"Kakashi has been using Ganmaru for a while now, so I've gathered quite a bit of data. I already have an idea for the next generation."
He looked at her.
"The one I'm making for you will incorporate… a few special things."
Kiyohara said this because he planned to fuse the Ketsuryugan into it.
Nono Yakushi had been researching and developing that the whole time.
After receiving the White Zetsu limb Kiyohara had sent over, the experiment had finally made some progress.
If it was too difficult to transplant a kekkei genkai into a human, then the answer was simple—transplant it into a summoned beast instead.
Just like how Uchiha Itachi had transplanted Shisui's Mangekyo into a crow.
And Samehada was far tougher than a human. Even as a clone, it was still a weapon by nature.
If he could successfully fuse in the Ketsuryugan's abilities, Kiyohara felt he should be able to create a blade capable of controlling blood and using genjutsu.
That would also neatly help cover one of Kurenai's weaknesses—her chakra stamina.
"Hehe."
Kurenai couldn't suppress the curve of her lips at all.
Then she lifted her head and said, pretending to stay calm,
"Let's go. Don't keep Lady Tsunade waiting."
Kiyohara smiled.
"Alright."
He turned to Kakashi.
"We'll go find Kosuke-senpai later."
Kakashi nodded.
The three of them left the forest clearing and headed back toward camp.
…
When Kiyohara returned to the tent, Tsunade was already standing in front of a map.
"You're back?"
She didn't even look up, her golden-brown eyes fixed on the yellowed map.
"We just got word. Iwa's forces are on the move."
Kiyohara walked over and stood beside her.
"So soon?"
"Yeah. At this pace, they probably won't be able to launch an attack today. Tomorrow, most likely."
Tsunade lifted her eyes.
"With Kitsuchi captured, they're probably planning to try and rescue the Tsuchikage's son."
Right then, a voice suddenly rang out in Kiyohara's mind.
"My past self, they've picked up the pace."
It was the spirit of Hyuga Kiyohara.
"There are people outside."
Kiyohara's brows moved slightly.
Tsunade noticed the change in his expression.
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
Kiyohara replied.
He turned and headed out of the tent.
"Sensei, I'm stepping out for a moment."
Tsunade frowned slightly, but said nothing.
Kiyohara walked out of the tent, chakra exploding beneath his feet as he shot straight into the sky.
He rose a hundred meters into the air and looked down over the forest below.
"I just used the Byakugan to observe them. On the surface, they look like they're stopping nearby to regroup, but in reality they're pushing forward in one go."
Hyuga Kiyohara said.
The spirit could wander a certain distance away from Kiyohara's body, though the farther it went, the faster it would dissipate.
Since Hyuga Kiyohara possessed the Byakugan, he didn't need to go very far to see what was happening outside.
"I see."
Kiyohara tried using the Sharingan, but its long-range vision had its limits.
"Even as a spirit, I can still possess you briefly."
In the next instant, Kiyohara felt a strange chakra flow into his eyes.
The sensation was odd.
It was like cool water had been poured into his eye sockets, slowly spreading along his optic nerves before finally condensing deep inside his eyes.
His vision began to change.
The canvas walls of the camp tents became transparent. He could see the patrolling shinobi outside, see the flow of chakra inside their bodies, see the faint glow of their chakra pathways.
Then his field of vision kept extending.
Past the camp.
Past the outer ring of trees.
Past the rolling hills…
Roughly ten kilometers away, he saw a dense mass of figures.
Blue chakra flames surged within each of them like moving fireflies in the dark.
Iwa's forces!
Kiyohara adjusted to the Byakugan's power.
This long-distance perspective really was extraordinary.
The Byakugan's all-penetrating insight was clearer and more precise than his sensing techniques.
He could see the hand seals they were forming, the ninja tools they carried, even the tense expressions on the faces of the commanders at the front.
"I see them now."
Kiyohara said.
The Byakugan was incredible, but he didn't truly possess it yet—he could only borrow it temporarily.
The strain on his body was enormous. He would have to wait until he actually inherited the Byakugan before he could use it freely.
Then Kiyohara kept watching.
Those Iwa forces were advancing toward the camp, not especially fast, but maintaining a concealed formation.
The nearest ones were already less than four kilometers away.
"Good."
Hyuga Kiyohara withdrew the partial possession.
Kiyohara blinked, adjusting to his normal sight again.
Then he dropped back to the ground.
The moment he landed, two figures came rushing over from nearby.
A shinobi from the Aburame clan and a shinobi from the Hyuga clan.
"Captain Kiyohara!"
The Aburame shinobi spoke first, black sunglasses covering his eyes.
It was a typical Aburame look.
Members of the clan usually specialized in concealment and kept themselves wrapped up tightly, even hiding their faces behind dark lenses.
"My kikaichu told me Iwa's forces are here. They're less than 2 miles from camp!"
the Aburame shinobi reported.
Their clan had contracts with insects, feeding them chakra in exchange for the ability to command them.
Kiyohara nodded.
He knew the Aburame clan possessed all kinds of insects, so naturally some of them could sense chakra.
"Four kilometers out, right? I know."
He looked at the Hyuga shinobi.
The Hyuga ninja froze for a second.
How did Captain Kiyohara know that too?
But he didn't ask.
He simply assumed it was another effect of Kiyohara's Sage Mode.
Some information about Kiyohara's Sage Mode had already spread, and the most notable point was its astonishing sensory ability.
"Notify Sensei immediately. Prepare to meet the enemy."
Kiyohara turned and strode toward the tent.
"Everyone, battle stations!"
…
The alarm rang out across the camp.
The once-quiet camp instantly erupted into motion.
Shinobi rushed out of their tents and quickly formed ranks.
Kiyohara stood at the center of camp, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
Kakashi stood in the front line, Ganmaru already unsheathed.
Rin Nohara stood beside him, and Kurenai took a deep breath, ready for battle as well.
Kosuke Maruboshi had appeared at some point too.
He was still dressed in the same old worn gear, with the large pot and travel pack on his back not yet set down, but he already had his weathered ninja sword in hand.
Might Guy stood beside him, undoing the weights around his ankles and flexing them lightly.
"They're here."
A Hyuga shinobi suddenly spoke.
Everyone followed his gaze.
Through the trees, figure after figure was rapidly approaching.
Iwa shinobi.
At their head was a middle-aged man in purple robes.
His red beard and red hair stood out sharply against Iwa's dull gray-brown uniforms.
His eyes swept across the camp before settling on Kiyohara, who stood at the front.
"Konoha's… shinobi."
He spoke in a low voice.
"Hand over Kitsuchi."
"If you want Kitsuchi back, Iwa will have to agree to a ceasefire with Konoha."
Tsunade said as she stepped forward.
"Hmph."
Roshi recognized her at once.
Tsunade's name still carried enormous weight, but she hadn't fought in a long time.
In Roshi's eyes, that made her the type of shinobi who had grown soft.
"Attack!"
At Roshi's command, countless figures burst out from the forest.
Kunai and shuriken rained down like a storm.
The battle had begun!
Kakashi vanished from sight.
The next moment, he appeared at the flank of three Iwa shinobi.
Ganmaru carved a pale violet arc through the air.
That lightning-wreathed arc was too fast—so fast those three didn't even have time to react.
Slash.
The blade cut through their throats.
By the time blood sprayed out, Kakashi had already turned toward his next target.
His movements were clean, each strike aimed straight at a vital point, without a single wasted flourish.
The White Fang's swordsmanship—the style that had once terrified the entire ninja world—was now reborn in Kakashi's hands.
"Water Release: Water Tornado!"
Rin Nohara formed hand seals, chakra surging through her.
A massive water tornado rose before her and roared into Iwa's formation.
The spinning current moved so quickly it looked like a storm of blades.
Three Iwa shinobi failed to dodge in time and were dragged straight into it.
Their screams rang out briefly, then were swallowed by the thunder of rushing water.
Rin stood where she was, maintaining the shape of the tornado, her breathing perfectly steady.
I have to use what Kiyohara-kun taught me properly.
She repeated it silently to herself.
I can't let him down.
"Genjutsu: Sound Bind!"
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
Kurenai's red lips parted as a series of soft syllables slipped from her mouth, and her hands flashed through seals.
She used two techniques in rapid succession.
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried with unnatural force.
Five Iwa shinobi who were about to form hand seals froze all at once.
Their eyes turned vacant.
Just as they were about to break free, illusory branches from the ground wrapped around them.
Kurenai blurred forward and appeared beside one of them.
Blood sprayed.
She frowned, sidestepping the blood before turning to her next target.
Kosuke Maruboshi stood near the rear ranks, his worn ninja sword raised slightly.
His opponent was an Iwa jonin.
The man was heavily built, both arms coated in a stony sheen—clearly a user of a hardening technique.
"Old man, get lost!"
he snarled as he lunged, both fists carrying overwhelming force.
Kosuke didn't retreat.
He simply shifted his body slightly, letting the punch pass, and then lightly thrust his sword forward.
The blade slipped into the jonin's armpit.
A blind spot his hardening technique didn't cover.
Slash.
The Iwa jonin's eyes widened in disbelief as blood burst from under his arm.
This old man looked like a mere genin—how was he this strong?
He'd underestimated him. He hadn't dodged!
"You…"
He tried to say something, but only bloody froth came out of his mouth.
Kosuke pulled his blade free and turned toward his next target.
"Make way! Make way!"
Might Guy's shout came from the rear.
His legs exploded with force, and he shot forward like a cannonball.
He was so fast the shinobi along his path saw only a green blur.
"Leaf Rock-Destroying Rise!"
His right knee slammed into an Iwa shinobi's chest.
Crack.
The man flew backward like a kite with its strings cut, smashing through three trees before finally stopping.
Guy landed, rotating his ankle once.
"Kosuke-senpai, I'm here to help!"
Kosuke glanced at him, and the corner of his mouth lifted faintly.
"Young man, you've got spirit."
The two of them stood side by side against the enemies surging toward them again.
Konoha and Iwa shinobi clashed in a tangled melee, ninjutsu detonating one after another.
Kunai collided. Blades rang. Screams and roars blended into a single chaotic storm.
And then—
A terrifying wave of heat exploded from the center of the battlefield.
Everyone instinctively turned to look.
That middle-aged man in purple had somehow leapt onto a massive boulder.
His hands formed seals before his chest, his throat swelling.
"Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique!"
He opened his mouth.
Several enormous balls of magma burst forth.
Their surfaces glowed a blazing red, and the air itself warped from the heat wherever they passed.
They were headed straight for the densest part of Konoha's formation.
"Get back!"
one of Konoha's shinobi shouted.
But it was too late.
The magma spheres were too fast and covered too wide an area.
Just as they were about to crash into the crowd—
A figure appeared in front of them.
Kiyohara.
His hands formed seals before his chest, gathering a huge amount of chakra.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Boom!
A gigantic wall of water erupted from the ground.
It towered dozens of meters high, its entire surface coursing with deep blue water.
The instant the magma spheres crashed into it, the air filled with harsh hissing sounds.
White steam exploded upward, engulfing the entire area.
When the steam finally thinned—
The magma spheres were gone, leaving behind only puddles of cooled black lava on the ground, still smoking.
Kiyohara stood behind the water wall, his clothes damp from the steam, a few strands of black hair stuck to the edge of his forehead.
His gaze crossed the battlefield and landed on Roshi.
Roshi was staring right back at him.
Their eyes met in midair.
"So you're Kiyohara?"
Roshi said.
"The brat who killed the Third Mizukage and captured Kitsuchi?"
"I'd say there's only one me in the shinobi world."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
Roshi was the Four-Tails' jinchuriki.
But unlike most jinchuriki, Roshi had learned from the tailed beast in reverse.
Originally incapable of using Lava Release, he had learned its principles from the Four-Tails and awakened the Lava Release kekkei genkai himself.
Seeing Kiyohara smile, Roshi gave a low snort, his expression full of arrogance.
"Good."
He jumped down from the boulder and began walking toward Kiyohara one step at a time.
Every step melted the ground beneath his feet, leaving behind scorched black footprints.
"I'll kill you first. Then I'll save Kitsuchi."
He raised one hand.
Magma churned in his palm.
If he could kill Konoha's genius, it would be a devastating blow to Konoha's morale.
And the reverse would be great news for Iwa.
A perfect chance to raise morale.
"This ought to count as a fine achievement."
The moment the words left his mouth, he spat out another barrage of magma spheres.
Roshi and Onoki didn't exactly get along, but Roshi still acknowledged Iwagakure as his village.
He was willing to contribute to it.
That was his Stone Will.
Seeing the magma spheres flying toward him, Kiyohara raised his right arm and clenched his fist.
"Monster Strength!"
He threw a punch.
Boom!
His fist collided with the first magma sphere.
It exploded in midair, scattering into countless blazing fragments.
Kiyohara's fist had already turned black.
Steel Release!
Earth Release: Earth Spear!
Under his fist, magma hot enough to melt steel shattered again and again like brittle porcelain.
Roshi's pupils contracted slightly.
This brat…
He was actually taking Lava Release head-on with his bare fists?
"Interesting."
He stopped walking and formed hand seals.
"Then let's see how many you can take!"
His entire body began glowing a blazing red.
In the next second, his whole form was covered in magma.
The air distorted.
Waves of heat spread outward from him, forcing nearby shinobi to retreat.
His skin turned the color of molten lava, blazing magma flowing across the surface. Every step melted the ground and left behind a blackened footprint.
That was Lava Release Chakra Mode.
By coating his entire body in Lava Release chakra, his taijutsu was massively enhanced. Anything he touched would melt, while the lava armor sharply boosted both offense and defense.
"Lava Release Chakra Mode, huh?"
Kiyohara watched him closely.
In terms of raw offensive enhancement, Lava Release Chakra Mode actually surpassed Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Those lava temperatures were probably somewhere between twelve hundred and two thousand degrees Celsius.
In other words, any casual strike from Roshi now carried the same destructive heat as the Fire Release: Thermobaric Bomb Kiyohara had previously developed.
At this moment, Roshi was like a walking volcano.
Of course, this mode wasn't as fast as Lightning Release Chakra Mode, nor did it have that same piercing power.
And…
This lava was ultimately chakra-generated, not true natural material.
Which meant it had a huge weakness.
Chakra nature superiority and inferiority.
"Then Water Release it is."
Kiyohara thought.
He planned to use large-scale Water Release to weaken Roshi.
In truth, Roshi was stronger now than he would be years later when he fought Kisame Hoshigaki.
Because at this point, he hadn't abandoned his life as an Iwa shinobi to become a monk and let his skills rust.
Then Roshi raised his hand.
The magma in his palm began to gather, becoming denser, thicker, hotter.
In the end, it formed into the shape of a giant fist.
"Lava Release: Lava Fist!"
He swung.
The magma fist roared toward Kiyohara.
The air screamed in its wake, and the ground cracked open under the heat.
Kiyohara formed hand seals with both hands. A water dragon several times larger than the ones Mist shinobi usually created rose up behind him.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
Roshi immediately dodged.
Why did this guy's water dragon look even bigger than one a Mist ninja would make?
Then Roshi charged Kiyohara again.
Kiyohara kept attacking him with Water Release.
At the same time, he used the Sharingan to observe the Lava Release chakra inside Roshi's body.
Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!
Kiyohara formed seals and launched an enormous shark-shaped water projectile.
Roshi countered with a Lava Release spear.
But the shark instantly absorbed the chakra from the lava spear, growing even larger in the process.
Roshi frowned.
And hadn't they said Kiyohara specialized in Lightning Release and Fire Release?
Then why was he using Water Release against him nonstop?
And his Water Release was absurdly strong too.
Roshi even started to suspect Kiyohara's Water Release had reached the level of Tobirama Senju.
Damn it.
He really wanted to ask how a man born in the Land of Fire, with Uchiha blood no less, could possibly use Water Release this well.
How was that even reasonable?!
Unfortunately, Kiyohara gave him no chance to speak at all. The moment there was an opening, he attacked with Water Release again.
The more Roshi fought, the more stifled and miserable he felt.
"So Lava Release is a kekkei genkai formed from Fire Release chakra and Earth Release chakra…"
Kiyohara kept watching.
He was wondering whether he could reproduce it himself.
After all, Earth Release and Fire Release were both among his specialties.
~~~
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