In the days that followed, Ryosuke trained alone, fully committing himself to the One Punch Man method.
Every day, he gained +1 Strength, +1 Speed, and +1 Constitution.
He had tried pushing himself even harder to increase the gains... but it didn't work. No matter how much he added to his regimen, the system only rewarded him with that flat increase.
Frankly, it wasn't nearly as effective as getting beaten up in combat.
Might Guy had gone on a mission outside the village and only returned after seven days.
As soon as he was back, Ryosuke immediately sought him out for a spar.
And so, another month flew by just like that.
On this particular day, they met again in a secluded grove on the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf.
The village was surrounded by dense forests, and this place was rarely visited—perfect for training without being disturbed.
Might Guy, Lee, and Uchiha Ryosuke had agreed to meet here for a session.
Naturally, Ryosuke was eager to challenge Guy again.
Might Guy looked at him with obvious surprise.
He could clearly feel that Ryosuke had grown significantly stronger—his speed, his strength—everything had improved.
Guy himself had improved too, but compared to Ryosuke's growth, it felt almost negligible.
The fact that Ryosuke was now on a level that demanded his full attention was... impressive.
Guy lowered into a ready stance, facing Ryosuke directly.
"Come on, then."
Ryosuke slowly activated his Sharingan.
It wasn't just for tracking Guy's movements—he could copy his taijutsu techniques as well.
Leaving the Sharingan unused in a taijutsu duel would be a complete waste.
The moment Guy saw Ryosuke's stance solidify, he exploded forward, legs blurring as he charged in with a punch.
But Ryosuke didn't dodge.
Instead, he raised his fist to meet it head-on.
He wasn't some weakling who'd get knocked flying anymore.
Their fists collided.
And for the first time—Ryosuke didn't get pushed back at all. Not even a step.
Guy wasn't surprised.
He had seen it coming—Ryosuke had been steadily improving.
In their early matches, a single punch from him could send Ryosuke flying.
Then it became a few steps back.
Now... Ryosuke could take it head-on without yielding.
The progress was staggering.
Still, a single exchange wasn't enough to judge. Guy launched another attack.
This time, Ryosuke slipped slightly to the side, avoiding the blow—and countered with a strike of his own.
A solid, powerful punch with no holding back.
He had endured Guy's fists long enough. Yes, it gave him stats. But did that mean he enjoyed it?
Hell no.
Just because he didn't mind getting beat up for power didn't mean he liked being a punching bag.
That's why he never intentionally took hits.
Now, as his fist came inches from Guy's chest, Guy suddenly leapt back.
His eyes widened.
If he hadn't reacted in time, that would've landed for real.
He had to focus.
He charged in again, this time fully alert—watching Ryosuke's every movement like a true taijutsu master.
The boy in front of him had earned that level of respect.
It reminded him of his spars with Kakashi.
They clashed for over ten minutes.
Fist to fist. Strike for strike.
Each landed clean hits on the other—but neither aimed for vital points. This was a spar, not a deathmatch.
Ryosuke felt exhilarated.
Using his Sharingan to mimic Guy's taijutsu, he had finally fought the man to a draw.
Guy hit him three times.
He hit Guy three times.
And it felt amazing.
They were clean hits, not just lucky grazes.
It was the first time he'd ever landed solid blows on Guy like that.
It proved something—that he wasn't just tough. His combat instincts and technique were genuinely developing.
He wasn't just a punching bag anymore—he was becoming a real taijutsu fighter in his own right.
Not bad for someone who used to get one-shotted by this same guy.
And let's not forget—Might Guy's taijutsu was already beyond jonin-tier, even if he was still just a chunin in rank.
In the future, Guy would be the top taijutsu user in the entire ninja world.
That made today's result even more shocking—to Guy, especially.
Because he hadn't been holding back.
Not at all.
Ryosuke's speed, power, even his technique—they were all on par with his own.
In fact, the style Ryosuke used was strikingly similar to his own.
Copied with the Sharingan, no doubt...
Guy narrowed his eyes.
This was no longer a student vs. mentor situation.
It was a real fight—one where both sides were evenly matched.
Watching from the sidelines, Lee was in shock.
He had always admired Guy-sensei's incredible strength—that much was obvious. It was why he followed him, why he wanted to master taijutsu.
But the real surprise today was Uchiha Ryosuke.
Just a month ago, he was getting his face planted into the ground by Guy-sensei.
Lee still remembered that brutal first spar—Guy had knocked Ryosuke out with a single punch.
Back then, Ryosuke was weak. No doubt about it.
But now... he was trading blows evenly with Guy-sensei?
That was insane.
Was what Guy-sensei said actually true?
That getting beaten up makes you stronger?
Lee had been using that same training method too—he sparred with Guy constantly, letting him hit him over and over. It hurt like hell, but he trusted the method.
The only reason he hadn't gotten seriously injured was because of Ryosuke's recovery potions, which were genuinely effective.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
Maybe I haven't been beaten up hard enough...?
Maybe I just need more pain. More punishment!
After all, taijutsu was all about repetition, effort, and pressure. Enough grind would lead to breakthroughs.
If Guy had been going easier on him than on Ryosuke, that could explain the difference.
That realization made Lee's eyes light up like a bonfire.
He had found his path.
From the edge of the field, he watched the two warriors continue their clash, more fired up than ever.