The next day, Uchiha Ryosuke did not go looking for Guy.
Unlike Ryosuke—who had a system pouring warm recovery currents through his body—Guy didn't have such cheat-like treatment. Even with Uchiha clan medicine, a full-body bruising from yesterday's spar wouldn't vanish overnight.
Guy's body needed rest.
Ryosuke respected that.
He may have been a masochist-by-system, but Guy still had to make a living as a shinobi. Ruining him with daily beatings wouldn't do either of them any good.
Ryosuke, in contrast, felt energetic as usual.
His injuries from yesterday? Gone.
So he returned to the small grove near the Uchiha compound and began his regular One-Punch-Man regimen:
100 push-ups
100 sit-ups
100 squats
10 km run
Sweat dripped down his chin as he powered through the final reps.
That was when footsteps approached.
Uchiha Inaho arrived with a few other clan members.
Their gazes locked on Ryosuke—shirt damp, muscles pumping, performing taijutsu conditioning like a commoner—and their expressions twisted with disdain.
To them, this was embarrassing.
Pathetic.
A waste of the Sharingan.
One sneered:
"Ryosuke, still practicing that peasant taijutsu? And you're learning it from that Konoha dead-last Might Guy?"
"Do you even know shame?"
Another snorted.
"You've embarrassed the clan for an entire month now."
Ryosuke paused mid-push-up.
These idiots…
They really believed Guy was "Konoha's dead last"?
They didn't realize Guy's taijutsu was already at jonin level?
Even if Guy was technically a chunin right now, his combat strength was equal to Kakashi's.
And Kakashi… was a jonin.
Honestly, if anyone should be ashamed, it was them.
In the original timeline, the whole Uchiha clan was wiped out by two traitors without even leaving a scratch.
Where was this "strongest clan in the shinobi world" they kept bragging about?
Ryosuke dusted his hands and asked calmly:
"Then what do you think I should train?"
Inaho puffed out his chest, proud and loud:
"Obviously Fire Release and the Sharingan."
"These are the Uchiha's symbols of power!"
Ryosuke nearly laughed.
Fire Release?
You mean that jutsu known throughout the world as "the kind-hearted ninjutsu," because it never hits anyone?
And Sharingan?
Normal Uchiha needed years of training and emotional triggers to evolve their tomoe.
He just needed someone to insult him.
His Sharingan was petty, temperamental, and easy to trigger. Perfect.
Inaho pressed him further:
"What, you look down on Fire Release and the Sharingan now?"
Ryosuke shook his head.
"Of course not. I just don't understand why you look down on taijutsu."
"The Sharingan lets us see every movement. Combined with taijutsu, it's terrifying."
"Or do you think shinobi never fight at close range?"
Inaho froze.
…That actually made sense.
He reluctantly nodded.
"You're not wrong. Shinobi definitely clash in close combat."
"But even so—why learn taijutsu from that dead-last? And running laps like an idiot? You disgrace us."
"Even if it's taijutsu, the Uchiha's must be stronger than his!"
Ryosuke's internal retort was immediate:
Of course not. The Uchiha don't have the Eight Gates.
The Eight Gates were the pinnacle of taijutsu.
No Uchiha technique could compare.
Ryosuke looked up at them.
"I see. If you really believe the Uchiha's taijutsu is stronger than Might Guy's…"
He stood, stretching his arms.
"Then why don't we spar?"
The grove went silent.
Ryosuke wasn't picking a fight for pride.
He was sick of these idiots barking nonsense.
The Uchiha today were not the Uchiha of the Warring States era.
Talent existed, yes—but arrogance without strength was suicide.
If they really wanted to learn a lesson…
He'd gladly teach them.
Inaho's brows furrowed.
He was a fully fledged jonin.
Ryosuke was a chunin at best.
And this brat had the gall to challenge him?
"Why not?" Inaho said coldly. "If I win, you stop doing things that shame the clan."
Ryosuke nodded.
"Deal. If I win, you keep your mouth shut in the future."
Inaho scoffed.
"Fine. A week from now, same place."
He saw Ryosuke's sweat-soaked clothes and smirked.
Clearly the brat needed time to prepare.
Even a year wouldn't bridge the gap between them.
Seven days?
Laughable.
Even if Ryosuke improved, so would he.
Inaho turned away, satisfied with his own cleverness.
The others followed him, snickering.
After they left, Ryosuke resumed training.
A short while later—
Ding!
Strength +1
Speed +1
Constitution +1
Ryosuke sighed.
"Training is too slow… getting beaten is faster."
How unfortunate that his system preferred violence.
Still—slow was slow, but progress was progress.
And now, after a month of training and endless beatings from Guy…
He felt it clearly.
He had reached the qualifying threshold to learn the Eight Gates.
Before this, he hadn't dared ask Guy—his body simply wasn't strong enough to handle it.
But now?
Now he could.
Seven days was more than enough.
He would ask Guy for the Eight Gates.
And on the day of the duel…
He would crush Uchiha Inaho in front of everyone.
For the pride of the clan?
No.
For the future of the clan.
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