Kurenai felt herself sinking deeper into Ryosuke's arms—
lost in his warmth, in the quiet pull of his presence.
But then, his touch changed.
More intense.
More direct.
More overwhelming.
Her breath caught.
Her eyes flew wide open.
"R-Ryosuke…!"
Her pulse spiked in a mixture of panic and flustered anticipation.
She wasn't a naïve girl—she knew exactly what that rising heat, that unmistakable intent meant.
And as much as some part of her… wondered, even longed…
her heart wasn't ready for that final step yet.
She quickly braced both hands against his chest, voice shaking:
"Ryosuke… I'm not ready yet."
The words tumbled out soft but unmistakable.
Ryosuke, who had been so wrapped in the moment he nearly lost himself, felt his excitement cool.
Her eyes were wide, not rejecting him—but frightened at the speed things were going.
He inhaled slowly.
He wanted her.
He wanted to complete the Many Children, Many Blessings system mission.
He wanted the chakra boost from intimacy.
But forcing things was out of the question.
Consent mattered—more than missions, more than systems.
And besides…
now that she had accepted his touch, their relationship was already past the point of return.
There would be a next time.
He exhaled and pulled back.
Kurenai immediately relaxed against him, shoulders loosening.
But she didn't pull away entirely.
She stayed pressed against him, cheeks flushed, breathing uneven—
still letting him hold her.
And Ryosuke…
continued enjoying her warmth, her softness, her gentle scent.
Honestly, that alone, he thought, could keep a man's heart satisfied for a year.
—
Two hours passed.
Two hours of gentle teasing, soft whispers, stolen kisses, and warmth shared under the quiet leaves.
Eventually, Kurenai couldn't take any more.
Panting softly, her voice trembling, she pleaded:
"R-Ryosuke… let's stop for tonight."
She felt like her mind was drifting into dangerous territory.
If they continued, she wasn't sure how much self-control she had left.
Ryosuke, however, felt utterly pleased.
His mind was calm.
His body was satisfied.
And then—
Ding.
The system chimed.
"Your emotional and physical stimulation has reached an enhanced state.
Chakra +0.1."
Ryosuke froze.
Chakra?
He had been so focused on taijutsu and physical stats that he almost forgot chakra existed.
But of course—
without chakra, the Eight Gates would barely open.
He remembered clearly:
even in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Rock Lee's chakra volume only let him open up to the Sixth Gate.
The Sharingan also devoured chakra.
Chakra was a necessity.
And here he was… gaining it by being aroused?
0.1 might sound small—
but compared to Kakashi's famously low reserves, it was nearly a tenth of his weakened adult chakra capacity.
Under the right conditions…
with stronger stimulation…
He glanced at Kurenai again.
His eyes burned with new fire.
Both his systems benefitted from her.
One gave chakra.
One gave children and long-term growth.
Even if pregnancy didn't happen the first time, multiple attempts would—
Kurenai felt his gaze and trembled.
"R-Ryosuke…"
Her voice cracked lightly.
"Let's stop for tonight. Please."
Her tone wasn't rejection.
It was fear that he might lose control in the secluded grove.
She wasn't unwilling.
But something so important needed her to be emotionally ready.
Ryosuke let the desire simmer down.
He nodded, brushing a thumb across her cheek.
"Mm. Next time."
She exhaled in clear relief.
"Ryosuke… I'm going home now."
He smiled.
"I'll walk you."
The streets were nearly empty by the time they reached her home.
After seeing her inside safely, Ryosuke turned back toward the Uchiha compound, humming faintly to himself.
—
Meanwhile, inside the Yūhi household…
Kurenai stepped into the house, heart still fluttering—
but immediately froze.
Her mother sat waiting in the living room.
Her expression was unreadable.
Kurenai swallowed.
She had come home far too late.
And one look at her slightly crooked sash and lightly flushed face would tell any adult woman exactly what happened.
Kurenai tried to stay calm.
"Mother… why are you still awake?"
Her mother studied her quietly.
She didn't dislike Uchiha Ryosuke.
He wasn't arrogant like the other Uchiha clansmen.
He showed genuine respect.
Seeing her daughter return looking flustered and disheveled…
A sigh left the woman's lips.
"When a young girl returns looking like that after spending hours with a man…"
She raised a brow.
"…it usually means something's changed."
Kurenai's face burned bright red.
"…We're together now," she admitted softly.
"Mother… you're not against it, right?"
Her mother's expression softened.
"I expected it. And no—I'm not against him."
Then, more seriously:
"Did you two… go all the way?"
Kurenai flailed her hands quickly.
"No! When we almost—when it almost happened… I stopped him. I wasn't ready."
Her mother's eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise.
She knew how men behaved when desire overpowered reason.
The fact Ryosuke had stopped…
when Kurenai was alone with him in a dark grove…
That said a lot.
"…He's a good boy," she murmured.
"The kind who respects boundaries. Not many men can restrain themselves."
Kurenai ducked her head, embarrassed.
Her mother sighed again, then looked serious.
"I won't oppose your relationship. But you must think about something important."
She met her daughter's eyes.
"What will you do about Sarutobi Asuma?"
Kurenai froze.
Her mother continued quietly:
"He is the Third Hokage's son.
And the Third… holds all the power in Konoha."
If the situation wasn't handled well—
Kurenai and her mother might end up facing more trouble than they could bear.
◇ Visit P@treon now to grab your offer of 30% off on all additional chapters on all tiers. Hurry up offer is ending soon.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/maniacvman