Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu stood frozen before the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, their situation desperate.
Might Duy had arrived just in time and now stood protectively in front of the three young Genin.
"Dad?!" Guy looked at his father in disbelief. "Dad, what are you doing here? You're just a Genin too!"
Might Duy sensed the deadly aura emanating from the seven figures before them. His expression turned serious. "Stop talking! You need to run while I buy you some time!"
Guy was stunned for a moment, then responded anxiously, "Let's all escape together... Dad, they're all Jōnin, and they're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! You can't defeat them alone!"
"I have the Eight Gates," Might Duy replied firmly.
Guy's pupils constricted. "But that technique..."
"Self-sacrifice!" Might Duy extended his thumb toward his son. "This is the moment to protect what's most precious to you, even at the cost of your life!"
"This is how I'll risk everything to ensure your survival! Open! Eight Inner Gates Formation!"
Red steam erupted from Might Duy's body, and the powerful surge of chakra startled the Seven Swordsmen.
In the distance, Sora, who had been fighting elsewhere, sensed the powerful surge of energy. He immediately activated his observational abilities to assess the situation.
Not knowing what was happening, Sora's expression grew solemn. Such immense power—had Kirigakure sent some elite shinobi to the battlefield?
He rushed toward the source of the disturbance.
Guy stared at his father's back, tears streaming down his face. "Dad..."
Enduring the excruciating pain of opening the Gate of Death, Might Duy forced a smile to encourage his son. "Guy, true victory isn't about defeating the strong—it's about protecting what's most important to you.
"As Konoha's Noble Beast, work hard and grow strong. Before that happens, let me fan these flames to light your way and help the new leaves to sprout!"
Guy bit his lip, his eyes gradually filling with determination. He wiped away his tears and turned to his companions. "Dad, you will always be my pride! Genma, Ebisu! Let's go!"
"But..." Shiranui Genma and Ebisu looked at Might Duy with concern.
Though they didn't understand what the Eight Gates Formation was, they knew they stood no chance against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Guy, fully aware of the consequences of opening the Gate of Death, spoke gravely. "My father has made his decision. We cannot let his sacrifice be in vain."
Guy, Genma, and Ebisu turned and fled from the battlefield.
Might Duy's eyes moistened as he whispered, "You too are my eternal pride."
He faced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who regarded him with growing apprehension.
Though no battle had yet begun, the atmosphere was charged with tension—the feeling of confronting an opponent with nothing to lose.
Might Duy moved with blinding speed, instantly appearing before Kiba Tayumu, one of the swordsmen wielding the twin Lightning Blades.
Tayumu hadn't expected such speed. He tried to evade, but he was a moment too slow.
"Evening Elephant!" Duy's fist shot forward, not actually touching Tayumu but creating a powerful compressed air cannon that struck the swordsman's abdomen.
Tayumu violently coughed blood as he was propelled backward, crashing through numerous trees before landing in a massive crater created by his impact.
Kiba Tayumu, wielder of the dual swords known as Kiba, died instantly.
The remaining six Swordsmen looked on in horror. Their comrade had been killed with a single blow.
"Long Sword Ninja Art: Earth Spider Web!" shouted Kushimaru Kuriarare as he concealed the steel wires from his Nuibari blade beneath Might Duy's feet.
"Explosive Style Technique!" Jinpachi Munashi swung his Shibuki blade, scattering explosion tags around Might Duy.
"Sew!"
"Detonate!"
Kushimaru and Jinpachi shouted simultaneously.
The steel wires beneath Might Duy's feet began to constrict. If successful, they would sever his legs.
At the same time, all the explosive tags surrounding him had begun to burn, moments from detonation.
Might Duy raised his foot and stomped the ground. Instantly, the earth shattered, breaking Kushimaru's steel wires.
The resulting shockwave blew away all the explosive tags surrounding him.
By this point, Might Duy was in tremendous pain. The single Evening Elephant strike had already fractured the bones in his arm.
Gritting his teeth, he unleashed another Evening Elephant attack toward Kushimaru and Jinpachi.
The air cannon moved with such speed that neither swordsman could dodge. Both were hit directly.
Every bone in Kushimaru and Jinpachi's bodies shattered instantly, and two more massive craters appeared in the earth.
In just moments, three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been killed.
The remaining four—Jūzō Biwa, Fuguki Suikazan, Raiga Kurosuki, and Mangetsu Hōzuki—were overcome with fear.
One thought dominated their minds: Escape! Flee immediately!
Without hesitation, all four turned and ran.
By now, Might Duy's condition had deteriorated significantly. His arms were completely fractured, and his body was reaching its limit.
Might Duy's physical constitution had barely been sufficient to open the Gate of Death, and he couldn't sustain the technique much longer.
Watching the fleeing Swordsmen, Might Duy smiled with satisfaction. "Guy, the rest is up to you."
He assumed a stance, and the red steam enveloping his body intensified dramatically.
"Is this the Gate of Death from the Eight Gates Formation?"
Sora had arrived at the scene, astonished to see Might Duy surrounded by crimson steam.
"So... those four who escaped are from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and three have already been killed."
Sora hadn't expected to witness this legendary technique, yet by coincidence, he had arrived just in time.
Looking at the three massive craters nearby, Sora marveled at the incredible power on display.
He perched on a tree trunk to observe the battle, bearing witness to Might Duy's final moments.
Might Duy placed his hands on the ground, preparing for his ultimate attack.
"Release!"
The red steam emanating from his body intensified to an unprecedented level, causing the surrounding earth to crack and splinter. The steam began to take the shape of a dragon.
Sora's pupils contracted sharply.
Such powerful chakra. This dragon-shaped chakra... this technique must be...
Might Duy moved with incredible speed, appearing behind Mangetsu Hōzuki in an instant.
"Night Guy!"
Duy delivered a devastating kick to Mangetsu's back, seemingly breaking the swordsman's entire body.
Using Mangetsu as a projectile, Might Duy propelled him forward, creating a trail of destruction wherever they passed. Gravel exploded outward, and dust billowed into the sky.
Fuguki Suikazan, merely grazing the dragon-shaped steam, was violently blown away.
Might Duy continued driving Mangetsu forward until they crashed into a mountain, the impact finally halting their momentum.
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