"You're amazing, sensei."
Itachi said sincerely.
"Not bad, I guess."
Kiyohara answered casually.
Not as amazing as you though, slaughtering your entire clan.
Of course, Kiyohara only kept that second sentence to himself.
At this point, he estimated that Itachi probably already viewed him as one of the clan members rather than just some outsider affiliated with the Uchiha.
Still…
Kiyohara glanced at Itachi.
He honestly felt that his own rate of improvement was much faster than Itachi's.
Even if Itachi eventually ended up being manipulated by Danzo and decided to reenact that classic shinobi world plotline of murdering his own teacher, Kiyohara would not mind using some ruthless methods himself.
Of course, if Itachi stayed mentally normal, then none of that mattered.
At the very least, everything Kiyohara taught him was genuine. He had never intentionally misled him or taught him garbage.
"Have you encountered any problems in your training recently?"
Kiyohara asked.
Itachi raised his head, his dark eyes looking directly at Kiyohara.
"Sensei… I want to know how I can awaken the Sharingan faster."
Kiyohara crouched down so that he was level with Itachi's gaze.
"Why are you so eager to awaken it?"
"I want to become stronger."
Itachi clenched his small fists tightly.
"Only with power can someone change war… change this world. Father said the Sharingan is the power of the Uchiha clan. I want to master it as soon as possible."
"I see."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"The awakening of the Sharingan is related to age and chakra reserves, but it is even more connected to mental stimulation and the body's ability to endure it."
He explained slowly.
"The older you are, the more mature your body and mind become, and the safer and easier it is to awaken the Sharingan. If you want to awaken it early, then you need a powerful physique capable of bearing the Sharingan's strength, along with a sufficiently resilient mind."
Kiyohara briefly explained some things about the Sharingan to Itachi.
Sasuke had awakened his eyes even earlier than Itachi.
But the price for that had been the massacre of his entire family, leaving only himself and Obito alive on the family register.
Then, fueled by overwhelming rage, he awakened the Sharingan.
At the time, Sasuke had only been seven years old. If he had waited until his teens instead, around the same age Obito had been, he might even have directly awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itachi nodded, half understanding and half confused.
"Then… how should I train my body?"
Kiyohara stood up and walked over to a nearby bag. After rummaging around inside for a moment, he pulled out a neatly folded yet blindingly bright piece of clothing.
It was none other than the same green spandex suit worn by Might Guy.
Guy had practically forced the outfit onto Kiyohara.
He had said something about Kiyohara giving him an ANBU uniform, so he wanted to return the favor with a set of his own clothes.
"Are you absolutely certain you want to awaken your Sharingan?"
Just thinking about what he was about to do made Kiyohara struggle to keep a straight face.
Still, this method genuinely was useful for physical training.
It just… was not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
"Yes."
Itachi nodded heavily.
At the same time, he looked at Kiyohara with confusion.
Why was sensei holding such a strange outfit?
Itachi had never seen clothing this ugly before.
"Put this on. Every day, run ten laps around the Uchiha district, walk three thousand meters upside down on your hands, and do one hundred push ups. Keep it up for three months, and your physical foundation will surpass the vast majority of children your age."
Itachi stared at the nearly glowing green spandex suit, and his little face instantly froze.
What… was that?
Why was the color so unbelievably dazzling?
And why was the design so skin tight?
He subconsciously took half a step backward, his eyes filled with resistance.
This was completely different from the physical training he had imagined.
Where in the world had Kiyohara even gotten this thing from?
"Sensei… this…"
Itachi spoke with great difficulty.
He truly did want to awaken the Sharingan badly.
But he had never imagined that the conditions for awakening it would involve something like this.
Was there really such a method?
Itachi honestly felt like he had seen a ghost.
He was even beginning to suspect that Kiyohara was deliberately messing with him.
"Itachi, do you know who killed four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?"
Kiyohara suddenly became serious.
"It was… Might Duy."
Itachi knew about that incident.
After all, the story had been absolutely explosive back then.
A useless genin whom everyone looked down upon.
And then, after decades of obscurity, he suddenly transformed into a terrifying powerhouse and literally kicked four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to death.
That achievement was downright absurd.
"Exactly. It was Might Duy."
Kiyohara stuffed the green spandex suit into Itachi's arms and patted his shoulder.
"And Might Duy wore this exact same outfit!"
"…Really?"
Itachi still felt like Kiyohara was fooling him.
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you? This material has excellent sweat absorption and can also protect the skin while reducing physical wear and tear."
Kiyohara explained.
There actually was scientific reasoning behind it.
It was just that the athletic bodysuits worn by Might Duy and Might Guy happened to be green, which made the whole thing look ridiculously bizarre.
"There are no shortcuts on the path to becoming stronger, and there's certainly no dignity either. You either accept it or give up. Choose for yourself."
Itachi listened to Kiyohara's words while clutching that painfully eye catching green fabric, his fingers tightening into the material.
In the end, his desire for power overcame everything else.
"I accept it, sensei. I'll do it."
"Good."
A smile curled onto Kiyohara's lips.
This child could indeed be taught.
Kiyohara was already planning to outsource Itachi to Guy later on for some special training.
He could not help but wonder what Itachi would look like wearing that outfit.
Would he still be able to maintain his cool and imposing aura?
"Very good. Next time I return to the village, I'll inspect your progress."
"Yes, sensei."
Itachi nodded obediently.
Afterward, Kiyohara even had Itachi put the outfit on so he could take a look.
Left with no choice, Itachi reluctantly pulled the green bodysuit over his short sleeved shirt.
Kiyohara looked him over carefully and suddenly felt that Itachi resembled Rock Lee quite a bit.
"Not bad. Very good. Now say, 'Burn your calories,' for me."
Kiyohara instructed.
Although Itachi found it strange, he still obediently repeated the phrase.
Kiyohara struggled desperately not to laugh before finally nodding in satisfaction.
After that, he spent around three more hours teaching Itachi. Seeing that it was getting late, he sent the boy home.
As for himself, he headed toward the streets of Konoha and found Ichiraku Ramen, planning to fill his stomach with something warm.
"Yo, Kiyohara."
Teuchi greeted him with a cheerful smile.
"The usual set."
Kiyohara replied.
Then, out of habit, he pulled out his wallet, intending to pay first.
He generally preferred paying in advance so that he could leave immediately after eating.
"No need."
Teuchi shook his head.
"Special discount for you today."
Teuchi had already heard about Kiyohara killing members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
After all, Kiyohara and the others could be considered heroes who protected the village.
"Thank you."
Seeing this, Kiyohara expressed his gratitude and enjoyed the treatment reserved for heroes for once.
At the same time, he watched Teuchi preparing the noodles.
Kiyohara had once mentioned wanting to learn Teuchi's cooking skills.
Teuchi had simply assumed he was joking and even said that he was recruiting apprentices, telling Kiyohara to come if he could actually learn.
What Teuchi did not know was that Kiyohara had already copied his culinary skills that very same day.
Not only Teuchi's cooking skills, but the techniques of other ramen shops throughout Konoha as well.
...
Deep within the Mountains' Graveyard, the chakra of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path continuously flowed through tubes into the body of Madara.
Madara sat upon a wooden chair, his withered fingers slowly rubbing the armrest.
His breathing had become even heavier than before.
According to the original plan, he should have already pulled out the tubes himself and died long ago.
However, because of Kiyohara's existence, Madara did not fully trust Obito to handle everything alone, so he continued clinging to life.
"Black Zetsu."
Madara spoke slowly.
From the shadows, the half black, half white figure of Black Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"Madara-sama, you called for me?"
"How is Obito's progress?"
Madara opened his scarlet Sharingan, the tomoe within spinning slowly.
"According to the plan, he was supposed to manipulate Nagato. Unfortunately, because of Kiyohara's interference earlier, Nagato never fell completely into the darkness in his heart. Obito is still trying to manipulate him…"
Black Zetsu spoke in a low voice.
"Kiyohara's existence has disrupted far too many things."
Madara said slowly.
He fell into thought, contemplating once again whether he should originally have chosen Kiyohara or Obito.
If he had known earlier, perhaps Kiyohara would have been the better choice?
At the very beginning, however, even Madara himself had never expected Kiyohara to possess Uchiha blood and be capable of awakening the Sharingan.
Black Zetsu nodded deeply in agreement.
From his perspective, Kiyohara truly was interfering with his great plan to rescue his mother.
To Black Zetsu, there was nothing more important in existence than reviving his mother.
"Obito is still adapting to the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Black Zetsu carefully chose his words.
"His talent is indeed astonishing, but his mentality still requires further tempering. As for Nagato's side, the ideals of the Akatsuki are steadily taking root in the Land of Rain. Yahiko's reputation is growing higher with each passing day. If we want Nagato to completely turn toward the Eye of the Moon Plan, he will require an even greater emotional stimulus."
"There is not much time left."
Madara frowned slightly.
"Madara-sama, your body…"
"It can still hold on for a while longer."
Madara interrupted him directly.
"But Kiyohara's growth rate has exceeded expectations. If he continues developing like this, then in the future he may become an uncontrollable variable within the plan."
He looked toward Black Zetsu, a sharp gleam flashing through his Sharingan.
"You go as well."
Black Zetsu was slightly startled.
"Go help Obito guide Nagato toward the side of the Eye of the Moon Plan."
"Yes, Madara-sama."
Black Zetsu had already been thinking the same thing himself.
"Go."
Madara slowly closed his eyes once more.
"Before I die, place every chess piece where it belongs."
Black Zetsu gradually sank into the ground and disappeared without a trace.
Silence returned to the cave once more. The only sounds remaining were the occasional grinding noises produced by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path as it transmitted chakra.
Madara sat alone upon the wooden seat, his thin fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
Kiyohara…
He silently repeated that name over and over in his mind.
Sharingan, Magnet Release, Sage Arts…
That pursuit of power almost resembled his younger self.
And precisely because of that, he was even more dangerous.
"Hashirama… if you were still alive, how would you view this junior?"
Madara muttered quietly.
He shook his head and cast aside those meaningless thoughts.
The plan had to continue.
The Eye of the Moon.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi.
A perfect world without war, without pain, without loss.
That was the only correct path.
Anyone who stood in the way would have to be eliminated.
Several days later.
Konoha camp.
The sea breeze carried a salty dampness as it drifted past the tents, yet it could not dispel the oppressive heat brought by the sunlight.
Inside the medical tent, the sharp scent of disinfectants filled the air everywhere.
When Kiyohara lifted the curtain and stepped inside, Rin happened to be walking out from behind a folding screen.
His footsteps paused slightly.
…
Rin had changed into a brand new nurse uniform. It was not the slightly tight older style she had worn before, but the newest uniform distributed by the medical corps.
The outfit perfectly outlined her gradually maturing figure. The skirt stopped roughly a hand's width above her knees, revealing her slender legs wrapped in dark red thigh high stockings.
At the tops of the stockings, a faint indentation pressed gently into the soft flesh of her thighs.
Her entire appearance carried the refreshing and lovely charm unique to a young girl.
"Kiyohara-kun?"
Rin noticed his gaze. Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she subconsciously tugged down the hem of her skirt.
"That outfit suits you very well."
Kiyohara walked over to the medical equipment shelf while organizing surgical tools.
"It fits much better than the previous one."
Rin let out a relieved breath, though she still looked somewhat embarrassed.
"The old one… really was getting a bit too small. Shizune-senpai said I was practically about to burst through the sleeves."
As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Kiyohara.
When she saw him calmly checking the stockpile of medical bandages as if nothing unusual had happened, the slight nervousness in her heart slowly faded away.
Naturally, Kiyohara had noticed her gaze.
In truth, from the very moment Rin walked out from behind the screen, he had automatically taken in every detail.
However, he controlled his expression perfectly.
"Let's begin."
Kiyohara put on his medical gloves.
"There are quite a few injured today. Seventeen of them require surgery."
"Yes!"
Rin immediately entered work mode and hurried off to prepare anesthetics and sterilized equipment.
Soon, the only sounds inside the medical tent were the crisp clinking of instruments and the muffled groans of wounded shinobi.
Kiyohara acted as the lead surgeon while Rin assisted him.
The coordination between the two had already become extremely smooth and practiced.
Kiyohara had become highly proficient in the use of the Chakra Scalpel.
Without damaging healthy tissue, he could carefully separate embedded fragments from internal organs one by one.
Meanwhile, Rin was responsible for stabilizing the patients' vital signs.
Two hours later, the surgeries were finally completed.
"Haa…"
Rin removed her gloves and wiped away the thin layer of sweat gathered on her forehead.
The continuous high intensity work had exhausted her somewhat, but when she looked at the steadily recovering patients, a powerful sense of accomplishment rose within her heart.
"Kiyohara-kun."
As they walked out of the camp, Rin came to his side. After hesitating briefly, she finally spoke.
"About the Chakra Scalpel… I still feel like my control isn't precise enough."
Kiyohara turned off the faucet and looked back at her.
Droplets of water slid down his long fingers, glimmering faintly beneath the evening sunlight.
"You're already doing very well. I'm simply a little stronger."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Compared to many of the medical shinobi within this camp, Rin could already be considered outstanding.
"But I still want to become stronger."
Rin spoke softly.
She looked at Kiyohara quietly.
Every time she looked at him, she felt as though the distance between them was gradually growing farther and farther apart.
Because every short period of time, Kiyohara would improve dramatically.
Whether it was medical ninjutsu or every other aspect of his abilities.
Rin sometimes feared that one day she would no longer be able to keep up with him at all, and that eventually they would no longer even have any common topics to discuss.
"I see."
Kiyohara looked at Rin.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed from all the work, and several strands of brown hair clung to her face due to sweat.
Suddenly, before Rin could react, he reached out and gently rubbed her head.
"?"
Rin froze completely.
The action had come far too suddenly. She had even forgotten to step backward.
Kiyohara's palm was warm, and the sensation of his fingers brushing through her hair caused her heartbeat to skip.
"Kiyohara-kun… why all of a sudden…"
She spoke in a tiny voice as the tips of her ears gradually turned red.
"It's nothing."
Kiyohara withdrew his hand, his expression so natural that it was as though nothing had happened at all.
"I just suddenly felt that the way you work so hard resembles a certain animal."
"An animal?"
"Yeah. A cat."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Especially your expression just now. Your eyes were all wide open with that look saying, 'I absolutely have to become stronger.'"
Rin opened her mouth slightly, but for a moment she did not know how to respond.
Kiyohara had said she looked like a cat.
Then what exactly did rubbing her head count as?
Petting a cat…?
She lowered her head and looked at her own hands before lightly touching the hair that had just been ruffled.
A strange feeling rose within her heart.
A little embarrassed.
A little confused.
But somehow… she did not dislike it at all.
"Ahem."
Kiyohara coughed lightly twice, pulling the conversation back on track.
"As for the precise control of the Chakra Scalpel, I've recently gained a few new insights."
Kiyohara began sharing some techniques with Rin.
From time to time, Rin also proposed some ideas of her own.
A few of them even benefited Kiyohara, causing him to silently marvel at Rin's extraordinary talent.
Though overall, it was still mostly Kiyohara speaking while Rin listened carefully.
After listening for a while, Rin increasingly felt the enormous gap between them.
"I… I might need to practice for a very long time before I can reach that level."
She sounded somewhat discouraged.
"Everyone walks a different path."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"You have your own advantages too. For example, Water Jutsu. You can develop your own unique style around it."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Sunagakure possesses a form of medical Water Release ninjutsu inheritance. Although I have no idea why the water deprived Suna ended up developing something like that, the principles behind it should still be worth studying."
Medical Water Release ninjutsu had its own unique strengths.
Kiyohara knew that over a decade in the future, there would be a female medical shinobi named Ameno.
She had even created a special Water Release medical ninjutsu capable of automatically healing injuries.
The effect was somewhat similar to Tsunade's technique, but the advantage was that it did not require detonating all of one's chakra at once.
In other words, it could focus on healing only specific areas, allowing for continuous sustained recovery and greatly improving endurance.
Raino had first appeared during the second joint Chunin Exams held by Konoha and Suna in the anime.
Kiyohara remembered it very clearly.
"Medical Water Release?"
Rin's eyes immediately lit up.
She had heard of it before, though she did not know much about it.
"Yeah. They combine Water Release ninjutsu with medical ninjutsu."
"If you can combine it with the chakra characteristics of the Three Tails within your body, then perhaps you can develop a completely unique medical system."
Rin fell into deep thought.
What Kiyohara said truly made sense.
Her greatest specialty was Water Release, and she also possessed the enormous chakra reserves and special water affinity granted by the Three Tails' chakra.
Following this path might allow her to achieve twice the results with half the effort.
"I understand now."
She lifted her head, determination reigniting in her eyes.
"I'll begin researching medical Water Release techniques."
"If you need information, I can help you gather some."
Kiyohara replied.
"Sunagakure should have some public research materials available. In a few days, I'll also help investigate the medical shinobi over there for you."
"Thank you, Kiyohara-kun!"
Rin smiled brightly, the brilliance of that smile almost dazzling.
Kiyohara nodded without saying anything more and turned around to continue organizing the medical tent.
Rin watched his back quietly and secretly clenched her fists.
She absolutely had to become stronger.
Strong enough to stand beside him instead of forever gazing at Kiyohara kun's back from afar.
(End of Chapter)