"Ah!"
A long howl echoed from the Konoha camp, and a streak of green light shot across the sky.
"Duy! You—!"
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could stop him, Might Duy had already launched himself like a green meteor straight at Hidan.
"Sigh, can't even tolerate a few harsh words—how can he lead troops?"
Hiruzen actually had great appreciation for this loyal and courageous "eternal genin." Though Might Duy wasn't the sharpest, he was resilient, loyal, dependable, and a master of taijutsu—not to mention his secret technique, the Eight Gates. Promoting him to squad leader for this campaign was meant to nurture his potential.
"Lord Hokage, Might Duy's taijutsu is exceptional. He won't fail. Let him dampen Sunagakure's arrogance a bit. Look!"
Nara Shikaku pointed to the Konoha ninja behind the defenses. Hiruzen looked and saw everyone cheering Might Duy on, pumping their fists in the air.
Maybe boosting morale wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"Minato!"
"Here!"
Namikaze Minato replied.
"Keep your eyes on the battlefield. If Might Duy is in trouble, intervene immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
...
"Damn! Here he comes! Can't underestimate him! Takagi, Takao, bring a squad and come with me to support Hidan."
Jinghang didn't dare take this lightly. Might Duy was the classic high-burst type—even Hidan's immortality might not be enough to withstand him.
On the battlefield, Might Duy spun gracefully through the air and landed with style, one hand behind his back, the other in a perfect taijutsu stance.
"Hidan! Such foul language—cursing like a fishwife! Where's even a trace of ninja dignity? Is this how I taught you back then?!"
Might Duy scolded sternly, his full beard and furious expression giving him an air of righteous indignation.
"Sensei, I have no kind words for invaders!"
Hidan replied coldly.
"Hmph! You Sunagakure shinobi have betrayed the true ninja way, destroyed our way of life—it's outrageous and unforgivable! Konoha's great army is here to drive out evil and restore justice!"
Might Duy recited lines straight from Konoha's anti-Sunagakure proclamation. He didn't really grasp what it all meant specifically, but these were the Hokage's words, so they must be right. As a devoted believer in the Will of Fire, he had to carry out the Hokage's will.
"Bah! Out of respect for you as my teacher, I wanted to show some courtesy, but you're even more confused than I thought! All this talk about the 'ninja way' and 'way of life'—it's just Konoha's excuse for invasion! Does only Konoha represent the true ninja way? Must the entire ninja world maintain the same lifestyle as you? Should anyone different be killed?
I may not be well-educated, but I know this—the land beneath our feet belongs to Sunagakure. Anyone who barges in with weapons is an invader! And for invaders, all I have are my scythe and fists! Even you—my once-respected teacher—are no exception!"
"Well said!"
Jinghang, who had just reached the front lines, couldn't help but applaud. The surrounding Sunagakure ninja cheered as well!
This student was truly worth cultivating—those words were reasonable, well-founded, and stirring, showing both a patriotic heart and completely tearing away Konoha's hypocritical mask.
The speech left Might Duy stunned, his face full of confusion.
Am I an invader?
Am I a defender of tradition?
What am I even doing?
After intense inner struggle, his years of faith in the Will of Fire ultimately prevailed.
Hidan was just a kid—what did he understand? He'd been corrupted by those bad people in Sunagakure. But Duy had no words to convince him, so he chose his usual method of educating his son.
Fight!
Once beaten into submission, he'd behave.
"Enough talk! Let's settle this with our skills!"
He drew a pair of Twin Fang nunchaku from his back, spinning them into an impenetrable web while charging at Hidan with piercing battle cries.
Hidan remained composed, wielding his triple-bladed scythe with calm confidence.
In an instant, the clash of metal rang out continuously, sparks flying everywhere from their colliding weapons.
Hidan's scythe technique emphasized wide, sweeping attacks, while Might Duy's nunchaku focused on close-quarters combat. Each had their strengths, and both had been immersed in weaponry for years. Their exchange was evenly matched, movements growing faster and faster until only blurred weapon shadows were visible, leaving the watching crowd breathless with tension.
"Come on! Let's switch to fists and feet!"
Getting excited, Might Duy simply tossed his Twin Fangs aside. Seeing this, Hidan also discarded his triple-bladed scythe, and the two changed tactics to fight hand-to-hand.
"This idiot!"
Jinghang and Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed simultaneously from opposite sides.
Hidan's foundation in hand-to-hand combat came from Might Duy's teaching during his exchange program, later supplemented mainly by Jinghang's Krav Maga and Bajiquan. But Might Duy knew these too. When Duy taught in Sunagakure, he was a member of the Krav Maga curriculum editing team and often sparred with Jinghang.
Punches and kicks flew back and forth, evenly matched, with neither able to break through.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
"Sunagakure Invincible Diamond Leg!"
Same technique, different names.
Two forces of raw power collided in midair, then suddenly separated.
Like a meteor striking Earth—impossible to determine the victor.
"Gate of Opening, open!"
"Gate of Opening, open!"
Both finally began charging up, preparing their ultimate moves.
Almost simultaneously, both opened to the sixth gate—the Gate of View.
At this moment, both had faces like dark dates, eyes flashing like lightning, their entire bodies emanating surging energy.
"Morning Peacock!"
Both shouted in unison, leaping high and throwing punches at each other in midair. Flames scattered from their fists, painting the sky red—bright as sunrise, dazzling as peacock plumage!
"Duy really has been hiding his strength!"
Namikaze Minato couldn't help but marvel.
The flames collided, producing a piercing explosion. The brilliant light was blinding even in broad daylight.
After a long moment, both fighters landed, gasping heavily and staring intently at each other.
"Gate of Wonder, open!"
"Gate of Wonder, open!"
Blue "flames" erupted from both their bodies simultaneously.
However, their techniques seemed slightly different.
"Daytime Tiger!"
"Greedy Wolf!"
In an instant, a giant tiger head and wolf head appeared at their fingertips, colliding at incredible speed with a tremendous roar.
The "tiger head" and "wolf head" tore at each other, two energies intertwining. Whether Konoha or Sunagakure ninja, all felt their eardrums being battered.
Like a localized storm, sand filled the air and stones flew everywhere.
After a long while, the dust settled. Both stood on opposite sides, breathing heavily.
"Not bad. You've improved the technique—the power is no less than Daytime Tiger."
Might Duy generously praised Hidan.
"Daytime Tiger's hand seals are too complex—I really can't remember them, so I modified it."
Hidan didn't hide anything.
"What about this move—have you improved it too?"
Might Duy used his thumb to point to an acupoint near his heart.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
🤔 Want to know what happens next to the characters?
🤫 Eager to explore the untold secrets of this world?
✍️ Ready to read more of my wildest stories?
✨patreon.com/DarkGolds