The sky was just beginning to brighten, the distant horizon glowing pale white.
The stars gradually faded away.
Genya and Hikari woke up early as usual, carrying their weighted gear as they ran laps around Konoha, training their taijutsu.
Before long, Shou Kui and Neji arrived as well.
Suddenly, Genya sensed something behind him and turned, his gaze sharpening.
Might Guy and Kakashi were approaching together, their expressions growing serious.
"Genya."
Might Guy noticed Genya's slightly surprised look and assumed he didn't know Kakashi. He introduced him, saying, "This is Kakashi. We're heading out on a mission today, so I brought him along to take a look around. We'll be leaving in the morning!"
"A mission? What kind of mission?"
Genya narrowed his eyes, looking between Might Guy and Kakashi with curiosity.
He was curious—what kind of mission required both Might Guy and Kakashi?
These two were among Konoha's top jōnin. If necessary, they could each lead a team on their own.
"A new Wood Release user has appeared in the ninja world. The village leadership wants us to bring him back to Konoha."
Before Might Guy could speak, Kakashi answered directly.
"Bringing a Wood Release ninja back to Konoha? And they're sending top jōnin like you two for that?"
Genya let out a cold laugh. The moment he heard Kakashi was involved, he understood what Konoha was planning.
A bitter, mocking laugh.
Damn it.
The village was clearly preparing to make a move on Hayashi. But they might have picked the wrong people.
Not to mention Kakashi—
Even if they managed to capture the target, Might Guy would never let him be in real danger.
Might Guy might act carefree most of the time, but when it mattered, he was someone you could rely on.
He understood the balance between the village's interests and the stubbornness of its higher-ups.
So even if Hayashi fell into their hands, he would be safe.
Besides, things weren't set in stone just yet.
"I just don't get it… Konoha's higher-ups really are something else."
Might Guy scratched his head. "Sending me, Kakashi, and Kurenai—just to deal with one Wood Release user?"
As expected, Genya's guess was right—Might Guy did feel conflicted and somewhat helpless about Konoha's decision.
"Yūhi Kurenai too? A genjutsu specialist?" Genya narrowed his eyes again. It seemed Hiruzen Sarutobi was going all-in on securing "Hayashi."
Yūhi Kurenai's genjutsu, Might Guy's taijutsu, and Kakashi's ninjutsu—they practically formed a well-rounded combat squad.
As long as they weren't facing a Kage-level opponent, they could handle almost anyone.
If Might Guy opened the first seven gates of the Eight Gates, he might even be able to take down a Kage-level enemy.
"Genya-sama!" The others following Genya didn't know about "Hayashi's" identity, so they just listened without much concern. But Hikari stepped up beside Genya and softly called out to him.
Genya knew she was worried about "Hayashi," but he simply patted her shoulder to reassure her and said, "Since you're heading out on a mission, after this training session, I'll treat you all to a meal and personally see you off!"
"Great training!" The moment Might Guy heard that Genya was treating them, his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.
Ever since meeting Genya, he had witnessed his generosity firsthand.
At first, he felt embarrassed about taking advantage of it, but over time, he shamelessly tagged along. Now, he was already used to it.
"Let's go!"
Kakashi didn't say anything and simply joined the others in training.
The moment he stepped into the training area, he felt an immense pressure weighing down on him. His single eye scanned the surroundings, his brows furrowing.
"What's going on? What is this?"
It felt as if a massive boulder weighing thousands of pounds had been placed on his body. Unlike Might Guy, he wasn't accustomed to training with weights!
"Kakashi, you don't know about this yet, do you? This is our secret training weapon—the Gravity Field!" Might Guy smirked when he saw Kakashi's shock and raised his eyebrows at Shou Kui.
"It's one of Shou Kui's abilities. Some say it's a type of Kekkei Tōta!"
Kekkei Tōta?
Kakashi muttered the term under his breath. He had heard of such an ability before but had never experienced it himself.
Now, with the crushing gravity weighing down on him, he finally understood just how special this field was. The added pressure made him realize how intense this training was going to be.
At the same time, he looked at Genya in shock, his pupils filled with seriousness. Was this person also under Genya's command?
If Shou Kui could grow to his full potential, his future achievements would be limitless. He would undoubtedly become a top-tier support ninja.
The moment Kakashi observed him, he immediately recognized Shou Kui's potential.
Just how many geniuses were around Genya?
The Senju siblings, now Shou Kui, and even Deidara, who had been outside the village. His gaze then shifted to the silent Neji ahead and the approaching Rock Lee, who was sprinting to catch up.
Training continued!
Everyone sprinted through Konoha under the effects of the gravity field while wearing weights.
Their final challenge was climbing a mountain—one of the highest points in Konoha, where they could overlook the entire village.
Upon reaching the summit, Kakashi, who was experiencing the gravity field for the first time, was already sweating. His breathing was slightly uneven.
Without using chakra, his taijutsu was indeed inferior to the others present.
Because, aside from Rock Lee, who was struggling to keep up, the rest had already adapted to this intense level of training!
Might Guy was right—everyone here had incredible taijutsu talent.
On the high ground, Shou Kui sparred with Rock Lee in hand-to-hand combat.
Meanwhile, Hikari and Neji worked together and could already fight Might Guy on even ground within the gravity field!
Kakashi stepped out of the gravity field, leaned against a large tree to rest, and lifted his Sharingan.
"Let me take a closer look at this gravity field."
Through the Sharingan, he observed a glow enveloping everyone within it. Faint chakra swirled around, forming a special domain that covered several meters.
He wanted to copy this ability, but he quickly realized something—this power seemed both replicable and yet… not.
As if this ability was something Shou Kui was simply born with.
"No need to copy it. You won't be able to replicate this gravity field in your current state."
A sudden voice interrupted Kakashi's focused analysis.
Kakashi was momentarily stunned before shifting his gaze toward Genya.
Their Sharingan eyes met—Kakashi's standard Sharingan against Genya's dual-pupiled Sharingan.
Almost instantly, Kakashi felt an overwhelming pressure from those eyes, forcing him to look away instinctively.
His heart trembled. Those dual pupils… Normally, they seemed harmless, but right now, they radiated an almost terrifying presence.
Was this yet another secret Genya had been hiding?
For a moment, Kakashi even wondered if Genya had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Heh… Kakashi, what do you think of Shou Kui?" Genya asked casually as he sat nearby, watching the others train.
"Shou Kui?" Kakashi wasn't sure why Genya was asking, but he nodded. "He has great talent, and his unique ability is quite special. If he can refine it further, he'll become a powerful support ninja—one of Konoha's greatest assets."
"Heh… One of Konoha's greatest assets?" Genya scoffed, his voice cold.
"Shou Kui… Just a few days ago, he was being bullied by the higher-ups' children. If it weren't for me, he might have already been crippled."
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