Might Guy and his two teammates, under the protection of Shibi Aburame, successfully withdrew from the battlefield.
On the way, Shibi asked Guy about his father, and Guy didn't hide anything—he told Shibi that his father had spent over twenty years mastering the secret technique known as the Eight Gates.
"Guy, did your father create the Eight Gates technique himself?" Shibi asked.
"I'm not sure. He only said he spent twenty years mastering it," Guy answered.
"Teacher Shibi, isn't there any record of the Eight Gates in the village?" Uchiha Yuan asked.
Shibi shook his head. "I once had the honor of choosing a jutsu from the Scroll of Seals, and even that didn't contain any mention of the Eight Gates. So it's even less likely to exist elsewhere.
That's why I'm pretty sure this secret technique was created by Guy's father."
After hearing Shibi's words, Uchiha Yuan fell into deep thought. He remembered in the original series, Uchiha Madara once remarked, "Why isn't the steam red?" when seeing Guy open the Seventh Gate.
That implied Madara knew, or had even seen, what it looked like when someone opened the Gate of Death.
If he only knew about it, then White Zetsu had likely witnessed Might Duy open the Gate of Death and passed the info to Madara.
But if Madara had actually seen it firsthand, then the only possibility was that someone else had opened the Gate of Death before—because the aging Madara couldn't have personally gone to witness Duy in action.
But Uchiha Yuan had no way to verify either theory—he definitely wasn't going to ask Madara in person.
"Yuan, you take Guy and his team to the medics. I need to inform Shikaku and the others about this Eight Gates matter," said Shibi, breaking Yuan's train of thought.
Yuan nodded in response.
Once Shibi saw Yuan agree, he turned and left.
Back at the Konoha encampment, Hyuga Asana and Yamanaka Kagetsu—who had been anxiously waiting for Yuan's return—immediately ran to him when they saw him.
"Yuan, are you okay?" Kagetsu asked.
"I'm fine. Kagetsu, can you take Guy and his team to the medics? I'm a little tired and want to rest."
"Sure, leave it to me!"
After Kagetsu left with the group, Uchiha Yuan turned to Hyuga Asana. "Sorry, Asana. I made you worry."
Asana shook her head. "You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault. I'm the one who's too weak—I couldn't stand beside you in that moment of danger.
Yuan, next time something like this happens, I want to stand with you. So I've made my decision!"
"Decision?"
"I'm going to accept Lord Orochimaru's terms."
"Terms? Orochimaru made you an offer?" Yuan asked quickly.
"Remember how Lord Orochimaru taught me for two days? During that time, he told me your power was growing fast and I'd soon be left behind.
He said I'd never escape the Hyuga clan's control through my own efforts alone, so he offered to make me his test subject and assistant.
Publicly, I would be called his disciple and gain protection through that status. He would also teach me more ninjutsu, taijutsu, and medical jutsu to help me grow stronger quickly.
He even said I could sign a summoning contract with his snakes right away.
All I have to do is assist in experiments using my Byakugan and contribute some of my blood and eyes for research."
"No! That's too dangerous!" Yuan objected without hesitation.
"Yuan, I'm not asking for your opinion. I've already made up my mind!"
"But—"
"No buts.
I will catch up to you." With that, Hyuga Asana turned and walked away.
Watching her determined back, Uchiha Yuan was left momentarily at a loss.
Orochimaru's terms far exceeded anything Yuan had imagined. He couldn't understand why Orochimaru would offer such generous terms just to recruit Hyuga Asana.
Even just the title of Orochimaru's disciple would keep the Hyuga clan's main family from interfering with her before Orochimaru's eventual defection.
Let alone the fact that Orochimaru was willing to give her a Ryuchi Cave summoning contract—something Uchiha Yuan never would've expected.
Setting aside Orochimaru's eventual defection and potential ideological influence over her, for now, Uchiha Yuan even began to feel that Asana accepting the offer might actually be the best choice.
For the next two days, Hyuga Asana didn't train with Yuan and the others at all.
On the third day—Uchiha Yuan's birthday—she finally appeared again.
Today was Uchiha Yuan's 11th birthday. Yamanaka Kagetsu was two months older and had celebrated her birthday soon after they arrived on the battlefield. Hyuga Asana was three months younger and wouldn't celebrate hers for another three months.
When Kagetsu had her birthday, both Yuan and Asana had gifted her ninja tools. Shibi had given her a C-rank Water Release technique.
Now it was Yuan's turn.
Yamanaka Kagetsu passed the C-rank Water Release: Water Prison Technique on to him.
Hyuga Asana gave him a C-rank Wind Release: Wind Cutter.
As promised, Shibi gave Yuan a B-rank Wind Release technique—Wind Style: Jade Storm Gale.
This technique had been carefully chosen. During the recent missions to destroy enemy water supplies and supply lines, Shibi had noticed that Yuan excelled at close combat with blades, similar to samurai from the Land of Iron.
Wind Style: Jade Storm Gale allowed the user to manipulate weapons to spin and cut, making close combat far more versatile.
After giving the gifts, Shibi quickly departed.
The day before, the large-scale battle between Konoha and the Mist had concluded, with heavy losses on both sides.
If the Mist's supply lines and water sources hadn't been sabotaged—and if four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen hadn't died—they never would have let the matter go.
Fortunately, after this battle, the Mist wouldn't be able to launch another large-scale attack anytime soon.
But that didn't mean the war in the Land of Bears was over. Large battles were unlikely, but small skirmishes were inevitable.
Thankfully, with four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen dead, Konoha would no longer be as passive in these small confrontations.
Still, neither Konoha nor the Mist could be considered winners in the grand scheme.
The Mist had simply suffered more—after all, Might Duy had killed four of their swordsmen.
By now, news of Might Duy's feat had reached the village.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was reading a report on the Eight Gates while smoking.
"Is it true that one genin killed four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" Danzo burst in without knocking.
"Danzo, this is the Hokage's office. Can't you show some respect?" Koharu Utatane said, frowning in disapproval.
"Koharu, Danzo was just shocked—weren't we the same when we heard it? It's understandable," Homura Mitokado tried to smooth things over with a smile.
"Even so, etiquette still matters. Don't blame me for being blunt..." Koharu scolded Danzo, who ignored her and stared intently at the report in Hiruzen's hands.
After a moment of silence, Hiruzen said, "Take a look yourselves. It's an incredible technique."
He handed the intel, sent back by Orochimaru, to the other three.
Koharu and Homura were visibly shocked after reading it. Danzo, however, had a glint of greed in his eyes.
"Might Duy used a secret technique and sacrificed his life to kill four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. His name should be carved into the memorial stone," said Koharu.
"I agree. And I think we should also posthumously promote Might Duy. Keeping him as a genin no longer fits," Homura added.
"I've already considered that," said Hiruzen. "I plan to promote Might Duy directly to jonin. His benefits will be given according to jonin standards, and his name will be inscribed on the memorial."
"Then what should we do about his secret technique?" Danzo asked.
"According to Orochimaru, the Eight Gates was created by Might Duy himself—it's considered a clan secret technique," Hiruzen replied.
"But Duy is dead, and Guy is still at the front in the Land of Bears. If something happens to Guy, the technique could be lost forever."
Homura added, "Yes, Hiruzen. If Guy dies, this technique will vanish. We have a duty to help preserve it."
"I agree. It'd be a shame to lose something so powerful. We should archive it in a sealed scroll, just in case," said Koharu.
Hiruzen remained silent for a long time, then said, "I'll have Orochimaru ask Might Guy if he's willing to pass it on to the village.
If he agrees, the village will compensate him appropriately.
If he refuses, none of you are to force him. If I find out you've done anything in secret, don't expect any mercy from me."
Danzo didn't say anything further.
To him, once village officials reached Guy, the boy would surely agree to hand over the Eight Gates.
And once it was recorded in the scrolls, he'd have a chance to study it.
If the training threshold wasn't too high, Root could produce many ninja capable of killing members of the Seven Swordsmen.
As for whether those ninja would survive—Danzo didn't care. Every member of Root was prepared to die for Konoha.
(To Be Continued...)