A few days later.
Konoha's main gate.
Kiyohara stood at the front gate. Behind him was a compact, elite team.
In their midst, the Fourth Raikage A, Killer B, and Yugito Nii were being escorted on a carriage.
All three wore restraint garments covered in sealing formulas, locking their chakra inside them like chains.
Tsunade appeared beside Kiyohara.
Her delicate face carried a hint of laziness, clearly not fully awake yet.
"You're only bringing this many people?"
Tsunade glanced at the team behind him, her brows furrowing slightly.
Her gaze lingered on the Anbu ninja for a moment before turning to Kiyohara.
"Kumogakure may have agreed to the terms, but who knows whether they'll turn hostile? Shouldn't you send another squad?"
"No need."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"With me here, it's enough."
The main reason he was bringing these Anbu was to leave them at the military base that would be established in the Land of Lightning.
They would form the backbone of the base. As for the outer personnel, Kumogakure ninja could simply be used for miscellaneous work.
"That's true."
Tsunade nodded.
During the Nine-Tails incident, Kiyohara had used Wood Release to suppress the rampaging Nine-Tails so completely that it had no power to fight back.
With that kind of power, he really did not need too many guards.
Kiyohara and Tsunade boarded the carriage, and the team behind them filed out.
Moving this many people at once would require a huge amount of chakra, because the stronger someone's chakra was, the harder they were to teleport.
On top of that, Kiyohara had never left a Flying Thunder God kunai in the Land of Lightning, so this time they chose to travel by carriage.
There were two carriages in total.
One escorted Samui and the other Kumogakure prisoners, while the other was for Kiyohara and Tsunade.
The Anbu ninja were responsible for travel and security.
"We'll have to travel for quite a while again."
Tsunade stretched.
Her impressive volume immediately trembled.
"If we come across anything interesting on the road, we can stop and rest before continuing."
Kiyohara said.
He was not in a hurry on the way to Kumogakure.
"Really?"
Tsunade looked at Kiyohara.
It just so happened that she had heard some places in the Land of Fire had new gambling machines, and she had wanted to check them out.
"Of course."
Kiyohara nodded.
Then he took out a Wood Release scroll and continued reading.
Reading the scroll while chatting with Tsunade was not difficult for Kiyohara.
Senju Hashirama had developed quite a few Wood Release ninjutsu. Now, all of these would become nourishment for Kiyohara.
…
In the other carriage.
Samui wore shackles on her hands. Gray metal rings clasped around her slender wrists, carved with dense sealing formulas.
Her treatment was slightly better than the other three. At least she had not been wrapped up like a dumpling in a restraint garment covered in sealing formulas.
Yugito Nii sat beside Samui. The restraint garment on her body was tighter than the others', digging into her skin and leaving faint red marks on her arms.
"Samui."
Yugito's lips moved slightly. Her voice was pressed extremely low, almost only a vibration of air.
"Did Kiyohara make things difficult for you?"
Samui's eyelashes trembled.
She lowered her head and looked at the shackles on her wrists.
"No."
She said.
Yugito did not ask further.
But she still felt that something about Samui's answer was off. She couldn't say exactly what.
Then Yugito noticed that beneath Samui's collarbone, in the area hidden by her collar, there seemed to be something.
A black marking.
Only a small edge was visible, like the end of some kind of pattern.
Did Samui have a tattoo before?
Yugito frowned slightly.
Tattoos were not uncommon among ninja. Samui's younger brother Atsui also had tattoos.
Even Killer B and the Fourth Raikage had tattoos.
The Fourth Raikage A walked at the very front.
The restraint garment on his body was stretched tight. Even though his muscles had thinned a lot, his tall frame was still visible.
The Fourth Raikage's expression was gloomy. His brows were twisted into a deep frown, and his lips were pressed tightly together. He said nothing.
Since the day he had been captured by Kiyohara, he had spoken very little.
It wasn't that he didn't want to speak. He simply didn't know what to say.
He was the Raikage, the strongest ninja in Kumogakure, the man who should have protected the village.
Yet now he was a prisoner, and his village had to cede benefits and pay compensation to bring him back.
That humiliation hurt more than any wound.
Killer B walked beside him.
He very much wanted to talk.
After seeing the outside sunlight, mountains, and rivers again after so long, Killer B was in a good mood.
He kept tapping the outside of his thigh, keeping rhythm.
If not for that restraint garment locking away his chakra, he probably would have already started rapping.
"Oh, yeah, this great me is going back to the village soon~"
"Kumogakure's sky, blue clouds in tune~"
"Shut up."
The Fourth Raikage said without looking back.
"Yes, Big Bro."
Seeing this, Killer B could only close his mouth.
...…
Several days passed.
At dusk, the team stopped outside a small town.
The town was not large. A main street ran north to south, with low houses on both sides.
Kiyohara had the Anbu set up camp in a forest outside the town.
The Anbu ninja quickly spread out, setting guard points in the trees and placing sensory barriers around the camp.
The Fourth Raikage A, Killer B, and Yugito Nii were placed inside a temporary barrier in the camp.
Three Anbu ninja stood guard around them in a triangular formation to prevent them from trying anything.
As for bathroom breaks, Kiyohara did not make things difficult for Samui and Yugito.
Most of the Anbu ninja here were women.
Kiyohara had the female ninja take them over.
However, as for luxuries like bathing, Yugito and Samui would just have to endure.
Yugito leaned against a tree, legs stretched out, her back pressed against the rough bark.
Her gaze passed over the camp and landed on Kiyohara.
Kiyohara was standing on the other side of the camp, talking to Tsunade.
There was a smile on Tsunade's face. Her lips opened and closed as if she were talking about something interesting.
Kiyohara had his head slightly tilted, listening to her speak, the corner of his mouth also carrying a faint smile.
Yugito clenched her teeth.
She lowered her head and looked at the restraint garment on herself.
She had been trapped in this thing for months.
"That guy looks more like he's sightseeing than anything else."
Yugito's voice was very low, carrying suppressed anger.
"Watch your mouth."
The female Anbu ninja guarding beside her spoke coldly. She wore a white cat mask, and her voice came from behind it.
"That's enough, Yugito."
The Fourth Raikage A's voice came from beside her.
Yugito's lips moved, but in the end she closed them. She lowered her head and looked at her knees, saying nothing more.
A's gaze moved away from Yugito and landed on the white figure on the other side of the camp.
Kiyohara had his back to them and stood beside Tsunade.
The afterglow of the setting sun fell on him, dyeing his white Hokage robe a pale gold.
A's fists clenched inside the restraint garment.
His knuckles made faint cracking sounds.
Night fell.
A bonfire burned in the center of the camp, its orange-red flames flickering and casting shifting light and shadow over the faces around it.
Sparks flew from the fire, drawing brief trails of light in the night sky before going out.
Tsunade sat beside him, legs crossed, holding a pot of sake.
She tilted her head back and took a sip, her throat moving as a drop of wine slid down the corner of her mouth.
"This place is boring."
Tsunade lowered the sake pot and wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
"There isn't even a casino."
"There's a small town up ahead. It should have one," Kiyohara said.
Tsunade's eyes lit up.
"How far?"
"Half a day."
"Then we leave early tomorrow."
Tsunade's tone carried excitement as she picked up the sake pot and took another drink.
...
The next day.
The team arrived at the town Tsunade had mentioned.
This town was a bit larger than the previous one. There were several shops on the main street, and a casino sign hung at the street corner, black characters on a red background.
When Tsunade saw that sign, her steps noticeably quickened.
Kiyohara had the Anbu set up camp outside the town to guard A, Killer B, and Yugito.
Samui was also left in the camp, the shackles on her hands still not removed.
"Wait for me here. I'm going to handle some things."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The Anbu ninja responded in unison.
Kiyohara turned and walked shoulder to shoulder with Tsunade toward the town.
...
Inside the town.
Tsunade spent the entire afternoon in the casino.
Kiyohara watched the stack of chips in front of her pile up, collapse, collapse and pile up again.
Tsunade's expression changed along with the rise and fall of the chips. When she won, her face lit up. When she lost, she gnashed her teeth. She showed none of the steadiness of a mature ninja.
Only when it was nearly evening did Tsunade, who had lost all day, finally stand from the gambling table.
She stretched, and her pale-green robe pulled taut, outlining the full curves of her body.
"Let's go. Time to eat."
"Okay."
Kiyohara stood as well.
He had won quite a lot, making back everything Tsunade had lost.
With the Yamanaka clan's mind-reading techniques, dealing with ordinary people like this was effortless for Kiyohara.
Especially since his Yin Release mastery was very strong. Unless they were ninja, ordinary people could not detect that their minds were being read.
The two entered an izakaya.
The owner was an elderly man with graying hair. Seeing them enter, he warmly came forward to greet them.
Tsunade ordered a whole table of dishes and two pots of sake.
She poured a cup for Kiyohara, then one for herself, and raised it.
"Cheers."
Kiyohara picked up the cup and clinked it against hers.
The sake entered his mouth, slightly sweet, with a faint rice fragrance.
Tsunade tilted her head back and finished one cup, then poured another.
An hour later, most of the dishes on the table had been eaten, and four sake pots were empty.
Tsunade's cheeks were clearly flushed. Her brown-gold eyes were covered with a thin layer of moisture, and her lips were redder than usual, like ripe cherries.
"You brat…"
Tsunade propped her chin on her hand and tilted her head, looking at Kiyohara.
"How is your alcohol tolerance so good?"
Kiyohara smiled.
"Good constitution."
"Cut it out."
Tsunade snorted.
"Did you secretly use the Yin Seal to sober up?"
"No."
Kiyohara shook his head.
He was telling the truth. With his current constitution, his speed of metabolizing alcohol far surpassed ordinary people.
Once alcohol entered his stomach, it was quickly broken down into energy and stored in the cells throughout his body.
If he wanted to get drunk, he would have to actively suppress his body's metabolic ability.
Tsunade stared at him for a while, as if judging whether he was lying.
Then she gave up, picked up the sake pot, and poured another cup.
"Not fair."
She muttered, then tilted her head back and drank it.
When she set down the cup, her body swayed slightly.
Kiyohara reached out and held her shoulder.
Tsunade's body was very warm. Even through her clothes, he could feel the heat of her skin.
"Can we go to the hot spring now, Teacher?"
Kiyohara blinked.
This was the main event today.
"Fine."
Tsunade's face was flushed, and even her speech sounded a little dizzy.
She immediately realized she had drunk too much and took the initiative to dispel some of the alcohol.
"Let's go."
Tsunade waved her hand.
After Kiyohara placed the money on the table, he wrapped an arm around Tsunade's waist.
Tsunade's body stiffened slightly, but she did not move away.
The next moment, the two of them disappeared from the izakaya.
"Where did they go?"
The owner, who had just finished his work, came back to find the two customers who had been drinking gone and thought they had skipped out on the bill.
Only after noticing the money Kiyohara had left on the table did he let out a breath of relief.
...
Hot spring inn.
This was a hot spring inn built halfway up a mountain.
Kiyohara had already booked the entire place.
The owner was a middle-aged woman. After receiving the money, she left with the staff, handing the keys to Kiyohara before departing.
Only Kiyohara and Tsunade remained in the entire hot spring inn.
Kiyohara entered the water first.
The hot spring pool was quite large, built from smooth cobblestones. Steam rose from the surface of the water.
He leaned against the edge of the pool, both arms resting on the smooth stone rim.
While Tsunade went to change, Kiyohara stretched out a hand.
Pfft!
Many wooden spikes grew out of his arm.
Wood Release: Cutting Technique!
Over the past few days, Kiyohara had learned quite a few Wood Release ninjutsu. Wood Release: Cutting Technique was one of them.
"The power is decent."
Kiyohara thought.
This technique had relatively low consumption, but its power was very good.
Once the enemy was pierced, the user could continue controlling the wooden spikes to branch and grow through hand seals, stabbing the enemy from the inside. It was extremely cruel.
In the original story, Hyūga Neji had ultimately died from Wood Release: Cutting Technique.
Otherwise, if he had simply been pierced, emergency medical treatment could absolutely have kept him alive.
"Wind Release…"
The chakra flowing in Kiyohara's hand changed and instantly shook the wooden spikes loose, finally blowing them away.
"You're still training Wood Release?"
Tsunade walked to the edge of the pool and stopped.
She felt Kiyohara was truly self-disciplined. Even with strength this powerful, he had not forgotten to keep improving through training.
"Just practicing in my spare time."
Kiyohara looked at Tsunade.
Tsunade had a white bath towel wrapped around her body. The thin fabric barely covered the important parts from her chest to her thighs.
Her golden hair had been let down, falling over her shoulders, a few strands hanging near the edge of the towel.
Moonlight fell on her body.
Her shoulders were round and fair, her collarbones delicate. The towel was stretched tight, outlining the fullness beneath.
She was already extremely beautiful, and the towel outlined her figure vividly. Where she should be full, she was firm and abundant. Where she should be narrow, she was slender and tight. Her lower abdomen was flat and smooth, without a trace of excess fat.
Being looked at by him made Tsunade feel a little uncomfortable, so she pretended to be calm and stepped into the hot spring pool.
The warm spring water rose past her waist, and only then did she relax. But she had not expected that once she entered the water, the towel would float up, and her softness immediately rose with it.
For a moment, the towel could not cover everything, and a large expanse of white was exposed to Kiyohara's gaze.
Kiyohara raised a brow.
Hinata floated when soaking in hot springs too. With Tsunade's exaggerated size, naturally there was no avoiding the laws of physics.
Tsunade reached out to hold the towel down and glared at Kiyohara in feigned annoyance.
"What are you looking at? Never seen it before?"
"I haven't."
Kiyohara smiled frankly and reached out to her.
"Why not come closer, Teacher?"
Tsunade hesitated for a moment, then drifted with the water and moved to Kiyohara's side.
"Can you raise the water temperature a little?"
Tsunade asked.
"Sure."
Kiyohara nodded.
He raised his right hand, and a faint orange-red heat wave appeared in his palm.
Fire Release chakra surged from his palm and slid down his arm into the water.
Under Kiyohara's control, the pool's temperature began slowly rising.
Tsunade closed her eyes and let out a comfortable sigh.
"This temperature is nice."
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.
"Then, Teacher, what about what you promised me before?"
Kiyohara's dark eyes looked at Tsunade, who sat to his right.
"You think I don't know what you're thinking, brat?"
Tsunade stood up directly.
The white fabric slid from her body.
Kiyohara's gaze fell on her.
Her full curves appeared and disappeared within the mist, every inch of skin as delicate as fine white jade.
Kiyohara did not look away.
He looked at her openly.
When appreciating art, Kiyohara never avoided looking.
Tsunade did not dodge either.
She raised her chin and met Kiyohara's gaze.
"Isn't this what you wanted?"
Seeing him like this, the corners of Tsunade's mouth curved into an alluring smile. She reached out, hooked her arm around his neck, and leaned to his ear, her breath fragrant and warm.
"What? Stunned?"
Kiyohara came back to himself, lowered his head, looked at Tsunade in his arms with her hazy, seductive eyes, and could no longer hold back. He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Tsunade's lips carried the mellow fragrance of sake and were impossibly soft.
She did not dodge. Instead, she reached out, hugged his head, and actively responded to Kiyohara.
Over these days, her feelings toward this brat had long crossed the boundary between teacher and disciple. She had simply refused to admit it.
She raised her hand.
Her arm rose from the water, bringing up a string of droplets. Her hand landed on the back of Kiyohara's head, fingers sliding through his black hair and gently pressing down.
"Still like a child."
Tsunade's voice was very low, carrying a tenderness even she herself did not notice.
Kiyohara did not answer.
The hot spring water splashed softly, ripples spreading layer upon layer across the surface.
The next second, Kiyohara lifted Tsunade from the water.
Water splashed everywhere. Tsunade's body suddenly left the warm spring water, and the night wind brushed across her wet skin, causing a fine shiver.
She instinctively tightened her arms around Kiyohara's neck, her legs wrapping around his waist.
Kiyohara held her and walked out of the hot spring pool.
Although he was holding Tsunade, his steps were very steady. He stepped over the smooth cobblestone floor, leaving a trail of wet footprints.
The bedroom's paper sliding door was half open. Kiyohara pushed it open with his shoulder and walked inside.
The room was covered in tatami, and the bedding had already been laid out.
Tsunade lay on the bedding. Looking at Kiyohara leaning over her, she pushed him, flipped over, and pressed him beneath her.
"Hmph, brat."
Tsunade's fingertips traced across Kiyohara's chest, and a smug smile curved her lips.
"Don't think getting the upper hand makes you so impressive. Today, your teacher will teach you what a teacher's authority means."
At her core, she was a proud and strong woman. Even facing Kiyohara, she did not want to remain passive the whole time.
Besides, after living this long, she couldn't let a brat several decades younger than her keep her pinned down without raising her head.
Kiyohara lay beneath her, looking up at Tsunade above him, and simply reached out to touch her waist.
"All right. Let me see Teacher's authority."
Tsunade bit her lower lip. After the seamless transition, tears faintly appeared in her eyes.
The next moment, Tsunade's forehead emitted a purple glow.
Then her body filled with crisscrossing black markings.
Yin Seal: Release!
"You're opening your ultimate right away?"
Kiyohara let out a muffled groan and asked with a smile.
Tsunade snorted, her movements not stopping, her tone carrying some pride.
"To burst down a squishy target, of course you open with your ultimate."
Kiyohara gave a low laugh and rolled over, taking the initiative again.
"Who bursts down whom isn't settled yet, Teacher."
…
The night was long.
The Yin Seal continuously provided Tsunade with stamina, supporting a body that should have long since been exhausted.
Her eyes were covered with a thick layer of moisture. Her focus was scattered, as if she had lost all defenses.
"Teacher."
"Mm?"
"Still holding up?"
Before Tsunade could answer, Kiyohara said,
"I'm opening my Yin Seal too."
After Tsunade's startled cry, the moon outside the window was covered by dark clouds.
...
The camp.
The bonfire had burned down into a pile of dark-red embers.
The Anbu ninja on night watch sat beside the fire, kunai in hand, eyes behind their masks vigilantly scanning the surrounding darkness.
Samui was not asleep. She sat on a stone at the edge of the camp, her back against a thick tree trunk.
Her gaze was directed toward the town.
Yugito leaned against the carriage wall, her anger burning even hotter.
"That Kiyohara bastard threw us here and ran off to enjoy himself?"
She gritted her teeth and cursed quietly.
"Otherwise?"
Killer B said.
"Kiyohara is Konoha's Hokage, and we're prisoners. You expect him to worship us?"
"Are we just going to let it go?"
Yugito asked unwillingly.
"We're just going to watch him throw his weight around?"
"What else can you do?"
Killer B opened his eyes and looked at Yugito.
"The only thing we can do now is endure. Once we return to Kumogakure, we'll make plans."
Hearing the others talk, Samui remained silent.
"Samui."
Yugito's voice came from beside her, pressed very low.
Samui turned her head.
"Should we take the opportunity to escape?"
Yugito's lips moved slightly, her voice only loud enough for the two of them to hear.
Samui shook her head without changing expression.
Yugito's brows furrowed.
Her lips moved, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she closed her mouth.
Yugito felt that Samui had submitted too much to Kiyohara's pressure and had completely lost the will to resist.
Samui withdrew her gaze. She knew what Yugito was thinking.
As the Two-Tails jinchūriki, Yugito's position in Kumogakure was second only to the Raikage.
She was proud.
Yugito had never imagined she would return to the village as a prisoner.
That humiliation was harder to endure than any pain.
But escape was impossible.
Samui knew this very clearly.
Even if they got lucky and escaped from these Anbu, Kiyohara would surely discover them immediately.
After all, Kiyohara had the Flying Thunder God Technique.
And the marks left by the Flying Thunder God Technique could be said to be undetectable and impossible to predict.
Who knew whether Kiyohara had marked this place?
...
A new day.
When Tsunade woke, the first thing she felt was soreness.
It was not soreness in one specific muscle, but all over her body.
From her shoulders to her waist, from her thighs to her calves, every muscle was protesting.
It was like she had been taken apart and put back together, but the screws had not been tightened.
She kept her eyes closed and did not move.
Gradually, memories of herself from last night wrapped around him like an octopus returned, and Tsunade's cheeks began to heat up.
She instinctively wanted to turn over, but the soreness in her waist made her abandon that thought.
Then she felt a hand.
That hand was pressed against her lower back.
Tsunade's eyelashes trembled.
She opened her eyes.
In her field of vision was Kiyohara's side profile.
Tsunade suddenly had an impulse.
She wanted to reach out and touch that face, to confirm everything last night had not been a dream.
She raised her hand.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch his cheek, Kiyohara opened his eyes.
He looked at Tsunade's hand suspended in midair, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Awake?"
Kiyohara asked.
Tsunade immediately withdrew her hand and turned her face away.
"Mm."
Kiyohara moved his hand away from her waist and propped himself up.
The blanket slipped from his shoulders, revealing his lean and firm upper body.
Sunlight fell on him, clearly outlining the lines of his muscles.
Tsunade looked at Kiyohara directly and openly.
After a brief moment of embarrassment, Tsunade chose to let herself go.
"I'll treat you with medical ninjutsu."
Kiyohara said.
Tsunade had a complete Yin Seal and powerful recovery ability. She was extremely durable.
This had also made Kiyohara a lot more unrestrained, without holding back too much strength.
Then Kiyohara sent a stream of pale-green chakra into Tsunade.
"Better?"
Tsunade moved her shoulders.
Most of the soreness had faded, and the rest was rapidly easing.
"Mm."
She paused.
"When did you learn to be so considerate, brat?"
"I've always been this considerate to Teacher."
Kiyohara said seriously.
Tsunade snorted, but the corner of her mouth lifted involuntarily.
Kiyohara withdrew his hand, lifted the blanket, and stood.
Tsunade's gaze unconsciously fell on his back.
His spine was straight, and the lines of his muscles were distinct.
His skin was smooth, without a single scar.
That was strange.
Tsunade remembered that Kiyohara had also been injured during the Third Great Ninja War. Although those wounds had healed, they should have left scars.
But now, there was not a single scar on his back.
Kiyohara dressed and turned around.
Tsunade was still lying on the bedding, the blanket pulled up to her chest, revealing a full curve.
Her golden hair was scattered messily across the pillow, a few strands resting beside her cheeks.
There was still a lingering blush on her face, and Kiyohara's figure was reflected in her amber eyes.
"Are we continuing the journey today?"
Tsunade asked.
Kiyohara thought for a moment.
"We'll leave tomorrow."
"Won't that delay things?"
Although Tsunade also hoped to spend one more day alone with Kiyohara, as an older unmarried woman who had finally tasted it, she naturally wanted more.
But she still understood that Kiyohara had to go to Kumogakure, and this involved two ninja villages.
"It won't."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Letting Kumogakure wait one more day did not matter.
In any case, they currently had no trump card with which to resist him.
Tsunade gave an "oh" and propped herself up.
"What are you going to do?"
"Get revenge!"
Tsunade said with a bright smile.
Last night, in that seamless exchange, she had lost completely.
Today, she would restore the glory of her authority as a teacher.
...
Another day passed.
The team set out again.
Tsunade walked beside him, her face carrying an indescribable radiance.
It was not the effect of makeup, but a glow seeping from beneath the skin.
Like a flower fully watered by rain, every petal full and stretched open.
Samui's gaze occasionally fell on Tsunade, then moved away.
She noticed the change in Tsunade.
As a woman, she could tell what kind of change it was at a glance.
Her fingers unconsciously touched the spot beneath her collarbone.
The cursed seal beneath her collar grew faintly warm.
The team continued north along the main road.
The fields of the Land of Fire gradually fell behind them, replaced by the mountainous terrain unique to the Land of Lightning.
The peaks were steep, rocks exposed, and vegetation sparse.
...
Land of Lightning, Kumogakure.
Kumogakure was built amid towering mountains.
The main buildings of the village sat within a valley between several mountain peaks, surrounded by steep rock walls that formed a natural defensive barrier.
Most of the buildings in the village were made of stone, rough in style, completely different from Konoha's houses.
When Kiyohara's group arrived at Kumogakure's main gate, a row of people was already waiting there.
Dodai stood at the front. Beside him were several Kumogakure higher-ups, and behind them were two rows of ninja.
Dodai's gaze landed on the tall figure in the center of the team.
The Fourth Raikage A was wearing the restraint garment covered in sealing formulas, his face dark.
Killer B and Yugito Nii beside him were also tightly wrapped in restraint garments.
Dodai's lips moved, but in the end he only bowed slightly.
"Hokage-dono."
Dodai said.
Kiyohara nodded slightly.
"Dodai, long time no see."
During the Third Great Ninja War, Kiyohara had also met Dodai.
After a brief exchange of greetings, the Kumogakure side led Kiyohara's group into the village.
Kiyohara also removed the restraint garments from Samui and the other four.
They only wore simple ninja outfits now. Since he was sending them back, naturally he could not have them continue wearing Konoha prison uniforms.
"Dodai, you worked hard."
The Fourth Raikage clenched his hand and looked at Dodai.
This was an old subordinate of his father, someone who had always helped him since the past.
"It's enough that Raikage-sama has returned."
Dodai said.
That night, Kumogakure arranged lodging for Kiyohara's group.
It was on the eastern side of the village, far from the residential area for ordinary villagers.
Kiyohara stood before the window, looking out at Kumogakure's night scenery.
Tsunade walked over from behind and stood beside him.
"Tomorrow we begin discussing the specific matters?"
"Mm."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Site selection, scale, number of stationed troops, and so on."
"Will Kumogakure…"
"They won't."
Kiyohara interrupted her.
"They have no choice."
Tsunade was silent for a while, then nodded.
Indeed.
Before absolute power, negotiation skills at the table had no meaning.
Kiyohara turned his head and leaned close to Tsunade's ear.
"I'll come over later tonight."
Tsunade's ears flushed slightly.
She turned her face sideways, her amber eyes carrying a hint of teasing.
"Already can't keep up?"
Kiyohara did not answer. His hand landed on the side of Tsunade's hip and lightly patted it.
Through that thin layer of fabric, he could feel the fullness beneath.
"Teacher, whether I can or not, don't you know very well? I'll be over soon to give you everything I have."
Tsunade glared at Kiyohara, but there was no anger in her eyes. If anything, her gaze was alluring.
After becoming a true woman, every movement she made carried a mature feminine charm.
In other words, the current Tsunade had both mature grace and the firm tightness of a young woman. It truly made her hard to resist.
And unlike Rin or Kurenai, she would not be shy. Instead, she was open and poised.
"Then hurry up. I'll wait for you."
Tsunade turned around and left, swaying her peach-like hips.
Kiyohara suppressed the heat in his heart.
He had never been a stingy person. His own cells possessed enormous vitality, so every dawn and dusk, Kiyohara would leave some for Tsunade.
If he did not genuinely have something to do today, he would have Tsunade warmly welcome him right now.
"I wonder what kind of new future will appear today."
Kiyohara thought and returned to the room assigned to him.
Moonlight shone in through the window, casting a square of silver-white light on the floor.
Kiyohara sat down before the low table.
A moment later, Kiyohara heard a synthetic female voice.
[Please receive your suicide note and urn. Properly bury the remains.]
Now familiar with the process, Kiyohara closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into the depths of his mental world.
That space had grown much larger than before.
As Kiyohara's consciousness approached, the lid of one of the urns began to loosen.
Click.
The lid slid open.
A figure slowly emerged from the urn.