This technique had power.
Kiyohara felt that it was practically tailor made for a shinobi like him who possessed an enormous amount of chakra.
Everyone knew that the markings of the Flying Thunder God Technique were extremely difficult to erase. Unless someone possessed methods on the level of Ten Tails Obito, or directly severed the marked object entirely, the mark would remain attached to the target even after decades had passed.
Which meant that theoretically, as long as he successfully placed a Flying Thunder God mark on someone, he could teleport over, slash the enemy once, then instantly teleport back home.
Repeat those two steps endlessly. Stab the enemy once while they were sleeping. Stab them once while they were in the bathroom. Stab them once even while they were eating.
Of course, there were limitations.
For example, sensing distance. If the mark was too far away, it could no longer be perceived, and there was no way of knowing whether the area around the mark was safe.
There was also the issue that the farther the distance, the greater the chakra consumption.
But for Kiyohara, those two problems were actually manageable.
After inheriting the complete bloodline of the Yotsuki Clan, even Kiyohara's sensory range had improved.
Then Kiyohara continued his training.
Kunai appeared in various corners of the courtyard while Kiyohara's figure flashed along with them.
He was already capable of completing three consecutive short range teleports, and had begun attempting to throw kunai while moving, as well as launching attacks at the exact instant the teleportation ended.
While Kiyohara trained, Tsunade also woke up groggily.
She had slept all the way until noon. Her long golden hair was somewhat messy, and she wore only a black sleeveless nightdress.
One of the shoulder straps had slipped down to the crook of her arm, exposing her smooth shoulder and delicate collarbone.
Still half asleep, she rubbed her eyes in a daze and pulled the strap back into place. Only when she sat up did she finally notice Kiyohara in the courtyard outside the window.
"You're still training…"
Tsunade yawned as she leaned against the windowsill.
From this angle, she could clearly see every detail of Kiyohara's training.
Tsunade suddenly thought that if Kiyohara completely mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique…
Then in the future, when she traveled around the shinobi world with him, would they not be able to visit any casino they wanted whenever they wanted?
Today they could be in Tanzaku Town. Tomorrow they could arrive in the Land of Hot Water. The day after that, maybe they would already be in the Land of Iron…
"Hehe…"
Tsunade could not help laughing out loud. She quickly covered her mouth and glanced around.
Luckily, nobody noticed.
She happily withdrew back into the room to wash up.
By evening, Kiyohara ended his training and returned indoors.
Tsunade had already changed into her usual sleeveless top along with the green jacket bearing the gambling kanji on the back. She sat cross legged on the tatami in the living room, absentmindedly flipping through a medical journal.
Because of her posture, her cropped pants had ridden slightly upward, revealing a section of her fair ankle.
"Sensei, what do you want for dinner tonight?"
Kiyohara asked while wiping away sweat.
"Chicken ramen!"
Tsunade immediately raised her head.
"The spicy kind!"
"Alright."
Kiyohara walked toward the kitchen, but first he took a small plate of cold side dishes from a ceramic jar and placed it on the small table in front of Tsunade.
It was sunomono that he had prepared earlier. (Cucumber Salad)
A common cold dish in the shinobi world, usually marinated with vinegar.
It was crisp and refreshing, capable of stimulating the appetite while also cutting through grease after meals.
Tsunade picked up a piece with her chopsticks and placed it into her mouth.
The balanced sweet and sour flavor spread across her tongue, causing her eyes to narrow in satisfaction.
While Kiyohara busied himself in the kitchen, Shizune also returned.
She set down the ingredients she had purchased and wanted to help, but Kiyohara politely declined.
"I'll handle it today. Shizune should just rest."
"Then… then I'll help set out the bowls and chopsticks."
Shizune said softly.
Not long afterward, a rich aroma drifted out from the kitchen.
The fresh fragrance of chicken, the richness of the bone broth, and the spicy scent of chili mixed together, making anyone's appetite surge.
By the time the ramen was served, Tsunade was already sitting perfectly upright, staring fixedly into the bowl.
"I'm digging in!"
Tsunade pressed her palms together briefly before impatiently lifting a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks.
She ate quickly, yet her table manners were not crude at all. Instead, there was a bold and refreshing beauty to the way she ate.
The steam reddened her fair cheeks, and several strands of golden hair stuck to the corners of her forehead, yet she did not care in the slightest.
Kiyohara sat across from her, eating calmly and methodically.
During the meal, Tsunade suddenly spoke.
"Kiyohara, want to come to the casino with me tomorrow? I haven't gone to Konoha's gambling halls in a long time. My hands are getting itchy."
"Tomorrow I want to continue training."
Kiyohara put down his chopsticks.
"I've only just started getting a feel for the Flying Thunder God Technique. I can't stop midway. Once my training reaches a stable point, I'll accompany Sensei then."
In reality, today was also the time when a new "Last Will" was supposed to arrive, so Kiyohara only wanted to stay home and wait.
Tsunade puffed out her lips slightly, but in the end she still nodded.
"Alright… training is more important."
Naturally, she understood priorities.
Kiyohara's growth speed was so astonishing not only because of talent, but also because of this self discipline.
As his teacher, she could not delay her disciple's future simply because of her own hobbies.
After dinner, Shizune took the initiative to clean the dishes while Kiyohara once again stepped into the courtyard.
This time, he was practicing another technique he had obtained previously.
The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
He had also learned this technique half a month ago.
Ordinary Shadow Clone Technique created solid clone bodies, while the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique infused chakra into thrown shuriken, causing them to split and multiply during flight, creating solid shuriken clones.
Kiyohara guided a stream of gold sand from the gourd at his waist. Under chakra manipulation, the gold sand condensed in the air and transformed into dozens of golden shuriken.
He raised his hand and threw them.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
The instant chakra flowed into them, the golden shuriken trembled in midair.
Then one became two.
Two became four.
Four became eight…
In the blink of an eye, dozens of shuriken transformed into hundreds of golden streaks of light that shot toward the distant wooden posts.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The dense impacts merged into a single continuous sound.
The wooden posts were instantly riddled with holes, their surfaces covered with golden shuriken until they resembled giant hedgehogs.
Standing in the courtyard, Kiyohara waved his hand, and the gold sand shuriken transformed back into flowing grains before returning to the gourd once more.
This technique was extremely convenient. After firing the weapons, they could still be recovered afterward.
'It's very similar to Minato's techniques…'
Kiyohara fell into thought.
Minato had also obtained the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique from Hiruzen.
The only difference was that Minato's shuriken were green, while Kiyohara's were gold.
After resting briefly, Kiyohara continued training.
His chakra reserves were enormous, allowing him to train for long periods without feeling exhausted.
And even if he did deplete his chakra, Kiyohara still possessed a backup battery pack, namely the Yin Seal.
As long as he drew upon the chakra stored within it, he could continue training endlessly.
The night gradually deepened.
Kiyohara returned to his bedroom and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.
He was waiting.
Based on previous experience, the "Last Will" should arrive soon.
Until finally, at a certain moment—
[Please retrieve your alternate future self's last will and urn. Make sure to properly take care of their remains.]
The cold synthesized female voice echoed from the depths of his mind.
Kiyohara opened his eyes.
It had arrived.
His consciousness sank into his spiritual world, where a brand new urn floated in the air.
Besides the previously floating urn bearing the symbol of Kumogakure, there was now another new existence.
It was a completely black urn with metallic decorations embedded along the edges. Upon its surface was a winding snake emblem, the serpent's head slightly raised as though it could lunge from the box at any moment.
"A snake emblem… Ryuchi Cave?"
Kiyohara's spiritual form stared at the new urn, already carrying a vague guess in his heart.
He stretched out his hand, his fingertips touching the lid.
A cold sensation spread through him.
Click.
The lid slowly slid open with a crack.
Then came a hissing sound of friction.
Immediately afterward, a pale figure slowly crawled out from the gap.
It was not a human form.
The first thing to emerge was a thick snake tail covered in fine white scales, the tip swaying lightly through the air.
"Hiss… another me."
White Snake Kiyohara spoke in a hoarse voice.
"It seems that you walked down a different fork in the road from mine."
Kiyohara carefully observed this future self who differed from him as completely as heaven and earth.
Another nonhuman future.
Kiyohara felt that if things kept developing like this, even the bloodline of the Otsutsuki Clan probably would not be as mixed as his.
"You're from Ryuchi Cave… a sage?"
Kiyohara asked, his gaze falling onto the other man's serpentine body.
"A sage? Heh, not even close."
White Snake Kiyohara's vertical pupils narrowed slightly. His forked tongue flicked lightly near his lips before retracting again.
"I was merely fortunate… or perhaps unfortunate enough to be born in Ryuchi Cave, and for my bloodline to evolve in that direction. At best… I can be considered one of the higher ranked white snakes there, capable of taking human form like the three Snake Princesses."
White Snake Kiyohara explained.
"You can even transform into a human?"
Kiyohara froze briefly.
That already sounded far more impressive than Toad Kiyohara.
"Show me."
Kiyohara said immediately.
The snakes of Ryuchi Cave did seem far better at taking human form than the toads of Mount Myoboku.
Even their leader, the White Snake Sage, could transform into a human appearance.
At Kiyohara's request, White Snake Kiyohara's massive snake body slowly began to distort and change.
His human form possessed pale skin and a face that resembled Kiyohara by seventy or eighty percent. However, his eyes were the vertical pupils of a cold blooded creature, pale gold in color, while his lips were thin and sharp.
Long white hair cascaded down to his waist, the tips curling slightly like a snake's tongue.
He raised one hand, his fingers long and slender, nails sharp at the tips. He casually brushed aside the white hair hanging before his forehead, his movements carrying an elegant grace unique to serpents.
Kiyohara looked him over and realized that the appearance was actually rather good.
There was even a bit of his own style to it.
"So what abilities do you have?"
Kiyohara asked impatiently.
"Ryuchi Cave Sage Arts."
White Snake Kiyohara paused briefly before continuing.
"The ability to sense, absorb, and manipulate natural energy… along with certain ninjutsu, poisons, shedding and regeneration, soft body techniques, and…"
He opened his mouth, revealing two thick white fangs.
"Like the White Snake Sage, I can use these fangs to inject natural energy into others. Of course, if the target cannot bear the power of that natural energy, the price is immediate death."
The moment Kiyohara heard that, he understood.
This was Ryuchi Cave's traditional method of Sage Art cultivation.
Those who pursued power could, if fortunate, transform into snakes.
If unfortunate, they would simply be devoured by the White Snake Sage in a single bite.
"What's the success rate?"
Kiyohara asked again.
"Pathetically low."
White Snake Kiyohara shook his head.
"I've seen many people seduced by the promise of power stumble into Ryuchi Cave. They knelt and begged, desperate to obtain the power of sages. I gave them a chance… unfortunately, without exception, every single one of them died.
Either they were torn apart by violent natural energy, or their bodies underwent irreversible mutations, transforming into snakes before eventually being cleaned up by me or the others."
"I see."
Kiyohara could only nod.
Still, the ability itself was quite interesting.
Samehada was theoretically a living creature as well, so what would happen if Samehada were "sagefied"?
Or perhaps, through this method, he could bestow Sage Arts upon others.
Of course, the success rate was far too low. Even Orochimaru had failed.
Kiyohara estimated that either the process had to be weakened, or the recipient's physical constitution had to be greatly strengthened beforehand.
"So how did you die?"
Kiyohara shifted to another topic.
A flash of killing intent passed through White Snake Kiyohara's vertical pupils.
"Garaga."
He spat out the name.
"That one eyed crimson giant snake that lives deep within the violent serpent nest of Ryuchi Cave. It has an irritable temperament and terrifying strength, especially its petrification technique, which sprays a liquid from its eye capable of instantly turning opponents into stone statues.
It lost one eye during battle long ago, which only made its personality more twisted. Nobody in Ryuchi Cave likes it. Everyone avoids it."
He paused, seemingly recalling that battle.
"I thought I had become strong enough. My Sage Arts had already reached a respectable level, and if I wanted to advance further… I needed to challenge stronger beings. So I set my sights on Garaga. In the end…"
White Snake Kiyohara pointed at the chest of his spiritual body.
"The petrification fluid it spat landed on my chest. Although I resisted with Sage Chakra in time and avoided being fully turned to stone, my movements still slowed. Garaga seized the opportunity, and then I died."
"I see."
Kiyohara immediately understood.
"One of your last wills is to kill Garaga?"
"Correct."
White Snake Kiyohara nodded, his vertical pupils fixed firmly upon Kiyohara.
"My first last will is for you to kill that damned one-eyed snake and avenge my death."
"Fine."
Kiyohara agreed without hesitation.
In Boruto, Garaga eventually became Boruto's summon. Its strength was certainly formidable, but with Kiyohara's current power, it was not an impossible opponent to defeat.
"And the second last will?"
White Snake Kiyohara's pale lips parted slightly as he uttered several words.
"Obtain the Eight Branches Technique."
"The Eight Branches Technique?"
Kiyohara's heart stirred slightly.
He was not unfamiliar with that technique.
Back when he had opened the Scroll of Seals in the Hokage's office, although his primary goal had been the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had still skimmed through the other recorded techniques.
The Eight Branches Technique had not been listed there.
There were also rumors claiming Orochimaru had retrieved the technique from the forbidden vaults himself, meaning he had chosen the Eight Branches Technique and the Impure World Reincarnation.
However, Kiyohara personally felt that what Orochimaru had actually taken was more likely the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique, because the illustration beside the white snake had included the character for "transfer."
Of course, Kiyohara did not know which version was true.
Only Orochimaru himself could answer that.
Still, regardless of the truth, Orochimaru was unquestionably deeply connected to this technique.
If he sought out Orochimaru, Kiyohara would likely gain quite a bit of inspiration.
The Eight Branches Technique was considered an S rank forbidden technique, allowing the user to transform into an enormous eight headed, eight tailed serpent possessing horrifying vitality and combat strength.
Unfortunately, it had been directly countered by Itachi's Totsuka Blade and sealed away.
"That's right."
White Snake Kiyohara nodded.
"I was born with a serpent body. My bloodline is far closer to the essence of this technique than an artificially modified being like Orochimaru.
If I were the one to use it, both its scale and power would far surpass Orochimaru's version."
His pale golden vertical pupils stared into Kiyohara's eyes.
"In that case, the strength of the technique I cast would also greatly increase. It's a pity that I died before obtaining it."
"I understand."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
The last will only required him to obtain the technique, not necessarily master it.
Kiyohara suddenly became very curious.
If he inherited White Snake Kiyohara's bloodline and then used the Eight Branches Technique himself, what kind of result would it produce?
After all, this technique could practically be considered a substitute for Susanoo.
It possessed a gigantic body, extremely high defensive power, and tremendous destructive strength.
"I understand."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
"I'll do my best to fulfill both last wills. Garaga's death… and the Eight Branches Technique."
"That's enough."
White Snake Kiyohara transformed back into his serpent form before slowly crawling back into the urn to rest.
Kiyohara's consciousness returned to reality.
Traveling to Ryuchi Cave to kill Garaga, and obtaining Orochimaru's core forbidden technique, the Eight Branches Technique…
At present, he had not fallen out with Orochimaru. He was still Orochimaru's assistant, meaning he still possessed a perfectly reasonable excuse to approach him.
"Perfect timing to see whether his first version of the Curse Mark has been completed."
Kiyohara thought silently.
He stood up, feeling his throat somewhat dry, and headed downstairs to the kitchen for water.
Only a dim wall lamp illuminated the living room. Shizune and Tonton had apparently gone to sleep long ago.
Kiyohara poured himself a glass of cold water. He had only taken two sips when the sound of a key turning in the entryway echoed through the house, followed by slightly sluggish footsteps. The door gently opened and closed.
Tsunade's figure appeared at the boundary between light and shadow in the living room.
She kicked off her shinobi sandals and stepped barefoot onto the cool floor, producing faint sounds before lightly sighing and rubbing her brow.
"Hm? Kiyohara, you're still awake?"
Tsunade noticed the kitchen light and Kiyohara's figure, raising her head in slight surprise.
"I came down for water. Sensei just got back?"
Kiyohara approached while holding the glass.
Under the dim lighting, he could clearly see the slight crease between Tsunade's brows, as well as the obvious frustration and unwillingness lingering within those brown gold eyes that were usually so spirited.
Without needing to ask, Kiyohara already knew.
Tsunade had lost again.
And she had probably lost badly.
"Yeah… I'm back."
Tsunade walked toward the sofa in a dispirited manner and dropped heavily onto the soft cushions, resting an arm over her forehead.
"I lost another fortune."
Kiyohara was already used to this and answered instinctively.
"Sounds normal."
"How is that normal?!"
Tsunade immediately removed her arm and glared at him, her cheeks puffing slightly with childish protest.
"I clearly felt like my luck was going to be good today. It was all because of those last few hands…"
Watching her angry expression, a faint smile flashed through Kiyohara's eyes.
Tsunade usually appeared decisive and forceful, but around people she was close to, she still had a rather childish side.
Kiyohara set down his water glass.
"If I have time tomorrow, I'll accompany Sensei to the casino."
Tsunade blinked.
The frustration on her face instantly faded by more than half, replaced with sparkling anticipation.
"Really?"
"Mm. But the usual rules still apply."
Kiyohara added.
"I know, I know. Once I lose past a certain amount, I stop."
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, her tone becoming lighter as though even the exhaustion from earlier had faded somewhat.
She leaned back against the sofa once more, the corners of her lips curving upward as she snorted softly, apparently accepting the consolation.
"Now that's more like it."
After Tsunade returned to her room to sleep, Kiyohara also went back upstairs.
Aside from dealing with the last wills, Kiyohara estimated that this war would not continue for much longer.
Sunagakure had already formed an alliance.
Iwagakure and Kirigakure were both beginning to show signs of exhaustion.
The only one remaining now was Kumogakure.
(End of Chapter)