Ryosuke grimaced as he felt that intense, almost unbearable pain searing through his head. His expression twisted with discomfort, but he clenched his fists and pressed on. This technique—this secret—was his ace up the sleeve for the night of the Uchiha Massacre. At this stage, it was the only reliable trump card he had, so enduring this suffering was a price he was willing to pay.
He continued focusing his chakra, attempting to forcefully open the First Gate. But just as the gate budged slightly, the same stabbing pain assaulted him again—like needles driving straight into his brain. He endured it for two full seconds before he was forced to stop refining chakra altogether.
Unlike normal physical pain, this one seemed to target his spirit. It was mentally draining, disrupting his ability to concentrate and making it near impossible to continue the chakra manipulation.
Ryosuke turned to Might Guy and muttered bitterly, "This hurts way too much."
Guy laughed heartily. "Of course it does. This technique isn't easy. That's why I've only managed to open five gates after all these years. Each gate hurts more than the last. But Ryosuke, your body is no weaker than mine. You'll get used to the pain in time."
Ryosuke relaxed a bit at that. If the pain lessened as he adapted, then this wasn't an impossible road.
He resumed his training—gathering chakra and slamming it against the mental block of the First Gate. As it opened bit by bit, the pain worsened to the point of feeling like a woman being forced into a split—something cracking open inside him. Cold sweat drenched his back.
Had it not been for the endurance training he had undergone with Guy for over a month, this kind of pain alone would have made him give up.
He cursed his system silently. For enduring such agony, shouldn't it at least reward him with a boost in physical stats? But no, the system remained silent. He had no choice but to push through and train properly.
Might Guy stood by vigilantly, watching over Ryosuke just like his own father had once watched over him. He remembered vividly: the first time he attempted to open the First Gate, he had passed out cold from the pain. His father had to carry him home on his back.
Time passed as Ryosuke continued his grueling efforts. Guy's respect for him only grew. Despite the intense, mind-numbing agony—so bad it had him gritting his teeth and trembling—Ryosuke didn't back down. He kept pushing.
When Guy had trained the Eight Gates, the pain had traumatized him so much that he couldn't bring himself to train again for a long while. After all, this wasn't external pain—it was the sensation of your brain splitting open, like your arms being torn apart.
Eventually, Ryosuke's head began to feel light and dizzy. Then, during one final attempt to ram his chakra into the First Gate, the excruciating pain overwhelmed him, and he collapsed unconscious on the ground.
Seeing this, Might Guy immediately rushed over, knelt down, and checked his condition. Thankfully, Ryosuke was still breathing. Guy let out a sigh of relief—he had only fainted from the strain. No need to send him to the Konoha Hospital.
About thirty minutes later, Ryosuke slowly came to. His vision was blurred at first, but gradually cleared.
"You alright?" Guy asked, concerned.
Ryosuke shook his head to reorient himself. "Yeah, just a little dizzy still."
Guy nodded seriously. "The Eight Gates technique is extremely demanding. Don't rush it. Overdoing it could damage your brain."
Ryosuke agreed. He had been too impatient, trying to brute-force his way through the First Gate. Now he understood—this wasn't a shortcut. If he pushed too hard, his brain might literally explode.
He would take Guy's advice and slow down. One step at a time.
After saying goodbye to Guy, Ryosuke returned to the Uchiha compound. He took a good bath and cleaned himself up. His spirit felt clearer, the fog in his head finally lifting.
After dinner, he walked out into the streets again—heading straight for Kurenai Yuhi's house. If he wanted to deepen their relationship, he needed to spend more time with her. Nothing would happen if they didn't keep seeing each other, right?
Sure enough, when he reached her house, he saw Kurenai standing out front in another beautiful kimono, looking radiant.
Her face lit up when she saw Ryosuke approaching. After everything that had happened between them the previous night, their relationship had clearly grown closer. She genuinely enjoyed being with him—his presence made her feel safe and comfortable.
But when Ryosuke came close, she noticed his pale face and furrowed her brows in concern.
"Ryosuke, are you okay?"
Ryosuke waved it off. "It's nothing—just been training some difficult taijutsu."
He didn't want to worry her with details about the Eight Gates. That was his burden to bear.
Kurenai guessed he must've been training hard with Guy again—she'd seen how insane their sessions could get. As a kunoichi, especially one who focused on genjutsu, she knew she wasn't cut out for that kind of physical torture.
Still, she looked at him with soft concern. "Just take care of yourself, alright? Don't push too hard and break your body."
"I'll be careful," Ryosuke replied with a gentle smile.