When Kiyohara stepped out of the Hokage Tower, the sunlight was just right.
He stood at the top of the steps, looking out at the familiar view in the distance.
On the Hokage Rock, the faces of the First, Second, and Third Hokage stood in order.
And before long, a fourth face would be added there.
"Kiyohara."
A voice came from the side.
Kiyohara turned his head.
Tsunade was leaning against the wall with her arms folded, those golden-brown eyes fixed on him.
"What did the old man say?"
"Nothing much. Just told me to wait for the results."
Tsunade raised a brow.
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
She walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
The force wasn't heavy, but it carried her usual blunt warmth.
"Come on. Go to the casino with me."
"It's a celebration, isn't it? We should relax a little."
Kiyohara looked at her.
Sunlight danced across her golden hair, casting faint shadows over her beautiful face.
"Alright."
…
For the next month, Konoha was soaked in the joy of victory.
Celebrations happened one after another. Every tavern was packed every day, and drunken shinobi could be seen all over the streets.
Compensation and rewards were being distributed in an orderly way. The families of the dead received generous support, and the injured got the best treatment available.
Negotiations with Kumogakure were ongoing as well.
Kumo had sent a diplomatic delegation, and their attitude was more humble than ever before.
The Fourth Raikage, the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, and the Two-Tails' jinchūriki were all in Konoha's hands. They had no room left to bargain.
Kiyohara didn't involve himself in any of that.
At his current level of strength and status, there was no need for him to personally handle those trivial matters anymore.
He slept until he woke naturally every day, then went to the training grounds to practice. Sometimes he accompanied Kurenai on a walk through the village, and sometimes he went to the casino with Tsunade and lost a little money with her.
Life was extremely leisurely.
That morning, after breakfast, Kiyohara left Konoha.
…
At the old site of the Land of Whirlpools, when Kiyohara appeared on the coast, the sight in front of him made him raise a brow slightly.
In just one month, the place had changed dramatically.
The old ruins had been cleared away, replaced by neat rows of newly built wooden houses.
The outline of a harbor had already appeared, with workers busy hauling lumber, driving piles, and building up the embankment.
A simple dirt road stretched inland from the dock, with young trees planted along both sides.
"Lord Kiyohara!"
A voice called from the distance.
Kiyohara turned.
A dark-skinned middle-aged man came jogging over, wearing an ingratiating smile.
He was the foreman of the workers, a merchant named Tanaka who specialized in all kinds of civil engineering contracts.
"Lord Kiyohara, you're here."
Tanaka stopped in front of him and bowed.
"How's the progress?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Fifty percent faster than expected!"
Tanaka replied eagerly.
"As you instructed, we brought in two thousand workers and have them working day and night. The harbor should be finished in another half month, and as for the road…"
He pointed toward the dirt road stretching away.
"In another month, it'll be connected to the main road on the opposite side."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Double the pay and finish it earlier."
Tanaka's eyes widened.
"D-double?"
"Yeah."
Kiyohara looked at him.
"Can it be done?"
Tanaka swallowed hard.
Double the pay…
That meant he could earn…
He took a deep breath and nodded hard.
If there's a ten percent profit, there's business to be done.
At twenty percent, merchants get active.
At fifty percent, they'll start taking risks.
Kiyohara was already paying the highest market rate, and now he was doubling it. For a real businessman, that was the kind of profit that would make smuggling feel reasonable.
"Yes, absolutely!"
"Don't worry, Lord Kiyohara. I'll arrange it immediately—three shifts, nonstop, day and night. We'll finish ahead of schedule!"
Kiyohara gave a faint nod.
"Go."
Tanaka turned and ran off, faster than he'd come.
Kiyohara remained standing there, looking over the land that was slowly coming back to life.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."
His chakra surged.
The ground trembled.
A wall of earth rose from the ground and extended along the planned route.
It was three meters high, thick and sturdy, perfect to serve as a roadbed.
The workers all stopped what they were doing and stared in shock.
"Keep going. I'll help with ninjutsu too."
Kiyohara's voice drifted over.
The workers came back to themselves and hurriedly resumed.
With Earth Release helping, the speed of construction increased by far more than just double.
In only half a day, most of the roadbed that should have taken a month was already finished.
By evening, Kiyohara stopped.
He looked over the land, which had already begun to take shape, and nodded slightly.
"Not bad."
…
The next day, at the Uchiha compound.
Kiyohara walked down the long street and arrived at the entrance.
The two Uchiha guarding the gate stiffened the moment they saw him, then bowed in unison.
"Lord Kiyohara!"
Their attitude was respectful to the point of humility.
Kiyohara gave a faint nod and stepped inside.
Every Uchiha he passed along the way stopped and bowed to him.
Some looked at him with awe. Others with admiration.
Kiyohara paid none of it any mind.
He went straight to Shisui Uchiha's house and knocked.
A moment later, the door opened.
Shisui stood there in casual home clothes.
His father had a bad leg, so Shisui was the one responsible for earning money, and he handled many of the household chores too.
"Kiyohara?"
He stepped aside.
"Come in."
Kiyohara walked in and sat at the low table.
Shisui poured him a cup of tea and slid it over.
"What brings you here today?"
Kiyohara picked up the cup and took a sip.
"There's something I need to warn you about."
A small shift passed through Shisui's expression.
"What is it?"
"Be careful of Danzo."
Shisui froze.
"Danzo-sama?"
"Yeah."
Kiyohara set down the cup and looked at him.
"He'll set his sights on your eyes."
Shisui's expression changed.
He opened his mouth, but for a moment no words came out.
After a long silence, he finally asked,
"How do you know?"
"I'm just telling you to be careful."
Kiyohara stood.
He hoped that, after the warning, Shisui wouldn't be foolish enough to make the same mistake.
The only possible outcome of telling Danzo what his ocular power did was obvious—Danzo attacking him on the spot.
Because Kotoamatsukami was simply too dangerous. Even someone as cautious as Danzo wouldn't feel safe letting Shisui walk away after learning about it.
Even Kiyohara himself stayed wary of that power.
If Shisui's ocular power showed the slightest sign of movement, Kiyohara would react immediately.
With his enormous spiritual energy, he was extremely sensitive to things like that.
"Just remember what I said."
He turned and headed for the door.
Shisui was left there alone, deep in thought.
…
After leaving Shisui's house, Kiyohara went to Fugaku's.
The one who opened the door was Mikoto Uchiha.
She was wearing a home kimono, her long hair loosely tied back, exposing the pale line of her neck.
She looked every bit the warm, gentle beauty of a mature wife.
The moment she saw Kiyohara, her eyes lit up slightly.
"Kiyohara-kun?"
"Mikoto-san."
Kiyohara gave a faint nod.
"Is Itachi here?"
"He is."
Mikoto stepped aside.
"Please, come in."
Kiyohara walked inside.
Itachi was sitting in the living room, dressed in a green skintight training outfit.
The corner of Kiyohara's mouth twitched slightly.
"Sensei."
Itachi stood and walked over.
His skin really had darkened quite a bit, but compared to before, he also looked far sturdier.
"Come on. Training ground."
Kiyohara turned and headed for the door.
Itachi followed.
Mikoto stood at the entrance watching the two of them leave.
Her gaze lingered on Kiyohara's back for a moment.
Kiyohara was one of Konoha's heroes now.
That was what Mikoto thought to herself.
…
At Training Ground Three, Kiyohara stood in the clearing, facing Itachi.
"How's your Fire Release coming along?"
Itachi took a deep breath and formed hand seals, intending to show him.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared out of his mouth.
Kiyohara raised a brow slightly.
Not bad.
At this age, producing a fireball of that scale was genuinely impressive.
"That's enough."
He nodded.
"But you still need finer control."
Itachi listened seriously.
Then suddenly, Kiyohara's brows shifted slightly.
He turned his head toward the woods.
There, a small figure was hiding behind a tree, secretly peeking over.
"Come out."
Kiyohara called.
The figure stiffened.
A moment later, a little head cautiously peeked out from behind the tree.
It was a little girl, about Itachi's age.
Her face was delicate and beautiful—the kind that would definitely grow into a beauty.
The teardrop-shaped mole beneath her right eye added a faint, natural charm.
At her current age, though, it hadn't fully come into its own yet.
"I-I was just passing by…"
Uchiha Izumi said softly.
"Come here."
Kiyohara beckoned to her.
She hesitated, then slowly walked over.
She stopped in front of him and looked up.
Those eyes reflected his image.
"What's your name?"
"Uchiha… Izumi."
Kiyohara raised a brow slightly.
Uchiha Izumi.
He remembered that name.
In canon, she was Itachi's childhood friend.
In the anime, she died at Obito's hands. In the official novels, she died at Itachi's.
No matter the version, she died young either way.
"Izumi. That's a beautiful name."
Kiyohara said.
He remembered that Izumi had awakened the Sharingan even earlier than Itachi had.
That level of talent was extraordinary.
"Interested in ninjutsu?"
he asked.
Izumi blinked.
"Yes!"
Kiyohara smiled slightly.
"Then study with us."
Izumi froze.
She looked at Kiyohara, then at Itachi standing off to the side, and a delighted smile spread across her face.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Kiyohara reached out and gently patted the top of her head.
Izumi's face reddened slightly.
She lowered her head and said softly,
"Thank you, Kiyohara-senpai…"
In truth, Izumi had recognized Kiyohara as the hero everyone had been praising about a month earlier.
Back then, she had only managed to catch a distant glimpse of him, but it had left a strong impression.
So when she saw him today, she recognized him immediately, which was why she had been sneaking around outside to peek.
And she knew Itachi too.
Kiyohara walked over to her and took out a paper bag, holding it out.
He had originally planned to bring these to Kurenai later, but sharing some with Izumi was fine too.
"Here."
Izumi took the bag and looked inside.
There were three dango skewers.
"Thank you!"
She pulled one out, took a bite, and her eyes immediately narrowed in delight as the soft, chewy sweetness spread through her mouth.
Itachi stood off to the side, sneaking glances at her eating the dango.
There was a trace of longing in his eyes.
Kiyohara noticed.
"You want some?"
Itachi immediately shook his head.
"N-no…"
Kiyohara smiled.
"Do well from here on, and I'll give you some too."
Itachi nodded seriously.
"I'll work hard!"
"Good. Then let me see what you've accomplished lately."
Kiyohara led Itachi out into the clearing.
Izumi stood at the side, still holding the unfinished dango, her eyes fixed on the center of the field.
"Begin."
Kiyohara said.
The moment the word fell, Itachi's figure vanished.
Then Kiyohara tilted slightly to the side.
Leaf Whirlwind!
Itachi's kick swept past his face.
Kiyohara's brows lifted. That was something Guy had taught him.
Strange, really. Though Kiyohara was Itachi's teacher in name, Guy had probably spent more time teaching him than he had.
Kiyohara's right hand shot toward Itachi's back.
Itachi reacted quickly, pulling back his fist and crossing both arms to block.
Bang!
A heavy impact rang out.
Itachi stumbled back three steps, each one leaving deep footprints in the ground.
He looked up at Kiyohara.
Kiyohara had deliberately kept his strength contained. He wasn't fighting seriously.
"Not bad."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Your reaction speed is much better than last time."
Itachi drew a deep breath and lunged again.
This time, he was faster, and his movements were smoother.
Fire Release, shuriken, taijutsu…
But Kiyohara met all of it with effortless ease.
Izumi's eyes could barely keep up.
She could vaguely tell that Kiyohara still wasn't using his full strength.
"He's amazing…"
she whispered.
In the clearing, the fight continued.
Itachi's breathing began to grow heavy, sweat beading at his temples.
But his movements never slowed.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
A storm of small fireballs burst from his mouth, scattering like blooming flowers.
They traced complicated paths through the air, closing in on Kiyohara from all directions.
Kiyohara stood where he was and raised his right hand.
One palm strike.
A huge shockwave burst from his palm and instantly scattered the fireballs.
Its momentum didn't stop there. It slammed straight into Itachi.
Itachi was blasted backward, flipping once in midair before barely managing to land.
He dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
Then he looked up at Kiyohara.
"Sensei…"
Kiyohara walked over and held out a hand.
"You alright?"
Itachi took it and stood back up.
"I'm alright."
Kiyohara nodded.
"That's enough for today."
He pulled out the paper bag and handed it over.
"Your reward."
Itachi took it and looked inside.
The three dango were waiting there.
He hesitated, then pulled one out and took a bite.
Izumi ran over and stopped beside him.
"Itachi, you were amazing!"
she said softly.
"N-no, I wasn't…"
Itachi shook his head.
"You were!"
Izumi turned and looked at Kiyohara with admiration.
"Kiyohara-senpai, you're even more amazing!"
Kiyohara smiled and gently patted the top of her head again.
"I'll teach you Fire Release next time."
Kiyohara was already thinking that bringing Izumi into his Anbu squad later might be a good idea too.
Her talent was definitely worth cultivating.
Izumi's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Really."
Kiyohara nodded.
"How about becoming my student?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
He was curious. If Izumi didn't die young the way she had in canon, would she be able to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan?
"Um… I-I'd have to tell my mother first."
Izumi looked torn.
"That's fine. Go tell her."
Kiyohara nodded.
Izumi's mother was Hazuki Uchiha, and at this point the two of them still didn't live inside the Uchiha compound.
They only moved in during the Nine-Tails incident.
"Oh, and come again tomorrow."
Kiyohara added.
"Both of you."
Then he vanished into the woods.
Only Itachi and Izumi were left on the training ground.
Still holding her unfinished dango, Izumi stared in the direction Kiyohara had disappeared.
"Itachi."
"Yeah?"
"Kiyohara-senpai… is really handsome."
Itachi glanced at her.
"…Yeah."
…
Over the next month, Kiyohara's life settled into a rhythm.
Every other morning, he taught Itachi and Izumi.
In the afternoons, he went to the old site of the Land of Whirlpools to check the progress and occasionally speed things up with ninjutsu.
By evening, he usually found time to see Rin or Kurenai.
And at night, he went back to Tsunade.
His days were very full.
With enough money pouring in, progress in the Land of Whirlpools had accelerated by far more than double.
The workers ran on three shifts, day and night without stopping.
And with Kiyohara occasionally using ninjutsu to help, the speed became almost absurd.
A month later, the harbor was finished, the road was connected, and the first batch of houses had been completed.
Kiyohara stood by the harbor and looked over the transformed land before him.
The old ruins were gone, replaced by orderly streets, new houses, and bustling construction sites.
There was still plenty left to improve, but the outline was there now.
"That should do it."
Kiyohara thought.
He closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink inward.
Uzumaki Kiyohara's spirit emerged from his body and floated beside him.
Those eyes stared at the scene in silence for a long time.
"…It's changed so much."
Uzumaki Kiyohara said.
Kiyohara looked at him.
"Do you think this counts as fulfilling your wish?"
Uzumaki Kiyohara looked back.
"It does."
A small smile crossed his face.
"Thank you, my past self."
As soon as he said it, his body began to glow.
One of the lights separated from him and began to merge into Kiyohara's body.
And Kiyohara, in turn, began receiving Uzumaki Kiyohara's inheritance.
~~~
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