Evening, by the small river near Might Duy's house.
"All that talk about youth being inviolable is a lie! My flames of youth have been extinguished!"
A small figure in green sat on the riverbank, furiously throwing stones into the water, muttering angrily to himself.
"A-Kai! Look who I brought to see you!"
Might Duy's voice came from behind Kai. The boy was still sulking and had no intention of responding. But then he turned his head and saw…
"SENIOR CHIBA!!"
Kai leapt to his feet with a kip-up, slapped the dirt from his clothes, and rushed to Chiba's side, vibrating with excitement.
"Senior, I admire you so much! I can't believe I'm meeting you in person, alive and breathing!"
Uhh… Have you met a dead version of me before?
Chiba scratched his head. This kid's absolutely unhinged greeting made him forget his prepared speech entirely.
"A-Kai," Chiba said, patting the boy's bowl-cut head, trying to regain his composure. "Your father and I have a relationship that's part mentor, part friend. Do you know how worried he is when you act like this?"
"WHAT?! YOU TOOK MY FATHER AS YOUR DISCIPLE? CAN YOU TAKE ME, TOO?!" Kai's eyes went wide, his face a picture of fervent hope.
Chiba: "???"
"A-Kai," Chiba said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Is it possible, perhaps, that the 'mentor' part refers to your father? Senior Duy has been the one guiding my taijutsu."
"That's impossible! Someone as amazing as you, and my father is just a… a lifelong Genin…" Kai's voice trailed off. He whipped his head around to stare at the silent Might Duy. "Father! Did you hire Senior Chiba to help you lie to me?"
"I— No, A-Kai, I would never— I really—" Duy's face turned beet red. He waved his hands frantically, lost for words.
"Alright, Senior Duy," Chiba cut in, rescuing him from his floundering. "Words are cheap. Like I said before coming here, you should just prove it with your strength."
"I…" Duy hesitated briefly. But seeing the doubt in his son's eyes felt like a knife to his heart. He nodded firmly. "Alright!"
"Eight Inner Gates — First Gate, Gate of Opening, OPEN!"
They moved in unison, crossing their arms before their chests. With a low shout, torrential energy erupted from within them. Kai's doubtful expression froze solid.
"Now, lad," Duy said, his entire demeanor transformed by the Gate's power, confidence saturating his voice as he began to instruct Chiba. "The Second Gate, 'Gate of Healing,' is also in the brain region, opposite the First Gate. Try to push it open!"
"Got it! Second Gate, Gate of Healing, OPEN!"
Chiba located the second metaphysical door inside him. After a few attempts, it swung open without resistance.
"Hahaha! Good! You truly are a taijutsu prodigy. Now try the Third Gate. The point where the energy from the first two gates converges in your chest—that's the 'Gate of Life.' You need to…"
His father calmly and authoritatively instructed Chiba. Kai's jaw dropped. Was this really his usually timid, awkward father?
"Understood, Senior Duy!"
Chiba knew Duy was using this as his form of "payment." He didn't hold back, following Duy's guidance with focused attempts.
"Third Gate, Gate of Life, OPEN!"
As the Third Gate opened, his chakra surged again. Chiba immediately felt a distinct, aching pressure in his chakra pathways. This was likely his current limit.
My body's potential is definitely higher. I just don't train enough. Gotta ramp up the intensity. He made a mental note.
His skin flushed red. Green energy radiated from his body, making him look like an angry, glowing leek.
"The 'Gate of Life' is the last safe zone of the Eight Gates. Stop here for now, lad," Duy said, accurately assessing Chiba's condition with a glance. "Now, let this Might Duy show you what lies beyond!"
"Fourth Gate, Gate of Pain, OPEN!"
"Fifth Gate, Gate of Closing, OPEN!"
"Sixth Gate, Gate of View, OPEN!"
"Seventh Ga—!"
"Senior Duy, that's enough! Don't get too carried away!"
Chiba's timely intervention stopped Duy at the Sixth Gate. Duy placed one hand behind his back and beckoned Chiba forward with the other.
"Come on, lad!"
"Alright! Here I come, Senior Duy!"
Chiba wiped cold sweat from his brow. A pair of white paper wings unfurled from his back.
He stepped forward. Air rippled around him. He shot toward Duy like an arrow from a bow.
BOOM!
Fist met fist. The dull, powerful impact made Kai's scalp tingle.
Chiba was forced back by the terrifying force behind Duy's punch. But with a flap of his wings, he shot back in, his return punch carrying even greater momentum.
CRACK! BOOM! THUD!
With the Dance of the Shikigami's aid, Chiba and Duy fought with exhilarating abandon.
Their exchanges became a blur of fists and feet, too fast for Kai's eyes to follow. He only caught glimpses—fleeting afterimages, a few white paper strips drifting to the ground where they'd just been.
A storm of awe raged in Kai's heart.
Father… he's overpowering Senior Chiba! He was this strong all along?!
Everything he'd witnessed tonight completely overturned his understanding of Might Duy.
THWACK!
Chiba noticed the shift in Kai's gaze. He let himself be knocked back once more before voluntarily dismissing both the paper wings and the Eight Inner Gates.
Seeing this, Duy released the Sixth Gate as well. He looked at his son, anxiety written all over his face. Had his performance been enough?
Chiba looked at Kai, who was still gaping. "Well, A-Kai? Do you believe in your father's true strength now?"
Kai nodded dumbly at first. Then he turned to Duy, confusion flooding his features. "Father! If you're this strong, why didn't you teach those two a lesson during the day?!"
"I…" Duy, never good with words, faltered. He shot a pleading look at Chiba.
"A-Kai," Chiba said. "You hold your dignity as supremely important. But your father, to set the right example for you, was willing to lay even that dignity down. Do you think there's anyone in this world braver than that?"
Kai fell silent, deep in thought.
Chiba pressed on. "Strength isn't for flaunting. It's for protecting the people around you. That's the true essence of youth. What's the point of power if you can't protect what needs protecting?"
Classic lines + ultimate truth bomb. Kai was sent into immediate, profound reflection.
"I'm sorry, Father. I was wrong about you."
"It's alright, A-Kai. Father doesn't blame you. Passion is the melody of youth!"
"FATHER!"
"A-KAI!"
The two embraced and wept under the moonlight. Chiba smiled. His work here was done.
…
"Lord Jiraiya? Waiting for me?"
Just reaching a fork in the road, Chiba spotted a tall figure leaning against a wall, as if he'd been there a while.
"Here. You must be thirsty after all that talking. Have an ice pop."
Jiraiya grinned, not answering the question. He split a twin ice pop in half and handed one piece to Chiba.
Here we go again. How many people have you pulled this routine on? Minato, Naruto… Can't you switch it up?
He snarked internally but took the ice pop anyway. He leaned back against the tree, shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiraiya, both enjoying a rare moment of peace.
Come on, man. Jiraiya is handing you an ice pop. That's main character treatment. Who could refuse?
In Chiba's personal hierarchy of temptations, this ranked just below Nonō Yakushi dancing to Extreme Paradise in front of him wearing nothing but stockings and her glasses.
"I heard what you said back there. It was good," Jiraiya said, taking a bite of his ice pop. "So, have you found someone you want to protect?"
"Mmm…" Chiba thought. He had formed some bonds in Konoha, sure. But someone he'd explicitly place on a pedestal labeled "to protect"? Not really.
"You, kid… you don't feel like you belong anywhere. There's a distance between you and everyone, a faint detachment. That's not a good way to live." Jiraiya ruffled Chiba's hair, his tone uncharacteristically serious.
"Mmm. But aren't you the same? Keeping everyone at arm's length?" Chiba looked at the Sannin, a thoughtful gleam in his eye.
Jiraiya blinked, then burst out laughing. "Hah! Maybe that's the shared flaw of us folks destined for great things!"
…
A few days later.
Jiraiya left the village once more. And Chiba found himself summoned to the Hokage's Office, awaiting Hiruzen Sarutobi's official appointment.
Senju. Uchiha. Chiba.
Now officially a Chunin of Konoha.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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