Lying lazily on the ground, Aoyama stared at the birds flying freely under the blue sky and drifting clouds. They looked so carefree, soaring wherever they pleased, stopping whenever they grew tired. If only I could be like that—free, unrestrained, and without a destination.
But lying here like this wouldn't get him home. Sure, life in the ninja world didn't lack food or drink, but there was no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning, no games, no manga to binge on. He still had to find a way back to his original world.
Right…
I got beaten just now, didn't I? Otherwise, why would I be lying here? Damn it, I actually lost to someone on my own level… Even if Might Guy becomes a legend with a single kick in the future, that's still in the future. How can he already be this strong? It doesn't make sense.
Aoyama rolled over, rested a little longer, then reluctantly pushed himself up. The ground still trembled with booming shockwaves—it meant Guy hadn't finished fighting yet.
Muttering to himself, Aoyama thought:
"With the Eight Gates Formation unleashed at full power, my strength should be around Kage-level right now. But there's still a gap before I can reach Super Kage level. Unless I can stably open the Sixth Gate like Guy, without paying a heavy price, I won't catch up to him."
He could open the Sixth Gate, but unlike Guy, he couldn't do it lightly. His body wasn't honed to the same extreme, so forcing the gate open required a tremendous sacrifice.
Guy might be a bit of an idiot, often acting like a clown in a circus, but when it came to training, he was dead serious. Every single day of his life had been blood, sweat, and tears.
That's why, up to the Fifth Gate, Guy could open them with ease, barely paying any price, instantly gaining power comparable to a Kage. Even the Sixth Gate, with just a little more effort, he could crack open.
But for Aoyama, forcing the Sixth meant crippling weakness afterward—long-term damage that wasn't worth it.
So instead of pointlessly competing with Guy, it was better to just lie down and rest. After all, their relationship was good. Even if they fought, Guy wouldn't kill him.
Being a rogue ninja was awkward, sure. But having lived half his life in Konoha, Aoyama had ties with most of the main characters. Losing a fight wouldn't mean losing his life—it just stung his pride.
The rumbling gradually quieted. Soon, there was nothing. Clearly, the battle was over. Most likely, the three Akatsuki members had all been kicked into scrap by Might Guy.
Compared to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist being turned into a joke trio, this wasn't even the worst outcome.
Suddenly, the ground cracked open. A fresh White Zetsu sprouted up, poking its head out and scanning around.
"Don't bother looking," Aoyama said. "The mission failed. We couldn't stop him."
"The leader already knows the outcome," White Zetsu replied. "To think the Eight Gates, once feared even by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, haven't died out in Konoha. That man, Might Guy, is terrifyingly strong."
Aoyama muttered in his heart: No kidding. This is the man who nearly killed Madara Uchiha in the future. You think that kind of monster grows on trees? Guy-sensei is absolute top-tier—unless an Otsutsuki shows up, no one can take a full-powered kick from him.
White Zetsu continued, "My clones have found Kakuzu. And Sasori…"
Despite the victory, Konoha's team had suffered badly. Other than Guy, everyone was seriously injured. And Guy himself—once the Eight Gates wore off—dropped from beyond-Kage-level down to weaker than a Chūnin, his body completely drained.
After a quick discussion, the group decided to retreat. If reinforcements came now, all five of them could die. Safety came first.
White Zetsu wasn't strong, but he was good at tracking people. In no time, he hauled over the other two. Seeing Sasori with half his puppet body blown apart, and Kakuzu down to his last heart, even Aoyama couldn't help but admit Guy's strength was monstrous.
White Zetsu hesitated, then added:
"Aoyama, when I came here, I saw your summoned beasts… they were in rough shape. Practically on the brink of death."
Aoyama sighed helplessly, pulling out his Book of Monsters. With a snap, he recalled Godzilla and King Kong back to their original world. "They won't die, but I'm sore all over. I need a place to rest."
Kakuzu growled, face twisted in fury:
"That bastard! Next time I see him, I'll kill him! Damn it—he wiped out four of my hearts in one instant!"
His forbidden technique, Earth Grudge Fear, let him prolong his life by stealing hearts, each one granting him another chance at survival. To stay safe, he always kept his collection full. Losing four at once meant his life hung by a thread.
After all, once he had learned the forbidden technique, his strength had plateaued—stuck at Elite Jōnin level, the very bottom of Kage-tier, about the same as the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
Sasori was just as frustrated. Half his puppet body had been blown to bits. If not for his modifications, he might have been the first Akatsuki member to die.
With a shrug, three White Zetsu carried the wounded trio into a concealed cave, hunted some wild game, and left them to recover.
Meanwhile, in the Rain Village—
Nagato's eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"Konoha really has someone that strong? I thought the rumors of a Konoha Genin defeating the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were just propaganda. But it seems this Eight Gates technique… is truly terrifying."
The Seven Swordsmen were no small fry. Each one was at least Jōnin level, the strongest among them at Elite Jōnin. Together, they were considered so fearsome that even a Kage might avoid direct confrontation. Their infamy was unmatched, their giant blades symbols of dread.
By all logic, even if not the absolute pinnacle of the shinobi world, they should have been a formidable force.
But to be beaten by a single Konoha "Genin"? The absurdity of it shook even Nagato.
Now, those who survived the humiliation had become the laughingstock of the ninja world. Even Nagato's acknowledgment of them carried only faint pity.