The next morning, Kakashi had just woken up and was trudging to the bathroom, eyes still half-closed from sleep.
Suddenly, a round head with a bowl-cut hairstyle, thick eyebrows, and large gleaming eyes popped out of the window.
Kakashi's left hand twitched in surprise.
"Hey, Kakashi! Let's have a youthful showdown! It's been far too long!"
Guy was speaking with his usual fiery enthusiasm when his expression suddenly shifted in shock.
After three years… it reappears… the dragon rises once more!
And this time… it's even more exaggerated!
Seeing this, Kakashi sighed and walked out of the house, standing in front of Guy with a resigned expression.
Guy hesitated for a moment but eventually loosened his white belt and unzipped his green jumpsuit.
The two leaned in, scrutinizing it seriously.
Kakashi paused, then gently patted Guy's shoulder with his left hand, sympathy written all over his face.
Guy's eyes immediately welled up with tears.
"Kakashi… Let's fight!"
"I refuse," Kakashi replied flatly.
Guy zipped up his jumpsuit and scanned Kakashi's body with a concerned expression.
"I heard you just got back from a mission, so I came to check on you. Are you injured?"
Kakashi felt a warmth in his chest at Guy's concern.
So that's why he came so early… he was worried about me.
Guy scratched his head, still unsure.
"Hmm, you look okay. Well then, Kakashi, let's have a duel of burning youth!"
"All right."
This time, Kakashi didn't refuse.
"Then…!" Kakashi raised his right fist.
"Yosh!" Guy raised his right fist in unison, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Rock… paper—"
"No! Rock-paper-scissors isn't passionate enough!" Guy interrupted, pointing dramatically at Hokage Rock in the distance. "Let's race to the top of Hokage Rock! First one there wins! Understood?"
"Very much your style, Guy," Kakashi sighed.
"That's the spirit of youth, Kakashi! Accept it, my eternal rival!"
"Okay, okay. If it makes you happy."
"Yo! Let's make this fun! Hahahaha!" Guy laughed, picking up a stone from the ground.
"Ready?"
"Engine started. Ready to go."
Kakashi gave him an OK sign.
Whoosh!
As the stone hit the ground, both men vanished from their spots, sprinting toward the Hokage Rock.
"Oh~!"
"Oh ho ho~!"
They dashed down the street, their speed increasing with every step as houses and trees blurred past them.
"You truly are worthy of being my rival, Kakashi! Our true battle has just begun!"
"Oh!"
Soon, they arrived at the base of Hokage Rock and immediately sprinted up the near-vertical cliff face.
"Kakashi!"
"Guy!"
BOOM!
In the end, Kakashi won by a narrow margin.
"Huff… huff… Kakekashi… you really are my rival! You've beaten me again!" Guy gasped, wiping the sweat from his brow. "As punishment, let's do 10,000 push-ups together!"
"Guy."
"Hmm?"
"I want to learn the Eight Inner Gates from you."
Guy's eyes widened, locking onto Kakashi's serious expression.
If it were anyone else, he would've hesitated. But Kakashi...
"Let's start now!"
"Guy, go eat breakfast first. Today's training will be intense."
"Hahaha, that's right! Then let's race to the bun shop!"
"Oh!"
---
After breakfast, they headed to the Seventh Training Ground.
"Kakashi, I'm going to explain the Eight Inner Gates to you now."
"Okay," Kakashi nodded, listening intently.
He was genuinely curious about how Guy trained to become the strongest taijutsu user, someone who nearly decided the final battle.
"The Eight Inner Gates—full name: Eight Inner Gates Formation," Guy began.
"In a ninja's body, chakra flows through the meridian system. The points where chakra flow is naturally limited are the Eight Gates: Gate of Opening, Gate of Rest, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder, and Gate of Death."
"When you open each gate, your body gains a temporary explosion of chakra and power. Opening all eight grants power beyond Kage-level… but at the cost of death."
Guy paused for a moment, remembering his father's words.
"Kakashi, this Forbidden Technique demands extreme self-discipline. The final gate… can only be opened when you're prepared to sacrifice everything to protect what matters most."
Kakashi remained silent, knowing these words weren't just instruction—they were a vow, one Guy and his father lived by.
"The first gate, the Gate of Opening, lifts the brain's restrictions. The Gate of Rest relieves fatigue. The Life and Pain Gates boost your speed and power. By the time you reach the Fifth Gate, you move at supersonic speed—the shockwaves alone can break the ground!"
"Beyond that, your body grows stronger with each gate… until it reaches its peak with the Gate of Death."
"Of course, today, I'll only be teaching you how to open the first gate."
Guy looked at Kakashi earnestly. "If you didn't understand anything, feel free to ask."
Kakashi nodded again. "No need. I understand. Let's begin."
"Huh?" Guy's jaw dropped. "You understood everything on the first try?"
Tears welled up in Guy's eyes. As expected… my lifelong rival… a genius!
"Then let's start training!" Guy shouted.
"First—10,000 push-ups!"
Kakashi and Guy hit the ground in sync, their bodies becoming afterimages from their rapid movement.
"Now 5,000 high kicks!"
"Let's go! 10,000 sit-ups!"
---
As the sun began to set, its rays lit up the training ground in a warm glow.
The two of them were drenched in sweat, bodies burning with fatigue.
Kakashi felt something shift within him—his long-suppressed emotions turned into heat, spreading through his blood, fueling a fierce fighting spirit.
"One last one!"
"Yosh! Pre-training completed! You're amazing, Kakashi!"
Guy jumped up, beaming, and gave Kakashi a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming white.
Kakashi collapsed into a sitting position, supporting himself with his arms and panting heavily.
After an entire day of madness, even someone as seasoned as him was nearly at his limit.
"Kakashi, now's the time to break your physical limits! Use your youthful chakra to strike the first gate!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth and stood up, closing his eyes.
He focused.
Five minutes passed.
"Gate of Opening—Open!"
A burst of wind exploded around him as chakra surged outward.
"This… this… this…" Guy was speechless. He actually opened it on his first try?!
Compared to how long it took me… he really is a genius…
Kakashi smirked as his eyes curved into crescent moons.
He understood clearly—his original self hadn't advanced far in the Eight Gates because he'd focused entirely on Sharingan and Chidori. Physical training had been neglected.
But now, he knew how terrifying future enemies were.
Whether it was Six Paths Madara or Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, without Sage Mode or taijutsu, ninjutsu alone wouldn't be enough.
That's why he needed the Eight Gates.
Thinking of the god-tier threats ahead, Kakashi sighed softly.
Then he looked seriously at Guy.
"From now on, I'll maintain the first gate. Let's train together."
"Oh! That's youth, Kakashi!"
Guy grinned and shouted, "First Gate—Gate of Opening, open! Take this! Konoha's Powerful Whirlwind!"
Kakashi blocked the spinning kick with both arms, using the force to leap backward and create distance.
He then circled Guy at high speed, kicking up dust to obstruct his vision and create an opening.
He didn't use Shadow Clones—this was a pure taijutsu duel.
Guy quickly read the situation and charged forward. He jabbed at Kakashi's face and unleashed a flurry of kicks like a raging storm.
Kakashi lost the initiative and was forced onto the defensive.
He raised his arms, blocking the attacks aimed at his head and chest. Every blow echoed with the sound of bone meeting flesh.
Realizing he was caught in Guy's rhythm, Kakashi leaped back, trying to disrupt the flow.
Guy didn't slow down. Instead, he accelerated, becoming a streak of green light.
He dashed in midair, circling Kakashi with rapid, whistling footsteps.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and prepared for a counterattack, chakra surging in his veins.
Suddenly, Guy, who had been at Kakashi's upper left, vanished and reappeared at his lower right. Half-crouched, he delivered a powerful side kick to Kakashi's abdomen!
Kakashi was caught off-guard and sent flying!
Guy jumped and followed with a triple kick, launching Kakashi even higher.
Then, Guy spun midair and descended like a tornado.
Bang!
"Konoha Great Rift!"
Kakashi smashed into the ground like a cannonball, skidding and bouncing across the earth before finally regaining control.
His body screamed with pain.
But this… this was exactly what he wanted.
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi forced his body to stabilize and charged again.
The two clashed repeatedly until Kakashi's body could no longer sustain the open gate.
"Thanks, Guy. That's enough for today. Let's continue next time… and go eat some barbecue."
Kakashi was touched by Guy's sincerity. He knew Guy wouldn't train anyone this earnestly—not unless they were as close as brothers.
"Hahaha! Kakashi, no need for thanks. This is youth!"
"Then let's see who can reach the barbecue restaurant first!"
Guy laughed and gave Kakashi a hearty slap on the back.
Kakashi winced. The warm gratitude he'd felt moments ago evaporated.
He really is Guy.
"Hi"