章 137: Sakumo’s Potential
Hearing Masaki's name, the two immediately realized that the person in front of them was their teacher, Fumori Masaki. They stood up from the ground and looked at him, observing silently. They were all trying to assess in their own way what kind of person Masaki was. Tsunade's previous description had been too vague to provide any real reference.
However, even with Hatake Sakumo's discerning eyes, it was difficult to gauge the inner nature of the man before them. To him, Masaki appeared as a young man with a pure temperament, as cold and clear as spring water. Beyond that, he could discern nothing. Although he could clearly see Masaki's face, Sakumo felt that his emotions were completely restrained, revealing nothing.
In Konoha, Sakumo had encountered many ninja capable of restraining their emotions, but they often seemed indifferent, like tools. From his father, Sakumo had frequently heard the phrase "Ninja are tools in the hands of their employer."
Masaki was also reserved, but Sakumo didn't get the sense that he was a mere weapon. If anything, he seemed more like a plant, existing simply and naturally.
Sakumo glanced at Hattori Heizo, who stood beside him. Heizo's expression was as calm as ever, though unlike Masaki, there were faint emotions in his eyes, though Sakumo couldn't tell what they meant.
Heizo, raised in the most traditional ninja methods, still seemed more human compared to the unreadable Masaki. Sakumo couldn't help but think to himself, Is this man even real?
As Sakumo and Heizo studied Masaki, he was also observing them, paying particular attention to Sakumo. This was the first time he had seen the legendary White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, a figure only mentioned in the original manga.
Sakumo was known as the ninja who commanded respect from even the three legendary Sannin. He was called "White Fang" because of his chakra blade, which emitted a white light and struck his enemies with deadly precision. While he may not have been as powerful as a demigod like Hanzo of the Salamander, Sakumo was undoubtedly a rare master.
Yet despite his greatness, Sakumo met a tragic end, taking his own life. Masaki was determined to prevent this from happening.
That's why Masaki had chosen Sakumo as one of his students. Along with Tsunade, who was already under his tutelage, he decided on Hattori Heizo as the third student. While he had only met Tsunade in person, this was his first encounter with the other two.
There were no photographs at this time, and without realistic techniques, portraits tended to incorporate artistic elements. For example, Kana's "Six Paths" painting didn't reflect much realism.
Seeing Sakumo now, Masaki felt he understood why this man could judge others so well. According to legend, Sakumo had the ability to see through others' potential. But, Masaki thought, he wasn't a system protagonist with quantified stats—how could such a thing be truly measurable?
Looking into Sakumo's eyes, Masaki sensed his emotions. To him, understanding someone's psychology was more valuable than merely reading their potential. Sakumo, who was raised as a samurai, likely valued beliefs more than innate abilities. Even if his natural talent wasn't extraordinary, his strong spirit and convictions could drive him to greatness.
Might Guy's talents were similarly lacking. In fact, his ability to manipulate chakra was inferior to most people's. Yet his unyielding perseverance allowed him to reach the pinnacle of power, even unlocking all eight gates—a feat Masaki deeply respected. Masaki tried to find Might Duy, Guy's father, but he couldn't find him. So he try to have deeper knowledge on taijutsu.
After the First Great Ninja War, Hyūga Masato, who had lost an arm, retired from the Hyuga clan's leadership and passed the role to his son. He lived a quiet life, and due to the bond formed during the war, Masaki occasionally visited him. During one of these visits, Masato shared insights that shifted Masaki's views on Taijutsu.
The Eight Gates, a powerful forbidden technique, was widely regarded as one of the strongest forms of Taijutsu. With just five gates opened, Rock Lee had been able to challenge Gaara, the jinchūriki of the time. When Might Guy opened all eight gates, he could wield strength dozens of times greater than the Five Kage combined, earning Madara Uchiha's respect.
Masaki had long considered the Eight Gates worth learning despite their severe side effects. Yet his ideas hit a wall when he discussed them with Hyūga Masato, a master of Gentle Fist.
The Eight Gates, Masato explained, are chakra points that limit a person's chakra flow. By unlocking these points, a ninja can access immense power, but the human body wasn't built to handle such energy. Masato further explained that while everyone produces more chakra than their body can safely contain, the Eight Gates serve as a protective mechanism to restrict the excess, allowing only a safe amount of chakra to flow. It's the body's way of self-preservation, making it incredibly difficult to open all the gates.
Historically, some Hyuga ancestors had used Gentle Fist to open some of their chakra points to gain an edge, but very few had managed to open even one or two of the Eight Gates, let alone all of them. Opening them required surpassing one's limits through immense willpower, essentially devoting oneself entirely to that goal.
Masato had smiled at Masaki and said, "Maybe it's the ordinary people, with nothing else to fall back on, who are most likely to open the Eight Gates. Talented people don't need to focus on such extreme measures. Even if they do, without an exceptionally strong body, they'll suffer the consequences."
When Masaki asked if there was any way to prevent the damage from the Eight Gates, Masato shook his head. "It's impossible. The chakra beyond the Eight Gates exceeds what the body can handle. Even if you improve your physical fitness, the amount of chakra will increase proportionally. Opening all eight gates will always harm the body."
After this conversation, Masaki gave up the idea of mastering the Eight Gates. He realized that only someone like Might Guy or Rock Lee, who devoted their entire life to Taijutsu, could succeed in such a dangerous path. Their unwavering determination was what allowed them to reach such heights.
In the original manga, it was likely Sakumo who saw that same determination in Might Guy and believed that Guy would one day surpass his own son. Now, Masaki could see that Sakumo had possessed this insight even at a young age.
It wasn't just experience, Masaki thought, but also an emotional sensitivity. Sakumo seemed to have an innate ability to empathize, to understand others by placing himself in their shoes.
However, Masaki also knew that too much empathy could become a weakness, especially for someone like Sakumo, who came from a samurai background. If he couldn't reconcile his emotions with the harsh realities of the ninja world, it could destroy him, just as it did in the original story.
Masaki resolved that as Sakumo's teacher, he had to ensure his student didn't fall into such a trap. Regardless of the traditions of the ninja world, Masaki intended to change them and create a more suitable environment for people like Sakumo to thrive.
Masaki stepped in front of his three students. His gaze swept over each of them, and with a small smile, he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Fumori Masaki, and from now on, I will be your sensei. You can call me Masaki-sensei."
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