The Hokage Tower.
By the time Kiyohara and Shisui arrived, the atmosphere inside had already become somewhat heavy and tense.
Hiruzen sat in the main seat. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he slowly began explaining the current situation.
The moment he mentioned the unusual movements from Kumo, Danzo stood up.
"This time, let Orochimaru lead the force."
His lone eye swept across everyone present before finally settling on Hiruzen.
"The Kumogakure front requires truly top-tier combat power. Orochimaru has been resting within the village recently and is in excellent condition."
Sitting near the window, Orochimaru slightly turned his head. A faint smile appeared on his pale face as he rose to his feet.
"Hokage-sama, I am willing to accept this mission."
Hiruzen looked at him, his pipe pausing midway to his lips.
After a moment, he slowly nodded.
"Very well."
Then he turned toward Kiyohara, who was seated on the opposite side.
"Kiyohara."
"Yes."
Kiyohara answered immediately.
"Minato has already departed ahead. Kumo is advancing aggressively this time. This is likely their final desperate gamble. Tomorrow, you and Tsunade will each lead a force as well. You must stop them."
Kiyohara nodded slightly.
"Understood."
Tsunade sat beside him with her arms crossed. Her brown-gold eyes lazily swept across the room.
The meeting continued for a while longer as they discussed troop deployment and travel routes.
Only after everything had been finalized did the participants gradually leave.
Kiyohara and Tsunade walked out of the Hokage Tower side by side.
"It looks like those people are starting to compete for the Hokage position."
Tsunade suddenly spoke, amusement evident in her tone.
Kiyohara glanced at her.
"Sensei, don't you want to become Hokage?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"What's so good about inheriting that mess?"
She reached out and ruffled his hair.
The strength of her hand would have felt rather heavy to most people, but to Kiyohara, it was just right.
His physical energy had already surpassed that of ordinary shinobi by a considerable margin. As a result, the defensive capabilities of his body had increased dramatically as well.
Most shinobi in the shinobi world were glass cannons.
However, being a glass cannon mainly meant having low resistance to sharp attacks such as kunai and shuriken.
Against blunt force attacks such as taijutsu strikes or many ninjutsu impacts, their resistance was actually quite high.
"Once the war ends, you can accompany me on a journey around the world."
Kiyohara allowed her hand to remain on his head for a moment before raising his head and meeting her eyes.
"Sensei, is there a possibility that I might become Hokage instead?"
Tsunade froze.
She stood there in a daze, her hand still suspended in the air.
Her eyes blinked twice.
Then they narrowed as she carefully examined him from head to toe.
"You brat... that's actually possible."
For a moment, Tsunade realized that Kiyohara was not boasting.
His strength was dazzling.
His military achievements were equally remarkable.
If he truly became Hokage one day, it would not be some impossible fantasy.
She withdrew her hand and continued walking forward.
If Kiyohara really became Hokage, he probably would not have nearly as much time to accompany her gambling anymore.
"Sensei can't bear to part with me?"
Kiyohara asked.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow and lifted her hand as if to smack his forehead.
"You little brat, stop talking nonsense."
Kiyohara tilted aside and dodged, laughing.
"Then how about I give Sensei a massage as compensation?"
"..."
Tsunade paused.
"A massage?"
"Mm."
After they returned home, Kiyohara walked behind Tsunade.
"Sensei worked hard today. Relax for a bit."
Tsunade hesitated briefly.
In the end, she did not refuse.
She leaned back on the sofa and allowed Kiyohara's hands to settle onto her shoulders.
His fingers started from her neck and shoulders before slowly moving downward along her spine.
Tsunade unconsciously relaxed.
"Mmm..."
A soft sound escaped her lips, carrying a trace of laziness.
Kiyohara's hands continued downward, moving slowly along the sides of her waist.
Beneath the thin layer of fabric, he could vaguely sense the firm contours of her muscles.
Her body tensed slightly for a brief moment before relaxing once more.
Without realizing it, her hands had folded together in front of her.
Her chin rested atop them.
Her eyes were half-closed.
Her eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes.
As she shifted slightly, the hem of her sleeveless top rose a little, revealing a section of fair and toned waist.
Kiyohara's gaze settled upon her.
From her smooth, rounded shoulders.
To the elegant curve of her waist.
To the long legs stretched casually before her.
Finally, his eyes landed on her feet.
Tsunade's feet were beautiful.
The arches were graceful.
Her toes were neatly aligned and rounded, painted with red nail polish.
Her ankles were slender, with faint bluish veins visible beneath her fair skin.
"What are you staring at?"
Tsunade's voice suddenly sounded, carrying a trace of mock annoyance.
Kiyohara lifted his gaze and met those half-closed brown-gold eyes.
"Sensei's feet are very beautiful."
Tsunade froze briefly.
Then a faint blush appeared on her face.
"You little brat, trying to take advantage of me, huh?"
Although she scolded him verbally, she did not move away.
Instead, she shifted into an even more comfortable position and reclined fully, casually resting her feet on the tatami.
Kiyohara smiled and sat beside her.
Sensei doesn't want to know how I'm planning to deal with Kumo?"
Tsunade turned her head and looked at him.
"Go on."
Kiyohara began explaining his plan.
The basic idea was simple.
He and Minato would make full use of their speed, constantly conducting guerrilla warfare operations against Kumo.
By continuously harassing and attacking, they would gradually wear down the enemy.
Such tactics would place enormous pressure on Kumogakure's logistics while steadily reducing their manpower.
Tsunade listened carefully and nodded from time to time.
"Not a bad idea."
She commented.
The method itself was simple.
The problem was that almost nobody could actually execute it.
Tsunade knew that Kumogakure possessed a space-time ninjutsu somewhat similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique.
However, it was nowhere near as convenient or practical as the Flying Thunder God.
To wage this sort of guerrilla war, the Flying Thunder God Technique was practically indispensable.
"Still, the Fourth Raikage won't be easy to deal with. I've heard his speed is unbelievably fast."
"I know."
Kiyohara nodded.
The Fourth Raikage's greatest advantage was his speed.
However, he also possessed a notable weakness.
His resistance to genjutsu was not particularly strong.
"I'll be careful."
Kiyohara nodded again.
The two continued discussing matters until the sky outside had completely darkened.
Tsunade yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"That's enough. We still have to travel tomorrow. Get some rest early."
She stood up.
Her bare feet stepped lightly across the floor as she headed toward the stairs.
The next morning.
At Konoha's main gate.
When Kiyohara arrived, the assembled force was already lined up.
Several hundred shinobi stood in formation.
Every one of them wore combat gear.
Every face carried a solemn expression.
Kiyohara looked over the troops and gave a slight nod.
"Move out."
The force immediately began advancing.
...
Several days later.
The Kumo Front.
The camp had been established in a hilly region surrounded by rolling forests and mountains.
Kiyohara entered the tent assigned to him and set down his belongings.
However, he did not rest immediately.
Instead, he sat on the simple bed, closed his eyes, and focused once more on the idea that had occupied his thoughts for quite some time.
Modifying the Yin Seal.
The training and battles of recent months had given him a far deeper understanding of chakra control.
If he could separate the anti-aging effect of the Yin Seal and transform it into an independent technique, it would not only consume less chakra but might even produce better results.
The concept was already there.
What he needed now was someone to assist with testing.
Kiyohara decided to find Rin.
If Rin had become Tsunade's disciple, there was actually a considerable chance that she would be capable of learning the Yin Seal as well.
After thinking it over, Kiyohara stood up and left his tent.
Inside the Medical Corps tent, Rin Nohara was crouching beside an injured shinobi.
She wore a white nurse's uniform.
The sleeves had been rolled up to her elbows, revealing her slender forearms.
Green medical chakra covered both hands as she treated a wound on the patient's leg.
"Rin."
Kiyohara's voice came from the entrance.
Rin looked up.
"Kiyohara-kun?"
She stood up, softly instructed the patient on a few things, then quickly walked over.
"Do you need something from me?"
Kiyohara nodded.
"I have something I'd like your help with."
Rin blinked.
"What is it?"
"Come with me."
"Right away."
Rin first completed the final steps of treatment for the injured shinobi, carefully securing the bandages before hurrying after Kiyohara.
Kiyohara led her to an open area near the edge of the camp.
Rin followed behind him, curiosity written across her face.
"Kiyohara-kun, what exactly is this about?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
"I have a technique here that can permanently preserve one's appearance."
"Preserve one's appearance?"
"Mm."
Kiyohara nodded.
"It allows you to remain exactly as you are now and never grow old."
Rin's eyes widened slightly.
"A technique like that actually exists?"
"It does."
Kiyohara replied.
"The Yin Seal possesses this effect. However, the complete Yin Seal requires an enormous amount of chakra storage, making the entry threshold extremely high. My idea is to separate the appearance-preserving effect and turn it into an independent technique."
Rin listened carefully.
For any girl, a technique like that would be incredibly attractive.
Moreover, Rin inexplicably did not want Kiyohara to see what she would look like when she grew old.
"So... what do you need me to do?"
"Help me test it."
Kiyohara extended his hand.
"I already have a preliminary idea, but I need someone to actually practice it so I can observe the results."
Rin fell silent for a moment.
"But... this is Lady Tsunade's technique..."
"Sensei already agreed."
Kiyohara replied.
Only then did Rin let out a sigh of relief.
She raised her head and looked at Kiyohara.
Within those brown eyes, his figure was reflected clearly.
"Kiyohara-kun thinks I can do it?"
"Of course."
Kiyohara smiled.
"With your talent, you can definitely handle it."
A faint blush appeared on Rin's face.
"I... I still have a long way to go..."
"Rin."
Kiyohara interrupted her.
"You don't need to be modest. You're better than most medical shinobi."
Kiyohara said.
In his eyes, Rin's aptitude was even slightly better than Sakura's.
Without the guidance of a famous teacher, Rin had still managed to learn the Mystical Palm Technique, and she had mastered it at a younger age than Sakura had.
Rin lowered her head and looked at her hands, gently pressing her lips together.
Those fair, delicate hands had become slightly red at the fingertips from years of practicing medical ninjutsu.
"Then... I'll give it a try."
She raised her head again.
"But if I fail, Kiyohara-kun can't blame me."
"I won't."
Kiyohara extended his hand.
"Come on. Let me explain the principles first."
The two sat down together in the open field.
Kiyohara briefly explained the principles behind the Yin Seal, how chakra could be stored within the forehead, how it could be released when needed, and how its age-preserving effect naturally formed through the slow circulation of chakra.
Rin listened attentively.
From time to time she nodded, occasionally raising a few questions.
"So... the core of the Beautification Technique is to establish a miniature sealing cycle. As long as a small amount of chakra dedicated to maintaining one's appearance is stored within it, the effect can equal or even surpass a complete Yin Seal."
After finishing his explanation, Kiyohara looked at Rin.
"Do you understand?"
Rin nodded.
"I think so."
She nodded again.
"Then... how do I learn it?"
She asked curiously.
"Hold out your hand."
Kiyohara motioned for her to extend her hand.
Upon hearing that, Rin obediently reached her hand toward him.
Kiyohara looked at the hand she offered.
Fair.
Slender.
Its fingertips carried a faint reddish tint, and her joints were neatly defined.
Then he reached out and grasped it.
So soft.
The sensation traveled through his palm, carrying the unique warmth and delicacy of a young girl.
When Kiyohara held her hand, Rin's fingers curled slightly, but she did not pull away.
Her face immediately reddened.
She lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling softly.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
She spoke in a quiet voice.
"Don't be nervous. I'll use Body Pathway Derangement to guide your chakra."
Rin nodded and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself.
At the same time, she began recalling what Body Pathway Derangement actually was.
If she remembered correctly, wasn't that also one of Lady Tsunade's techniques?
"Isn't that the technique that converts chakra into electronic signals to generate an electric field, allowing it to interfere with or guide another person's nervous system?"
"That's right."
Kiyohara began transmitting chakra.
Rin's body trembled slightly.
She could clearly feel that unfamiliar chakra traveling upward along her arm.
Wherever it passed, a faint tingling sensation followed.
"Don't resist."
Kiyohara's voice reached her ears.
Rin nodded and forced herself to relax.
The chakra continued moving upward.
It passed through her shoulder, crossed the side of her neck, and finally gathered in the center of her forehead.
Then it began to condense.
Rin could feel a warm sensation emerging from her forehead.
The feeling became clearer and clearer.
More concentrated.
More distinct.
Eventually, a tiny rotating vortex seemed to form between her brows.
At the same time, her own chakra continuously flowed toward that vortex, gathering within it.
Kiyohara opened his eyes.
Within his vision, a faint purple pattern was slowly taking shape on Rin's forehead.
The process resembled the Finger Carving Seal.
Chakra would first be concentrated into the fingertips, then the seal pattern would be engraved onto the target.
"It'll still take several more days."
Kiyohara released her hand.
Rin instinctively raised her own hand and touched her forehead.
The spot her fingertips touched felt completely smooth.
There was nothing there.
Yet the warm sensation remained.
"How does it feel?"
Kiyohara asked.
Rin carefully sensed the changes occurring within her body.
"My forehead... feels a little swollen."
She quietly examined the condition of her body.
"And I'm a little dizzy too."
Kiyohara nodded.
"That's a normal reaction."
He stood up.
"I'll take you back so you can rest. This technique still needs a few days of observation to see how effective it is."
Rin nodded and tried to stand, but the moment she did, she felt her legs go weak.
Kiyohara reached out and supported her arm.
"Can you walk?"
Rin tested it for a moment before shaking her head.
"I'm... a little dizzy."
Seeing this, Kiyohara crouched down in front of her.
"Get on."
Rin froze.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
"Come on."
Kiyohara said.
Looking at his broad, sturdy back, Rin felt a little embarrassed.
But the dizziness was overwhelming, and she truly could not walk on her own.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally reached out and gently wrapped her arms around his neck.
Kiyohara stood up, supporting her by the backs of her thighs.
Rin's body stiffened slightly.
To make it easier for him to support her, her legs naturally parted a little, causing her entire body to press against his back.
Almost instinctively, Rin squeezed her legs together again.
That movement caused her legs to tighten around his waist, bringing her even closer against him.
Her face instantly became red enough to seem as though blood might drip from it.
She buried her face against his shoulder, not daring to raise her head.
Kiyohara carried her on his back as he headed toward the camp.
Curled quietly against him, Rin listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
For some reason, the throbbing sensation in her forehead seemed to ease a little.
Eventually, they arrived at her tent.
Kiyohara lowered her carefully and turned around.
Rin stood before him with her head lowered, a faint blush still lingering on her cheeks.
"This technique still needs several more days of observation."
Kiyohara said.
"If anything unusual happens during that time, tell me immediately."
Rin nodded.
"I understand."
She paused briefly before looking up.
"Kiyohara-kun, um... thank you."
A faint smile appeared on Kiyohara's face.
"You don't need to thank me."
He turned to leave.
Suddenly, Rin spoke up.
"Kiyohara-kun!"
Kiyohara stopped and looked back at her.
Rin pressed her lips together and gathered her courage.
"Um... are you free tonight? I wanted to... ask you some more questions about fuinjutsu techniques."
Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.
Her face was still flushed, but there was a cautious hint of anticipation in those brown eyes.
"Tonight probably won't work."
Kiyohara shook his head and declined.
The light in Rin's eyes dimmed slightly.
"After I finish cooking later, I still need to go on another patrol."
Kiyohara added.
"When I have some free time, I'll come find you."
Rin's eyes immediately brightened again.
"Okay!"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"I'll wait for you."
Kiyohara smiled and turned away.
A sigma man always knows how to distinguish priorities.
Several days passed.
The situation along the Kumogakure front line became increasingly tense.
Small-scale clashes occurred almost every day.
Kiyohara continued carrying out patrol and reconnaissance missions as usual.
Deep within a forest.
Three figures burst out from the mist, kunai in hand, rushing directly toward Kiyohara.
Kiyohara remained where he stood and raised his right hand.
Then he struck forward with a single palm.
Lightning Release: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm.
The original Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm merely projected Gentle Fist chakra, but Kiyohara had transformed that chakra into Lightning Release chakra.
BOOM!
A giant hand formed from lightning swept forward.
The air roared wherever it passed.
The three Cloud shinobi did not even have time to react before the overwhelming force blasted them away.
Their bodies crashed violently into distant tree trunks and fell silent.
Kiyohara lowered his hand.
The fabric of his combat uniform fluttered gently in the lingering currents of air.
"So amazing..."
A female voice came from nearby.
Kiyohara turned his head.
Hyuga Natsu stood not far away, her pale white eyes fixed on him without blinking.
"That palm strike just now, Kiyohara-kun..."
She hesitated.
"It felt a little like Gentle Fist, but also different."
Kiyohara smiled.
"It did borrow some ideas from Gentle Fist."
Natsu nodded and did not ask further.
Techniques like this were actually quite common in both Gentle Fist and Strong Fist styles.
Still, she could not help thinking to herself that without the Byakugan, learning Gentle Fist should be practically useless.
Kiyohara seemed to understand what she was thinking, yet he offered no explanation.
At that moment, a series of footsteps echoed through the forest.
Two figures rapidly approached.
Walking behind the first was an unfamiliar shinobi.
The newcomer wore an ANBU uniform and an animal mask.
"Kiyohara."
Kakashi walked up to him and stepped aside.
"This is Kinoe, a Root shinobi. He was just transferred to our side."
Kiyohara looked at the young man called Kinoe.
Yamato.
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
At present, Yamato was probably the only shinobi in Konoha capable of using Wood Release.
However, the gap between his Wood Release and that of the First Hokage was simply enormous.
Sensing Kiyohara's gaze, Yamato's body tensed slightly.
He had heard Lord Danzo mention him before.
Kiyohara.
Konoha's genius.
A man who had killed many Root operatives.
Those names.
Those missions.
Those people who had disappeared forever into the darkness.
Would he kill him too?
Yamato's hand unconsciously tightened into a fist.
His knuckles gradually turned white.
Then a hand landed on his shoulder.
(End of Chapter)