Chapter 193: CHAPTER 193
I'm going to die, I'm going to die! If I don't think of something, I'm definitely going to die.
Under the pressure of death, Shinno shattered his previous limits.
"Eight Gates Released Formation!"
Gate of Opening. Gate of Healing. Gate of Life. Gate of Pain. Gate of Limit. Gate of View. Gate of Wonder. Gate of Death—
All Eight Gates, open!
Crimson chakra erupted violently, and Shinno's combat power surged to its peak. Facing the punch screaming toward his face, Shinno moved.
He countered with a punch of his own—same stance, same speed—unleashing a shockwave that split the air around them.
In this state, Shinno was terrifyingly strong—perhaps even worthy of standing among the top-tier fighters of the ninja world.
BOOM!
A blood-red figure was launched into the air—it was Shinno. Yet even with such power, it wasn't enough.
Facing Kawaki Aoba was still far beyond his league.
As Shinno crashed to the ground, Kawaki Aoba calmly retracted his fist and frowned.
"Too weak," he muttered, puzzled.
Even with his Saiyan bloodline replenished and his power greater than before, fighting an opponent with the full Eight Gates unleashed shouldn't have been this easy.
"This isn't right," he thought. "The problem isn't me... which means..."
He began walking slowly toward Shinno, his expression calm but cold.
"Are you sure you're really using the Eight Gates Released Formation? Why does it feel so... underwhelming?"
Shinno struggled to rise, blood dripping from his mouth. He looked up in fear.
He couldn't win. He couldn't even escape.
Despair flooded his heart.
Their perspectives had diverged completely.
Kawaki Aoba reached him and kicked without hesitation.
---
Question: If you want to observe someone using the Eight Gates Released Formation, what's the best way?
Answer: Beat them down.
Only under extreme stress could one truly analyze the full activation of the Eight Gates.
His logic was sound.
As he relentlessly beat Shinno into the ground, Kawaki Aoba fully analyzed the so-called Eight Gates Released Formation.
It was different from the one inherited in Konoha, yet the mechanics—at least for the first seven gates—were nearly identical.
And in some ways, even more refined.
After all, Shinno was a medical ninja. His method for opening the gates was delicate, optimized—minimizing damage. With his Dark Medical Ninjutsu, he could mitigate the destructive backlash almost entirely.
That made Shinno's technique dangerously unique. To him, the Eight Gates Released Formation was almost like a regular jutsu.
If Orochimaru knew someone like this existed, he'd lose his mind in jealousy.
But the eighth gate, the Gate of Death—was a different story.
Shinno had opened it, yes—but not completely. It could be closed at will. Unlike the canonical version used by Might Guy, which consumed the user's life force in seconds, Shinno's version was weaker—but sustainable.
In short, it lacked the raw explosive power of the original—but could be used repeatedly.
---
"So this is the strength of the so-called God of the Ninja World..." Shinno muttered weakly, trembling as he stood.
"Even with Dark Medical Ninjutsu supporting my Eight Gates... I can't land a single hit."
His face twisted in horror.
"Even if I succeed in creating the Zero-Tails and fully control its power... would I even stand a chance?"
Kawaki Aoba approached again, expression unreadable.
"I've seen enough. Your strength is... average. But your ninjutsu development skills are impressive."
It was praise—by his standards.
More than that, it was an invitation.
"Shinno, your talent has been recognized. I'm giving you one chance—submit everything you've built, join Konoha, and begin a new life."
It was recruitment—direct and merciless.
Shinno let out a bitter smile.
"To be acknowledged by the God of the Ninja World is... an honor."
"But join Konoha?" He chuckled darkly. "My Sky Ninja Village was wiped out by Konoha. I'll never work for the enemy. Never."
Seemingly having already seen his fate—or perhaps having abandoned all worldly attachments—Shinno stood up straight and met Kawaki Aoba's gaze without flinching.
Kawaki Aoba observed him and nodded with a cold smile.
"Another man loyal to his village and unwilling to bend the knee. I admire your conviction... but as your enemy, I find it intolerable."
He slowly raised a hand.
"Shinra Tensei!" (Almighty Push)
With a thunderous shockwave, Shinno was blasted away like a discarded rag doll.
As soon as his body hit the ground, Kawaki Aoba curled his finger.
"Banshō Ten'in!" (Universal Pull)
The onslaught had only begun.
Thanks to his mastery of Dark Medical Ninjutsu, Shinno's body continuously regenerated, making him a nearly indestructible foe. As long as he wasn't killed instantly, he would rise again and again—an unkillable cockroach in the most literal sense.
Kawaki Aoba didn't even need to move. Controlling the opposing forces of attraction and repulsion, he played Shinno like a puppet suspended in the palm of his hand. Even dying had become a luxury for Shinno.
But over time, the cracks began to show.
His regenerative ninjutsu, once seamless, now labored to restore his body. It was evident he was reaching his limit.
All ninjutsu requires chakra, no matter how godlike. Shinno, long before ever fusing with the Zero-Tails, had a limited chakra reserve. Now, he was forcibly drawing out every last drop. His hair had grayed; his breath came in shallow rasps.
Kawaki Aoba watched quietly, finally speaking with interest.
"That regeneration technique of yours… it's automatic, isn't it? Not under your full control."
He crushed Shinno into the earth once more with another Shinra Tensei.
Shinno—no longer able to hide his exhaustion—didn't argue. It was true. The regenerative technique activated regardless of his will. Before, he had seen this as a gift. Now, it was a curse that denied him the peace of death.
Aoba stared down at him.
"You want to die, don't you? Hand over the techniques—the regeneration jutsu and the body-enhancement method you used—and I'll grant you a swift end."
He paused, then added coldly,
"But try to play me for a fool, and I promise your death will be far from clean."
Shinno coughed violently, the air leaving his lungs in a rattled gasp. His voice, hoarse and aged, rasped out a reply.
"Fine... I understand."
He had long since deactivated his enhanced state. His body was deteriorating—his skin sagged, his face wrinkled, and his chakra was nearly depleted.
It was because he was so close to death that he believed he could finally end it himself. But in the presence of this shinobi—whose mastery of gravitational forces and spiritual techniques was godlike—he dared not risk defiance.
Instead, he reached into his pouch and retrieved a scroll.
Within moments, he had inscribed two volumes: one detailing the Dark Medical Ninjutsu, the other, the Body Activation Secret Technique—an art he had developed himself to enhance physical function and endurance.
He handed them over.
"These are what you want. I didn't tamper with them. Check them if you wish. Just... keep your promise."
Kawaki Aoba didn't bother reviewing the contents. He had already memorized them while Shinno wrote—his eyes capable of parsing information faster than most shinobi could write.
The results pleased him.
The Body Activation Technique resembled the Aburame Clan's secret techniques, though more balanced for general use. And while the name Dark Medical Ninjutsu lacked refinement, its effects were nothing short of revolutionary—passive healing beyond even Tsunade's Creation Rebirth, and requiring no seals or conscious activation.
These two, coupled with Shinno's modified version of the Eight Inner Gates, could pave the way to mass-producing elite jōnin—or even quasi-Kage-level fighters.
All they needed was time... and the right shinobi.
Did Kawaki Aoba demand Shinno's version of the Eight Gates? Of course not. Konoha already possessed the original formula. With Shinno's corpse, they would reverse-engineer the improvements soon enough.
Not that Shinno was dead—yet.
Aoba reached out, his hand cloaked in an ominous spiritual light, and pressed it against Shinno's forehead.
Shinno didn't resist. Relief washed over him.
At last... an end.
He closed his eyes, and his consciousness began to fade. The world became still.
Is this... death?
That was his final thought.
But just as the light dimmed, a voice echoed in the void.
"Death? Perhaps. But Hidan—the man you were—has indeed perished. And this... this is your rebirth."
Though Shinno's techniques were valuable, his soul held even greater worth.
Since he had refused to serve Konoha, Kawaki Aoba would pursue a different method.
The body on the ground was lifeless—no heartbeat, no chakra.
But in Aoba's hand glowed a soul, fresh and pure.
He would never return to that body again. But reincarnation? That was still very much on the table.
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