Ryosuke and Kurenai strolled through the streets of Konoha as usual, their pace casual and unhurried. The two walked side by side, and Ryosuke inhaled the soft, pleasant fragrance that lingered around her, feeling deeply content.
Unlike the night before, Kurenai didn't reach out to cling to Ryosuke's arm this time—there were too many people around. Even though they'd grown close, she still felt a little shy about public displays of affection.
Ryosuke didn't press the matter either. He didn't want to show off their relationship on a busy street. In his opinion, flaunting love only invited envy—and premature disaster.
They continued walking until the streets grew quieter and more secluded. Only then did Kurenai shyly reach for Ryosuke's arm, hugging it close and pressing it against her chest.
Ryosuke instantly felt that familiar softness—those "rabbits" that any man could play with for a year without getting bored—and a surge of excitement rushed through him. Even the sharp pain from his Eight Gates training faded from memory like waves receding into the sea. Who would've guessed those rabbits had such magical pain-relieving powers?
Kurenai blushed. Even though something intimate had already occurred between them the previous night, this was still a very private part of her body. Letting Ryosuke touch her there again brought back those pleasurable feelings from before. She worried momentarily if Ryosuke might think she was being too forward—but when she saw his smile, any hesitation melted away. Her heart lightened, and she held his arm even more tightly.
As usual, Ryosuke took the lead on where they went, and unsurprisingly, he brought her once again to the dimly lit yet cozy forest path they'd visited before.
There, Ryosuke leaned in for a kiss. After all, Kurenai had already taken the initiative—he didn't need further encouragement.
Of course, Kurenai didn't refuse. In fact, she had been waiting for this moment. This time, Ryosuke didn't rush into anything further. He simply enjoyed the closeness, savoring their mutual warmth. He wasn't in the best condition after pushing his limits with the Eight Gates earlier, and besides, he wanted their relationship to develop naturally—step by step.
With someone as receptive as Kurenai, there was no way she'd escape his grasp now.
As he enjoyed her soft, warm body, a system notification suddenly rang in his mind:
Your mental state is highly excited. Chakra +0.1 Kakashi Units.
0.1 Kakashi Units!
That was huge. If he had 1,000 such moments with Kurenai, he'd accumulate 100 Kakashi Units of chakra—equivalent to Naruto's base reserves plus the Nine Tails. With that amount, chakra shortages would never be a concern. He could throw jutsu around like confetti.
Only problem? A thousand times would take at least three years even with daily "contact." Still, it was a worthy long-term investment.
After spending a few hours with Kurenai, Ryosuke escorted her home and returned to his own place to rest.
Three days had passed since his scheduled fight with Uchiha Inabi. That morning, Ryosuke woke up feeling incredibly refreshed. His mind was clear, his body light. All the agony from training the Eight Gates was completely gone—no headaches, no lingering aftereffects.
Had he not remembered the overwhelming pain from the day before so vividly, he would have thought it was just a bad dream. Clearly, his increased physical stats were working wonders. The stronger his body, the faster his recovery. The system was proving its worth again.
He now fully understood why Eight Gates was considered the most difficult taijutsu in the ninja world—and why it had only been mastered by someone like Might Guy. The pain was so intense and the training so punishing that no one else even wanted to try.
And yet, Ryosuke had an edge: the system. With his enhanced physical constitution and recovery ability, he could attempt opening the gates over and over again without worrying about permanent damage.
That morning, Ryosuke headed back to Ichiraku Ramen and ordered a massive bowl with every topping available.
Even Teuchi, the shop owner, looked at him in surprise. No customer had ever asked for such a giant breakfast. But in his heart, he was pleased—Ryosuke's appetite was both good for business and a sign of true appreciation for his cooking.
After wolfing down the enormous bowl, Ryosuke felt perfectly fine. His body hadn't protested one bit. Yesterday's Eight Gates training had clearly drained his reserves.
He then headed toward a secluded grove within the Uchiha compound and began training using the "One Punch Man" workout regimen—intense physical drills he'd adapted to his ninja training.
However, this unusual routine didn't go unnoticed.
From a hidden vantage point, an ANBU operative observed Ryosuke. This boy had been training here for over a month. The pattern seemed unusual enough that the ANBU decided to report it to the Hokage.
After the Nine-Tails attack, the Third Hokage had ordered all movements within and near the Uchiha compound to be closely monitored. Any disturbance, no matter how small, had to be reported.
And Ryosuke, training with such extreme dedication, certainly qualified as suspicious.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe as he listened to the ANBU's report. A look of doubt crossed his face.
"Uchiha Ryosuke? The same kid who had that incident with my son… and now he's been seen training with Might Guy?"
He narrowed his eyes.
Ryosuke was from the "cursed" Uchiha clan. What was he trying to gain from Guy, of all people? As he sifted through his memories, trying to discern what value Guy might offer, nothing of strategic importance came to mind.
Guy was a civilian-born ninja with no clan, no elite background. Even his strength wasn't top-tier by village standards. His only specialty was taijutsu—and even that was only "decent."
Then it hit him.
Four years ago, there was another man—Might Dai. Just a mere genin. But when he unlocked all Eight Gates, he managed to kill four members of the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Even Hiruzen had been stunned by that report.
He himself would've struggled against all seven of those warriors. At most, he might've been able to escape or defeat one or two—certainly not four.
Might Dai's feat had been nothing short of monstrous. When the Eight Gates are fully opened, the user's power temporarily exceeds even that of the Hokage.
This realization made Hiruzen's face darken.
Could the Uchiha be trying to steal that forbidden technique?
But… it took decades to master. Even low-level gate users saw only minor boosts. And Eight Gates was infamous for its brutal training and fatal consequences.
Hiruzen had tried learning it himself once—back when he first heard about it.
But after experiencing the stabbing, brain-splitting pain, he gave up. He was already strong enough. There was no point in enduring such torture.
So this Uchiha boy, barely more than a teen—was he really trying to learn it?
Even with extreme discipline and tenacity, it would take at least twenty years to fully master.
The drawbacks were enormous: guaranteed death upon full release, and even partial use left the user drained and vulnerable.
Thinking this through, Hiruzen's frown gradually softened. Perhaps he was overthinking it.
Maybe Ryosuke wasn't aiming to master the Eight Gates. After all, almost everyone who tried had failed. The only known success was Might Dai.
Even Hiruzen, the so-called "God of Shinobi," had failed.
If he couldn't learn it, what were the chances a mere boy could?
Relaxing back into his chair, Hiruzen continued puffing his pipe.
No need to worry. Ryosuke's taijutsu training didn't pose a threat.
His attention shifted instead to a more pressing matter: Konoha's war with the Hidden Cloud Village was winding down. Skirmishes were becoming less frequent. The conflict was drawing to a close.
Once the war ended, there would be a period of peace—and with peace came the capacity to deal with internal threats.
If the Uchiha tried to stir trouble again, he would deal with them.
His eyes glinted coldly.
The Uchiha clan had always harbored rebellious tendencies. In recent years, their ambitions had become clearer—they wanted the Hokage's seat for themselves.
And that… was something he would never allow.