Yamanaka Rino came out from the inner room, still holding Ino in her arms.
The little baby had completely fallen asleep. Her tiny mouth was slightly open, letting out soft, delicate breaths. Her cheek rested against her mother's chest, and she was wrapped snugly in her swaddle.
"Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama."
Rino placed the tray on the low table. On it were two freshly brewed cups of tea, steaming hot.
She moved efficiently, taking away the old teacups and replacing them with new ones.
"This is this year's new tea, picked from the mountains. I'm not sure if it suits your tastes."
She spoke while pouring the tea.
When she raised her head, her gaze accidentally swept across Tsunade's face, and she froze slightly.
"Tsunade-sama, why is your face so red? Is the tea too hot?"
Rino asked with concern, reaching out to take the teacup in front of Tsunade.
Tsunade's status in Konoha was extraordinary, so Rino did not dare slight her.
"I'll change it for a cooler cup."
"No need."
Tsunade waved her hand and cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound normal.
"No need to change it. It's fine."
Rino looked at Tsunade, then at Kiyohara.
"If Teacher says there's no need, then there's no need."
Kiyohara said.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Rino nodded.
She didn't think too much about it.
Maybe Tsunade-sama had just walked here in a hurry after coming in from outside.
"Then I'll step out first. Call me if you need anything."
Holding Ino, she bowed slightly and turned back into the inner room.
The curtain fell behind her, hiding that slender figure.
The living room fell quiet again.
Tsunade set down her teacup, turned her head, and glared at Kiyohara.
There was a trace of embarrassed anger in her eyes.
"You little brat."
She lowered her voice.
"I'll settle this with you when we get back."
Kiyohara smiled and said nothing.
He withdrew his hand from beneath the table, picked up his teacup again, and slowly drank.
After a while, footsteps came from the inner room.
This time, it was Yamanaka Inoichi.
He lifted the curtain and walked out, holding an extra scroll in his hand.
The scroll was a size larger than the one Kiyohara had given him. Its paper was yellowed and the edges were worn, clearly something that had existed for many years.
The seal was tied with a thin black cord, and the knot was pressed with a wax seal engraved with the Yamanaka clan crest.
Inoichi sat down across from Kiyohara and placed the scroll on the table.
"Hokage-sama, I'll leave Ino in your care in the future."
"Don't worry."
Kiyohara said.
Yamanaka Ino's talent was actually quite good. In the anime version, she had even learned some medical ninjutsu from Tsunade, including the A-rank medical ninjutsu Mystical Palm Technique.
Aside from that, she also knew the Binding Technique, Four-Corner Sealing Barrier, and more. She could be considered a very versatile talent.
And Yamanaka Ino was also arguably the most fashionable woman among the Konoha Twelve. In her adult years during Shippuden, she was full of mature, elegant charm.
If Kiyohara trained her, she would definitely have a much higher ceiling than in the original story.
Inoichi nodded. Then he pushed the scroll over.
Kiyohara took the scroll, untied the thin cord, and opened it.
The paper was densely covered in writing. Some of the ink had already faded, clearly copied and recopied from older versions over the years.
His gaze quickly swept across the text and diagrams.
There were quite a few secret techniques recorded on it. The ones Kiyohara had named were there, and so were others he had not mentioned.
For example, Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique.
This technique was the core of the Yamanaka clan's secret arts and also their most commonly used technique.
It allowed the user to release their own spirit and take over the target's body.
Its only weakness was that the released spirit could only travel in a straight line. If it failed to hit the target, it could not return to the user's body for a short time.
In addition, the caster and target shared damage, so it was mostly used for espionage and intelligence gathering.
'This technique is somewhat similar to the Spirit Transformation Technique.'
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
He didn't know whether Katō Dan had any connection with the Yamanaka clan, or what relationship the two sides might have had during the Warring States period.
But regardless, the two techniques were indeed very similar. However, the Spirit Transformation Technique was clearly superior.
It had none of the weakness of only being able to move in a straight line. It could even ignore distance entirely to seek out enemies.
Then Kiyohara looked at the next technique.
Ninja Art: Mind Body Disturbance Technique.
This technique was an application of the previous Mind Body Switch Technique. It could use one's own spirit to disturb the opponent's mind and actions.
Even if the target remained conscious, they would still do things they did not want to do.
Behind that, techniques such as Ninja Art: Mind Reading Technique, Ninja Art: Mind Communication Technique, and Ninja Art: Mind Disturbance Dance Performance Technique were also recorded on the scroll.
After learning these, Kiyohara would possess a certain ability to read another person's thoughts, and even communicate directly with them without using any device.
He could transmit his own words or the images in his mind directly into another person's mind.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, these techniques had played a major role, binding the hearts of the Allied Shinobi Forces together and demonstrating exceptional unity.
Meanwhile, on Uchiha Madara's side, everyone was backstabbing everyone. Kabuto betrayed him, Nagato betrayed him, Obito betrayed him, Black Zetsu betrayed him.
Everyone was acting. Only Madara sincerely wanted to fight the Fourth War.
After briefly reading through it once, Kiyohara had already memorized everything.
Although he had not activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, Kiyohara's memory and comprehension, after multiple inheritances, were already far beyond ordinary people's.
"These techniques are very valuable."
Kiyohara closed the scroll and looked up at Inoichi.
"When Ino reaches a suitable age, I will formally take her as my student."
Hearing that, Inoichi smiled.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
He stood up and gave a deep bow.
Kiyohara waved his hand, put the scroll into his clothes, and stood up.
Tsunade also stood.
"Then we won't disturb you any longer."
Kiyohara walked toward the door.
Inoichi escorted them to the entrance.
"Hokage-sama, take care."
Inoichi stood inside the doorway.
Kiyohara looked back at him, nodded slightly, then turned and left.
Tsunade turned as well, quickening her pace to catch up with Kiyohara.
The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder along the road they had come from, slowly disappearing into the distance.
Inoichi stood at the door, watching their backs vanish at the end of the street.
No matter how he looked at it, though, he felt the two of them were heading to the casino.
He remembered very clearly that if they kept walking down that street, they would reach Konoha's largest casino. And he had heard that a new casino was being built recently too.
"Inoichi."
Yamanaka Rino spoke while holding Ino.
"Hokage-sama… is really going to take Ino as his student?"
Inoichi walked over and took his daughter from his wife's arms.
Ino was shifted into a different position. Her little mouth puckered, but she didn't cry. She only stared at her father's face with those pale green eyes.
"Mm."
Inoichi lowered his head and looked at that small face in his arms.
"Our daughter will become the Hokage's student in the future."
Rino leaned closer, resting her head on her husband's shoulder as she looked down at Ino too.
The baby knew nothing. She only instinctively clenched her fists and held them near her ears.
"Ino."
Inoichi lowered his head, looking at the little face slowly relaxing in his arms.
"In the future, you must learn properly from Hokage-sama."
Ino gave a tiny yawn, buried her face into the swaddle, and fell asleep again.
...
Several days later.
At the border of the Land of Fire.
Kiyohara arrived at the place Konan had mentioned using the Flying Thunder God Technique, holding Konan in his arm.
When the two appeared, Kakuzu was already waiting there.
This was a desolate valley on the border of the Land of Fire.
The ridges on both sides stretched into the distance like two rows of massive ribs, squeezing the sky into a narrow strip of blue.
Kakuzu stood at the entrance of the valley, studying Kiyohara with interest.
'Well now. That woman actually let herself be held.'
This was the first time Kakuzu had seen Konan like this.
Sensing Kakuzu's gaze, Konan frowned slightly. Then she patted Kiyohara's hand, signaling that he could let go.
"Kakuzu is up ahead."
Konan said.
She was still wearing her Anbu uniform today, though she had removed her mask.
Her cool, elegant face was revealed, along with the silver lip stud beside her mouth.
"Okay."
Kiyohara nodded slightly and released Konan.
At the same time, he looked at Kakuzu.
This counted as Kiyohara's first formal meeting with him.
Kakuzu looked more or less the same as Kiyohara remembered, wearing the Akatsuki's standard black cloak with red clouds.
But unlike most others, Kakuzu, like Kakashi, liked to wear a black face mask, revealing only his green eyes.
'To hide the stitch marks around his mouth?'
Kiyohara wondered.
Hiruko was much the same.
People who liked modifying their own bodies always seemed to end up making themselves look neither human nor ghost.
"I've heard much about you, Fourth Hokage… Kiyohara."
Kakuzu looked at him.
Kiyohara was much younger than he had imagined.
"If you want to spar with me, you'll need to put something on the table."
Kiyohara said.
"What kind of thing?"
Kakuzu asked back.
"If you lose, leave behind Earth Grudge Fear. It was something you stole from Takigakure anyway, so I doubt you'll feel any psychological burden."
Kiyohara spoke slowly.
"You even know about that?"
Kakuzu was somewhat surprised.
It had been several decades since he defected from Takigakure.
And Takigakure had never deliberately publicized the matter, yet Kiyohara actually knew.
Kakuzu guessed that Kiyohara had specifically gathered intelligence on him, which was why he knew so much.
'Konoha's intelligence-gathering ability really is terrifying.'
Kakuzu thought inwardly.
"That's no problem."
Kakuzu nodded.
He did not think he would lose.
"But if you lose, I want one of your techniques too."
"Of course."
Kiyohara nodded.
Even if he gave Kakuzu one of his techniques, Kakuzu would probably find it very hard to learn.
Leaving aside common ninjutsu, techniques like the Flying Thunder God Technique, or secret techniques involving various kekkei genkai, were simply not things Kakuzu could easily master.
"Then can we begin?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Heh. Of course."
Kakuzu smiled, pleased with Kiyohara's straightforwardness.
Kiyohara then glanced at Konan.
Konan understood and took several steps back. Two wings made of paper emerged behind her. With a gentle flap, her entire body rose into the sky.
She hovered dozens of meters above them, looking down at the two below.
"Then let's begin."
Seeing that Kiyohara had let Konan leave the battlefield between them, Kakuzu raised his hand and untied the cord at his collar.
The black cloak with red clouds slipped from his shoulders and was casually tossed onto a nearby rock.
Underneath was a gray, tight-fitting chainmail that clung to his body, outlining his lean, hardened muscles.
On his thick arms were many ring-like stitch marks.
With Kiyohara's powerful insight, he could faintly see those black stitches writhing slightly.
Every section of stitching could be opened, allowing Kakuzu's arms to extend and strike.
Kiyohara knew that very well.
But in the end, even if Kakuzu could do that, Kiyohara had Steel Release, Earth Release: Earth Spear, and the dynamic vision of his Sharingan.
It was impossible for Kakuzu to land a sneak attack on him.
Perhaps a long time ago, Kiyohara might have felt pressured facing Kakuzu.
But for the current Kiyohara, dealing with Kakuzu could only be described as effortless.
"Earth Grudge Fear!"
At that moment, Kakuzu's body split open.
All the stitches burst apart at once, like a cloth bag being ripped from the inside, revealing the pitch-black things beneath.
Countless black threads surged from the openings, densely packed like a nest of writhing little snakes.
They twisted and tangled in the air, and in the blink of an eye, they had wrapped around Kakuzu's entire body.
Kiyohara's black eyes instantly transformed into Mangekyō Sharingan.
In the unique vision of those eyes, Kakuzu's body was no longer "human."
His true body was like a mass of pitch-black tendrils, woven together from countless fine chakra threads.
Five hearts were embedded in different parts of that tendril mass, each one beating and pumping chakra into the threads.
Five hearts. Five chakra natures.
Kiyohara could see them clearly: fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water.
The five hearts were like five independent engines, each running separately without interfering with the others, yet connected as one through those threads.
Then the tendrils began to condense.
They poured out of Kakuzu's body, piling up over his shoulders and back.
Four masks emerged from the tendril mass.
The masks were grayish white, with a texture like fired clay, and different colored patterns carved across their surfaces.
The Fire Release mask monster and Wind Release mask monster merged into his shoulders, their masks facing outward.
The Lightning Release and Earth Release masks were embedded in his back, one facing left and the other right.
Eight giant black threads extended from Kakuzu's body. Each was as thick as an adult's arm, slowly writhing in the air like an octopus's tentacles.
Kakuzu looked at Kiyohara.
He had already prepared himself to be ambushed, but Kiyohara was only standing there and observing?
Was this confidence in his own strength, or was he afraid to test the waters recklessly?
Kakuzu weighed it in his mind.
"Fourth Hokage."
"I want to see how much of the First Hokage's power you possess."
The moment he finished speaking, the Fire Release mask on Kakuzu's shoulder opened its mouth.
Fire Release: Searing Migraine!
The Fire Release mask monster released a vast sheet of flame like a sea.
The moment the fire touched the ground, its range instantly expanded.
In that instant, the entire world turned red.
A sea of fire spread outward with Kakuzu at its center. Wherever it passed, shattered rocks melted and dry grass burned to ash.
Seeing this, Konan had no choice but to rise another dozen meters.
The wings made of paper trembled slightly in the heat wave. She raised a hand to block the hot air rushing toward her.
The flames reflected across her face, lighting that cool expression in shifting light and shadow.
"Since when did Kakuzu become this strong?"
Konan was surprised.
The Kakuzu from before should not have been this powerful.
But now, Kakuzu was far stronger than she remembered. The range and temperature of this Fire Release had already surpassed the limits of ordinary Fire Release ninja.
She looked at Kiyohara standing below, already prepared to use paper ninjutsu at any moment and open a defensive barrier for him.
Kiyohara stood in place, unmoving.
The flames, hot enough to melt stone, stopped several meters in front of him.
A layer of golden chakra emerged around his body, separating him completely from the sea of fire.
The flames crashed into that chakra, scattering countless sparks, but they could not advance even an inch.
Susanoo!
The next moment, Kiyohara used one of the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques.
"Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique."
His spirit left his body in that instant.
When Yamanaka clan ninja used this technique, they usually had to use all of their spiritual energy to avoid failure.
But Kiyohara did not need to use all of it.
He didn't even need to use most of it.
His spiritual energy was too vast. Vast enough that splitting off only a small portion was enough to complete this technique.
That wisp of spirit was like an invisible needle. It pierced through the sea of fire and stabbed straight into Kakuzu's mind.
Kakuzu's body suddenly stiffened.
The eight black threads slowly writhing in the air stopped at the same time.
Kiyohara's consciousness entered Kakuzu's body.
In that instant, he felt many things.
First, sluggishness.
This body was more than one level slower than his original body.
The speed of nerve signal transmission felt stretched out. To him, it was like playing a PvP match while stuck with a red, high-latency connection.
Kiyohara adapted for a moment before getting used to it.
Of course, this didn't mean Kakuzu's body was weak. Compared to the overwhelming majority of ninja, Kakuzu's physical body was excellent.
It was just that Kiyohara's own body was far too absurd.
Then Kiyohara felt the five hearts beating simultaneously, and five different chakra natures surging through the body.
Three seconds later, he controlled Kakuzu to raise a tendril and extend the Fire Release mask monster on his shoulder outward, like stretching out a black neck, aiming it at Kakuzu's own chest.
Boom!
The flames blasted directly into his chest.
The thin layer of black tendrils was torn open by the fire, exposing scorched muscle and pale bone beneath.
Kakuzu's consciousness struggled violently at that moment.
His spirit was not as powerful as Kiyohara's, but decades of experience had given Kakuzu a computational ability far beyond ordinary people's.
He was like a startled hedgehog, all his spines standing on end.
The black tendrils erupted violently at the same time, whipping wildly through the air and sweeping shattered stones and scorched earth everywhere.
Seeing this, Kiyohara withdrew his spirit from Kakuzu's body and returned to his own.
After Kiyohara's spirit returned to his body, Kakuzu's body was still held in that self-harming posture due to inertia.
"Cough…"
Kakuzu suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The blood hit the ground, staining the scorched earth darker.
"Damn it."
Kakuzu's expression darkened.
He should never have underestimated Kiyohara.
A mental attack like that was truly impossible to guard against.
After that unexpected attack, Kakuzu directly wrapped a layer of black tendrils around his face, like putting on a black mask.
He intended to rely entirely on pure sensory perception to fight Kiyohara. That way, he could avoid being affected by the Sharingan or other mental attacks.