On the battlefield, blue steam and deep blue chakra collided violently, triggering a deafening roar.
Might Guy's silhouette streaked through the air, leaving a trail of afterimages. His speed was so extreme that friction even ignited sparks in the air.
Every punch thrown was accompanied by the crack of a sonic boom, hitting like heavy artillery fire.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Guy let out a roar, his leg swinging down like a battle-axe.
Madara Uchiha crossed his arms before his chest. Although he blocked the strike, the sheer, terrifying force sent him skidding back dozens of meters, his feet carving two deep furrows into the ground.
"This strength..."
Madara shook his numbing arms, a flicker of surprise crossing his Rinnegan.
He had originally thought that something like taijutsu had its limits.
But during the exchange just now, he realized that this thick-browed man's taijutsu defied common logic.
It wasn't just about speed and weight.
More importantly, the durability of Guy's body was simply inconceivable.
Earlier, taking advantage of a gap in Guy's attack, Madara had stabbed Guy's shoulder with a black receiver.
Ordinarily, a black receiver forged from Yin-Yang Release could easily pierce steel. Yet, when it entered Guy's muscle, it met resistance akin to stabbing high-density alloy.
After penetrating barely half an inch, it was forcefully wedged tight by Guy's tensed muscles!
"I see."
Madara narrowed his eyes. Drawing on his vast combat experience, he began to predict Guy's movements.
As Guy charged again like blue lightning, Madara didn't take it head-on. Instead, he shifted slightly, narrowly avoiding Guy's fist, and followed up with a brutal knee strike aimed at Guy's abdomen.
Bang!
Guy's reflexes were instantaneous. He forced his body to twist in mid-air, blocking the blow with his elbow.
The two exchanged blows rapidly in mid-air, the sound of their limbs clashing like a frantic drumbeat.
"Your body has undergone some kind of special tempering, hasn't it?"
Madara sneered while parrying. "A normal flesh-and-blood body should have collapsed under the strain long ago after opening the Seventh Gate. Yet, the strength of your muscle fibers is even tougher than steel."
"Is this the foundation that gives you the courage to dance before me?"
Guy didn't answer. He gritted his teeth, and his offensive grew even more fierce.
But in his heart, he was far from at ease.
Just as Madara noted, his body was indeed much stronger than it should have been.
During their previous special training, Jiraiya and Gamakon had utilized the high-concentration Sage Chakra of Mount Myoboku to forge him through hellish methods.
The agony of having his cells torn apart and restructured had granted him a physical toughness far beyond that of a normal person.
If he were facing an ordinary Kage-level expert, or even someone at Pain's level, the current Guy opening the Seventh Gate would be enough to crush them.
Unfortunately, his opponent was Madara Uchiha.
A Shura of the shinobi world who possessed the Rinnegan and combat experience so vast it was hair-raising.
No matter how fast Guy was, Madara could always rely on the Rinnegan's dynamic vision and his near-instinctive combat intuition to predict the move half a second in advance.
Often, before Guy's fist even arrived, Madara's defense was already in place.
"Dammit! I still can't break through!"
Guy slammed a punch into the ribs of Madara's Susanoo. Though he caused cracks to appear, the counter-force also split the webbing of his hand, sending blood splattering.
In the distance, Minato Namikaze watched this scene, his brow furrowed.
'It's no use; the gap is still too wide.'
Perched on Minato's shoulder, Gamakon also felt somewhat helpless.
'Even though Guy-sensei received an epic buff that saved him decades of hard cultivation, making his current Seventh Gate even more ferocious than during the original War...'
'But the current meta belongs to the Uchihas.'
'The current Madara, with the Rinnegan and a youthful body, could likely suppress even Hashirama.'
While Guy's attacks could injure Madara, they couldn't deal a lethal blow.
On the battlefield.
Guy clearly realized this as well.
He panted heavily, the blue steam around him beginning to flicker unsteadily.
"Haa... haa..."
Guy leaped backward, putting distance between himself and Madara.
He looked at the unscathed Madara, a look of finality flashing in his eyes.
"Since the Seventh Gate isn't enough to bring you down..."
Guy slowly stood straight, his previously restless chakra suddenly falling silent.
He extended his right hand, his thumb slowly aiming toward the location of his heart.
That gesture caused Kakashi Hatake's pupils to shrink abruptly as he watched from afar.
"Guy! Stop!"
Kakashi roared out in desperation, "That jutsu... you absolutely must not use it!"
As Guy's lifelong rival and best friend, he knew all too well what that action meant.
Eight Inner Gates Formation.
The Eighth Gate, the Gate of Death.
It was an ultimate forbidden technique that burned one's life force in exchange for power dozens of times greater than that of a Hokage.
Once opened, death was certain!
"Kakashi..."
Guy glanced back at his dear friend and flashed a brilliant smile, his white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
"Don't make that face."
"Konoha's Blue Beast must eventually become the Red Beast."
"To protect everyone, to protect the budding leaves of Konoha... this is my youth!"
With that, Guy's finger tensed, ready to strike the vital point at his heart.
"Guy!"
Minato Namikaze's expression also changed drastically.
Although he knew Guy had this resolve, how could he, as the Hokage, stand by and watch his subordinate march to his death?
Shua!
A flash of golden light.
Minato was about to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique to intervene.
However...
...at the very moment he was about to vanish.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Minato."
Gamakon's voice sounded in Minato's ear, carrying a reassuring calmness. "Let him open it."
"What?!"
Minato's body froze. He looked at the toad on his shoulder in disbelief.
Gamakon explained, "Did you forget the thing we got back in the Land of Hot Water?"
Minato was stunned for a moment.
Land of Hot Water... Jashin Cult... Hidan...
A memory instantly flooded his mind.
Several months ago, Gamakon had suggested going to the Land of Hot Water to find the secret of immortality. He had approved that S-rank mission, but afterward...
"During that time..." Minato frowned, a look of realization dawning in his eyes. "Was that when I was in the Land of Iron discussing the details of the five nations' cooperation?"
As the Fourth Hokage, during these months shadowed by the clouds of war, Minato had practically split himself in two to keep up.
On one hand, he had to remain in Konoha to oversee the big picture; on the other, he was constantly traveling between the Daimyo manors and other hidden villages, using diplomacy to forge the Shinobi Alliance.
During that period, he was so busy he didn't even have time to go home for a meal. Every day was spent facing mountains of intelligence scrolls and treacherous political negotiations.
"Exactly."
Gamakon nodded, his tone tinged with some sentiment. "Orochimaru's research had just yielded results then. But seeing you so swamped with the Alliance matters that your dark circles were practically down to your chin, the few of us discussed it and decided not to bother you with experimental data just yet."
"We figured we'd tell you as a surprise once you finished this busy stretch."
Gamakon grinned at Minato's bewildered expression. "After all, you're the Hokage—the Shadow who carries the whole village. If you have to personally oversee every bit of dirty work, what use are comrades like us?"
Hearing this, a warm current rose in Minato's heart, and his tensed nerves relaxed slightly.
So that was it...
While he was rushing about for the peace of the shinobi world, everyone else was silently working hard to protect their comrades.
"So that's how it was..." Minato shook his head with a wry smile. "It seems that as Hokage, I really am being 'looked down upon' by everyone sometimes."
"Cut the act."
Gamakon interrupted Minato's sentimentality and quickly explained, "That jutsu was completely deconstructed by Orochimaru and named 'Death Controlling Blood: Modified.' Although the twisted self-harm curse function was removed, it retains the core mechanism: Health Locking."
Under this modded technique, no matter how much the body is overdrawn—even if the cells are entirely necrotic—the soul will be forcibly locked within the physical body, unable to depart.
In other words...
...as long as the technique doesn't end, Guy is immortal!
"But..." Though Minato was relieved, his ninja sharpness immediately brought up another issue. "The heat generated by opening all Eight Gates will burn the body to ash! Even if the soul stays, the physical body will be destroyed! What then?"
"That's where the second safety measure comes in—our second surprise for you."
Gamakon pointed toward the Konoha Hospital. "Orochimaru has already grown a clone for Guy. Once Guy finishes this fight and his body is completely wrecked, we'll immediately transfer his soul into the clone."
"Though he'll need a two-year rehabilitation period to regain his strength, at least..."
Gamakon paused and smiled. "Two years later, he'll be a hero once more."
Hearing this, the last bit of anxiety in Minato's eyes finally vanished, replaced by profound shock and emotion.
Soul transfer...
A technique once considered taboo was now the final lifeline for saving a comrade.
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."
Gamakon shrugged. "And besides, I already told Guy about this."
Minato was taken aback. "He knows?"
"Of course."
Gamakon recalled the scene in the laboratory.
When Orochimaru told Guy that he could open all Eight Gates for a satisfying fight and would only need to be out of commission for two years to be revived...
...that thick-browed man was so happy he nearly tore the roof off the lab.
For a taijutsu ninja, being able to unleash the final radiance of one's life without reservation to challenge the strongest enemy was the ultimate reward!
"So, Minato."
Gamakon patted Minato's shoulder. "Don't go interrupting a man's romance."
"This is his stage, and it's the result of all of us supporting him from the shadows."
Minato fell silent for a moment.
He looked at the figure in the distance moving forward without hesitation, gripped his kunai, and his eyes sparkled with an unprecedented light.
Even with safety measures, even if it wasn't true death...
...the price of burning one's entire blood supply and enduring the agony of shattering bones was still something an ordinary person could never imagine.
And to trust his comrades so much as to leave his back completely exposed...
"Truly..."
Minato took a deep breath, a confident smile playing on his lips. "It is truly an honor for me as Hokage to have all of you in Konoha."
He no longer tried to stop it. Instead, he quietly adjusted the Sage Chakra within his body, preparing to step in at any moment.
Currently, the distribution of Konoha's combat power was indeed a bit distorted.
Outside of the normal scales, there was only the unfathomable Demon King, Gamakon.
At the Six Paths level, there was Kaguya Otsutsuki, who was currently just watching the show.
And combatants approaching Six Paths level...
...only consisted of himself, with Sage Mode plus Six Paths Power, and Might Guy, who was about to open the Eight Gates.
Unfortunately, both of these near-Six Paths fighters had massive limitations.
Minato's Six Paths Power was a finite resource that dwindled with use; he had enough for only one strike.
Meanwhile, Guy's power was a one-time trial pass at the cost of his life.
"In that case..."
Minato's gaze burned as he looked at Guy. "Then burn to your heart's content, Guy! No matter the outcome, we are right behind you!"
In the center of the battlefield.
Madara watched Guy's movements, his brow twitching slightly.
"Is that... the final gate of the Eight Inner Gates?"
Madara didn't stop him. Instead, he showed a look of anticipation. "Interesting. Judging by your stance, it seems this final gate might offer me some surprises."
"Don't disappoint me!"
Guy ignored Madara's words.
His thumb stabbed heavily into the area of his heart.
Puh!
With a faint muffled thud, it felt as though some shackle had been completely shattered at that moment.
"Eight Inner Gates Formation..."
Boom!!!
A torrent of red steam instantly erupted from every pore in Guy's body.
That wasn't chakra.
That was his blood evaporating!
The red steam soared into the sky, transforming into a ferocious blood-red dragon, brandishing its claws in the air.
The air of the entire battlefield became thick and viscous at that instant.
The rubble on the ground began to defy the laws of gravity, slowly floating upward.
"Gate of Death... Open!!!"
Guy snapped his head up.
His originally black pupils had completely vanished, leaving only a deathly white.
His skin turned a deep crimson, like a boiled shrimp, and veins bulged across his face, making him look like a Shura from hell.
"This chakra..."
Madara Uchiha, who had been composed until now, suddenly looked exceptionally solemn.
If the Seventh Gate earlier only made him feel somewhat threatened...
...then the Eight Gates fully open now made him feel a long-lost aura of death!
"This color... is it red steam?"
Madara watched Guy, shrouded in blood mist, and the fighting spirit in his eyes boiled over to its peak.
"Hahahaha! Good! Excellent!"
Madara laughed wildly, his entire chakra reserve erupting without reservation.
"To think you could train taijutsu to such a degree!"
"Aside from Hashirama, you are the first person to make me feel this excited!"
Shua!
Guy's figure vanished.
It wasn't a Body Flicker or a space-time technique.
It was pure speed, so great that it actually distorted space itself!
Madara felt his vision blur as a terrifying gale slammed into him.
"Evening Elephant: First Step!"
Boom!
A fist enveloped in red steam smashed ruthlessly into the Susanoo Madara used for defense.
Crack!
The supposedly indestructible Susanoo was actually dented by this single punch!
The massive impact force penetrated the Susanoo, acting directly upon Madara.
Puh!
Madara violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, his entire body blasted away like a cannonball.
"What?!"
The foreign exchange students in the distance were now completely dumbstruck.
That invincible Madara Uchiha, who could even summon meteors...
...was actually punched until he spat blood?!
"I'm not done yet!"
Guy's silhouette followed him like a shadow, appearing above Madara in an instant.
He kicked off the air as if running on solid ground.
"Second Step!"
"Third Step!"
"Fourth Step!"
A continuous barrage of heavy punches fell upon Madara like a torrential storm.
Madara was beaten so soundly he had no chance to counterattack, only able to receive the blows.
His body was knocked back and forth in the air, the sound of bones shattering clearly audible.
"Hahahaha! Thrilling! This is absolutely thrilling!"
Despite being covered in blood from the beating, Madara's laughter became increasingly arrogant.
He forced his body to stabilize, allowing Guy's fists to land on him, his Rinnegan filled with a crazed sense of appreciation.
"This power! This speed!"
"I recognize your strength!"
Madara roared, tanking one of Guy's heavy punches, and then shouted with all his might the words destined to be etched into the history of the shinobi world:
"In terms of taijutsu, I, Madara Uchiha, declare you the strongest!!!"