Duy's Teachings
"Guy, your body is different from Bai Ye's. You mustn't use this technique lightly. Only resort to it when absolutely necessary—when the moment demands everything you have."
Might Duy's expression was solemn as he cautioned his son. The Eight Gates Release Technique puts immense strain on the body, and if activated recklessly, it can become a liability—not only to the user, but to their comrades.
"Don't worry, Father. I won't use that power unless I have to."
Might Guy's eyes burned with conviction. He remembered Duy's words from years ago—lessons etched deep into his bones. He hadn't slacked for even a day since, tirelessly training his body alongside Bai Ye.
Now, at last, he could show the world that even without ninjutsu or genjutsu, one could still become a great ninja—through sheer taijutsu alone.
Guy knew Duy was just like him—unable to use ninjutsu or genjutsu—but the pressure he felt when Duy opened one of the Inner Gates gave him hope. There was a path forward in physical prowess.
"And Bai Ye—just because your physique is exceptional doesn't mean you can afford to use this carelessly," Duy added, turning to him. "Remember—no one was stronger than the First Hokage, and yet he died young."
Duy's voice carried a rare touch of melancholy. If Hashirama Senju hadn't passed so early, perhaps the Second Hokage wouldn't have died in war either. With both brothers alive, the dream of peace might have come sooner, and children wouldn't have to enter the academy only to be rushed to the front lines before they were ready.
Things were still better now. In the days of the Great Ninja Wars, fresh Genin were sent directly to the battlefield due to a lack of manpower. Few ever returned.
"I understand," Bai Ye replied. "I only treat it as a last resort. I won't use it without reason."
He was being sincere. Though he, like Guy, couldn't use conventional ninjutsu, Bai Ye had a secret trump card—the power of the Shinigami. It gave him an unnatural regeneration that allowed him to recover from injuries at a terrifying speed.
"You need to understand," Duy began, shifting into formal explanation, "that the Eight Gates technique doesn't increase the amount of chakra you have. It simply removes the natural limitations your brain places on your body and chakra flow."
He paused, ensuring they were listening.
"So yes—the more chakra you already have, the greater the amplification when the gates are opened."
In this regard, Guy had the edge. While both lacked ninjutsu, Guy had trained diligently even in areas others deemed irrelevant for taijutsu users. He had passed the written portion of the Chūnin Exams through his own effort, showing his solid foundation.
"Of course, that doesn't make strength irrelevant," Duy continued. "Your total chakra defines the limit of your enhancement, but your physical conditioning determines how long you can maintain a gate once it's opened."
"And now—watch. This is the effect of opening the Gate of Opening."
As he spoke, Duy opened the First Gate—Kaimon—and delivered a punch forward. A sonic boom rang out, and the air distorted as shockwaves rippled outward. A long trench was gouged into the ground from the sheer force.
"Now—this is the Gate of Healing—Kyūmon."
Duy opened the Third Gate, skipping over the Gate of Rest (Seimon) for demonstration. His aura flared green, and the punch he threw looked the same—but the results were vastly different.
The second impact sent a stronger shockwave, with the resulting trench three to four times deeper. Trees in the distance were sliced clean through by the residual pressure.
"You can see the increase in power. But the drawback is that my duration shortens drastically."
Duy exited the Eight Gates state and panted lightly, sweat forming on his brow. Even those brief moments put considerable stress on his muscles.
"For example, if I can fight for one hour using just the First Gate, then with the Third Gate, I'd only last around five or six minutes before my body gives out."
He let the numbers sink in before continuing.
"I understand now," Guy said, eyes gleaming with newfound insight. "We shouldn't aim for maximum output all the time. It's more important to control how much we unleash based on the situation. That way, we avoid wasting strength."
Guy nodded firmly, absorbing the lesson like a sponge.
Bai Ye, however, remained thoughtful. For him, things were... different. With his rapid regeneration, theoretically, he could recover fast enough to re-open the gates almost continuously. It created a strange situation—if he stood still, the violent chakra from the gates would still leak out uncontrollably. So even idle use consumed precious reserves.
"One more thing," Duy added. "As your body matures and your chakra increases through training, the power from opening the gates will naturally grow stronger. But your duration likely won't. That's why the Eight Gates are best used as burst techniques—not for sustained combat."
He spoke from personal experience, and Guy listened with respect. Bai Ye nodded politely, though much of it didn't apply to him.
In theory, his regeneration let him treat the Eight Gates as something close to a regular skill—but even that had risks. The regeneration accelerated his body's healing by increasing cell division. And every ninja knew: cells can only divide so many times. Excessive regeneration could shorten his lifespan—just like Hashirama's body eventually gave out despite his near-godlike powers.
Still, Bai Ye wasn't one to panic over theory. He would use his power decisively when needed, even if the cost was steep. Besides, he was only guessing at how his regeneration worked. No one truly understood its limits.
That said, Duy's practical training methods were a treasure trove of insight. Until now, Bai Ye had trained haphazardly—mostly relying on scrolls and trial and error, with regeneration patching over his missteps. Compared to Duy's hard-earned experience, his self-taught methods were crude.
If he could avoid unnecessary injuries during training, his overall efficiency would skyrocket.
"That's enough for today. Guy—you've got your exam tomorrow. Eat well and get to bed early."
Duy had spent nearly two hours going over techniques, strategy, and stamina management. He clapped Guy on the shoulder with pride.
Bai Ye, meanwhile, was quietly chastising himself. He had opened the first three gates by brute force, relying on his regeneration to ignore warning signs. Looking back, the damage he suffered when opening the Gate of Pain was largely due to poor form and lack of preparation.
He planned to revisit the technique with Duy's corrections in mind. He might be able to increase his usage time substantially.
He realized now how arrogant he'd been. If he'd sought Duy's guidance earlier, much could've been avoided. The difference between training alone and having a mentor was larger than he'd imagined.
As for why Duy hadn't spoken up sooner, that was simple. When he first learned about Bai Ye, the boy had already opened two gates in a remarkably short time. It was natural to assume Bai Ye was a born genius who didn't need help. Duy had been busy as well and didn't want to interfere unnecessarily.