That afternoon, Ryosuke naturally continued training the Eight Inner Gates at home.
Opening the First Gate didn't unleash any real power, so there was no risk of damaging anything in the house.
As for practicing alone without anyone to watch over him—he had already grown somewhat used to the pain. At worst, he might faint, but it wouldn't be life-threatening.
Before starting, Ryosuke psyched himself up, a smile tugging at his lips.
"I'm done being human."
It was just a way to fire himself up—not to care about the pain that ordinary people would call unbearable.
Then he began his training.
Drawing out chakra, he rammed it against the First Gate at the right side of his brain. The familiar stabbing pain surged again, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
He kept refining chakra, pushing against the Gate.
This time his chakra output was higher, and the Gate opened a little wider than yesterday.
He then stopped his chakra flow to rest. He reminded himself not to rush—impatience could only cause setbacks.
Once his mind steadied, he repeated the process again and again.
Before long, sweat was pouring down his forehead, but he managed to endure without fainting. That alone meant progress—he was growing accustomed to the pain.
Inwardly, he encouraged himself:
'Keep going.'
Just as Guy had said, once you learned to endure the pain, adapt to it, and finally conquer it, success would follow.
Ryosuke trained for hours, most of it spent getting used to the sharp agony.
He pushed himself to the limit, but this time he forced the Gate open wider than before.
The sight filled him with joy. He believed it wouldn't be long before he could fully open the First Gate.
The training was harsher than yesterday's. Exhausted, he skipped his nightly meeting with Kurenai.
But she wouldn't be left waiting indefinitely. They had already agreed—if he didn't arrive within ten minutes, it meant something else had come up.
After a simple meal and wash, he went to bed, waiting for the next day.
On the fourth day since his challenge to Uchiha Inoka, Ryosuke woke up early.
The pain from yesterday's Eight Gates training was completely gone. Not even aftereffects lingered.
He couldn't help marveling at his body's constitution.
'One night's sleep, and even this kind of agony is gone.'
That alone renewed his confidence in training the Gates. Pain no longer frightened him—his recovery was too fast.
Before resuming Gate training, he went through Saitama's One-Punch Man regimen again.
The stronger his body, the easier the Gates would yield.
After finishing the set, the system's familiar chime rang in his mind.
A warm current flowed through him, making him feel even sturdier.
After lunch and a short nap, Ryosuke sat cross-legged on a mat and began his practice again.
He refined chakra, directing it to batter against the First Gate inside his brain, slowly prying it open.
The pain struck, but he was used to it now. It no longer stopped him.
As he poured in more chakra, the Gate suddenly burst open with a sharp crack.
A thick vein bulged across his forehead, and his skin darkened slightly.
Ryosuke's lips curled into a smile. The hardest part was done. From now on, mastering the Eight Gates would go more smoothly.
Power coursed through him—his strength and speed now fully unleashed, unhindered by his brain's natural restraints.
His combat ability had jumped to about 1.5 times his normal state.
At last, he stopped channeling chakra. Without support, the Gate gradually closed. His vein subsided, and his skin tone returned to normal.
He had done it—he could open and close the First Gate at will.
It was only the beginning. Guy had already reached the Fifth Gate. But one day, Ryosuke would catch up—and then surpass him.
The surge of strength left him giddy.
His body was even better suited for this than Guy's. With his system continually boosting his stats, he would only grow stronger day by day.
Before the night of the clan massacre arrived, he was confident he could open at least the Fifth Gate—maybe even the Sixth or Seventh.
Then crushing Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito would be easy.
With his First Gate success, he decided he could finally relax for the evening.
The 1.5x boost in combat ability was more than enough to dominate his coming match with Uchiha Inoka.
Since he wasn't a man obsessed with training alone, he allowed himself to balance things. Tonight, he would meet with Kurenai again. Advancing that relationship would bring him closer to unlocking the rewards of the "Blessed with Many Children" system.
As night fell, Kurenai stood outside her wooden house, dressed in a new kimono.
Her face carried a mix of expectation and nervousness.
She had been disappointed when Ryosuke failed to appear yesterday, but she hadn't blamed him. They weren't children anymore—life couldn't revolve around romance alone.
When she finally saw his familiar figure approaching, joy welled inside her.
As he drew near, she pouted lightly.
"I thought you weren't coming again today."
Rested after his afternoon nap, Ryosuke looked healthy and confident. He chuckled.
"How could I miss it?"
She seemed even more eager than him.
They strolled along the same street as before. Though it was familiar, Kurenai still found it delightful—perhaps simply because she was walking with someone she liked.
When the crowds thinned, she slipped her arm around his again and led him into a quiet grove.
This time, she wasn't shy. After their past two encounters, she boldly sought his kiss.
Ryosuke of course obliged.
Under his embrace, her eyes turned hazy. His body was so solid, his touch so firm that she nearly melted in his hands.
Her body thrummed with comfort and desire. She wanted more—craving deeper intimacy, pulled by the masculine scent that enveloped her.
She wasn't naïve. She knew the final step of man and woman was to truly become one.
Blushing, she whispered, "Why don't you come to my house in three days? My mother will be away then."
Her face turned crimson the moment she said it. Would Ryosuke understand her meaning?
His heart leapt with joy.
Her mother gone. An invitation to her home. It was obvious what awaited.
Looking at her with deep affection, he replied, "Kurenai, of course I will."
Three days later, after thrashing Uchiha Inoka in their duel, he would join with Kurenai fully. He would win not just a precious system reward to prepare for the massacre, but also claim her completely as his own.
Despite their kisses and embraces, until they crossed that final threshold, she wasn't yet truly his.
And every meeting with her added another 0.1 card of chakra—one-tenth Kakashi's chakra. If their full union granted more, who knew how much his reserves could skyrocket?
Seeing his agreement, Kurenai's face lit with joy.
She pressed herself greedily against him, clinging tight.
On the fifth day since his challenge to Uchiha Inoka, Ryosuke followed his usual Saitama regimen in the morning, building his stats.
In the afternoon, he sought out Guy once more—ready to begin training the Second Gate of the Eight Inner Gates, and push his power even higher.