After Uchiha Inabi's fireball was shattered, the remaining flames continued to surge upward, shooting straight toward Inabi, who was still in midair.
His expression changed drastically as he tried to evade, but suspended in the air, he had nowhere to borrow strength from.
Just as the fireball was about to strike him, at the critical moment, several shuriken shot up from below, striking key points of the fireball. The fireball exploded in midair, scattering into countless sparks of flame.
Taking advantage of the moment, Uchiha Inabi landed on the ground, stumbling back several steps with a pale face. He looked at Kiyohara and realized that at some point, Kiyohara was already holding several specially made shuriken in his hand, each connected at the tail by extremely thin black threads.
Those were iron-sand threads condensed through Magnet Release. The shuriken that had just shattered the fireball were precisely these.
What shocked Inabi even more was that, without him realizing it, those threads had already spread through the surrounding space like a spider's web, sealing off all of his possible routes of movement. If Kiyohara had wanted to, he could have seriously injured him just now.
"I…" Uchiha Inabi opened his mouth, but no words came out.
With a flick of his finger, Kiyohara recalled all the shuriken and threads back into his hand and stored them in his shinobi pouch.
"Looks like I won," he said calmly.
With his current strength, dealing with two Uchiha jonin posed no pressure at all—it could be said he had practically defeated them instantly. Very good. Another technique had now been "legitimized." Uchiha Inabi had used Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique in front of him, so the next time Kiyohara used it, he would have a proper source to point to.
Uchiha Setsuna's half-closed eyes had fully opened, and a trace of astonishment flashed through his murky pupils. He had originally thought that this clan member who had wandered outside, and who possessed only a one-tomoe Sharingan, would have limited strength.
Yet in the battle just now, Kiyohara had not even used the rumored Magnet Release. Relying solely on taijutsu, the insight of the Sharingan, and that terrifying hand-seal speed, he had effortlessly suppressed both Yashiro and Inabi.
This talent… this battle instinct…
In Uchiha Setsuna's mind, the figure of that person suddenly surfaced. No—impossible. Uchiha Setsuna shook his head, forcefully casting the absurd thought out of his mind. That person was one of a kind. The kid in front of him merely had some talent, that was all.
"Not bad," Uchiha Setsuna finally said indifferently, his tone betraying neither joy nor anger. "But don't think this bit of strength is enough. You still haven't seen the true power of the Uchiha."
After saying that, he turned around, leaned on his cane, and slowly walked away. Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Yashiro hurriedly climbed out of the rubble, limping as they followed after him. When they had gone far enough, Shisui finally let out a long breath.
"Kiyohara, your strength has improved so fast," Shisui said with emotion. "The last time I saw you, you weren't this…"
"This strong?" Kiyohara finished for him.
Shisui gave a bitter smile and nodded. He had recently awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and had thought that his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, placing him at the very peak among his peers.
But after seeing Kiyohara's performance just now, he realized that there was always someone stronger, always a higher sky. Kiyohara's talent might not be inferior to his own, only that the awakening of his bloodline had come a little too late. Perhaps in the future, Kiyohara would also be qualified to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Let's go. Lord Fugaku is waiting for you," Shisui said.
The two continued onward, passing through several streets before arriving at a spacious compound. Entering the courtyard, the paper sliding doors of the main room were open. Uchiha Fugaku was kneeling on the tatami, with a set of tea utensils placed before him.
"Lord Fugaku, Kiyohara has arrived," Shisui said from the doorway.
Uchiha Fugaku raised his head, his gaze falling on Kiyohara.
"Come in and sit."
Kiyohara took off his shoes, walked into the Japanese-style room, and sat down opposite Fugaku. Shisui took a seat to the side. Fugaku poured Kiyohara a cup of tea. The tea was a clear green, steam curling upward.
"What happened outside just now, I've already been informed by members of the clan," Fugaku said. As the head of the clan, he naturally had many subordinates and well-informed channels. "Elder Setsuna's attitude was somewhat extreme. I apologize to you on his behalf."
Kiyohara accepted the teacup but did not drink it. Fugaku probably knew that some of the more radical faction would come looking for him. But that was simply how the Uchiha were, some things had to be personally witnessed.
At the very least, his current strength was no longer that of a mere genin. If he had awakened the Sharingan back when he was still a genin and it had been exposed, he would have had no choice but to be timid and submissive.
"Did Lord Fugaku summon me because of the Sharingan?" Kiyohara asked.
Fugaku nodded. "Kiyohara, your situation is very special. You awakened the Sharingan, yet your growth experience is completely different from that of the clan." He took a sip of tea and continued, "But in the end, you do possess Uchiha blood. So, the Uchiha clan will always welcome you."
Uchiha Fugaku did not force Kiyohara; instead, he gave him time to consider.
"I understand, Lord Fugaku," Kiyohara said, taking a small sip of tea. He merely indicated that he understood. Joining the Uchiha now might not necessarily be a good thing. Moreover, he was not truly an Uchiha to begin with. The bloodline on his body was merely an inheritance from some other future.
After that, Fugaku did not bring up the matter again, instead asking Kiyohara about things on the battlefield. Kiyohara chatted with Fugaku in response.
Some intelligence was simply not accessible to someone of his level, and talking more with Fugaku allowed him to gain a clearer picture of the overall situation on the battlefield.
From Fugaku's tone, it seemed that the Cloud Village was not easy to deal with. At present, most of the Uchiha clan were fighting against Kumogakure, while the situation on the Kiri front had already eased. For Konoha, the only aggressive opponents left were Kumo and Suna.
'Kumogakure's kenjutsu… even the Sharingan has trouble tracking it,' Kiyohara thought to himself. The Sharingan was not omnipotent.
For example, when Sasuke awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and fought Killer B, he was thoroughly outplayed by B's kenjutsu.
In the end, Sasuke had only forced Killer B into feigning death by using the ocular technique Amaterasu. Against shinobis skilled in kenjutsu, those dazzling blade techniques made it difficult for the body to react in time, even with the dynamic vision of the Sharingan. Thus, the Uchiha clan had also fallen into a stalemate on the Kumogakure front.
"Father."
As the sky gradually darkened and Kiyohara was about to propose leaving, he suddenly saw a small figure standing at the doorway. Those distinctive nasolabial lines immediately made Kiyohara recognize him as Uchiha Itachi. The second last will was also to defeat him. At present, Itachi seemed to be only about four years old.
Looking at him like this, Kiyohara felt that defeating Itachi would be ridiculously easy. But…
Kiyohara glanced again at Fugaku. A jonin saying he wanted to spar with his son, who wasn't even a genin yet, no matter how one looked at it, it made no sense. He needed to find a reason to beat Itachi up and fulfill the requirement of the wish…
"It's about time for dinner. Shisui-kun and Kiyohara-kun, why don't you stay and eat together?" Fugaku said, glancing at the sky. Sounds of cooking had already come from the kitchen, it was clearly Mikoto starting to prepare the meal.
"Then we'll accept your hospitality," Kiyohara said after thinking for a moment, not refusing the suggestion. He needed to close the distance first, so he could find a proper reason to complete the wish.
Seeing that Kiyohara stayed, Shisui also stayed behind. He blinked at Itachi, and Itachi looked back at Shisui. Watching the subtle exchange of glances between the two, Kiyohara guessed that they already knew each other. This was a bit earlier than in the original story.
In the original, four-year-old Itachi had gone to the battlefield once, and only after another month or two at age five did he meet Uchiha Shisui. The current Itachi probably had not yet been to the battlefield. Kiyohara did not see that "Hokage-style thinking" in his eyes.
Only after going to the battlefield and witnessing the true shinobi world would Uchiha Itachi begin to contemplate what kind of person he truly was.
Soon, Mikoto brought the dishes to the table. She looked like a gentle and warm woman; though she wore a conservative apron, it could not hide her graceful figure, and her brows carried an air of kindness.
"Kiyohara-kun, I wonder if the food suits your taste," she said softly.
"Lady Mikoto, I like all of this very much," Kiyohara replied.
"Kiyohara-kun, I wonder if the dishes suit your taste."
"Lady Mikoto, I like all of these very much," Kiyohara replied.
In the original story, Mikoto did not have much on-screen presence, but in the official databooks it was recorded that she had retired as a jonin. In other words, it was very likely that Mikoto had once possessed… a three-tomoe Sharingan.
"Has your new mission been assigned yet, Kiyohara-kun?" Fugaku asked at the dining table.
Even if a shinobi was on leave, it would only last a few days at most. Now that they were in a time of war, the majority of their time still had to be spent carrying out missions.
"Not yet. It should come down in a few days," Kiyohara replied.
Now that he had gained the ability to fly by relying on Magnet Release, there was actually not much difference no matter where he went. Although this ability had not yet been revealed, when necessary, it could also become a lethal weapon. Whether for pursuit or escape, it was an extremely useful capability.
"If Kiyohara-kun has any needs, you can also accept guidance from the shinobis of our Uchiha clan," Fugaku continued.
Kiyohara nodded slightly, understanding that he had effectively demonstrated his value in terms of political alignment. At present, he was close to Orochimaru, and the Hokage also held him in high regard, so Fugaku's attitude toward him was naturally quite gentle.
Time quietly passed. After the meal, Kiyohara and Shisui took their leave. Shisui escorted him to the entrance of the clan grounds. After the two said their goodbyes, Kiyohara walked back to his residence alone.
"In the end, it all comes down to one's own strength," Kiyohara said as he rubbed his chin. He suddenly thought, if Obito still ended up joining forces with Itachi to wipe out the clan, then would he, this so-called "outsider Uchiha," really count as an Uchiha?
...
Several days later, a new mission was issued. This time, Kiyohara's task was to escort supplies to the area near Kikyo Mountain. Sunagakure's incursions into the Land of Fire were becoming more and more frequent.
The mission itself was not high-ranked, only a C-rank. However, due to the special nature of escorting supplies, there was always the possibility that enemies would attempt to sabotage the supply line, which meant encountering all kinds of opponents. The difficulty could rise from C-rank to B-rank, or even an A-rank mission. All of that depended on probability. Kiyohara felt that the probability was quite high.
In the battle of Kikyo Pass, Konoha had lost many shinobis, the fighting had been extremely brutal. It was during this period that Kabuto was adopted by Yakushi Nono, who had already become the head of an orphanage. After meeting the amnesiac Kabuto, Yakushi Nono gave him her surname, "Yakushi," and named him Kabuto.
'I wonder how much Yakushi Nono's medical ninjutsu differs from Tsunade's,' Kiyohara thought to himself.
It was rather remarkable, these two top-tier medical shinobis both had a strong need for money. Tsunade was for gambling, while Yakushi Nono was for the children of the orphanage. Danzo had also relied on money to keep Yakushi Nono under his thumb.
By now, Kiyohara had already sold the batch of materials he had obtained from the Mist shinobis and Mist ANBU he encountered in the Land of Grass. This sale brought in even more than last time, a full two million ryō.
"If I use money to buy medical ninjutsu, it might be easier to open negotiations on Yakushi Nono's side," Kiyohara muttered, stroking his chin.
Because of Tsunade's hemophobia, there were many shortcomings when it came to her teaching medical ninjutsu. The biggest difference between medical ninjutsu and other ninjutsu was that it required hands-on practice and actual surgery. Without someone guiding you, trying to learn it entirely through self-study made it very easy to go wrong.
If he used money to win over Yakushi Nono, he might even receive her careful, personal instruction. Compared to re-entering the shinobi world, teaching medical ninjutsu did not really violate Yakushi Nono's principles. In both the anime and the manga, she had taught medical ninjutsu to some talented orphans.
After pondering for a moment, Kiyohara continued with his training. The mission was scheduled to depart at noon tomorrow. It was currently afternoon, and he still had half a day left to train. The technique Lightning Release: Thunder Crash was already ninety percent mastered, he was just a final step away from complete control.
In the courtyard, Kiyohara once again immersed himself in training.
Lightning-natured chakra surged through his chakra network, flowing along the pathways of his chest, throat, and mouth. Some of the escaping Lightning Release chakra flickered around him, forming faint arcs of electricity.
During the process, he did not forget to call out the spirit of Uchiha Kiyohara to help guide him. Uchiha Kiyohara, who possessed a three-tomoe Sharingan, had copied many ninjutsu, so instructing him in Lightning Release cultivation was more than sufficient.
After continuing his training for three hours—
"Lightning Release: Thunder Crash!"
A thick bolt of blue lightning spewed from his mouth, striking directly onto the wooden training post Kiyohara had purchased. In an instant, the post was blasted into fragments, leaving behind charred debris.
Success.
Feeling the residual fluctuations of chakra within his body, Kiyohara curved his lips into a faint smile. The power of this technique was even greater than he had imagined—fast, highly penetrating, and extremely suitable for sneak attacks.
...
Elsewhere.
Hiruzen Sarutobi finished handling the day's official affairs. He looked out the window at the scenery outside—the street lamps had already been lit, and the number of people on the streets was gradually increasing.
"Is it that time already," Hiruzen murmured, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall as he prepared to go home and train. Although his youngest son, Asuma, had been sent to the battlefield to gain experience, his eldest son and daughter-in-law were both in the ANBU, so they were still stationed in the village, responsible for guard duties.
Just as Hiruzen was about to head straight home, he suddenly thought of Kiyohara. A few days ago, he had handed the scroll for Lightning Release: Thunder Crash to Kiyohara, and he did not know how far Kiyohara's training had progressed. Thinking of this, Hiruzen decided to go take a look. If he wanted to cultivate a trusted subordinate, it was best to provide more guidance during their training.
"Hokage-sama."
An ANBU responsible for guarding opened the door. Hiruzen nodded slightly, and the other ANBU melted back into the shadows, continuing their covert protection. During the background investigation on Kiyohara, Hiruzen had already learned the location of his residence. He walked over step by step.
Before long, he arrived near Kiyohara's home. Before even entering, his keen sensory abilities detected fluctuations of chakra.
"Still practicing ninjutsu this late?"
Hiruzen had originally come to ask about Kiyohara's progress, but he did not expect Kiyohara to be training at this hour.
Boom!
The crackling sound of electric arcs filled the air. That familiar sound caused Hiruzen to freeze. As the developer of this Lightning Release technique himself, he knew very well what a successful execution looked like. This sound—why did it sound like it had been successfully released? If it had failed, the electrical noises should have been more scattered, not so condensed and focused.
With that thought, Hiruzen placed his hand on the door and pushed. To his surprise, it opened easily. He clearly saw the figure inside. What entered his vision was Kiyohara, with pale blue lightning arcs swirling around his mouth, as though he were holding a pool of blue liquid.
BOOM!
Already at dusk, in the dim courtyard, a white python wrapped in thunder tore through the air. Spear-shaped lightning burst forth from Kiyohara's mouth, striking straight into the half-broken wooden post ahead. The thick arcs of electricity displayed a ferocious side, like a real python, easily shredding the wooden post apart and even striking the ground behind it. The lightning illuminated all the darkness in an instant, turning it as bright as day and also lighting up the slightly stunned expression on Hiruzen's face.
He had originally only wanted to come check on Kiyohara's situation, but he never expected to witness such a scene. Lightning Release: Thunder Crash, the B-rank ninjutsu he had given to Kiyohara only a few days ago.
A few days?
No, only five days!
Five days to master a B-rank ninjutsu? Hiruzen felt his throat go dry. In his youth, he had been known as the "The Professor," able to use all five basic chakra natures, a widely acknowledged genius. Yet even he, at this age, could not have learned a B-rank ninjutsu so quickly.
He thought of his three disciples. Jiraiya's talent was average but he relied on effort and perseverance. Tsunade inherited the Senju bloodline and possessed outstanding talent in medical ninjutsu, but she was not particularly exceptional in other ninjutsu. Only Orochimaru, the genius with a fanatical pursuit of ninjutsu, who was also born with all five chakra natures.
That was why Hiruzen had always felt Orochimaru was the disciple most like himself, and the one most suitable to inherit his mantle. Even Minato who he valued so highly was not as similar to him as Orochimaru was. Minato possessed only Fire, Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang chakra natures, lacking two of the basic elemental natures.
Shinobi naturally proficient in all five basic chakra natures were extremely rare. At the very least, according to intelligence, Hiruzen already knew that Kiyohara could use four chakra natures. When Orochimaru was young, did he even display something like this?
No—this could not be compared so simply. Hiruzen suddenly realized that Kiyohara was not just fast at mastering basic elemental ninjutsu. He also possessed… dual kekkei genkai.
It was only then that Kiyohara "noticed" Hiruzen, quickly turning around and asking, "Hokage-sama, what brings you here?"
In truth, Kiyohara had long since learned of Hiruzen's approach through the spirit of Uchiha Kiyohara. Because that spirit had been floating outside the whole time to guide him, Kiyohara had known of Hiruzen's arrival immediately.
Hiruzen steadied himself and walked into the courtyard.
"I came to take a look at you," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "That jutsu just now… was it Lightning Release: Thunder Crash?"
"Yes," Kiyohara nodded. "Thanks to the scroll Hokage-sama gave me, I've already gained preliminary mastery of it."
"Preliminary mastery…" Hiruzen repeated the words. The power and stability of that lightning strike just now—how could that possibly be called preliminary mastery?
"Kiyohara, your talent… is truly excellent," Hiruzen said as he looked at him, his gaze complicated. He could not help but feel that this child bore more than a few traces of his own former self.
(End of Chapter)