Chapter 194: The Dragon Returns to the Sea
"Guy, how did you suddenly get so much stronger?" Obito asked curiously before the match, his tone carrying a mix of respect and frustration.
"It's not really sudden," Might Guy replied, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. "It's just that a Taijutsu I've been practicing can finally be used properly."
He clenched his fist with conviction. "There are Eight Gates within the Eight Gates, and I can only open the first one right now. So, this is just the beginning."
Then, with his usual fiery enthusiasm, he flashed a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Obito! My youth won't disappoint you! I'll fight with the same burning spirit I showed when I faced Kakashi!"
Obito stared at him blankly.
He was actually thinking the opposite—that Guy's "youth" could afford to burn a little less brightly so he could win and show off in front of Kakashi and Rin.
Of course, that was only his wishful thinking. If Guy truly held back and let him win, it wouldn't feel satisfying either.
"But you'd better watch out for my Fire Release," Obito warned with mock seriousness.
Feeling Kakashi and Rin's gazes from the sidelines, he clenched his fists. This time, he was going to fight with everything he had. Win or lose, he'd fight in his own way—not as a copy of Kakashi or Shisui.
"Start!" Mugetsu called out.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Obito shouted, flipping backward as his hands blurred through seals. A massive fireball roared from his mouth, racing toward Might Guy.
Guy, who had been rushing forward, instantly sidestepped with a burst of speed, the fireball blazing past him.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Before the flames had even cleared, Obito followed up by hurling a storm of shuriken.
Clang! Clang!
Guy deflected most with his kunai, but several blades still grazed his clothes, leaving faint streaks of blood.
"Flame Breathing, Total Concentration Breathing!" Obito inhaled deeply, his chest rising as he flooded his body with oxygen, sharpening his focus and fueling his chakra. His next jutsu came faster, stronger.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
A serpent-like blaze erupted from his lips, twisting through the air toward Guy.
"Rock Breathing! Total Concentration! Eight Gates—First Gate of Opening, open!" Guy bellowed, his aura exploding outward. The air trembled as his body surged with power, muscles tightening, chakra flooding his limbs.
The flaming dragon roared forward—faster, hotter than before. But Guy's body blurred out of sight, vanishing behind a nearby tree with a sharp whoosh.
BOOM!
The Great Dragon Fire smashed into the trunk, splitting it in half. The massive tree toppled, scattering dust and embers.
"Damn it, too fast…" Obito muttered, his eyes narrowing.
His plan had failed—Guy was too quick. The first fireball had been a feint, but even his second attack hadn't landed. Worse, it had drained a large chunk of his chakra.
The air was thick with smoke and ash. Guy burst from the haze like a green comet, his every movement sharp and explosive. Obito barely managed to parry before being forced onto the defensive.
I can't see him clearly at all… Obito thought grimly.
The forest around them didn't help—towering trees broke his line of sight, limiting his jutsu's reach.
The ground scorched from Obito's flames, the trunks shattered by Guy's kicks—the training field was becoming a battlefield of fire and wind.
Obito's chakra was running low. His breaths came faster, heavier. Every limb ached. He could already feel defeat creeping closer.
He glanced at Kakashi, standing nearby. Even Kakashi… lost to Guy. So maybe it's only natural if I—
"No."
Obito's eyes hardened. He clenched his fists.
I won't lose. I'm not like Kakashi. I'll surpass him.
He took a deep breath, his chest expanding as his determination reignited. "Flame Breathing… Total Concentration!"
Guy's voice roared across the field. "Extreme Leaf Hurricane!"
He charged like a storm, all the power in his body condensing into a single, devastating kick. The wind pressure alone sent leaves and gravel swirling through the air.
Obito didn't flinch. His goggles shielded his eyes as he focused all remaining chakra into his fist. Flames erupted along his arm, wrapping his clenched hand in a burning inferno.
"This is my last shot!"
Their attacks collided—Guy's blazing kick against Obito's flaming punch.
BOOM!!
The shockwave blasted through the clearing, uprooting the grass and scattering dust in every direction.
Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief. He had felt the force of that kick himself earlier—no one should've been able to withstand it. Yet Obito had.
Then—
Thud!
Obito's body was flung backward, crashing into the ground. Guy staggered, one leg trembling, but stayed on his feet through sheer will.
"Cough… it hurts so much…" Obito groaned, forcing a shaky grin.
So that's what Kakashi felt… when Guy's kick landed on him.
He looked toward Kakashi, half-laughing through the pain, refusing to let himself cry out. If Kakashi hadn't, neither would he.
Obito planted his right hand on the ground to push himself up—only to realize it was numb, useless. He tried again with his left hand, struggling, shaking, but couldn't rise.
Three attempts.
Three failures.
But in his eyes, there was no frustration—only fire.
"I still lost."
Obito gave up trying to get up, rolled over, and lay flat on the ground, gazing at the sky above.
He didn't know how to describe what he felt.
He had given his all, used every ounce of strength he had, and still lost.
Then, unexpectedly, he laughed. The image of Kakashi being kicked flying by Might Guy flashed through his mind—his face frozen in disbelief.
At least, Obito thought, his own defeat looked better than that. Kakashi had been kicked straight off his feet, while he had managed to hold his ground for a while.
After laughing, his thoughts turned to his track record.
Among Mugetsu's four disciples, he had yet to fight Rin Nohara. He hadn't won a single match against Shisui or Kakashi, and against Might Guy, the score was far more losses than wins.
Then he remembered something Mugetsu once said: Failure always runs through life.
It was such a Mugetsu-like saying, and Obito thought it made sense—but he still wanted to win, just once.
"What a youthfully exhilarating battle!" Might Guy declared, giving him a thumbs-up and laughing heartily.
Obito's final counterattack had actually caught him off guard. If not for the boost from the Eight Gates, Might Guy might have lost.
"You both performed very well. Get treatment and take a proper rest," Mugetsu said as he appeared on the field, carrying both of them to a shaded area.
Seeing this, Rin Nohara immediately stepped forward to help.
"Rin, was my last punch awesome? Kakashi was kicked flying with one blow, and I almost won," Obito said proudly as Rin began tending to his wounds.
Kakashi, walking over, felt a vein twitch on his forehead. He admitted that Obito's final strike was impressive—but saying "almost won" was stretching it too far.
"I feel like my Breathing Technique has improved a bit again," Obito continued with a grin. "Kakashi, just you wait. Once I get used to this, I'll defeat you for sure."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly. "You can try," he replied coolly.
He acted calm, but deep down, he was already determined. He would train harder, learn the Breathing Technique faster, and make sure Obito didn't get the chance to be smug again.
Watching the two bicker, Rin exhaled softly in relief. Since Obito could still talk that much, she figured his injuries weren't serious.
Mugetsu nodded with quiet satisfaction. Occasional battles like these were exactly what his disciples needed to grow.
Obito had truly lived up to his reputation as the fastest to master Flame Breathing. His fight just now had pushed him past another threshold, granting him significant improvement.
Might Guy, too, was progressing rapidly—growing more adept at using both the Breathing Technique and the Eight Gates together.
Kakashi's two consecutive defeats, combined with watching Obito's growth, would surely motivate him to train harder than ever.
As for Shisui, his role in these battles was to maintain pressure. Right now, none of Mugetsu's disciples—not even Might Guy—could defeat him.
Shisui's Sharingan allowed him to see every movement, and with his skill in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu, he had virtually no weaknesses. Even if Guy used Rock Breathing with the First Gate, he still wouldn't win.
But Mugetsu knew this balance wouldn't last forever.
The first three Gates were considered the "safe zone" of the Eight Gates. Once Guy mastered the first, the next two would come quickly.
And when that happened—when Rock Breathing combined with the Third Gate—Shisui might finally face defeat. Sometimes, even if one could see an attack coming, the body couldn't keep up.
Mugetsu looked forward to that day. Maintaining fixed rankings among disciples wasn't ideal; they needed to push each other, to grow through rivalry.
Since Obito's injuries were more severe, he rested. Guy, after receiving treatment, immediately resumed light training. Kakashi, after exchanging a few words with Obito, returned to practicing Lightning Breathing with renewed determination.
After dismissal, Kakashi went home, quickly finished dinner, and continued his training deep into the night.
He refused to be left behind by Obito.
He had to master the Breathing Technique in battle—fast.
---
After parting with his disciples, Mugetsu returned to his home in the main district.
However, that evening brought an unexpected visitor.
"Mugetsu, let me introduce you—this is my teacher, Jiraiya," Minato said with a bright smile, gesturing to the tall, white-haired man beside him.
"Lord Jiraiya… one of the Legendary Sannin?" Mugetsu's eyes widened slightly, though he quickly smiled warmly. "It's an honor to meet you."
"Hahaha! Yes, that's me—the great Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin! The man so handsome he can make crying children go silent with a single glance!"
Jiraiya struck a dramatic pose, laughing proudly.
Then, peering at Mugetsu, he rubbed his chin and turned to Minato. "Hmm… are you two related?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, didn't I already mention Mugetsu in my letter?" Minato said with a puzzled expression.
"Haha, just teasing," Jiraiya replied with a grin. "But really, you two do look alike."
If he hadn't already known the situation, he might've genuinely thought they were brothers. But since Minato had already written to him about Mugetsu, he simply wanted to mess with his good-natured student.
"It's about dinner time," Mugetsu said with a friendly smile. "You two sit and have some tea first—I'll prepare the meal."
"Sensei, please rest. I'll help Mugetsu," Minato said quickly.
With Jiraiya's approving nod, Minato followed Mugetsu into the kitchen.
Left alone in the living room, Jiraiya leaned back and chuckled to himself. He remembered Minato's letters—filled with praise for Mugetsu's cooking.
"Indescribably delicious," Minato had written. "The kind of food so good it feels like you're under Genjutsu."
Jiraiya smirked. He'd traveled across the Ninja World, eating every kind of cuisine imaginable. He doubted any food could surprise him anymore.
But still—he was curious.
How good could it really be?
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