An unexpected bonus

"Jonin-Kyōichi, this time I won't hold back.' 

"Please, go all out."

As soon as Kyōichi finished speaking, a black shadow appeared before him. 

So fast!

He instantly activated the First Gate. 

The next moment… 

Bam!

A kick sent Chen flying. 

However. 

Kyōichi knew Chen had used the momentum to disperse the force—no real damage was done. 

"This is the First Gate."

"The boost is incredible!"

Chen was excited. 

As a master of taijutsu, he understood what had happened to Kyōichi. 

Strength, speed, and physical capabilities had all improved. 

Control had also increased. 

The combined effect was… 

Whoosh!

Kyōichi was already in front of him. 

Bam!

This time, it was Chen who couldn't counter. 

So fast that blinking wasn't an option. 

A single blink, and you'd miss the attack. 

Even more. 

During the process, Kyōichi executed taijutsu stances that were normally impossible. 

This is the First Gate?

All the jōnin were stunned. 

The effect was overwhelming! 

However. 

They noticed Kyōichi's chakra surged momentarily after activating the First Gate. 

Combining it with ninjutsu might not be ideal. 

The jōnin silently noted this. 

"This is the First Gate combined with the Body Flicker Technique."

Kyōichi landed and stepped back. 

A series of attacks had drained his stamina. The most surprising part—Chen had defended against most of them, only taking three hits, none of which caused significant damage. 

"My turn!"

Chen took a deep breath, then… 

Whoosh!

His figure gradually faded from sight. 

An afterimage! 

Breathi Activation Technique. 

And— 

Wind rose! 

A whirlwind appeared beside Kyōichi, sweeping in all directions. 

But. 

Kyōichi's speed remained unmatched. He dodged, repositioned, and formed hand seals almost instantly, his hands moving at an unbelievable pace. 

Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld. 

A massive swamp swallowed the whirlwind. 

Instantly, the whirlwind transformed into a dragon and burst free. 

Earth-Style Wall, Water-Style Wall… 

One sturdy defense after another was erected, only to be torn apart by the whirlwind. However, by this point, Chen's attack had reached its limit. 

The two separated, ceasing further attacks. 

Sandaime and Tsunade watched from the side, smiling without a word. 

Many jōnin didn't know Kyōichi well. 

But. 

They knew his true strength—even using only taijutsu, he was far more capable than this. 

Shisui's talent for holding back and acting? All learned from his sensei! 

"Earlier, I used the Breath Activation Technique and my taijutsu, Konoha's Dragon God." 

Chen closed his eyes, then said, "This technique enhances cell activity rather than overdrawing physical strength, so there's no exhaustion like with the Eight Gates."

"As expected of a senior. Using the First Gate of the Eight Gates causes severe fatigue, which is why one must learn the Second Gate to recover stamina quickly."

Might Duy was full of admiration. 

Chen had spent years developing powerful taijutsu techniques without relying on the Eight Gates. 

Such dedication was truly impressive! 

"I used the Second Gate to recover my stamina, then applied the Breath Activation Technique. As you all saw, the First Gate enhances control over the body, making it ideal for taijutsu, while the Breathing Activation Technique boosts overall physical capabilities!' 

"The Breathing Activation Technique is more versatile, especially for those of us who rely on ninjutsu."

Nara Shikaku added. 

Most shinobi didn't rely solely on taijutsu, so the Breathing Activation Technique was easier to adopt, while the Eight Gates suited taijutsu specialists. 

"Exactly. Those skilled in taijutsu should learn both, while others can focus on the Breath Activation Technique."

"That's the gist of it."

After Kyōichi's summary, the jōnin were no longer confused. 

The path forward was clear! 

Then, Chen looked eagerly at Sandaime, his meaning obvious. 

A man in his forties making such a face—who could resist? 

Sandaime sighed. "You can exchange taijutsu techniques with Duy for the Eight Gates. Work out the specifics yourselves.' 

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

Chen and Might Duy moved aside to discuss. 

Very few shinobi could meet the requirements for the Eight Gates. 

This was expected. 

The Eight Gates weren't designed for ordinary people—only hardliners like Might Duy and Might Guy could unlock them. Even Kakashi, with his rigorous taijutsu training, could only reach the Second Gate. 

Kyōichi was the same. 

He had unlocked three Gates, but progressing further was difficult. 

Despite continuous physical training, he had only glimpsed the Fourth Gate. 

The Breath Activation Technique, however, was simpler. 

Most jōnin had substantial knowledge and could learn it from the scrolls. Chen, for instance, mastered it immediately after reading. 

Thus, Kyōichi didn't need to teach in detail—just share a few tips. 

He didn't expect high rewards for this. 

[Completed 'Forbidden Technique' Demonstration and Teaching]

[Evaluation: Good] 

[Reward: Chakra Absorption Technique]

Kyōichi was surprised. 

This was Akadō Yoroi's secret technique. 

However. 

While it could absorb physical and mental energy, it required direct contact with the target and couldn't absorb chakra already formed into ninjutsu. 

Not useless, but… 

Somewhat niche. 

Still, as a rare secret technique, it wasn't a bad reward. 

Kyōichi pondered and realized it had potential. 

If the conversion rate was high enough and it could be used with other body parts, it might synergize well with allies and the Slug Technique on the battlefield. 

He'd research it later. 

Closing the system panel, Kyōichi refocused. 

Everyone was practicing. 

Only Chen and Duy were passionately discussing taijutsu, standing out from the rest. 

"The Dragon God technique has no flaws!"

"Taijutsu is performed by humans. No matter how strong the whirlwind is, stopping you is the flaw." 

"The wind surrounds me—how can anyone hit me?" 

Chen was unconvinced. 

Might Duy, lacking theoretical knowledge, couldn't articulate the flaw but sensed it nonetheless. 

Kyōichi overheard and joined in. 

"Your technique mimics a whirlwind, but the eye of the whirlwind has no wind. That's the flaw."

In the anime, Rock Lee had exploited this weakness with the Primary Lotus. 

Chen was stunned. 

He wanted to argue but couldn't find a rebuttal. Finally, he admitted, "You figured it out?"

"Not at first, but after you broke through two of my defensive ninjutsu, it became clear."

'…' 

Chen fell silent. 

He realized Kyōichi had held back to spare his pride. 

"Don't overthink it. The technique is impressive, and its flaw can be mitigated. Knowing the flaw might even turn it into an advantage."

"How so?"

Chen was too close to see clearly. 

Might Duy scratched his head. "Isn't it simple? If they come through the eye, you can hit them directly."

"That's one way. Another is adjusting the wind direction."

Often, the simplest solutions were the most effective. 

The Dragon God technique was no exception. 

In the end, it came down to speed—whoever was faster would win! 

If Chen could learn the Eight Gates, few could match his speed. But alas… 

Though strong, he was in his forties. 

His body was past its prime, and maintaining his current level was already a challenge. 

He had missed his window. 

Even if he learned the Eight Gates, the strain of opening multiple Gates might be too much for his body. 

Kyōichi thought for a moment and added, "Chen-san, even if you can learn the Eight Gates, don't open multiple Gates at once. Open them one by one to minimize the damage."

"There's such a method?"

Chen was shocked. 

Without Kyōichi's warning, he might have tried opening two or three Gates at once. 

He immediately realized his mistake. 

Kyōichi's medical expertise was well-known among the jōnin.

With his mastery of the Slug Technique and medical ninjutsu, he was practically a younger version of Tsunade. 

On the battlefield, he was a lifesaver—a true MVP. 

Besides, why would a professional lie to him? 

"My apologies!"

Chen quickly bowed. 

"No need. I just wanted to warn you. If you don't go beyond the Third Gate, this isn't an issue."

Kyōichi's explanation put everyone at ease. 

Aside from Chen, several jōnin were interested in learning the First and Second Gates. After all, they were life-saving techniques, and as jōnin, they could see one thing clearly— 

If their physical condition allowed, the Eight Gates and Breath Activation Technique could be used together. 

Learning more was never a bad idea. 

To Kyōichi's surprise, a few casual comments earned him Chen's Konoha Whirlwind taijutsu. 

An unexpected bonus.