Ryosuke and Kurenai strolled along Konoha's streets as they often did.
The two walked side by side, and Ryosuke breathed in the faint fragrance drifting from Kurenai, feeling deeply content.
Unlike last night, Kurenai didn't cling to his arm this time. With so many villagers around, she felt shy about being so bold in public.
Ryosuke also kept his distance—no excessive displays of affection. He didn't want to flaunt their closeness on the street. Public affection only drew attention, and flaunted love never lasted long.
As they walked farther, the crowds thinned. Finally, Kurenai slipped her hand through his arm and pressed it lightly against her chest.
Ryosuke immediately felt the soft weight through his arm, and his heart raced with excitement.
The sharp pain from training the Eight Gates, which had lingered in his mind, seemed to dissolve like receding tides.
He hadn't expected such "softness" to come with healing properties.
Kurenai's cheeks turned pink. Last night had already gone so far, but this… this was her most private place. She remembered how Ryosuke's touch had left her comfortable, almost intoxicated. Still, she worried he might think her too forward.
Stealing a glance at his face, she relaxed when she found no hint of rejection. Seeing his faint smile, she tightened her hold on his hand with relief, even joy.
Ryosuke naturally led their wandering, guiding them once again into the dim, half-lit grove where they had met before.
There, he leaned in, taking the initiative to kiss her.
Kurenai didn't resist—she had been waiting for this.
This time, Ryosuke kept it simple, savoring her warmth without rushing further. For one, his body was still weary from the brutal pain of Eight Gates training; for another, he wanted their relationship to move forward at its own steady pace.
With Kurenai this proactive, she was already his to hold.
As he basked in her warmth, the system's voice chimed in his mind:
"Your spirit is highly stimulated. Chakra +0.1 card."
0.1 card—the equivalent of one-tenth Kakashi's chakra reserve.
It was a staggering increase. If he could share moments like this with Kurenai a thousand times, his chakra would grow by 100 cards—equivalent to Naruto's reserves combined with the Nine-Tails.
At that point, he'd never need to worry about running out of chakra again. Jutsu would flow endlessly.
The problem was… a thousand times. Even at once a day, that would take three years.
After a few hours together, Ryosuke finally escorted Kurenai back home before returning to his own clan compound to rest.
On the third day since his challenge to Uchiha Inoka, Ryosuke awoke early. His head felt astonishingly clear. The pain from training the Eight Gates was gone—no trace of aftereffects remained.
If not for the vivid memory of yesterday's searing agony, he might have thought he'd imagined it.
It had to be his strengthened body. The higher his constitution, the faster his recovery became.
He had already experienced firsthand just how brutal training the Eight Gates was. No wonder this ultimate taijutsu was mastered only by Guy—a mere Chūnin in rank, yet unmatched in practice.
There was a reason no one tried to steal this technique.
But Ryosuke was different. Thanks to the system, his physical stats and recovery ability kept growing. He could push again and again, knowing his body would bounce back.
What others found near-impossible, Ryosuke could master by sheer durability and persistence.
That morning, he went to Ichiraku Ramen and ordered an enormous bowl piled high with toppings.
Even Teuchi, the shop owner, stared at him in surprise. Few customers ever ordered such a massive meal so early in the day. But in truth, Teuchi was delighted—such appetites meant good income, and more importantly, true appreciation of his ramen.
Ryosuke finished every drop, his body digesting it all without discomfort. The strain of Eight Gates training had drained him thoroughly; his body demanded fuel.
Then he made his way to the clan's wooded training grounds and resumed his "One-Punch Man" regimen.
But this strange routine hadn't gone unnoticed. Hidden Anbu had been watching.
For over a month, this boy had trained daily in that grove. Finally, the Anbu decided to report it to the Hokage.
Ever since the Nine-Tails' attack, the Third Hokage had ordered constant surveillance around the Uchiha compound. Any unusual behavior had to be reported immediately.
And this—an Uchiha training taijutsu so obsessively—certainly counted as unusual.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe as he listened to the report. His brows furrowed in thought.
"Uchiha Ryosuke… isn't he the one who quarreled with my son?"
And now he was spending his days training with Might Guy? Odd. The Uchiha were branded as a dangerous clan. Why would one immerse himself in taijutsu, of all things?
Hiruzen searched his memory, wondering what Ryosuke hoped to gain from Guy. But Guy had no clan, no power base, not even exceptional rank. His taijutsu was solid, but nothing extraordinary…
Then Hiruzen remembered a man—four years ago, Guy's father, Might Duy.
His expression tightened.
That man had been a mere Genin, yet by opening all Eight Gates, he had slain four of the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
The news had shocked even him. Against that group, Hiruzen himself would have to fight with utmost caution, perhaps escaping with his life while felling one or two at most. If the swordsmen coordinated well, even he might not have survived.
And Might Duy had cut down four.
It was only thanks to the Eight Inner Gates, a forbidden art that multiplied a man's strength to inhuman levels.
With all Eight Gates open, one could wield power greater than the Hokage himself.
Hiruzen's face grew grim. Could the "evil" Uchiha clan be trying to seize this forbidden art?
But no—that wasn't realistic. Mastering even a few Gates took decades of relentless training. Low-level openings granted only modest boosts.
And the pain… Hiruzen himself had once tried after learning of the technique. Even recalling the needle-like torment made his skin crawl. He had given up quickly—he already possessed more than enough strength.
This Uchiha boy was still so young. Even with talent and determination, he'd need twenty years to reach mastery.
Besides, the drawbacks were too severe. Opening the Eighth Gate meant certain death. Even using the lower Gates left crippling exhaustion. The flaws outweighed the benefits.
Hiruzen exhaled smoke, his frown easing. Perhaps he was overthinking it.
Ryosuke training in taijutsu was no real threat.
What truly concerned him was the state of the ongoing conflict with the Cloud Village. Battles had already slowed, and peace seemed near.
When the war ended, Konoha would finally enjoy another era of stability. And then, if the Uchiha chose to make trouble, he would have the strength and focus to deal with them.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The Uchiha had always been rebellious. In recent years, their ambitions to seize the Hokage's seat had only grown clearer.