The next day.
After waking up, Chiba greeted Genka before heading out. Although there were still two weeks until the next exam, he had no intention of wasting time.
After all, it was now the latter half of Konoha Year 34, and the Second Ninja War was only two years away.
Leaving home, Chiba made his way to the forest atop Hokage Rock. Sitting cross-legged, he began absorbing the natural energy from the world around him, blending it with his chakra to refine Sage Mode Chakra.
Half an hour later, as Chiba continued his meditation, a familiar voice interrupted his focus.
"Hey, what a coincidence, Chiba! I didn't expect to run into you today!" Might Dai's cheerful voice rang out.
Hearing him, Chiba opened his eyes to see Might Dai standing before him, still wearing his signature green jumpsuit. However, one thing had changed—he now sported a Chūnin vest.
Seeing this, Chiba stood up and smiled. "It really is a coincidence. Brother Dai, what are you up to?" he asked, pointing at the Chūnin vest.
"Oh, this? Actually, I'm not too sure myself. About six months ago, Lord Hokage suddenly summoned me. After asking me a few questions, he made an exception and promoted me to Chūnin," Might Dai said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.
"I see. No wonder I didn't see you in the Chūnin Exams. It turns out you're already a Chūnin," Chiba said with a chuckle. "By the way, Brother Dai, what exactly did Lord Hokage ask you?"
Although Chiba had a strong guess, he wanted to confirm it.
"Oh, nothing much. He just asked me if I knew the Eight Inner Gates technique and how many gates I could open," Might Dai replied.
"And what did you tell him?" Chiba pressed.
Might Dai smiled proudly. "Of course, I told him the truth!"
As expected, Chiba thought. Six months ago, Orochimaru had asked him about the Eight Gates and its creator. Uchiha Chiba had mentioned Might Dai at the time, and it seemed Orochimaru had reported this to Sarutobi Hiruzen, leading to Might Dai's promotion.
One thing still remained unclear: had Might Dai handed over the Eight Inner Gates technique to Konoha?
"Brother Dai, did you submit the Eight Inner Gates technique to Lord Hokage?" Chiba asked directly.
Mat Dai beamed. "Yes! I handed over the training method, and Lord Hokage rewarded me with five million ryo as a token of appreciation for my contribution to Konoha."
Five million ryo?
While it sounded like a lot, Chiba couldn't help but feel that Sarutobi Hiruzen was being stingy. The Eight Gates technique was an invaluable asset to Konoha, yet all Might Dai received was a fraction of what a high-ranking ninja like Asuma Sarutobi would be worth.
If Hiruzen had any foresight, he would have done what Kakashi Hatake did in the later years—establish a dedicated Taijutsu Division to train shinobi in the Eight Inner Gates technique. Chiba recalled that in the final Hokage movie, a unit trained in the Six Gates was powerful enough to slice a falling meteorite in half. While Uchiha Sasuke had destroyed the other half, the Eight Gates' potential was undeniable.
Chiba sighed. Sarutobi Hiruzen had clearly taken advantage of Might Dai's naivety. If it were him, he wouldn't have accepted anything less than a substantial fortune.
"Brother Dai, don't you think five million ryo is a bit low for something so valuable?" Chiba asked.
"Low? Not at all! That's a huge sum! I've never seen so much money in my life. If I had to earn it through missions, I don't know how many I'd have to complete!" Might Dai replied sincerely.
Chiba was speechless. Might Dai was truly innocent and had been completely swindled. However, since it was already done, there was no point in dwelling on it. At least this version of Might Dai was faring much better than his anime counterpart—he was a Chūnin and had received some financial compensation.
"By the way, Chiba, how many gates can you open now?" Dai asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.
Chiba smirked. Without a word, he activated the Seventh Gate—Gate of Wonder. A surge of blue steam enveloped him as an intense heat wave radiated outward, making the air around them shimmer.
Dai's jaw dropped in shock. "Y-You… Chiba, you…"
"What do you think, Brother Dai? Pretty impressive, right?" Chiba chuckled.
After recovering from his initial shock, Dai let out a wry smile. "As expected of you, Chiba. I've been training for years and can only open the Sixth Gate. I have no idea how long it'll take me to reach the Seventh Gate."
Then, his expression turned serious. "Alright, Chiba, turn it off now. Keeping it open for too long will put too much strain on your body, especially since you're still growing."
Chiba nodded, deactivating the technique. Dai then gave him a stern warning. "Listen, Chiba, the Eight Gates technique is powerful, but you should never open the Eighth Gate unless absolutely necessary. You understand?"
Chiba was well aware of the price of opening the Eighth Gate—Gate of Death. While it wouldn't be an issue for him personally, he appreciated Dai's concern. He nodded. "Don't worry, Brother Dai. I won't use it unless there's no other choice."
Dai sighed in relief. "Good. By the way, what were you doing just now?" he asked, recalling how he had found Chiba sitting motionless earlier.
"I was practicing Sage Mode. Have you heard of it, Brother Dai?" Chiba asked.
"Sage Mode? What's that?" Mat Dai looked puzzled.
Seeing his curiosity, Chiba briefly explained the fundamentals of Sage Mode. However, even after the explanation, Dai still looked completely lost.