The ninja guarding the gate immediately recognized Kiyohara and Tsunade.
After some simple entry formalities, everyone returned to Konoha.
When they left, Kiyohara and Tsunade had led a force of one thousand shinobi.
But when they came back, more than three hundred were gone.
Even so, those losses were actually considered fairly acceptable.
After all, that had been Kirigakure's largest invasion of the Land of Wind.
The main defensive burden had been carried by Sunagakure, but Konoha had paid a significant price as well.
By the time Kiyohara and Tsunade finished reporting to Hiruzen Sarutobi at the Hokage Building, dusk had already fallen.
Tsunade immediately made a dash for the casino.
"Tsunade-sama, you just got back. At least go home and rest first…"
Shizune hurried after her with Tonton in her arms, sounding utterly helpless.
"Rest? For what?!"
Tsunade didn't even look back.
"I haven't touched Konoha's dice in ages. My hands are itching!"
Watching the two of them disappear into the distance, Kiyohara shook his head and headed toward Tsunade's house.
He didn't have much luggage. Most of his belongings were stored inside sealing scrolls.
"Kiyohara-kun, then I'll head home first too."
Rin Nohara spoke up.
Her parents had to be worried sick about her, so she planned to get back early.
Kurenai also said from the side,
"I should go too. My father got back today as well."
Kurenai looked at Kiyohara.
Ever since what had happened between them, their relationship had become much closer.
She even gave him a little wink, clearly meaning that he'd better come see her later.
"Yeah, go on ahead."
Kiyohara nodded.
Then he exchanged a few more words with Kakashi and Might Guy before preparing to leave as well.
"Guy, come to Training Ground Three in a few days. I'll let you know when. I've got someone I want you to train."
"Someone for me to train?"
Might Guy looked puzzled.
"That's right. I want you to help toughen up his body."
Kiyohara said.
He was genuinely curious how strong a healthy Itachi would turn out to be.
If Uchiha Itachi started building up his physique from childhood, he probably wouldn't fall sick so easily, right?
…
Inside the casino, smoke hung thick in the air.
Tsunade sat in front of a slot machine, staring fixedly at the spinning symbols.
A stack of empty sake cups had already piled up beside her, and her cheeks were flushed. She had clearly been drinking quite a bit.
"Jackpot, jackpot!"
Tsunade slammed a hand against the machine as three identical symbols lit up on the screen.
Ding ding ding.
Coins spilled out—but the amount was pitiful.
"How is it only this much…"
Tsunade muttered unhappily, then shoved in another coin.
Shizune stood to one side, wanting to speak but holding back. She had already tried to stop her three times, and every time Tsunade had said, "Just one more round and I'll turn it around," only to lose even more.
Two hours later.
Tsunade stared at the machine as three mismatched symbols came to a stop once again, her fist slowly tightening.
The purse at her side had gone completely empty.
Not only had she failed to win, she had sunk even deeper into losses.
"Tsunade-sama…"
Shizune said carefully.
"We should go home."
Tsunade took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.
She raised her fist over the slot machine, knuckles white with tension.
For a moment, she was so mad she nearly smashed the thing with one punch.
But then she remembered she'd have to pay for it if she did.
In the end, her fist slowly loosened.
She stood up and headed for the exit without looking back.
"What a joke."
she muttered.
"It's way more fun playing with that brat Kiyohara. At least I've beaten him a few times."
Shizune let out a sigh of relief and hurried after her.
…
At Tsunade's house.
Kiyohara was taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom.
Hot water ran over his body, washing away the dust and strain of the road.
He closed his eyes and let the water glide across his skin, feeling his muscles gradually relax.
As more and more future selves stacked onto him and as he got older, his body had changed significantly.
It had become increasingly well-built and balanced. His shoulders were broad, the lines of his chest and abs clearly defined, and his arms and legs lean, powerful, and packed with explosive energy.
"I wonder… if I keep training in sage arts every day, just how long can I actually live?"
Kiyohara rubbed his chin.
Maybe it was because of the partial toad-bloodline effect, but he felt his life force was growing much faster than before.
And there was no sign of a bottleneck either. It just kept climbing steadily.
Kiyohara guessed that once he inherited the full Yotsuki bloodline, it would rise even further.
And if he eventually gathered the bloodlines of the Senju and Uzumaki clans too, then his body's physical potential would probably reach its absolute maximum.
While Kiyohara was bathing, Tsunade and Shizune came in downstairs.
Kiyohara was living at Tsunade's place now, but Tsunade's house was actually the old Senju estate.
Kiyohara stayed upstairs and had his own private bath and washroom.
At the entrance, Tsunade bent down to kick off her shoes, then headed upstairs barefoot.
Her bare feet made soft tapping sounds on the wooden floor as she climbed.
She called out Kiyohara's name a few times, then pushed open the bedroom door and found no one there.
After searching a bit, she noticed the bathroom light was on.
The bathroom door was made of frosted glass, so from outside, all she could see was a vague silhouette.
But even so, the outline inside was clear enough.
Tsunade walked into the living room and happened to catch sight of it.
Her steps paused.
On the frosted glass, that blurred figure was drying himself off.
Broad shoulders. A narrow waist. Long, powerful legs…
Tsunade blinked, then suddenly realized what she was looking at and quickly averted her eyes.
She went to the sofa and sat down, picking up the water kettle on the table to pour herself a drink, though her movements were slightly flustered and a little water spilled.
Unlike Jiraiya, who liked hanging around red-light districts, the roughest place Tsunade ever frequented was the casino.
As for hostess bars or places where women entertained men, Tsunade had never been to one.
Naturally, she had never seen someone with a body like Kiyohara's.
Tsunade had seen Jiraiya's build before when she treated his back injuries.
And back in the day, she had seen countless men's upper bodies while operating on patients.
But still, she felt none of them had looked quite like this.
"Tch."
She gave a soft huff.
That brat really was developing more and more.
For some reason, Tsunade had the distinct feeling she'd raised him herself.
At that moment, the sound of running water stopped.
A minute later, the door opened, and Kiyohara stepped out.
He only had loose pants on, his upper body bare, his hair still dripping wet.
Water ran down from his collarbone, tracing sharply defined lines over his muscles under the light.
Tsunade instinctively looked up, her gaze resting on him for a second before quickly sliding away.
"Sensei?"
Kiyohara coated his hand in Fire Release chakra, creating a visible wave of heat.
Then he used the heat from a slight distance to dry his hair, and before long, white steam rose from it as the dampness vanished.
"You're back. Did you win?"
"I lost everything."
Tsunade replied irritably. To cover her momentary lapse, she deliberately put on a stern expression.
"You brat—don't you know how to put on proper clothes before coming out after a bath?"
Kiyohara lowered his head and glanced at himself, then looked back at Tsunade, some confusion on his face.
"I'm in my own room. I just got out of the bath. I hadn't even had time to get dressed yet."
He paused, then added,
"And besides, wasn't it you who suddenly came into my room, Sensei?"
Tsunade choked on that, then glared at him.
"What, are you saying it's my fault for disturbing you?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Kiyohara walked over to the wardrobe and started looking for clothes.
"I'm just saying, trying to take advantage of your student isn't really a good look."
"You—"
Tsunade froze for a moment, then snapped back,
"You little punk, where did you learn to say crap like that?!"
She strode over to him and raised her hand to smack him on the forehead.
After doing so, she said,
"You've really gotten more and more shameless as you've gotten older!"
"Get dressed, already!"
Then she lightly stepped on him.
Kiyohara looked down and saw Tsunade's foot emerging from beneath the hem of her robe, resting on the wooden floor.
Her foot had a beautiful shape, with a delicate arch, neat round toes, and nails trimmed clean, painted with a striking red polish.
That little step just now had been very light—more like a touch than a stomp.
The cool, soft sensation brushed over the top of his foot and vanished.
"Sensei."
Kiyohara said while pulling on the black chainmail undershirt.
"I'm the one who got looked at, so why does it somehow sound like I'm the one in the wrong?"
Tsunade, who had just picked up the cup in his room and taken a sip of water, nearly choked.
She set the cup down and shot him a look.
"Enough talking. You're coming to the casino with me tomorrow. I'm winning back everything I lost today."
"Again?"
"What, you don't want to?"
"I do."
Kiyohara draped his outer layer over himself.
The chainmail he had just put on looked, from the outside, almost like a tight undershirt.
There were many different styles of chainmail, including fishnet versions, but Kiyohara didn't care for those.
"But you have to promise me, Sensei—once you lose past a certain amount, we stop."
He said that pointedly.
Otherwise, once Tsunade got carried away, there was no telling how long she'd keep gambling.
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Tsunade waved him off and turned toward her own room.
"You're so annoying."
Her footsteps climbed the stairs and gradually faded away.
Kiyohara stayed where he was, listening to the sound of her door opening upstairs and then closing.
"I'll rest for a few days, then take a mission related to Kumogakure and finish the lingering wish."
he thought to himself.
He lowered his hand. By now, his hair had already dried.
…
Upstairs, in Tsunade's room.
She stood with her back against the closed door for a long while.
The light from the living room shone through the crack beneath the door, slicing a line of brightness into the darkness.
The room itself was unlit, with only the faint glow from the street lamps outside slipping in through the window and outlining the furniture in dim shadows.
Tsunade raised a hand and touched her cheek.
It was warm.
That sudden acceleration of her heartbeat from a moment ago still seemed to echo faintly in her ears.
She wasn't some naïve girl who knew nothing of the world.
It was just…
"That brat…"
Tsunade murmured under her breath.
In the past, the man who had been around her most was her younger brother, Nawaki.
After him came Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and then Dan Katō.
But after the Second Great Ninja War, those had become relationships of only occasional meetings.
Somewhere along the line, Kiyohara had become the man who had spent the most time by her side.
And she didn't even know when she had gotten so used to it.
Was it like master and student?
Or family?
Tsunade shook her head.
In such a short time, Kiyohara had already grown into someone strong enough to stand on his own.
His growth had been unbelievably fast—so fast that even she, his teacher, sometimes felt caught off guard.
Was she proud?
Of course she was.
Raising a student like this was an honor any teacher would cherish.
But aside from that?
Tsunade closed her eyes and took a long breath.
She felt as though she had hidden away a beauty in a golden house.
Of course, in this case, the "beauty" was Kiyohara.
Tsunade shook her head and threw away the chaotic thoughts.
She shut the window and drew the curtains, plunging the room into complete darkness.
There was still plenty to do tomorrow.
Life had to go on.
It was only on nights like this, in moments of silence, that she allowed herself to let her thoughts wander a little.
That was all.
…
The next day.
Kiyohara got up early.
First, he sent word to Might Guy to wait for him at Training Ground Three. Then he made a trip to the Uchiha district and brought out Uchiha Itachi—still wearing that green bodysuit.
Under the sunlight, the bright green outfit seemed painfully glaring to Itachi.
He still couldn't forget the look his mother, Mikoto, had given him the first time she saw him wearing it—a look like she wanted to say something but held it back.
The memory made Itachi want to die of embarrassment.
At this point, he was honestly afraid to think about what Izumi's expression would be if she ever saw him dressed like this.
Kiyohara noticed that although Itachi's little face remained mostly expressionless, the slight twitch at the corners of his eyes gave away the struggle inside him.
The corners of Kiyohara's lips lifted.
For now, he really could keep Itachi completely under control.
By the time Itachi awakened the Mangekyō, Kiyohara figured he would have long since awakened his own—he might even already have the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan by then.
Itachi walked stiffly behind him.
"Sensei, where exactly are we going?"
he finally asked, unable to hold back any longer.
"Training Ground Three."
Kiyohara didn't even look back.
"I found you a special training instructor."
"A special training instructor?"
A trace of confusion appeared in Itachi's eyes.
"Yeah."
Kiyohara answered.
He had originally planned to go look for Might Guy in a few days, but after thinking about it carefully, he decided it was better to get it arranged sooner rather than let it interfere with future missions.
By the time they reached Training Ground Three, Might Guy was already there.
He was wearing a larger version of the same green bodysuit Itachi had on and was currently doing handstand push-ups, sweat gleaming under the sun.
"Kiyohara—and this is…"
Might Guy flipped upright in one smooth motion. The moment his eyes landed on Itachi, they lit up.
"Ohhh! That outfit! That determined gaze! I can already feel the resonance of youth!"
Itachi instinctively took half a step back under Guy's scorching stare.
That absurdly bright grin of his really was blinding.
"Guy, this is Uchiha Itachi. My student."
Kiyohara introduced him.
"For a while, I'd like you to help train his physical foundation."
"Leave it to me!"
Might Guy threw up a thumbs-up.
"Let the burning blood of youth water this young sapling! Boy, what's your name?"
"…Uchiha Itachi."
"Itachi! A fine name! From this day on, you are my comrade on the path of passing down youth!"
Might Guy excitedly seized Itachi's little hand.
"I will shape you into a master of taijutsu with the harshest yet most passionate training! First, ten laps around Konoha, three thousand meters of handstand walking, and two hundred push-ups! That'll be today's appetizer!"
The corner of Itachi's eye twitched again.
That was the appetizer?
Kiyohara patted him on the shoulder.
"Hang in there. This will be good for you. Guy's mastery of taijutsu is profound. You'll learn the real thing from him."
Itachi took a breath, then nodded.
"I understand, Sensei. I'll work hard."
Watching Itachi begin his first training exercise under Might Guy's blazing enthusiasm—running laps around the training ground—Kiyohara stood in the shade for a while and observed.
"Not bad."
he said.
He was starting to get genuinely curious about just how physically strong a healthy Itachi would become.
After all, if someone built up a strong body from childhood, the chances of falling ill should go down.
After watching for a while, he turned and left. Might Guy could handle the rest.
He had other things to take care of.
…
Hokage Building, mission desk.
Kiyohara carefully browsed a row of mission scrolls.
His eyes moved quickly across the mission descriptions, locations, and rewards, until they finally stopped on an A-rank mission.
[Escort and Negotiation Mission]
Content: Escort a merchant caravan to the border of the Land of Hot Water.
Rank: A
Requirements: Led by a jonin, mini
mum three-man squad.
Note: During the mission, attacks from Kumogakure extremists are possible. Must be capable of dealing with elite jonin-level threats.
"The border of the Land of Hot Water… Kumogakure envoys…"
Kiyohara fell into thought.
This mission looked pretty good.
The location was in the Land of Hot Water, famous for its hot springs, and it was also close to the Kumogakure front. He could gather extra information there.
He took the scroll and walked to the registration desk.
The chunin handling registrations froze for a moment when he saw the mission scroll Kiyohara was handing over.
He had recognized Kiyohara—the recently famous shinobi who had killed members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and even the Third Mizukage himself.
At once, there was a trace of admiration in his voice.
"Kiyohara-jonin, this mission… may require special approval from the Hokage-sama."
"Why?"
"Well, because…" The chunin chose his words carefully.
"Your recent battlefield record has been a little too outstanding. Kumogakure might react strongly if they realize you're involved."
Kiyohara raised a brow.
"My infiltration skills aren't that bad."
The chunin hesitated, then said,
"Please wait a moment. I need to ask first."
A few minutes later, the chunin came back—with someone behind him.
"Kiyohara, you want to take this mission?"
The warm voice belonged to Minato Namikaze.
At some point, he had appeared in the corridor, wearing his usual bright, refreshing smile.
"The Hokage-sama asked me to handle this matter."
Minato said.
He had happened to be upstairs, reporting on a mission to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Minato-sama."
Kiyohara nodded.
It really did feel like Minato was everywhere.
Though when he thought about Flying Thunder God, it made sense.
"I think I'm a very suitable choice."
Minato took the scroll, looked it over, and thought for a moment.
"True. With your strength, you'd be able to handle any sudden situation."
He looked up at Kiyohara.
"Then be extra careful."
Minato said.
"I understand."
Kiyohara put the scroll away.
By the time he left the Hokage Building, it was already noon.
He bought some food on the street, thought for a moment, and then headed toward Kurenai's house.
When he knocked, it was Kurenai who opened the door.
She seemed to have just taken a bath. Her hair was still damp over her shoulders, and she was wearing a pale red dress.
The moment she saw Kiyohara, her eyes lit up.
"Kiyohara? What brings you here?"
Her cheeks turned slightly pink, and she instinctively tugged at the hem of her dress.
"My father just stepped out."
Then she welcomed Kiyohara inside.
~~~
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