The History of Warring States Seals contained the location where Uchiha Hikari had been sealed.
"The fuinjutsu used on Uchiha Hikari is rather interesting."
Kiyohara stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Although Hikari had been known as a "weapon of war," she herself was not much different from an ordinary member of the Uchiha Clan.
The only real difference was that her Mangekyo ability was so overwhelmingly powerful that she could even transplant and wield the dojutsu techniques of others.
However, that ability did not grant her any increase in lifespan.
Hikari had remained sealed for countless years, and when the seal was finally released in the era of Boruto, she still possessed the appearance of a young girl.
That alone was enough to prove that the fuinjutsu technique used on her had the ability to freeze the passage of time.
As for exactly how it accomplished that, how long it could maintain the effect, or what its limits were, Kiyohara had no way of knowing.
"I should make some preparations before going there."
That was his conclusion.
The reason was simple.
He possessed the Sharingan. To anyone else, he appeared to be a man carrying Uchiha blood.
And the person Hikari hated more than anyone was the Uchiha Clan.
Up until the moment she was sealed away, Hikari had either been imprisoned inside the Uchiha clan's underground prison or released only to fight battles for others.
She had never experienced a normal life.
That was why, after being freed, she immediately chose to cooperate with the villains and decided to make the entire world experience pain.
After carefully reading through the records describing the fuinjutsu technique, Kiyohara left the archives and returned to Tsunade's home.
"You're back?"
Tsunade's voice was slightly slurred.
Kiyohara walked over and sat down beside her.
"Sensei has been drinking quite a bit."
Tsunade snorted softly.
"I'm happy today."
She set the sake flask aside, leaned backward, and allowed herself to sink into the soft sofa.
Her full, curvaceous hips pressed deeply into the cushion, leaving a noticeable indentation that emphasized their smooth, rounded shape.
The light blue fabric stretched snugly over her figure, faintly outlining the fullness beneath.
She raised her eyes and looked toward Kiyohara.
"Kid, now that you've become Hokage, how does it feel?"
Kiyohara looked back at her.
Her beautiful face was flushed from the alcohol, her cheeks carrying a rosy glow.
"It's... alright."
Becoming Hokage was nowhere near as exciting as he had imagined.
In fact, the feeling wasn't even as satisfying as fulfilling Uzumaki Kiyohara's final last will and inheriting everything that had been left behind.
To Kiyohara, the position of Hokage was merely a title.
True power was what really mattered.
As long as he possessed enough strength, even if he built an entirely new village from scratch, countless people would willingly choose to follow him.
"Just alright?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"If I said it felt amazing, wouldn't that make me sound a little arrogant?"
Kiyohara smiled.
"Fair enough."
Tsunade felt that his words actually made sense.
She straightened herself and leaned closer.
"We have to celebrate today!"
Her voice carried obvious excitement.
"I'll take you to the casino. I guarantee we'll win big!"
Kiyohara suddenly had no idea how to respond.
Win big?
With Tsunade around, they'd be lucky if they didn't lose everything.
"Isn't there any other way to celebrate?"
he asked.
"What else is there?"
Tsunade replied.
Kiyohara's gaze slowly settled on her slightly parted lips.
The faint moisture left behind by the alcohol still glistened upon their soft fullness.
The next moment, he leaned forward.
His lips met hers.
Tsunade's body instantly stiffened.
Her beautiful brown-gold eyes widened in complete disbelief.
This brat...
He was becoming bolder and bolder.
Instinctively, she tried to push him away.
But Kiyohara's arms held her tightly.
Her struggle accomplished nothing.
The sweet fragrance of sake lingered between their lips, blending with the familiar scent that belonged only to him.
For some reason, that scent left her mind slightly dazed.
Then she remembered.
This wasn't even the first time they had shared a kiss.
The strength of her resistance gradually weakened.
If one really thought about it...
Wasn't she the older woman taking advantage of someone much younger?
She had no idea how much time had passed before Kiyohara finally released her.
Tsunade's chest rose and fell heavily.
Her beautiful face had become completely crimson.
She glared at him, her eyes filled with embarrassment and irritation.
Then she slowly lifted one bare foot.
She placed it directly on top of his.
And pressed down.
The force was so gentle it could almost be ignored.
The warm softness of her pale sole rested against the top of his foot.
Kiyohara lowered his head and looked at the foot standing on his.
Its arch was elegant.
Her toes were small and beautifully shaped.
The red polish on her toenails reflected a faint shimmer beneath the lights.
At this moment, embarrassment still lingered inside her golden-brown eyes, yet there was also an indescribable emotion hidden within them.
Kiyohara quietly looked at her.
His arm still circled her slender waist.
Even through the thin layer of clothing, he could clearly feel the firmness and softness beneath his palm.
Instead of letting go, he tightened his embrace even more.
Tsunade's breathing immediately became uneven.
She could clearly feel his hand slowly moving across her waist.
The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric, sending an indescribable sensation through her body.
Her entire body involuntarily tensed.
"K... Kid..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"That's... enough..."
Kiyohara gave no reply.
He simply continued looking at her.
His gaze slowly drifted downward.
First, it landed on her lips.
They had become slightly swollen from the kiss they had just shared.
Then his eyes moved lower.
To her collarbone.
Her smooth, fair skin appeared and disappeared beneath the edge of her neckline.
Finally...
His gaze stopped upon her chest.
The sleeveless top stretched tightly across her figure, outlining its generous curves.
Feeling his eyes upon her, Tsunade's face turned even redder.
"K... Kiyohara, what are you doing..."
She tried to push him away again.
Only to realize that his arms were as immovable as iron.
Just then...
Footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Tsunade's entire body froze.
She hurriedly pushed Kiyohara away before frantically straightening her clothes.
She adjusted her collar.
Smoothed the hem of her skirt.
Gathered the loose strands of hair behind her ear.
Slowly, she calmed her hurried breathing while the blush on her face gradually faded.
The door opened.
Shizune walked inside.
Tonton was cradled in her arms.
Confusion filled her eyes.
"Lady Tsunade, I'm back."
She looked toward Tsunade.
"Huh? Lady Tsunade, why is your face so red?"
Tsunade's body stiffened again.
"...I drank too much."
She turned her face away, not daring to look at Kiyohara.
Shizune blinked before turning toward him.
Kiyohara sat calmly on the sofa as though nothing had happened, leisurely holding a teacup while sipping tea.
Shizune scratched her head.
Something felt... strange.
But she couldn't figure out exactly what.
Lady Tsunade had indeed drunk quite a lot today.
A flushed face wasn't unusual.
"Lady Tsunade, you should drink a little less."
Walking over beside her, Shizune bent down.
"I'll go give Tonton a bath."
"...Mm... Go ahead."
Tsunade's voice sounded somewhat unnatural.
Holding Tonton, Shizune headed toward the bathroom.
The door closed behind her.
Silence once again filled the living room.
Only Kiyohara and Tsunade remained.
Taking a deep breath, Tsunade turned her head and glared fiercely at him.
Embarrassment still lingered in her golden-brown eyes, but now there was also a trace of caution.
Seeing her expression, the corner of Kiyohara's mouth slowly curved upward.
"Sensei, why are you so nervous?"
"You...!"
Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"You little brat! Just you wait!"
Kiyohara simply smiled.
He stood up.
"Get some rest early, Sensei."
Turning around, he walked toward the staircase.
Before Tsunade could even react, he had already disappeared around the corner.
His footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Tsunade remained seated on the sofa.
Her chest continued rising and falling heavily.
The blush still had not completely left her beautiful face.
'This rebellious disciple has absolutely no respect for his teacher.'
she thought to herself.
Yet strangely enough...
She did not dislike it very much.
If Shizune had not suddenly returned...
Even Tsunade herself had no idea how far things would have gone.
This time, Shizune had interrupted them.
But what about next time?
Upstairs.
Inside Kiyohara's room.
He sat before his desk and took out the black chakra magnet stone from a sealing scroll.
The stone had already turned a deep violet.
Within its surface, the faint silhouette of a tiny dragon could be seen swimming back and forth.
He slowly raised one hand.
His fingers spread apart.
Chakra flowed from his palm and gradually seeped into the stone.
Dark purple mist slowly spread across its surface before gathering into a small cloud floating above his hand.
It was Moryo's chakra.
Kiyohara carefully observed it.
Exactly as he had expected, this chakra was fundamentally different from ordinary chakra.
Rather than being pure, it was mixed together with countless negative emotions.
Anger.
Fear.
Greed.
Hatred.
All of those emotions had fused together to create this unique chakra.
"So it truly was born from humanity's darkness..."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
No wonder Moryo could never be completely destroyed.
As long as humanity continued to exist...
As long as those negative emotions remained...
It would continue to resurrect itself again and again.
But that was not what concerned Kiyohara right now.
What Kiyohara truly cared about was the nature of this chakra.
It was Yin Release.
The essence of this chakra was an unusual form of Yin Release chakra.
It resembled the ocular power of the Uchiha Clan, yet at the same time it was fundamentally different.
The Uchiha's dojutsu was a manifestation of spiritual energy.
This chakra, on the other hand, was a manifestation of negative emotions.
Even so, both ultimately belonged to the domain of Yin Release.
"So the so-called 'Dark Medical Ninjutsu' is actually a unique form of Yin Release medical ninjutsu..."
Kiyohara fell into deep thought.
Conventional medical ninjutsu primarily relied upon Yang Release.
Yang chakra stimulated cellular regeneration, accelerated wound healing, and replenished vitality.
But Moryo's Dark Medical was completely different.
Instead of healing through Yang Release, it forcefully transformed the physical body using Yin Release chakra, breaking through the body's natural limitations.
The shinobi of the Land of Swamps had all undergone grotesque mutations after absorbing Moryo's chakra.
Their physical strength skyrocketed.
Their regenerative abilities skyrocketed.
Even their chakra reserves experienced an explosive increase.
"If..."
A thought suddenly flashed through Kiyohara's mind.
If he could gain complete control over this Yin Release chakra...
If he could retain only its advantages while removing its drawbacks...
If he could eliminate the side effect of physical mutation altogether...
Then what kind of result would that produce?
A possibility immediately surfaced in his mind.
Chakra Mode.
The Lightning Release Chakra Mode wrapped lightning around the user's entire body, dramatically enhancing speed and offensive power.
The Lava Release Chakra Mode enveloped the body in lava, granting it the blazing heat of molten rock.
Then...
What if Yin Release chakra enveloped the entire body?
What kind of effect would that create?
"Using Dark Medical Ninjutsu to develop a Yin Release Chakra Mode..."
The more Kiyohara considered it, the more feasible the theory appeared.
Yin Release chakra could strengthen spiritual energy.
It could sharpen perception.
Increase resistance against genjutsu.
Perhaps it could even directly interfere with another person's consciousness.
If Yin Release chakra could completely cover his body and form a layer of what could be called Yin Release Armor...
Then just how terrifying would his resistance to genjutsu become?
Perhaps that very armor could even influence the minds of everyone around him.
Kiyohara suddenly thought of the Chakra Armor developed elsewhere.
Perhaps he could use that as a reference while constructing this new technique.
"It deserves experimentation."
Putting those thoughts aside for the moment, Kiyohara turned his attention back to the dark purple chakra floating above his palm.
Before anything else, he needed to determine its exact properties.
He opened one of the drawers beneath his desk and removed a small cage.
Curled up quietly inside was a white laboratory mouse.
Kiyohara slowly raised his hand.
A strand of dark violet chakra as thin as a human hair drifted from his palm before gently entering the mouse's body.
The mouse suddenly became rigid.
A moment later, it began trembling violently.
Its originally glossy black eyes slowly took on a faint purple glow.
Its body began to swell.
Muscles bulged beneath its skin.
Tiny cracking sounds echoed as its bones expanded.
Within only a few breaths, the tiny mouse had grown to well over twice its original size.
It slowly lifted its head.
Those glowing purple eyes stared directly at Kiyohara.
Kiyohara quietly observed it.
He could clearly sense that the mouse's vitality was increasing at an astonishing speed.
But at the very same time...
Its sanity was rapidly disappearing.
Replacing it was nothing but pure...
Violence.
The mouse suddenly began smashing itself against the metal cage.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Loud metallic clangs echoed throughout the room.
Kiyohara observed the experiment for a while before raising his hand once more.
A gentle stream of chakra flowed from his palm and entered the mouse's body.
This time, it was his own chakra.
Mixed within it was Asura's Yang Release chakra.
As that chakra entered the mouse, it immediately began resisting the dark Yin Release chakra.
Gradually...
The mouse's violent movements slowed.
The purple glow within its eyes began fading, replaced by a trace of clarity.
Its enlarged body also began shrinking.
Little by little, it returned to its original size.
Finally, it collapsed inside the cage, panting heavily.
It was still alive.
Kiyohara withdrew his hand and silently watched the mouse.
Although it had survived, a tremendous amount of its life force had been consumed.
It now appeared as though it had aged several years in only a few minutes.
"So it can be suppressed..."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Asura's Yang Release power happened to perfectly counterbalance the harmful effects of the Yin Release chakra.
If he could locate the precise point of equilibrium between the two...
The massive loss of life force might be completely eliminated.
Immediately afterward, Kiyohara brought out several more laboratory mice.
...
By evening, quite a number of guests had arrived at Tsunade's house.
They were all familiar faces.
The dining table was now covered with steaming dishes.
Kakashi leaned lazily against the wall with his usual dead fish eyes, watching Might Guy, who sat beside him enthusiastically stuffing sushi into his mouth.
Kurenai sat beside Kiyohara, her crimson eyes occasionally drifting toward him.
Across from her, Rin quietly chatted with Shizune.
Tsunade occupied the seat of honor, holding a wine glass with a faint smile on her face.
"Come on!"
She raised her glass.
"Let's celebrate Kiyohara becoming Hokage!"
Everyone immediately lifted their glasses.
Aside from Kiyohara and Tsunade, everyone else was drinking fruit juice.
"Cheers!"
After everyone drank, the atmosphere became even livelier.
Guy suddenly stood up, walked over to Kiyohara, and vigorously slapped him on the shoulder.
"Kiyohara!"
His eyes were filled with excitement.
"I knew it! I knew your youthful spirit would burn all the way to this height!"
Kiyohara smiled modestly.
"It's thanks to everyone's support."
Kakashi also offered his congratulations.
"I suppose from now on, I'll have to call you Hokage-sama."
Kakashi said.
Kiyohara shook his head.
"Just call me Kiyohara."
Kakashi paused for a moment before smiling.
"Alright."
"Kiyohara-kun, congratulations."
Rin also offered her sincere congratulations.
However, there was a trace of melancholy in her voice.
"Um..."
She hesitated briefly.
"Now that you've become Hokage... you'll probably be much busier in the future, won't you?"
Kiyohara nodded.
"Yeah. Most likely."
Although, in his own estimation, that situation would not last very long.
He fully intended to recruit several secretaries to help him handle the endless governmental paperwork.
"I see..."
Rin's delicate face immediately showed disappointment.
...
By the time the gathering finally ended, Kurenai quietly tugged on Kiyohara's sleeve and pulled him into a secluded corner.
"Kiyohara."
She looked up at him.
Her crimson eyes sparkled.
"I have a gift for our future Hokage."
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of gift?"
Kurenai gently pursed her lips.
"Tonight..."
"Come to my house."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Only the two of them could hear it.
Kiyohara looked into her eyes.
Those beautiful crimson eyes carried a playful, knowing smile.
"Alright."
He immediately understood what she meant.
Judging from the timing, Yuhi Shinku was probably away from home again these past few days.
Every time Kiyohara visited Kurenai's house, he always had the strange feeling of parking a ghostly motorcycle downstairs before sneaking inside.
As Rin prepared to head home, she noticed Kurenai and Kiyohara whispering together in the corner.
Confusion filled her heart.
What are Kiyohara-kun and Kurenai talking about?
She thought about it for a while but couldn't come up with an answer.
Eventually, she simply began wondering what excuse she could use next time to spend a little more time with Kiyohara.
...
After washing the dishes together with Shizune, Kiyohara returned to his bedroom.
He quietly watched the clock.
When it finally reached ten thirty at night, he sensed the Flying Thunder God kunai he had left inside Kurenai's home.
Whoosh!
His figure instantly disappeared.
The next moment, he appeared just outside the entrance to Kurenai's bedroom.
"Kurenai?"
Through his perception, Kiyohara could tell that she was still inside the bathroom.
The moment he called out to her, the bathroom door slowly opened.
Kurenai stepped out wearing a thin nightgown.
It was a pale red color.
The fabric was so sheer it was nearly transparent.
Her long, slender legs could be vaguely seen beneath the delicate gauze.
At the same time, Kiyohara noticed several particularly eye-catching details.
Kurenai simply stood there, allowing him to look.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed.
Yet she made no attempt to hide herself.
"Does it look nice?"
she asked softly.
Kiyohara walked over to her.
He gently lifted her chin with one hand.
"It does."
With a gentle pull, he drew her into his embrace.
The two of them sat together on the edge of the bed.
Kiyohara's hand slowly came to rest upon her thigh.
Even through the thin layer of fabric, he could clearly feel the smoothness and elasticity of her skin.
Kurenai's breathing gradually became faster.
Then suddenly...
She caught the scent of another woman lingering on Kiyohara's body.
The fragrance felt strangely familiar.
She was certain she had smelled it somewhere before.
"Why do you smell like another woman?"
Kurenai asked.
Kiyohara's heart skipped a beat.
"It might be Shizune's... or Lady Tsunade's."
He answered casually.
"Really?"
Kurenai narrowed her eyes.
After thinking it over, she remembered that Kiyohara lived together with both Shizune and Tsunade.
It wasn't impossible for their scent to rub off on him.
Besides...
Surely nothing inappropriate could exist between a teacher and her student.
Without hesitation, she ruled out Shizune.
After all, in Kurenai's opinion, Shizune's figure simply couldn't compare to her own.
"By the way..."
Kiyohara lightly cleared his throat and immediately changed the subject.
"Let me show you something."
He knew perfectly well that the lingering fragrance belonged to Tsunade.
There was absolutely no way he could allow this conversation to continue any further.
(End of Chapter)