Konoha's Main Gate
By September, Konoha had shed the summer heat, its sun-drenched leaves glowing with golden hues from within.
"Konoha, I'm back!!!"
On the dirt road before the village gate, a burly man roared to the heavens. He carried a long pole wrapped in black cloth over his shoulder, luggage dangling from its end, striding confidently toward Konoha.
As his figure drew closer, his identity became unmistakable: the wrinkled green spandex, the shiny watermelon-rind hairstyle—Konoha's rare beast, Might Guy!
Thud, thud.
Treading the familiar dirt path, Guy's dark face sported thick, arched eyebrows, his heart surging with excitement as the iron-green gates loomed larger.
The month-long escort mission had utterly exhausted him.
No wonder the mission's pay was so generous—it wasn't just some simple caravan job. The wealthy girl hidden in the group turned out to be a princess from a small nation, traveling to the Fire Country's capital not for trade but to seek political aid.
Her pursuers? Traitors who'd murdered her king to seize power. Even worse, the princess's maid in the caravan was a spy for the rebels.
In the end, Might Guy, the unassuming bodyguard, became a lone hero, cutting through enemy ranks with the fugitive princess in tow.
That's right—he never even made it to the Fire Country's capital.
Fed up with being chased, he unleashed Hachimon Tonkō (Eight Gates), pummeling the enemy leader into the ground and obliterating the rebel forces with a single Morning Peacock.
If not for his slightly rugged looks, goofy hairstyle, and green spandex dragging down his heroic vibe, the princess might've thrown herself at him.
But no matter!
The mission pay was maxed out, and he'd scored an unexpected bonus.
Guy ran his hand over the black cloth wrapping his pole, its soft, smooth texture feeling almost finer than a maiden's skin. This was "Black Orb," a rare material made from special silkworms using a secret technique. Soft yet incredibly tough, it was stab-proof, fireproof, waterproof, breathable, and didn't collect dust.
Due to the scarcity of the silk and the lengthy production process, only a tiny amount was made each year. Nobles and royals across nations scrambled to buy it for inner armor, leaving almost none for the open market. On the black market, its price slightly exceeded its weight in gold.
After defeating the rebels, the grateful princess gifted Guy the Black Orb—originally meant for the Fire Country's daimyo to secure protection—as a thank-you. The cloth was for Hikari and Kakashi, but the pole inside, a spoil from the rebels, was even rarer.
Imagining Hikari's delight at the gift, Guy's face broke into a fatherly smile. He was ready to regale his dear adopted daughter with tales of his thrilling adventures. Surely, bored out of her mind in the village, Hikari would gaze at him with admiration, blind or not.
He patted his shiny watermelon-rind hair and strode through Konoha's gates, brimming with anticipation.
"Out you go!"
No sooner had he entered than two sharp-eyed, unfamiliar ninja grabbed him and pushed him back out.
"Name, origin, reason for leaving and entering the village," they demanded.
Stumbling back onto the dirt road, Guy blinked in confusion, pointing at the forehead protector on his head. "I'm a Konoha ninja!"
"Sorry, the village is under lockdown. We're strictly checking everyone coming and going. Please understand," the two ninja said, their faces stern, legs tensed in a defensive stance, ready to fight.
Even the thickheaded Guy realized something major had happened in the village during his month-long absence.
After a moment, he showed his pass, verified his identity with the gate guards, and casually asked why the village was on lockdown.
Then he was floored.
"What?! The Uchiha, one of Konoha's founding clans, was wiped out?"
"Kumogakure sent ninja to attack the main gate, and Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane died?"
"Miss Sawada Fuka was a Kumogakure spy?"
"Hold on—what?! Hikari killed who?"
Guy's barrage of questions left him dazed. He understood every word, yet it felt like he'd been hit with a genjutsu.
One of Konoha's founding clans, the proud Uchiha, wiped out—by one of their own?! Kumogakure ninja stormed the village gate and sent elites to attack the ninja academy, trying to spark the Fourth Great Ninja War? And Hikari defeated a veteran Kumogakure Jōnin, becoming a genius surpassing Kakashi and rivaling the First Hokage?
What was going on?!
Registration complete, Guy bid farewell to the "delusional" gate guards, hefted his luggage, and walked through the gate in a daze.
When Hachimon Tonkō was active, chakra and vitality surged uncontrollably, making it theoretically impossible for Guy to fall under genjutsu.
If it wasn't an illusion, then… was everything the guards said true?
Unable to believe it, Guy scanned the streets. The people of Konoha moved calmly, kids played ball by the roadside—everything looked the same as a month ago, yet it felt oddly foreign.
He'd been gone just over a month, but it felt like years.
"Hey, isn't that Guy?"
Teacher Mitsuda, with his less-than-lush hair, was strolling down the street when he spotted Guy looking around like a first-time visitor.
Taking in Guy's travel-worn appearance, Mitsuda asked, "Just back from a mission?"
Caught off guard by running into his old academy teacher, Guy's muscle memory kicked in, and he nodded respectfully. "Yeah, just got back! Why aren't you teaching at the academy?"
"It's the weekend!"
Mitsuda smacked his lips enviously. Guy had barely qualified for the academy due to poor chakra control, but his grit earned the Third Hokage's favor, bending the rules for his admission. His grades were a mess, yet within years, he'd risen to Jōnin through taijutsu alone. Now, he'd casually adopted a girl who turned out to be a once-in-a-century prodigy.
How did all the good luck fall to this fool?
"You raised a great daughter," Mitsuda said, masking his jealousy.
But Guy's face darkened. Mitsuda's words confirmed the gate guards' story—Hikari really had faced a Kumogakure Jōnin!
"Is Hikari okay? How bad are her injuries?" Guy clenched his fists, his rugged face etched with worry.
He knew how strong Kumogakure's elite Jōnin were, having fought in the war. Even if Hikari won, the cost must've been steep. Titles like "Konoha's greatest genius" mattered less to him than her safety.
Seeing Guy focus not on his daughter's fame but her well-being, Mitsuda nodded inwardly. Not just dumb luck—good people get good rewards, huh? Hard to even be jealous of a guy like this.
"I don't know the details, but I heard she's been discharged and isn't in danger. She hasn't been to school, though—probably still recovering at home," Mitsuda said.
Heart pounding, Guy thanked him and rushed toward the Hatake clan grounds, luggage in tow.
Behind him, Mitsuda chuckled, shaking his head, and resumed his stroll, scanning the streets for a genius kid to adopt, hoping to replicate Guy's luck.
Hatake Clan Grounds
"Cheers!" Clink!
Two glasses of orange-yellow juice clinked lightly on the pale yellow tatami. Kakashi and Hikari sat cross-legged, toasting. Between them, a long brown table was laden with food.
Gulping down her juice, Hikari's appetite flared at the aroma of the meal. After devouring twenty-four bowls of ramen at Ichiraku, Kakashi had refused to take her out to eat again. Today's spread was his handiwork.
Having lived alone since childhood, Kakashi had honed impressive cooking skills. Since Hikari didn't want to be gawked at like a zoo animal and found his food decent, she agreed to eat at home.
Two weeks flew by.
That morning, Kakashi's shadow clone reported the mission's end. Hikari guessed Sarutobi Hiruzen had verified her identity. To celebrate, Kakashi prepared a lavish lunch for them to share.
Hikari happily agreed.
Thanks to Kakashi's cooking and their shared love of books, they'd gotten along decently—though "decently" was a stretch. Sarutobi's orders meant Kakashi had to protect (and monitor) her 24/7, like a bodyguard for a school idol. Except for bathroom breaks, he was glued to her side.
In the two weeks since her discharge, Hikari hadn't found a chance to experiment with her Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse). It was driving her nuts.
But she hadn't been idle. The Yin and Yang technique scrolls from her friends were practically falling apart from use. The insights were beyond her expectations.
The mysterious veil of Yin and Yang techniques was finally lifting.
Yin-ton, born from spiritual energy governing imagination, creates form from nothingness. Yang-ton, born from physical energy tied to vitality, gives life to form.
The original Naruto series described Yin and Yang techniques in just those vague, lofty lines. The scrolls, however, were far more detailed, offering Hikari a glimpse into chakra's ultimate secrets.
In the shinobi world, everyone harbored a force called "life." Invisible and intangible, it determined one's potential—talent, lifespan, chakra reserves, recovery, healing, and resilience.
Yin and Yang techniques were unique chakra nature transformations designed to break the limits of this life force. Life force was split into two categories: Yin power, stored in the soul, and Yang power, stored in the body.
The Pure Land of the shinobi world gathered the souls of those whose Yang power was depleted or whose bodies were destroyed, yet whose Yin power lingered, keeping their souls intact.
From her academy lessons, Hikari knew chakra was born from blending spiritual and physical energy, nurtured by the "chakra seed" within, which then fed back to the body. Spiritual energy came from the soul absorbing nutrients, while physical energy came from the body.
Clever ninja devised a formula: life force splits into Yin and Yang, its origins unknown. The soul, sustained by Yin power, produced spiritual energy; the body, fueled by Yang power, produced physical energy. Stronger life force meant more energy, leading to greater growth and more robust chakra.
It was a chain reaction.
Understanding this, ancient ninja got creative. If life force limited lifespan and chakra, could they control or replenish it? Since chakra was a versatile force, some wondered: if chakra could mimic elements like wind or water, why not life force?
This sparked genius ideas, birthing Yin and Yang techniques.
By mimicking Yin and Yang power, chakra could transform into Yin or Yang chakra. But there were limits—water chakra wasn't true water, and Yin-Yang chakra wasn't true Yin or Yang power.
Ninja aiming to transcend life's limits failed, but their Yin-Yang techniques spread, spawning secret clans like the Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, and Aburame. Overusing Yin-Yang chakra even altered their descendants' chakra seeds, embedding related powers.
Generations later, their techniques and physiques neared Kekkei Genkai status. In a few decades or centuries, ninja might be born who could control shadows or enter minds without hand signs.
Beyond the overview, the scrolls detailed methods to condense Yin and Yang chakra. Each of the five scrolls offered unique yet similar approaches, though key parts were incomplete to protect clan secrets.
Hikari was still sorting through them.
Tap, tap, tap.
As she savored the food and pondered Yin-Yang training, hurried footsteps echoed outside.
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