Konoha, Ninja Academy.
As the end-of-day bell rang out, a wave of students surged out of the school gates, chirping excitedly like a flock of freed baby birds. They chatted about where to play, where to grab a bite, some even bemoaned poor grades and the beatings they were sure to receive at home.
Chiba was among them—but noticeably different.
Unlike the others, a strange "vacuum zone" surrounded him. No one stepped within a meter of him, nor did anyone speak to him.
Following the flow of people, Chiba headed toward the bustling marketplace—a necessary route on the way home.
Pedestrians who spotted Chiba instantly showed looks of disgust. Some parents even rushed over to yank their children away from within a meter of him, scolding them harshly, warning them never to go near "that boy."
As Chiba continued on, whispers began to trail behind him.
"Tch! Why is he still in our village? Lord Third is really too soft, keeping him around like that."
"That kid... he's the son of that traitor, isn't he? Just look at his gloomy face—no way he's a good person."
"Such an eyesore. Get lost already!"
Chiba's expression didn't change as he listened to the murmurs. His brows remained slightly furrowed, but countless thoughts swirled in his mind.
It had been seven years since he'd transmigrated here. Kakashi was already eight. According to the original timeline, Kakashi became a jōnin at twelve, right around the Battle of Kannabi Bridge—near the end of the Third Great Ninja War. While the exact date was uncertain, one thing was clear: the Third War was about to erupt.
If he had no means to protect himself, he would likely die in the war. No—would die, without a doubt.
Unlike the Fourth War, which pitted the entire ninja world against two overpowered bosses, the Third War was far more brutal and chaotic.
Having died once already, Chiba had no desire to experience it again.
And who knew what would happen after a second death? Would he transmigrate again, or would that just be the end?
No. Time was running out. That plan—his wild idea—had to succeed.
Deep in thought, Chiba unknowingly walked out of the bustling streets and into a quiet forest path.
On the outskirts of the village, a small wooden cabin stood alone. This was where Chiba lived.
He'd been born into an ordinary Konoha household after transmigrating. His mother died during childbirth. As for his father—he died before Chiba was even born. From what Chiba had gathered, his father had been labeled a traitor of the village. He'd tried to steal Konoha's battle maps for Iwagakure, but was caught red-handed by the Third Hokage during the exchange. Killed on the spot by Iwa-nin to prevent further leaks. Those enemy ninja were also immediately executed by the Third Hokage, and the battle maps remained safe.
But even though the maps had been recovered, his father had forever been condemned as a "sinner," despised by the entire village. And Chiba—being his son—had become collateral damage. Rejected. Hated.
After dropping off his school bag, Chiba walked to the shaded area behind the house. There stood three wooden training posts—two were worn down beyond recognition from repeated strikes. The last one looked relatively new.
Chiba silently approached and began practicing side kicks and straight punches.
Unlike the typical web novel transmigrator blessed with cheats, Chiba had none of the three great dōjutsu. No kekkei genkai.
Even his chakra reserves were pitifully average. Both his chakra extraction speed and total volume were laughably low. He estimated that even with hard work, becoming a chūnin might be his limit.
The only silver lining was his exceptional chakra control. With the little chakra he had, he could maintain tree-walking for an entire day and night without falling—wasting not even a single drop.
But what use was that?
Chakra was the foundation of the ninja world—the core of everything. The entire world itself was crafted by the Sage of Six Paths using Yin-Yang Release.
All jutsu were fueled by chakra. The more you had, the more powerful your techniques. The faster you refined it, the longer you could sustain combat.
The same Great Fireball Technique cast by Uchiha Madara versus an ordinary ninja? One would be a mere fireball—the other, an inferno scorching vast swathes of land and burning through entire enemy platoons.
The difference? Chakra volume. A chasm as wide as heaven and earth.
To become strong, massive chakra reserves were a must.
Even Naruto—the protagonist—climbed his way up the ranks relying on the Nine-Tails' vast chakra. Sasuke, though lacking Naruto's monstrous reserves, still far surpassed most in chakra quantity.
But Chiba… his chakra volume practically sealed his fate as a tragic background character.
He had despaired, raged, even given up at times—but in the end, he endured. He vowed to gain power, no matter the cost.
And perhaps, the god of transmigration had finally shown him a sliver of mercy. In the cabin's basement, he'd discovered a hidden chamber. Inside was nothing but a stone pedestal—and resting atop it, a scroll.
A forbidden Konoha technique—Eight Gates Released Formation.
Chiba still remembered how close he'd come to fainting from excitement.
The Eight Gates technique—Konoha's ultimate taijutsu. Opening the final gate, the Gate of Death, could grant power surpassing even Kage-level shinobi by dozens of times. Gai, with this very technique, had managed to overwhelm Madara wielding the power of the Sage of Six Paths. Its might was beyond question.
If he could master it, he could survive.
But the risk was immense. During the chūnin exams, after opening just five gates against Gaara, Lee was nearly crippled for life—if not for Tsunade's miracle medical skills. Gai, after opening the final gate, would've certainly died without Naruto's Yin Release resurrection. Even then, he ended up in a wheelchair for life.
Chiba didn't want that kind of fleeting, self-destructive power. If he were crippled in this ninja world, he'd rather die.
He feared death—but he feared powerlessness even more.
He'd had enough of being trampled in his previous life.
In this life—he would become strong.
And so, he came up with an idea. A crazy idea.
Control the Eight Gates' power. Control the explosive chakra after opening the gates. Turn the fleeting burst of power into a sustainable combat mode: Eight Gates Mode.
The chakra from even the third gate was overwhelming in quantity.
Trying to control it? A joke—one that would make anyone laugh him out of the room.
But Chiba wasn't just dreaming. His chakra control was beyond precise—perhaps it wasn't impossible.
Boom!
In the glow of the setting sun, Chiba struck the newly set wooden post. A fine mist of splinters shook loose.
He had found the scroll three years ago, and since then, had poured every waking moment—outside of eating, sleeping, and school—into mastering it.
For three years, he honed his body relentlessly, copying the punishing regimens of Lee and Gai until he collapsed each night. He didn't even know how he made it through school the next day.
But after all that agony, it finally paid off. One year ago, he'd managed to unlock the first three gates.
"Five hundred straight punches. Five hundred side kicks." Chiba pulled back his fist and let out a long breath, utterly drained.
He removed the weights from his arms and legs, placing them gently on the ground. Yet even handled softly, they landed with a heavy thud.
He'd begun weighted training two years ago. Every month, he increased the weight just to the limit of what he could bear, and once he could move freely again, he'd increase it further.
Clearly, he still hadn't mastered this month's load.
After a few deep breaths, Chiba inhaled slowly and clenched his fists.
First Gate: Gate of Opening — Open!
Second Gate: Gate of Rest — Open!
It felt like mental switches flipped inside his brain. A flood of stamina surged through him, instantly wiping away his exhaustion.
Third Gate: Gate of Life — Open!
He felt it immediately—an energy point near his chest burst open like a throttled valve. What once trickled like a stream now surged like a raging river. Massive amounts of chakra flooded his body, rushing through every meridian and pouring outward through his pores.
His skin flushed red. Wisps of green chakra began leaking from his body. Strength swelled within every fiber of his being.
Pebbles on the ground trembled and danced, lifted by the sheer chakra pressure radiating off him.
Chiba shut his eyes and formed a hand seal—one that focused and refined chakra.
Today, I have to succeed!
He focused entirely on restraining the wild, out-of-control chakra within him.
He had been able to open the third gate for a year now, but never once had he managed to control the chakra. The moment it surged out, it only passively enhanced his body while bleeding from every pore—useless for performing any jutsu.
He had to rein it in. Only then could he use it!
Standing in a hand seal, nearly holding his breath, Chiba's hands began to tremble with strain.
Yet the green chakra leaking from his body began to withdraw—slowly wrapping around his skin instead of evaporating.
A smile curled on Chiba's lips.
The raging chakra inside him began to slow. No longer spilling out, it was being contained.
Don't relax now, Chiba! This is when it usually falls apart! You have to be cautious—more cautious than ever!
He warned himself silently.
Inside his body, the third gate chakra finally stabilized, no longer leaking out—but now began surging wildly through his meridians like a runaway stallion.
Just a little more… almost there!
Sweat beaded on Chiba's forehead. A wave of mental exhaustion washed over him. Chakra was the perfect fusion of physical energy and spiritual energy. But this third gate chakra wasn't naturally formed—it lacked his mental imprint, having been forcibly drawn out through the Eight Gates. Restraining it required immense willpower.
It was a battle of will.
After countless failures, Chiba understood: every collapse came from mental fatigue. But this time—he would not falter. He couldn't.
He refused to remain powerless!
Scenes from his past life flashed through his mind—the humiliation, the helplessness—all of it igniting a firestorm of rage in his heart.
How could he… ever be that weak again?
With that surge of fury, bundled with overwhelming spiritual strength, Chiba drove it into the unruly chakra from the third gate.
BOOM!
A soundless explosion echoed within his body.
His flushed red skin returned to normal. The green chakra on his skin vanished.
Chiba's eyes snapped open, joy blazing within them.
The Gate of Life was still open, but now, the chakra coursing through him was blue—not green.
It was his own chakra. Controlled. Usable.
He had succeeded.
And the chakra volume? Easily that of a proto-chūnin!
This wasn't Eight Gates Release.
This was—Eight Gates Mode!
Overflowing with excitement, Chiba punched the wooden post in front of him—
CRACK!
The post shattered and toppled over.
Strength. His strength had increased too! Not as dramatic as the full Eight Gates, but still—a clear boost!
"Who's there?!"
Just as he celebrated, a figure flickered in the trees near the cabin. It was just a glimpse, and he didn't catch a clear look—but someone had definitely been watching.
Almost reflexively, Chiba dashed into the forest.