It had been a week since Ren began training Hinata Hyuga.
The results were already visible.
Her increased food intake was no longer just indulgence—it was fuel. Her stamina had risen noticeably. Her strikes carried slightly more weight. Even her agility had sharpened, and her small body no longer trembled as easily under pressure.
That morning, Ren hovered before her in spiritual form, arms crossed.
"Okay. From today onward, we're adding one hundred frog jumps."
Hinata froze.
"And plus ten to all previous exercises," Ren continued calmly. "Add one more minute to horse stance. And one extra lap every week."
Her face went pale.
"Y-you're serious?"
She had only just adapted to the previous "hellish" routine. Now it was increasing again.
Ren tilted his head.
"You thought growth would stay comfortable?"
Hinata swallowed.
"R-Ren… if I keep doing all this training… when will I practice Gentle Fist?"
Ren's expression did not change.
"I told you before. No Gentle Fist during my sessions. If you want, you can train that in the afternoon with your clan."
He floated slightly closer.
"As long as you follow my training plan, you will become stronger. Stronger than you imagine."
Hinata inhaled slowly.
Then she began frog jumps.
The first ten were manageable.
By thirty, her legs trembled violently. By sixty, sweat dripped down her chin. By ninety, she stumbled and nearly fell.
Ren counted each repetition without emotion.
What he did notice, however, was something subtle.
When she had questioned him earlier, she did not look down.
She looked into his eyes.
"She only stammered because she was surprised," Ren thought quietly. "She held eye contact. She's changing… in a good way."
The frog jumps ended. The increased push-ups followed. The longer horse stance burned like fire in her thighs.
Yet she endured.
When she finally finished the expanded routine, her breathing was heavy—but steadier than last week.
Ren nodded once.
"Good. Recovery, then eat properly."
He turned away.
"Bye."
He returned to his body.
—
Back in his bedroom, Ren stretched lazily.
"Hehehe… progress is faster than expected."
He rolled his shoulders.
After finishing his own brutal physical training session, he washed up and activated the system interface.
"Hey, system. I've been training Hinata for a week. Where are my rewards?"
Silence.
Ren's eyebrow twitched.
"You scammer system. Give me a damn answer."
Nothing.
He sighed deeply.
"So there's no AI. No spirit guide. No floating waifu assistant."
He rubbed his forehead.
"I have to figure everything out myself."
With that thought, he left the house and walked toward the market district.
Today was ramen day.
He rotated between barbecue and ramen intentionally. Eating meat daily wasn't ideal.
"I'm not Luffy," he muttered. "Even he would struggle here."
The familiar red curtains of Ichiraku Ramen swayed gently in the breeze.
Ren stepped inside.
"Hey, old man Teuchi. My regular."
Teuchi smiled warmly.
"Training again, Ren-kun?"
Before Ren could reply, Ayame leaned over the counter.
"How was your training today?"
"Ayame-nee," Ren replied casually, "it was like always. Hard and tiring. I'm starving now."
Teuchi chuckled.
"Your regular will be ready in a few minutes."
Ayame's eyes gleamed mischievously.
"So your girlfriend isn't here today?"
Ren didn't even blink.
"Well, the girl who is my friend must have something to do."
Ayame's mouth twitched.
"You brat. Already learned how to twist words?"
Ren grinned.
"Who told you to tease me?"
Ayame laughed softly while washing bowls.
Then she asked, pretending innocence, "So Ren-kun… why don't you play with Ino and Sakura more often?"
Ren shrugged.
"They're always busy fangirling over Sasuke. They never train seriously."
He spoke plainly.
"Hinata trains from early morning. Just like me. She isn't trying to impress anyone."
He added calmly, "They train to impress Sasuke. Not to grow stronger. I'd rather train than waste my time listening to fangirling."
Ayame opened her mouth to respond—but paused.
She hadn't expected such blunt honesty from a three-year-old.
Before she could say anything—
"So that's what you think of us, Ren-kun?"
The voice came from behind him.
Ren turned.
Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno stood there.
His Six Eyes were deactivated. After extensive spiritual usage and personal training, his chakra reserves were low. And the market district was always busy—he hadn't paid attention to background signatures.
He looked at them calmly.
"Was I wrong?"
Ino opened her mouth.
No words came out.
Because he wasn't entirely wrong.
Sakura crossed her arms.
"So you're badmouthing us behind our backs?"
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"When did I badmouth you? I told the truth."
He turned to Ayame.
"Ayame-nee, did I say anything bad about them?"
Ayame shook her head gently.
"No, you didn't."
She looked at Sakura kindly.
"He was just sharing his perspective and observations. He wasn't insulting you."
Sakura hesitated.
Then she bowed slightly.
"Sorry about that."
Ren shrugged.
"No problem."
Teuchi arrived just in time.
"Here's your first bowl, Ren-kun."
"Thanks, old man. Prepare the next one. I'll finish this quickly."
He began eating immediately, fully focused.
Ayame laughed.
"Slow down. You might choke."
Ren nodded and slowed slightly.
"Haaaa… eating after training hard is the best. Old man, today's ramen is super good. Like always."
Teuchi smiled proudly.
"You sure know how to make an old man happy."
Ino and Sakura sat down nearby, placing their own orders quietly.
Ren finished bowl after bowl.
A small mountain of empty bowls formed beside him.
Ino whispered to Sakura, "If only we could eat like that without worrying…"
Ren paid and stood up.
"See you."
He left casually.
—
Later that evening, Ino walked home alone.
Her usual confident stride was slower.
Ren's words echoed inside her mind.
"They train to impress Sasuke."
"They never train seriously."
She entered the flower shop where her mother worked.
"Mama," Ino asked suddenly, "do I only train to impress Sasuke?"
Her mother looked up in surprise.
"You want the truth or a lie?"
Ino lifted her chin.
"Of course I want the truth."
Her mother sighed softly.
"Why do you think your father keeps telling you to take training seriously?"
She set down the bouquet in her hands.
"You never listen. Now even he stopped asking."
Ino's fingers tightened.
"All day long you're busy fangirling."
Her mother's voice wasn't cruel.
It was tired.
"For you, being a ninja is a game. You won't understand until you become one."
After saying that, she returned to arranging flowers.
Ino stood frozen.
It was the first time she had seen that look in her mother's eyes.
Disappointment.
She bit her lip and walked quietly to her room.
For the first time, Ren's blunt honesty didn't feel annoying.
It felt like a mirror.
And mirrors… were hard to look into.