*Chapter 192: Might Guy, Come Be My Son*

The downfall of the Senju clan completely benefited the smaller clans within Konoha. The smaller clans of Konoha were able to thrive by leeching off the Senju clan.

Particularly, the Sarutobi clan, which was his final trump card.

The backbone of Konoha, which he personally nurtured, consisted of the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was renowned even during the Warring States period! Additionally, the Nara clan was smart enough to know who their master was, so Hiruzen Sarutobi elevated them. These guys were incredibly easy to use!

Hiruzen Sarutobi merely limited their expansion and took a portion of their benefits for himself.

Then there were the middle-tier clans of Konoha: the Inuzuka and Aburame clans. Though they weren't top-tier, these clans were indispensable to Konoha. They excelled in reconnaissance and were known for making great contributions during wartime.

As for the smaller clans, there's no need to elaborate!

And the Hyuga clan, an abnormal family! Due to their outdated traditions, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't consider them a threat.

After the Uchiha clan's incident, it seemed Konoha was on a steady decline. Following the departure of the Uchiha clan, Konoha experienced a period of internal chaos. After all, many clan leaders were taken away!

He had expected this to happen. However, he responded by cutting their benefits in half. The Uchiha clan's resources were funneled directly into the Sarutobi clan.

Unexpectedly, these people couldn't handle the pressure and ended up allying with the Uchiha, becoming rogue ninjas.

In other words, the only capable ninjas left in Konoha were from the Sarutobi clan. All the other clans had fled!

But the Sarutobi clan was his secret weapon. Hiruzen Sarutobi's face twisted in frustration.

"Hokage-sama, should we still draw them into the village?"

An Anbu ninja asked Hiruzen Sarutobi.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated.

"Bang!"

"Hokage-sama, are you alright?"

Just then, a figure descended from the sky, kicking a stone flying toward Hiruzen Sarutobi into pieces. The figure had a distinctive bowl cut and wore a form-fitting outfit that made women blush. Paired with a green vest, he stood out as an oddity in the shinobi world.

"Guy?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up instantly; he hadn't expected Guy to show up. His timing was perfect—Hiruzen was just lamenting the lack of manpower. Whitebeard, the monster, needed to be stopped, but his men were utterly useless in that regard. They were just cannon fodder.

"I met Kakashi on the way, so I knew something big was happening in Konoha!"

"Looks like I got here just in time!"

Guy grinned, his bright teeth flashing. He looked odd, but to Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was a savior. No matter how strange Guy's actions might be, Hiruzen wouldn't reject him in the slightest.

"Kakashi? You ran into Kakashi? What happened?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's alarm bells went off, and he eyed Guy warily. Kakashi had completely betrayed Konoha! If Guy was also swayed...

Then he'd really be in trouble.

Hiruzen Sarutobi trusted no one now.

"Kakashi tried to persuade me to leave Konoha with him, but... this village is what my father vowed to protect with his life. How could I possibly leave?"

Guy smiled, slowly taking off his vest. He knew it was time for him to step up. He didn't expect things to escalate so quickly. He hadn't even trained his disciples yet, but that didn't matter—he was prepared to die on the battlefield.

"Guy, are you..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed in relief. As long as Guy wasn't swayed, it was fine. Guy wasn't the type to lie, so Hiruzen trusted him without a second thought.

But Guy's next move shocked him. It seemed Guy was preparing to open the Eighth Gate. Rumor had it that the Eighth Gate could unleash ten times the strength of a Kage, allowing its user to defeat any opponent. But after opening it, Guy would be beyond saving, like a candle in the wind, burning out in one final dance.

"Isn't this the time to protect what's most important? Don't look at me like that, Hokage-sama. My father used the Eight Gates to protect me back then, and I've been ready to follow in his footsteps. If we don't stop this guy, he'll invade Konoha."

Guy smiled nonchalantly. He didn't expect Hiruzen Sarutobi to have another plan. At this moment, opening the Eighth Gate seemed like the best option.

"Don't open the Eighth Gate! I'll find another way to deal with him. You just need to hold him off for now, and I'll have someone take care of that monster."

Hiruzen Sarutobi grabbed Guy's hand. It wasn't time for the Eighth Gate yet. Even if it had to be used, it should be in the right place!

Such a trump card shouldn't be wasted here.

"Alright! I'll keep him busy for now!"

Might Guy looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi in surprise, not expecting that the Hokage still had a plan at this moment.

Guy didn't doubt the Third Hokage's words at all, and his initial mindset, ready for a desperate fight, shifted slightly. He took a few steps forward and leaped, catching an Anbu ninja in mid-air and gently placing him on the ground.

Whitebeard noticed Guy's presence as well, observing the determination on this guy's face. Despite facing his Conqueror's Haki, Guy didn't flinch at all, nor did his stance waver.

"It seems we've finally got someone worth looking at," Whitebeard chuckled. "But one of you isn't enough to face me, Whitebeard. Give me ten more like you, so I can really enjoy myself in Konoha today."

Whitebeard laughed heartily as he watched Guy approach. This kid looked promising, but Whitebeard was still unsure about his true strength.

"Sorry, but I might be the only one in Konoha who trains in Taijutsu," Guy responded as he stopped in front of Whitebeard. "Training in Taijutsu is incredibly tough, so few people can stick with it."

In Konoha, Guy was the only one who trained in the Eight Gates. The requirements were so harsh that even those who wanted to try couldn't manage it.

"Indeed, these other fools have been using these feeble techniques to annoy me. It’s been quite boring," Whitebeard nodded. "This village has me doubting their strength."

The others seemed skilled in many areas, but in reality, they were masters of none. Such people could only be mediocre for life. Of course, there were geniuses who could excel in multiple areas, but that was a privilege of genius, not of the average person.

"Konoha is undoubtedly the strongest among the Five Great Nations," Guy said with some regret, looking at Whitebeard. "I thought we could get along well, but unfortunately, you’re Konoha’s enemy."

Whitebeard seemed like someone with a big, carefree personality. If they had met under different circumstances, they might have shared a drink.

"Gu la la la la! If that’s the case, then kid, become my son," Whitebeard said with a wide grin, extending a hand toward Guy. "I’ve only taken in one son since coming to this land! You might look a bit odd, but I don’t dislike you."

In the shinobi world, his only son was Naruto Uzumaki. He had planned to expand his family here, and Guy, with his straightforward nature, seemed like a good fit. He figured Guy would be well-liked on the ship.

"Ah! No, no!" Guy was stunned, feeling Whitebeard’s warmth. He had considered becoming sworn brothers with Whitebeard, but he never imagined this old man would want to make him his son. That was something Guy never expected.

"Alright! I’m here to stop you from causing any more trouble in Konoha. That’s the order I received from the Third Hokage!" Guy quickly got into his opening stance, readying himself for the fight. This guy was really strange; how did the Hokage even encounter someone like him?

"Tch," Whitebeard clicked his tongue in mild disappointment, but he had no choice. He’d have to beat this kid into submission to make him join, but there wasn’t time for that now.

"Then come on! I’m eager to see what your Taijutsu is made of," Whitebeard said, swinging his naginata and pointing it at Guy. A fierce gust of wind kicked up, lifting Guy’s hair.