---

  The reason Hanekawa had proposed a sparring match for tomorrow wasn't just to avoid taking advantage of Might Guy—it was an excuse to train with him properly.

  After a good night's rest, Might Duy began teaching them taijutsu fundamentals.

  He didn't seem to mind that Hanekawa was openly learning from him. Then again, that was just how Might Duy and his son were.

  In the original timeline, Kakashi Hatake had gotten along well with Might Guy and even learned the Eight Gates technique. Though his body could only handle opening the first gate.

  Today, Might Duy was teaching them the Leaf Strong Whirlwind—one of the signature techniques in the Konoha Cyclone series.

  Hanekawa had learned taijutsu before, but it was limited to raw strength enhancement. The Leaf Strong Whirlwind would fill in the gaps nicely.

  "It's simple, really," Might Duy explained, standing before them. "The Leaf Strong Whirlwind is essentially a spinning back kick. Watch."

  He took a deep breath, rotated his upper body to the right, pushed off with his right leg, and executed a powerful spinning kick before landing smoothly.

  "Your turn."

  Hanekawa stepped forward first. He mirrored the movement—turn, kick, spin, land—with practiced precision.

  "Impressive, Hanekawa," Might Duy said, nodding approvingly. "You've got most of it after just one demonstration. You really are the top student in the academy."

  "Thank you, Uncle Dai."

  Basic taijutsu wasn't particularly difficult. It all came down to body control and managing force output. Years of training, especially with lightning chakra activation, had given him the foundation he needed.

  "My turn!" Might Guy practically vibrated with excitement. "Fighting Hanekawa is so thrilling!"

  Here we go, Hanekawa thought.

  Might Guy launched into the Leaf Strong Whirlwind. His form was technically cleaner than Hanekawa's, but his power control wasn't quite as refined.

  "Guy!" Might Duy suddenly trembled, tears streaming down his face.

  Oh no.

  "Your hard work has paid off!" Might Duy pulled his son into a crushing embrace. "You're just as good as Hanekawa!"

  Hanekawa sighed. It took another ten minutes before the two of them finished their emotional moment and training could resume.

  By the time the sun began setting, Hanekawa had earned a new entry.

  [E-Rank Taijutsu Entry: Leaf Strong Whirlwind]

  [Trigger Condition: Successfully execute technique with proper form]

  [Effect: Increases spinning kick power by 15%]

  [Note: Can be synthesized]

  After performing it once with perfect technique, the skill had automatically reached proficiency. According to his previous experience, learning three physical skills would qualify him as a Physical Skills Genin. He already had Superhuman Strength, so he only needed one more.

  "Dinner's on me today," Hanekawa said. "How about Ichiraku Ramen?"

  "Guy!" Might Duy said cheerfully. "Let's run there!"

  "Yes, Dad!" Might Guy echoed immediately.

  Hanekawa couldn't help but sigh. These two were already incredibly hardworking, and he was nothing compared to them. Then again, that's what made the Eight Gates so brutal—the training requirements were insane, and the side effects were devastating. It was a one-for-one trade with your own body.

  That's why Might Duy and his son were the only ones in Konoha who could use it. Even among those who learned it, there were massive differences in capability. Might Guy's performance in the original timeline had been leagues ahead of his father's.

  For now, Hanekawa's goal was just to get a "Taijutsu Chunin" entry. That would be enough.

  The three of them arrived at Ichiraku Ramen at a full sprint.

  The restaurant was packed—dinner rush was in full swing. But as one group finished and left, a table opened up.

  "Kakashi!" Might Guy suddenly spotted a familiar figure and shouted.

  Kakashi Hatake looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.

  When he noticed Hanekawa, though, he seemed to reconsider.

  "Kakashi," Hanekawa greeted, sliding into the seat across from him.

  "Why are you with them?" Kakashi asked, eyeing Might Guy and his father with barely concealed concern.

  "Training," Hanekawa explained simply.

  "That's..." Kakashi gave a thumbs up. "Impressive. I don't know how you tolerate their... style."

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  I don't either, Hanekawa thought. I really don't.

  Might Guy and his son were good people, genuinely good-hearted. But their eccentricity was so bizarre that Hanekawa suspected Might Duy had been a Genin for ten thousand years simply because no one would team up with him. After all, Genin couldn't take solo missions, and forming a team with them meant...

  Well, it meant wearing green tights and shouting about youth.

  ---

  The next day at Training Ground Three.

  Hanekawa and Might Guy faced off while Might Duy watched from the sidelines, practically vibrating with anticipation.

  "Konoha Tornado!" Might Guy didn't hold back—or rather, he never held back. After the signal, he charged forward.

  Who announces their jutsu before using it? Hanekawa thought. That's literally telling your opponent what's coming.

  In the anime, it was done for the audience's benefit. In real combat, it was suicide.

  No wonder Danzo had rejected him from Root.

  The air cracked as Might Guy's kick created a visible pressure wave. Wind whistled around them.

  Hanekawa crossed his arms and blocked.

  The force was substantial. His body shook, but the entry bonuses held firm.

  Might Guy grinned. "You blocked it!"

  "Konoha's Great Whirlwind!" He pivoted on one hand, spinning both legs in a devastating arc.

  The speed and power were genuinely impressive. The wind spread too wide to dodge, so Hanekawa met it head-on.

  He spun and kicked.

  Their legs collided mid-air with a sound like thunder. For a moment, they hung suspended, locked in a stalemate. Then both of them flew backward, landing in controlled slides.

  "That level of mastery?!" Might Duy looked stunned. "After one day?"

  Hanekawa had completely internalized the technique. That was the advantage of his system—once he performed something perfectly, it stuck.

  "Konoha Bad Iwasho!" Might Guy launched himself upward, arriving in front of Hanekawa at blinding speed. His right elbow came down like a hammer.

  Hanekawa blocked again.

  Bang.

  He steadied himself and countered with another Leaf Strong Whirlwind.

  "Konoha's Strong Cyclone!" Might Guy matched him perfectly.

  Their legs crossed. The air exploded outward in a visible shockwave, sending them both skidding backward.

  "Again!" Might Guy's eyes blazed with excitement. He charged forward, fists raised.

  Hanekawa met him. He blocked, dodged, and occasionally countered with the Leaf Strong Whirlwind. The entry bonuses kept him competitive, but he was holding back—he hadn't used his Superhuman Strength yet, and he definitely hadn't touched his lightning abilities.

  Might Duy watched intently, his expression growing more thoughtful.

  After several more exchanges, Might Duy called out: "Guy! You have my permission—use that technique!"

  "Yes, Dad!" Might Guy retreated and took a deep breath. "Eight Gates of Ninjutsu! Open the first gate!"

  A surge of chakra erupted skyward, though not dramatically. The first gate mainly removed the brain's natural limiters—it increased speed and reaction time without boosting actual strength or durability.

  "Konoha Flash!" Might Guy's movements became a blur.

  Instantaneous technique, Hanekawa recognized.

  He accelerated, dodging the vicious kick. When Might Guy came in close, Hanekawa threw a punch.

  Superhuman Strength.

  The impact created a visible shockwave. Might Guy flew backward, skidding across the ground.

  "Don't move," Hanekawa said, stepping forward. "That's enough for today. Let me heal you."

  He'd held back—the damage was minimal.

  Healing Technique.

  Green chakra flowed from his hands, and within moments, Might Guy was back on his feet, looking completely unharmed.

  "Too strong!" Might Guy said, grinning widely. "You're amazing, Hanekawa!"

  "The Eight Gates are powerful," Hanekawa admitted. "If you open more gates, I won't be able to keep up."

  "Then I'll just have to master more gates!" Might Guy declared. "Then we'll have a real match!"

  That's not what I meant, Hanekawa thought, but he kept it to himself.

  A notification appeared:

  [D-Rank Talent Entry: No Regrets in Youth]

  [Trigger Condition: Defeat young Might Guy]

  [Effect: Physical talent increased by 30% on original basis]

  Probably because Might Guy had used the Eight Gates, it jumped straight to D-Rank. That saved him considerable time.

  "This is youth!" Might Duy suddenly declared, eyes shining. "We're doing an extra hundred laps today!"

  "Dad, you forgot something," Might Guy said.

  Might Duy slapped his forehead and pulled out a pair of green tights. "Hanekawa, this is a gift for you!"

  Hanekawa stared at the garment.

  No.

  But looking at their hopeful faces, he couldn't refuse.

  "Thank you," he managed.

  "Guy! He accepted it!" Might Duy's eyes filled with tears.

  "Yes, Dad!" Might Guy hugged him. "Finally, a third person!"

  They embraced each other, sobbing with joy.

  Hanekawa held the green tights and seriously considered faking his own death.

  ---

  Two months later.

  What had started as mild embarrassment had evolved into complete emotional numbness. Hanekawa had transcended shame entirely.

  But his efforts had paid off.

  He'd obtained two C-Rank entries: "Taijutsu Chunin" and "Lightning Style Chunin," each providing a 50% boost. Combined, they'd synthesized into something new:

  [B-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Lightning Style Body]

  [Trigger Condition: Synthesized from C-Rank "Taijutsu Chunin" and C-Rank "Lightning Style Chunin"]

  [Effect: Physical attributes increased by 100% on original basis (defense, attack, speed)]

  It was like having a second power level entirely. The only odd thing was that there was no upgrade path visible—no way to synthesize or improve it further.

  Then he realized: he didn't have the prerequisite entries yet. The natural evolution would be the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Style Chakra Mode, but that was far beyond his current reach.

  Still, "Lightning Style Body" was incredible. It was like being Superman.

  "Hanekawa!"

  Kurenai's voice snapped him back to reality.

  She was standing by a small pond, concentrating hard. As he watched, a water figure that vaguely resembled him took shape.

  "Look! Am I getting better?" she asked proudly.

  "That's impressive," Hanekawa said sincerely.

  Kurenai had been training under Maruboshi Kosuke, practicing chakra control and water nature transformation. The fact that she could create a water clone at all showed real progress. The details weren't perfect yet, but she was definitely improving.

  "We should head to the academy," Hanekawa said. "Registration is today. Don't be late."

  "Right!" Kurenai dismissed the water figure and grabbed her bag. "I haven't seen Rin and the others in forever!"

  They headed out together, ready for whatever came next.