Chapter 40: You wouldn't want anyone to find out you were peeking, would you?

Chapter 40: You wouldn't want people to find out you were peeking, would you?

"So, you realize you're not an ordinary person, too?"

Tenten and Kazusa grumbled to themselves. Chiba had mentioned the "limit state" before, but the two of them had only practiced it with their hands, and even then, they had yet to fully master it.

However, thinking about this only made them feel more disheartened. The "simple" taijutsu in Chiba's eyes was an impossible mission for them. It was truly... too miserable!

*If this kid could learn nature transformation, I bet he could master it in a day—no, an hour,* Tenten thought. Despite her discouragement, her body leaned in honestly. Kakashi did the same.

The three of them wore different expressions. Tenten and Kazusa were a bit dizzy, not knowing where to start because there was simply so much content.

"Is this... a simplified version?" Tenten asked, stunned.

"Yes. By practicing this version, you can trigger about seventy percent of the power of the limit state. Although the upper limit is lower, it is easier to practice and more stable," Chiba explained.

Kakashi said thoughtfully, "You were previously striving for perfection by mobilizing all muscle power, which is why you could achieve an effect similar to opening the Gates. Now, you are only controlling the power of the primary muscles."

"Exactly. But what are the Gates?" Chiba asked, looking puzzled.

"Oh, you might not know. Guy has a technique called the Eight Inner Gates, which can mobilize the power of the eight gates in the human body," Kakashi explained in a low voice.

"Eight Gates? I see. But violently forcing those eight gates open must take a heavy toll on the body, right?"

"Indeed." Kakashi nodded and picked up the notebook to study it carefully. It was clear that Chiba had described things in terms a layman could understand, but for an average genin, it was still too obscure.

"This is not a book for ordinary genin," Kakashi concluded.

"Then what level is required to understand it?" Tenten asked.

"At the very least, you have to learn which are the primary muscles of the human body and understand how to exert force from them. If you do that, you can..."

*Boom!*

A punch was thrown, emitting a sharp, explosive crack.

Kakashi tried it a few more times, then his eyes brightened. "Weakening it isn't necessarily a disadvantage."

"True. Although the effect is reduced, the burden isn't as great. As a standard method, this version is actually more suitable," Chiba nodded. He had realized this as well. The "budget" version of the enhancement state had four times the endurance of the full limit state. In a sense, it wasn't a budget version at all, but a more practical one for general circumstances.

"This technique can greatly enhance the taijutsu of our ninjas. Therefore, I suggest you take it to the Third Hokage immediately to have it classified and sealed to prevent it from leaking," Kakashi said seriously. Such a technique was a foundational breakthrough in taijutsu; in any other village, it would be considered top-secret.

"I'll let you see it before I hand it over, and then I can teach it to Tenten and Kazusa. By the way, do you know where Guy-sensei is?" Chiba was always fair; since he had shown Kakashi, he couldn't leave Guy out.

"Why do you think I would know where he is?"

"You don't?"

"I ran into him running laps this morning. He should be at the place where he eats. It shouldn't be hard to find him."

"Thanks."

Might Guy was indeed easy to find, but today was special; his entire squad was present, and they looked like they were preparing for a mission. Chiba didn't take out the notebook; Guy wouldn't understand that stuff anyway. Chiba went from theory to practice, but Guy was different—he was a pure man of action who learned by doing. Chiba explained the principles simply. Guy didn't get it at first, but after watching Chiba demonstrate it once, he immediately understood what to do. He was the classic example of someone who doesn't understand the theory but whose body knows exactly what to do.

Afterward, Chiba delivered the notebook to the Hokage's office. The Third Hokage was happy to see him, but knowing that Chiba had created yet another technique left the Third in a state of "painful joy." Chiba's ability was plain for all to see, but the problem was that the kid was racking up merits too quickly. The Third's private treasury couldn't keep up with such diligent creation. There wasn't much chakra-infused iron left, so what could he give him now? Nothing seemed appropriate.

After much deliberation, the Third coughed lightly. "Chiba, this technique of yours is very important, but I don't really have anything left to give you. Take a look..."

"Lord Hokage, there's no rush. I'm not in a hurry for a reward," Chiba smiled slightly.

The Third raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical, and looked at Chiba in surprise. "You don't want anything this time?"

"That's right. Didn't I mention before that it would be best to create a library for innovative ninjutsu to encourage everyone to invent and create? So, I want to put this technique into that library."

The Third thought for a moment. Doing this had significant benefits; it could encourage everyone to innovate. However, this technique could strengthen many people's taijutsu, and if it were used as a reward, the number of people who could obtain it would be very small. He weighed the pros and cons. Finally, the Third wanted to hear Chiba's thoughts.

"Do you want to restrict its spread?"

"Of course not, how could I? But initially, it could be listed as one of the rewards."

Every ninja needed to practice taijutsu, including medical ninjas. Using this technique as a reward was perfect. Moreover, the Third saw even more benefits. Using it as a reward in the beginning, and then opening it up to those who had earned merits when the timing was right, would encourage innovation while preventing spies from other villages from stealing the secret.

The plan was feasible!

The Third smiled and said, "Very well, we will do as you say. We'll keep a record of this for now, and if there isn't a technique you're satisfied with later, I have some techniques here that you would definitely be interested in." Since Chiba was thinking of the village, the Hokage would naturally reciprocate.

"What kind of techniques?"

"Ahem, didn't you say you didn't need anything for now?" The kid changed his mind too quickly. The Third was drinking water and choked, coughing repeatedly.

"If it's an ordinary technique, I can wait, but if it's a technique of yours that I'm truly interested in, then learning it now is definitely best." Chiba didn't hide his intentions.

The Third smiled helplessly. "I know many techniques, but most are nature-transformation ninjutsu. What would suit you are sealing techniques, barrier techniques, and the Shuriken Shadow Clone technique..."

"Lord Hokage, I heard you have a technique that allows you to monitor anyone as long as you know their chakra signature?"

"Pfft!" The Third sprayed out his water. Fortunately, he turned away in time and didn't soak the documents on his desk. He wiped the desk and asked, "Who did you hear that from?"

"It's not really something I heard. I've come to see you a few times, and you didn't hide it very well." Chiba pointed at the crystal ball.

The Third's face turned red. This kid really wasn't cute at all; even if he was smart, he shouldn't just say things like that! He was speechless for a long time before asking, "What do you want that technique for?"

"The person who created it must have been concerned for the safety of the village, wanting to use it to constantly check on the village and the guards. It's a great invention, and I think it has potential for further development."