"Might Duy, what technique is that?"
"I call it the Eight Inner Gates. But for now, I can only open up to the Sixth Gate."
Duy answered Shuomo honestly.
"If someone opens the Eighth Gate… would they really gain power beyond the Kage level?"
Nayuki still remembered what Kawakaze once said.
Duy nodded and explained the dangers of the Eight Gates.
"But the Eighth Gate is the Gate of Death. Once you open it… you die."
"Unless it's absolutely necessary, it should never be used."
Kawakaze's expression darkened—after all, this man did die because he opened the Eighth Gate.
"Haha, it's still way too early to talk about that. I'm not even close to that level yet."
Duy laughed. He didn't believe he would reach the point of opening all Eight Gates anytime soon.
"Well… could I learn your technique?"
Shuomo's face turned red as he hesitated.
He was completely fascinated by the Eight Gates.
"Shuomo."
Nayuki spoke first. Not only did she think it was rude, she also didn't want her husband learning something so dangerous.
"It's fine. It's just something outside my body."
"If Brother Shuomo wants to learn, then I'll teach him."
"How can the road of youth be walked alone?"
Duy agreed generously—far beyond Kawakaze's expectations. In the original story, he taught this technique only to his son.
"Thank you. I'll stay for lunch."
Shuomo happily stayed to eat with Duy. He genuinely liked the man, and it was great to finally have someone to spar with.
Who would bother picking a fight with Kawakaze for no reason? There was no technical reason at all.
At lunch, Shuomo and Duy drank until their faces were bright red. Kawakaze couldn't understand how his brother could have so much fun with Duy.
Had the bond between Kakashi and Gai actually begun with their fathers?
Finally, Kawakaze escorted the drunken Duy out of the Hatake household. Too bad he didn't get to see Duy's drunken fist in action.
Perhaps drunken fist was just Lee's personal quirk.
"Kawakaze-kun, you don't have to see me off."
"I can."
Alcohol really was a powerful tool for bonding between men. Duy no longer called him "sir."
"All right, take it slow."
Kawakaze watched him stumble away. It looked like Konoha was about to gain another notable shinobi for the Second Ninja War.
——————— ✦ ✦ ✦ ———————
The next day, Shuomo began learning the Eight Inner Gates from Might Duy.
Nayuki stayed home to look after her pregnancy, while Kawakaze continued causing trouble everywhere.
Minato was still struggling with developing the Rasengan, but unfortunately he remained clueless.
Even Orochimaru began to wonder if Kawakaze suggested the technique just to amuse the kid.
How could one form a sphere of chakra out of thin air? It had no nature element, spun at high speed, and obeyed no normal principles.
If you're so smart, why don't you do it yourself?
Today Tsunade had an important appointment with Kawakaze, so she stayed home waiting for him.
It was all pointless, though—aside from visiting Tsunade, Kawakaze practically never left the house.
Tsunade arrived before lunch, and afterward the two sat together in a quiet room.
What they needed to discuss was extremely secret and important.
"Kawakaze-kun… do you remember I once said I wanted to research my grandfather's cells?"
The moment Tsunade said this, Kawakaze stopped feeling sleepy.
"I remember. Has it been placed on the agenda?"
Kawakaze remembered that Orochimaru had obtained Hashirama's cells by digging up the First Hokage's grave.
Was Tsunade planning to take him grave robbing?
"I haven't decided yet, so I came to discuss it with you."
Kawakaze hesitated. What would he do if Tsunade asked whether she should dig up a grave?
"You said it before."
He kept his expression serious, showing nothing. If he guessed wrong, he might get punched.
"I told you before—Grandfather's cell research was sealed under Sensei's orders."
"The data is sealed… along with my grandfather's cells."
"I'm considering whether I should ask him for a sample."
"I'm not sure what kind of consequences that might bring."
Tsunade had finally realized her own shortcomings—she was no match for these cunning old foxes. So she came to Kawakaze for advice.
Otherwise, with her personality, she would already be banging on Hiruzen Sarutobi's office door.
"Let me think about it."
Kawakaze had originally believed there were no Hashirama cells left in any lab—otherwise Orochimaru wouldn't have risked his life digging up the First Hokage.
Danzō had already been killed by him, so there was no threat there.
The Third Hokage's goal was to cultivate a stable user of Wood Release.
But including Boruto's era, the number of people compatible with Hashirama cells was extremely small.
Even Yamato wasn't implanted with complete Hashirama cells.
Clearly, even if the cells were developed, they couldn't be used on a large scale.
The requirements for integration were simply too high.
Thinking this far, Kawakaze had already made up his mind—but the Third would never allow them to participate directly in any experiments.
"You can make the request, but we have to agree on something first. Once the technology succeeds, we help the village raise a new Wood Release user."
"But we are absolutely forbidden from participating in the experiment itself. That's our bottom line."
After all these years of zero progress, it was obvious the Third's research team was incompetent. They probably put more people in charge of giving orders than doing real work.
"All right. Then I feel reassured. I'll talk to Sensei."
The equipment in the underground hospital lab was already prepared. Tsunade was eager to begin the research project on Hashirama's cells.
"Don't worry—we're here."
Kawakaze reached out and pulled Tsunade toward him as they walked.
Tsunade stumbled into his chest.
"What are you doing? There are people around."
Tsunade pressed her hands against his chest, blushing.
"There's no one here. I told the steward to keep watch."
Kawakaze had already planned everything out.
"…"
Tsunade was speechless. This pervert even thought of hiring someone to ensure privacy.
"Give me a kiss and I'll let you go."
Kawakaze tilted his head toward her.
"No."
Tsunade turned away.
"If you don't want it, it means you really want it."
Kawakaze leaned in and kissed her flushed cheek.
"Mmh—"
Tsunade's tiny fist hit his shoulder, but without any force behind it.
Feeling Kawakaze's tongue slip into her mouth, she closed her eyes, cheeks burning.
"You're just taking advantage of me!"
Tsunade jumped to her feet, furious—even more alluring to Kawakaze now.
Her hair was slightly messy, cheeks red, voice shy and angry—Kawakaze's heart throbbed.
He didn't say anything. He simply reached out and wrapped his arms around her legs.
Realizing something was wrong, Tsunade panicked—he was absolutely about to get carried away—and she ran.
"I'll talk to you later!"
Kawakaze's "attack" had failed. Her voice still echoed in his ears, but she was long gone.
"That vixen…"
Kawakaze regained his composure, lazily sat down cross-legged, and poured himself tea.
"No matter how much you resist, you'll still give me a child someday."
He muttered to himself and finished his cup in one gulp.
After a while, he left the quiet room—he couldn't stay alone in a place like that.
When he reached the training hall, Nayuki was sunbathing, and Shuomo had gone to find Duy again.
Those two cultivation lunatics were truly a match made in heaven.
Kawakaze was in a good mood and even slowed his ghost mastiff's steps.
The mastiff happily lifted its head so Kawakaze could scratch under its chin.
Who could've guessed that this scary-looking man had such good massage skills? He'd only been torturing himself earlier.
Meanwhile, Tsunade had arrived at the Hokage building and knocked on the office door.
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All the fanfiction is 30-chapter ahead but this "Naruto: Tsunade the Fugitive Healer" is 30 chapters ahead there