280. Yuuhi Kurenai's First Kiss

"What... what are you doing?"

Yuuhi Kurenai reacted, quickly stepping back two paces, covering her bottom as she asked.

"You're really cute."

Hanekawa looked at her flushed cheeks and said.

Compared to Tsunade and Samui, she seemed much more innocent.

"Complimenting me won't help!"

Yuuhi Kurenai couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

Actually, it was quite effective.

After all the commotion, she forgot to ask about the scent on Hanekawa.

"Kurenai."

Hanekawa's gaze fell on her lips.

"Um..."

Yuuhi Kurenai noticed his gaze and immediately felt flustered.

After a few seconds of stiffness, unable to bear the heavy atmosphere, she turned and ran into the house.

"You haven't changed your shoes."

Hanekawa followed her, reminding her.

Yuuhi Kurenai suddenly stopped.

She turned to look at Hanekawa, bit her lip, and then walked forward.

"Let me help you take them off."

Hanekawa didn't wait for her response and crouched down, grabbing her ankle.

The soft touch made him unable to resist giving it a slight squeeze.

Yuuhi Kurenai instinctively tensed her foot, her exposed toes curling up.

Hanekawa couldn't help but smile.

He slowly took off Yuuhi Kurenai's shoe.

A delicate, fair bare foot came into view.

Hanekawa glanced up at Yuuhi Kurenai, held her small foot, and tickled her sole.

"You... stop that... it's so ticklish!"

Yuuhi Kurenai instinctively struggled.

But with her right foot held, she lost her balance and fell forward.

Hanekawa quickly stood up and caught her.

"It's all your fault!"

Yuuhi Kurenai glared at him with some dissatisfaction.

"My mistake."

Hanekawa said with a smile, "Let me help you with the other shoe."

"You're not allowed to tickle me again!"

Yuuhi Kurenai snorted lightly, "If you tickle me again, I'll kick you!"

Hanekawa blinked.

Looking at her small, jade-like foot, he couldn't help but want to try.

Hanekawa shook off the strange thought.

He reached out, pinched Yuuhi Kurenai's ankle, and gently pulled off her shoe, revealing her delicate little foot.

"I'm hungry! Go cook!"

Yuuhi Kurenai stepped back barefoot, not giving Hanekawa any chance to play with her feet.

"How about grilled fish?"

Hanekawa stood at the entrance, taking off his shoes.

Yuuhi Kurenai's father had gone on a mission to the capital of the Land of Fire yesterday and hadn't returned yet, so Hanekawa had to cook.

"Okay."

Yuuhi Kurenai subconsciously swallowed and said.

Hanekawa looked at her adorable expression and reached out, but she dodged with a quick hop.

"You just touched my foot, how can you touch my head now?"

Yuuhi Kurenai put her hands on her hips, her face full of resistance.

"I'll go wash my hands now."

Hanekawa couldn't help but laugh.

He turned and walked to the kitchen.

After washing his hands, he started cooking.

He had already eaten at Tsunade's place, so he only prepared grilled fish, miso soup, and rice for Yuuhi Kurenai.

"Why are you standing at the door watching?"

Hanekawa glanced at Yuuhi Kurenai at the kitchen door and asked.

"I have nothing to do."

Yuuhi Kurenai paused, then asked, "Do you need my help?"

"No, it's almost done."

Hanekawa smiled and asked, "Want to come and taste it, little glutton?"

"I'm not a little glutton."

Yuuhi Kurenai said as she walked up to him.

Hanekawa picked up a piece of grilled fish and brought it to her mouth.

She immediately opened her mouth and bit into the fish.

"If you're not a little glutton, what are you?"

Hanekawa took the opportunity to pat her head and asked.

Yuuhi Kurenai chewed the grilled fish and snorted lightly in response.

It was so delicious that she didn't want to waste time talking.

"Take the grilled fish out."

Hanekawa plated the grilled fish and handed it to her.

"Okay."

Yuuhi Kurenai took the plate and left the kitchen.

A moment later, the two sat at the dining table.

"Are you just going to watch me eat?"

Yuuhi Kurenai took the chopsticks and said, "It feels a bit strange."

"If you can't finish, I can help you."

Hanekawa served her a bowl of rice and said.

"I can finish this much grilled fish."

Yuuhi Kurenai said seriously.

"I took on an S-rank mission today."

Hanekawa crossed his hands and said.

"What mission?"

Yuuhi Kurenai's eyes lit up with excitement.

"A ninja named Shinno stole a sealing technique from Konoha."

Hanekawa summarized, "Our mission is to retrieve the sealing technique from the ruins of the former Hidden Sky Village."

"Hidden Sky Village?"

Yuuhi Kurenai thought for a moment and asked, "I heard that ninjas from this village can fly, is that true or false?"

"Sort of true."

Hanekawa explained, "But they don't fly using ninjutsu, but with chakra tools."

"Really?"

Yuuhi Kurenai said with some disappointment, "I wanted to learn a few flying ninjutsu."

"You want to fly?"

Hanekawa raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Yes!"

Yuuhi Kurenai said with certainty, "The experience of soaring in the sky must be amazing!"

"I'll take you flying after dinner."

Hanekawa said with a smile.

"Huh?"

Yuuhi Kurenai looked at him in surprise, as if she had misheard.

"I do know a flying ninjutsu."

Hanekawa raised his hand and tapped her forehead, asking, "How about that? Impressive?"

"Great!"

Yuuhi Kurenai was immediately excited, "I need to eat quickly!"

"Don't rush, I'm not going anywhere."

Hanekawa said gently.

Yuuhi Kurenai smiled at him and continued eating.

But her pace slowed down.

The two chatted while eating, and soon finished dinner.

"Hurry up!"

Yuuhi Kurenai stood up, grabbed Hanekawa's hand, and pulled him outside.

"Hold on tight."

Hanekawa stood still and opened his arms.

"Don't touch me inappropriately!"

Yuuhi Kurenai thought of the earlier spanking incident.

She stepped forward and hugged his waist.

But the next second, she let out a surprised cry.

Because Hanekawa reached out and pinched her thigh, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh.

"What are you doing?"

Yuuhi Kurenai asked, flustered and angry.

"You only said not to touch, not that I couldn't pinch."

Hanekawa said with a straight face, talking nonsense.

"You're so mean!"

Yuuhi Kurenai said as she pinched his waist and twisted hard.

Hanekawa couldn't help but suck in a breath.

Seeing this, Yuuhi Kurenai panicked.

She quickly let go and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Hanekawa smiled and said, "Alright, I'm going to take off, don't let go."

Yuuhi Kurenai immediately held on tightly.

Hanekawa focused, and his body rose into the sky.

"Wow!"

Yuuhi Kurenai, facing the wind, couldn't help but exclaim in excitement.

Hanekawa couldn't help but twitch his eyelids.

Yuuhi Kurenai's entire weight pressed against him.

As she squirmed, he clearly felt the softness.

Though not as ample as Tsunade and Samui, she was beginning to develop.

Yuuhi Kurenai, immersed in the excitement of her first flight, didn't realize she was being taken advantage of.

She looked around, then down at the shrinking Konoha village, feeling a bit dizzy.

Yuuhi Kurenai quickly looked away, turning her gaze to the night sky.

There was no moon tonight, but many stars.

"So beautiful."

Yuuhi Kurenai murmured.

Seeing the stars up close was a different experience for her.

"You're more beautiful."

Hanekawa looked into her ruby-like eyes and said softly.

Yuuhi Kurenai was about to speak when she suddenly froze.

Because Hanekawa's face was getting closer.

Yuuhi Kurenai's heart raced, her eyelashes trembling.

Hanekawa looked at her delicate, fair skin, his gaze shifting to her lips.

He chuckled and said, "Kurenai, you have nowhere to run now."

Yuuhi Kurenai opened her mouth, her breathing becoming rapid.

She instinctively struggled, but then remembered they were high in the air and didn't dare let go.

Yuuhi Kurenai looked at Hanekawa's teasing expression and bit her lip.

She suddenly leaned forward and kissed him.

A brief touch, then she turned away, her face burning red.

"That was a bit short."

Hanekawa leaned close, his breath brushing her ear.

"You... let me down..."

Yuuhi Kurenai shivered, biting her lip.

"Look at me."

Hanekawa said.

Yuuhi Kurenai instinctively looked up, and then her lips were sealed.

She let out a soft moan, her eyes glazing over, her breathing becoming rushed.

Yuuhi Kurenai's eyes suddenly widened.

She looked at Hanekawa in disbelief, thinking, how... how dare you...

But soon she was entangled with him, until she was breathless.

Yuuhi Kurenai's face rested against Hanekawa's chest.

Her eyes were dazed, her lips slightly parted, breathing in fresh air.

Her inexperienced first kiss met Hanekawa's expertise, making it hard for her to resist.

Hanekawa slowly descended.

Yuuhi Kurenai was still in a daze, her face flushed.

"Still savoring it?"

Hanekawa asked with a smile.

"N-no!"

Yuuhi Kurenai quickly let go and ran off.

"Why are you running so fast?"

Hanekawa followed her, saying, "I won't eat you."

"I'm going to take a bath!"

Yuuhi Kurenai, hearing the latter part, instinctively licked her lips, her blush deepening.

Bang!
The bathroom door closed.

Hanekawa shook his head with a smile.

He sat on the sofa, using the time to practice Sage Mode.

Half an hour later, Hanekawa heard footsteps.

He opened his eyes and saw Yuuhi Kurenai in a bathrobe, her hair still wet.

"Come here."

Hanekawa beckoned her.

Yuuhi Kurenai hesitated, then walked over and sat down.

Hanekawa reached out, using a fire technique to dry her hair.

Yuuhi Kurenai glanced at him, feeling her mood lift, her bare feet swinging gently in the air.

"Done."

Hanekawa patted her head, "Go rest early."

Yuuhi Kurenai hopped off the sofa, standing gracefully in front of him.

She stood on her tiptoes, kissed Hanekawa, then vanished.

Hanekawa was momentarily stunned, then headed to the bathroom.

Yuuhi Kurenai gave him a different feeling compared to Tsunade and Samui.

But he liked it.

After his bath, Hanekawa returned to his room.

But he didn't sleep, continuing to practice Sage Mode.

He practiced whenever he had time.

After all, getting stronger was always good.

And once he mastered Sage Mode, his strength would at least double.

Late at night, Hanekawa disappeared.

He appeared in Samui's room.

The lights were off, but with his abilities, he could see as clearly as in daylight.

Hanekawa went to the bed, took off his clothes, and slipped under the covers.

He raised an eyebrow.

Because Samui was lying naked in his arms, smooth and soft.

"Hanekawa."

Samui caught a familiar scent and leaned in closer.

It was another gentle night.

__

Early morning.

When Hanekawa opened his eyes, he felt the soft weight on his body.

Samui clung to him tightly like a snake.

Her face still bore a lingering blush.

"Sleep a bit more, I'll be back later."

Hanekawa patted her buttocks, causing the flesh to tremble slightly.

Samui obediently let go, turned around, and left his embrace.

Hanekawa picked up his clothes and headed to the bathroom.

After showering, he went to make breakfast for Tsunade, and then hurried to Kurenai Yuhi's house.

At this moment, Hanekawa was very glad he had learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to manage everything.

"Kurenai."

Hanekawa raised his hand to knock on the door.

He was a bit surprised.

Unlike Tsunade, Kurenai never slept in and was always punctual, but today she was up a bit late.

The door opened.

A sleepy-eyed Kurenai appeared before him.

"Did you have trouble sleeping last night?"

Hanekawa blinked and asked.

"A little."

Kurenai didn't dare to meet his gaze and replied softly.

Hanekawa could probably guess the reason.

Such an innocent girl.

"Go wash up."

Hanekawa patted her head and went to the kitchen.

Kurenai couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Soon, breakfast was ready.

"Eat up."

Hanekawa stood up and said, "I've already eaten at the teacher's place. If anything comes up, find me at the Anbu."

"Okay."

Kurenai looked at him, her face showing reluctance.

Hanekawa bent down, kissed her, and then left.

Kurenai was stunned for a moment, then a happy smile appeared on her face.

Hanekawa returned to Samui's room.

But she still hadn't woken up, sleeping soundly under the covers.

Hanekawa thought to himself that he had gone a bit overboard last night.

But he really couldn't be blamed.

They were both young and full of energy, and with Samui being so perfect, he naturally couldn't hold back.

"Rest well."

Hanekawa thought for a moment, leaned close to her ear, and said, "Come to my office after you wake up."

Samui barely opened her eyes, met his gaze for two seconds, then closed them again.

She was indeed too tired, having barely slept all night, her mouth never closing.

Hanekawa stepped back, used the Flying Thunder God Technique, and arrived at the Anbu base.

As usual, work first, then training.

There wasn't much to do at work.

The only thing worth noting was the information about Shinno that the Anbu had sent.

Shinno had captured many villagers and locked them up to create so-called dark chakra.

It seemed that the Zero-Tails had already been created by him.

After finishing work, Hanekawa went to Kushina Uzumaki's house to learn sealing techniques.

By the afternoon, Samui finally arrived, albeit late.

"Sorry."

Samui said somewhat apologetically.

"No need to apologize."

Hanekawa pulled her into his arms, removed his mask, and then covered her red lips.

He felt like he was eating a juicy, fragrant orange segment.

Time passed, and it was Monday.

Hanekawa sat at his desk, quickly flipping through the documents.

Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, both the ninja world and Konoha Village had been relatively peaceful.

The documents mostly described minor matters, nothing that required Hanekawa's full attention.

"Lord Hanekawa."

Samui, dressed in the Anbu uniform, walked in and said, "I've already informed the First Division of the Anbu."

The Anbu is divided into four divisions, each with four squads, plus the division leader, totaling seventeen ninjas.

This time, since it involved the Angkor Fortress, Hanekawa decided to bring an entire division with him.

"Thank you for your hard work, Samui."

Hanekawa stood up and walked over to her.

"It's my duty..."

Samui began to speak but suddenly let out a muffled groan.

Her body trembled slightly as she felt Hanekawa's hand moving along the inside of her thigh, and a faint blush appeared on her face.

"This is your reward."

Hanekawa gently caressed her soft thigh as he spoke.

"Thank you."

Samui felt her breath hitch, and her legs went weak.

Since there were no outsiders in the office, Hanekawa didn't bother to rub her through her clothes.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're a water-style ninja."

Hanekawa suddenly chuckled and withdrew his hand.

Samui didn't dare to look at him, only instinctively closing her legs slightly.

"Take the First Division to the main gate of Konoha and wait for me there."

Hanekawa glanced at the time on the wall and instructed.

"Yes."

Samui reluctantly left.

Hanekawa casually wiped his hands with a tissue, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared on the spot.

At the main gate of Konoha.

"Kurenai, you seem to be in a good mood today."

Rin Nohara looked at Kurenai Yuhi, who was all smiles, and couldn't help but feel curious.

From the moment they met, her smile hadn't faded.

"It's because I haven't gone on a mission outside in a long time, so I'm excited."

Kurenai coughed lightly and explained.

In truth, it wasn't just today that she was in a good mood—she had been happy all week.

The reason was that she and Hanekawa had confirmed their relationship, starting with that first kiss high in the sky that night.

Since then, kissing had become a daily routine.

Kurenai had been immersed in a blissful atmosphere.

If there were special effects, her surroundings would probably be filled with floating hearts.

"Hanekawa!"

Kurenai noticed Hanekawa's sudden appearance and quickly ran up to him.

"Good morning."

Hanekawa showed a gentle smile and reached out to pat her head.

"You already said that at home!"

Kurenai said with a grin.

If Rin hadn't been there, she would have kissed him right then and there.

Newly established couples were like this, wanting to be together every moment.

Rin couldn't help but purse her lips.

"Rin."

Hanekawa turned to Rin.

"Hanekawa."

Rin snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.

"Let's go."

Hanekawa explained, "The Hidden Sky Village isn't far from Konoha. We can get there in half a day."

"What are we going to do?"

Kurenai clenched her fist and waved it, asking, "Are we going to take down Shinno directly?"

"We'll see how things go."

Hanekawa thought for a moment and replied, "Our goal is the Ancor Vantian."

"What's the Ancor Vantian?"

Kurenai was slightly puzzled and asked curiously.

"It's a flying fortress."

Hanekawa didn't hide anything and explained to Kurenai about Shinno, the Zero-Tails, and the Ancor Vantian.

"It sounds impressive."

Kurenai asked in confusion, "Then why was it so easily destroyed by us back then?"

"Because it has a fatal weakness."

Hanekawa smiled and said, "The Aburame clan's parasitic insects."

In the original story, Shino Aburame alone was able to take down the Ancor Vantian.

Kurenai was stunned.

Was it really that simple?

"The Ancor Vantian is too large. The parasitic insects can destroy its components or power source, causing it to crash."

Hanekawa paused and added, "But for most ninjas, the Ancor Vantian is quite troublesome."

There was another reason.

The Hidden Sky Village was just too weak.

If it were Konoha, they would definitely set up a barrier similar to the Four Red Yang Formation on the Ancor Vantian.

As long as they could hold out for a certain amount of time, the Ancor Vantian could counterattack with its overwhelming firepower.

The three of them soon left Konoha.

By noon, they had arrived at the ruins of the former Hidden Sky Village.

Hanekawa looked up and saw no signs of a ninja village—only mountains and forests.

No wonder Konoha had never noticed such a massive Ancor Vantian.

Mind's Eye!
Hanekawa closed his eyes.

His perception expanded.

The surrounding situation appeared in his mind.

His first thought was that the Ancor Vantian was indeed huge.

The entire mountain forest seemed to grow on top of the Ancor Vantian.

Besides the fortress, he also sensed the ninjas inside.

There were more than he had imagined—nearly a hundred.

But their strength was relatively weak.

Judging by their chakra fluctuations, no more than five of them met the standard of a jonin.

Shinno, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Hanekawa guessed he was in a nearby village.

In the original story, he had taken on a student named Amaru.

Every movie had a heroine, and in Shinno's movie, it was Amaru.

As everyone knew, Naruto Uzumaki was loved by everyone in the movies.

Amaru was no exception, even confessing her love to him in mid-air.

As for now, Amaru probably hadn't even been born yet.

"Dragon Maiden."

Hanekawa thought for a moment and called out.

A figure flashed, and Samui appeared.

Kurenai glanced at her curiously, but she was a complete stranger.

"The Ancor Vantian is right beneath our feet."

Hanekawa instructed, "Kurenai, Rin, you two go down with Dragon Maiden and the others. Take control of the Ancor Vantian as quickly as possible."

"What about you?"

Kurenai quickly asked.

"I'm going to find Shinno."

Hanekawa explained, "He's not in the Ancor Vantian."

"I'll go with you!"

Kurenai said without hesitation.

"I'm enough on my own."

Hanekawa shook his head and said, "The Ancor Vantian is the real battle. There are nearly a hundred ninjas inside."

Of course, that wasn't the real reason.

On one hand, Hanekawa was worried that Kurenai might get hurt.

With the enhancements from Physical Revival and Physical Regeneration, Shinno could use the Eight Gates and even open the Eighth Gate without dying.

But as a trade-off, his Eight Gates were far less powerful than Might Guy's or Might Duy's.

Even so, for Kurenai, he was still a dangerous opponent.


On the other hand, Hanekawa wanted to test the power of the Eight Gates and the side effects of overusing it.

Only after understanding these could he attempt to promote its use within Konoha.

The idea of allowing medical ninjas to use the Eight Gates was simply too enticing.

While not everyone could master it, even having one person learn it would be a significant boost to their combat strength.

"A hundred ninjas?"

Kurenai's gaze sharpened, and she said solemnly, "I understand. Be careful."

If Hanekawa's estimate was accurate, then the real danger lay with them.

After all, his strength was more than enough to handle Shinno alone.

Hanekawa nodded slightly.

He took out a Flying Thunder God kunai and casually threw it.

"Don't approach the power room. It's dangerous—the Zero-Tails is sealed inside."

Hanekawa reminded them before disappearing on the spot.

___

An unnamed village.

Hanekawa's appearance drew the attention of many.

First, he was an outsider.

Second, his striking looks made it hard not to notice him.

Hanekawa had a clear goal in mind. He followed a small path and arrived in front of a dilapidated wooden house.

He raised an eyebrow.

Shinno was treating a villager.

Hanekawa wasn't in a hurry and waited at the entrance.

"Thank you, Lord Shinno!"

After the treatment, the villager quickly expressed their gratitude.

"No need to be so polite."

Shinno smiled warmly.

The villager bowed deeply before leaving.

"You... you're Hanekawa?!"

Shinno watched the villager leave but suddenly noticed Hanekawa standing nearby. His expression changed drastically.

Though this was their first meeting, he had seen Hanekawa's portrait before.

"May I ask what brings you here, Lord Hanekawa?"

Shinno took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm.

He could only hope that his theft of sealing techniques and his secret study of the Eight Gates hadn't been discovered by Konoha.

"Lord Shinno."

Hanekawa smiled faintly and said, "Please return the ninjutsu you obtained from Konoha."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Shinno's heart raced, but he stubbornly replied, "I went to Konoha only for academic exchange and to treat illnesses. I didn't obtain any ninjutsu."

"The Ancor Vantian."

Hanekawa casually mentioned.

"You... how do you know about that?"

Shinno finally couldn't maintain his composure.

The Ancor Vantian was his life's work and the key to his plan to retaliate against Konoha. It couldn't be compromised.

"Naturally, I sent people to the Ancor Vantian."

Hanekawa chuckled and said, "If you hurry, you might still be able to stop them."

"Bastard!"

Shinno was both shocked and furious.

Without hesitation, he formed hand seals.

Physical Regeneration!

Physical Activation!

His clothes bulged outward, revealing explosive muscle growth.

Shinno, who had been a thin, middle-aged man, suddenly transformed into a robust young man, exuding a terrifying aura.

He didn't even glance at Hanekawa before leaping into the air, leaving the village and rushing toward the Ancor Vantian.

Flying Thunder God Technique!

Hanekawa let out a light laugh and appeared in front of Shinno.

"Get out of my way!"

Seeing Hanekawa, Shinno didn't retreat but instead charged forward, his body becoming a blur.

With the enhancements from Physical Regeneration and Physical Activation, he was now an elite taijutsu jonin.

A fierce wind roared.

Shinno threw a punch, carrying a terrifying force.

Superhuman Strength!

Hanekawa, unhurried, met him with an equally powerful punch.

The two fists collided.

A deafening explosion echoed as shockwaves rippled outward, accompanied by continuous bursts of air.

The overwhelming force surged like a tidal wave.

Shinno's face twisted with effort as he poured all his strength into the attack, but he still couldn't withstand the impact.

His body was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust several meters high.

But he wasn't dead—or even injured.

Thanks to Physical Regeneration, his recovery ability was terrifyingly strong, similar to the Strength of a Hundred Seal technique.

Shinno struggled to his feet, staring at Hanekawa in shock.

He knew exactly how much power Physical Activation granted.

It was a force that could be called superhuman.

Yet Hanekawa's strength surpassed his.

Was this the power of the strongest ninja in the current era?

Eight Gates! Eighth Gate, Open!

Shinno's face turned red with rage.

A torrent of chakra erupted from his body, and an invisible shockwave swept through the area.

Hanekawa felt his breath hitch as his hair was whipped wildly by the wind.

He raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that the display was indeed impressive, almost on par with Might Duy's Seventh Gate.

"Die!"

Shinno charged at Hanekawa.

Chakra swirled around him like a storm, and his speed was so fast that it was nearly impossible to track with the naked eye.

Hanekawa felt as if Shinno was a massive axe hurtling toward him.

He clapped his hands together.

Wood Style: Advent of a World of Trees!

In front of him, countless trees burst forth from the ground, growing at an astonishing rate.

A loud crash echoed.

Shinno, enveloped in chakra, smashed through the trees, creating a massive hole.

His momentum didn't slow as he drilled through tree after tree, shattering trunks with ease.

But the trees seemed endless.

When he was just two meters away from Hanekawa, Shinno was forced to stop.

"How is this possible?"

Shinno stared in disbelief at Hanekawa.

"It seems you haven't learned the taijutsu techniques that correspond with the Eight Gates."

Hanekawa raised an eyebrow and said.

Thinking about it, it made sense.

Might Guy and Might Duy likely never imagined that Shinno could open the Eighth Gate in such a short time.

Hanekawa guessed that Shinno also didn't know about techniques like Evening Elephant and Night Guy.

In short, if you didn't ask, they wouldn't tell, so Shinno only learned the Eight Gates.

"Taijutsu?"

Shinno took a deep breath and said, "Let me show you my taijutsu!"

Taijutsu: Active Fist!

Shinno spread his palms.

Dark chakra gathered and compressed into a particle-like chakra sphere.

Shinno clenched his fist and slammed it into the surrounding trees.

The dark chakra acted like the sharpest blade, slicing the trees into countless fragments.

The moment he broke free, his body vanished again.

Hanekawa stood still and activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

He sidestepped to the left, narrowly avoiding Shinno's punch.

Heavenly Foot of Pain!

Shinno instinctively crossed his arms, but he was still sent flying by the kick.

Hanekawa focused his mind.

Nearby branches and vines grew wildly, entangling Shinno.

Shinno roared in frustration, using both his fists and feet to unleash devastating blows.

Vines snapped, and branches were destroyed, but new ones quickly sprouted.

Shinno realized the dire situation.

If this continued, he would be worn down to death.

Ninjutsu: Super Divine Fist

Dark chakra erupted once more, but this time it wasn't concentrated in his palms—it surged throughout his body.

Shinno threw both fists forward.

A torrent of chakra surged like a tsunami, obliterating everything in its path.

Branches and vines turned to dust, and even the newly grown trees couldn't keep up with the destruction.

"Ah!"

Shinno closed in on Hanekawa, his punch distorting the air.

Lightning Release Chakra Mode!

Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!

Superhuman Strength!

Hanekawa's arm turned to stone as it collided with Shinno's fist.

The two forces clashed, creating a shockwave that swept through the area like a storm. The ground cracked, and debris flew in all directions.

Shinno was sent flying once more.

He landed on the ground and let out a scream.

His body began to deflate like a balloon, air escaping from him until he transformed from a muscular powerhouse into a frail, white-haired old man.

The Eight Gates' trial period had expired.

The side effects of Physical Activation and Physical Regeneration had manifested.

His body and lifespan had been drained.

He looked like someone who had overused sealing techniques or the Strength of a Hundred Seal.

But Hanekawa was quite satisfied.

In a life-or-death situation, such side effects wouldn't matter.

And if used within reasonable limits, the side effects wouldn't be as severe.