The next day, Ryosuke didn't go looking for Guy to train again.
After their intense sparring match yesterday, Guy's body didn't have the benefit of a warm current healing system. Even with the special Uchiha-made recovery potions, it wouldn't be easy for him to bounce back quickly. His body probably couldn't take it. After all, ninjas were known for high offense and low defense—even taijutsu users weren't an exception.
Plus, Guy relied on his body to earn a living. Ryosuke didn't want to cause him unnecessary trouble.
But Ryosuke was different. Although he had also taken a beating yesterday, by this morning he was back to full strength and full of energy.
He returned to the small forest next to the Uchiha clan compound and resumed his One Punch Man-style workout.
100 squats. A 10-kilometer run. 100 sit-ups. 100 push-ups.
As he trained, Uchiha Inaho arrived with a few other Uchiha clan members. They watched Ryosuke practicing taijutsu and looked on with disdain.
To them, neglecting the Sharingan in favor of training taijutsu was like ignoring a treasure vault lying wide open.
No matter how strong taijutsu was, a single genjutsu from a Sharingan user could bring an opponent down. That was the true power of their bloodline.
One of them scoffed.
"Ryosuke, training taijutsu... and even studying under that dropout, Might Guy?"
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"This whole month, you've been dragging the Uchiha name through the mud."
Ryosuke was taken aback by the comment.
These clan members were really arrogant—calling Guy a dropout? They had no idea that Guy's taijutsu was already approaching jonin-level. Even though he was technically still a chunin, his strength was on par with someone like Kakashi.
And Kakashi was a jonin.
If Guy opened a few of the Eight Gates, defeating a jonin wouldn't even be a challenge.
More importantly, if anyone had a right to be dissatisfied, it was Ryosuke himself.
In the original timeline, the entire Uchiha clan was wiped out by two traitors without resistance. What kind of "greatest noble clan" allowed that to happen?
He frowned.
"So tell me, what do you think I should be training?"
The Uchiha clan member puffed up proudly.
"Obviously Fire Release and the Sharingan."
"Those are our clan's signature jutsu and kekkei genkai."
Ryosuke almost burst out laughing at the mention of Fire Release. Sure, it was powerful in theory, but it was known more for its show than actual combat effectiveness—rarely landing a hit.
The Sharingan, though, was a different story.
Most clan members would develop their Sharingan gradually as their skills grew, eventually unlocking the three-tomoe version.
But Ryosuke didn't need that process—he just needed someone to mock him.
His Sharingan had quite the attitude.
Right now, his focus was on improving his taijutsu and learning the Eight Gates.
A combination of the Sharingan and powerful taijutsu would be more than enough in the early stages.
Inaho, seeing Ryosuke's calm response and half-smile, felt irritated. He sneered and asked:
"What, you think Fire Release and the Sharingan are beneath you?"
Ryosuke shook his head.
"Of course not. I just think it's strange that you all look down on taijutsu."
"The Uchiha Sharingan allows you to clearly see your opponent's movements. Pair that with strong taijutsu—don't you see what a huge advantage that is?"
"Or are you trying to say ninjas never fight up close?"
Inaho pondered his words. They did make sense. He nodded reluctantly.
"You're not wrong. Ninjas often have to engage in close combat."
"But learning taijutsu is one thing—why train under that guy? That humiliating training style of his is a disgrace to our clan."
"Even if it's taijutsu, are you saying the Uchiha's own taijutsu techniques aren't better than that loser's?"
Ryosuke answered inwardly without hesitation.
Of course they're not. The Uchiha don't have the Eight Gates.
And the Eight Gates is the greatest taijutsu in the entire ninja world.
He looked directly at the Uchiha clan members.
"If you're so confident that Uchiha taijutsu is better than Guy's, then how about a match?"
He had already made up his mind—these arrogant clan members needed to be taught a lesson.
The modern Uchiha clan was far removed from their glory days during the Warring States period.
Now, they relied only on the name. Their actual strength wasn't nearly as impressive. Otherwise, how could the entire clan be wiped out so easily?
Inaho snorted at the challenge.
He was a jonin, while Ryosuke was just a chunin. What gave this kid the guts to make such a bold claim?
"Why not?"
"If I win, you stop doing anything that brings shame to the Uchiha name."
Ryosuke smirked as he accepted.
"One week from now, right here. I'll be waiting."
"If I win, you stop running your mouth."
Inaho looked at Ryosuke's sweat-soaked training clothes and guessed he'd already been training all morning.
He wasn't in a rush. He intended to win decisively. As for why the duel was a week away—he figured Ryosuke just wanted time to prepare.
It didn't matter to him. Even if Ryosuke had a year, he wouldn't be able to close the gap between chunin and jonin.
And Inaho would only get stronger over that week, too.
After the group left, Ryosuke resumed his training.
Once he finished, he felt the usual wave of fatigue setting in—just in time to hear the familiar chime of his system.
『Attributes increased slightly.』
This kind of training yielded limited attribute growth—and it took a lot of time. It wasn't nearly as effective as taking hits in battle.
Getting beat up? That was fast and efficient.
It was obvious the system preferred watching him get pounded.
Still, so long as his physical stats improved, that was what mattered. A little at a time would eventually add up, and his overall capabilities would steadily rise.
By now, his physical stats had finally reached the threshold to learn the Eight Gates.
He hadn't asked Guy to teach it earlier because he didn't yet have the raw endurance for it. Even if Guy had taught him, he wouldn't have been able to learn it.
But now, with a duel against Inaho looming, he knew he needed every edge he could get.
It was time to ask Might Guy about the Eight Gates.