After being knocked flying five times, Ryosuke's body ached unbearably.
And yet, his heart was filled with exhilaration.
Each time the system's voice echoed in his mind, announcing new attribute points gained, he felt overjoyed.
Every increment came with a warm current flowing through his body, easing the pain and mending his battered frame—though never fully.
If his body could withstand it, he had no intention of stopping today.
There was no rush. This wool could be sheared slowly.
He forced himself to his feet, bruised and bloodied.
With sincerity, he bowed slightly to Guy.
"Thank you for your guidance today."
Guy, seeing the swollen and battered face before him, couldn't help but feel respect.
During their battle, Ryosuke's eyes had burned with an unyielding hunger for strength.
That indomitable spirit compelled Guy to fight without holding back.
And now, he admired it deeply.
"You're welcome."
Just then, a group of shinobi in Konoha flak vests pushed through the crowd.
They had been on patrol when they noticed the gathering and came to investigate.
What they saw shocked them.
Might Guy—the man who couldn't even perform basic ninjutsu—had beaten the grandson of the Uchiha Elder, Uchiha Ryosuke, black and blue.
Their outrage was immediate.
Ryosuke might not have been strong, but his parents had sacrificed their lives for the clan.
How could they allow an outsider to humiliate him like this?
One Uchiha clan member stepped forward, voice sharp.
"How dare you, Might Guy! Striking down an Uchiha? You will come with us to the Police Force and face judgment."
The crowd whispered among themselves. Many had seen how things really happened, but none dared to speak up.
They feared being dragged into the Police Force themselves.
True, Ryosuke had requested the sparring match—but in the end, Guy had hurt him, and badly.
Guy paled, hastily explaining.
"This was a mutual sparring match, not a brawl."
But the Uchiha enforcers didn't care.
He had struck down one of their own, and that demanded punishment. Only then could the Uchiha's honor be restored.
Several of them moved to surround Guy.
For the first time, Guy felt unsure.
He had injured an Uchiha. Perhaps being detained was only fair.
But then Ryosuke's voice rang out, fierce and commanding.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"This was a sparring match I personally requested with Guy."
The Police Force members froze in surprise.
"Ryosuke, this isn't just about you anymore. He's injured you and brought shame to the clan."
"If we don't drag him back, where is the clan's dignity?"
Ryosuke's eyes narrowed, his voice like steel.
"How laughable. This is the Uchiha's so-called dignity? What a disgrace."
"Dignity is something earned by our own strength, not by swaggering around with the Police Force."
"This ends here."
The enforcers shifted uneasily. His gaze left them no room to press further.
At last, one spoke stiffly.
"…Very well. But this matter will be reported to the captain."
Ryosuke, however, paid them no mind.
Even if they went and reported him to Uchiha Fugaku, so what?
With a police force like this, how could anyone truly respect them?
According to police regulations, they should act by the book.
And as far as he remembered, there was no clause that punished someone simply for injuring another during a sparring match.
After dismissing those men, Ryosuke turned to Might Guy with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, my clansmen must have made you laugh."
Guy simply waved his hand.
"It's nothing."
Ever since childhood, he had been mocked endlessly for his lack of talent in ninjutsu.
He had long since built up a strong mental resilience.
Besides, he hadn't suffered any real loss this time.
And considering the young man before him was clearly battered and bruised from their sparring, the Uchiha Police Force's misunderstanding was somewhat understandable.
Looking at the youth before him—addressed just now as Uchiha Ryosuke by the police squad—Guy spoke.
"Uchiha Ryosuke, that's how I should address you, correct?"
"Of course," Ryosuke waved his hand, even feeling their relationship wasn't close enough yet.
"From now on, just call me Ryosuke."
If he wanted to learn the Eight Gates (Hachimon Tonkō), building good rapport was essential.
If the relationship soured, how would Guy ever agree to teach him?
"Then I'll call you Ryosuke. Don't take it the wrong way. We're actually peers, so just call me Guy. That's how my friends address me."
Guy said it with his usual smile.
"Alright," Ryosuke nodded lightly.
The "friend" Guy mentioned should be Kakashi.
Because Guy had no talent in ninjutsu, most of his peers looked down on him—or mocked him to boost their own self-esteem.
Yet through certain circumstances, he had the fortune of befriending Kakashi—likely his only true friend.
And as Ryosuke recalled, Kakashi's knowledge of the Eight Gates had indeed come from Guy's teaching.
Kakashi certainly hadn't known it before.
If Ryosuke could get close to Guy, wouldn't that mean the Eight Gates would soon be within his grasp?
But it wasn't only for the Eight Gates—Ryosuke truly admired the man as well.
A Leaf villager born a commoner, with no protagonist's aura, no kekkei genkai, no talent for ninjutsu—yet he still managed to rise to the strongest taijutsu user in the ninja world.
Though opening all Eight Gates was like a match burning bright and dying quickly, it didn't diminish his brilliance one bit.
After parting with Guy, Ryosuke returned directly to the Uchiha compound.
With his body aching this badly, why bother wandering the streets?
Better to go back, apply some medicine, recover faster, and then come back to take more beatings—boosting his stats in the process.
The stronger his physical attributes became, the greater the benefit once he mastered the Eight Gates.
A sturdier physique would also reduce the risks of opening them.
Unlocking just the first few gates gave limited boosts, and the burden on the body was relatively small.
But the Sixth Gate… even the Seventh… those were another matter. Not only would they place immense strain on the body, they would even shorten one's lifespan.
As a transmigrator blessed with two systems—one of them being the Many Children, Many Blessings System—how could he possibly afford to shorten his life?
He needed to live long and… well, father as many children as possible.
So, strengthening his physique was absolutely essential.
In fact, by his own estimation, if his body became strong enough, opening the Seventh Gate might allow him to rival the Red Guy (Hero of the Red Evening) from the original story.
He just didn't know yet how much higher his stats would have to climb to reach that level.