Naruto: Kurotsuchi Mayuri

"Nine hundred ninety-eight!"

"Nine hundred ninety-nine!"

"One thousand!"

Two figures, one large and one small, both clad in green jumpsuits, flipped their upside-down bodies upright, planting their previously raised legs firmly on the ground.

"Right on time!" Might Duy beamed at his son, Might Guy, who was panting heavily and drenched in sweat. He raised a thumbs-up with a wide, toothy grin.

Despite his exhaustion, Might Guy pushed himself to return the gesture to his father, lifting a trembling arm to give a thumbs-up of his own.

"Duy-san," a calm voice interrupted the heartwarming father-and-son moment. "Please, come in."

The speaker was Kagetsu, who gestured politely for them to enter.

"Kagetsu!" Might Duy bounded over to Kagetsu with remarkable agility, his ever-present enthusiasm evident in his movements. 

Beside him, Might Guy, though weary, managed to greet Kagetsu and the young man standing next to him—Shisui Uchiha—with a respectful nod.

Shisui was no longer surprised by the pair's boundless energy and friendliness. Ever since he joined Orochimaru's team, he had encountered this unusual father-and-son duo regularly.

The two were quite famous in Konoha, though not always for positive reasons.

After all, anyone who had spent even a short time in the village would have noticed them training every single day, regardless of the weather—be it rain, shine, or storm.

Handstand walks, frog jumps, running, push-ups—all performed with unwavering determination. Their bright green jumpsuits and bowl-cut hairstyles made them impossible to overlook.

Yet, despite their grueling training, Might Duy was still officially a Genin, incapable of performing most elemental ninjutsu.

Most Uchiha wouldn't spare the duo a second glance. But Shisui knew better—Might Duy's abilities far exceeded what others assumed.

At least when it came to taijutsu, even with his Sharingan's enhanced dynamic vision and observational powers, Shisui could feel the pressure whenever he sparred with Duy.

"Thank you for your help again this time!" Might Duy bowed deeply to Tsunade and Kagetsu, holding Might Guy beside him.

Duy was incredibly grateful to Tsunade, Kagetsu, and the other Sannin Orochimaru, especially Tsunade and Kagetsu, who had helped adjust and heal their bodies.

The Eight Inner Gates was a forbidden technique. To unleash its full power, the user had to train their body to its absolute limit.

This process of training was extremely painful and required daily effort without a moment of rest.

Pushing the body to its limits, inch by inch, was a grueling task. If not for chakra, an energy unique to shinobi, an ordinary person's body would have broken down long ago.

It was only because of chakra's presence and its nourishing effect that someone like Might Duy could endure such intense physical strain and still remain active and full of life.

However, that didn't mean there were no risks.

Might Duy wasn't a medical ninja. He had relied solely on his own experience, slowly figuring out the correct training methods. 

While he could guide Might Guy to avoid many mistakes, helping him master the Eight Inner Gates more effectively and build a stronger body, this guidance came from Duy's own sacrifices and trial-and-error approach.

The arrival of Tsunade and Kagetsu was a blessing for both father and son. Their intervention not only minimized potential risks but also raised the ceiling of what they could achieve with their technique.

Might Guy might not fully understand the implications of this yet, but Might Duy did. Though he seemed straightforward and carefree, Duy was no stranger to the ways of the world. Having endured constant ridicule and scorn, he was actually more sensitive than most.

Duy deeply understood how much Tsunade and Kagetsu's help meant. Their willingness to check their bodies regularly and use medical ninjutsu to support their health made a huge difference.

Over the years, Duy could clearly feel the changes in his own body and the growth in his strength. 

As for Might Guy, his foundation was even more solid, ensuring that his future potential and achievements would far surpass his own.

All of this made him feel deeply grateful to Nara Kagetsu and Orochimaru, who allowed it to happen.

"No need to thank me. Your body data and blood are valuable research materials for me as well. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement," Kagetsu said, shaking his head. As he spoke, he led the two of them into the laboratory.

Might Duy and Might Guy didn't pay much attention to Kagetsu's words.

Years ago, when the Eight Gates technique was first discussed, Kagetsu had held a similar perspective. While the technique was incredibly powerful, Might Duy never intended to keep it a secret.

In fact, whenever someone expressed a desire to learn the technique and approached him about it, he would usually teach it without holding anything back.

It wasn't just Kagetsu who had asked Duy, a "Eternal Genin," for the Eight Gates technique. 

Once, a medical-nin from another village, who noticed some potential in Duy's training methods, also approached him to learn the technique.

Since this person was on good terms with Tsunade and had come to Konoha on her recommendation, Duy willingly taught the full Eight Gates technique without hesitation.

The strength of this technique lay in the physical and mental discipline built up over time. Without such preparation, it was nothing more than a forbidden jutsu that consumed life force and damaged the body in exchange for power.

After entering the lab, Might Duy and Might Guy lay down on the operating tables with practiced ease. They calmly watched as Kagetsu connected a series of monitoring patches and wires to their bodies.

Once the setup was complete, they even performed combat tests on a training dummy to assess the damage potential. By the time all the data on their new bodies was collected, more than two hours had passed.

"Duy-san, the Technology Development Department has recently created a new potion that can enhance physical fitness. It could have a special effect for someone like you and Guy, who practice the Eight Gates technique. Would you like to try it?" Kagetsu spoke up suddenly after finishing the physical adjustments for both of them.

"A potion to enhance physical fitness?" Might Duy looked at Kagetsu in surprise.

"It can increase the limits of the human body," Kagetsu explained. "Additionally, it helps reduce the spread of injuries caused by fatigue or internal damage and significantly speeds up the body's self-healing process. It could also alleviate the aftereffects of opening the Eight Gates."

"Is that so? Then let me be the first to try it," Duy readily agreed, but he excluded Guy from the offer. 

As a father, he always wanted to experience things himself first before passing on his insights and feelings to his son.

While Duy trusted Kagetsu's skills and integrity, his instinct to protect Guy remained strong.

"No rush. I still need a bit of time to create a potion specifically tailored to your latest physical data. Give me a couple of days," Kagetsu replied, unconcerned about whether Guy would be involved or not. 

He was mainly interested in seeing how effective his potion could be for a ninja who had already pushed their body to its limits.

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