'I wonder if a "Six-Armed Spider Kiyohara" will ever appear in the Urn?' Kiyohara thought darkly, watching the defeated enemy bleed out in the crater.
Was his future destined to remain strictly human?
Perhaps a "Toad Kiyohara" or a "Giant Lizard Kiyohara" was also mathematically possible.
'Theoretically, the senjutsu taught at Mount Myōboku is biologically designed exclusively for toads...' Kiyohara pondered.
In the lore, whether a practitioner's Sage Mode cultivation is successful or a failure, they inevitably undergo cellular toadification. Even with Naruto's so-called "perfect" Sage Mode, his irises still mutated into the horizontal, yellow pupils of a toad. And Jiraiya's degree of toadification was horrifying—he grew warts, webbed feet, and an enlarged nose.
Essentially, this is because the creators of Mount Myōboku's senjutsu were a clan of giant amphibians. It had absolutely nothing to do with human biology.
When actual toads practice their senjutsu, there are zero physical side effects. In fact, it exponentially extends their lifespan! The Great Toad Sage had lived for over a thousand years, and his generals, Fukasaku and Shima, were over eight hundred years old.
'If a "Toad Kiyohara" who mastered senjutsu appeared in the Urn... would the Mount Myōboku senjutsu he inherited be the most perfect, biologically flawless version?'
Kiyohara shook his head, unsure how that kind of genetic fusion would actually work in reality.
He snapped out of his contemplation and saw that Rin had finished stabilizing Hibiki's ruptured cardiovascular system. She was already breaking off relatively straight tree branches from the surrounding wreckage to use as splints.
Kiyohara and Kakashi worked together in silent, efficient tacit understanding. Using the branches and tough vines, they quickly constructed a simple field stretcher, firmly securing the unconscious, six-armed ninja onto it.
The squad didn't delay any longer. Kiyohara and Kakashi took turns carrying the heavy stretcher, moving rapidly through the canopy back toward the Konoha outpost.
By evening, the squad had returned to the safety of the base.
When Kiyohara, Kakashi, and Rin escorted the dying Hibiki Kido through the gates, it inevitably caused a massive commotion.
The logistics ninja responsible for receiving prisoners of war couldn't help but steal horrified glances at Hibiki's six arms and the terrifying, cratered injuries on his chest that were clearly caused by immense blunt-force trauma.
"A mercenary from the Land of Rice Fields. From the Six-Armed Spider Clan..."
The Jonin in charge of the bounty registry looked at the few items confiscated from Hibiki and listened to Kakashi's after-action report. He nodded, his tone carrying a hint of genuine praise.
"The Spider Clan is indeed troublesome to fight. Their tensile silk and Hiden techniques are highly lethal to standard shinobi. You did exceptionally well to capture an elite specimen alive."
After a rapid verification and medical assessment, the mission payment and additional military merit rewards were distributed.
Because Hibiki was an enemy combatant with a special mutant constitution and possessed high-level mercenary intelligence, the bounty was astronomical. It far exceeded the payout for a typical C-Rank or even a B-Rank assassination.
The squad was awarded the absolute maximum: 200,000 Ryo.
Kiyohara felt a deep sense of irony; Hibiki, who had planned to capture them and sell them to the highest bidder on the black market, had instead been beaten to death and sold to Konoha T&I.
Of course, the cash was split three ways, but the real prize was the military merit points.
After collecting his share of the bounty, Kiyohara didn't hesitate. He went straight to the outpost's Ninjutsu Exchange Office.
During wartime, to enhance the survival rate of frontline troops, the Village opened up exchange permissions for restricted, mid-to-high-level ninjutsu, requiring only sufficient war merits instead of clan backing.
Kiyohara had long had his eye on a specific B-Rank Lightning Release jutsu: Lightning Release: Angry Thunder Arrow.
It allowed the user to gather highly condensed Lightning chakra in their right hand, then fire multiple, armor-piercing bolts of blue lightning from the palm to snipe the opponent. It was very similar to the Swift Thunder Arrow, but significantly more lethal.
What Kiyohara valued was its extreme attack range and instantaneous explosive velocity. It perfectly compensated for his current lack of long-range elemental attacks and complemented his close-quarters magnetic brawling.
No matter how fast he accelerated his iron sand, it was still a physical object with massive weight and substance. It required constant, heavy chakra exertion to push. Lightning, however, was pure, weightless energy. It was infinitely faster and more chakra-efficient over long distances.
The exchange process went smoothly.
Purchasing a restricted jutsu didn't mean he was simply handed the scroll to take home. Instead, a specialized instructor walked him into a secure reading room, briefly explained the chakra pathways, and allowed Kiyohara to transcribe the key hand seals and theoretical formulas into a personal notebook. This protocol prevented classified scrolls from being stolen or lost on the battlefield.
Kiyohara's hard-earned war merits immediately shrank by more than half.
However, in his view, it was a completely worthwhile investment. This jutsu was the key to unlocking the Steel Release bloodline.
Just as he walked out of the Exchange Office, a logistics staff member flagged him down and handed over a small, heavy money pouch.
"Chunin Kiyohara. This is your monthly wartime allowance. Please sign for it."
"Thank you," Kiyohara signed the ledger.
Counting the days, it was indeed the end of the month.
The "basic stipend" was a baseline salary Konoha paid to all deployed military personnel. The amount wasn't huge, but during a brutal war where inflation skyrocketed and civilian supplies were tight, it was a critical supplement. It guaranteed a shinobi wouldn't starve if they were assigned to low-paying guard duty instead of lucrative assassination missions.
Kiyohara weighed the heavy pouch, feeling the crisp friction of the newly printed banknotes inside. He decided to treat himself.
Because he had no assigned duties for the afternoon, Kiyohara walked into the civilian transit town attached to the outpost.
To prevent frontline troops from completely losing their minds, the town was packed with entertainment. There were food stalls, bars, hot springs, and even heavily regulated red-light districts. Of course, there were also highly disciplined shinobi who strictly adhered to the "Three Prohibitions" and refused to indulge. Kiyohara was not one of them.
"Boss. I'll have a massive serving of your signature fried tender chicken," Kiyohara ordered at a bustling street stall.
"Coming right up!"
The middle-aged cook operated the deep fryer skillfully. Soon, a massive, golden-brown piece of fried chicken, larger than a man's face, was handed to Kiyohara. The rich aroma of boiling grease and savory spices mixed together, causing his mouth to water.
After surviving on dry military ration pills and cold water for a week, this was a supreme delicacy.
Kiyohara held the hot chicken wrapped in oil paper, looking for a quiet bench to enjoy it.
Suddenly, he saw Tsunade storming out of a nearby gambling house. Her expression was utterly venomous.
She stomped past Kiyohara, but suddenly slammed to a halt. Her nose twitched aggressively as she sniffed the air.
"Hmm?! Smells so good!"
Kiyohara turned his head. What came into view was a mess of dazzling blonde hair and a voluptuous body that commanded attention. That proud, imposing figure didn't lose an ounce of its intimidation factor despite her devastating gambling losses. Her light blue capri pants emphasized her hips, while her flak jacket struggled to contain her chest.
Tsunade's bright brown eyes first locked onto the glistening fried chicken in Kiyohara's hand with absolute, predatory focus. Then, her gaze slowly shifted up to his face.
"Brat. You're back from your mission?" she asked naturally, trying to sound authoritative.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Kiyohara nodded.
One look at her trembling hands and twitching eye told him she had lost absolutely every last penny to her name. He guessed she would have to bully Shizune into buying dinner tonight.
"How did the recon go?" Tsunade asked, though her burning gaze never once left the fragrant chicken.
Kiyohara noticed the laser focus.
He remembered a trivia fact from the official databooks: Tsunade's favorite foods were strong sake and anything chicken-related.
After a second of cold, calculating thought, Kiyohara extended his arm, holding the massive piece of chicken out to her.
"Lady Tsunade. Please have some."
'One must cast a long line to catch a big fish,' Kiyohara thought pragmatically. He desperately needed a political backer right now. When he inevitably revealed his Steel Release in the future, having a Sannin vouch for him would drastically reduce the scrutiny from Danzo's Root ANBU.
Now it was Tsunade's turn to be shocked.
She had only intended to stare at it to satisfy her visual cravings; she hadn't expected the notoriously stingy brat to actually offer it.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, snatching the chicken greedily. She sized Kiyohara up. "Oh? You brat. You certainly know how to look after your superiors."
She wasn't polite. Opening her plump lips, she took a massive, tearing bite out of the crispy chicken.
Hot grease glistened at the corners of her mouth. She narrowed her eyes in absolute, euphoric satisfaction, chewing loudly. "Mmm... damn, that tastes good!"
After taking two massive bites, she suddenly paused. She looked at the half-eaten chicken in her hand, then looked down at Kiyohara, who was standing beside her with a completely deadpan expression.
She felt a rare, fleeting twinge of embarrassment. But a Sannin couldn't lose face. She shoved the chicken back toward Kiyohara's chest. "Here. You eat some too! Don't just stand there watching me eat like a creep."
Kiyohara shook his head. "Lady Tsunade should finish it. I'm not that hungry."
He had mainly bought it for the psychological relaxation; his actual caloric need wasn't that severe.
Tsunade misunderstood entirely, assuming he was intimidated by their superior-subordinate rank. Her brow furrowed sharply.
"If your commanding officer tells you to eat, you eat! This is an order! Replenishing your physical strength is a shinobi's duty!"
Kiyohara looked at the massive piece of chicken held forcefully against his chest. It bore the very clear, glistening teeth marks of a Sannin.
He was silent for exactly one second.
He reached out, took the chicken, and took a small, polite bite from the absolute furthest edge opposite where Tsunade had bitten.
"It does taste quite good," he nodded, giving a purely objective culinary evaluation.
Tsunade watched him eat, nodding in satisfaction, before snatching the chicken back and obliterating the rest of it in three bites.
Suddenly, she realized the implications: the two of them had just essentially shared an indirect kiss over a piece of fried poultry.
Despite her bold, veteran personality, Tsunade's expression became highly unnatural.
She gave a loud, dry cough. "Brat. Are you blushing?" Tsunade demanded, aggressively shifting the psychological pressure onto him.
"Of course not," Kiyohara replied blankly.
"Really...?" Tsunade leaned in aggressively close, squinting at him to check his reaction.
As she leaned in, her gaze unavoidably swept downward, locking onto the heavy, bulging money pouch tied to Kiyohara's waist—the allowance he had just received and hadn't even opened yet.
"Cough, cough," Tsunade cleared her throat again, her eyes gleaming with renewed, desperate greed. "That... brat. Your money pouch seems even heavier than last time. Did you just collect your monthly allowance?"
Kiyohara swallowed his bite of chicken. "Yes, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade's eyes lit up like floodlights. The brief, awkward embarrassment was instantly incinerated by the agonizing reality of her gambling addiction.
She rubbed her thumb and index finger together, flashing him a kind, blindingly amiable smile. In Kiyohara's eyes, the smile was practically predatory.
"Cough. So... you haven't forgotten our last agreement, have you?" Tsunade purred, trying to make her extortion seem natural. "Logistics funding has been a bit tight lately, and there are some extra administrative expenses on the medical research side..."
'Here it comes,' Kiyohara thought dryly.
'Is the Legendary Sucker treating me like a personal ATM she can shear whenever she goes broke?'
"If Lady Tsunade needs it for official medical research, then please, take it," Kiyohara reached into his pouch. He pulled out a massive stack of notes—70,000 Ryo—and handed it directly to her.
It was a combination of his Spider Clan bounty and his monthly allowance.
This time, Tsunade was truly shocked.
She had decades of experience extorting loans from people, but someone like Kiyohara, who handed over a massive sum of cash without a single argument or complaint, was unheard of. Nowadays, it was nearly impossible for her to borrow money even from Jiraiya, because everyone knew she was a black hole for cash.
Tsunade took the thick stack of bills. She looked at Kiyohara's handsome, unbothered young face, suddenly feeling that this brat was the most angelic, pleasing sight in the entire world.
"Don't worry, kid. I absolutely won't take this for nothing," Tsunade promised fiercely. "If you have any questions about Medical Ninjutsu, chakra control, or Taijutsu in the future, you come find me. I should be free in a few days. Just set a time and come directly to my tent. My door is open to you."
Kiyohara nodded respectfully. He had just successfully purchased an elite Sannin's VIP tutoring pass for 70,000 Ryo. It was the bargain of a lifetime.
"Alright! If there's nothing else, go about your business," Tsunade waved her hand grandly. Her mood had turned from cloudy to ecstatic. She squeezed the thick stack of banknotes in her fist, turned around, and marched back toward the gambling house entrance with terrifying momentum.
Looking at her posture, she was clearly preparing to use his money to double down and win back everything she had just lost.
'Rushing right back to the slaughterhouse...' Kiyohara shook his head.
For a brief moment, he considered going inside and betting against her to win his money back, but he knew the casino games were rigged and complex; it wasn't worth the effort.
'Better to focus on what matters,' Kiyohara gathered his thoughts.
'The real priority is to master the Angry Thunder Arrow tonight. Once I complete the dying wish and inherit Steel Release, I wonder if the hardened biological constitution will allow me to channel even higher thresholds of Magnetic Field Rotation without tearing my muscles apart...'
He didn't delay any longer. He turned and headed directly for his isolated tent in the outpost, preparing to seize the evening to master his new B-Rank lightning jutsu.
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