"Fourth Gate — Gate of Pain, open!"
Wen Lan's pupils shrank violently.
So this is… the Fourth Gate of the Eight Gates!
What terrifying pressure!
The surrounding air seemed to compress and repel him, as if an invisible mountain were pressing down on his chest. Wen Lan's breathing stalled for an instant.
The first three gates of the Eight Gates Technique were considered the safe phase.
Only upon opening the Fourth Gate did one truly enter the state of Eight Gates Release.
In the original timeline, during the Chūnin Exams, Rock Lee had opened the Gate of Injury. If not for Gaara's "Mommy Susanoo," Lee would have beaten him until even his own mother wouldn't recognize him—assuming Shukaku wasn't released.
At this moment, Might Duy's aura erupted like a volcano, sweeping across the battlefield. The air seemed to solidify, the ground trembling faintly beneath his feet.
Kushimaru Kuriarare's gaze shifted.
He could clearly feel Duy's momentum continuing to rise—an oppressive force that made even him uneasy.
He instinctively tightened his grip on Nuibari, bracing himself.
Duy's transformation also drew the attention of everyone else.
Almost simultaneously, combat across the battlefield stalled as all eyes turned toward him.
When they realized the source of that terrifying presence was Might Duy, everyone wore expressions as if they'd seen a ghost.
"Not enough!" Duy roared.
He knew exactly how dangerous the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were.
He had to go further—much further.
Every muscle, every tendon, every cell in his body screamed in agony, but he had to protect the flames of Konoha.
"Fifth Gate — Gate of Limit!
Sixth Gate — Gate of View, open!"
The green chakra surrounding Might Duy nearly condensed into the substance itself.
Some areas of his skin tore apart from over-congestion, blood spraying outward.
His arms dropped heavily as a roar escaped his throat—no longer sounding human.
"Protecting Konoha's flames—this is my Ninja Way!"
"Dad!" Might Guy cried out.
Duy's body blazed like a living volcano, radiant emerald light exploding outward.
His fists clenched, muscles swelling violently as his clothes ripped apart. The air reeked of blood mixed with chakra.
The surrounding shinobi subconsciously staggered back, staring in horror at a sight that defied all logic.
Duy slowly raised his fists, every muscle trembling as if being torn apart.
The ground beneath his feet shattered.
In the blink of an eye—
He was already in front of Kushimaru.
His right leg whipped out.
At such extreme speed, friction with the air ignited flames around his kick.
Kushimaru didn't even have time to react.
His body was struck by an overwhelming force and sent flying, crashing through several thick trees before finally stopping.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Duy didn't stop.
His figure flashed again, green chakra trailing behind him like afterimages.
His left leg lashed out next, flames tearing through the air as if the battlefield itself were being ripped apart.
Kushimaru barely managed to prop himself up.
Reflected in his pupils was that rapidly approaching emerald blaze.
Only one thought remained in his mind:
This monster… isn't something a human can fight.
But—
Suddenly, Duy's left leg froze midair.
As if bound by an invisible force.
His pupils contracted sharply, and his chakra flow instantly destabilized.
In the distance, a black shadow slowly emerged, an eerie smile curling on its face as it raised one hand, seemingly manipulating some unknown technique.
If Wen Lan had seen it—
He would have recognized it instantly.
Black Zetsu.
Duy clenched his teeth.
His muscles split further as he forcibly broke free, emerald chakra surging like raging flames once more.
"Nindō—will not be swallowed by darkness!"
His right leg smashed toward Kushimaru again, green chakra rolling like a sea of fire, crackling as the air burned.
But that brief pause—
Was enough.
From the side, Samehada flew in.
The bandages peeled away, revealing its hideous, tooth-filled maw.
Crunch!
Samehada bit down hard on Duy's shoulder, its jagged teeth piercing straight through.
Duy's expression changed.
He could feel his chakra being violently drained.
The Eight Gates relied on chakra to force open the body's limiters and unleash even greater chakra.
If the chakra supply was interrupted, the gates would close—and the body would be forced out of the Eight Gates state.
Wen Lan saw Samehada and instantly exploded in rage.
"Shisui! What the hell are you doing?!"
Shisui was still locked in battle with Kisame Hoshigaki, deliberately spreading the battlefield—waiting for one side to secure a kill so reinforcements could arrive.
This situation should never have happened.
Especially since Samehada attacked from Duy's left, while Wen Lan was on his right—there was no way for him to intercept.
Shisui's face darkened as well.
He slashed repeatedly with his blade, attacking Kisame's constantly writhing hair, but it was as hard as steel—completely uncuttable.
"I need time here!" Shisui shouted.
"My genjutsu doesn't work on him!"
Wen Lan was stunned.
Uchiha Shisui's genjutsu ranked second in Konoha—and no one dared claim first.
With the Sharingan's boost, his genjutsu talent was unmatched.
Yet Kisame could resist it?
That was absurd.
Then Wen Lan suddenly remembered—
Kisame wasn't just powerful.
He had once been ANBU captain.
A deep sense of unease surged in Wen Lan's chest.
And sure enough—
Those two ANBU were completely dead weight.
In a one-on-one fight, they were utterly suppressed.
When Wen Lan glanced over—
Zabuza Momochi and Raiga Kurosuki had just finished beheading them.
Might Guy's group of five was still fighting Zabuza, currently suppressed but not in immediate danger.
The Uchiha fighting Jinpachi Munashi was also suppressed, barely holding on.
Another Uchiha chūnin fighting Jinin Akebino lay in a pool of blood, his chest wound deep enough to expose bone.
Jinin raised his blade, preparing the finishing blow.
Wen Lan's fury ignited completely.
"You animals—how dare you… how dare you trample comrades like this!"
His roar thundered across the battlefield.
His chakra exploded.
Three gates opened in succession.
"Third Gate — Gate of Life, open!"
Blood surged through Wen Lan's body.
The twin tomoe of his Sharingan spun wildly as green chakra ignited around him.
The next instant—
Golden lightning overlaid that green chakra.
Wen Lan transformed into a bolt of lightning, instantly charging toward Jinin Akebino, faster than even afterimages could form.
Jinin raised Kubikiribōchō's counterpart—Kabutowari -- to block.
The moment Wen Lan's blade collided with the hammer, lightning surged through Jinin's arms, numbing them completely.
Wen Lan's eyes were ice-cold.
Lightning gathered along his blade as he slashed horizontally, forcing Jinin back again and again.
He didn't stop.
Like a ghost, Wen Lan closed in, his blade aimed straight at the man's throat.
"Thunder Breathing — First Form: Thunderclap Flash!"
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