Elsewhere, on the outskirts of the village.
"Has Kiyohara already sealed the Nine-Tails?"
Might Guy could feel that enormous Nine-Tails chakra suddenly disappear.
While in the state of the Eight Gates, all of his senses were greatly enhanced.
"Looks like your village's Hokage is much stronger than our village's Mizukage."
Kisame Hoshigaki smiled.
Before becoming a rogue ninja, he had always served Kirigakure diligently.
Naturally, he had seen the Mizukage's strength before, and he knew it was nowhere near Kiyohara's level.
"You people continued the traditions of the Blood Mist Village. How could you possibly understand the bonds of Konoha?"
Might Guy's expression was serious.
In his eyes, Kirigakure's Blood Mist Village was simply inhuman. It did not treat comrades as comrades at all.
It was filled with blood, darkness, and betrayal.
A village like that was absolutely not the kind of village Might Guy wanted.
Only a bright, thriving village like Konoha, one that carried on the Will of Fire, was a place he was willing to dedicate his life to.
"Looking at the result, maybe you're right."
Kisame nodded without avoiding the point.
Otherwise, how could one explain why Konoha had one genius after another?
But now, Kirigakure no longer had much to do with him.
The moment he accepted Obito's invitation, Kisame had already accepted the Eye of the Moon Plan.
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
Kisame refined Water Release chakra and transformed it into a gigantic shark capable of devouring chakra.
Seeing this, Might Guy immediately opened the Seventh Gate.
"Daytime Tiger!"
Might Guy formed a special hand seal and instantly launched a white tiger-shaped air cannon.
The shark-shaped water bullet that could absorb chakra was instantly shattered by Might Guy's attack.
"You're pretty good."
Kisame spoke.
Just as he was about to release another Water Release technique, ripples appeared in the surrounding space.
"It's time to go, Kisame."
Masked Obito appeared.
"Looks like it."
Kisame quickly restrained the battle intent in his eyes.
Finding a suitable opponent was nice, but right now the bigger picture mattered more.
"The Nine-Tails has already been sealed. There's no reason for us to stay."
Kisame withdrew his sword and sheathed it again.
Might Guy looked at the suddenly appearing Obito and did not dare act rashly.
"This operation was an absolute disaster."
In the nearby forest, Sasori looked at his puppets scattered all over the ground.
The puppets he had controlled with the Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets were already more than half destroyed.
Some had lost arms. Some had shattered heads. Parts were strewn everywhere.
Konoha's ninja had grown considerably stronger.
"Who told Kiyohara's strength to exceed our plans?"
Hearing Sasori complain, Kisame couldn't help speaking.
"Hmph."
At the mention of Kiyohara, Sasori's expression was anything but pleasant.
Soon, under Obito's command, the White Zetsu still fighting also began to withdraw.
They moved very quickly, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.
The ninja pursued them for a while, but Kakashi called them back.
"Don't chase."
Kakashi spoke.
"Kiyohara said before: don't pursue a desperate enemy. There may be an ambush ahead."
Kakashi said.
Kiyohara liked using idioms, so Kakashi had memorized quite a few.
The ninja stopped and turned back to look at Kakashi.
Kakashi raised his head and looked toward the village.
"Stay alert. Watch out for enemy traps. Half of you come with me to patrol the village perimeter."
Kakashi said.
......
"Is it over?"
Miroku's voice came from behind, carrying a trace of urgency.
She hurried over to Kiyohara. The hem of her gold-trimmed white robe was stained with dust, and the beads in her hair swayed gently under the moonlight.
To deal with the Nine-Tails, which was even stronger than Mōryō, she had spent a full hour making preparations inside the shrine.
Sealing formulas had been drawn across ten talismans, and she had taken out ritual tools passed down through generations of shrine maidens.
Some of those tools had not been used in over a hundred years, and the sealing formulas on them had already become somewhat blurry.
But by the time Miroku arrived, she realized the battle was already over.
Kiyohara turned and looked at her.
Moonlight fell across his face. There was no particular expression on that handsome face, only a calm nod.
"Mm. It's over."
Miroku's gaze passed over his shoulder and landed on the devastated ground behind him.
Broken stones, snapped wood, scorched earth, and stone roads that had been lifted from the ground by Wood Release trunks made the place look as if a giant hand had torn it apart from the middle and flipped it open to both sides.
The Nine-Tails' chakra had completely vanished. Only a faint residual aura remained in the air.
"Were there many casualties?"
Miroku asked.
"The barrier worked, and the civilians were evacuated."
Kiyohara paused, his gaze sweeping over the busy ninja around them.
"There are quite a few injured ninja, but not a single civilian was harmed."
Kiyohara shook his head.
The injured ninja were all those who had fought Akatsuki and the White Zetsu outside.
Even while inside the village, his terrifying sensory ability allowed him to know everything happening outside clearly.
Miroku nodded.
Her gaze moved from Kiyohara to the faces of the surrounding ninja.
Their eyes left her somewhat puzzled. It was an almost burning light.
Miroku did not understand.
She had seen worship before.
In the Land of Demons, the people's worship of the shrine maiden was also devout.
But now, these Konoha ninja looked as if they had witnessed their faith become reality.
"Everyone really welcomes you."
Miroku said.
"It's all right."
Kiyohara glanced around and understood why they were acting this way.
Wood Release ninjutsu was not merely powerful.
More than that, it was a symbol—the symbol of the First Hokage's invincibility.
It was like the imperial jade seal from Kiyohara's previous life, carrying a special meaning.
"Kiyohara-kun."
A hoarse voice came from the side.
Miroku turned her head.
Orochimaru was walking out from the shadows, a sinister smile on his pale face.
He wore a green ninja flak jacket, with a purple rope tied around his waist. The hem of his robe was stained with dust, but he did not look disheveled.
"Thanks to your power, Konoha suffered almost no losses."
Orochimaru walked up to Kiyohara, stretched out his tongue, and licked the corner of his mouth.
Those vertical pupils lingered on Kiyohara, scanning him from top to bottom, from his face to his hands, before finally landing on his eyes, which had already returned to black.
"As Hokage, that's only natural."
Kiyohara's answer was brief.
Orochimaru nodded and did not continue the subject.
But his gaze still lingered on Kiyohara, like a snake sizing up prey.
"Kiyohara."
At that moment, Sarutobi Biwako's voice came from behind the crowd.
She was supporting Kushina as they walked over, each step slow.
Most of Kushina's weight was leaning on Biwako's shoulder. Her face was as pale as paper, without a hint of color in her lips. Her red hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to her skin.
The white birthing robe she wore was stained with blood and medicine, wrinkled around her body, making her look thinner than usual.
But in Kiyohara's perception, Kushina was only suffering from excessive chakra depletion. As long as she rested for a few days, she would return to normal.
Kiyohara was not surprised.
Kushina's bloodline was far purer than Naruto's, and her vitality was far greater.
In the original story, even after the complete Nine-Tails was extracted, she still had enough strength left to release the Adamantine Sealing Chains and suppress the Nine-Tails.
When Naruto had the Nine-Tails extracted, he was on the verge of death immediately.
Besides, the Nine-Tails had not been completely extracted from Kushina this time. It was more like half of it had been cut away.
Although there had been a major drain, it was still within a recoverable range.
"Kushina, slow down."
Minato Namikaze walked over from the other side and reached out to support her.
Kushina shook her head, stood firmly on her own, let go of Sarutobi Biwako's shoulder, took a deep breath, and straightened her back.
"I'm fine."
Kushina said.
Watching this, the surrounding ninja all had the same thought rise in their hearts.
So a jinchūriki did not necessarily die after having a tailed beast extracted.
As long as not all of it was extracted, they could survive.
This was the first time every ninja present had learned that.
After all, there had never been such a case in the past.
Even Orochimaru's eyes flashed with interest.
He was thinking: if the Nine-Tails could be divided, wouldn't that mean there could be two Nine-Tails jinchūriki?
Then what about the other tailed beasts?
Or dividing them into even more portions?
By continuously dividing tailed beasts, one could create more tailed beast jinchūriki. This would weaken each jinchūriki's strength, but control would increase greatly.
"How should this place be handled?"
Uchiha Shisui walked over and asked.
His Sharingan was still active, the three tomoe slowly rotating in his eyes as he scanned the land that had been plowed by the battle.
Kiyohara followed his gaze.
The barrier had already dispersed.
After Obito disappeared, the crimson light screen began fading, finally transforming into countless tiny motes of light and scattering in the air.
The ground looked as if it had been plowed, exposing the soil beneath.
The deep pits left by the Nine-Tails' steps remained, with broken stones and snapped wood piled around their edges.
Farther away, several buildings had been affected by the aftermath of battle. Their walls had cracked, and their roofs had collapsed, exposing dark hollow interiors.
Fortunately, all of this had happened within the barrier's range. There was no damage outside.
"I'll handle it."
Kiyohara raised his right hand.
Earth Release and Water Release chakra converged in his palm, turning into Wood Release chakra.
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique."
The earth began to tremble.
Everyone felt the change beneath their feet in that instant.
Thick pieces of timber burst out of the ground one after another.
From seed to sapling to towering tree, the entire process was compressed into just a few breaths.
Then, under Kiyohara's control, these tree trunks became smooth and refined, just like polished wooden boards.
"That's…"
A young ninja's mouth fell open, and the kunai in his hand nearly dropped to the ground.
"Wood Release…"
An older ninja murmured.
"It really is Wood Release… the First Hokage's Wood Release…"
Thud.
The first crossbeam fell into place.
Thud.
The second.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The sound of wood fitting into place echoed continuously.
Under Kiyohara's control, the timber assembled like building blocks.
Walls rose from the ground. Roofs formed atop the walls. Doors and windows automatically left empty spaces where they should be.
In just a few minutes, the outlines of several houses appeared before everyone.
The walls were straight, the edges sharp and clear.
"This…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood behind the crowd. At some point, the Adamantine Staff in his hand had already been withdrawn. His mouth hung open, and for a long while he could not speak.
He had seen the First Hokage's Wood Release before, back when he was still young.
That kind of overwhelming power still shocked him to this day.
"That brat Kiyohara…"
Tsunade stood farther away, arms crossed, leaning against a tree trunk.
Her eyes were half-lidded, but the corners of her mouth rose slightly.
Shizune stood beside her, holding Tonton in her arms. The little pig had already woken up, its round eyes wide open, mouth hanging slightly as it let out soft oinks.
"Tsunade-sama, Kiyohara-kun… he really used Wood Release…"
Shizune said.
"Mm."
Tsunade nodded.
The corners of her mouth rose again, then she pressed them back down, only for them to rise once more.
She suddenly remembered what Kiyohara had said.
"Teacher, do you remember what you once said?"
"You said that if I learned Wood Release, you would grant me one wish."
That damned brat.
Tsunade cursed inwardly.
Then she remembered the day at the flower shop, when Kiyohara had made that rose bloom again in her palm.
She had already felt something was off back then.
Medical ninjutsu could not achieve that level of effect.
That was something only Wood Release could do.
"Tsunade-sama, why are you smiling?"
Shizune's voice pulled her back to reality.
Tsunade composed herself.
"Nothing."
She paused.
"I just feel like I took in a good student."
Shizune blinked, feeling that Tsunade-sama's expression seemed a little strange, but she couldn't say exactly how.
......
On another street.
Shimura Danzō returned from the village outskirts with Root ninja, excitement on his face.
He walked at the front, the restraint on his right arm hidden inside his sleeve.
Danzō's mind was already calculating how to impeach Kiyohara.
The Nine-Tails had broken loose and caused chaos.
What a perfect opportunity.
The fact that a jinchūriki's seal was weakest during childbirth was something all Konoha higher-ups knew.
But knowing was one thing. When something happened, someone had to take responsibility.
The Nine-Tails appearing inside the village was itself a weakness to exploit, regardless of whether it ultimately caused damage.
If handled properly, he could make Kiyohara's newly claimed Hokage seat begin to shake.
Thinking this, Shimura Danzō quickened his pace.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Shimura Danzō saw a tall forest rising in the distance.
"Wood Release?"
Danzō was puzzled.
"Where is Kinoe?"
He turned and asked the subordinate behind him.
One Root ninja answered,
"Tenzo—no, Kinoe went out on a mission a few days ago. I think he was supposed to return today?"
"Is that so."
Danzō nodded.
Tenzo was Kinoe. In Root, he was called Kinoe, while in Anbu, he was called Tenzo.
In that case, was the forest ahead created by Kinoe?
It seemed that as Kinoe grew older, his Wood Release had become stronger as well.
Shimura Danzō felt that today was truly full of good news.
"Let's hurry over."
Danzō said.
"Yes, Danzō-sama."
The Root ninja behind him all spoke respectfully.
Having undergone brainwashing education, they almost regarded Shimura Danzō as their everything.
Soon, Shimura Danzō turned a street corner and happened to run into Mitokado Homura.
"Homura."
Shimura Danzō walked over and stopped beside him.
Mitokado Homura turned his head and glanced at him.
"Danzō."
Homura frowned.
"Where did you go just now?"
Shimura Danzō did not answer the question.
He raised his one eye and looked toward the village, waiting to see the ruins destroyed by the Nine-Tails.
But he discovered that aside from the forest, large stretches of buildings were perfectly intact.
Could the battlefield have been on the other side?
Shimura Danzō suppressed the urge to rush up to a rooftop and look around. Doing that would be too undignified.
He also did not send Root ninja to collect information.
That would draw too much attention.
"Where is the Nine-Tails?"
Shimura Danzō asked directly.
"It was sealed by Kiyohara."
Mitokado Homura said.
"!"
Shimura Danzō's brows furrowed even more deeply.
He had not expected Kiyohara to personally seal it.
Danzō had only sensed the Nine-Tails' pressure vanish, and that was why he had hurriedly led his people back.
In Shimura Danzō's expectations, either Minato Namikaze or Hiruzen Sarutobi would use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to seal the Nine-Tails.
After all, against such a powerful existence, ordinary sealing techniques would not have much effect.
And with powerful enemies outside, there was not much time to consider options.
"So Kiyohara sacrificed himself?"
A flash of joy appeared in Shimura Danzō's heart.
If that was the case, it would save him a lot of effort.
"?"
Hearing Shimura Danzō's words, a question mark almost appeared over Mitokado Homura's head.
He pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose, then slowly said,
"Kiyohara did not sacrifice himself. Why would you think that?"
"Didn't he use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal? Only that kind of sealing technique can deal with the Nine-Tails."
Shimura Danzō had gathered intelligence on the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques.
In his view, the strongest sealing technique was undoubtedly the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
However, he had not mastered the ability to use it.
So, settling for the next best thing, after coming into contact with the Uzumaki clan's Four Symbols Seal, Danzō had developed the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing.
This was also Danzō's strongest sealing technique. The caster had to inscribe the Reverse Four Symbols Seal into their own body beforehand.
After using it, all the blood in the caster's body would gush out, drawing the seal while expanding into a spherical shape, sealing nearby matter together and dragging it into the underworld to be completely sealed away.
Of course, its greatest flaw was the same as the Dead Demon Consuming Seal: the caster would die.
"What Dead Demon Consuming Seal? Danzō, have you been drinking? What nonsense are you talking about?"
Mitokado Homura felt that Shimura Danzō had truly fallen low.
Every time something happened, he would sneak outside the village, resulting in him now knowing nothing about what had happened inside.
"Kiyohara used Wood Release to suppress the Nine-Tails. Civilian casualties were zero, and ninja casualties are within a controllable range."
Hearing this, Shimura Danzō's heart sank violently.
"Wait. Kiyohara can use Wood Release?"
Shimura Danzō was greatly shocked.
The forest ahead had actually been created by Kiyohara?
And he had thought Kinoe's ability had grown stronger!
"We were also surprised, but that is the fact."
When Mitokado Homura spoke about this, he couldn't help showing admiration.
Kiyohara could actually use Wood Release. It seemed that letting Kiyohara become Hokage had indeed been an incomparably correct choice.
But unlike Homura's expression, Shimura Danzō's old face grew darker and darker.
The development of the entire incident had completely exceeded his expectations.
Not only had the village suffered few losses, but Kiyohara had revealed Wood Release and gained tremendous prestige.
And after Danzō had fled outside like this, would he be held accountable?