Aburame Tatsuma stared at Kiyohara.
His eyes were filled with venomous resentment, yet even more than that, there was a deep sense of powerlessness.
This man had already grown to a level where even he could no longer easily control or suppress him.
He had to report this to Lord Danzo as soon as possible.
"Retreat!"
Aburame Tatsuma issued the order to the surrounding Root members, while his own body once again dissolved into a swarm of insects, fleeing toward the depths of the base.
Seeing that even their commander had run, the morale of the other Root members instantly collapsed, and they scattered in all directions as they fled.
Kiyohara did not pursue them. His main objective was to rescue Kabuto, not to wipe out Root.
He returned to Kabuto's side.
"Can you still walk?"
Kabuto nodded. Although his face was pale, he remained relatively calm.
"Stay close to me. We are leaving this place."
Kiyohara led Kabuto toward the exit.
At the same time, he casually searched along the way, grabbing anything useful he came across.
Kiyohara discovered that Danzo truly had abundant funding.
No wonder he was Orochimaru's biggest financial backer. The training equipment and shinobi tools were incredibly well supplied.
Kiyohara immediately decided to take them all for himself, calling it a righteous confiscation.
It ended up earning him quite a fortune.
Thanks to Danzo for the shinobi tools.
Kiyohara continuously stuffed shinobi tools into his sealing scroll. The scroll, which had been somewhat empty before, gradually became filled.
Along the way, they encountered several waves of interception, but all were easily dealt with by him.
His fighting style was often a single decisive strike, giving his opponents no chance to react.
Following behind him, Kabuto watched Kiyohara's back as he fought, his heart filled with shock.
Was this what a true shinobi was like?
Those fierce and ruthless Root shinobis appeared as powerless as children in front of Kiyohara.
"Wait."
Kiyohara suddenly stopped.
"What is it?"
"There are others."
Kiyohara's Sharingan scanned the surroundings.
"It is not just us. There are other children imprisoned here."
He changed direction, moving toward several clusters of chakra signatures he sensed.
A few minutes later, they arrived at an area resembling a prison.
More than a dozen children were locked inside iron cages, ranging in age from seven or eight to twelve or thirteen.
Most of them had hollow eyes, clearly already subjected to partial brainwashing.
Upon seeing Kiyohara and Kabuto, some shrank back in fear, while others showed no reaction at all.
"These are..."
Kabuto stared at the children in shock.
Kiyohara swung his blade, cutting through the iron locks.
"All of you, come out and follow me."
The children hesitated, but under Kiyohara's urging, they gradually stepped out of the cages. Kiyohara counted them. There were fifteen in total, and with Kabuto included, that made sixteen.
"Form two lines and follow behind me. No matter what happens, do not run around."
Kiyohara gave the order.
He led the group of children toward the exit.
Along the way, they encountered two more groups of Root shinobis attempting to intercept them, but both were small in number and quickly eliminated by Kiyohara.
Twenty minutes later, they finally reached the exit.
Kiyohara formed hand seals and opened the hidden door, and sunlight streamed in.
"We are out!"
One of the children exclaimed excitedly.
Kiyohara signaled for everyone to stay quiet first as he confirmed the safety outside.
Only after ensuring there was no ambush did he lead the children out of the Root base.
After confirming they were safe, he guided the group along secluded paths, heading toward the orphanage.
At the same time Kiyohara was rescuing people, in the Root headquarters office, Danzo received an urgent report.
"What?!"
Danzo suddenly stood up, his cane striking heavily against the ground.
"Kiyohara broke into Base No. 3, rescued Kabuto, and released all the trainees?"
The Root shinobi kneeling on the ground trembled.
"Y yes. Lord Tatsuma returned heavily injured. Seventeen guards in the base were killed or wounded, and all the trainees were taken away."
Danzo's expression darkened to a terrifying degree.
A frightening cold light flickered in his single eye, and the veins on the hand gripping his cane bulged.
"Good. Very good."
His voice was hoarse.
"Kiyohara, you really dare..."
The office fell into dead silence, with only the sound of Danzo's heavy breathing remaining. After a long while, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Send people to deal with it immediately."
Danzo issued his orders.
"First, clean up Base No. 3 and destroy all sensitive information. Second, spread the news that it was an illegal human experimentation site discovered and destroyed by the Anbu. Third, all Root members involved in today's operation are to undergo memory sealing. No one is allowed to leak any information about the base's true purpose."
"Yes!"
The subordinate hurriedly left.
Danzo sat down again and closed his eyes, thinking about how to minimize the losses.
Although Base No. 3 was important, it was not the core of Root.
The loss was acceptable.
The real problem was that Kiyohara had rescued those children.
An even bigger problem was that Kiyohara's actions had a justifiable reason.
If the matter escalated and reached Hiruzen, he would end up in the wrong.
"Hiruzen... what a fine subordinate you have trained."
Danzo gritted his teeth.
At that moment, the office door was pushed open, and a figure silently walked in.
Long black hair, pale skin, and golden snake-like pupils. It was Orochimaru.
"Danzo, your base has been wiped out?"
Orochimaru's voice carried a hint of amusement.
Danzo glanced at him coldly.
"Are you pleased?"
"Of course not."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"I am just curious who would have the courage to do such a thing."
"Kiyohara. Tsunade's disciple, and also your assistant."
A trace of surprise flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
"Oh? That interesting little fellow did all this?"
"Stop pretending."
Danzo cast him a sidelong glance.
"Heh. I am merely stating the facts."
Orochimaru walked to the window, looking out at the dim corridor beyond.
"But speaking of it, Kiyohara's rate of growth has indeed exceeded my expectations. Breaking into a Root training base alone and defeating Tatsuma... that is not something an ordinary jonin could accomplish."
"What are you implying?"
Danzo said coldly.
"Nothing."
Orochimaru turned around, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"It is just that I feel that someone like him, if you try to forcefully bring him under your control, it will likely backfire. Kiyohara is not the kind of person who would submit easily."
Danzo fell silent for a moment, the anger in his eyes gradually replaced by cold calculation.
Of course, he knew Orochimaru was right.
The strength and decisiveness Kiyohara had displayed already proved that he was not some young man who could be casually manipulated.
Trying to coerce him would only provoke even fiercer resistance.
But to simply let it go like this?
Impossible.
Danzo was not the kind of person who would swallow such a loss without retaliation.
"How is Tatsuma's condition?"
Danzo asked.
"Seriously injured, but his life is not in danger," Orochimaru replied.
"However, his insect hive has been destroyed, and it will take a long time to recover. As for Base No. 3, more than half of the auxiliary personnel were killed or wounded, and the survivors' morale has completely collapsed. It is essentially, rendered useless."
Danzo's fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
He was weighing his options.
Although Kiyohara's actions this time had been bold, they had struck at two crucial points.
First, he had acted under the banner of the Anbu investigating the disappearance of orphans, giving him legitimate justification.
Second, he had taken away all the orphans, securing living witnesses.
If the matter escalated and reached Hiruzen, Danzo would not necessarily face severe punishment, but the exposure of a secret base and the illegal detention of children would undoubtedly damage his reputation.
More importantly, there was that final sentence Kiyohara had spoken.
Next time I come, I will not be so courteous.
What did that mean?
A threat?
Or a warning?
Danzo suddenly realized that he might have underestimated this young man all along.
Kiyohara was not only powerful but also meticulous, someone who understood how to use rules and circumstances to protect himself.
A person like that, if he could not be subdued, must be eliminated as soon as possible.
"Damn it."
Danzo frowned deeply.
The Uchiha clan was a naturally evil clan, and at the same time an arrogant one.
Few Uchiha relied on strategy.
Most of them were too rigid and prone to breaking, rarely as calculating and flexible as Kiyohara.
Was this fellow trying to protect the orphanage?
"What about Nono?"
Orochimaru asked when he noticed Danzo's expression had turned unpleasant.
"Put that matter aside for now."
Danzo finally made his decision.
Sending Nono to gather intelligence on the Iwa had only been an additional layer of precaution.
At present, Iwagakure was merely dragging out the battlefield, and it was clear to the naked eye that they would not be able to hold on much longer.
When that time came, Konoha could approach the Land of Earth as the victor, demanding compensation and restoring its own strength.
Moreover, Danzo felt that once this war ended, the Fourth Hokage should finally be chosen.
Hiruzen had held the position of Hokage for long enough, even longer than both the First and Second Hokage combined.
"What about the progress of the Sharingan research?"
Danzo asked.
Orochimaru was currently researching a technique to implant multiple Sharingan into a single arm.
In that way, the activation of the Sharingan would not be limited to the eyes.
After all, a person only had two eye sockets, which meant only two Sharingan could be prepared.
But if Sharingan could be implanted elsewhere, then theoretically there could be as many as one desired.
"Many people cannot withstand the burden of the Sharingan."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
The son of the White Fang, Kakashi, had exceptional talent, yet even transplanting a single Sharingan placed a heavy strain on him.
If Kakashi were to transplant another Sharingan, even the chakra of a jonin would likely be insufficient to sustain it.
Unless he chose to keep both eyes covered, otherwise the moment he used the Sharingan, the consumption would be doubled.
Yet Danzo wanted him to create an arm capable of integrating multiple Sharingan.
"However, I have discovered that the First Hokage's cells can balance the Sharingan."
Orochimaru revealed the current progress of his research.
This made him suspect that there might be some kind of connection between the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan.
But what exactly that connection was would require further study.
"Are there any successful surviving test subjects?"
Danzo asked.
If one could combine the Senju and Uchiha, that would essentially result in dual bloodline limits, because within the First Hokage's cells lay the power of Wood Release.
At present, however, only one subject named Kinoe had successfully survived the transplantation of those cells. All others, after receiving the transplant, had their internal power spiral out of control, causing trees to grow uncontrollably from their bodies.
In the entire Konoha, the only person Danzo had seen who possessed dual bloodline limits was Kiyohara.
"I have found a promising test subject. His name is Shin. I believe he can provide us with useful data."
Orochimaru spoke calmly.
Shin possessed a rare constitution that rejected no type of cell.
If Danzo were to attach Shin's arm, it might allow him to balance the powers of the Senju and the Uchiha, enabling the transplantation of multiple Sharingan.
"Hmph. It had better work. Do not forget where the funding for your research comes from."
Even at the end, Danzo did not forget to assert control over Orochimaru.
This snake needed to be kept in check at all times.
By evening, Kiyohara returned to the orphanage with a group of children.
When they appeared at the entrance, Nono, who had been anxiously waiting in the courtyard, could hardly believe her eyes.
"Kabuto, Misaki, you..."
Nono realized that Kiyohara had not only brought back Kabuto but also several children who had previously gone missing.
"Director, we are back!"
"That big brother saved us!"
"That place was so scary!"
The children spoke all at once, some crying, some laughing, creating a chaotic scene.
However, most of the children had been gathered by Danzo from various places, so they could only watch everything with restrained unease.
Yakushi Nono lifted her head and looked toward Kiyohara, who stood nearby.
The bloodstains on his body had already dried, and parts of his clothes were torn, but it was clear that he had not suffered any serious injuries.
"Kiyohara..."
Nono stood up and bowed deeply.
"Thank you. Truly, I do not know how to repay you..."
"I only fulfilled my promise."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"These children have been frightened and need proper care. Also, Kakashi and I will remain here for a few more days to guard the place. I do not think they will come again."
Kiyohara said.
He did not see Kakashi here, so he assumed Kakashi had gone elsewhere to patrol.
The shanty area near the orphanage was also gone, likely because the Kikyo Mountain battlefield had shifted to another location, and the people here had moved along with it.
"Is that... really alright?"
Hope appeared in Nono's eyes.
"I will do my best."
Kiyohara nodded.
"As for our previous agreement, we can discuss it after you have settled the children."
"I understand."
Nono nodded firmly.
"I will definitely keep my promise. No matter what kind of medical support or research assistance you need, I will give it my all."
Kiyohara gave a slight nod, then looked toward Kabuto.
The boy was surrounded by the other children, and for the first time, a smile appeared on his face.
Noticing Kiyohara's gaze, he ran over.
"Senior, thank you."
Kabuto spoke earnestly.
"I want to become as strong as you and protect the director and everyone."
Determination appeared in Kabuto's eyes.
After this experience, he had come to deeply understand that only strength could protect the director, protect the orphanage, and protect everyone.
"You want to become a shinobi?"
Kiyohara asked.
Becoming a shinobi was a double edged sword. Ordinary people desired it, yet at the same time feared it.
After all, once one became a shinobi, even medical shinobis would still have to go to the battlefield when required.
"I am willing. I want to gain strength to protect everyone."
Kabuto looked at Kiyohara.
Behind them, Nono listened and could only sigh softly.
In the world of shinobis, perhaps there were people who could truly wash their hands of everything and never again be entangled in such matters.
But for someone like her, who had already been deeply involved, even after retiring for several years, disturbances were still inevitable.
Nono had already thought it through.
Danzo would definitely not let this matter rest.
In that case, cooperating with Kiyohara would at least allow them to receive protection from Konoha.
In the end, this was nothing more than an internal struggle within Konoha's factions.
Kiyohara belonged to the Anbu, which meant he was aligned with the Hokage's faction.
Their orphanage also needed to choose a side.
Such an outstanding young man was someone Nono had rarely seen even back when she was still active in Konoha.
The only one who could compare was likely that civilian genius, Namikaze Minato.
Perhaps Kiyohara could become someone like that as well.
Perhaps he really could become Hokage.
Nono thought to herself as she quietly watched Kiyohara.
"I can teach you some basic methods for extracting chakra. If any of you wish to become shinobis, you can come to Konoha and I will recommend you."
Kiyohara said.
In that way, these people would bear his mark.
Kiyohara also needed a group of loyal subordinates.
He spoke of becoming Konoha shinobis, but even among Konoha shinobis, there were many distinctions.
Root was part of Konoha, and the Military Police Force was also part of Konoha, but how many among them were truly loyal to Hiruzen was another matter entirely.
What Kiyohara wanted were Konoha shinobis who were loyal only to him.
People who would do whatever he ordered, who would not hesitate even if asked to become sacrifices and devote themselves to him.
Orphans were the best stage for cultivation.
As for the clever Kabuto, as long as Nono was kept in hand, there was no need to worry that Kabuto would not cooperate.
"Director Nono, this is the funding I am providing, along with some basic chakra extraction methods and my contact information."
Kiyohara took out a sealing scroll filled with money, along with his home address.
That way, if Nono needed anything, she could contact him directly.
As for those basic chakra training methods, they were knowledge accessible even to civilians.
At the Shinobi Academy, children who wished to enroll would be tested to see if they could extract chakra and perform ninjutsu.
Back then, Might Guy could not do so and almost failed to even gain admission.
This technique was not even classified as D rank or E rank ninjutsu. It was a crude, unranked method.
Its purpose was simply to test whether one could control chakra.
If one could not extract and control chakra, then becoming a shinobi was essentially out of the question.
Even taijutsu specialists like Might Guy and Rock Lee still required chakra control. Without chakra, the Eight Gates could not be activated.
"Thank you, Kiyohara."
Nono expressed her gratitude sincerely.
Compared to Danzo, the conditions Kiyohara offered were far better.
As a former subordinate of Danzo, Nono knew very well just how ruthless he was.
He could be called the darkness of the shinobi world.
For the next few days, they remained at the orphanage.
The Root shinobis did not come to cause any more trouble, and even those so called bandits disappeared without a trace.
Seeing this, Kiyohara and Kakashi returned to Konoha.
In the Hokage's office,
Hiruzen sat behind his desk, thin wisps of smoke drifting from his pipe.
In front of him stood Kiyohara and Kakashi, who had just finished reporting on the mission.
"So, Kiyohara found that secret base and rescued the imprisoned orphans?"
Hiruzen asked slowly, his gaze lingering on Kiyohara for a moment.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Kiyohara replied without changing his expression, subtly hinting that he seemed to have encountered some familiar shinobis.
"The enemy was well trained. Once they realized the situation was exposed, they retreated immediately. I only had time to rescue the children."
Kakashi stood to the side, listening to Kiyohara's account.
Since he had not gone in, only Kiyohara knew the true details of what had happened.
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and fell into thought.
He more or less understood Kiyohara's implication.
Kiyohara had seen Konoha shinobis.
This matter was very likely connected to Konoha.
But Hiruzen himself had never issued any such orders.
The conclusion was obvious.
It was most likely arranged by his old friend.
As for how many Root members Kiyohara had killed, that was not important.
In Hiruzen's view, those auxiliary personnel should not have existed in the first place.
Danzo secretly cultivating armed forces had already crossed his bottom line.
"You have done well."
Hiruzen finally said.
"Those children will be settled in the orphanage. I will send people to strengthen patrols in that area. As for that secret training base, I will personally look into it."
He paused, then looked at Kiyohara.
"Kiyohara, you performed outstandingly in this mission, but you have also exposed some issues. Your style of handling matters is too aggressive. You should pay attention to restraint in the future."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Kiyohara lowered his head in response, his attitude respectful.
But Hiruzen knew that this young man had not truly taken the words to heart.
However, that was not necessarily a bad thing.
Konoha needed a sharp blade, someone who dared to break the rules.
Of course, the premise was that the handle of that blade remained in his own hands.
"You may go and rest."
Hiruzen waved his hand.
"Submit the mission report tomorrow."
Kiyohara and Kakashi bowed and withdrew.
By the time they stepped out of the Hokage building, the sky had already grown completely dark.
The streets of Konoha were lit with lamps, and pedestrians moved about in a scene of apparent peace.
"You have a lot of nerve."
Kakashi suddenly spoke.
"You went in alone. If you had not told me afterward, I would not even have known there were so many shinobis inside."
"I was just carrying out the mission."
Kiyohara replied.
Kakashi glanced at him and shook his head.
"Forget it. The matter is resolved anyway."
After a moment of silence, Kakashi suddenly asked, "Among those children, there was a boy with glasses. You seemed to pay special attention to him."
"Kabuto."
Kiyohara said.
"He is a genius. If properly trained, he will become an excellent medical shinobi in the future."
"I see."
Kakashi did not comment further.
He thought of his father, Hatake Sakumo.
Aside from the title of Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo was also known for his keen insight.
It was said that his eyes could see through a person's potential.
Because of that, Kakashi often heard his father evaluate other shinobis.
He had even once said that Might Guy would become Kakashi's formidable rival in the future.
At first, Kakashi did not believe it, but after seeing how powerful Might Dai was, he began to believe.
Because both father and son practiced the Eight Gates.
Perhaps Kiyohara possessed a similar ability.
Kakashi thought to himself.
The two parted ways at an intersection, each returning home.
Walking along the streets at night, Kiyohara reviewed the mission in his mind.
Overall, all objectives had been achieved. Kabuto and the orphans had been rescued, Root had been dealt a blow, Danzo had been warned, and a cooperative relationship had been established with Nono.
The only issue was that more of his strength had been exposed than he had originally planned.
But it did not matter.
In this world, sometimes baring one's fangs could make the venomous snakes hiding in the shadows feel fear.
After returning home, Kiyohara washed up briefly and changed into a clean set of clothes.
Then he went into his room, sat cross legged, and began meditating.
Originally, he had intended to reveal his three tomoe Sharingan this time, but Aburame Tatsuma had been too weak.
Before he even had the chance to use it, the fight had already been nearly decided.
However, Kiyohara estimated that another intense war would soon break out.
The disappearance of the shanty area near the orphanage was a subtle sign.
Suna might launch an even stronger assault on Konoha.
After all, their situation was similar to Konoha's, only with slightly less pressure.
They would have to first reduce the pressure from either Konoha or Kiri before they could free up more of their strength.
(End of Chapter)