NARUTO: GOD LEVEL FORGING SYSTEM

"You finally stopped?" Might Guy exhaled heavily, as if he had just finished an exhausting, self-imposed training regime.

"That's right." Kazuki nodded seriously. "Mr. Guy, didn't you say that this assessment was in your hands for ten minutes? The time is up."

"Pfft—"

Might Guy nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The battle had been so intense that stopping had never crossed his mind.

Who keeps track of ten minutes in a fight like that?!

Kazuki, are you too calm?!

Cough, cough…

Might Guy raised a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat to cover his embarrassment. Then, forcing himself to nod with composure, he agreed,

"Yes, the ten-minute assessment has ended."

His expression softened with pride. "Kazuki, you actually forced me to use the Fourth Gate—to defend. Your progress has been astonishing!"

Saying this, Might Guy felt his face burn slightly.

He wouldn't admit that Kazuki had not only forced him to use the Hirudora (Daytime Tiger) but had nearly driven him into opening the Fifth Gate!

"Anyway… today's assessment—" He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "You've successfully passed!"

"As promised, I have prepared a generous reward for you!"

"Mr. Guy, what is the reward?" Kazuki asked curiously.

A knowing, almost mischievous smile appeared on Might Guy's face. Instead of answering, he countered with a question,

"You saw the power of my Eight Gates just now, didn't you?"

"Yes." Kazuki nodded.

"The Hachimon—Eight Inner Gates—is the pinnacle of my taijutsu." Might Guy's voice turned solemn. "You saw it yourself—it grants unimaginable strength. If I were to open all Eight Gates, even the Hokage himself would struggle against me."

His gaze darkened.

"But… every power has its price."

He clenched his fist. "The reason this technique is forbidden is because of its terrible side effects. Even with my current physical conditioning—if I open the final gate, I will die."

His voice carried a weight rarely heard from the ever-enthusiastic taijutsu master.

"Do you now understand what it means for a jutsu to be forbidden?"

Kazuki didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Might Guy rarely showed such seriousness, his dark eyes locked onto Kazuki's. "The use of forbidden techniques carries immense risk. Even so… are you still willing to learn?"

"I'm willing to take that risk." Kazuki's voice was steady.

Might Guy's entire body trembled. Then…

"Woooooo! This is youth!!"

Tears burst from his eyes like waterfalls.

"Kazuki! You truly understand me! I knew I wasn't wrong about you!"

Kazuki: "…"

Some people would be ecstatic to have the chance to learn the Hachimon. Why is Mr. Guy acting as if this is a miracle?

Reading the confusion in Kazuki's gaze, Might Guy sighed, his expression turning uncharacteristically solemn.

"I've met many talented taijutsu users," he admitted. "They trained with me, even sparred with me. But the moment they heard that the Eight Gates could lead to certain death…"

His voice grew quiet.

"They all walked away."

Kazuki understood.

Their generation had grown up in peacetime. They had never experienced war firsthand. They had never faced the cruelty of battle, where power determined survival.

They didn't grasp the true meaning of the Eight Gates.

No wonder, in the original story, only a stubborn fool like Rock Lee…

Only he was willing to embrace Might Guy's path, transforming into a hardworking genius.

"Kazuki, aren't you afraid of death?" Might Guy suddenly asked.

"I am." Kazuki nodded honestly.

"Then why are you still willing to learn the Hachimon?" Might Guy's voice was filled with genuine surprise.

Kazuki remained silent for a while before finally speaking. "Because I believe, Teacher Guy, that your taijutsu is incomplete—only a half-finished product."

"A half-finished product?" Might Guy's eyes widened in surprise.

Kazuki nodded with conviction.

"Yes.

In my opinion, the Eight Gates Released Formation was originally a forbidden technique devised by past shinobi. Since it was created through human effort and not something innate—

That means it can be refined, even perfected.

I firmly believe there must be a way to counteract the extreme physical strain caused by opening the gates. There may even be a method to prevent the inevitable death that follows the Eighth Gate—The Gate of Death."

Might Guy was momentarily stunned.

Then, with a sudden burst of laughter, his entire body trembled with emotion. Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes as he grinned widely, overwhelmed by excitement.

"Hahahaha! I never thought I'd hear someone else say that!

After all these years, finally—someone who shares my belief!"

"Kazuki, if you were my age, I'd have to call you my brother!"

Kazuki felt speechless.

Not happening. Definitely not happening…

Once the moment passed and Guy's emotions settled, his expression turned serious. He gazed at Kazuki with determination.

"You're right. I've thought about this before.

If the body's endurance reaches an unprecedented level, even unlocking all Eight Gates might not be fatal.

The technique's side effects are directly tied to the user's physical strength. The stronger the body, the less damage each gate inflicts.

Starting from the Fourth Gate—The Gate of Pain—each subsequent gate exacts an immense toll. That's why I had you strike sandbags, train under weighted resistance, and condition your muscles beyond their limits.

A solid physique is the key to mastering taijutsu."

Kazuki nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll now explain—

The training process for the Eight Gates Released Formation, a forbidden technique!"

---

Several hours later…

Might Guy sat cross-legged on the ground, raising one finger as he continued instructing Kazuki.

"You've already met the fundamental requirements for Eight Gates training.

For now, start by focusing on unlocking the First Gate—The Gate of Opening.

If you feel even the slightest discomfort, stop immediately. Do not push yourself recklessly."

Kazuki nodded.

At the same time, he continued asking Guy detailed questions regarding the technique.

Guy was taken aback by the complexity of Kazuki's inquiries. Some of his observations were so precise that they even highlighted details Guy himself had never considered before.

This left him deep in thought.

---

By the time Kazuki finished training, the sky had already darkened.

Only then did he realize his stomach was completely empty.

The Konoha training grounds were still far from home, so he decided to eat out tonight.

Without hesitation, he headed toward Konoha's most famous ramen shop—Ichiraku Ramen.

"Uncle Teuchi, one bowl of ramen!"

"Oh! Kazuki! The usual? Tonkotsu ramen with extra chashu?"

"Yeah, Uncle Teuchi!"

With his parents frequently away on business, Kazuki never had to worry about food or money.

He and his sister, Tenten, had been regulars at Ichiraku Ramen for years.

Ever since training under Might Guy, however, his meals mostly consisted of barbecue, courtesy of Guy's enthusiasm and generosity.

As a result, it had been a while since his last visit to Ichiraku Ramen.

While waiting for his order, Kazuki sat idly, glancing around the shop.

That's when he noticed a boy in an orange tracksuit standing just outside the entrance—

But instead of stepping in, he hesitated.

Oh? That's Naruto.

One look at the boy's distinctive whisker-like marks confirmed his identity.

Kazuki stood up and approached him. "Why are you just standing there? Why not come inside?"

Naruto flinched in surprise.

Clearly, he wasn't expecting anyone from the village to talk to him, let alone so casually.

After a brief pause, he scratched his head, smiling sheepishly.

"Well… I wanted to eat at Ichiraku, but the pocket money I saved for half a month just disappeared… I swear I put it in my pocket…"

So he lost his money.

Kazuki waved him over without hesitation.

"If it's gone, then it's gone. Come inside and eat with me. My treat."

Naruto blinked, as if struggling to process what he just heard.

Then, after glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby, he pointed at himself, his voice filled with disbelief.

"…Me?"

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