When Guy first began learning the Breathing Technique, he learned from Mutsuki about the three major stages of the Breathing Technique.
The first stage is Total Concentration Breathing, which allows one to highly concentrate their breathing to enhance physical abilities. Reaching this step means one has become a beginner in the Breathing Technique.
The second stage is Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, where the body maintains relatively concentrated breathing 24 hours a day without interruption. Mastering this stage significantly enhances the physique, and the powerful boost from the Breathing Technique begins to show. Once Constant training is completed, one can be considered proficient in the Breathing Technique.
The third stage is the Breathing Technique's corresponding Chakra Mode. Each Breathing Technique has a different Chakra Mode effect. The effect of the Stone Breathing Chakra Mode that Guy practices is an all-around physical enhancement, making his strength immensely powerful. Only upon reaching this stage can one be said to have truly grasped the power of the Breathing Technique.
With just a light Shigan tap while using Stone Breathing Chakra Mode, Mutsuki once sent up a spray of water over ten meters high from a river dozens of meters away. This left a deep impression on Guy, who was still at the ninja Academy at the time, and he had since dedicated himself to mastering Stone Breathing, aspiring to one day possess strength like Mutsuki's.
The Breathing Technique is extremely difficult, and Stone Breathing is considered one of the more difficult among them. Let alone entering Stone Breathing Chakra Mode, Guy had long lagged behind in Breathing Technique training.
However, in the beginning, Guy was actually ahead in training progress. He was the first disciple able to apply the Breathing Technique in combat.
The reason he was ahead wasn't anything else-it was because Guy, in the battle to protect his father's dignity, had grasped the power and meaning of Stone Breathing.
Now, Guy's current state had returned to that very day he first comprehended the power of Stone Breathing-no, he was even stronger than that day!
Because this time, the things he needed to protect were more important-and more numerous.
"The way of the stone's strength lies in protection," Guy silently recited in his heart.
Though he had never entered the Stone Breathing Chakra Mode before, at this moment, Guy was certain-he could do it.
It wasn't confidence born from nowhere-it was his breathing telling him: *You're ready!*
"Stone Breathing Chakra Mode!"
Guy clenched his fists, eyes glaring fiercely, his heart pounding wildly. At this moment, his breathing had reached an unprecedented peak.
Power surged upward. With each breath, Guy could feel immense strength coursing through his entire body-strength he had never experienced before.
Of course, this power came at a price. The chakra within Guy's body was rapidly burning.
The first to notice the abnormality in Guy was Shisui, who stood beside him.
Shisui, also trained in Breathing Technique, instantly recognized the shift in Guy's breathing.
Next were Guy's opponents. The moment Guy entered Stone Breathing Chakra Mode, as seasoned assassins, they immediately sensed that their opponent had transformed.
"Who the hell is this guy? He can get even stronger?" Aoma was bewildered-this fight was far too stifling.
They were the esteemed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and not only had they nearly lost one member fighting a few ten-year-old kids, their opponents kept getting stronger and stronger like they were cheating.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the current Guy they faced could absolutely crush the Guy they had faced at the beginning of the battle.
Aoma leapt back to gain distance, pouring a massive amount of chakra into his Twinsword: Hiramekarei, aiming it directly at Guy.
Kushimaru manipulated the steel wires in his hands to block off Guy's evasion space.
Meanwhile, Juzo formed hand seals and spat out a massive Water Dragon Bullet to entangle Guy.
The three coordinated perfectly, each assuming a specific role.
**"Morning Peacock!"**
Guy launched a flurry of punches at extreme speed-so fast that even Shisui couldn't see how many punches he threw in that instant.
The immense punching force rubbed against the air, generating flames, and with such extreme speed, a blazing fireball instantly formed.
The fireball was carried by the wind pressure from Guy's fists, crashing straight into the oncoming water dragon.
**Boom!!**
The water dragon was consumed by the flames and instantly evaporated. The lingering fire forced Kushimaru to abandon control of his wires and retreat to evade.
**"That works too?"** Juzo looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
It was his first time witnessing something like this-his Water Release was actually evaporated by flames created from someone's Taijutsu.
Juzo touched his solid body. If those lightning-fast, densely packed punches landed on him, his fate might not be any better than that of the water dragon.
**Whoosh!**
At that moment, Aoma finished charging his attack and launched a chakra light sphere at Guy, wielding his greatsword.
**"Konoha Hand Blade!"**
Guy poured a massive amount of chakra into his palm and struck at the incoming light sphere with a chopping motion, releasing a transparent wave of force.
**Rumble!!**
A massive explosion echoed out as the chakra light sphere collided with the transparent energy wave, leaving behind craters of varying depth on the ground. The gray-yellow dust clouds obscured Guy's figure.
Kushimaru noticed a disturbance within the dust cloud. As an elite Hidden Mist shinobi, he had undergone special training-this kind of dust was nothing to him. Even in the high-density chakra mist created by the Hiding in Mist Jutsu, he could move without hindrance.
His brain had registered the danger-
But his body couldn't keep up with Guy's speed.
Bang!
Guy landed a solid punch on Kushimaru's chest, sending him flying back ten meters.
This punch didn't involve any special technique-just pure, unadorned strength.
But it was exactly that simple, honest blow that caused Kushimaru to vomit blood. The intense pain wracking his body twisted his face in agony.
Aoma's expression suddenly changed-he realized that Guy had become different. He hadn't expected Guy's strength to suddenly increase so dramatically.
Not only did he block his chakra light sphere with a barehanded air strike, his full-speed assault had been so fast that Kushimaru couldn't even react.
Fuguki's face darkened as he saw Guy suddenly display such overwhelming might.
It was utterly humiliating-the renowned Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, feared throughout the ninja world, were being pushed this far by a few ten‑year‑old Konoha ninja.
If word got out, they'd become a laughingstock of Hidden Mist, while Kakashi and the others would become famous across the ninja world by stepping over their fallen reputation.
**"What's with this green brat? He injured Kushimaru even while fighting one against three."** Jinpachi's sinister grin disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.
They weren't just any Hidden Mist jonin-they were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, directly under the Mizukage. What gave Guy the power to do this?
**"Go help them-this brat is mine to kill,"** Fuguki said coldly.
Most of the Konoha ninja here were already injured and exhausted; he was confident he could take care of them all by himself.
Jinpachi nodded and immediately rushed toward Guy without wasting a second.
**"As expected, Guy is a man you can always count on,"** Kakashi thought with emotion.
Whenever they were in a desperate situation, Guy always stepped forward to take the pressure.
**"But... can Guy's body really withstand both the Stone Breathing Chakra Mode and the Sixth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates?"** Kakashi couldn't help but worry in his heart.
Although Kakashi hadn't trained in the Eight Inner Gates or Stone Breathing himself, he still had a certain understanding of both-some from fighting Guy, and some from what he learned from Mutsuki.
After all, Mutsuki practiced both the Eight Inner Gates and Stone Breathing. If Kakashi asked him about it, Mutsuki wouldn't hide anything.
Every gate beyond the third in the Eight Inner Gates would cause a certain degree of damage to the body. If the user's body was strong enough, the damage could be small or even negligible.
But on the flip side, if the body wasn't strong enough, it could suffer serious injury. And now, Guy had not only forcefully opened the Sixth Gate, but had also entered Stone Breathing Chakra Mode to further enhance his power. Kakashi was deeply worried about his body.
**"I need to find a way to end this fight quickly,"** Kakashi thought as he gripped his tanto tightly.
The longer the fight dragged on, the greater the damage to Guy. The sooner it ended, the less harm he'd take.
Kakashi looked toward Obito. At this moment, Obito was not only injured but also running low on chakra. To maintain Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, he had even deactivated his Sharingan.
Their current condition was terrible. It was a disadvantage-but also a potential opportunity, because the enemy might underestimate them because of it.
When his eyes met Kakashi's, Obito understood what Kakashi was planning. He gathered the last bit of chakra remaining in his body.
**"Please let this work..."** Kakashi exhaled slowly.
He wasn't worried about whether Obito could carry out the plan properly. What he feared was whether he himself could seize the opportunity that Obito would create.
Because Kakashi's chakra was truly running out. He didn't know if what little he had left would be enough to land a blow strong enough to kill or severely wound Fuguki Suikazan.
But he had no choice. With their current condition, prolonged combat was no longer possible. Kakashi was the only one who might be able to severely wound Fuguki. This was their last gamble.
If he failed, then all they could do was pray that Guy could break through the encirclement and rescue them in time.
Facing the approaching Fuguki with blade in hand, Obito burned the last of his chakra, igniting his entire body in flames.
**"Fire Release: Fiery Impact!"**
This was one of the most powerful Fire Release Nin-Taijutsu techniques he had mastered, and the strongest Fire Release he could currently use.
Fuguki wanted to finish the weakened Obito with a single slash, but Samehada immediately expressed its rejection upon sensing the extremely high-temperature flames on Obito's body.
**"Water Release: Water Whip!"**
After a brief hesitation, Fuguki gave up on slashing Obito, who had suddenly turned into a little fireball. Instead, he gathered a large amount of chakra into his palm, forming a whip of water.
Just as the water whip lashed out and struck Obito, the flames on Obito's body suddenly exploded.
**Boom!**
A loud explosion erupted. Obito was blasted away by the shockwave and slammed into the ground, while Fuguki was also caught in the blast.
Fuguki's expression was one of utter shock. He hadn't expected Obito to launch a suicidal attack like this. Even the Hidden Mist Village didn't train ninja specifically for suicide missions, and Obito didn't look like the kind of fanatic who would be.
What Fuguki felt fortunate about was that most of the Konoha ninja had lost their combat ability. Even if something unexpected happened, it would just be a minor setback.
**"Thunderclap and Flash: Godlike Speed!"**
When Kakashi once again pushed his breathing to the extreme, he suddenly realized that despite having almost no chakra left, he had somehow managed to gather a powerful surge of energy.
But Kakashi had no time to think. This was the last chance Obito had bought for him. There was no room to question where this strength came from, nor did he notice the abnormal rapid beating of his heart.
**Swish!**
A flash of yellow lightning streaked across. Fuguki suddenly felt the world spin wildly, and in the next instant, he saw a massive headless corpse lying on the ground.
**"So fast..."**
That was the last thought that crossed his mind before Fuguki lost consciousness forever.
"*Huff... huff...*"
After the slash, Kakashi knelt on one knee, clutching his chest and gasping heavily.
Although his body felt unbearably uncomfortable, Kakashi was filled with joy - he had succeeded. He had used his own power to protect his comrades.
Even though he had only killed one person, this achievement held great significance for the entire battlefield.
Because Duy had the upper hand on his side, the two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist fighting him couldn't spare any assistance, and the four fighting Guy were equally tied down.
Now, Kakashi and the others just needed to recover quickly to become the force that would break the balance.
But Kakashi realized he had still underestimated the combined power of the Eight Inner Gates and Stone Breathing Chakra Mode.
**"Golden Skyline!"**
Guy extended his index and middle fingers, once again performing the most powerful Taijutsu technique he had mastered. With a sword-drawing motion, he slashed out with his fingers - a dazzling golden line bloomed across the battlefield.
The Water Wall was instantly split in two by the golden line, Kushimaru's steel wire snapped cleanly, and Juzo raised his Executioner's Blade to block.
**Clang!**
To Juzo's shock, his massive Executioner's Blade shattered right before his eyes, turning into nothing but fragments of a broken sword.
**Boom!!**
The remaining force slammed into Juzo and sent him flying seventeen meters, smashing him hard into the ground.
**"Impossible! My Executioner's Blade was broken by Taijutsu?!"** Juzo's eyes widened in disbelief, his worldview utterly shaken.
His Executioner's Blade could easily block Ninjutsu, yet even with multiple layers of defense, it was destroyed by Guy's Taijutsu. This made Juzo feel like his entire understanding of reality had collapsed.
Jinpachi, Aoma, and Kushimaru were all shocked. If they could go back and do it over again, they would never have provoked Kakashi's team so lightly - at the very least, they would have brought five more Hidden Mist Jonin to gang up together.
"This is bad," Jinin narrowed his eyes, already thinking about retreating.
Fuguki was killed, Juzo Juzo was severely injured and lost his combat ability, and Kushimaru Kuriarare was also seriously wounded. At this point, nearly half of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were incapacitated. If they continued fighting, they might all end up dying here.
Raiga glanced at Jinin He had similar thoughts - it was time to run.
Guy's performance was simply terrifying. This guy was supposed to be a genius? He was already a fully grown powerhouse.
At this point, Kakashi and the others didn't even need to act - Guy and Might Duy alone could wear them all down to death.
**"Konoha Dragon God!"**
Right after unleashing Golden Skyline, Guy used his immense strength to kick out a massive green dragon that heavily injured Jinpachi.
That one move, Konoha Dragon God, completely shattered the will to fight of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
The wounded Juzo was already quietly retreating to the rear.
Aoma threw a Chakra orb at Guy, then turned and fled without looking back.
Kushimaru used Body Flicker Jutsu to leap back and forth through the trees, also beginning his retreat.
---
At that moment, a blue-white streak suddenly struck the retreating Jinpachi, freezing him in place.
Seeing this familiar Ninjutsu, Mutsuki's disciples immediately showed joy on their faces - this was Mutsuki's Ice Release Ninjutsu.
Kakashi fully relaxed. With Mutsuki here, even if powerhouses like Yagura showed up, it wouldn't be a problem.
Obito, covered in ash and soot, also smiled. With Mutsuki around, all crises were resolved.
The remaining members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, upon seeing reinforcements arrive for Kakashi's side, ran with all their might.
Juzo's face darkened. Although he had been the first to flee, he was injured and slower. Other than Jinpachi, he was the furthest behind.
Just as Juzo expected, the next blue-white streak shot toward him.
**"Ice Release: Ice Wall!"**
As Juzo recalled his life, an ice wall suddenly rose beside him, blocking the incoming icy streak.
"Thank you, Minazuki-sama," Juzo quickly said when he saw Minazuki appear beside him.
Minazuki gave a small nod and looked at the frozen Jinpachi with a look of interest. "So he also mastered Ice Release? Interesting."
Minazuki's sudden appearance made the other members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen stop in their tracks. Soon after, several Hidden Mist Shinobi ran over from the same direction as Minazuki and stood by his side.
"That's the Jonin who had his Chakra absorbed," Juzo recognized one of the Hidden Mist.
The Hidden Mist Jonin also looked surprised upon seeing Juzo and the others fleeing like beaten dogs.
After having his Chakra absorbed, he felt it was too dangerous to stay on the battlefield. So, after refining a bit of Chakra, he left and happened to run into Minazuki, who was nearby hunting Konoha ninja. He then brought Minazuki over.
The Konoha ninja they encountered this time were simply too talented. The Hidden Mist Jonin was worried that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist might not be able to kill them all - even letting one escape would be a future threat.
But the current situation left the Hidden Mist Jonin very confused. When he left, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had the upper hand. How did things fall apart so quickly?
"Injured ones retreat. Those who still want to fight can stay and help me eliminate the Konoha ninja," Minazuki said calmly.
The reason he didn't force the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to stay was partly because he had no authority to command them, and partly due to his confidence in his own strength.
Minazuki was confident that he could defeat any ninja aside from Orochimaru - including the Ino-Shika-Cho trio working together.
He hadn't heard of any Ice Release users in Konoha, so he didn't care whether the Seven Ninja Swordsmen stayed or retreated.
Jinin, Raiga, and Aoma chose to stay, while the injured Juzo and Kushimaru decided to retreat.
Jinin and the others could have left too, but they felt this situation was just too humiliating. If they didn't counterattack alongside Minazuki, they'd truly become laughingstocks in Hidden Mist.
Of course, they weren't the kind to risk their lives over pride - the main reason was that Minazuki was strong enough.
He was a well-known powerhouse in Hidden Mist, second only to Yagura on the entire battlefield.
With Minazuki, a few of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and the Jonin and Chunin Minazuki brought, unless one of the Three Sannin like Orochimaru appeared, there was no way they could lose.
Minazuki precisely shattered Jinpachi's ice block, freeing him from the frozen state, and then walked toward Kakashi and the others.
After realizing the Hidden Mist ninja had stopped retreating, Mutsuki ceased his attacks as well and instead began treating his disciples alongside his Shadow Clone.
After all, he was just an ordinary Jonin with some minor fame within Konoha. The enemy was made up of figures renowned throughout the ninja world-it was only natural they would proactively cause trouble.
"Mutsuki-sensei, it's a good thing you're here. You always arrive right on time," Obito said with a smile, patting the soot off his body.
Seeing Mutsuki immediately put Obito at ease. With the all-powerful Mutsuki Sage present, there was no crisis that couldn't be resolved. That was the confidence Mutsuki gave him.
"You should be thanking yourselves more-your own persistence and effort. If not for that, you wouldn't have held out until I arrived," Mutsuki said, gently tapping Obito on the forehead with his finger and shaking his head.
In truth, Mutsuki had arrived much earlier.
When his disciples became embroiled in such a high-level battle, Mutsuki had already used Flying Thunder God to rush to the battlefield.
He had been ready to intervene several times-after all, there was no way he would just stand by and watch Duy open the Eighth Gate or his disciples fall in battle. But his disciples had performed admirably, which allowed Mutsuki to hold back until the battle was essentially over, stepping in only to stop the fleeing enemies.
"If my experiences were written into a novel, I'd probably be cursed by the readers-for letting my students brush against the edge of death," Mutsuki thought with a sigh.
He felt it was only fair to be scolded. If he had a teacher like himself, he figured he'd probably hate that teacher too.
Even if he could guarantee they wouldn't die, the pain of injury still remained. When the enemy could be directly defeated, why allow this kind of "torment"?
Even Mutsuki himself felt this method of teaching was a bit extreme, but he truly didn't have a better option.
If a better path existed, he wouldn't want his students killing on the battlefield at such a young age. They were just kids.
But this was a world where the weak were prey to the strong, and in the shadows, Madara was still watching his students. All Mutsuki could do was help them grow stronger-to ensure they wouldn't fall into Madara's schemes.
In the end, it all came down to Mutsuki not being strong enough-if he had Six Paths-level power, things wouldn't need to be this troublesome.
"No matter how much we endure, it still depends on you being able to get here, Mutsuki," Obito said with a cheeky grin.
Guy gave a thumbs-up with a look of approval, and the other disciples agreed wholeheartedly.
"Thank you all for your trust. Leave the rest to me," Mutsuki said with a gentle smile to his students, then turned to face the approaching Hidden Mist ninja.
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