In an instant, Might Duy erupted with an overwhelming aura. His entire body seemed to catch fire—his thick beard, hair, and eyebrows all turned crimson red, and his eyes lost their pupils, becoming pure white light.
"No! Stop! This is madness!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi roared desperately, but his voice was drowned out by the cheers of Konoha's ninja.
Anyone could see this was no ordinary display—Might Duy was about to unleash his ultimate technique. With such magnificent power, who wouldn't be excited?
Only Hiruzen understood the terrible truth. Yes, it was magnificent—but it was also lethal!
By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late to stop Might Duy from activating the technique...
Sigh. Konoha's Blue Beast will sing his final song.
"Damn it! Is it really worth dying over a few insults?! Hidan! Fall back now!"
Jinghang shouted urgently.
Hidan just smiled slightly, giving Jinghang a thumbs-up without turning around.
"Sensei, I told you—I'd use my blood, my flesh, and my bones to defend the village. Today's the day I keep that promise. Everyone back away so you don't get caught in the blast."
With that, he pulled a red pill the size of a lychee from his ninja pouch and tossed it into his mouth. Then his right thumb jabbed hard at an acupoint near his heart.
In an instant, Hidan also erupted with tremendous power, his body quickly enveloped in red steam. His form became identical to Might Duy's.
"I don't think I ever taught you how to open the Eight Gates, did I?"
Might Duy frowned.
It was true—when Duy had taught Hidan the Eight Gates in Sunagakure, he'd deliberately held back. Not out of selfishness, but because opening the Gate of Death burned your life force, instantly multiplying your power dozens of times—but it was a fleeting glory that inevitably ended in death.
"You didn't. But the Eight Gates Formation isn't that complex—with a little study, you can figure it out."
Hidan said confidently.
"But you don't have the corresponding techniques."
Might Duy pointed out.
"No problem. I've developed better ones."
Hidan remained confident.
"Do you know the consequences?"
Might Duy asked solemnly.
"Of course I do."
Hidan nodded.
"Then let's begin! Let's ignite blazing flames in this vast desert! Dance the steps of youth!"
"To dance with you, Duy-sensei—what joy!"
"YAAH!"
Might Duy roared, his voice piercing the heavens. In an instant, his movements vanished from sight—he seemed to disappear entirely. The next moment, he was already above Hidan.
"Evening Elephant!"
Might Duy kicked downward.
A pillar of compressed air shot toward Hidan at lightning speed.
"Red Bear!"
Hidan spun 180 degrees, striking upward with his palm. An identical air cannon blasted skyward.
Massive energy collided in midair, like thunder cracking from nowhere. The air shook violently, as if space itself might tear apart. Sand was blown outward by the shockwave, and everyone's ears began ringing.
The might of the Eight Gates—so terrifying!
But it wasn't over yet.
Might Duy suddenly vanished again, appearing at Hidan's side.
"First Step!"
Another air cannon pressed down on Hidan. Hidan spun gracefully, countering with another palm strike.
"Second Step!"
"Third Step!"
"Fourth Step!"
...
Might Duy felt excruciating pain throughout his body—every muscle seemed to be burning. His body kept making sounds like shattering glass—he knew that was his bones breaking. Eventually his body went numb and he could no longer feel pain. He knew his life was burning to its end.
Time for the final strike.
That question still swirled in his mind.
Invader? Defender of the way?
Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore.
I've already burned my life for the Will of Fire.
What's the point of pondering these questions now?
Maybe dying like this is good.
A ninja's death on the battlefield is a fine ending.
At least I won't have to think about those complicated questions anymore.
"Dragon Ascension!"
Might Duy gathered his strength one last time, curling his body into a bow shape. The red steam swirling around him instantly transformed into a giant dragon!
"Look! Look! Everyone see clearly—this is the model of a Konoha ninja! Remember this—this is what a hero looks like! Might Duy is a hero!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted through tears, completely moved by Might Duy's fearless spirit.
Once upon a time, hadn't he also been a young man willing to sacrifice for his village?
But why am I fighting this war?
Is it really for the village?
Am I... wrong about this war?
...
"Guiche!"
Facing the fierce oncoming "dragon," Hidan didn't hesitate. His body spun like a top at high speed, using massive centrifugal force to launch himself.
The blood-red steam bursting from his body instantly formed a giant nine-headed demonic bird, crashing head-on into the dragon!
Question: What happens when two ten-ton cars collide head-on at 120 mph?
Answer: It's like hitting a brick wall.
No ninja watching this battle would ever forget it. No one could believe that flesh and blood could unleash such tremendous energy.
Like two meteors colliding in the sky, the massive destructive force blasted a crater nearly a hundred meters deep in the desert. The impact shockwave nearly knocked everyone off their feet. The tremendous sound echoed across half the Yellow Pagoda Desert.
"Hidan!" "Duy!"
Both sides rushed into the deep crater at maximum speed.
Might Duy and Hidan had become charred "corpses"!
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, you son of a bitch!"
Jinghang cursed as he entered the crater, glaring at Hiruzen.
"Jinghang! How dare you insult the Hokage—"
Namikaze Minato was about to retort, but Hiruzen stopped him.
"Cursing you is getting off easy! I should kill you! Did I invite you here? Did I ask you to come? Day after day, never behaving, always trying to bully this one and that one. Let me tell you today—as long as I, Jinghang, have breath in my body, as long as Sunagakure has even one ninja, we'll fight you to the bitter end! You and Might Duy will all end up as corpses in this desert!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up coldly.
"The dead deserve respect. Let's collect our fallen heroes first, then continue our battle."
Jinghang glared viciously at Hiruzen.
He manipulated iron sand to wrap Hidan, suspending him in the air.
"You, and you—wash your necks and wait."
Jinghang pointed at Namikaze Minato and Hiruzen Sarutobi, then walked back toward the Sunagakure camp without looking back.
...
"Absolutely reckless! Is that technique something you just use casually?"
Jinghang scolded the blackened Hidan in a low voice.
"Sensei, I... didn't... die, did I?"
The weak Hidan mumbled.
"You didn't die because that evil god you never worship decided not to hold it against you and pulled you back from the brink—plus your teacher's wife's special Fast-Acting Heart Pill!"
"Hehe... Teacher's wife's... medicine is good."
"What's there to laugh about? Sigh, that was the only one—you won't get another."
Actually, Jinghang knew in his heart that Hidan's willingness to risk clashing Eight Gates with Might Duy was largely to reduce the threat to Jinghang.
When it came to which Konoha ninja posed the greatest threat to Jinghang—
It wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi, and it wasn't Namikaze Minato.
Number one was still this little-known "eternal genin" Might Duy.
In Sunagakure, aside from Jinghang, no one understood the power of the Eight Gates better than Hidan.
Below the Six Paths, none can match it; above the Six Paths, it's still a one-for-one trade.
"Just lie there quietly. I'll send someone to take you back to the village immediately. For the next year, you're staying in a nutrient tank—no going anywhere!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
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