"Haha, good! You all should head back and rest first. I'll have someone calculate the mission rewards and military merits as soon as possible."
Jiraiya laughed loudly.
Kiyohara did not stay long. After leading his team through some simple recovery preparations, he immediately set off for the coastal camp in the Land of Rivers.
Several more days passed.
At dusk.
The main tent of the coastal camp in the Land of Rivers.
Tsunade was frowning deeply as she looked through the latest intelligence reports regarding the movements of the Kirigakure shinobi.
Shizune was organizing medical reports nearby, while Rin helped verify the medicine inventory.
The tent curtain was suddenly lifted.
Kiyohara appeared at the entrance, followed by Kurenai and Kakashi.
As for Asuma, he had remained on Jiraiya's side together with the rest of their squad.
"Sensei, we're back."
Kiyohara spoke first.
Tsunade abruptly raised her head. The moment she saw Kiyohara, the tightly knit frown on her face instantly relaxed, though her mouth still complained, "Brat, you still remember how to come back? While you were gone, I felt like the quality of the camp's food dropped in a straight line."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"I'll cook right away."
"Now that's more like it."
Tsunade snorted softly and stood up, walking over to him. She seemed about to smack his head like usual, but suddenly paused midway.
She tilted her face up slightly, her brown golden eyes carefully examining his forehead.
There, the diamond shaped mark of the Yin Seal had already condensed more than halfway.
Seeing this, Tsunade leaned even closer, almost pressing against his forehead. Her warm breath brushed lightly against his skin.
"Your Yin Seal..."
"It'll probably be completed in another month."
Tsunade clicked her tongue in amazement.
This speed truly was one of a kind.
At such close distance, Kiyohara could smell the faint scent of alcohol mixed with the refreshing fragrance of medicinal herbs coming from her body.
She was leaning far too close. Her impressive curves were nearly pressing against his chest, while strands of golden hair brushed against his chin, leaving behind a ticklish sensation.
"Maybe my chakra control improved again recently."
Kiyohara gave a reasonable explanation.
"And I also gained some new insights on the Kumogakure shinobi frontlines."
"New insights?"
Tsunade raised a brow.
For shinobi, training truly relied on only two aspects: the spirit and the body.
If someone underwent enough battle tempering, their spiritual energy would improve, and their chakra would naturally increase somewhat as well.
However, this was limited by one's physical talent.
In other words, every person's chakra limit was basically fixed from birth. Later training only allowed them to gradually approach that upper limit.
If they failed to train properly, they might never even touch their true ceiling.
Looking at it this way, Tsunade felt that Kiyohara's physical talent was simply monstrous.
She raised a finger and poked his solid chest.
The poke actually hurt a little.
Tsunade's strength truly was absurd.
"Oh right, Sensei, Lord Jiraiya asked me to pass along a message."
Kiyohara said.
Tsunade froze.
"What message?"
"He said the five hundred thousand ryo you borrowed from him in Tanzaku Town should be repaid already."
Tsunade's expression instantly stiffened, then visibly reddened at a speed noticeable to the naked eye.
"Ji...rai...ya!"
Her fists cracked loudly as veins bulged from her forehead.
"That idiot. It's not like I wasn't planning to pay him back. He actually dared to have a junior deliver that kind of message. Next time I see him, I'm definitely ripping out that head of white hair."
Tsunade felt that Jiraiya really needed a beating every few days or he would start climbing onto the roof tiles.
He actually dared to say random nonsense to her precious little sheep.
What if her little sheep got led astray too?
"Alright, alright, hurry up and cook. I still have a lot to deal with here."
Tsunade rubbed her forehead and turned around.
These past few days had exhausted her completely. She had been dispatching people everywhere to search for traces of the Kirigakure shinobi while also reviewing all kinds of documents.
On top of that, all matters related to rear line medical treatment also passed through her hands.
"Understood, Sensei."
Kiyohara could naturally see the exhaustion on Tsunade's face, so he planned to make her something delicious.
After all, although he technically held the position of vice captain, he had always acted like a hands off manager.
Tsunade had helped him process countless extra documents. Otherwise, Kiyohara's training time would likely have been reduced even further.
"Sensei, what do you want to eat tonight?"
Kiyohara asked as he opened the tent curtain and looked back.
Hearing that, Tsunade turned around. Though her anger had not completely faded, she subconsciously swallowed her saliva.
"Stewed chicken. Make it spicy."
"Alright."
Kiyohara headed toward the temporary cooking area outside the tent, while Kurenai silently followed behind to help.
Several more days passed.
Kiyohara left the Konoha camp alone and headed deeper into the mountains to the east.
The farther he traveled into the forest, the fewer traces of human activity there were.
Eventually, he stopped at an open area backed against a cliff and facing a deep ravine.
"Storm Release..."
Kiyohara fused lightning chakra and water chakra together, refining them into Storm Release chakra.
Then, with a thought, he released the Storm Release chakra according to the chakra circulation route he had previously observed from Hiruko.
The mass of Storm Release chakra instantly soared into the sky. Instead of exploding outward, it spread rapidly like ink dispersing through clear water.
In the blink of an eye, a pitch black thundercloud nearly ten meters wide formed dozens of meters above the ground, constantly rolling and churning.
The clouds were thick and heavy, while deep blue arcs of electricity flickered restlessly along the edges.
"Storm Release: Thunder Cloud Inner Wave."
As Kiyohara pointed downward with a finger—
Bzzzt—BOOM!
Several deep blue lightning beams shot vertically down from the black cloud layer toward the earth.
Only afterward came the explosive roar that tore through the air.
The instant the beams struck, the hard rocky ground exploded into scorched black craters.
White smoke hissed continuously from the shattered rocks at the edges.
Even more terrifying was the fact that the lightning did not end after a single strike. The black thundercloud continued rolling overhead as second and third waves of lightning beams rained down one after another, blasting shattered stone everywhere.
A moment later, the thundercloud slowly dispersed, leaving behind only a gigantic scorched crater.
A satisfied look flashed through Kiyohara's eyes.
Storm Release: Thunder Cloud Inner Wave could create a thick black storm cloud nearby before unleashing lightning strikes upon enemies.
If another shinobi wanted to achieve something similar with ordinary ninjutsu, they would first need to fire a fire jutsu into the sky. The high temperature flames would create rising air currents, which would then form thunderclouds.
Only after that could they guide lightning downward.
The famous Lightning Release: Kirin functioned through that exact principle.
But with this technique, Kiyohara could skip a great deal of trouble. Furthermore, this move could also wrap around his body like Chidori Current, preventing enemies from approaching him.
"Let's try replacing Lightning Release Chakra Mode with Storm Release Chakra Mode."
Kiyohara immediately began his second training project.
This was also the project he had spent the most time on over the past few days.
He dispersed the remaining Storm Release chakra in his hand.
In an instant, watery ripples spread across the surface of his body, while fine arcs of electricity clung tightly to him like soft flowing cloth.
At first glance, the fluctuating ripples made it appear as though his clothes themselves were flowing with water.
But anyone who approached too closely would immediately be burned by the dense electrical currents.
Kiyohara clenched his fist and could still feel the stimulating effect of Lightning Release on his cells.
Furthermore, the burden on his body had actually decreased somewhat. He vaguely sensed that his body's upper limit for enduring natural energy had also improved slightly under this new mode because of his strengthened physique.
Kiyohara continued training for some time. Only after consuming over half his chakra did he begin returning toward the Konoha camp.
Before that, however, he first made a stop at the place where he had been researching cloned Samehada.
After the previous issue involving the first prototype, Kiyohara had gradually produced second generation Samehada over the past few days as well.
These Samehada clones had already become much stronger in terms of chakra absorption.
However, their upper limits still fell short compared to the original Samehada template.
Kiyohara could only leave further improvements for the future.
He took a fish out from inside and placed it into a wooden bucket before carrying the bucket back toward the Konoha camp.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, who was secretly reading his little orange book, suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.
Someone had approached behind him without him noticing at all.
He had just reached the crucial part of the story. Surely nobody had seen it, right?
Cold sweat almost formed on Kakashi's forehead.
But when he turned around and saw that the person was Kiyohara, he immediately let out a sigh of relief.
So it was Kiyohara.
The very first person who had introduced Kakashi to dirty books in the first place was Kiyohara himself, so Kakashi was completely relaxed around him.
Nowadays, the only books Kakashi dared to openly read in public were the kind that looked suspicious but were actually fairly tame.
As for the truly explicit ones, Kakashi only dared to secretly read them in private.
"So it's Kiyohara."
Kakashi closed his book as he spoke.
"I've got something for you."
Kiyohara said.
"Oh?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
Kiyohara handed over a wooden bucket.
Inside the bucket, the water was crystal clear, with a layer of fine sand spread across the bottom. A small silver gray fish about the length of a palm leisurely swayed its tail fin inside.
Its eyes were unusually large, and its scales were covered in reverse barbs. Occasionally, when it opened its mouth, rows of sharp fangs could be seen within.
But those teeth gave off a metallic texture, almost as though its mouth had been fitted with metal fangs.
"This is...?"
Kakashi crouched down and carefully observed the little fish.
He could sense that the tiny creature contained chakra within its body.
"It's a clone I created. You can consider it a second generation version."
Kiyohara crouched down beside him as well.
The first generation had merely succeeded in surviving.
The second generation was now capable of enduring a certain amount of chakra.
At the moment, Kiyohara intended to give this fish to Kakashi and have him raise it regularly while also using it in combat.
Only after collecting enough data would Kiyohara be able to create an even better third generation.
"This fish combines the cellular traits of the Binding Fish and Samehada. I already tested it. Its chakra nature is lightning, so it'll be twice as effective in your hands."
Kiyohara explained.
Summoning beasts also possessed chakra natures, and naturally the Binding Fish Clan had them as well.
The experimental products Kiyohara created inherited this trait too.
"Try signing a summoning contract with it first."
Kiyohara took out a blank summoning scroll.
"Alright."
Kakashi had not expected Kiyohara to prepare even that, so he bit open his index finger and began writing the contract with blood.
After everything was completed, Kiyohara instructed Kakashi to feed chakra into it.
Once Kakashi tried it, he discovered that the fish transformed into a straight bladed short sword around thirty centimeters long.
"Feed it more chakra over time and it'll adapt to your chakra better. It can also absorb part of an enemy's chakra and return it back to you."
Kiyohara explained.
Although the chakra absorption ability was merely a weakened version of Samehada, its future potential was incredibly promising.
Kakashi tried channeling a trace of Lightning Release chakra into it. The blade lightly trembled as chakra flowed smoothly through it.
Although it was not as effective as true chakra metal, Kakashi could clearly feel a faint sense of comfort being fed back into his body.
He casually swung the blade.
A tiny streak of lightning shot from the edge of the sword, leaving behind a scorched mark on a nearby tree trunk. Controlling it felt even more natural than using a kunai.
Kakashi's eyes immediately lit up.
This thing was actually this useful?
Father.
Your sword back then was not fast enough, nor ruthless enough.
With this thing, he would no longer need to worry so much about his chakra shortcomings.
And it was far less likely to break apart too, unlike his father's blade that would snap after only a few uses.
After Kakashi stopped feeding chakra into it, the short sword reverted back into a small fish and happily swam in a circle inside the water.
"Not bad."
Kakashi's evaluation was short.
But the brightness in his eyes clearly showed that his satisfaction went far beyond those two simple words.
"I'm glad you like it. Want to give it a name?"
Kakashi thought for a moment before replying, "Let's call it Yamamaru."
He looked toward Kiyohara, paused briefly, then added:
"Thank you."
Kiyohara waved his hand dismissively.
"It's nothing. I'll head out first, I still have things to do."
After saying goodbye to Kakashi, Kiyohara returned to his own tent.
The new sword he had previously sent back to Konoha for reforging had finally been delivered back today.
It had been wrapped tightly and stored inside a wooden box, with the emblem of an officially licensed Konoha artisan shinobi branded onto the lid.
After opening it, his brand new shinobi blade lay inside.
The sheath was black with a slightly matte texture and absolutely no unnecessary decoration.
Kiyohara gripped the hilt and slowly drew the blade from its sheath.
A cold gleam immediately spilled outward.
The blade itself was perfectly straight like a ruler, a shape far more suitable for thrusting attacks and high speed slashes.
The blade length was approximately eighty centimeters, with a moderate width. The material had been forged from the reforged Executioner's Blade, the chakra metal gifted by Asuma, as well as several rare alloys added by the artisan shinobi.
Kiyohara curled a finger and lightly flicked the blade.
A crisp metallic sound rang out.
"You get what you pay for."
Kiyohara sighed emotionally.
Different materials truly produced entirely different results.
Right now, it felt like replacing a bird gun with a cannon. Compared to his old sword, this new one was incomparably superior.
After fastening the new blade at his waist, a sense of perfect compatibility with his own temperament naturally emerged.
Just as he finished organizing everything, Kurenai's voice sounded from outside the tent.
"Kiyohara, are you there? Lady Tsunade wants you to come over."
Kiyohara responded and lifted the curtain before stepping outside.
Kurenai stood at the entrance and immediately leaned closer to inspect his new sword.
"It feels heavier than the previous one."
"It really is much heavier."
Kiyohara nodded.
The Executioner's Blade had originally been enormous, and now all of that material had been condensed into a single straight sword.
If anyone else tried swinging Kiyohara's blade, they would probably be left gasping for breath after only a few strikes.
But for him, it suited him even better.
His physical strength was enormous, while his previous shinobi blade had felt too light and unstable.
Inside Tsunade's tent.
Rin was currently using the Mystical Palm on a cherry blossom bud being used for practice.
Tsunade stood nearby with her arms crossed, her golden ponytail lightly swaying over her shoulder.
Today, she wore only a tight black shinobi tank top that exposed her smooth pale arms and collarbone.
From time to time, Tsunade offered Rin a few words of guidance.
Besides practicing on fish, using medical ninjutsu on plants was also an extremely common training method.
"Keep your chakra output steadier. Don't let it fluctuate between strong and weak. Yes, just like that."
Meanwhile, Shizune crouched nearby with the perpetually sleepy little pig Tonton in her arms.
Tonton snorted twice and shifted into a more comfortable position.
During this period of time, it had occasionally been mistaken for emergency food supplies.
Only when resting in Shizune's arms did it feel somewhat secure.
When Kiyohara entered, Tsunade turned her head toward him.
"That new sword looks pretty good."
Tsunade commented.
"I think it's pretty good too."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"But Sensei, why did you call me over?"
Kiyohara asked.
Tsunade carefully looked him up and down several times. Suddenly, she raised her right hand, clenched it into a fist, then loosened it while rolling her wrist around. A playful smile appeared on her beautiful face.
"Come on. Let your teacher inspect the results of your recent training."
She pointed toward a nearby wooden table.
"Arm wrestling. Dare to do it?"
"Huh?"
Rin stopped her practice and looked over in confusion, her eyes blinking repeatedly as her gaze shifted back and forth between Tsunade and Kiyohara.
Then, as though she suddenly thought of something, her cheeks turned red and she subconsciously blurted out softly:
"Kiyohara kun, do your best!"
"Hm?"
Tsunade spoke.
Rin immediately shrank her neck like a startled little rabbit and weakly corrected herself.
"Ah... Lady Tsunade, do your best too..."
Shizune could not help bursting into laughter. She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, though her shoulders continued trembling.
Tonton, startled by the noise, let out several dissatisfied grunts.
Kiyohara felt slightly helpless, but when he met Tsunade's eager gaze, he knew there was no escaping this challenge.
He also wanted to test exactly how far his pure physical strength had reached after inheriting part of the physique of the Yotsuki Clan.
"Alright."
Kiyohara walked over to the wooden table and extended his right hand as well.
Their hands clasped together.
Tsunade's hand was slightly smaller than Kiyohara's, but her fingers were slender and powerful, with a warm softness to them.
Kiyohara's hand was larger, his knuckles distinct. Due to years of training and swordsmanship practice, thin calluses covered his palm.
"Ready..."
Shizune temporarily acted as the referee.
"Start!"
Almost at the exact moment the word left her mouth, the muscles in both of their arms tightened simultaneously.
The wooden table instantly exploded apart where it stood.
"This won't work."
Kiyohara shook his head.
The table simply could not withstand the force generated by him and Tsunade.
"Change locations."
Tsunade spoke.
She led Kiyohara outside and found a massive stone, signaling for them to continue there instead.
"Fine."
Kiyohara once again assumed the position and clasped hands with Tsunade.
Then, after Shizune gave the signal again, both of them exerted force simultaneously.
Their arms remained firmly suspended above the stone surface, trembling slightly.
Tsunade's brows slowly furrowed.
She truly had not activated her monstrous strength at the start. She merely wanted to test Kiyohara's base physical power.
But the sensation coming from his hand genuinely surprised her.
This brat's grip strength and arm strength had clearly climbed to another level compared to before.
That sort of power simply did not resemble what a shinobi his age should possess.
Kiyohara was secretly shocked as well.
Even without using monstrous strength, Tsunade's physique as a descendant of the Senju Clan, tempered through countless battles, was already far beyond that of ordinary people.
As the two remained locked in stalemate, Kiyohara looked at Tsunade's face and finally could not help asking:
"Why are we even arm wrestling?"
"Hm... If you perform well, I'll teach you Chakra Enhanced Strength."
Tsunade said casually.
"Really?"
Joy immediately flashed across Kiyohara's face.
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Tsunade's wrist suddenly exerted more force.
Kiyohara very much wanted to point out that she still had not repaid Jiraiya's money.
But in the end, he wisely chose not to say it.
After all, he was still waiting to learn monstrous strength.
If he truly mastered Tsunade's monstrous strength, then his power in terms of raw physical force would rise to yet another level.
(End of Chapter)