"So, this is a classified incident!"
At the training ground, Tonbo Tobitake spoke with Guy.
Might Guy nodded. "Yeah. Lord Third told me not to speak to anyone about what happened."
"Alright, alright. I was just curious how your dad, a Genin, managed to take on seven Jonin at once."
Seeing that Guy's mood was still low but that he was gradually pulling himself out of the grief, Tonbo didn't press further. It would be a lie to say he wasn't curious about the Eight Inner Gates—it was, after all, the most extraordinary Taijutsu in the Naruto world. However, a Chunin like him wasn't highly ranked enough to handle such top-secret information.
"Yossh! Tonbo, let's have a youthful duel!"
Might Guy was full of enthusiasm. It seemed his father's death had caused his "youth" to burn even more fiercely.
"Huh? Isn't your target Kakashi?" Tonbo asked.
Please don't swap targets to me, he thought. I can't handle that level of 'youthful' intensity.
Guy said seriously, "Kakashi hasn't returned to the village yet. Besides, you're a Chunin now, so you must be very strong! I want to challenge you."
"Well, since you've invited me so sincerely... I'll spar with you for a bit!"
Tonbo also wanted to know exactly how far Guy's Taijutsu had progressed at thirteen.
Swish! Swish!
The two didn't waste another word. They moved apart to a set distance, performed the Seal of Confrontation, and focused their gazes simultaneously.
Nearby, Ebisu and Genma Shiranui watched the two eager fighters with a look of helplessness. However, they watched the battle intently. They knew Guy's strength well, but they didn't know much about their classmate Tonbo's current level. They only knew he had been to the front lines and was a member of the Analysis Team. More importantly, he was already a Chunin—leaving them far behind in rank.
Bang! Bang!
The battle began.
Guy's Taijutsu was indeed formidable. At only thirteen, his mastery of the Konoha-style Strong Fist was already extremely refined. His shuriken and kunai throwing skills were also at a solid, mid-tier level. Facing Tonbo's shuriken attacks, he could counter with his own or parry them with a kunai. It was clear that Tonbo wasn't the only one who had grown during the war.
Tonbo realized that without using special tactics, it would be impossible to defeat Guy easily. He had no intention of using offensive Ninjutsu; instead, he engaged Guy directly in Taijutsu.
"These two... they're growing so fast!" Genma's scalp felt numb as he watched.
Ebisu nodded. "I can't believe Tonbo's Taijutsu can go toe-to-toe with Guy's."
It felt surreal to see them evenly matched. In the Academy, Tonbo's grades were only upper-middle, and as a sensory-type ninja, he shouldn't theoretically be able to rival Guy in physical combat.
"That Taijutsu looks familiar, but it's not a standard Konoha style," Genma analyzed, observing Tonbo's movements.
Ebisu agreed. "There are elements of the Iwagakure style and the Kumogakure style mixed in with Konoha's Strong Fist. He probably picked up those habits while reading enemy memories and integrated them into his own style."
Both Ebisu and Genma were the "honor student" types of ninja. Their grasp of Academy knowledge and their daily observations were top-notch. They quickly broke down Tonbo's fighting style.
Just as they suspected, this was Tonbo's personal improvement on Taijutsu. He knew a ninja could never truly separate themselves from physical combat. Whether facing enemies who could absorb ninjutsu or those immune to Genjutsu, strong Taijutsu was his ultimate insurance policy for survival. This was the result of six months of progress—it wasn't just Genjutsu he had been practicing.
"And..."
The corner of Tonbo's mouth curled up. While blocking Guy's attack with one hand, he wove a seal with the other. Guy's pupils shrank.
"Illusion Clones."
In Guy's eyes, the Tonbo in front of him suddenly multiplied. He was surrounded. The clones attacked from every direction with shuriken, kunai, and ninjutsu.
Thud!
Dazzled and confused, Guy was thrown backward by a direct hit. He tumbled several times on the ground before springing back up.
His two teammates were stunned. The end came too quickly. It was as if Tonbo had tested Guy with Taijutsu for a moment and then ended it instantly. If they hadn't seen it wrong, Guy had frozen for a split second—as if his vision had been interfered with—and was defeated in that window.
"Haha! It's over. Guy, your Taijutsu has improved again!"
Tonbo formed the Seal of Reconciliation and laughed. Inwardly, he noted that no matter how strong Guy would become, he was still green right now. His physical stats were high, but his combat experience was lacking. A simple Genjutsu shouldn't have finished him that easily.
Might Guy scratched his head and gave a thumbs-up. "Ah! As expected of the man who's already a Chunin and a squad leader! I'm still far behind. I must punish my own laziness with one thousand five hundred high-kicks, starting now!"
Genma and Ebisu approached. "What happened just now? Why did you daze out?" Genma asked. Because of the angle, he hadn't seen Tonbo's one-handed seal.
Guy stopped his "punishment" briefly to answer. "I was careless! I fell for Tonbo's Clone Jutsu instantly!"
"Clone Jutsu?" The two were baffled. They hadn't seen any clones at all.
Tonbo explained, "Well, it's a type of Genjutsu Clone. Only the victim can see them. As long as you follow the standard Genjutsu release taught at the Academy, you can break it easily."
This was his Illusion Clone (Genbunshin), developed based on the Oboro Bunshin of the Hidden Rain. Its advantage was low chakra consumption, though its downside was that a simple Kai (Release) could break it—it wasn't as advanced as the holographic-style Oboro clones.
The two nodded, making mental notes on how to counter it. They were true professionals.
Tonbo, having absorbed the memories of so many ninja, understood the vital importance of information. He knew that somewhere out there, a "black-and-white guy" (Zetsu) might be watching. He didn't have a Kekkei Genkai, so he shouldn't be a primary target, but he wouldn't act as if he weren't being watched. Any information he let slip was calculated.
The group spent the next while discussing survival methods during wartime—from intelligence analysis to chakra control. The level of detail was immense. They were all academic elites. Even Guy, whom many fans might remember as a hot-blooded youth who "couldn't use ninjutsu," had many unique and sharp insights.
Tonbo could see that Guy was actually very meticulous and observant, not a brainless brute. It made sense why he could later pull Rock Lee out of his pit of self-doubt.
Tonbo learned quite a bit from his friends' perspectives, marveling at how useful his current brain was. Meanwhile, the others' impression of Tonbo changed significantly. Everything he pointed out was sharp, practical, and felt like it came from someone who had fought hundreds of battles.
A genius, just like Kakashi. That was their unanimous thought.
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