Despite Might Duy's utterly ridiculous personality, Shigure couldn't help but like him.
How to put it?
Yes, he was silly—no doubt about that—but he was also genuinely sincere.
Shigure could see it clearly: Might Duy was straightforward, kind, and utterly free of guile. Unlike so many others in this world, Duy's heart was open, untainted.
Ever since arriving here, Shigure had come to understand that the world of Naruto was not the bright and passionate place portrayed in the manga. Behind the sunshine lay shadows.
As a child from a foreign land, his treatment in Konoha wasn't as pitiful as Naruto's in the original story… but it wasn't much better either.
And so, in stark contrast to the dark undercurrents of the village—the manipulative Hokage who enabled Danzo, the arrogant Uchiha clan—Might Duy stood out like a beacon. Loud, awkward, laughable even, but radiating unshakable optimism.
No matter how absurd he acts, there's not a trace of darkness in him, Shigure thought.
He knew the world was filled with cruelty, but he still longed to walk in the light—like Might Duy.
"Splendid!!"
When Shigure nodded in agreement, Might Duy nearly burst with joy. His face lit up with such emotion that he looked ready to cry again.
But a second later, he wiped his eyes and fixed Shigure with a rare serious look.
"Kid… this technique is powerful, yes, but it's a forbidden jutsu. You know what that means, right?"
"I do," Shigure replied without hesitation.
Duy's expression grew graver still. "Using forbidden jutsu is extremely dangerous."
"I'm willing to take that risk."
There was no fear in Shigure's eyes—only calm determination.
Duy stared at him in silence… then suddenly sprang forward.
"WAHH!! You're amazing! Why didn't I meet you sooner?!"
Tears again.
Shigure felt his soul leave his body. Enough already!
"Here's how you train the Eight Gates."
Duy finally composed himself and sat down cross-legged, holding up a finger like a teacher about to lecture.
"I think you've met the basic requirements. But even so, I suggest you strengthen your body further before attempting to open the First Gate."
"The side effects depend on your physical condition. The stronger your body, the less backlash you'll suffer. Starting from the Third Gate, the side effects get worse with each gate."
Shigure understood the logic well enough but stayed quiet and attentive. His expression shifted only when Duy began explaining the Eighth Gate. A deep seriousness settled over him, and thoughts churned behind his eyes.
He continued asking questions—dozens of them.
Duy was surprised by the insight in Shigure's inquiries. Some of them he'd never even thought about. Still, he answered everything he could.
As the conversation went on, a bold idea began to take shape in Shigure's mind.
For most ninja, learning jutsu meant following step-by-step instructions. But not for him.
Shigure's soul came from another world—one with broader thinking, deeper reasoning. And that gave him an edge.
The Eight Gates were created by a ninja—they weren't innate or divine.
Which means… they can be improved.
Shigure's eyes gleamed with inspiration.
The Eight Gates, as powerful as they were in the original story, still led to certain death when fully opened. That was a fate he couldn't accept.
I'm going to change that.
After learning the Eight Gates training method from Duy, Shigure didn't immediately begin practicing. Instead, he returned home, mind spinning.
He stayed up all night thinking about the Eight Gates.
They opened the limitations of the human body, breaking through its natural restrictions one by one. The gates extended from the head downward—Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Life, Pain, Limit, View, Wonder, and finally, Death—culminating in a massive release of power.
Ultimately, the Eighth Gate forced the heart to exceed its limits and burn out entirely, leading to death.
"But what if… the heart wasn't the end?"
Shigure pondered this question deeply.
What if, instead of making the heart the final sacrifice, he made it the starting point?
What if the body could be rebuilt—step by step—around the heart, using it as the source rather than the cost?
Of course, this raised more questions than answers. How could the heart generate power rather than be destroyed by it?
Still, the idea stuck with him. It wouldn't be something to try recklessly.
He needed to discuss it with Might Duy first.
This was no joke.
The next morning.
The sky was just starting to brighten when someone banged loudly on his door.
There was only one person in the entire village who'd storm into his house at this hour.
Kushina.
After spending all night obsessing over the Eight Gates, Shigure's brain was fried. He barely understood what she was yelling about.
But eventually, he got the gist.
It was because of his challenge to Uchiha Han.
A student who hadn't even graduated from the Academy had challenged a Chunin from the Uchiha clan… to a death match.
Unheard of. Unthinkable.
News of the duel had spread like wildfire. Within a single day, nearly the entire village knew about it. Naturally, Kushina did too.
She'd probably stayed up all night worrying.
Before dawn, she had come charging over.
"HEY! Are you even listening to me?! I told you to postpone that duel! I was going to figure out a way to get you into the Senju clan—then the Uchiha wouldn't dare touch you!"
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him violently.
Shigure gave her a weak, crooked smile.
"Okay, okay, if you keep shaking me, I'll die before Uchiha Han even touches me."
"Hmph! What were you even thinking, challenging a Chunin? Were you delirious at the time?!"
"Kushina," Shigure said, meeting her eyes, "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry."
"DON'T WORRY?!" she shouted so loud he nearly passed out.
He winced, rubbing his temples.
"I'm going to beat him," he said simply. "I'll defeat Uchiha Han in three months. That's all."
The way he said it—calm, firm—left Kushina speechless.
She stared at him like he'd completely lost his mind.
"Defeat a Chunin… in three months… Are you living in a dream?!"
Of course she was panicking.
How could she just sit by and watch someone she cared about walk into certain death?