So it was that Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Uchiha Ryosuke began running laps around Konoha.
The pace wasn't too fast or too slow—Guy was clearly adjusting for Lee's younger age.
As they ran, Guy suddenly roared with passion:
"Burn, youthful spirit!"
It was a mantra taught to him by his father, a cry meant to ignite endurance and potential.
Turning back toward Lee and Ryosuke, Guy shouted,
"Together now!"
Lee immediately echoed with enthusiasm.
"Burn, youthful spirit!"
Ryosuke hesitated for a heartbeat… then joined in.
"Burn, youthful spirit!"
Yes, it sounded a little chūnibyō—but for the sake of strength, he would endure.
So the three of them ran, shouting their mantra in unison, circling the village.
Their antics, of course, drew curious stares from passersby.
Guy had long been known for such bizarre training, so few were surprised.
After all, his name had already spread through Konoha: a shinobi who relied solely on taijutsu.
In the eyes of most, that was hardly respectable.
Compared to ninjutsu, taijutsu seemed weak, limited.
Especially when set against someone like the Uchiha—famed as the clan of the strongest Fire Style users.
The Uchiha's fire techniques were overwhelming, while no amount of taijutsu training could match such destructive power.
What shocked the onlookers even more was that an Uchiha clansman—Ryosuke—was not honing his ninjutsu or the Sharingan, but running alongside Might Guy, practicing taijutsu.
"Since when did the Uchiha produce a shinobi like this?"
"Who knows."
"Maybe he's lost his mind."
"An Uchiha just needs to master the Sharingan and Fire Style—then even becoming a Jōnin isn't impossible. But to reach Jōnin with taijutsu alone? Almost unheard of."
Indeed, none could recall a shinobi who had done so.
Ryosuke's choice soon caught the attention of the Uchiha Police Force.
"What a disgrace. What's gotten into that boy lately?"
"Now he's even mixing with that taijutsu idiot, Might Guy."
"Training like this is for those without ninjutsu talent. And Ryosuke—wasting his bloodline on this nonsense—he's throwing away the pride of the Uchiha!"
"To parade around with such trash… it's humiliating for the clan. We should report this to the clan head."
"Report? And what then? Even Fugaku can't control Uchiha Ryosuke. He's the Elder's grandson. No one dares lay a hand on him."
Frustration lingered in their voices, but beneath it was resignation.
Among the clan's younger generation, three names stood out: Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Ryosuke.
The first two were prodigies, known not just within the clan, but throughout Konoha.
The last, Ryosuke, was famous only because of his bloodline—Elder Shin's grandson.
And for that reason alone, no one dared touch him.
That was when Kurenai, out shopping, caught sight of the scene.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Uchiha Ryosuke—training alongside her former classmate, Might Guy?
Guy, the hardworking fool. She had never laughed at him the way others did. Instead, she had always felt regret—that his lack of ninjutsu talent held him back.
If he had even a little ninjutsu aptitude, his relentless drive would have made him an outstanding shinobi.
But now, seeing Ryosuke running with him—without scorn, without arrogance—her impression of him deepened.
He wasn't like the other Uchiha, haughty and aloof.
He was brave, upright, and unpretentious.
And as she looked closer, her gaze fell on the crimson fan crest upon his back.
The crest of the Uchiha.
"That's the Uchiha you've been thinking about, isn't it?"
"He really doesn't seem arrogant at all."
Kurenai was a little stunned. Even her mother, who had always disliked the Uchiha clan, spoke of him this way.
Uchiha Ryosuke really was quite interesting.
Her mother noticed the surprise on her daughter's face.
"If you like this boy, I won't object. But you need to properly handle the matter with Sarutobi Asuma."
"This boy reminds me a little of your father—fiery at first, but later becoming serious."
Hearing this, Kurenai quickly said,
"Mother, what are you talking about? When did I ever say I was going to be with Ryosuke? We've only just met, alright?"
Though she didn't dislike this Uchiha, that didn't mean the two of them had to be together. Sure, he was far better than Asuma, and even resembled her father somewhat…
Her mother simply smiled at her daughter.
If it was this Uchiha boy, she wouldn't oppose it. As for her daughter's words, they didn't matter much.
Back then, she had met Kurenai's father in the same way, and eventually they ended up together.
Although Sarutobi Asuma was the son of the Third Hokage, she had no intention of forcing her daughter into something at the expense of her happiness.
By the afternoon, Might Guy, Lee, and Uchiha Ryosuke had finished their twenty-lap run around Konoha.
Ryosuke felt fatigue and weakness settling into his body.
The moment he stopped, the system's voice rang out.
"Your body feels extremely exhausted. Strength +1, Speed +1, Constitution +1."
Ryosuke wasn't surprised. It was just as he expected—his attributes had increased, but the gain was small.
Getting beaten up, after all, granted him +5 Strength, +5 Speed, and +5 Constitution.
This run felt like a waste of time—the boost wasn't even close to that of a beating.
Wasn't this system basically telling him to get beaten up?
At that moment, Guy was encouraging Lee.
"Lee, you did well today. Your willpower is truly steadfast."
Lee, panting heavily, replied,
"It's all thanks to you running alongside me, Guy-sensei. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to last."
Just then, Uchiha Ryosuke spoke up.
"Guy, how about we spar again? I don't feel like that training was enough."
Guy looked at him, remembering yesterday. His expression turned odd—was this boy really smiling even after being beaten?
"Like yesterday?"
"Yes," Ryosuke answered without hesitation.
Guy hesitated. Yesterday he had left Ryosuke beaten black and blue. Did the boy really think being beaten made him stronger?
Even with the Uchiha clan's special medicine, recovering from that kind of thrashing wasn't easy.
Seeing Guy hesitate, Ryosuke declared firmly,
"Guy, youth fears nothing!"
Hearing this, Guy abandoned his doubts.
Instead of hesitation, better to train immediately.
True training meant going all out to strengthen taijutsu. Since Ryosuke wasn't afraid, why should he be?
"Alright."
"Lee, step aside for now."
Lee quickly ran off to rest.
At that moment, Uchiha Ryosuke slowly activated his Sharingan.
Without it, he couldn't even clearly see Guy's movements.
Guy saw him raise his stance, then charged forward, fist cocked, striking at Ryosuke.
His punch landed against Ryosuke's stomach—but to his surprise, Ryosuke managed to block it.
Guy was slightly impressed. He had used the same speed and power as yesterday.
So he put in even more force.
After all, this was what Ryosuke had asked for.
Ryosuke was instantly sent flying again.