The caravan leader, Taro Iyama, watched nervously as Seiran devoured the tributes meant for Shibi. His men exchanged worried glances.
"This isn't a mistake, right? This is our offering for Lord Shibi?"
"How could that be? It's too much!"
Taro shot them a sharp look and lowered his voice. "Since they're Shibi's students, let them eat. As long as we make a good impression on him, he'll protect us for the rest of the trip. That guarantees our safety."
The caravan members nodded, and relief washed over their faces. Their goal was simple: win Shibi's favor through generosity, and they'd have a powerful ally if trouble found them on the road.
Satisfied, they returned to their posts.
Nearby, Anko Mitarashi's fist unclenched inside her coat. She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to relax.
Another moment and she would've attacked. She'd wanted nothing more than to feed every last one of these people to her insects. Why can't they take no for an answer? The irritation burned through her. Dealing with civilians was such a hassle. Killing them would've been easier.
She shook her head and glanced over at Seiran, who walked beside Might Duy, happily munching away. Curiosity flickered in her eyes. Duy had let those two join the squad for a reason—she was sure of it. But what could it be?
---
After finishing his watermelon, Seiran tossed the rind aside and wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
"Might Duy, Guy. Have you eaten enough?"
"Stuffed," they replied in unison, patting their stomachs.
Duy looked at Seiran with genuine embarrassment. "Seiran, I can't thank you enough. Not only did you let us join the squad, but you've given us such a feast. I don't know how to repay you."
"Might Duy, you don't need to thank me. Guy's my classmate. I should help." Seiran's smile was bright and warm. "Though I do have a training question, if you don't mind."
Duy hesitated. "Training? I'm just a genin. I'm not sure I can guide you."
"It's fine. I just need your willingness to help."
"Okay! If I can help, just ask!" Duy grinned widely.
Seiran's mouth curved slightly. It was easier than expected.
To most people, Might Duy was ordinary—just another genin stuck in that rank. But Seiran knew the truth. This so-called "10,000-year-old genin" was genuinely terrifying.
The strongest person in this caravan wasn't Anko Mitarashi. It was Might Duy—once he opened the Eight Inner Gates.
In the original story, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had been kicked from a fruit basket and scattered across the battlefield. The three survivors were so traumatized they never set foot in the Land of Fire again. That was the power Duy could unleash.
When Seiran had watched Duy constantly bowing and apologizing to the lead shinobi earlier, something had felt off. His electromagnetic sense had detected it immediately—Duy's biomagnetic field blazed like the sun itself, vastly more powerful than anyone else in the group.
Even the Third Hokage couldn't compare.
In contrast, that proud jonin? A firefly next to a blazing star.
A person's biomagnetic field strength correlated directly with physical capability. Duy's body had been transformed by years training the Eight Inner Gates into something monstrous.
After a moment's thought, Seiran asked, "Duy-senpai, I've been training physical techniques lately. When my stamina gets low, I sense something—like a boundary. Like..." He paused, meeting Duy's eyes. "Like shackles binding my body's strength."
"Shackles?" Guy looked confused. "Is there really something like that? I never felt anything when I trained."
"That's because you haven't pushed hard enough, Guy!" Duy rolled his eyes at his son, then turned to Seiran with genuine surprise. "You've actually touched the boundary of the Eight Inner Gates? I didn't expect your physical talent to be this high."
Seiran kept his expression neutral, though his pulse quickened. "The Eight Inner Gates?"
Duy had a straightforward nature and saw no reason to hide the truth. He smiled directly. "After you train your body to a certain level, you feel these boundaries inside you. They're called the Eight Inner Gates. Break through them, and you unlock extraordinary power."
Guy's eyes widened. "Dad, I've never heard of this before. They didn't teach it at the Academy either."
"Of course not. This is a secret technique." Duy gave a thumbs-up. "I've spent the past twenty years perfecting it. I planned to teach you once you're older."
Ecstasy surged through Seiran's chest, but he kept it hidden. Instead, he looked at Duy with deliberate hesitation. "But if the shackles are real, forcing them open could cause damage, right?"
Duy's expression turned serious. "Mm. Honestly, I don't recommend trying to open the Eight Inner Gates at your age. But since you can sense them, you're at the threshold for training them..."
Without hesitation, Duy shared the key principles of cultivating the Eight Inner Gates. Seiran absorbed every word, understanding blooming in his mind.
"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Duy."
Seiran bowed respectfully.
"Don't, don't! I'm just a genin. I'm already happy to help. Besides, I should thank you for letting us join." Duy scratched his head, flustered.
Seiran then turned to Guy, his expression serious. "The Eight Inner Gates aren't as simple as they sound. Study them carefully with your father."
Guy hesitated. "But my dad's just a genin... I mean, he hasn't even started training them yet."
"Trust me on this," Seiran said simply.
Guy made a mental note. If Seiran thought it was that important, he'd listen.
Seiran took a deep breath, and suddenly—a premonition struck him like lightning. Once he finished training the Eight Inner Gates, his strength would transform fundamentally. He didn't know where the certainty came from. Pure intuition, perhaps. But it felt absolute.
After this mission, I need to find time to train them, he decided.
When Seiran returned to the group's center, Rin Uchiha approached him curiously.
"Seiran, were you asking Might Duy for advice? But he's just a genin!" She'd only caught the tail end of the conversation.
"Don't underestimate Konoha's shinobi," Seiran said, meeting her gaze meaningfully.
Rin's confusion deepened. What was so powerful about Konoha's shinobi?
She was about to ask when Shibi suddenly stopped ahead, his frown deepening as he stared at a distant forest.
"Sensei, what's wrong?" Seiran asked.
"My bugs found an ambush," Shibi said quietly.
Seiran's eyes flashed, and the world seemed to shift. His relaxed posture vanished in an instant, replaced by something harder, colder.
The mission had begun.