I, Konoha's Sage of Life

"I see. So, the way you developed this Active Technique was similar to how you created the Eight Gates—it was just a result of blind perseverance, rather than intentional design. The repeated activation of the Gate of Opening must have loosened your chakra locks, enabling this effect."

The Eight Gates are essentially chakra locks within the body.

Training in the Eight Gates gradually reduces their side effects. For someone like Might Duy, opening up to the Sixth Gate was almost effortless, but he hadn't trained much beyond that.

As a result...

His strong physical condition unconsciously allowed him to partially open some chakra locks, not fully activating them but still gaining certain benefits.

This was a unique advantage others couldn't replicate.

At least not Kyoichi. He could only open up to the Third Gate of the Eight Gates, far from being able to access the Gate of Life, let alone accidentally loosen the Gate of Opening.

Moreover, Kyoichi's chakra control was highly refined, so such unintentional breakthroughs were almost impossible for him.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Might Duy asked, slightly confused.

"It's great for you and Guy, but other Jōnin probably can't learn it," Kyoichi said honestly.

Might Duy's improvement method was something Kyoichi could theoretically mimic, but it was impractical. The technique demanded an extremely high level of physical strength, which most Jōnin simply didn't possess.

However...

Developing a weaker version of the Active Technique would require an in-depth understanding of cells and medical ninjutsu. Unfortunately, Kyoichi's knowledge in these areas was rudimentary.

If only Tsunade were still in Konoha.

Kyoichi thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps you could adjust the technique to suppress the activation level, just enough to avoid interfering with the Eight Gates. That might make it more practical."

"Huh? It works like that?"

Might Duy froze, pondering the suggestion.

It makes sense!

The solution seemed simple, and he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it himself. His enthusiasm reignited, and he clenched his fists with a loud declaration: "Wonderful! My youth burns brighter than ever!"

With that, Might Duy ran off, leaving Kyoichi standing there, speechless.

Like father, like son, indeed.

Still...

Might Duy's version of the Active Technique was intriguing. It naturally and partially opened the Gate of Opening, reducing energy consumption and side effects while allowing him to exert nearly full power when combined with the technique.

Kyoichi decided it was worth trying to incorporate into his own training, especially as he worked toward opening the Sixth Gate.

As for the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, that would have to wait until he could learn more advanced medical ninjutsu from Tsunade.

---

The squad was newly formed, and everyone was focused on training their respective subordinates. Kyoichi maintained his routine of completing three missions a day, using the opportunity to guide his students in rotation: Yuhi Kurenai, Asuma, and Shisui.

Asuma and Shisui were straightforward to instruct—teaching one Wind Release techniques and the other swordsmanship.

Kurenai, on the other hand, was trickier.

Kyoichi only knew two genjutsu techniques, neither of which was suitable for her to learn. His medical ninjutsu knowledge was similarly limited to the Mystical Palm Technique, which required significant foundational knowledge and couldn't be taught quickly.

Thus, the only viable option for Kurenai was Kyoichi's modified Body Flicker Technique.

Fortunately, Kurenai was diligent and eager to learn, which made up for the limited material he could offer.

And, of course, the system rewarded him daily for his teaching efforts.

Over the past ten days, while no high-level jutsu had been awarded, Kyoichi had gained several useful techniques, such as Great Breakthrough and Hell Viewing Technique.

Most satisfying was the incremental improvement in his swordsmanship.

Although small, it saved him months of shadow clone practice.

---

"Kyoichi-sensei, Lord Hokage says the backlog of D-rank missions has been cleared, and there aren't enough left. We can't assign you three anymore."

"None at all?"

"Well, there's one. You can take it if you want."

The Chūnin handing out missions stood firm.

The truth was, there were still missions available, but the recent influx of Genin returning to the village had quickly depleted the supply after ten days of frantic activity.

"Sensei, why don't we just take one for now?" Kurenai suggested.

For most Genin squads, even getting one D-rank mission was already good. The fact that they'd been doing three a day was remarkable.

Kyoichi glanced at the mission list.

After ten days of training, his students had made considerable progress. D-rank missions weren't yielding much improvement anymore.

If only one mission was available...

"Fine. I'll take this C-rank mission."

Kyoichi pointed to one of the entries.

Road repair assistance.

Unlike the famous Great Naruto Bridge of the Land of Waves, these road repair missions were focused on rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the war. The aim was to restore trade routes and protect against bandits.

"A C-rank mission? That involves..."

The Chūnin hesitated, unwilling to approve the assignment.

But before he could refuse outright...

Clang!

Kyoichi slammed the Sword of the Thunder God onto the desk, startling the Chūnin.

"You think being a Jōnin lets you intimidate people?" the Chūnin thought, stunned and flustered.

After a moment's hesitation, he mustered the courage to argue, "Newly formed squads aren't allowed to take C-rank missions."

"That rule applies in peacetime. Right now, even the 12-year graduation rule has been waived. Why cling to outdated policies? Approve it."

Kyoichi's tone carried a hint of exasperation.

A month of peace, and people were already dragging out old rules.

The Chūnin faltered, glancing nervously at the mission log.

"Cough. Let him take it."

Suddenly, the Third Hokage appeared, pointing to a specific mission.

"Assist with rebuilding Hakuen Town."

Hakuen Town?

Kyoichi vaguely recalled it. Situated in the western part of the Land of Fire, it wasn't a former battlefield but was near the Kikyō Pass area.

"Understood. Thank you, Lord Hokage."

Accepting the task, Kyoichi couldn't help but wonder about the Third Hokage's intentions.

Allowing a newly formed squad to take a C-rank mission wasn't surprising—times of war often blurred such lines. However...

Why specify this mission?

Something about it seemed unusual.

Still, Kyoichi didn't voice his doubts.

His students, Asuma and Kurenai, were visibly excited about their first C-rank mission. Shisui, accustomed to patrolling with the Uchiha Police Force, was more indifferent but nonetheless eager to learn.

"Be cautious in Hakuen Town," the Third Hokage said. "While you're there, take the opportunity to scout the surrounding area."

With those parting words, Kyoichi and his team departed the village.

"Don't forget to practice along the way. Remember the Body Flicker and taijutsu techniques I've taught you," Kyoichi instructed.

"Understood!" the three replied in unison.

Kyoichi activated his Body Flicker Technique, leading the way as the team followed.

The post-war Land of Fire was relatively safe, with few bandits or rogue ninjas remaining. Still, Kyoichi frequently used chakra sensing to scan their surroundings, ensuring there were no ambushes.

He even wished for an attack—it would be a good opportunity to test his team's abilities.

Unfortunately, the journey was uneventful.

Still, Kyoichi had a hunch that Hakuen Town held some hidden trouble.

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