---
On one hand, he came to supervise the training of Team Guy. On the other, he was here to personally guide Ye Dou's practice.
Ever since becoming a jōnin instructor and leading the team of Hyuga Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee, Might Guy hadn't spent much time with his students outside of missions.
This made him feel guilty. He tried to make up for it in every way he could—even going so far as to consider passing on the Hachimon Tonkō (Eight Gates Released Formation) to Ye Dou.
But ultimately, he held back.
Ye Dou was still young, and the Eight Gates placed immense strain on the body. The price of opening the final gate—the Gate of Death—was death itself. Even Guy, who had mastered the technique to an extreme, had paid a heavy physical price.
Ye Dou wasn't him. Nor was he like Rock Lee, who had no other path but taijutsu. Ye Dou was a natural-born genius—one who had already developed formidable physical techniques at a young age. Even without the Eight Gates, he would undoubtedly become an exceptional shinobi.
In the end, Guy couldn't bring himself to teach Ye Dou the Eight Gates—not yet.
---
"Brother Ye Dou…"
"Don't call me brother."
"Uh… Senior Ye Dou, then."
"…"
Another day, after their sparring drills had concluded, Rock Lee approached Ye Dou to ask about the taijutsu techniques he'd used against Hyuga Neji.
Rock Lee was not born with talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, but he possessed a heart that burned with the desire to become a splendid ninja. So he chose the most grueling, painful, and demanding path—pure taijutsu.
After witnessing Ye Dou's power firsthand, he couldn't help but feel inspired.
Ye Dou didn't keep secrets. Aside from "Shave" (Soru), he also explained the principles of "Iron Body" (Tekkai) and "Finger Gun" (Shigan).
To him, this was repaying a debt—gratitude for Might Guy's years of guidance.
However, Ye Dou didn't say a word about Armament Haki. He was always cautious with what he revealed, especially to those who might one day stand opposite him.
"To master Iron Body, you have to become extremely familiar with your own musculature—so much so that you can consciously manipulate your muscles, contracting them to an incredible density. That's how you attain steel-like hardness."
"So the reason why Senior Ye Dou wasn't stopped by Neji's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms… is because the enhanced muscle density kept his chakra points from being sealed?"
"More or less."
Ye Dou responded casually, without revealing the truth about Armament Haki.
"Even Neji's Gentle Fist can't break through it… If I could master Iron Body, wouldn't I be practically invulnerable!?"
Rock Lee's eyes sparkled with excitement, imagining himself charging through battlefields like an unstoppable tank.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Iron Body enhances defense, but the major drawback is immobility. Once it's activated, you can't move—unless you learn to accelerate blood flow and muscle contraction to compensate."
The concept was the same as in his previous world: muscles dense enough to stop bullets. But that kind of training was considered physically impossible in reality. In this world, only someone with Ye Dou's physiology and willpower could attempt it.
Furthermore, the only one who had managed to move while using Iron Body in his previous life was Jabra, who had complete internal control over his body.
Otherwise, you'd just be a stationary shield.
"I see... Even so, Senior Ye Dou, you're amazing."
Rock Lee looked up to him with admiration, eager to begin training.
But the principles behind the Rokushiki were far from simple. For most people, mastering even one of them was a lifelong endeavor—if it was possible at all. Physiology, genetics, and sheer will all played a part.
Ye Dou didn't mention any of that. He also didn't intend to personally guide Rock Lee. There was a line in his heart—and the kindness Might Guy had shown could only be repaid so far. Beyond that, success or failure would depend on Rock Lee's own fate.
---
[Ninja Academy Graduation]
Seasons changed, and in the blink of an eye, a year had passed.
That evening, Ye Dou was invited to dine at Might Guy's home—a small celebration for his graduation from the Ninja Academy.
The entire Team Guy was present, each bringing a small gift to congratulate him on becoming an official shinobi of Konoha.
"Everyone, let us raise our glasses! To Ye Dou, who has officially graduated and joined the ranks of the Konoha ninja—cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"…"
Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Tenten were all enthusiastic. Neji Hyuga, although silent, raised his glass and gave a respectful nod toward Ye Dou.
"It's just graduation. Nothing worth celebrating," Ye Dou replied flatly, lifting his cup.
The graduation exam at the Academy was hardly difficult. Unlike prodigies like Kakashi or Uchiha Itachi, who had graduated early after being recognized for their real-world combat ability, Ye Dou simply followed the standard curriculum.
As long as one completed their homework and passed a basic written exam on chakra theory and demonstrated one of the three basic techniques—Clone Jutsu, Transformation, or Substitution—they could graduate.
"I mean, seriously, Ye Dou. Could you at least try to enjoy the mood for once? Do you even know who this party is for!?" Tenten huffed, clearly annoyed.
After a year of knowing him, she had become used to Ye Dou's stoic personality—but sometimes she still couldn't help reacting.
"Hmph. He's not wrong," Neji chimed in. "The graduation exam is too simple to measure someone like him. For Ye Dou, it was just a formality."
"Even you, Neji!?" Tenten clenched her teeth.
No one knew how many sleepless nights she had spent studying and training for that exam. For others to treat it like a triviality—it hurt.
"Hahaha… Well, regardless, congratulations, Ye Dou. You've taken your first step toward becoming a great ninja."
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