"Fire Release: Fireball Bullet!"
A blazing fireball shot out from in front of Monkey's mask.
Wrapped together with the raging gale, the fireball instantly expanded several times over, spreading like a wildfire sweeping across the plains.
Watching the combined ninjutsu they unleashed, Kiyohara grabbed Ox, whose hands had already been severed and hurled him forward.
At certain times, a human body could also be used as a shinobi tool.
Especially considering its size, it could serve as either a shield or a thrown projectile.
BOOM!
Ox's legs collided head-on with the fireball and were instantly charred black in the flames.
His entire body was then slammed violently into a tree.
But because of this, the fireball's trajectory was forced off course.
Before they could finish forming seals to release their next ninjutsu, Kiyohara had already thrown his shinobi blade.
Anything, as long as it had sufficient propulsion, could be hurled.
And the greater the force, the faster the speed!
A piercing sound tore through the air, echoing all around. The shinobi blade was like a bullet fired from a sniper rifle, instantly pinning one of the Root shinobi, Snake against the tree behind him.
Beneath the Monkey's mask, his expression brightened slightly.
Although a companion had been heavily injured, he had gained the time he needed to form seals.
"Fire Release—"
He completed the hand seals for a Fire Release technique.
Squelch!
A spray of blood suddenly blossomed from his back.
Monkey's eyes widened in shock…
Only then did he realize that, shielded by the flames, a thin black line was connected to the hilt of Kiyohara's blade.
The source of that black line led back to the gourd hanging at Kiyohara's waist.
It was a iron sand thread formed through Magnet Release!
With a dull thud, Monkey collapsed to the ground.
His mask smashed against the pavement, splitting cleanly in two and revealing his true face.
Kiyohara stood quietly, looking at the bodies of the Root shinobi lying before him.
Danzo's move had come faster than he had expected.
This meant that the exposure of the Sharingan had made certain people unable to sit still.
But Kiyohara did not regret it.
It was better to strike hard once than to invite a hundred future blows.
Under normal circumstances, Danzo was precisely the type who could never be dealt with gently—only through force.
Kiyohara then stepped forward and used Regeneration Technique to treat them, barely keeping them alive, before severing sections of their arm and leg tendons.
These injuries could be healed with medical ninjutsu, but they would leave severe aftereffects. Even if fully treated, their overall strength would plummet, and their careers as shinobi would essentially be over.
Kiyohara took out a large cloth sack he had originally prepared for carrying supplies, never expecting it would be used this way.
After stuffing all the bodies into the sack, Kiyohara turned around and hoisted the load, four people's weight in total onto his shoulder, heading toward the Hokage Tower.
It was a bit heavy, but not enough to affect him much.
Step by step, Kiyohara walked forward.
The bloodstains on his body became visible as he gradually returned to the busier streets.
Yet everyone seemed accustomed to the sight.
After all, shinobi—who among them didn't see blood?
Some shinobi glanced at Kiyohara curiously, thinking he was carrying the corpse of some summoned beast.
No one realized that the blood staining Kiyohara's body was also, in a sense, the blood of Konoha's own shinobi.
"Hah…"
After finishing a day's worth of official duties, Hiruzen comfortably lit himself another cigarette.
He then took out the crystal ball.
As long as he had recorded someone's chakra nature, his Telescope Technique allowed him to observe them remotely.
Just as Hiruzen was about to take a look around and relax a bit, there was a sudden knock on the door.
Without changing his expression, Hiruzen put away the crystal ball and called out for them to enter.
The person who came in caught him completely off guard.
Kiyohara?
Why had he just left and then come back again?
And covered in blood?
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
Before he could say anything, Kiyohara placed a large cloth sack down inside the Hokage's office.
"Hokage-sama, I encountered spies."
Kiyohara untied the sack.
"These people chose to attack me even after repeated warnings. They kept mentioning someone named Danzo, I don't know who that is. I believe they were very likely spies. For my own protection, I defeated them and severed their tendons to prevent them from escaping."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
"Danzo…"
The moment Kiyohara said the name, Hiruzen's heart sank.
As Danzo's old friend, Hiruzen knew his temperament all too well.
Root operatives were directly recruited by Danzo, and some of those "recruitments" were, in fact, forced.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen's expression darkened.
Danzo was truly becoming more and more unrestrained.
Back then, when he agreed to let Danzo establish Root, there had been many considerations.
But now, Root had turned into Danzo's personal forces.
Had Root already become an organization for certain individuals to pursue their own interests?
"This matter will be investigated seriously," Hiruzen said after a moment's thought.
Internal conflict among shinobi was strictly forbidden, but based on Kiyohara's account, this had been legitimate self-defense under threat of death.
"Rest assured, Kiyohara. I will give you an answer."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I'll take my leave."
Kiyohara said so respectfully.
After all, he truly had never had any contact with Danzo.
As a newly promoted jōnin, it was only natural that he would not "know" such a person.
Once Kiyohara left, Hiruzen immediately summoned ANBU and instructed them to have Danzo retrieve his people.
…
Root Headquarters.
In the dim underground chamber, Danzo, who had just retrieved his men from Hiruzen had a face so dark it seemed ready to drip water.
Hiruzen had even cut part of Root's funding as punishment, stating that there were certain red lines Root was not allowed to cross.
"Four jōnin… beaten into this state by a single brat?"
Danzo's voice was calm, but anyone familiar with him knew this was the prelude to rage.
"Kiyohara's strength… is far greater than what the intelligence indicated."
Snake lay on a stretcher, carried by two Root shinobi.
His injuries were the lightest, he had only been pinned to a tree and had his tendons severed.
His voice trembled as he spoke, his heart filled with fear at having disappointed Lord Danzo.
"His combat experience is extremely rich, not something someone his age should possess. And his speed is exceptionally fast, very difficult to deal with."
Danzo fell silent.
He had indeed underestimated Kiyohara.
He had thought that sending four jōnin, one of them a Yamanaka clan specialist in mental intrusion—would be more than enough to "invite" Kiyohara back.
He had never expected them to be reduced to this state instead.
"Useless."
Danzo spat out the two words coldly.
Yet even as anger surged, he was also thinking.
The talent and strength Kiyohara had displayed had already exceeded the scope of an ordinary genius.
Such a piece on the board, if he could control it would be immensely beneficial to his future plans.
Unfortunately, the grass had been startled.
From now on, Kiyohara would inevitably become the focus of attention from all sides, making it far more difficult for Danzo to act covertly.
"Looks like… a different approach is needed."
Danzo's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop.
He thought of someone, Nono Yakushi, the "Walking Shrine Maiden" who had once shone brilliantly in the intelligence division.
She had already left Root and was now the head of an orphanage.
If he could bring her back…
"Take them to Konoha Hospital and see if they can be saved," Danzo ordered.
The war had already pushed Konoha to the point of manpower shortages.
Even though there were many auxiliary operatives who could fill in when losses occurred, it was still a loss in the end.
The other three aside, Danzo intended to see whether the Yamanaka clan Root shinobi could still be put to some use.
He sat alone in the darkness, his gaze sinister.
Kiyohara… Uchiha bloodline, Magnet Release bloodline limit, and a level of maturity far beyond his years.
Such an existence could not be left unattended.
Either control him—
—or destroy him.
...
The next morning.
Kiyohara, having returned from the Hokage Tower, slept straight through until dawn.
Now awake, he was training in the courtyard of his home.
His bare upper body glowed with a healthy sheen in the morning light, his muscle lines smooth and well-defined without being excessive.
He formed hand seals, chakra circulating through his body as he practiced Lightning Release: Thunder Crash.
The difficulty of this technique lay in highly compressing lightning-attribute chakra and then releasing it in the form of "breath."
It required extremely strong chakra control, as well as a deep understanding of the nature of lightning chakra.
Kiyohara closed his eyes, carefully sensing the flow of chakra through his meridian system.
Lightning chakra was violent, like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins—difficult to tame.
He had to rely on his chakra control to guide that ferocious Lightning Release chakra, forcing it to become something he could command.
Once—failure.
Twice—failure.
On the third attempt, arcs of electricity finally began to flicker inside his mouth, accompanied by a crackling pipa sound.
However, the chakra still wasn't condensed enough. The moment it was expelled, it immediately dispersed.
Kiyohara did not feel discouraged.
He adjusted his breathing and began again.
The spiritual form of Uchiha Kiyohara was also standing to the side, offering guidance.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Kiyohara stopped his training and went to open the door.
Standing outside was Rin Nohara.
She had changed into a light black casual outfit and was holding a basket filled with fresh ingredients.
"Kiyohara, good morning."
Rin's smile was very gentle.
"I've noticed that you're always eating compressed rations. Eating too much of those isn't good for you, so I thought I'd make a proper meal for you. You don't mind, do you?"
Kiyohara glanced at her, then at the fish and vegetables in the basket, and nodded.
He figured that perhaps Rin wanted to repay him, so he let her come inside.
After all, he had already saved her twice.
Even if she were to offer herself in return, that would already be enough for two lifetimes.
"Come in."
The courtyard was small, with only some gravel and weeds scattered around.
Kiyohara led Rin into the house and pointed toward the kitchen.
"Are your injuries completely healed now, Rin?" Kiyohara asked.
He was referring to the wound on her chest.
At the time, he had only used Regeneration Technique to perform some basic treatment.
Most of the healing had relied on the restorative effects of the tailed beast's chakra.
Kiyohara wasn't sure whether it would leave a scar.
"It's much better already."
When the topic came up, Rin's face flushed slightly as she spoke.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Rin."
Since she wanted to cook for him, Kiyohara didn't refuse.
He then reached out and gently patted Rin on the head before turning around to resume his training.
Rin's eyes widened slightly—she hadn't expected Kiyohara to pat her head like that.
Watching his retreating figure, she bit her lower lip, an inexplicable sense of excitement bubbling up in her heart.
She walked into the kitchen, where a completely "minimalist-style" setup greeted her.
"..."
At that moment, Rin finally understood why Kiyohara had always been eating compressed rations or food bought outside.
She softly told Kiyohara to wait a moment, then returned home to bring over her own kitchen utensils. Soon, she was busy working in Kiyohara's kitchen.
Time slowly passed.
From the kitchen came the sounds of chopping vegetables, the rush of running water, and the sizzle of oil in a pan.
The aroma of food gradually drifted out, mingling with the scent of grass and earth from the courtyard.
Once the meal was ready, Rin carried several dishes to the table.
The paper sliding doors of the living room were open, giving a clear view of the courtyard.
Out there, Kiyohara was practicing Lightning Release ninjutsu with a serious expression.
Sweat slid down his back, his muscles rising and falling with each movement. Lightning-nature chakra danced around him, blue arcs crackling in the air.
Rin's face grew slightly warm.
She suddenly felt something strange, like a wife who had finished cooking and was waiting for her husband to return from training.
She recalled the scene from yesterday, when she had returned to the village and Lady Kushina had reinforced the seal within her.
"Rin, the tailed beast inside you is relatively stable for now, but you must remember—you need to learn to control it, not be controlled by it. And… cherish those who are willing to risk their lives for you."
That was what Kushina had told her.
She had also mentioned how she and Minato-sensei had grown close only after Minato had saved her.
Rin, of course, remembered the sight of Kiyohara standing in front of her, remembered how he had spared no effort to save her.
She had heard that the awakening of the Sharingan always required losing someone very important.
Then… was she important to Kiyohara?
Thinking about that made her heart pound wildly.
Her cheeks burned at the thought.
That was why today, she wanted to do something to express her gratitude.
Rin walked closer to the paper sliding door.
"Th-the food is ready."
She called out hurriedly, her voice a little flustered.
Kiyohara nodded and walked inside.
Several dishes were laid out on the table: grilled fish, miso soup, vegetable tempura, and white rice.
Simple, but made with great care.
"Looks good," Kiyohara said.
The two of them sat down and began to eat.
Rin secretly observed his expression.
When she saw him nod slightly after taking a bite of the grilled fish, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
"It tastes very good," Kiyohara said.
"I'm glad you like it," Rin smiled.
While eating, they chatted about trivial things—the recent weather, changes in the village, and how Kurenai and the others were doing.
The atmosphere was relaxed.
"Kiyohara," she asked softly, "about the Sharingan… will it cause you any trouble?"
She had heard that the Uchiha clan wasn't easy to get along with.
She didn't know how they would view Kiyohara, who had originally been considered an "outsider."
"Maybe. We'll only know once I go there," Kiyohara replied.
He estimated that the Uchiha clan would summon him in the next few days.
Their attitude would probably be split into two factions.
The more dovish faction likely wouldn't have much of an issue with him—just like with Kakashi's Sharingan.
The hawkish faction, on the other hand, would be more aggressive.
There were many reasons why Kakashi's Sharingan had been allowed to remain intact in his eye socket, respecting Obito's wishes.
For example, Kakashi's father had been Hatake Sakumo, and Fugaku's relatively soft stance also played a role.
Although Fugaku was constantly holding secret meetings within the clan, discussing matters at Naka Shrine and even planning a future coup, his outward attitude was comparatively mild.
The Konoha Military Police Force and the ANBU had overlapping jurisdictions. Whenever conflicts arose, Fugaku usually chose to endure and yield.
"I see…" Rin nodded.
She trusted Kiyohara.
"Did you bring the cooking utensils from home?" Kiyohara asked.
He didn't think his house had enough cookware to make so many dishes.
"Yeah. My parents just happen to be away today," Rin blinked.
"I see," Kiyohara nodded.
Having someone cook was actually quite nice.
A woman like Rin was clearly the archetype of a virtuous wife and good mother.
"By the way, can you still go out on missions normally?" Kiyohara asked.
After Kushina had the tailed beast implanted, her activity range had been restricted to within Konoha's barrier.
As Kushina grew older, her sealing techniques continued to improve.
It was estimated that only once she could completely suppress the Nine-Tails would her range of movement be expanded.
"No," Rin shook her head.
"But they said I can stay at Konoha Hospital and work as a medical shinobi."
"That's not bad either," Kiyohara said.
With the Three-Tails inside her, once Rin lost control, she wouldn't distinguish between friend or foe.
Keeping the Three-Tails under sealing supervision, just like the Nine-Tails, would make other villages more wary.
The war had already entered its most brutal phase.
If a few more people died, Kiyohara felt it would soon reach its end.
There were only so many shinobi—every death meant one less.
After the meal, Rin cleaned up the dishes and prepared to leave.
"Thank you, Kiyohara. Today… I was very happy."
"I was happy too," Kiyohara said, seeing her to the door.
"Be careful on the way."
Rin left.
Kiyohara returned to the courtyard and resumed his training.
He formed hand seals with both hands and took a deep breath.
Chakra surged through his body as he continued refining the nature transformation of Lightning Release.
"You're quite popular with women," Uchiha Kiyohara's spiritual form floated out after Rin had walked some distance away.
"In that future of yours, are you single?"
"Yeah. Only brothers."
"..."
Kiyohara felt that his other self had been thoroughly contaminated by Konoha's brotherly bonds.
Although that was a Konoha specialty, Kiyohara's preferences were perfectly normal.
Compared to brotherly bonds, he preferred women.
It was just that, due to his age, there were many things he couldn't do yet.
Otherwise, with his looks and strength, casually finding a female shinobi to explore depths together wouldn't be a problem at all.
"Forget it. Let's focus on training," Kiyohara shook his head.
After resting for a while, he would still have to rush back to the battlefield.
Improving strength—that was the true path.
Then he opened his mouth.
"Lightning Release…"
A thin streak of blue lightning shot out from his mouth, dancing through the air.
"I can barely use it now. The power's still a bit lacking," Kiyohara muttered, stroking his chin as he continued to adjust.
With multiple stacked Lightning-attribute talents, his speed in learning this jutsu was already astonishing.
It probably wouldn't take long before he fully mastered it.
Lightning was much faster than flames.
In a dangerous situation, it could catch an enemy completely off guard.
But just as he was about to continue practicing, someone else arrived.
Kiyohara opened the door.
This time, it was shinobi from the Uchiha clan.
Three young men stood there, all wearing Uchiha robes, their expressions arrogant.
The one in the lead looked Kiyohara up and down before speaking:
"You're Kiyohara? Come with us. Captain Fugaku wants to see you."
His tone was far from polite.
(End of Chapter)