Even though Chiriku had heard of Garou Zenin's brilliance from Asuma, and had quietly gathered information on his many achievements, it still felt surreal when the boy casually mentioned that two days was all he would need.
It almost sounded like a joke.
The Iron-Wall Barrier might not have been the Fire Temple's most closely guarded secret, but it was a cornerstone of their defensive techniques. Generations of abbots had poured blood, sweat, and sleepless nights into learning its intricacies.
And now… this kid just claimed he could fully master and redesign it in forty-eight hours.
Chiriku opened his mouth, ready to deliver a rebuke, perhaps something about respecting the efforts of predecessors, but what came out instead was,
"Asuma mentioned you were interested in the Gift of the Sages?"
Garou said, "To be honest, this isn't something I expect in return for the barrier work. I'd offer something new in exchange, any technique I develop that might benefit your monks."
It was a necessary correction.
Clearly, Asuma had slightly muddled the message when passing it along. Garou didn't want the Fire Temple to think he was trying to trade favors in some crude, transactional way.
Chiriku nodded thoughtfully. "Asuma did mention that… Do you intend this as compensation for the barrier work, or are you offering something else for it?"
Garou shook his head. "Reworking the barrier helps me too. That's just part of the collaboration. It's not a trade."
Sitting nearby, Hiruzen gave his desk a gentle knock, stepping in to guide the conversation.
"Chiriku," he said with a diplomatic tone, "Garou has developed several original jutsu, many of which are exceptionally valuable. If there are teachings or materials your temple is willing to share, we're open to an equal exchange."
"If necessary," Hiruzen added, "the Leaf is prepared to offer full support."
For something as rare as the Gift of the Sages, any investment was worth the price.
Chiriku thought quietly for a moment before speaking again. "We've deliberated over this. Our final decision is that knowledge can be part of the exchange, but not physical techniques."
"That's more than fair," Garou replied, nodding gratefully. Even if it wasn't an actual jutsu, knowledge opened doors. Understanding the underlying theory of the Gift of the Sages was like getting a key to the gate. Even if the gate itself stayed shut, one could still learn how to forge their own.
"One more thing," Chiriku added, his tone suddenly serious. "Even if you do manage to recreate it, you must never pass it on to others without our permission."
Garou immediately agreed. "Understood."
It was a reasonable ask.
If anything, Chiriku was already going above and beyond in making this happen. Garou didn't want to seem ungrateful.
"Since we're already collaborating, I'd still like to offer something useful to your monks," Garou added. "Some of the techniques I've developed could absolutely benefit your order."
He wasn't just being generous.
He genuinely liked Chiriku.
The monk was thoughtful, sincere, and doomed to die at the hands of Hidan and Kakuzu someday. If sharing a few techniques could improve the Fire Temple's odds, then why not?
Besides, even if Chiriku didn't need them, his disciples might.
Chiriku was quiet for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Then I'd be honored to receive them."
Hiruzen opened a thick black ledger, the Book of Creation, and passed it to Garou.
"Here," Garou explained, flipping through the pages, "these two jutsu should be of interest."
He pointed to Limitless Leaf State, the downgraded version of Limit State, Gentle Fist: Burst, Gentle Fist: Spiral.
"Chakra Needle and Chakra Thread aren't relevant to your monks," he explained. "But these two focus more on raw body control and internal strikes."
"As for the Absorption Barrier," he added, "that one's not quite ready yet. It needs specific ninja tools as a conduit. I'll send you a prototype when it's complete."
Hiruzen nodded along.
He knew the monks relied more on body and mind than ninjutsu, and Garou had chosen two techniques that aligned well with that philosophy.
Chiriku leaned over and began reading.
He skimmed the Limitless Leaf State page first.
At first, his brow furrowed.
Then, as he continued reading, his expression grew increasingly stunned. 'This… was created by a twelve-year-old?'
He kept looking up at Garou, disbelief plain on his face.
"I underestimated you," Chiriku said at last. "Forgive me. I didn't expect something this refined."
"You're not worried the Gift of the Sages might not be as valuable as these techniques?" he asked, half-joking, half-worried.
Garou chuckled. "I'm not. A whole new knowledge system, especially something as rare as this, is worth far more than a couple of jutsu. Jutsu can be copied. Understanding can't."
Chiriku blinked again.
'Simple… but profound.'
'This boy…'
He was equal parts genius and grounded.
That's why Chiriku had gone against the majority of the Fire Temple's elders and agreed to this deal.
Garou flipped to the next page.
Gentle Fist: Burst.
High-density chakra injected into a target, then detonated internally. It wasn't pretty, but the results were devastating, especially if the strike landed near critical organs.
"If that one's too hard to teach broadly," Garou added, "you can simplify it. Just direct condensed chakra to a vital spot. That's enough."
Then he flipped to the final page.
Gentle Fist: Spiral.
This one wasn't just about precision or density.
It was control.
Inserting chakra into a body and then making it rotate like a drill inside the target's tissues.
Chiriku stared at the scroll, mentally trying to visualize the effect, and failing.
It wasn't that he didn't understand.
It was just… insane.
The scope, the depth, the potential.
This technique wasn't just an upgrade.
It was a new path.
It wasn't even comparable to the Hyuga's version of Gentle Fist anymore. Garou had essentially created an entirely new school of thought.
"This…" Chiriku said slowly, shaking his head. "I take back what I said. These techniques are invaluable to us. Beyond anything I expected."
"I'm glad to hear it," Garou replied. "A fair trade ensures trust, and future collaboration."
Chiriku took a breath. "One last question. You mentioned an Absorption Barrier before… What exactly is it?"
"Oh, that one's a sealing technique I reverse-engineered from the Earth Prison Dome," Garou explained. He gave a quick overview, then shifted into explaining his concept for a chakra reservoir, a sort of internal energy tank that could be passively replenished or used in emergencies.
Chiriku's eyes lit up.
The more he heard, the more animated he became. He could barely sit still by the end.
"It's not complete yet," Garou admitted. "The tool required to make it work is still in development."
"Once it's done," Chiriku said firmly, "please make sure the Fire Temple receives a copy."
He didn't even notice how much his tone had changed—from a senior's steady calm to something almost… reverent.
Deep down, Chiriku was beginning to worry.
Was the Fire Temple giving enough in return?
He'd agreed to trade knowledge.
But now, he wasn't sure knowledge alone would cover the debt.
Hiruzen, meanwhile, observed everything with quiet amusement. This is what a true successor looks like, he thought, smiling behind steepled fingers. Eventually, he excused himself politely, leaving the two to talk alone.
As the door closed, Chiriku returned to himself and cleared his throat.
"Let me tell you a bit more about the Gift of the Sages," he began.
"It was originally a protection mantra, used by our monks when facing demons. Over time, most of its applications vanished. Many jutsu relying on it became obsolete."
He explained that the art had ancient roots, likely even pre-dating the ninja system. Like the Toad Sages of Mount Myoboku, monks once drew directly from nature.
Then the God Tree appeared, devouring ambient energy. Since then, most forms of natural power had faded, leaving behind only fragments.
Today, the few who mastered the Gift of the Sages did so through pure meditation and rare talent.
"So your training method is…?"
"Right now, it's mostly Zen meditation. We don't have a structured path. Maybe one or two people in each generation ever awaken the ability."
Garou nodded slowly.
That lined up with what he knew about the Toad Sages. Deep meditation to sync with nature.
The same core idea, just expressed differently.
But he had one more question.
And he wanted to phrase it carefully.
"…During your meditations, have you ever felt something… strange? Like a different kind of energy?"
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