Kurenai had been happy at first when her mother said she wouldn't stand in the way of her and Ryosuke.
But the second half of her words—mentioning Sarutobi Asuma—made her frown.
"Mother, what does being with Ryosuke have to do with Sarutobi Asuma?" she asked firmly.
"Yes, he likes me, but I don't like him."
In every way—appearance, temperament, character—Ryosuke was leagues above Asuma.
Most importantly, Ryosuke respected her wishes, while Asuma only ever angered her.
Her mother sighed, a weary look in her eyes.
"You're still too young. If Asuma were just an ordinary man, it wouldn't matter. But he's the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."
"If Asuma is displeased, then the Hokage is displeased. Do you understand now?"
Kurenai thought about it seriously.
"Mother, our Third Hokage is known as a kind, reasonable leader. His reputation is excellent. Surely he wouldn't get angry over something so trivial."
"And even if he were upset, what could he do—force me to be with Asuma?"
Her mother's tone was patient, but her words were heavy.
"A Hokage doesn't reach that position by being merely kind. He wouldn't force you openly, no—that would hurt his image. But behind the scenes? That's another story."
"You've heard of Danzō, haven't you? He's the one who carries out the Hokage's dark work. Many shinobi have been quietly executed under his hand."
Kurenai's eyes widened in shock.
"For something this small? Surely they wouldn't kill me! I haven't betrayed the village."
Her mother's gaze hardened.
"You don't have to betray the village. Sometimes, simply angering the wrong person is crime enough."
"They may not kill you outright, but they can make your life—and ours—very difficult. This world is complicated. Learn to tread carefully. Don't make enemies needlessly. Remember, our Yūhi clan is no longer powerful."
Kurenai finally nodded, her expression turning serious.
"…I understand, Mother. But as for Lord Danzō—doesn't he only target traitors and spies? People who sell secrets deserve to die, don't they?"
Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line, then she shook her head.
"Red, you've never seen the village's true darkness."
"Yes, some of those people were traitors. But do you think all of them were? Who decides?"
Kurenai covered her mouth in shock. Her mother's words had rattled her.
Her mother leaned closer, her voice low and urgent.
"The one person in Konoha you must never provoke is Lord Danzō."
"There are even whispers that he experimented on members of the Senju clan. That's why Lady Tsunade disbanded the family and ordered its members to live under false names—to escape Danzō's reach."
Kurenai trembled. The Senju clan—co-founders of Konoha alongside the Uchiha, once the greatest of great houses. Could it really have fallen because of this?
She couldn't help but ask, her voice hushed:
"Was it truly Danzō? Could he really have such power?"
Her mother's face darkened.
"They say it's just a rumor… but there's no smoke without fire. Stories like that don't spread for no reason."
Kurenai already felt a tinge of fear toward the so-called dark side of Konoha, embodied in Danzō.
"Mother, don't worry. I'll make sure to handle my relationship with Asuma properly."
Even if she had no real intention of entertaining Asuma, for the sake of herself, her mother, and Ryosuke, she knew she would have to calm him down. Asuma was, without question, a hot-headed man.
Seeing that Kurenai was willing to listen, her mother's face softened into a smile.
"As long as you understand. I'll head to bed now—you should rest early too."
Kurenai returned to her own room to sleep.
After all, Asuma still didn't know about her and Ryosuke. He was away, serving as a Guardian Ninja for the Fire Daimyō. She still had time to think; there was no need to rush into deciding how to deal with him tonight.
The next morning, Ryosuke got up early and completed a round of his One Punch Man training, earning a small boost to his stamina stat.
It wasn't much, but progress was progress.
By afternoon, Ryosuke set out to find Guy.
He wasn't sure if Guy's injuries had fully healed—unlike him, Guy didn't have a body constantly reinforced by system bonuses.
More importantly, Ryosuke was ready to learn the legendary Taijutsu art of the Eight Gates. This wouldn't be like their previous sparring sessions.
Might Guy was either running laps around Konoha or training in his usual forest clearing.
Ryosuke soon found him—Guy was alone, practicing Taijutsu techniques. Curiously, Lee wasn't by his side.
Sensing someone's approach, Guy stopped mid-movement and turned. Seeing Uchiha Ryosuke, he noticed immediately that the bruises on his body had vanished completely. His aura didn't resemble someone who had recently been battered.
From past experience, Guy knew Ryosuke wasn't just hiding his wounds—he had really healed.
Guy's own resilience was considered remarkable, yet his bruises had only half-faded. They were still visible upon closer inspection. His faster recovery was thanks largely to the Uchiha medicine Ryosuke had sold him at a discount.
If Kakashi was a genius of Ninjutsu, then Ryosuke was shaping up to be a true genius of Taijutsu.
Guy had met two geniuses, and yet he didn't despair. He had long since grown used to setbacks. To him, being able to call such people comrades was a source of pride.
Looking at Ryosuke, he smiled warmly.
"Here to spar again today?"
Once upon a time, he had chased Kakashi endlessly for sparring matches. Now, someone else sought him out the same way. It made him feel respected.
His own injuries were mostly healed. A bout with Ryosuke would be no problem, and with no missions on his schedule, he could focus on training.
His friend Kakashi was already taking on high-ranked Anbu missions. Guy hadn't given up his own dream of joining the Anbu. If he wasn't strong enough yet, he would simply keep getting stronger.
After all, he had climbed from being a "failure" who only knew Taijutsu to reaching Chūnin rank. In terms of Taijutsu alone, he no longer feared Kakashi. Once he opened the Eight Gates, he was certain he'd surpass him. From failure, he had forged his own confidence.
But Ryosuke shook his head.
"I didn't come today for sparring."
"I want to learn the Eight Gates technique from you."
"Would you be willing to teach me?"