Soon, the taijutsu sparring session came to an end. Ron sat on the ground, his chest rising and falling rapidly as sweat drenched his body. It wasn't that his physique was weak, on the contrary, he had trained under gravity for longer and harder than this. However, the sheer mental and physical strain of the battle had drained him. He had expended too much energy, not in raw movement, but in the overexertion of his mind and body, pushing himself to the absolute limit to keep up with Ay, not being able to maintain himself, and overspending his energy. Meanwhile, Ay stood nearby, his breathing steady, not a drop of sweat visible on his skin.
The Third Raikage, watching from the side, crossed his arms and finally spoke.
"Ron, you are probably one of the smartest people in the world, at least in terms of thinking, and learning. I have never seen anyone more talented than you."
Ron, still catching his breath, looked up at his father, listening carefully.
"As a child, you walked at age one, read, and spoke soon after, and as a shinobi, your talent is undeniable. Neither Ay nor I had a physique and chakra reserves comparable to a jonin at your age."
There was pride in his voice, but also a lesson buried beneath the praise.
"But battles, true battles are not fought with intelligence alone." The Third Raikage's tone grew firm. "In life-or-death combat, shinobi don't just face physical pressure, they face mental and spiritual pressure as well. The killing intent of an experienced opponent can paralyze weaker shinobi. A jonin's killing intent alone can immobilize an unprepared genin, making it impossible for them to even move, as of under a genjutsu"
Ron remained silent, his mind racing.
He could not deny it.
He had always prided himself on his ability to think calmly, to analyze situations with machine-like efficiency. But that was only under normal conditions. When caught off guard, when thrown into a sudden crisis, he had struggled. His movements had stiffened, and for the first time, he had hesitated.
This was a glaring weakness, one he could not ignore.
Ron thought, "Father is right, even the main characters like Naruto and Sasuke who had experienced the Eltie-Jonin, seven swordsmen of the mist Zabuza Momochi mission, and were experienced Genins were frozen in the face of Orcihimaru's killing intent. I may be more intelligent than most, but intelligence alone won't save me if my body refuses to move when it matters most."
The Third Raikage observed Ron's deep contemplation and smirked slightly. He did not doubt that his son, who had stubbornly avoided combat missions in favor of spending his time in his labs, was now seriously reconsidering his path.
"You'll overcome this with experience," the Third Raikage assured him. "And when that happens… when you become a confident and seasoned fighter, capable of maintaining your calm and quick thinking under pressure… you will be a menace on the battlefield."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "But intelligence and sensing alone isn't enough. Instincts save lives. When you face stronger shinobi, the ones who survive aren't always the smartest or the strongest. They're the ones who trust their instincts in the heat of battle."
Ron exhaled slowly, absorbing the words.
His past life had shaped much of his mindset. He had never wanted to do combat missions, never felt any interest in bandit extermination or assassinations, where innocent lives could be entangled in a conflict, and could be taken by the employer's wishes. But facing enemy shinobi? That was different.
"Both sides know what they're getting into. Both sides are trained for battle. In a war between ninjas, neither is innocent. If I have to fight… then I will."
For the first time, Ron felt something shift within him. He had no interest in mindless bloodshed. But in battle, there was no place for hesitation.
And he would never allow himself to freeze again.