In a forest clearing, Might Guy looked at Ryosuke Uchiha and couldn't help but let out a genuine word of praise.
"Ryosuke, you've improved tremendously. You can now go toe-to-toe with me without falling behind."
His admiration was sincere. From a complete weakling to someone who could now stand on equal footing—that transformation was enough to earn anyone's respect.
Ryosuke smiled warmly.
"It's all thanks to training with you, Guy. I wouldn't be here without it."
He had no doubt that meeting Might Guy was one of his best decisions. The man had tirelessly trained with him day in and day out. That patience and dedication revealed Guy's noble character. If there was anyone in the Leaf worth admiring, Might Guy was certainly among them.
But Guy remained calm, a little skeptical.
He had trained rigorously since childhood to reach his current strength. Yet Ryosuke had improved more in a single month than he had in years. Sure, he'd made some progress too—but Ryosuke's leap was simply astonishing.
Maybe he was just a natural-born taijutsu genius.
Or maybe... it was some kind of special training method? Like getting stronger by getting beaten up?
Though he assumed it might be Ryosuke's secret, Guy couldn't help but ask, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Ryosuke, your progress has been so fast… You didn't happen to create some taijutsu where getting hit makes you stronger, did you?"
"Otherwise, even with incredible talent, this kind of progress is just too insane."
"It's the only reason I can think of."
Hearing this, Lee, who had been watching from the side, suddenly got excited.
He had tried something similar before, but his results had been modest at best—only improving his resistance to physical damage a bit.
Lee figured there must be more to it. Just getting beaten up wouldn't be enough—there had to be a proper method behind it. Now it all hinged on Ryosuke's answer.
Ryosuke, however, was utterly confused.
A taijutsu genius? The original body he inherited was nothing special. Everything he had now came from his auto-cultivation system. No one else had such a cheat, and at best, others might just improve their endurance from getting hit.
It wasn't a particularly useful method.
But still, what else could explain his sudden strength? He could only say:
"I'm not exactly trying to get beat up on purpose. It's just that real combat sharpens my reflexes."
"It boosts my physical condition too. I guess having a tougher body helps a bit."
Guy nodded as if everything had just clicked into place.
So it was real combat that helped, but essentially it came down to taking hits and building up the body. Not getting beaten on purpose—but still.
Now that he understood the method, he felt more determined than ever.
He still hadn't earned the Third Hokage's recognition. He couldn't get into the ANBU. His friend Kakashi had already become a jonin at twelve—his lifelong rival.
Guy had to catch up. Otherwise, how could he consider himself Kakashi's equal?
And Ryosuke could now go head-to-head with him. He had to give it his all and push himself further.
"Ryosuke, be careful. I'm going all out with my next move."
If they were going to train seriously, there was no room for holding back or deliberately getting hit.
Ryosuke, hearing this, felt a rush of excitement. Was Guy about to use the Eight Gates?
"Bring it on. I'm ready."
His Sharingan glowed an even deeper red.
Even opening just a few of the Eight Gates would give Guy a massive power boost.
Ryosuke's pupils contracted, tracking every movement closely.
The Sharingan, known as the Eye of Insight, didn't need Guy to explain his moves. Ryosuke could replicate them just by watching.
Unlike many prideful members of the Uchiha clan, Ryosuke didn't see learning others' techniques as shameful. As far as he was concerned, anything that made him stronger was worth learning.
With the looming threat of the Uchiha Massacre, surviving was more important than pride. If he could learn Guy's big moves, why not?
Besides, Guy was the kind of person who wouldn't mind. They were friends now. He'd even taught Kakashi the Eight Gates.
But instead of opening the gates, Guy dashed forward with lightning speed and raised his leg for a powerful kick.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Ryosuke was a little disappointed, but still met the kick head-on with one of his own.
He wasn't about to just let himself get hit.
Guy wasn't surprised to see Ryosuke block the attack. At his current level, not being able to block it would have been more shocking.
But it wasn't over yet. There was a follow-up move. Guy shouted:
"Leaf Whirlwind—Second Kick!"
He planted one hand on the ground and swung his left leg backward, aiming straight for Ryosuke's chest.
Even though Ryosuke saw it coming with his Sharingan, his body reacted a fraction too slowly. The kick slammed into his chest, sending him flying through the air.
Guy watched him crash to the ground but wasn't worried in the slightest. They'd been training together for over a month.
He knew Ryosuke's body was incredibly tough. This move was strong, sure—but it wouldn't be fatal. He hadn't struck a vital point. At worst, Ryosuke would be seriously bruised—and that was exactly what Ryosuke needed, wasn't it?
As he lay on the ground, Ryosuke heard the system chime.
『Strength +2, Speed +2, Constitution +2』
That familiar stat increase notification again. The feeling of getting stronger—it was intoxicating.
A warm current flowed through his body, healing most of his injuries.
He stood back up, looking at Guy with admiration.
Even without the Eight Gates, this Leaf Whirlwind was a solid move. It was fast, a two-part kick with heavy momentum. Even skilled taijutsu users would struggle against it the first time.
Its strength came from the heavy initial blow, followed by an unexpected second strike. Most people couldn't react in time.
"Guy, that two-stage whirlwind kick of yours is really powerful."
Ryosuke had already copied the move perfectly with his Sharingan.
Every point of force, every pivot and motion—he had it all memorized.
Guy beamed with pride.
"This is one of my signature techniques."
Kicks were always more powerful than punches—and honestly, he was a bit shocked by Ryosuke's toughness. The kid had just taken a serious hit and bounced right back like it was nothing. He really was a monster.
Lee, watching from the side, was full of admiration. That was Sensei's move! So cool!
Even if he could pull off the same technique now, his version didn't have anywhere near that level of impact. He'd have to double his training if he wanted to achieve something that flashy and strong.
Ryosuke dusted himself off, eyes burning with excitement.
He had learned the move—and he couldn't wait to try it himself.
"My turn to attack."
He dashed toward Guy at full speed, launching a flying kick.
Guy didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his own leg to counter directly.
But to his shock, Ryosuke suddenly planted his hands on the ground and swung his other leg around in a second strike.
Guy's eyes widened. Wasn't that his own Leaf Whirlwind?!
Before he could react, Ryosuke's kick landed cleanly, sending him flying.
He crashed hard and struggled to get back up, wincing at the pain.
Ryosuke had taken the same hit earlier and barely flinched, but this… this was painful as hell. His body felt battered. Could it be that Ryosuke's physical toughness had already surpassed his own?
And the ability to copy taijutsu so precisely—it had to be the Sharingan.
His friend Kakashi could copy thousands of jutsu with that eye. Ryosuke could definitely do the same.
Guy rubbed his sore stomach and muttered:
"Again."
He hadn't forgotten Ryosuke's special training method—getting stronger by taking hits. If Ryosuke could strike him, then he was exactly the kind of training partner Guy needed.
In the end, the two of them were left lying flat on the ground, faces bruised and bodies aching from exhaustion.
But Guy was more satisfied than he'd ever been. Even sparring with Kakashi had never pushed him this far.
Ryosuke, too, was thrilled. His strength, speed, and constitution had each increased by five points.
No exaggeration—if he had been evenly matched with Guy before, now he was officially stronger.