Kiyohara led Samui into a quiet room and stopped.
He glanced around and figured this had probably once been an execution chamber before being converted into an office.
There was only a table and two chairs.
Other than that, there was nothing else inside.
"Here?"
A trace of confusion flashed through Samui's pale blue eyes.
She didn't understand why Kiyohara had brought her here.
If this was supposed to be punishment, shouldn't it be some place full of torture tools?
Or had Kiyohara forgotten something here?
While Samui was still wondering, Kiyohara took out a sealing scroll.
He rummaged through it for a moment, then finally pulled out a set of clothes.
Samui's eyes widened slightly.
It was a maid outfit.
Black and white, with lace trimming along the edges.
"What… what is that?"
Samui couldn't help frowning.
Wasn't that outfit a little too small?
The thought sprang into her mind unbidden.
"This is your punishment for apologizing," Kiyohara said.
He had originally planned to give these clothes to Konan.
If Samui wore them instead, it really was a bit of a stretch.
Konan's figure wasn't bad at all, but compared to Samui's, the gap was enormous.
The difference was obvious at a glance.
Samui's face flushed red at a visible speed.
"You…!"
She pointed at Kiyohara, her finger trembling slightly.
"I'm a jōnin of the Hidden Cloud!"
"Prisoners don't get to negotiate," Kiyohara cut her off.
What a joke. Since when did prisoners get to talk about rights?
If Konoha hadn't wanted to squeeze a few more bargaining chips out of the Hidden Cloud, they would have been subjected to harsh treatment long ago.
In the Third Shinobi War, it was the Hidden Cloud that had taken the initiative first, and in the end it became a conflict that swept across the entire shinobi world.
The war was over now, but the Five Great Nations—and plenty of smaller ones—had all been left scarred.
"Either put it on, or go back and stay locked up."
Samui's chest rose and fell sharply.
Beneath the black-and-white striped prison uniform, the outline of her figure shifted with every breath, as if the fabric could barely contain it.
She bit down on her lower lip, and the anger in her eyes was almost tangible.
But in the end, she slowly lowered her hand.
Then she turned around, giving Kiyohara her back.
Her fingers trembled as she undid the buttons of her prison uniform.
The uniform slipped down.
Her pale shoulders were exposed.
Then her smooth back.
The graceful curve of her waist.
Then the fuller line of her hips.
She grabbed the maid outfit and quickly pulled it on.
The black fabric clung coolly to her skin.
The skirt was very short, only reaching mid-thigh.
The neckline revealed a deep line at her chest, making the outfit even more embarrassing to wear.
She turned back to look at Kiyohara.
The face that was usually so calm was now full of humiliation and anger.
"Is… is this enough?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
The black maid dress, the white lace trim, and those long legs wrapped in black thigh-high stockings.
It really did suit her.
"Not bad."
Kiyohara nodded.
"It has a nice exotic feel."
"Come here."
He crooked a finger at Samui.
She bit her lower lip again and stepped over.
Then she stood in front of him.
Kiyohara patted the seat beside him.
"Sit."
Samui took a deep breath and sat down next to him.
The chair dipped slightly, and her body leaned toward him without meaning to.
She quickly steadied herself, only to feel his gaze resting on her.
Her face grew hotter and hotter.
"Massage my shoulders," Kiyohara said.
Samui froze for a second.
"What?"
"Massage my back and shoulders," Kiyohara repeated.
"Don't you know what a maid is supposed to do?"
Samui took a deep breath and forced down the anger rising in her chest.
Then she turned and raised her hands.
Her pale hands landed lightly on Kiyohara's shoulders.
Then she started pounding and kneading them.
Kiyohara closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair.
"Harder."
Samui bit her lip and put in more strength.
"The left side."
Her hands moved to the left.
"The right side."
Then to the right.
Before long, Samui's arms were beginning to ache.
But Kiyohara showed no sign of stopping.
"Pour the tea."
Kiyohara suddenly spoke.
Samui paused, then hurriedly got up and walked to the desk.
The teapot was full, and the tea was still warm.
She poured a cup and brought it back.
Kiyohara took the teacup and sipped it.
"Too hot."
Samui's brows drew together slightly.
"Pour another."
She poured another cup.
Kiyohara sipped it again.
"Too cold."
Samui inhaled slowly, forcing down her anger.
"Pour another."
…
No one knew how much time passed.
Samui's arms were already so sore she could barely lift them.
But Kiyohara finally stood up.
She let out a breath of relief.
Just as she was about to rise, she felt a hand settle on her shoulder.
It pressed lightly.
She sat back down again.
Then that hand slid down from her shoulder.
It stopped at her waist.
Then gave a light squeeze.
Her whole body instantly stiffened.
"You…!"
She had barely begun to speak when the hand moved away.
Then came a sharp smack.
The crisp sound echoed through the room.
Samui's body went rigid.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Kiyohara in disbelief.
That hand had just landed on her backside.
The force hadn't been heavy, but it sent a strange numb tingling sensation through her.
"What… what are you doing?!"
Even her voice had changed pitch.
Kiyohara looked at her.
"Does a master need to explain himself to a maid?"
Then came another slap.
Smack.
Samui trembled slightly.
Those cool, restrained eyes of hers were now filled with humiliation and anger.
But mixed in with it was something harder to name.
Her legs unconsciously drew together.
The tingling sensation left her feeling flustered and at a loss.
Kiyohara withdrew his hand.
"That's enough for today."
He stood up.
Samui remained frozen in place.
It wasn't until Kiyohara reached the door that she finally snapped out of it.
She quickly got to her feet.
"W-wait!"
Samui called out to stop him.
If she went back dressed like this, how was she supposed to explain it to Mabui?
Kiyohara paused and looked back over his shoulder.
"Change back into your original clothes. I'll take you back."
Samui bit her lower lip.
She turned around again, her back facing Kiyohara.
Her trembling fingers undid the maid outfit's buttons.
Her pale skin was once again exposed beneath the oil lamp's glow.
She quickly pulled her prison uniform back on.
Kiyohara pushed the door open.
"Let's go."
…
Back in the prison cell, Mabui was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, as if resting.
When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes.
The moment she saw Samui, her brows twitched slightly.
Samui's expression… was strange.
But she couldn't quite put her finger on what was strange about it.
"You've suffered."
Mabui spoke softly, trying to comfort her.
This was all for the Hidden Cloud.
Sigh.
For a moment, Mabui felt a wave of sadness.
If the Hidden Cloud had won, they would never have had to endure this kind of humiliation.
In the end, it simply came down to being weaker than the other side.
Samui shook her head.
"It's nothing."
Her voice sounded unnatural.
Mabui looked at her, but didn't press further.
She only sighed and patted Samui on the shoulder.
…
A few days passed.
Kiyohara wasn't in any rush about the Hidden Cloud situation.
It would probably still be a long time before they developed the weapon capable of destroying the moon in a single strike.
What Kiyohara wanted to understand was the thinking behind it, along with the related branches of chakra technology they had developed.
He intended to apply all of that chakra tech to Konoha.
As for the kind of technology seen in Boruto, Kiyohara planned to bring all of it into existence ahead of schedule.
To that end, he would also be increasing funding for Konoha's research efforts.
"The orphanage can probably be made official now."
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
Before he became Hokage, he had treated the orphanage more like a laboratory and a talent cultivation center.
Now that he had become Hokage and possessed real authority, he could move the orphanage into Konoha proper.
He could also personally cover the costs of raising those orphans.
That would also make it easier for him to work with Nono Yakushi and Kabuto Yakushi on research-related projects.
Like cloning the Sharingan, cloning the Byakugan, and so on.
The Hidden Cloud had managed to develop the Chakra Cannon through large-scale research.
In truth, there were other ways to create similarly devastating weapons.
If enough Byakugan were combined together, and then supplemented with Ōtsutsuki chakra, they could become a Giant Tenseigan.
The power of the Giant Tenseigan was enough to annihilate even the Ōtsutsuki main family directly.
If he could bring something like that into existence, the future shape of the shinobi world's great wars would change completely.
Being able to destroy an enemy camp from long range would make it an even deadlier version of a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"What if I try an 'Yin Release Chakra Mode'?"
Kiyohara thought to himself.
He shook away the other thoughts and began refining Yin Release chakra.
This was the result of the accumulation of these past few days.
By using Mōryō's Dark Medical Ninjutsu through Asura's chakra, he had simulated part of Mōryō's chakra nature.
That portion of Mōryō's chakra was essentially a special kind of Yin Release chakra.
At that moment, a faint layer of purple-black mist swirled around Kiyohara's body.
The mist floated around him like flowing water.
It moved slowly across the surface of his skin, sometimes condensing into dense, delicate patterns, sometimes dispersing into hazy vapor.
With every breath, the mist shifted slightly with the rise and fall of his chest, like a layer of armor pressed close against his body.
This part was based on the principle behind chakra armor.
The only difference was that the whole process relied on making chakra tangible and then shaping it into precise armor.
"Good. I can also mix in some Sharingan eye power to make the chakra more solid."
Kiyohara opened his hand and looked at the black armor coiling around it.
At its core, Susanoo was a technique that materialized chakra.
In that respect, the Uchiha clan was far ahead of every other shinobi clan.
For anyone else, turning that much chakra into a tangible form would require the support of a tailed beast.
Otherwise, even materializing a small portion of chakra would drain them dry.
That made things much easier for Kiyohara.
"No, that's not quite right. It's probably only because it's me that I can integrate eye power this smoothly."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Mōryō's Yin Release chakra was far too violent. Using it directly would cause irreversible distortion to the body. But if he first neutralized it with Asura's Yang Release power, that violent energy would become docile, like a wild beast brought to heel, allowing him to wield it as he pleased.
If he mixed in eye power directly from the start, the backlash might even damage the pathways around his eyes and harm his dōjutsu.
Kiyohara continued adapting to it for a while, then gradually started increasing the chakra output.
To him, this step felt a lot like synthesizing senjutsu chakra.
In one case, it meant balancing spiritual energy, physical energy, and natural energy.
Now, it meant balancing Yin Release chakra, Asura chakra, and Sharingan eye power.
The purple-black mist condensed outside his body, and in the end it formed into an even thicker layer of black chakra armor.
Kiyohara closed his eyes and felt the newborn power coursing inside him.
The first change was perception.
The instant the black chakra armor covered his entire body, his sensory ability multiplied several times over.
He could hear the sound of leaves hitting the ground a thousand meters away.
He could smell the damp scent of the underground river hidden beneath the earth.
The entire world became incomparably clear in his mind, clear enough that even the path of every speck of dust was laid bare.
Then there was his eye power.
He opened his eyes. In those scarlet irises, the three tomoe began to spin slowly.
They spun faster and faster, sinking deeper and deeper, until they twisted together into the pattern of the Mangekyō.
His ocular power surged.
Kiyohara could feel that, in this state, his Mangekyō Sharingan could bear at least twice as much eye power as usual.
What did that mean?
It meant he could use his dōjutsu more times.
He could sustain Susanoo for longer.
He could make more precise maneuvers in battle.
"Interesting…"
Kiyohara raised a hand and aimed at a huge tree ahead, one so wide it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.
Power surged within his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Ashihara no Kakuriyo.
A pitch-black singular point formed on the tree trunk.
It wasn't a true singularity, but it still contained horrifying gravity.
The trunk visibly caved inward, and in an instant the whole tree was crushed into splintered wood scattered across the ground.
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze, a trace of satisfaction flashing through his eyes.
Using dōjutsu in this state consumed nearly half as much power as it normally did.
And if Yin Release Chakra Mode could be stacked with senjutsu…
He didn't finish the thought, but the corners of his lips had already begun to curl upward.
Then what about the Perfect Susanoo?
Kiyohara took a deep breath and sensed the Flying Thunder God markers he had left in distant places.
In the end, he decided to test it in a deserted mountain range.
He raised his right hand and formed a seal.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
Space twisted, and his figure vanished.
.........
A barren mountain range.
Hardly anyone had ever set foot there.
The chain of mountains stretched endlessly across the land.
The ridgelines were covered in withered yellow grass, and now and then a few crooked old trees could be seen in the valleys.
Kiyohara's figure appeared atop one of the peaks.
The night wind blew past him, making his flak jacket snap loudly.
He stood at the edge of the summit, looking down at the black valley below.
For dozens of miles, there wasn't a single human presence.
Safe.
Kiyohara closed his eyes.
Chakra poured out of his body and formed a golden skeleton.
Golden strands of chakra extended from the bones, becoming thick channels like veins and flesh.
Armor began to take shape.
Shoulder guards, chest armor, arm guards, leg armor—all of it settled onto the body of the golden giant.
A massive double-edged sword condensed at Susanoo's waist. The blade was long and elegant, and at the hilt was a golden tomoe-shaped ornament.
The Perfect Susanoo.
A golden giant over a hundred meters tall stood among the mountain range.
Kiyohara stood at Susanoo's forehead, wrapped in golden chakra.
He let out a breath.
Susanoo also exhaled with him.
That breath became a gale, blasting out from the giant's mouth and roaring through the valley.
The forest below shook violently beneath the wind, branches and leaves rustling madly.
Kiyohara lowered his head and looked at his hand.
Susanoo did the same, looking down at its enormous golden hand.
"I wonder whose is bigger compared to Madara's and Sasuke's Perfect Susanoo."
Kiyohara thought about it.
Neither Madara's nor Sasuke's Perfect Susanoo was ordinary.
One had the blessing of Six Paths power, making his Perfect Susanoo four or five times larger than Sasuke's.
The other could absorb the chakra of all nine tailed beasts and become Takemikazuchi Susanoo.
That said, Madara's version of that form had only appeared in Ultimate Storm. In the original war arc, he had barely been about to begin the second phase of his plan before Black Zetsu stabbed him in the back.
Still, in Kiyohara's opinion, the biggest Susanoo of all belonged to the Sage of Six Paths.
His Susanoo had been nearly the same size as the Ten-Tails standing upright.
"Forget it."
Kiyohara didn't dwell on it any longer.
He gripped the sword hilt at his waist.
The Perfect Susanoo also raised its right hand, and that golden giant hand wrapped around the hilt.
Crack.
The sword was drawn.
Kiyohara looked toward the mountain peaks ahead.
Then he swung.
The massive golden chakra blade carved a half-moon arc through the air, releasing a crescent-shaped sword slash.
Rumble.
A thunderous explosion rang out.
The peak of the first mountain ahead slowly began to slide off.
Then the second one.
The momentum of the strike hadn't faded yet; it kept going.
The peak of the second mountain was sliced flat as well. The massive body of rock rolled through the air a few times before crashing down.
Boom!
The instant it hit the ground, the whole earth trembled.
Broken stones flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.
The heavy impact echoed again and again through the valley, startling flocks of birds into flight in the distance.
Every swing Kiyohara made cut away another section of the mountain range.
He could even split the clouds overhead.
"So this is the real Susanoo."
Kiyohara was extremely satisfied.
It had the power to cleave mountains, sever peaks, split seas, and scatter clouds. It was rightly called the Third Power—or the Power of the Gods.
Even if the Fourth Shinobi War started right this instant, Kiyohara was confident he could survive all the way to the end.
As long as he didn't run into someone at the Six Paths level, this technique was practically invincible.