Dragon Cave (First Update)

A broken sword that could replenish its blade with enemy blood and absorb physical strength: Kubikiribōchō.

A long sword with sharp metal wire attached to its tail, capable of setting traps and piercing targets: Nuibari.

Kabutowari, a blunt sword consisting of a hammer and a blade. Strike the blade with the hammer after landing it to break through defenses.

Exploding Blade Shibuki, which came with the properties of Explosive Tags.

And the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei used by Chojuro, the Sixth Mizukage.

Five of the Seven Ninja Swords had now fallen into Xu Yue’s hands!

"With Flying Thunder God, I’d better use this one."

He casually picked up Nuibari, the long sword that looked like an enlarged needle, and fastened it at his waist before sealing the other four into a scroll.

Whether Zabuza would have a sword to use in the future was none of his concern. They were his now.

Exploding Blade Shibuki would definitely be popular if sold to the barbecue shop people, and the other swords each had their own special effects as well.

If he bundled them together, he should at least get A-Rank Plot Points, right?

The one he planned to use was not bad either. Although unleashing Rasengan barehanded could often cause greater destruction, Nuibari would probably have remarkable effects in situations where a weapon was needed. Still, this weapon was rather unusual. Coordinating with those wires required time and practice, so it would not be useful for the moment.

Hmm, or he could simply use it as a bargaining chip in Hokage Space?

Or…

After glancing at the spot where Dai had turned to ashes, Xu Yue put everything away, then stepped forward and scooped up some of the remaining dust into a small bottle.

After receiving your kindness, I should at least help collect your remains…

"My dad was a hero. I won’t cry."

Looking at the little bottle Xu Yue handed over, tears kept welling in Might Guy’s eyes, but none fell. It was as if he had matured overnight.

This was probably the moment of transformation that would shape Guy’s future achievements—the true shift in his mentality that laid the foundation for him to become the strongest among ordinary people. His usual hard work was the fuel, while this transformation was the spark that ignited his momentary brilliance.

"Lord Yue, I understand what my father meant now. So today, I’ll teach you Eight Inner Gates. Are you ready? It’ll be very hard."

After carefully putting away the small bottle, Guy looked at Xu Yue with utter seriousness.

Although he had finally obtained an ability that suited him exceptionally well from Guy, Xu Yue did not feel even the slightest bit of joy.

Had he really become too numb…

While Xu Yue began training in Eight Inner Gates with Guy, Kakashi had already been brought back by Konoha’s ninja. The corpses of Mist ninja scattered across the scene had also drawn the attention of Konoha’s Anbu.

In particular, based on the conditions of those ninja’s injuries, someone soon came to ask Xu Yue to go over and explain what had happened.

Xu Yue casually took the blame and did not mention anything about Obito.

But after returning, Kakashi seemed like a completely different person. He showed every sign of turning dark.

Every day, he washed his hands endlessly. He washed them after every mission, washed them every morning when he woke up, and day after day, he scrubbed the hand that had pierced through Rin.

This time, Xu Yue did not say anything more about it. He already had far too much on his hands.

As for training in Eight Inner Gates, with Advanced Body Mastery as a foundation, he picked it up quickly. Guy had also taught Xu Yue the entire cultivation method for Eight Inner Gates.

Yet Reincarnation Space had been slow to charge him, which made Xu Yue somewhat anxious.

Well, it was not that Xu Yue had masochistic tendencies. Without the Space’s recognition, the proficiency growth for Eight Inner Gates was simply crawling along.

The reason for that crawling pace was the excessive strength of his Advanced Sage Body, which made the barriers of the Eight Gates equally powerful.

Xu Yue had only just begun, yet he had not opened even the First Gate!

Even Rock Lee, a mere genin, could open up to five gates at his limit. Xu Yue had no idea how to describe how he felt right now.

Only after his mastery of Sealing Jutsu improved further and he began preparing Reverse Summoning Technique did the Space’s notification finally arrive.

Eight Inner Gates has received qualification recognition. One A-Rank Plot Point deducted.

Note: Affected by Sage Body, the Reincarnator currently possesses Body Mastery (Advanced). Maximum Gate Opening limit: 2. Current number of Gates that can be opened: 1.

After receiving the notification, Xu Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it merely had an effect; it was not saying he could not use it.

And in terms of price, perhaps because he had participated in the battle against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and because of Guy’s favorability toward him, it was fortunate that it only cost one A-Rank Plot Point. Otherwise, given the terrifying performance of the Eighth Gate, even with its awful side effects, it would not have been excessive for it to cost S-Rank.

After trying the First Gate, Xu Yue also understood why Sage Body imposed restrictions on Eight Inner Gates training.

It was because Xu Yue could barely feel any side effects from opening the First Gate. There was only pure enhancement.

His Chakra and physical strength both seemed to have increased by thirty percent!

The consumption from opening the First Gate could not even keep up with the recovery speed of his Advanced Sage Body! In fact, because of the continuous burden on his body, maintaining the First Gate could even provide a certain degree of training at all times.

It was not much, but it was continuous and lasting.

After carefully asking the Space targeted questions about the information, Xu Yue also understood the later restrictions.

Continuing to improve his Sage Body would no longer affect Eight Inner Gates.

But if he wanted to increase the upper limit of the Gates he could open, he would need to continue improving his Body Mastery.

Judging by the tiers of Sage Body, there should be a Mastered level beyond Advanced Body Mastery. He had never seen that at the auction house.

There was probably another level beyond Mastered as well.

There was no need to think about that in the short term. Being able to obtain clear, substantive improvements from the first few Gates was already good enough.

Opening just one Gate increased his strength by thirty percent. What more could he ask for? This was something that would continue increasing in equal measure as his own strength grew.

"Summoning Technique—Reverse Summoning Technique!"

Xu Yue bit his finger, formed hand seals, and pressed his hand against the open ground. Then his entire body vanished from where he stood.

Dragon Cave, here I come…

Within a dark, damp cavern, White Snake Sage coiled atop a throne. Looking every bit like the Leader among snakes, she stared at Xu Yue with cold vertical pupils and spoke in a hoarse human voice.

"Such ominous eyes, such a body brimming with vitality. Orochimaru truly took in a fine disciple."

"You flatter me."

"Hmph. I never flatter anyone. You have too little Chakra. You are wasting that body of yours."

In truth, with the enhancement from his Advanced Sage Body and constant refinement, Xu Yue’s total Chakra reserves were already considered outstanding among people his age.

Well, merely outstanding. They truly did not match the physique of an Advanced Sage Body.

Thinking of Hashirama’s Chakra reserves comparable to those of a Tailed Beast, then looking at his own reserves that merely led his peers, it was perfectly understandable for her to call it embarrassing.

"I only need to master the method. As for Chakra, I’ll have more as long as I keep refining it."

Xu Yue did not retreat because of that. He still had one S-Rank and two A-Rank Plot Points in hand. He was definitely going to learn Sage Mode…

His average subscriptions were still just over 2,300 and refusing to rise, but since it was the weekend and he was staying home, there would still be three updates today~

Please subscribe, pretty please~

Those of you stockpiling chapters, please turn on auto-subscription or something and give Integrity some hormones~

Also, thanks to Ziziweiwei for the ten-thousand reward, and thanks to advancer 3, Zi Cong An, Nickname Is Here, Devil’s Left Hand, and the others for their rewards~

I’d really like to boldly declare that rewards of XXX would earn extra chapters, but unfortunately I can’t manage that, so I don’t dare say it~