Master Chen nodded with a smile.
"Absolutely. But if you want to learn, you'll have to take a beating first. Without it, you'll never master it."
"So, Kazuyama Gekkō, you won't escape this beating either."
"Hahahaha! I'm not one to hold grudges, old man. But you're one of the rare few who've earned mine!"
Kazuyama Gekkō watched as Master Chen approached with a wicked grin, his face brimming with malice—nothing but malice!
Might Duy chuckled beside him, while Sakumo Hatake wore an expression of complete agreement.
In the eyes of these veteran masters, passing down a skill demanded both rigorous practice and enduring punishment.
Even Sakumo Hatake recalled his own Kenjutsu training days.
Ah, those repeated swings, those repeated blows—every memory was still vivid.
"Hey, that's not fair. You're about to go out and play."
"You're planning to beat me one last time before you leave???"
"Back then, it was this old geezer who set the trap. You, him, and my family's Pakura gave me a proper thrashing."
"Why are you still holding a grudge???"
Kazuyama Gekkō would rather stand and take the beating; he'd already bolted far away in a flash.
After all, who wouldn't be scared when surrounded by three burly men?
He certainly was scared, especially looking at these three.
Konoha Dragon God Master Chen, Konoha White Fang Hatake Sakumo, plus a crazy Adai—good heavens, even if you put Minato Namikaze here, he'd still be scared!
"Alright, I'm done messing with you."
"Here. These are my own notes on the Konoha Dragon God's techniques and tricks."
"Might Duy, you dumb kid. If you ever have questions, ask him."
"With that brat's talent, I'm sure he can solve any problem you throw at him."
"Oh, and that Eight Inner Gates technique of yours? Take it easy."
Oh?
Hearing that last remark, Kazuyama Gekkō couldn't help but glance curiously at Master Chen and Might Duy.
The former looked frustrated beyond belief, while the latter just chuckled foolishly.
Looks like these two really hit it off—a mutual admiration between two masters of Taijutsu?
And Might Duy actually shared the Eight Inner Gates with him?
"Ahahaha, that's what youth is all about, Sensei."
"My body is incredibly resilient. The Eight Inner Gates are just the right medicine for me. Don't worry!"
"Kazuyama, I'm counting on you from now on."
Kazuyama Gekkō nodded.
After all, as one of Konoha's top hidden combatants, Might Duy was terrifying. Once the Eight Gates were activated, he'd hammer anyone in his path without a second thought.
After the hammering, he'd be gone, and whether the opponent survived was entirely up to fate.
…
The next morning, Master Chen left. Without any luggage, he set off on his journey alone.
The same three people came to see him off: Kazuyama Gekkō, Sakumo Hatake, and Might Duy.
"Kazuyama, thank you for everything this time," Master Chen said, his voice filled with sincerity. "There are fewer and fewer ninja from my generation, and even fewer who became friends. I'm truly happy that Old Chen can travel with peace of mind."
As Hatake Sakumo watched Master Chen's receding figure, a hint of warmth flickered in his eyes. Clearly, he was pleased that his old friend could step back in this manner.
"Duy-san, from now on, Konoha's taijutsu will depend on you," Sakumo continued. "But the Eight Inner Gates, huh? If possible, I'd still love to experience it someday."
Might Duy gave a simple response, raising his thumb in approval. "No problem! We'll spar sometime!"
"Perfect—I'll get to test my Konoha Dragon God!"
Kazuyama Gekkō watched the two middle-aged fathers lock eyes, shaking his head helplessly.
"Come on, come on. We've got work to do."
...
Days passed one after another. Beyond his regular classes and training with the ANBU, Kazuyama Gekkō poured all his energy into tracking down his two primary enemies.
This search stretched on for years. Seeing his son already six years old, Kazuyama Gekkō couldn't help but marvel at how quickly time flew. But whether it was the Akatsuki organization or Danzō Shimura, both factions seemed to have vanished from the Ninja World.
No matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find their whereabouts, which frustrated Kazuyama Gekkō immensely.
"Lord Kazuyama, the latest news from Kirigakure has arrived. The Fifth Mizukage has been confirmed," an ANBU member reported, his voice steady.
"It's a woman named Terumi. Though young, she's said to be incredibly powerful—absurdly so."
Sitting atop a tree trunk overlooking a group of kids, Kazuyama Gekkō listened to the ANBU report beside him, showing no reaction whatsoever.
What reaction? Terumi was the one he had sent back to take the position of Mizukage in Kirigakure. For the years without a Mizukage, the village affairs had been handled by the village head, Genji.
It was also this old man who had announced the end of the Blood Mist Village policy. After suffering several consecutive blows, the Kirigakure village saw a surge in Missing-nin. Among them was Biwa Jūzō, an old acquaintance of Kazuyama Gekkō.
"Kazuyama Gekkō, could you show some reaction???" the ANBU member pressed. "This makes us look… well…"
Kazuyama Gekkō glanced back at the reporting ANBU. These were all new recruits. Now their days consisted of enduring scoldings and going on missions. Feeling their strength grow day by day, they couldn't help but become somewhat arrogant.
"What? You're going to tell me how to do my job?" Kazuyama Gekkō replied, his tone dismissive. "The new Mizukage is the new Mizukage. The Land of Water is so far away from us. Why should we care about them?"
"Besides, the feud between the Kumo and Mist Villages has only grown worse these past two years."
"Pirates launched another attack recently, right? What happened?"
"They were caught in a thick fog and lost dozens of ninja."
"Let them keep stirring trouble if they want."
Over the years, Kazuyama Gekkō's worries had only deepened. He felt things were slipping out of control, driving him to urgently consolidate power around him.
These years had yielded some results. Amegakure, Takigakure, Orochimaru, and now Kiri—they were all effectively under his influence. As for Konoha, he was now the foremost figure under Hokage Minato Namikaze. Even Uchiha Fugaku ranked second to him. His manpower was abundant.
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin had become the village's pillars. The next generation—Yamato, Hayate Gekkō, and Haku—also showed remarkable promise.
"Get back to training!" Kazuyama Gekkō shouted.
"Yes... understood, Kazuyama-sama..."
With Kazuyama Gekkō's thunderous roar, all the ANBU vanished. They truly dared not provoke this iron-fisted instructor. Too terrifying—he just ordered extra drills.
"Why the grand gesture?" Pakura's voice came from behind him.
"Didn't you personally train all these ANBU?"
Kazuyama Gekkō took his lover's hand and replied coolly, "Just a bunch of punchy-drunk fools."
"In a few days, I plan to make a trip."
"Where to?"
"The Daimyō's Manor. That bastard Minato has something for me to handle."