Ryōsuke hit the ground hard, dust spraying up around him.
Right on cue, the system's cold voice echoed in his mind:
"Strength +1. Agility +1. Constitution +1."
A warm surge spread through his body, soothing the stabbing pain in his ribs.
That intoxicating sensation of getting stronger…
Even the agony could be endured.
He scrambled to his feet.
This time, he would strike back.
He wasn't here just to get beaten and raise his stats—
he was here to sharpen his technique, to learn real combat.
A strong body without skill was nothing but a blunt weapon.
And the man in front of him was the future's strongest taijutsu user in the entire shinobi world.
Guy wasn't at his peak yet, but even now, his taijutsu was brutally powerful.
Nothing compared to learning directly from him.
Ryōsuke lunged forward and threw a full-power punch straight toward Guy's face.
If he didn't go all out, Guy wouldn't take him seriously.
Guy slid to the side with a swift sidestep.
His knee drove straight into Ryōsuke's abdomen.
"—gh!"
Pain exploded through him.
Ryōsuke folded like a shrimp, clutching his stomach as he collapsed, nearly vomiting bile.
Guy didn't follow up.
This was a spar, not a life-or-death match.
With a serious expression, he said:
"Ryōsuke, even with the Sharingan, you're not using it properly yet.
If you were, you wouldn't go down so easily."
Ryōsuke slowly lifted his head.
He had only been using the Sharingan in real combat for less than two days.
Of course he lacked the instincts.
He had been relying on pure reaction and brute force.
"I understand."
Guy stepped back, creating distance.
"Again."
This time, Ryōsuke didn't just focus on attacking—he watched Guy's entire body.
Footwork. Shoulders. Hips. Breathing.
He dashed forward, fist whipping toward Guy's cheek.
Guy prepared to dodge and counter with another stomach punch.
Ryōsuke saw it—the instant Guy's muscles tightened.
He shifted, raising his left arm to block the oncoming blow.
His right arm wouldn't retract in time—it was too slow.
Only the left could intercept it.
A single arm couldn't stop Guy's punch.
The impact blasted him off his feet again.
He hit the dirt with a thud.
The system chimed:
"Attributes increased."
Warmth flushed through him, dulling the pain.
Guy stood with perfect posture, admiration in his eyes.
Ryōsuke's taijutsu was far below his own.
But the boy had a Sharingan—and after a few pointers, he was already using it more effectively.
A normal shinobi wouldn't have been able to read Guy's feints at all.
Only a Sharingan could follow such subtle cues.
Ryōsuke rose again.
Attack.
Get blasted away.
Stand up.
Attack again.
Over and over.
With each exchange, his Sharingan adapted faster.
His movements grew more refined.
His combat instincts sharpened.
By the end, he had earned another five points in his stats.
After that, the system stopped giving bonuses—apparently, he hit the daily limit.
The spar lasted far longer than yesterday's.
But his eyes were beginning to ache—the strain of overusing the Sharingan.
A normal Sharingan user wouldn't go blind, but overuse caused heavy fatigue.
Ryōsuke could feel the dull throb behind his eyelids.
He exhaled shakily.
"Guy… let's stop here for today."
"All right!"
Guy agreed immediately.
Even though Ryōsuke's taijutsu was inferior, sparring with him didn't bother Guy.
Ryōsuke had come seeking guidance—that was respect.
And true combat refreshed Guy's own technique as well.
But what truly surprised Guy was that Ryōsuke's speed and strength had visibly improved.
Logically, that was impossible.
You didn't amplify physical stats in a single training session.
But Guy had felt it.
Clearly.
Off to the side, Lee watched with shining eyes.
A proud Uchiha, pushing himself this hard for taijutsu—
It made something warm bloom inside him.
Maybe taijutsu could make someone a true shinobi.
Maybe even a "talentless" boy like Lee had a chance.
After Ryōsuke Left
Lee turned to his teacher.
"Guy-sensei, I should head home too."
He was young—today's twenty laps had already pushed his tiny body close to its limits.
Guy always warned him:
Train hard—but never exceed what the body can withstand.
But Guy suddenly held him back.
"Wait, Lee."
Lee paused, blinking.
"During that spar with Ryōsuke… I realized a new training method.
It might be incredibly effective."
Lee's eyes widened with excitement.
"What kind of training?"
Guy's grin grew blinding.
"It's very simple…
You let yourself get beaten up."
Lee's smile froze.
The excitement drained from his face.
He was willing to suffer.
He was willing to sacrifice.
But…
Becoming a punching bag?
"G-Guy-sensei… is that really effective?"
"Of course!" Guy answered without hesitation.
"You didn't feel it from the sidelines, but during the spar, Ryōsuke's strength and speed clearly increased."
Lee still looked skeptical.
Maybe Ryōsuke just had a good day.
Maybe it was adrenaline.
Maybe it was momentum.
Anything was possible.
Guy scratched his chin thoughtfully.
Honestly… even he wasn't fully convinced.
"Why don't we test it sometime?
If it works, it could be a powerful training method."
Lee sighed but nodded obediently.
"Yes, Guy-sensei…"
Guy took one look at him—sweaty, stumbling, exhausted.
"Not today.
You're already at your limit."
Lee sagged with relief.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/maniacvman