The streets of Konoha were familiar, their rhythms unchanged by the weeks of his absence. Satoru walked toward the Uchiha compound, his steps steady, his body responding with increasing ease. The physical recovery was progressing; he could walk normally, his movements no longer stiff, his balance restored.
As he entered the Uchiha compound, he immediately noticed something felt off. The compound was quieter than usual, its streets less populated, its atmosphere subdued. Fewer people were outside, and conversations seemed to stop or become quieter when people passed one another. There was a tension in the air, a watchfulness that had not been there before.
His analytical mind immediately started connecting possibilities. Is it happening already? Has the coup finally reached the point where everyone knows something is coming? He considered the possibility that tensions between the Uchiha and village leadership had escalated.
He reminded himself that the clan's political situation was not his immediate concern. More importantly, he did not have enough information to draw a conclusion. He deliberately pushed the thought aside; he had enough problems without adding Uchiha politics to the list.
He continued toward Shisui's house, his steps unhurried, his gaze steady. The subdued atmosphere was a reminder of the fractures that ran through the village, but it was not his problem to solve. Not today.
He reached Shisui's house and knocked, the sound sharp in the quiet street. The door opened, and Shisui appeared, his expression shifting from neutrality to surprise. His greeting was casual, familiar. "Satoru. I did not expect to see you so soon."
Satoru's voice was dry. "I am full of surprises."
Shisui stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter. "You look considerably better than you did in the hospital."
Satoru stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the familiar interior. "Physically, I am recovering. My chakra is another matter."
Shisui's expression became more serious. "What happened?"
They sat down, and Satoru explained what Tadashi had told him. His chakra pathways were scarred, his circulation sluggish, his Yin-Yang balance shifted, Yamanaka techniques were now theoretically possible, and everything else.
Shisui listened without interrupting, his expression growing more sombre with each revelation. He was visibly saddened by the news, his gaze steady, his voice careful. "I had thought that gaining access to Yamanaka techniques might be the silver lining."
Satoru's voice was flat. "Even that ability comes with restrictions and risks. The balance is fragile. Pushing too hard could lock me out of both bloodlines permanently."
Shisui absorbed the information, his expression shifting to one of quiet concern. "What do you plan to do?"
Satoru explained his emerging combat philosophy. He intended to expand his arsenal in several directions; taijutsu, sensory abilities, Yamanaka techniques, Fire Release, Wind Release, his Sharingan, and potentially other techniques that could be used sparingly but decisively. Shisui remarked that he sounded like he was preparing to become a walking arsenal.
Satoru's response was dry. "Being difficult to kill is a reasonable career objective."
Shisui's lips curved; not quite a smile, but close. "That is one way to put it."
After a natural pause in the conversation, Satoru shifted subjects. He looked at Shisui and asked, "Do you have it?"
Shisui immediately understood what he meant. He gave Satoru a knowing look. "You are really planning to learn it now? Considering your condition?"
Satoru shook his head. "I am not planning to start throwing myself into dangerous training immediately. I simply want the information first." He paused, his voice measured. "I need to understand my options before designing a proper training regimen. If the technique is viable, I want to start learning the fundamentals once my body allows it."
Shisui studied him for a moment, then nodded. He rose and walked over to a cupboard, its surface worn, its contents hidden. He opened it and searched through several stored scrolls, his movements deliberate. Satoru watched curiously, his attention absolute.
Shisui eventually retrieved an older scroll, its parchment yellowed, its edges frayed. He brought it over and handed it to Satoru. Satoru immediately recognised that it was the information he had wanted.
He unfurled the scroll, his expression shifting as he realised exactly what it contained; the Eight Gates. He was surprised that the Uchiha clan possessed information on the technique. He asked Shisui how they had acquired it.
Shisui explained that the Uchiha had a habit of recording jutsu they had encountered through their Sharingan. Over generations, the clan had accumulated an enormous collection of techniques. Some were copied from actual shinobi; others were reconstructed from observation and analysis. Some were complete; others were incomplete or fragmentary. He remarked that he did not think any other shinobi clan possessed a repository of jutsu quite as extensive as the Uchiha's.
Satoru was genuinely impressed. His mind immediately started calculating the implications.
So this is what I have been missing.
He briefly wondered whether joining the Uchiha clan would have been the better choice. Having access to a massive jutsu repository would be an enormous advantage. He ultimately concluded that he had made the correct choice. The Uchiha repository was impressive, but knowledge was not enough to ensure he escapes a genocide.
He read through the Eight Gates material, his excitement quickly becoming confusion. The scroll contained detailed information on the First Gate, the Gate of Opening, and the Second Gate, the Gate of Healing. The information covered how the Gates functioned, their physical effects, basic activation principles, and risks and limitations. But then the documentation abruptly stopped.
Satoru flipped through the remainder, finding nothing substantial. He looked at Shisui, his voice flat. "What about the other six?"
Shisui explained that the Eight Gates were ultimately considered a low-value technique by the Uchiha researchers. The first two Gates had enough practical value to warrant documentation. Beyond that, the risks increased dramatically, and the clan did not consider it worth investing further resources into researching the technique. As a result, the remaining six Gates were never properly documented in the repository.
Satoru was mildly irritated. "Calling the technique 'low value' seems strange when it can dramatically increase physical performance."
Shisui explained that from the perspective of a clan specialising in ninjutsu, genjutsu, and dojutsu, a technique that heavily damaged the user's body was not particularly attractive. "The Uchiha prefer techniques that don't leave them crippled after use."
He then asked Satoru the obvious question. "Why do you care so much about a technique the Uchiha themselves dismissed?"
Satoru answered honestly. His chakra situation had changed. He could not rely on overwhelming opponents through repeated ninjutsu. He needed to deepen his taijutsu arsenal, and the Eight Gates were almost tailor-made for that problem. He did not need to use all eight. Even the first few Gates could potentially provide enormous value. He wanted to learn whatever he could before deciding how far he could safely take the technique.
Shisui studied him for a moment before nodding. He understood that Satoru was not chasing the Eight Gates because it was flashy; he was looking for another avenue of power that was not entirely dependent on his damaged chakra system.
Shisui told him that if he genuinely wanted to learn more, the scroll would not be enough. Someone still alive actually used the technique. Satoru immediately became interested. Shisui referred to him as "the son of the Eternal Genin." The phrase was cryptic, intriguing.
Satoru immediately knew who Shisui meant. But he wanted to first see if he could learn the technique by himself before turning to the future strongest shinobi alive.
Satoru rolled the scroll back up, its weight a promise. He thanked Shisui for finding it. Shisui reminded him not to rush into training. Satoru assured him that he was not going to immediately activate the Gates while still recovering; he simply wanted to gather information and understand the technique. Shisui told him that was probably the smarter approach. Satoru then stood and left.
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