Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

The Power of Youth and the Path to Strength

"The prerequisite for mastering the Hachimon (Eight Gates) is relentless, grueling, and long-term training that pushes you beyond your limits. If you don't give up, you can achieve it. Anyone can learn the Eight Gates if they have the willpower."

After Guy-sensei's explanation, Zixu gained a deeper understanding of the so-called Eight Gates. Just as he said, this technique wasn't some secret art—everyone in the ninja world knew about it. The Eight Gates were common knowledge, yet few chose to train in them.

And the reason was simple.

One path required endless, backbreaking training with no immediate results and great risks in actual combat. The other offered dazzling, powerful ninjutsu that could be learned with far less effort. Faced with that choice, most people didn't even consider the Eight Gates worth the trouble.

"Moreover, the power of the Eight Gates depends entirely on the user's body. Strength varies according to physical condition, meaning that its potential is different for each person," Guy-sensei continued, generously sharing his years of accumulated knowledge. He was always happy to see young people like Zixu interested in taijutsu. After all, whether it was ninjutsu or taijutsu, their creators hoped their techniques would be passed down.

"Listen carefully, kid. Taijutsu might just be the way for commoners to rise above their limits," Guy-sensei said, grinning as he ruffled the little boy's hair with enough force to shake his brain. The boy's mother, noticing the serious way the shinobi were speaking to her son, chose not to interrupt. Perhaps, just perhaps, this was the moment that could change their family's fate.

"To use the Eight Gates, you need chakra. Chakra exists in everyone, but only trained ninjas know how to wield it. However, through relentless training, even non-shinobi have a chance to access the Eight Gates. After all, this is a purely physical technique…"

Hearing those words, the little boy's eyes, which had been shining with excitement, dimmed slightly. Once again, the gap between civilians and shinobi stood before him like an insurmountable wall.

"The Eight Gates technique works by forcibly breaking the body's natural chakra restraints and unleashing an overwhelming surge of power. The human body has eight inner gates that regulate chakra flow: the Kaimon (Gate of Opening), the Kyūmon (Gate of Healing), the Seimon (Gate of Life), the Shōmon (Gate of Pain), the Tomon (Gate of Limit), the Keimon (Gate of View), the Kyōmon (Gate of Shock), and the Shimon (Gate of Death). These gates exist to limit the amount of chakra a person can use at any given time. However, by forcefully surpassing these restrictions, one can achieve strength dozens of times greater than normal. But in exchange… the user's body suffers immense damage."

"That's why the later gates, especially the final one, come at a great cost. Because of this, the Eight Gates are classified as a forbidden technique. I can only teach you the initial training methods. Beyond that, it's up to your comprehension and determination."

Zixu scratched his head. Why did Guy-sensei emphasize that this was a forbidden technique, yet still teach it so openly? Was he confident that they wouldn't be able to master it? Or perhaps, this "forbidden technique" wasn't actually forbidden in the sense of being restricted, but rather, was simply ignored because nobody wanted to pursue it.

Not that it mattered. If Guy-sensei was willing to teach, Zixu was willing to learn. No one could blame him for taking the opportunity.

With that, Zixu and the little boy finished absorbing Guy-sensei's words. After a few moments of organizing his thoughts, Zixu bowed slightly in gratitude.

"Thank you, Guy-sensei!" Zixu said earnestly. He always respected those who taught him sincerely. At first, he hadn't understood why Guy-sensei kept emphasizing that this was a forbidden technique, but now he realized the truth.

Although he had claimed he wouldn't teach too much, Guy-sensei had answered all of Zixu's questions about the Eight Gates in detail. Unintentionally—or perhaps intentionally—he had given Zixu a solid foundation in all the gates except the final one.

Zixu understood now.

Guy-sensei wasn't just teaching him on a whim. He had recognized Zixu's exceptional physical potential and enthusiasm for taijutsu. Although Rock Lee had already inherited the Eight Gates, having another disciple to carry on the legacy would ensure that taijutsu wouldn't fade into obscurity. It was better to have two than one—after all, Lee could use a rival to push him further.

As Lee and his friends waved to the little boy's family, the sun hung high in the sky, its scorching rays offering no respite. Watching their retreating figures, the little boy clenched his fists tightly.

Even if the odds were against him…

Even if the path was uncertain…

"I will work hard! I will change my fate!"

Guy-sensei, sensing the boy's determination, turned back with a proud smile and flashed him a thumbs-up.

"That's the spirit of youth!"

Zixu, meanwhile, was still thinking about how to plan his training when he saw a familiar system notification.

[You have altered the course of the world.]

[Mission completed: Budding of Youth.]

[You have received 2,000 bonus points.]

"…What exactly determines these world-changing events?" Zixu muttered, still baffled by the system's logic.

"Hey, Zixu! Your taijutsu is crazy strong! You're joining the upcoming Chūnin Exams, right? I can't wait to face you in the arena!" Lee said excitedly, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Zixu sighed, extending a hand to push Lee away. Having this guy around felt like standing next to a literal furnace—it was way too hot.

"Yeah, I guess so." After spending time with Lee, Zixu had come to understand him. The guy was straightforward, said whatever was on his mind, and trained like a madman. A true rival.

After returning to the village's inner district, Zixu bid farewell to Lee and his teammates. He didn't go to find Hyuga Chinano and the others. Instead, he focused on his newfound knowledge of the Eight Gates.

According to Guy-sensei, the body needed to be conditioned thoroughly before attempting to open the gates. This minimized the inevitable damage caused by the sudden burst of chakra. Only after preparing the body could one truly unleash the technique's power.

But Zixu had an advantage—his physique was already beyond normal standards. He could handle extreme training. In fact, he was practically built for the Eight Gates.

In a world where taijutsu had fallen into decline, his existence alone ensured that he would eventually walk this path.

Most ninjas in this world relied on high attack power but had weak endurance. Meanwhile, the warriors of One Piece's world had monstrous physical resilience—almost like they had eaten the "Sit-Up Fruit," granting them unlimited endurance.

"If the Eight Gates are so well-known, do the sages of Ryūchi Cave know about them? Maybe I should train with them. I could learn something valuable…"

At that moment, deep within Ryūchi Cave, Princess Ichikishima suddenly sneezed.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Tagorihime asked, glancing at her.

Ichikishima flicked her tongue, looking around suspiciously.

"Nothing… I just have a bad feeling," she muttered, trying to shake off the ominous sensation.

However, according to Murphy's Law, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Everything takes longer than expected, and if something can go wrong, it will. And if you worry about something happening, it's more likely to happen.

Ichikishima's instincts were right. The next second, a flash of red hair—so vibrant it stood out even in Ryūchi Cave—appeared right before him.

"Emmmmmm…"

"Uh…"

Zixu and Ichikishima-hime stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Zixu coiled around the little white snake that had been staying in Ryūchi Cave before speaking.

"Hey, do you know about the Eight Gates?"

Ichikishima-hime and Tagitsu-hime exchanged surprised glances. Did this kid somehow learn the Eight Gates Technique on his own?

In the end, it was Tagitsu-hime who licked her lips, shifted back into her human form, and answered him.

"Of course I know. The Eight Gates isn't a secret. In fact, there aren't really any true secret techniques when it comes to taijutsu. It's all about relentless training and sheer perseverance."

"Is it possible for ordinary people to reach the strength of shinobi through training, like with the Eight Gates?"

"Hah? What kind of nonsense is that?" Ichikishima-hime scoffed. "No way. Or even if it is possible, the chances are ridiculously low. If you're looking for strength, you'd be better off learning kenjutsu from the samurai in Iron Country..." She floated lazily in the air, plucking the small white snake with smooth scales from Zixu's grasp.

Zixu scratched his head, clearly disappointed that another path had been shut down. So civilians reaching shinobi levels was nearly impossible. That made things complicated. If he wanted to free the common people from their limitations, it seemed they could only serve as laborers or intelligence operatives.

"Anyway, let's drop that for now. Someone just taught me how to use the Eight Gates, but no matter how hard I try, I can't even open the First Gate (Kaimon – Gate of Opening)."

Zixu understood the theory behind the Eight Gates. Might Guy-sensei had explained it to him—train to the absolute limit, then use chakra to break through the "gates" in the meridian system that regulate and suppress chakra flow. Once broken, the body forcefully exceeds its natural limits.

In theory, it sounded simple. In practice? He couldn't even get past step one.

"Hah! You? Struggling with taijutsu?" Ichikishima-hime smirked, clearly relishing the rare sight of Zixu failing at something. "That's a first! You made everything we taught you look easy. I was starting to think all my hard work back then was pointless."

Beside her, Tagorihime appeared out of nowhere and gently flicked Ichikishima-hime's forehead, causing her to yelp and accidentally bite her tongue.

"Listen, Zixu," Tagitsu-hime said, her expression serious. "I don't know much about the Eight Gates, but I'll try to explain what I understand. It's up to you how you use it. A lot of legendary martial artists throughout history developed their own variations through personal training…"

Zixu listened intently, taking mental notes as she spoke. But after a while, the three goddesses' expressions subtly shifted.

"Wait… what is she even talking about?"

"What am I even talking about?"

Finally, Tagitsu-hime had enough. She stepped forward, ready to correct the explanation herself. Among the three, she was the most skilled in taijutsu.

But there was a problem. While the three Shinkishi-hime were powerful warriors, none of them were particularly good at teaching.

The result? Ichikishima-hime, who had actually witnessed the Eight Gates in action before, was now questioning her own memory. Her expression screamed: Wait… is that really how it works?

Zixu didn't have time to dwell on their confusion. He had no choice but to trust in Tagitsu-hime's half-baked explanation, combined with Might Guy-sensei's brilliant advice—"Burn with the flames of youth, work hard, and everything will be OK!"

Zixu gathered his chakra, sending the light-blue energy flowing through his body. It wasn't as easy as he expected.

Chakra was like a river, and his body was the land. But right now, the land was hardened like solid rock, and he needed to force the river through it.

The problem wasn't his chakra—it was his body itself. His physique was too strong, making it difficult for the chakra to break through.

"With all this chakra, there's no way I can't open at least one gate today!" Zixu gritted his teeth, his stubbornness kicking in. Normally, he went with the flow. But once he set his mind on something, he would fight tooth and nail to achieve it.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. He pushed harder, sending chakra crashing against the mental barriers in his body like waves pounding against a stone dam.

Finally—crack!

The hardened ground shattered.

Once the first crack appeared, the rest became easier. The energy surged forward, flowing through the meridian points mentioned by Tagitsu-hime and Might Guy-sensei. Soon, it reached its first real obstacle.

For others like Rock Lee, this step was relatively easy after proper training. Their bodies weren't naturally resistant to the technique.

But Zixu? His sheer physical strength made it much harder.

Tagorihime, observing from the sidelines, smiled in satisfaction. "Not bad."

Tagitsu-hime nodded approvingly, her expression smug. See? I taught him well.

But deep down, they were both panicking.

"Wait a damn minute."

"I was just making stuff up—how is he actually succeeding?!"

"This isn't how it's supposed to go, right?"

Meanwhile, Ichikishima-hime crouched down, watching in silence.

She wasn't sure if this was what unlocking the Eight Gates normally looked like. Something felt… off. But when she glanced at Tagitsu-hime and Tagorihime, both wearing confident, all-knowing expressions, doubt crept into her mind.

"Did I remember it wrong?"

While they wrestled with their thoughts, Zixu finally shattered the first gate. He gasped for breath, drenched in sweat. Most of his chakra was depleted. Every fiber of his body felt like a squeezed-dry lemon.

"Damn… is opening the Eight Gates supposed to be this hard?" He panted, catching his breath. "Wait… something feels weird… Why does it feel like I opened the Ren and Du Meridians instead?"

A sudden realization struck him.

Eyes widening, he turned to look at the goddesses.

Tagitsu-hime and Tagorihime stood there, smiling at him with absolute confidence.

For a moment, Zixu genuinely had no idea if he had opened the wrong gate—or if this was how it was supposed to be all along.

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