Just as Kurenai was still immersed in Ryosuke's intoxicating scent, she suddenly felt a jolt of stimulation in her most sensitive area—far more intense than anything before. Her eyes shot open in shock.
She couldn't handle it.
She had never experienced anything like this before, and in a panic, she reached out to stop Ryosuke, her voice filled with anxiety.
"Ryosuke, I'm not ready yet."
At that moment, the masculine energy Ryosuke was emitting felt even more intense.
Kurenai wasn't a little girl—she fully understood where things were heading between a man and a woman. And though part of her was looking forward to it, things were moving too fast between them.
Ryosuke heard her plea, and though he was burning with desire, he managed to calm down.
He had really wanted to go all the way with her right there in the grove, but seeing the pleading look in her eyes, he refrained from pushing further.
Even though the system's reward was tempting—growing stronger through having children—this wasn't something he could force. She needed to be willing too.
More importantly, now that they had already shared this level of physical intimacy, it was clear that the final step would eventually come. There was no need to rush.
Ryosuke pulled back.
Kurenai instantly felt a sense of relief.
Then the two of them resumed their passionate kissing.
Ryosuke continued to enjoy the soft, plush feel of her chest.
Those perfect curves alone would be enough to entertain him for a whole year.
Nearly two hours passed before Kurenai finally couldn't take it anymore. Breathless and flustered, she begged him:
"Ryosuke… let's stop here for tonight."
If they kept going, she feared she'd lose all control.
Their relationship needed to progress more gradually. This was just too intense, and she was exhausted.
Ryosuke, for his part, felt satisfied. Both body and mind were elated.
Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in his mind:
『Your spirit is extremely elated. Chakra increased by 0.1 units.』
Ryosuke was stunned.
He had been so focused on his physical training that he'd forgotten about chakra entirely.
Although his taijutsu was now strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Might Guy, opening the Eight Gates still required ample chakra.
Without a strong chakra reserve, the power of the Eight Gates would be severely limited—some gates might not even open.
In the original timeline, Rock Lee could only open six gates during the Fourth Great Ninja War—not all eight like Might Guy—because he didn't have enough chakra.
Besides, most ninjutsu, even something like the Sharingan, all depended on chakra.
It was indispensable.
0.1 chakra units… that was about a tenth of what a weak Sharingan user like Kakashi might have.
He hadn't expected such a minor intimate moment to increase his chakra by that much.
And this wasn't even the peak of pleasure.
Stronger emotional or physical highs might increase his chakra even more.
His eyes burned with anticipation as he looked at Kurenai again. Clearly, getting close to her benefited both of his systems.
Even if one time didn't guarantee a child, several more tries would definitely improve the odds.
Noticing Ryosuke's current state, Kurenai trembled a little. Her voice carried a hint of fear.
"Ryosuke… let's stop here for tonight."
"Next time, when I'm ready, okay?"
She was afraid he might lose control and push her to the ground right then and there.
She wasn't against being with him—but something like this… she needed to be prepared first.
Seeing her flushed cheeks and vulnerable look, Ryosuke knew it was time to stop.
"Alright, we'll wait for next time," he said.
She had made her boundary clear. He couldn't just force it.
Kurenai let out a small sigh of relief.
"Ryosuke, I'm going home now."
Ryosuke smiled.
"Okay, I'll walk you back."
She nodded gently.
At the doorstep of her wooden home, the streets were already empty.
Ryosuke escorted her there before heading back to the Uchiha compound.
Kurenai walked inside with a happy heart.
But what she saw immediately made her freeze.
Her mother was sitting in the living room with a stern expression on her face.
Kurenai's heart skipped a beat.
She had stayed out so late… and although her mother didn't dislike Ryosuke, if she found out what had almost happened tonight, the embarrassment would be unbearable.
Trying to keep her composure, Kurenai asked,
"Mother, why aren't you asleep yet?"
Her mother's expression shifted slightly, and she let out a deep sigh.
Her daughter had clearly been out with Uchiha Ryosuke.
If it had been another Uchiha, she might have been against it. But Ryosuke—he was different.
Unlike many others in the village, she didn't despise the entire Uchiha clan.
And Ryosuke wasn't like those arrogant Uchiha either.
Noticing the wrinkles in her daughter's clothes and sash, she instantly understood what had happened.
She had once been young too, sneaking out to meet Kurenai's father.
She looked at her daughter with a serious gaze.
"Judging from how you look, I assume you and Ryosuke are together now?"
Kurenai didn't want to lie. Blushing slightly, she nodded.
"Yes. We are."
"You're not against it… are you?"
Her mother looked as if she had expected this all along and began to ask more pointedly.
"Did you two… go all the way?"
They had been out for quite some time. It wasn't unreasonable to assume the worst.
Kurenai quickly shook her head.
"No. When it got to that point, I stopped him."
"Because I wasn't ready yet."
Her mother looked genuinely surprised.
So this Uchiha wasn't just some lust-crazed brute.
He had self-control—like her late husband.
Back then, she had taken her time to prepare before becoming intimate, too.
Most men in heat couldn't resist that long.
This Ryosuke, however, had respected her daughter's will. That was something to be acknowledged.
Her face softened, and she spoke kindly.
"I'm not going to stop you from being with him. I'm not some old relic who insists on choosing your partner for you."
"But have you thought about how you'll handle things with Sarutobi Asuma?"
Asuma was the son of the Third Hokage—the most powerful man in all of Konoha.
If Kurenai mishandled that relationship, both she and her mother could face serious trouble in the village.