Not to mention the man who opened the door to death—the man who nearly altered the course of the finale.
Even if he had only opened the Sixth Gate, Gate of Joy (Jingmon, 景門), he could unleash terrifying taijutsu techniques such as Morning Peacock (Asakujaku, 朝孔雀).
By striking at high speeds, the friction between his fists and the air generated flames, creating shockwaves that battered his opponent relentlessly.
In the entire ninja world, there are only a handful of people who could endure such an onslaught!
Kazuki deeply admired the Eight Gates (Hachimon, 八門遁甲)—a forbidden taijutsu technique classified as S-rank.
During his recent shuriken training, he had come to an important realization:
On the path of his future growth, mastering powerful weapons alone would not be enough. He could not neglect the cultivation of his own body and physical prowess.
Only through strengthening his own physique could he fully unleash the power of the weapons he wielded!
"Of course, it's fine!"
Might Guy stood with his hands on his hips, flashing his signature bright white grin.
"Young ones, follow me in training! That's how youth never ends!"
After his passionate declaration, he pointed into the distance and issued their next task:
"Now, the three of you! In two hours, run around all of Konoha and return here!"
"Yes!"
The synchronized voices of the three rang out.
Kazuki, Tenten, and Rock Lee formed a team and immediately set off on their run.
As a kunoichi, Tenten neither complained nor slacked off. Her dream was to become a formidable ninja like Tsunade-hime, and she refused to lower her standards simply because she was a girl.
"Eh?"
Watching the three figures disappearing into the distance, Might Guy's gaze focused on Kazuki.
His pupils contracted slightly in surprise as he muttered to himself:
"That boy, Kazuki… and his sister… Have they already learned to extract chakra?"
"And the amount of chakra Kazuki possesses… It's astonishing! Could it already rival that of a Genin?"
"But look at him—he's just a kid who only recently entered the Ninja Academy!"
"This boy… could he be a genius?"
Two Hours Later
Kazuki and his teammates finally completed their run around Konoha.
Kazuki was the first to cross the finish line, completing the run in just 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Rock Lee arrived second, finishing in 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Lastly, Tenten, who had the weakest endurance among them, arrived at 1 hour and 58 minutes, still within the given time limit.
"Well done, boys!"
Might Guy grinned brightly, flashing a thumbs-up toward them, admiration glimmering in his eyes.
"That's it for today's training! Same time tomorrow—come back and train with me again!"
"Yes, sensei!"
Nightfall
Back at home, Kazuki skipped dinner and headed straight to the forging room.
"Brother's at it again~~" Tenten muttered to herself, shaking her head.
"His obsession with forging is just too intense~"
Inside the forge, in front of Kazuki, lay four different minerals:
🔥 Fire Stone
🌙 Moonstone
⚒ Dark Iron
💨 Saltpeter
These were the materials required to craft his first Beginner Ninjutsu Space Ring.
In Kazuki's mind, the entire process of creating the Primary Space Ring replayed with crystal clarity.
[Primary Space Ring]
Forging Difficulty: ★★
Required Materials: Fire Stone, Moonstone, Dark Iron, Saltpeter
Skill: Creates a 1 cubic meter space that can store inanimate objects.
It was indeed worthy of its two-star difficulty ranking. Compared to a one-star ninja tool like the Clone Kunai, the Primary Space Ring required not only a greater quantity of forging materials but also a significantly more intricate forging process.
Kazuki closed his eyes and meticulously reviewed the entire forging sequence in his mind. Only after ensuring that he had memorized every detail—leaving no room for error—did he finally open his eyes, determination gleaming within them.
"Let's begin!"
His focus sharpened as he turned toward the anvil before him. Placing a chunk of Dark Iron onto the heated forge, he watched as the metal gradually turned a deep red under the intense heat. Once it reached the optimal temperature, Kazuki steadied his breath, channeled his strength, and raised his hammer.
Clang!
The first strike landed, producing a crisp metallic ring that reverberated through the workshop. Yet, to his surprise, he immediately noticed something different—
His hammer felt lighter.
Astonished, Kazuki recalled that in his previous forging attempts, he could barely manage thirty strikes before exhausting both his stamina and chakra reserves. But now, he felt confident that he could reach fifty strikes or more!
"Is it because of my recent physical training?" he mused.
It seemed his previous assumption was correct—physical training and forging were deeply interconnected. Strengthening his body not only improved his endurance but also enhanced his forging capabilities. This realization further solidified his resolve to follow Might Guy's teachings in taijutsu.
"If I can truly master the Eight Gates, combined with my specialized ninja tools, my combat ability will soar!"
As the forging process continued, Kazuki became increasingly aware of the complexities involved in crafting a two-star weapon. Every passing minute required absolute focus. He had to control the force and angle of each hammer strike while simultaneously channeling chakra into the metal.
Sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the anvil, yet he did not falter. His clothes were already soaked through, but his spirit remained unwavering.
A month ago, his body and mind would have crumbled under this intense forging session. But now, after rigorous training, he persevered.
—Eight hours later—
"It's finished!"
A triumphant cry escaped Kazuki's lips. His eyes, bloodshot from exhaustion, sparkled with uncontainable excitement. He held the freshly forged ring in his trembling hands—a simple yet elegant white-silver band. To him, it was a masterpiece.
This was the Primary Space Ring he had spent eight grueling hours creating.
And he had succeeded on his first attempt!
As he gazed upon his creation, new information surfaced in his mind:
[Primary Space Ring]
Rank: Two-Star Weapon
Attribute: Space
Function: Contains 1 cubic meter of storage space for non-living objects.
Contract Required: No
Then, an unexpected system prompt echoed in his ears:
Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully forging a two-star spatial weapon! Reward: +1 Space Attribute Comprehension!
"A reward?" Kazuki's eyes widened in astonishment before an ecstatic grin spread across his face.
Not only could this system teach him how to forge weapons, but it also enhanced his own abilities through the process?
Closing his eyes, he focused inward.
Sure enough, he could now sense the presence of space around him with slightly greater clarity. Though the change was subtle, it signified a tangible improvement in his understanding of space-based abilities.
"If I keep increasing my comprehension of space attributes… combined with my specialized kunai… could I eventually achieve something akin to the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
His heart pounded at the thought.
"And if I forge weapons with other elemental attributes in the future, could my understanding of those attributes also improve?"
A new path had opened before him. A path that could lead him to mastering not just weapons, but the very nature of chakra itself.