Chapter 44: The Eight Inner Gates; Another Hidden Master?
"Dad! The Hokage is calling your name!"
Might Guy tugged hard on his father's green jumpsuit, his voice an excited whisper. "Lord Hiruzen actually knows who you are! Are you two friends...?"
Might Dai finally snapped out of his daze.
"Ah... well, yes!" He nodded instinctively, though a deep flush crept up his cheeks.
Every father wants to be a hero in his son's eyes, but as a devout champion of "Youth," Dai found lying to be a shameful act.
"Lord Hokage..." Dai stood before Hiruzen, his posture awkward and slightly fidgety.
"Out for a morning run, Dai?"
Hiruzen smiled warmly. "How many laps has your son finished today?"
At the mention of their routine, Dai's chest puffed out with newfound confidence. "He's already finished three hundred laps around the inner village! But after seeing your own dedication to the grind, Lord Hiruzen, Guy and I decided to add another three hundred!"
Beside them, Sakumo Hatake's gaze sharpened.
The "White Fang" was known for many things, but in the Jonin circles, his most respected trait was his "Eye for Potential"—the ability to see a warrior's ceiling at a glance.
This child... his hands are already covered in thick, heavy callouses at this age? Sakumo thought, his expression turning serious. And his skeletal structure is remarkably well-developed...
Six hundred laps was a staggering number for an adult, let alone a child. If Dai was telling the truth, it meant Guy possessed a level of physical talent that was bordering on the abnormal. Hard work was one thing, but the "Will" to push through that kind of pain required a specific type of spirit.
Young Kakashi rolled his eyes.
He knew the "Mighty Duo." Everyone did. They were the local laughingstocks—the eccentric pair who spent their lives doing "Youthful" performance art in spandex.
This guy wants to get into the Academy but can't even weave a basic clone sign, Kakashi grumbled internally. Six hundred laps? Please. He's just a blowhard.
However, Kakashi kept his mouth shut. The Hokage was standing right there.
"An excellent boy. Truly," Hiruzen praised, looking at Guy. Because of his own 4:00 AM training sessions, Hiruzen had a rough estimate of their activity. He knew Dai wasn't exaggerating.
Hearing the Hokage's praise, Guy's eyes lit up like stars. Aside from his father, this was the first time anyone had ever given him a word of encouragement... and it was coming from the God of Shinobi himself.
"How is his progress at the Academy?" Hiruzen asked conversationally.
"He... hasn't enrolled yet, Lord Hiruzen," Dai said, his voice dropping slightly. He quickly forced a cheerful grin back onto his face. "But we'll get there! We're working hard! He'll pass the next entrance exam, for sure!"
Guy's head dropped. In front of a regular Jonin, he might have given a thumbs up and shouted, "Thanks for the support!" But in front of the Hokage, the weight of his "failure" felt heavy.
"He didn't get in?"
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, his gaze suddenly turning razor-sharp. His voice dropped to a low, commanding register. "Dai, tell me exactly what happened."
The Academy's standard entrance exam was a general test of Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. However, there was a "Special Admissions" mechanism—similar to the one used to promote 'Special Jonin'—designed specifically for children with extraordinary talent in a single field.
If a talent like Might Guy had been overlooked, it meant the Academy's recruitment staff wasn't just incompetent; they were being negligent.
As Hiruzen's expression shifted, the air around the group seemed to solidify. The "Warm Grandfather" was gone, replaced by the "Cold Sovereign."
Dai hesitated, his nose twitching as he fought back a sudden surge of emotion. "That day... when we saw you and Lord Orochimaru sparring... and we heard your declaration to protect the village..."
"I was too excited! Guy was too! We over-trained that night and ended up sleeping through the morning of the Special Admissions test..."
"It was a failure of our 'Youth'! We weren't disciplined enough!"
"So Guy and I decided that as punishment for disrespecting the village's standards, he would wait another year to enroll and double his daily training load for the rest of the season."
A few crows flew overhead, their caws echoing through the awkward silence.
Hiruzen stared at them. His "Cold Sovereign" mask nearly cracked.
Shinobi logic is truly a bizarre, multi-faceted thing, Arata thought. I thought there was a corruption scandal... but they just forgot to set an alarm.
"Dai, your intentions are noble," Hiruzen said softly, breaking the silence.
"But a shinobi's path isn't just about suffering. You need access to structured educational resources, and you need to display your talent at the right time. If Guy isn't in the system, he can't be evaluated. The village is planning a series of 'Fast-Track' programs for elite students—if Guy is on the outside, he'll miss the very resources he needs to grow."
Dai felt a sharp pang in his heart. The Hokage is speaking to me... a Genin... as if my son actually matters. "Lord Hiruzen..."
"I see the gold in your heart, Dai," Hiruzen continued, shaking his head. "But sometimes, being too restrained is a mistake."
"As Hokage, my greatest fear is that our people aren't getting the resources they deserve. When a 'Hard-Work Genius' like Guy is left outside the gates, I view it as my personal failure."
Dai's eyes went wide. "Please, don't say that!"
"The shinobi of this village are truly remarkable," Hiruzen mused. "You and Guy felt guilty just for asking for a second chance? My friend, I am terrified of losing comrades who possess a Will of Fire as bright as yours."
"From now on, if you achieve a breakthrough in your training, you report it to the office. If you have a weakness in your skill set, the village will find a way to accommodate you. Do you understand?"
Hiruzen meant it. He remembered Dai's story from the lore—an Eternal Genin who was mocked for doing odd jobs and "finding cats" because nobody wanted to team up with a "weirdo" who lacked jutsu.
"Let Guy enroll today," Hiruzen commanded.
He reached into his pocket and realized it was empty. He turned to Sakumo with a perfectly straight face. "Do you have any cash on you?"
The Hokage, it seemed, rarely carried a wallet.
"I've got you, sir," Sakumo said, handing over a thick leather pouch. He knew he wasn't getting that money back, but he didn't care. The "warmth" in the air was worth every ryo.
Hiruzen counted out 100,000 Ryo.
"Genin Dai, the village has a mission of critical importance for you."
Dai snapped to attention. "Ready for orders, Lord Hokage!"
Hiruzen handed the stack of bills to the stunned man. "Your mission is to oversee the 'Nutritional Logistics' of Guy's training. Taijutsu is half effort and half recovery. If the body doesn't have the fuel, the grind will only break it. I am holding you personally accountable for his health."
Sakumo suppressed a smile. Giving a Genin a 'Welfare Grant' and framing it as a 'Mission' so he keeps his pride? Hiruzen... you really are a master of the human heart.
"I... I don't know what to say, Lord Hiruzen!"
Dai began to weep openly, wiping his eyes with his sleeves as he tried to wave the money away. "There are so many people in the village who need help... I'm just a Genin..."
"Dai, you are exactly the kind of ninja the village needs to invest in," Hiruzen said, patting his shoulder.
"The village is establishing a new Social Support Tier. Orphans, struggling veterans, and geniuses without clan backing will all be brought under our protection. I'm starting with you. You can't expect me to see a problem and just 'ignore' it, can you?"
Dai took the money, his hands shaking as the tears continued to flow.
"Minato," Hiruzen said, turning to the blonde. "If you decide to take up the Lightning Nintaijutsu, file your report with the Administrative Department."
"Train hard. Once you've mastered the basics, I'm sending you to the Academy to teach 'Elite Form' seminars to the kids. If you find a student with the right spirit for your style... you'll be in charge of their development."
Minato's eyes sparkled. "Leave it to me, Grand-Sensei!"
Minato looked at Guy and gave him a warm, encouraging smile. "Did you hear that? I'll be looking for you in the Academy. Study hard, Guy-kun."
Guy nodded so hard his head was a blur.
In that moment, Dai stepped back and dropped into a low, kneeling stance.
"Lord Hiruzen... please forgive my earlier small-mindedness!" Dai said, his voice booming with a frequency that vibrated in the air.
"I thought 'Hard Labor' was a private struggle—that speaking of it was against the spirit of Youth!"
"But I see now that you have planned for a future I couldn't even imagine. I cannot allow my selfishness to hold back the village's strength. Lord Hokage... I ask for your guidance! Let my 'Youth' be the ultimate shield for the Leaf!"
Kakashi frowned. Guidance? What can an Eternal Genin offer the Hokage?
But in the next heartbeat, Dai let out a guttural roar.
"Hachimon Tonkō—OPEN!"
A pillar of raw, violent chakra erupted from Dai's body, the pressure so intense that young Kakashi felt as if his skin were being pulled tight against his skull.
Hiruzen's eyes widened. A genuine, predatory grin spread across his face.
So, there really was a master hiding in plain sight.
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