After an awkward and intense encounter the previous night, Ryosuke took Yugao Uzuki to a quiet grove just outside the Uchiha compound the next morning. It was his usual place for personal training—a secluded area free from onlookers and distractions. The trees stood tall and silent, the wind rustling through the branches, a stark contrast to the restless tension lingering between the two.
"This is where I train," Ryosuke said flatly, stretching out his arms. "Just a heads-up—my regimen isn't exactly beginner-friendly. You sure you're up for it?"
Yugao, dressed in a white kimono, nodded with surprising firmness. "Even in a kimono, a kunoichi should be able to train. Otherwise, she's not much of a shinobi."
Her answer didn't surprise Ryosuke. He had already suspected this woman wasn't here for casual chit-chat or romantic follow-ups. She was probably gathering intel, maybe sent by the Hokage himself after the fallout with Danzo. But that didn't bother him. Let her watch. Let her try to figure him out. He didn't plan to hide anything—because she wouldn't find the truth no matter how hard she tried.
"Suit yourself," he said. "Just don't get in my way."
Without further conversation, he took off running.
"Let's start with a 10-kilometer run around the grove," Ryosuke called back.
Yugao followed immediately, adjusting her stride as she kept pace with him. It wasn't difficult—after all, she was already a jōnin secretly embedded within the ANBU. She wasn't just here to flirt; she had a mission—to uncover the secrets behind Ryosuke's abnormal rise in strength. The intelligence from Danzo's death had left the Hokage wary, and Ryosuke's sudden prominence in the Uchiha clan was too suspicious to ignore.
Yet, as she ran, Yugao realized this was just...running. Regular endurance training. Sure, Ryosuke didn't slow down or break a sweat, but there was no secret technique involved. No kekkei genkai activation, no strange chakra flow, no unnatural bursts of speed.
Ten kilometers later, both had completed the loop. Ryosuke stood tall and calm, his breathing completely steady. Yugao, though physically trained, was already lightly sweating. The man's stamina was abnormal.
"Next up—standard reps. One hundred squats, one hundred sit-ups, and one hundred push-ups," he said casually and dropped into form.
Yugao watched him for a moment, then sighed and joined in. As she moved through the repetitions, she couldn't help but feel a growing frustration. This was just...normal. Grueling, sure—but normal. She had read the ANBU reports. Ryosuke had survived assassination attempts, killed Danzo—an elite elder with decades of experience—and reportedly fought off multiple Root members with ease. Yet here he was, doing calisthenics like Might Guy's intern.
Was this really the source of his strength?
Ryosuke noticed her slowing down. "You can rest if you want," he said without looking at her. "I've got more rounds to do."
"No," Yugao said through gritted teeth, trying to regulate her breathing. "I can keep up."
She forced herself through the last few sit-ups and collapsed onto the grass, gasping. Her clothes were drenched in sweat, and her arms were trembling. Yet Ryosuke moved into another round like he was just getting started.
She had been hoping to witness something—some technique, maybe a strange chakra training method, or even evidence of forbidden jutsu. But no. Just sheer, relentless physical conditioning. The kind most shinobi gave up on long ago. The kind only Might Guy or Rock Lee could romanticize.
"This...this isn't special," she muttered to herself. "It's just repetition. Discipline."
Ryosuke turned to her. "Final round now. You in?"
"You're doing more?"
"Of course. Three rounds a day. Minimum."
Yugao swallowed hard. Her legs were jelly, her hands numb. But she nodded. She had to stick close, observe him in every moment. There has to be something... she thought. No one gets this strong from push-ups.
So she dragged herself through the third round, though by the end she was barely functioning. Ryosuke wiped some sweat from his brow as he finished his final set and heard the faint ding of a system notification only he could perceive:
[Attribute +1]
He grinned slightly. Just one point today, but they added up. One point every day was 365 a year—enough to nearly triple his current stats. And that wasn't even factoring in Eight Gates enhancement or Mangekyō activation. At this pace, he would soon eclipse even the likes of Kakashi or Itachi.
And unlike the anime characters Yugao had read about or worked with—like Might Guy, who trained like this for decades and still relied on unlocking the Gates—Ryosuke had something different. A system. A silent cheat code in a world where even the Sharingan had limits.
The key was consistency. Tenacity. Patience. Three rounds of One Punch Man-style training—every day, no exceptions.
As Yugao finally collapsed, breathing heavily, Ryosuke walked over and offered her a bottle of water.
"You did good," he said. "Most people quit halfway."
Yugao gave a weak smile but didn't answer. Her muscles ached, and her pride stung more than anything. Despite being a jōnin, she had been utterly outclassed by what should've been mundane physical training.
Ryosuke smirked. "Training's done. Wanna come back to my place? Clean up, maybe grab a bite?"
Yugao's face turned red instantly.
"No! I-I mean, thank you, but I'll go home," she stammered. The memory of their sudden "kiss" still burned in her mind. Getting close to Ryosuke had been the plan, but she hadn't expected him to be so… unpredictable.
And aggressive.
She grabbed her things and left quickly, not daring to look back.
Ryosuke just chuckled to himself as she disappeared into the distance.
"She's persistent," he muttered. "But she's not getting anything out of me."
As he walked home, he knew full well Yugao wouldn't find any forbidden jutsu, strange chakra beasts, or kekkei genkai secrets in his regimen. His power didn't come from ancient scrolls or clan relics.
It came from waking up every day and doing the work.
That, and a little help from his cheat system.
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