

"Haha, Orochimaru-sama, you flatter me," Chiba replied with a modest smile, though there was a hint of pride in his tone.

"It seems I'm not qualified to be your teacher anymore. But, Chiba-kun, can you tell me more about the taijutsu you mentioned earlier—the one you claimed is comparable to a forbidden art?"

Though Orochimaru felt a pang of regret about the situation, he was genuinely curious. The battle had shown him that Chiba's strength was extraordinary, and he couldn't ignore the unique taijutsu that had allowed him to fight so fiercely.

Chiba hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to reveal the secret of the Eight Gates.

After some thought, he decided. The Eight Inner Gates Formation wasn't unique to him—it was an ability developed by Might Duy, and others could learn it too.

Moreover, Chiba believed revealing it might even change Duy's life for the better. If the technique caught the attention of Konoha's higher-ups, Duy might finally be recognized for his abilities and promoted out of his perpetual Genin status.

With that thought, Chiba spoke slowly. "The taijutsu I used is called the Eight Inner Gates Formation. I learned it from Might Duy."

"Might Duy?"

Orochimaru frowned slightly. It was the first time he had heard the name. What puzzled him more was how someone capable of teaching such a powerful technique could remain so unknown.

"Chiba-kun, can you tell me more about this Might Duy?" Orochimaru asked, his curiosity piqued.

Chiba pondered for a moment. Even if he didn't provide much detail, Orochimaru would likely investigate on his own. With that in mind, he decided to share a brief account of Might Dai's life.

As Chiba recounted the story, a voice interrupted him.

"Chiba, are you okay?"

It was Tsunade, hurrying over.

She had been waiting for the snow and wind to clear before intervening, worried that her sudden involvement might cause unnecessary complications in the battle.

Seeing her concern, Chiba chuckled. "I'm fine. See? Not a scratch on me," he said, turning to show his unscathed body.

"Don't move. Let me check first," Tsunade said, brushing off his attempt to reassure her.

With no choice, Chiba stood still as Tsunade examined him.

By this time, Jiraiya, Nawaki, and others had also approached.

Nawaki's expression, however, was hard to miss. He looked at Chiba as if he were a monster.

"Chiba, you actually managed to hold your own against Orochimaru," Jiraiya exclaimed, laughing. He then turned to Orochimaru.

"And you, Orochimaru—you even summoned Ten Thousand Snakes? You must have taken this fight very seriously," Jiraiya teased.

"If I didn't give my all, how could I have uncovered Chiba-kun's true strength?" Orochimaru replied with a sly smile.

Jiraiya nodded. He hadn't expected a child who hadn't even graduated to possess the strength to rival one of the Legendary Sannin.

A sudden realization struck him. If Chiba could fight Orochimaru to a standstill, wouldn't that mean he could also rival himself or Tsunade?

The thought left Jiraiya with mixed feelings. He couldn't help but wonder what he had been doing with his life over the past twenty years.

However, the next scene shattered his composure entirely.

Tsunade, upon confirming that Chiba was unharmed, hugged him tightly, pressing his face into her chest.

"You can't be so reckless again, understand?" she said with a scolding tone, though her relief was evident.

Chiba was momentarily stunned by the unexpected embrace but quickly decided to enjoy the moment.

"Got it, Sister Tsunade. But, um… can you let me go? I can't breathe," he said sheepishly, though he didn't seem too eager for the embrace to end.

Tsunade snorted lightly before finally letting him go.

Turning his attention to the newcomers, Chiba greeted, "Brother Fugaku, you're here too?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked at Chiba with a mix of pride and discomfort.

Although he had always known Chiba was strong, he hadn't expected him to reach this level.

What made it worse was that Chiba had achieved such strength without relying on the Sharingan—a reality that made Fugaku question his own approach to strength.