Early morning silence wrapped around Konohagakure like a thin blanket of mist.
Ren lay on his bed, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady as the first light of dawn touched his window.
"System," he called inwardly, "activate Spiritual Teaching Mode."
(Activating...)
The now-familiar separation occurred smoothly. His physical body remained asleep, chest rising and falling gently, while his spiritual form rose upward like drifting smoke.
Ren stretched midair, inspecting his translucent hands.
"Still awesome," he muttered with satisfaction.
He phased through the wall and shot toward the Hyūga compound, moving faster than the wind yet leaving no disturbance behind.
Hinata was already there.
She stood in her usual spot in the courtyard, small hands clenched at her sides, breathing visible in the cool air. Her lavender Byakugan eyes were calm but carried hidden anxiety.
Ren descended lightly.
"Yooo."
Hinata startled slightly before bowing her head.
"G-good morning."
Ren folded his arms.
"Now let's start your training. For now, no Gentle Fist."
She blinked.
"First, 100 push-ups. Then 100 sit-ups. Then 100 crunches. After that, ten minutes of horse stance. And finally, ten rounds around the training ground."
Hinata's face paled.
"E-ennnn… Th-that… I ha-have to do all that?"
Her voice trembled as if he had asked her to fight a jonin.
Ren shrugged casually.
"If you don't want to become stronger, you can skip it."
The words were simple.
But they hit deep.
Hinata bit her lip. Her father's disappointed gaze surfaced in her mind. The whispers of clan members. The comparisons to her sister.
She lowered herself into push-up position.
And began.
At first, her arms trembled by the twentieth repetition. Sweat formed quickly, dripping onto the wooden floor.
Ren hovered nearby, expression neutral.
"Twenty-five."
"Twenty-six."
He did not encourage. He did not comfort.
He only counted.
By forty, her breathing was uneven.
By sixty, her elbows shook violently.
She collapsed at seventy-two.
Ren's voice remained calm.
"Seventy-two. Twenty-eight remaining."
Hinata clenched her fists.
Her palms burned. Her shoulders screamed.
But she pushed herself back up.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Ninety-eight.
Ninety-nine.
One hundred.
She collapsed again, chest heaving.
Ren nodded slightly.
"Sit-ups."
Her head snapped up weakly.
"Already?"
"You want to rest forever?"
She swallowed and rolled onto her back.
The sit-ups were worse.
Her core lacked strength. Each rise felt like dragging a boulder upward. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes by repetition fifty.
Ren watched silently.
Not once did he look away.
Her tears fell.
But she continued.
By the time she reached crunches, her body had begun to shake uncontrollably. Her legs twitched from fatigue.
The horse stance came next.
Ten minutes.
Her thighs burned like they were being branded. Sweat soaked her clothes. Her jaw clenched so tightly her teeth hurt.
"Time remaining," Ren said calmly. "Three minutes."
Her legs almost gave out.
She let out a soft whimper.
But she didn't stand up.
Finally—
"Done."
She nearly collapsed.
"Ten rounds," Ren reminded.
Her eyes widened in horror.
But she ran.
The first two laps were manageable. By the fifth, her steps dragged. By the eighth, she stumbled.
On the tenth lap, she was barely moving forward.
Ren's tone never changed.
"Last stretch."
She crossed the invisible finish point and fell onto the ground, breathing erratically.
Her chest rose and fell like a bellows. Her entire body throbbed.
Ren floated closer, studying her carefully.
She had not quit.
Not once.
Even when her muscles screamed.
Even when tears blurred her vision.
"Good," he said simply. "Now go wash up and eat properly."
He turned slightly.
"I have my own training. Bye."
And he disappeared.
Hinata lay there for several seconds, unable to respond. She didn't even bother saying goodbye.
She was too exhausted to speak.
Slowly, painfully, she pushed herself up and walked toward the inner compound to wash.
Her legs trembled the entire way.
—
Ren's eyes opened in his bedroom.
He stretched lazily, a grin spreading across his face.
"Hehehe… I was right in choosing her."
He sat up slowly.
"Even after all that pain, she didn't quit. If it were Ino or Sakura, they would have stopped halfway."
He tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Hmm… I wonder… if I train her like this consistently, will she become like Mikasa?"
His imagination ran wild for a moment.
"Damn. Hinata would become a heart-stealer."
He shook his head quickly.
"Focus."
He stood up.
"Teaching should never become my excuse to stop training."
His eyes hardened.
"Stopping means comfort. Comfort means laziness."
And laziness meant death in this world.
He changed into training clothes and began his own routine—push-ups, weighted squats, explosive jumps, chakra circulation drills.
He refined both body and energy with equal focus.
Only after completing his session did he wash and head toward Yakiniku Q.
He pushed open the door.
"Yoo, old man. My room available?"
Before the owner could answer, a cheerful female voice chimed in.
"Ohhh, Ren-kun! Good to see you again. You're looking more handsome every day!"
Ren blinked.
It was the shop owner's wife.
"It's you, Granny," Ren sighed dramatically. "And stop joking. We just met two days ago. How can I become handsome in two days?"
She laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Growing boys change fast!"
Then she added apologetically, "But your regular room is already in use, boy."
Ren nodded calmly.
"No problem. I'll eat at a public table."
She placed a hand on her cheek fondly.
"You're such a good and understanding kid."
Just then, the door of his usual private room slid open.
Ren turned instinctively.
It was Hinata.
She stepped out slowly, having just finished her own meal. When their eyes met, she froze.
Ren immediately turned back toward Granny.
"Granny, looks like I will be eating in my regular room. She's my friend. Send my regular order there."
The woman's eyes sparkled.
"That's good! I'll send it right away. And extra ten percent off for you and your friend. Enjoy!"
"Thanks, Granny."
Ren entered the room confidently.
Hinata looked at him curiously.
"You… took longer to come?"
Ren sat down casually.
"Well, I also had my own training after you, you know."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"You train that much too?"
He nodded.
"A teacher who doesn't train becomes useless."
Food arrived shortly after.
This time, Hinata spoke softly.
"I will pay today."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"You sure?"
She nodded firmly.
"I… brought my wallet."
Ren smirked slightly.
"Alright. But don't skip meals to save money. Muscles don't grow on pride."
She almost smiled.
They ate quietly at first.
Then Ren began speaking about breathing techniques, about how food converted to stamina, about how chakra relied on physical condition more than most believed.
Hinata listened carefully.
For the first time, her exhaustion felt meaningful.
After finishing, she paid the bill despite Ren's light teasing.
They stepped outside together once more.
"Tomorrow," Ren reminded.
Hinata nodded, more firmly than before.
"Tomorrow."
They parted ways.
One carried sore muscles and growing determination.
The other carried quiet satisfaction.
The first lesson had begun.
And pain, as Ren believed, was simply the doorway to transformation.