"So... strong."
Ginka's eyes shimmered with an unusual brilliance, as if she had suddenly grasped a lifeline in a turbulent sea. Kiyoshi was not only powerful and robust but could actually fly! A technique of that scale surely demanded a terrifying amount of chakra; by extension, Kiyoshi's stamina and endurance must be... extraordinary.
If it were Kiyoshi, perhaps saving Nobuhiko's life and extracting him safely wasn't just a fantasy. Standing in place, Ginka's mind raced with calculations and desperate hope.
"What was that?"
Natsu Hyuga, standing nearby, didn't catch Ginka's soft mutterings.
"Nothing," Ginka replied, her expression instantly returning to its usual cold indifference. This was not something a mere servant like Natsu needed to know.
"What kind of jutsu was that?"
"It was so bright!"
"An Uchiha? I've never seen a technique like that in my life."
The surrounding ninjas were buzzing with excitement, looking at Kiyoshi with a mixture of curiosity and primal awe. They had seen techniques that coated the body in elemental chakra before, but Kiyoshi's transformation was clearly something else entirely.
Since when did elemental coating cause physical mutations? The golden vertical pupils, the hardening keratinous buds on his forehead, and the subtle, shimmering patterns of scales... everything about him radiated a predatory, serpentine aura.
"Sage Mode."
Uchiha Fugaku watched as Kiyoshi's chakra dissipated and his body slowly returned to its original form. A spark of realization lit up his mind. Beyond the legendary Jiraiya, there had always been whispered rumors of other "Sage Modes" in the annals of history.
When Uchiha Madara wielded the full power of the Mangekyo and even forced the Nine-Tails into a summoning contract, it was the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, who used Sage Mode to stand against him. The struggle between Madara and Hashirama had occurred only a few decades ago; many records survived within the clan's private archives.
However, most Uchiha lived day-to-day with their lives on the line, focused entirely on immediate survival and power. Few had the luxury or the inclination to study dusty historical texts. If not for the "Three Inhibitions of Shinobi," Fugaku suspected many would simply drown themselves in hedonism to forget the constant proximity of death.
"Young and immensely talented," Hiashi Hyuga remarked, leading his clansmen over. If not for Kiyoshi's lightning-fast assault breaking the Mist ninjas' formation, this skirmish would not have ended so decisively.
"Fugaku, your Uchiha clan truly overflows with talent," Hiashi sighed, a rare note of genuine admiration in his voice.
"You flatter us. Your clan is equally distinguished," Fugaku replied, a smile finally softening the rigid lines of his face. Regardless of the circumstances, Kiyoshi's rise in power was a boon for the Uchiha. In this brutal war, they needed every powerhouse they could get.
If Hidden Leaf fell, the Uchiha would be forced into a nomadic, hunted existence across the ninja world. The fate of the Land of Whirlpools and the Uzumaki clan served as a grim reminder: a once-mighty nation with peak sealing techniques, now reduced to ruins and a scattered diaspora.
Other villages didn't want the Uchiha elders or their loyalty; they only wanted the bloodline. After all, the loyalty of those who had lived a lifetime under the "Will of Fire" could never match that of a brainwashed new generation.
"We rest and regroup today," Fugaku announced after a brief consultation with Hiashi. The troops began transporting the wounded, clearing the debris of the battlefield, and re-establishing the sentry lines.
Kiyoshi found himself surrounded by well-wishers and curious onlookers. Novelty always breeds fascination. He humored them for a while before squeezing through the crowd and heading toward his tent. It was time to "harvest" his puppet clones.
Every other day, he systematically released his puppet clones to absorb their accumulated experiences and progress.
"Kiyoshi, what was that move?" Asuma Sarutobi came running up before Kiyoshi could get very far.
"Want to learn?" Kiyoshi asked, turning back with a smirk.
Asuma scratched his head, his eyes wide with genuine curiosity. The technique looked incredibly cool and imposing.
"It's definitely too hard for you, Asuma," Kurenai Yuhi said, walking up gracefully. She was equally curious, but she repressed her questions, fearing that prying might damage the image she held in Kiyoshi's mind.
"It is quite difficult," Kiyoshi said calmly. "If the training fails, you turn into a snake and get eaten."
Even Orochimaru couldn't master the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave. It took Kabuto Yakushi years of body modification and patchwork genetics to barely endure that power.
The same went for Mitsuki; he was a genetically engineered clone, and even then, it took numerous failed experiments before one succeeded. Eventually, that success was placed by Boruto's side to form the new generation's trio.
"Turn into a snake?" Asuma flinched. The risk was far too high; it sounded no different from practicing a Forbidden Jutsu.
"Kiyoshi... are there any side effects?" Kurenai asked worriedly. She reached out and gently squeezed Kiyoshi's powerful arm, finding only normal, warm skin instead of cold scales.
"Lord Jiraiya of the Sannin uses a similar power. You can think of it as the power of the Sages," Kiyoshi said, his lips curling into a slight smile. Seeing Kurenai so distressed over a casual remark confirmed that his "Kurenai Cultivation Plan" was nearing maturity. He could see that he occupied a significant space in her heart.
In the original timeline, Kurenai and Asuma were destined to be lovers, but here, their relationship was nowhere near that level of intimacy. Asuma's unilateral pursuit had seemingly never received a reciprocal response from Kurenai.
Thinking of this, Kiyoshi felt his visual prowess surge slightly. 'Indeed, Asuma. What you cannot obtain, I hold within my reach.'
The three chatted for a while as dusk began to fall. They couldn't stay idle for long; soon, Kurenai and Asuma were called away for their respective duties.
Perhaps because he was a newcomer, or perhaps because his recent performance was so dazzling that the commanders were still deciding how to best utilize him, Kiyoshi remained in his tent without any assigned missions. He was happy for the leisure and began his meditation.
*Poof.*
The puppet clones were summoned back and dispersed into clouds of smoke.
"The progress bar for the 'Fire Style Jonin' trait is at 95%," Kiyoshi noted, eyes closed, absorbing the flood of experience. Releasing puppet clones at a distance usually caused significant chakra loss; the further away they were, the more was lost. Unless it was an emergency, he preferred summoning them back before dispelling them.
He had done the same at Ryuchi Cave, though his summoning process had since become much faster and more streamlined. His "Summoner Shinobi" trait had also reached the level of a Chunin as the White Snake entered its growth phase. The chakra cost for summoning was greatly reduced, and he could now trigger the jutsu instantly using any fabric marked with the summoning formula.
As the makeshift clock in his tent hit seven in the evening, the sound of rhythmic footsteps approached.
"Are you here?" Kiyoshi didn't even need to look to know who it was through his sensory abilities.
"Lady Ginka. I thought there were no more grievances between us," Kiyoshi said, pulling back the tent flap and putting on a confused expression.
Ginka bit her lip. Kiyoshi's gaze made her feel as if needles were pricking her back; she wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground. But thinking of Nobuhiko, she took several deep breaths, forcing a strained smile onto her delicate, beautiful face.
"Kiyoshi... Kiyoshi-kun."
The use of an honorific toward someone she once considered beneath her seemed to stick in her throat. She stammered for a long moment.
"So, Lady Ginka knows how to use honorifics after all. I thought you were incapable of looking at anyone without looking down on them," Kiyoshi mocked. His smile was sharp, causing Ginka to lower her head in shame. To come and beg someone she had once despised was a bitter pill to swallow.
If she hadn't insulted the Uchiha and offended Kiyoshi back then, she wouldn't be in this position now. A wave of genuine regret washed over her.
"Kiyoshi-kun, you're joking. May I... come in?" Ginka was wearing only a thin outer robe. The cold evening wind blew, tracing the curves of her silhouette. She hugged herself tightly, terrified that her clansmen might see her at an Uchiha's tent. If rumors started, her reputation would be ruined. She just wanted to get inside as quickly as possible.
"That doesn't seem appropriate. I'm afraid of what people might say. Rumors can be quite troublesome," Kiyoshi said with a straight face, acting as if he were the one worried about being associated with her.
"..."
Ginka nearly snapped. The veins around her pale eyes almost bulged with the involuntary activation of the Byakugan. She, a young woman of status, wasn't the one complaining about reputation—yet this guy was acting like she was a burden? She took a moment to smooth her features, forcing an even more subservient smile.
"Kiyoshi-kun, truthfully, I have come to ask a great favor of you."
"And what might that be?" Kiyoshi asked, his smile deepening. He knew exactly what she wanted, but he wasn't going to make it easy. Women like Ginka—arrogant, haughty, and prone to mockery—were essentially "female brats" in adult bodies. Or perhaps "Mega-Brats."
Kiyoshi made a mental note of her "adjustments." The training of the Hyuga females in the Gentle Fist wasn't just for combat; it promoted physical development. Beneath those thick, traditional robes lay surprisingly impressive curves. Hinata Hyuga in the original series was the perfect example of this—"slim in clothes, but substantial out of them."
"I want to ask Kiyoshi-kun to please... look after Nobuhiko's life when the unit goes out on missions. Please ensure he survives," Ginka pleaded.
The intervention today had delayed the official rescue operation. Tomorrow, the forces would likely launch a full-scale assault on the Mist to ensure the Hyuga bloodline wasn't compromised. As for Nobuhiko's survival? Ginka knew that few people truly cared. In fact, some elders probably preferred he died so the incident could be buried.
"Save Hinata Nobuhiko, eh..." Kiyoshi pulled the flap wide and stepped aside.
Ginka breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced left and right, and seeing no one watching, she hurried into the tent.
"The accommodations are simple. Make do," Kiyoshi said. The tent contained only a bed, a small table, and a teapot. Ginka stood awkwardly for a moment before finally sitting on the edge of Kiyoshi's bed. She felt a deep internal conflict; she was a woman who valued cleanliness and order above all else.
Kiyoshi noted her discomfort perfectly. "When asking someone for a favor, shouldn't you show basic manners?" his voice turned cold.
Ginka waved her hands frantically, denying any disrespect. Seeing the teapot on the table, she stood up and poured a cup of tea, handing it to him with both hands.
"It's cold," Kiyoshi said, taking a sip and placing the cup back down without hesitation.
"I... I..." Ginka wanted to point out that there was no heating equipment in the tent.
"Is there a problem?"
"I'll be right back!" Ginka grabbed the kettle and ran to a public heating point in the camp. She returned shortly with hot water and brewed a fresh pot for him.
"This is better," Kiyoshi said, draining the cup in one go. Watching Ginka—a woman who usually treated Natsu with such disdain—swallowing her pride and suppressing her humiliation made him laugh out loud. It was simply karma; the wheel of fate had turned.
"What? You look tired," Kiyoshi remarked, glancing at the slightly breathless Ginka.
"I... I can give you money. Our past grievances were settled, weren't they?" Ginka realized he was intentionally tormenting her. Her face was pale, and she was running purely on nervous energy. She fumbled through her robes and pulled out a sealing scroll. "There are 700,000 ryo in here. That should be more than enough to hire you for an S-rank request."
The Hyuga were a wealthy clan with numerous industries, and Ginka received a generous stipend. The amount of money an ordinary ninja would have to risk their life for across dozens of missions, she could save in a single year just by existing.
"As expected of the Main House. Quite the generous hand," Kiyoshi said. He didn't even look at the scroll. Instead, he pulled back the tent flap and made a "get out" gesture. "If you have no sincerity, please leave."
"!" Ginka froze. 700,000 ryo wasn't enough to make him move? Did this man view money as dirt? "Kiyoshi... Kiyoshi-kun! I'm... I'm not tired at all! Please, continue to give me instructions!" she cried out in a panic, grabbing his sleeve with a desperate, pleading tone.
"Hehe." Kiyoshi's smile widened. This was about "correction." To fix an arrogant person like Ginka, one had to continuously break their pride until they viewed themselves as lesser.
Only then could she inherit the "virtues" of a proper Hyuga wife—becoming a submissive, supportive mother and spouse. In a way, he was doing her a favor. Besides, Natsu worked for him now; it was only fair to get a little payback for his subordinate.
"In that case... rub my back." Kiyoshi lay face-down on the bed, his broad back exposed to her. Ginka nodded quickly and began to massage him.
"Wrong. Lower. Don't you know how to do this?" Kiyoshi turned his head to glare at her.
"Lower...?" Ginka paused. She saw the meaningful look in his eyes and felt a shiver run down her spine. "Lower" meant putting her back into it, getting closer. But that would mean... physical contact beyond just her hands.
Because the human body is not flat; it has curves. And those curves, under the influence of gravity, would naturally press against him. Ginka was a Chunin; she understood the physics of the human body all too well.
"I... I am a Hyuga..." she tried to use her clan's prestige to decline politely.
"You might not believe it, but the Hyuga and the Uchiha were actually one family a very long time ago," Kiyoshi said.
"Kiyoshi-kun, you're joking." Ginka's fingers were trembling so much she could barely control the pressure. How could the noble Hyuga be related to the "inherently evil" and "mad" Uchiha?
"Hurry up. Didn't you want me to save Nobuhiko? I've been traveling and fighting all day. If I don't get proper rest, how can I perform at my best tomorrow?" Kiyoshi reasoned with practiced ease.
Ginka's heart hammered against her ribs.
'Is Uchiha Kiyoshi... interested in me? Does he like older women?' A wave of dread and revulsion washed over her, but... what choice did she have? She remained silent for a long time, staring at his back.
Finally, she bent her waist further and further, using the closer proximity to "properly" massage his back. This shameless act of pandering was a slow torture for her soul.
Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, Kiyoshi told her to stop. Ginka scrambled back several paces. One thing confused her: no matter how much force she used, Kiyoshi's back never showed any marks. How high did his Taijutsu have to be to make his skin that resilient? She couldn't understand it, and her mind was too much of a mess to think clearly.
"Leave the money. You can go now," Kiyoshi waved her off.
"And Nobuhiko...?"
"I'm a soft-hearted person. I'll ensure he stays alive during the mission."
Hearing his definitive answer, Ginka nearly wept with relief. Watching her walk away after thanking him, Kiyoshi's lips curled into a smirk. Was it over? Of course not. He was a man of his word—he would keep the man alive. As for his health, or whether the Byakugan was recovered... that was a separate matter entirely. Not part of this deal. For that, she'd have to pay more.
He recalled the weight he had felt on his back just moments ago, and his eyes glowed. His visual prowess felt a bit more saturated, and his chakra bottleneck was slowly rising. The larger his base chakra, the more "Sage Chakra" he could produce. With Sage Mode as an amplifier, every point in his base stats made him exponentially stronger.
'I wonder how much more visual power I'll gain when the time comes to "harvest" her?' He mused. It would be interesting to see if a "corrected" Ginka could compete with Natsu in loyalty. Sometimes, a competition between the Branch House and the Main House was healthy.
***
Ginka's Tent.
Natsu, who was organizing Ginka's things, saw her mistress returning hurriedly from the direction of Kiyoshi's quarters. A terrifying yet thrilling thought bloomed in her mind. 'Did Ginka go to see Kiyoshi for Nobuhiko's sake? If so... how exciting.'
A shiver of dark pleasure ran through Natsu. Would the "noble" Main House lady fall to the same fate as her? Would the haughty elite finally experience what it felt like to serve someone else? This "equality" gave Natsu a twisted sense of satisfaction. In the shadows, her beautiful face was half-hidden, her expression unreadable.
As Ginka approached, Natsu put on a mask of sincere concern. "You must be tired, Lady Ginka. Here is tonight's dinner."
"No appetite," Ginka snapped, surprised by Natsu's sudden proactiveness. But she was too distracted to dwell on it. she brushed past Natsu and began rummaging through her clothes, changing into a fresh set.
"Throw this robe away." She tossed the robe she had been wearing aside with a look of pure disgust. It had touched Kiyoshi's surroundings—how could she possibly keep it?
"Yes, Lady Ginka." Natsu gathered the robe and headed toward the camp's disposal site. But just before she reached it, she stopped. "This is a collectible," she whispered, hiding the robe away. If the day of "true equality" ever came, she would bring this out. The look on Ginka's face would be priceless.
"Time to see Lord Kiyoshi," Natsu thought, turning her steps toward his tent.
***
The Next Day. The coastline at the border of the Land of Fire.
"The Leaf ninjas are here," Ao reported, using the long-range vision of the Byakugan.
"Is the one you mentioned, Uchiha Kiyoshi, among them?" asked a man with long hair covering half his face, wearing the dark blue combat gear of the Mist.
"Lord Utakata, please be cautious. That man possesses flight techniques," Ao warned. A ninja who can fly is a nightmare for those who cannot; if they can't win, they can simply fly away.
"It's fine. I can fly too," Utakata replied with a calm, elegant smile.
"Even Utakata is here," Ringo Ameyuri noted, standing among the Mist forces. Her eyes flashed with interest. she was curious to see how Kiyoshi would handle Utakata. Utakata was the Jinchuriki of the Six-Tails, Saiken!
He specialized in [Bubble Ninjutsu] and could merge his bubbles with the Six-Tails' corrosive acid, making his attacks impossible to defend against. If both could fly, this was going to turn into an aerial battle.
"Is Senior Utakata very strong?" Terumi Mei asked curiously. She had never seen him fight. Generally, Tailed Beasts were treated as ultimate weapons and only deployed as a last resort. Even in war, their full power was rarely used due to the risk of losing control.
Sealing a Tailed Beast required not just a capable host body, but high-quality sealing techniques. Leaf's [Four Symbols Seal] was superior to the Cloud's [Iron Armor Seal], which was in turn superior to the Mist's sealing technology. This directly affected the probability and severity of the Jinchuriki losing control.
"Very strong," Ringo stated firmly. To call a Jinchuriki a "weapon of war" was no exaggeration. A battle between two Jinchuriki who had lost control could reshape mountains and tear the earth asunder. Ringo had yet to see a ninja whose destructive power could truly rival that of a Tailed Beast.
"Lord Juzo, here is the Hyuga bloodline material," a bald Mist ninja said, handing a sealing scroll to Juzo Biwa.
"Good." Juzo accepted it solemnly. Bringing this back would be a monumental achievement.
"How is the prisoner?"
"He has one breath left," the bald ninja replied. For the sake of efficiency, they hadn't bothered finding female ninjas; they just used a high-stamina male ninja to... extract the material manually. The bald ninja's hands were still sore from the effort.
(T/N:- 💀💀💀)
"They're here!" Ao shouted.
Every Mist ninja guarding the defense line looked out.
"Finally," Kiyoshi thought, spotting Terumi Mei, Ringo Ameyuri, and the leisurely, confident figure of Utakata.