Chapter 17: The Second Check-In

"If you want to master powerful taijutsu, you must first have a strong physique!"

As Might Bai spoke enthusiastically, he pulled out two jump ropes from his ninja pouch and tossed one to Kazekaze.

"First up—5,000 jumps!" Might Bai's training method was simple and direct.

Jump rope wasn't just a cardiovascular exercise; it also strengthened leg muscles, improved wrist strength, and enhanced jumping ability.

"Long periods of jumping improve endurance, while rapid jumping enhances explosive power," Might Bai explained passionately.

Considering that Kazekaze was only seven years old, this kind of low-difficulty exercise was an ideal starting point. However, Kazekaze stared at the jump rope in his hand, expressionless. It wasn't that he thought 5,000 jumps was too much—it was that this training was too easy! If he hadn't just gone through an hour of survival training in the Forest of Death, he might have thought 5,000 jumps were a decent challenge. But now… Going from surviving in the Forest of Death to jumping rope 5,000 times felt like a joke! It was like asking the top-ranked student in school to go back and solve elementary school math problems. Forget making progress—this was just a waste of time. Even if he jumped rope 5,000 times, his attribute panel probably wouldn't even change.

Might Bai noticed Kazekaze's expression and misunderstood his reaction. He assumed Kazekaze was doubting his own ability. After all, Kazekaze was only seven—suddenly being asked to jump rope 5,000 times must have felt impossible to him. And in such moments, encouragement was key!

"Hahaha!" Might Bai laughed heartily. "Kazekaze-sama, as long as you persist, your body will grow stronger and stronger. And then…"

Suddenly, Might Bai's cheerful smile disappeared, replaced by a look of unprecedented seriousness.

"Watch closely, Kazekaze-sama—this is the result of my relentless training!"

With a loud shout, Might Bai unlocked the first gate of the The Eight Inner Gates technique. 

Gate of Opening—OPEN!

He clenched his fist, raised it high, and slammed it into the ground beneath him.

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion erupted as the ground beneath Might Bai shattered like a spider web, with cracks spreading all the way to Kazekaze and Tobirama's feet. The impact had a diameter of at least five meters. And this was just the power of the first gate. Even Tobirama, standing to the side, instinctively furrowed his brows. The reason he had chosen Might Bai as Kazekaze's taijutsu instructor was precisely because of his relentless dedication to taijutsu. That dedication had allowed him to master the The Eight Inner Gates technique! Strictly speaking, this technique had originated from a hypothesis Tobirama once proposed after studying Senju's monstrous strength. If Senju strength worked by precisely controlling chakra, coating it over the entire body, and then exploding it outward… Then what if someone reversed the process? What if they broke the body's natural limits, releasing the restrictions on chakra flow? Wouldn't that create even greater power? However, after extensive research, Tobirama realized that opening these gates would cause serious damage to the body. The only way to mitigate the risk was to train the body to extreme levels, making the muscles strong enough to withstand the backlash! If the technique wasn't passed down, it would be meaningless. 

Eventually, Tobirama discovered Might Bai—a ninja who was neither skilled in ninjutsu nor genjutsu. To prove that he could become an excellent ninja, Might Bai underwent inhuman training every single day. Over time, his physical strength far surpassed his peers. By repeatedly breaking through his own limits, he became the most suitable person to wield the The Eight Inner Gates! Tobirama's original plan was for Might Bai to pass down this training method to Kazekaze, ensuring he developed a strong enough body. However, what Tobirama hadn't expected… Was that Might Bai would demonstrate the The Eight Inner Gates on the very first day! Of course, a big reason for this was Kazekaze's identity. He was the grandson of the First Hokage. Which meant he was also the grandson of Tobirama himself. And since Tobirama was the one who had taught Might Bai the The Eight Inner Gates in the first place, It was only natural to pass it down to Kazekaze as well.

"Did you see that, Kazekaze-sama? This is the power you can gain through dedicated physical training!"

Might Bai spread his arms, emphasizing his lesson.

"The technique I just used is called the The Eight Inner Gates Release. As the name suggests, every time you unlock one of the body's natural limits, or 'gates,' you gain tremendous power. The punch I just threw was only from the first gate. If I opened the fifth gate, the Gate of Closing, my mere movements would be enough to distort the air and shake the ground!" Might Bai said this with absolute pride.

To witness the legendary The Eight Inner Gates technique on the very first day of training was something Kazekaze had never expected. But it didn't change his opinion.

"Might Bai-sensei, I'm not questioning your training methods," Kazekaze said calmly. "I just think… this training is way too simple."

Might Bai: "???"

"I don't know what Lord Tobirama told you, but I just finished survival training in the Forest of Death. That exercise barely helped me improve." Kazekaze sighed. "You don't actually think 5,000 jump rope skips is hard, do you?"

Might Bai was stunned.

'What do you mean, 'who would think 5,000 jumps is hard'?'

Back when he started training, he couldn't even complete 500 jumps! And only because Lord Tobirama told him that Kazekaze was a once-in-a-century genius, he had multiplied the training by ten times. Yet in Kazekaze's eyes— "That's it? That's all?"

And what was this about the Forest of Death? Wasn't that a high-difficulty survival test only meant for Chunin-level ninjas? Why was a seven-year-old child even allowed to participate?! Might Bai slowly turned to Tobirama.

"Five thousand jump rope skips is too easy," Tobirama said, giving it serious thought.

For Kazekaze's current level, this training was indeed insufficient. To Might Bai, this felt like a bolt of lightning straight to the head. 

'Is this… Is this what it means to be a super genius?!'

At that moment, the Check-In System chimed in Kazekaze's mind.

[Check-In System cooldown has ended!]

[Please confirm: Would you like to check in?]

'Already time for my second check-in? I wonder what I'll get this time.'

His first check-in had already granted him Hashirama's Chakra—an unbelievably valuable ability. And given that he was insanely lucky, there was no way his second check-in would be bad, right? Taking a deep breath, Kazekaze confirmed the check-in.

[Check-In Successful!]

[Congratulations! You have received a Check-In Reward!]

[Would you like to open it?]