At this moment, Kiyohara had no idea that two Uchihas already had their sights set on him.
All he knew… was that Yūhi Kurenai kept sneaking glances at his body.
Kiyohara ignored the peeking and stayed focused on his taijutsu training.
After all, spiritual energy couldn't outpace physical energy too much—or it would cause internal pressure and imbalance. To avoid this, Kiyohara devoted himself to strengthening his body.
The fading sun stretched his shadow long across the dirt.
He was shirtless, sweat dripping down his back in glistening streams, tracing the well-defined lines of his lean, athletic muscle. His shoulders, arms, and back flexed with every controlled push-up, the sand iron weights on his back making each movement heavier.
The magnetic force gathered from nearby iron sand had been shaped into crude weighted pouches, strapped to his limbs and spine.
Each rep burned. His pace slowed.
That meant he was approaching his current physical limit.
Kiyohara rested a moment—then continued.
With no taijutsu master to guide him, all he could do was hammer the basics.
Some ninjas used medicine after training. The standard path was:
Train → Medicate → Recover.
Of course, there were also those who just abused performance enhancers.
In the modern ninja world, banned substances like steroids had long since leaked out into the civilian world.
These drugs could forcibly enhance muscle growth—but the cost?
Shrinking your "basket."
No testosterone, no legacy.
For the sake of his future happiness, Kiyohara would never touch that stuff.
He wasn't just a traditional ninja—he was a traditional natural-body ninja!
After a short breather, he re-tightened the magnetic weight bands and muttered:
"Iron sand is still too basic—and not enough of it. If I could sense gold dust or other precious metals… man, that'd be a real moneymaker."
He sighed.
Unfortunately, his Magnet Release didn't include Gold Dust Manipulation.
If he wanted to figure that out, he'd need to somehow learn from Rasa himself.
Maybe, by observing how Rasa manipulated magnetic fields, he could recreate the effect.
Under the tree nearby, Kurenai was trying to practice genjutsu hand seals… but her mind kept wandering.
Every time she looked up, she caught a glimpse of Kiyohara's flexing form—his muscles taut, sweat dripping in rhythm. Her cheeks flushed.
She scolded herself:
'Ugh! How is anyone supposed to train with that going on?!'
Just then, a silver-haired figure in a mask approached, his dead-fish eyes glancing lazily in Kiyohara's direction.
Kakashi.
Kakashi silently noted that Kiyohara's training had leveled up again.
Seeing Kakashi's stare, Kiyohara felt a faint chill.
Why did he always get the feeling his workouts attracted guys more than girls?
"You need something?" he asked.
Kakashi shrugged. "Someone's looking for you."
Kiyohara paused, letting the magnetic field around the iron sand disperse. He grabbed a towel, wiped off the sweat, and threw on his shirt.
"Who?"
"An Uchiha. Name's Tekkō. He brought some younger shinobi too."
"...Uchiha?"
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow.
Tekkō, the guy he'd thrashed in the Chūnin Exams?
What, was he here to demand a rematch?
But this was the middle of a war front—ninja-on-ninja duels weren't exactly encouraged right now. Surely Tekkō wasn't that dumb.
"Alright," he said, adjusting his collar. "Let's go see what this is about."
Kurenai trotted after them, curious.
Back at the edge of the camp, two figures stood waiting.
Kiyohara's eyes immediately locked on the younger of the two.
A slim figure. Shorter than average.
A short sword on his back.
A slightly pronounced nose.
Clear eyes, calm and polite.
Uchiha Shisui.
One of the two most famous "traitor twins" of the Uchiha clan.
A peerless prodigy—young, but terrifyingly strong.
He was the future bearer of the title Shunshin no Shisui, Shisui of the Body Flicker.
And yet, for all his power, Shisui was too kind. Too idealistic.
He would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, and instead of protecting his clan…
He'd go straight to Danzo, spill everything, and have an eye stolen from his skull.
And then?
He'd give the other to Itachi, and jump off a cliff.
'Man…' Kiyohara thought, 'Too naive. That's what got him killed.'
"You need something?" Kiyohara asked bluntly.
Tekkō's eyes twitched at the memory of his own humiliating defeat.
But he straightened up, gesturing to the younger Uchiha beside him.
"Kiyohara, this is my cousin, Uchiha Shisui. I was hoping… you'd agree to a friendly spar. Just a light match."
He emphasized that last part.
Kiyohara smiled politely.
"I'm not really into fighting. It's boring."
Tekkō blinked.
What?
Wasn't this the same guy who wrecked him on the tournament stage? Who'd been racking up enemy kills in the Uzushio conflict?
Now he suddenly didn't like fighting?
"I'm sorry, but I'm really busy these days. I want to use my limited time… to infinitely serve the village."
Kiyohara gave a dramatic sigh and turned as if to leave.
Tekkō froze—then realization struck him.
'This bastard…'
He was fishing for payment!
"Wait!" Tekkō called out.
He thought about his loss… about Shisui's incredible growth. If Kiyohara didn't have a Sharingan, there was no way he'd stand a chance.
He had to make this happen.
"If Shisui loses, I'll give you these."
With a pained expression, he pulled out three specially crafted shuriken from his ninja pouch.
Each glinted with cold light. Their four-pointed blades bore unique engravings.
"These are custom shuriken made by the Nekomata Clan. Top quality—perfect weight, sharpness, and balance."
Kiyohara's interest spiked.
"Nekomata-made?"
Now that was a surprise.
The Uchiha and the Nekomata had a long-standing partnership—the feline weaponsmiths crafted exclusive gear for their clan. High-end military goods.
Basically, custom military-grade gear.
"Alright," Kiyohara said, smiling. "I accept."
His gaze shifted to the silent Shisui.
"After all, comrades sparring helps us grow, right?"
"Of course," Tekkō said quickly, trying to hide his relief.
'He's totally underestimating Shisui. Hah… let's see how long that smug face lasts.'
The spar was set for that night—
By the riverside clearing just beyond the camp perimeter.
Kiyohara was in for one hell of a surprise…
Or so they thought.