My memories were preserved?
Kiyohara froze for a moment.
He immediately turned his gaze toward Tsunade, Kakashi, Kurenai, Rin, Shizune…
For a brief instant, confusion flickered through everyone's eyes before they gradually returned to normal.
"What just… happened?"
Tsunade pressed her fingers against her temples and rubbed lightly.
"The Dragon Vein has been sealed? What about Anrokuzan?"
She only remembered coming down here and unleashing devastation in all directions. As for what happened afterward, she could not recall a single detail.
"It feels like we've forgotten something, Lady Tsunade."
Shizune looked at the ruins surrounding them. It felt as though they had just experienced a fierce battle—puppet debris lay scattered everywhere.
"We definitely forgot something."
Tsunade nodded thoughtfully.
"Brat, how are you feeling?"
Her brown-gold eyes turned toward Kiyohara.
"I also feel like I've forgotten something, Sensei."
Kiyohara followed along with her line of thought.
As for whether he had truly forgotten anything—Kiyohara knew perfectly well in his heart that he had not.
Then why had this situation occurred?
Kiyohara glanced at Minato and saw that even Minato's gentle face was tightly furrowed in concentration.
In his hand, Minato still held his Flying Thunder God kunai, seemingly pondering when exactly he had used the Flying Thunder God technique.
Rin, Kurenai, Kakashi even Queen Sara wore expressions of blank bewilderment.
They only remembered discovering Anrokuzan and engaging him in battle.
And then… then everything after that was simply gone.
"Anrokuzan should have been defeated, Sensei,"
Kiyohara continued.
He pointed at the wreckage on the ground. Among the debris lay something that could barely be identified as Anrokuzan's puppet head.
"That's right. He must have been defeated. And the Dragon Vein has been sealed as well."
Minato pondered for a moment, studying the surrounding traces of combat.
His shuriken were still embedded in the ground—clear evidence of his own technique.
Although they could not remember how the final resolution had been achieved, they still remembered the matter of the Dragon Vein.
And the two missing ANBU.
Minato deduced that he must have sealed the memories related to those two ANBU members.
After thinking it over, he decided not to dwell on it further.
Since he had made the judgment to seal those memories, then at that moment, it must have been the optimal solution.
"These puppets have two layers—an outer shell of clay, and metal inside."
Kakashi examined the fragments scattered across the ground.
"That's right. Most of these puppets are composed primarily of clay and metal."
Kiyohara nodded.
Some of the special puppets were even constructed entirely of metal.
Ordinarily, puppets were made using wood, iron, and copper. Anrokuzan had added clay as an additional material.
"Let's head back up first,"
Tsunade said, glancing around. This was hardly a suitable place for discussion.
"Oh—my people are still up there."
Queen Sara, who had been quietly listening to the shinobi conversation, suddenly remembered her citizens.
"Then let's move."
Tsunade responded.
The group began walking toward the staircase.
Meanwhile, Kiyohara summoned the spirit of Uchiha Kiyohara and asked whether he still remembered everything that had just happened.
"Of course I remember."
The spirit nodded.
Hearing this, Kiyohara first eliminated the possibility that Minato had shown him special leniency by deliberately leaving his memories unsealed.
There was no reason for that—after all, from Minato's perspective, Kiyohara knowing about this matter would also potentially affect the future.
The most likely remaining explanations were twofold.
Either the layered accumulation of spiritual energy had allowed him to bypass Minato's memory seal, or the "Last Will System" had prevented his memories from being locked away.
Which of the two it was, Kiyohara did not yet know.
But retaining his memories was undoubtedly a good thing.
"This place will need to be rebuilt."
Queen Sara went to the stone wall from earlier and released all her citizens, allowing them to ascend first.
She then followed Kiyohara and the others to the source of the Dragon Vein.
Now it was completely dried up, leaving only a tall circular stone platform behind.
Sara approached slowly, gazing at the empty Dragon Vein pool with a trace of sorrow in her eyes.
Anrokuzan's betrayal—perhaps there had been signs even while her mother was still alive. But she had been too young then to understand anything.
"Thank you, Kiyohara."
She looked at him seriously.
"Rōran will be rebuilt and this time, in the right way."
Kiyohara took out the ruby necklace and returned it to her.
"This belongs to you. A portion of Dragon Vein chakra is sealed within it. As agreed, it can be used to maintain the basic operations of Rōran."
Sara accepted the necklace, feeling the warm current of power flowing within it, and nodded gently.
Minato stepped forward to examine the seal over the Dragon Vein pool.
Using the chakra sealed within the necklace, he carefully guided out a small strand and connected it to several critical nodes within the city of Rōran.
In this way, the city could sustain its most basic operations without attracting the greed of outsiders.
Since the ancient kingdom of Rōran had entrusted Konoha with the mission, it effectively made them one of the commissioning parties.
Ensuring Rōran's continued existence would only further stabilize Konoha's position.
At Sara's suggestion, Kiyohara and the others decided to stay overnight in Rōran and depart for Konoha the following morning.
The others agreed.
That night, Kiyohara sat alone in his room.
'The Dragon Vein's chakra has stabilized, but it still lacks form, there's no unified structure.'
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Otherwise, these scattered strands of Dragon Vein chakra would gradually dissipate once removed from Rōran.
Unless he found a suitable vessel capable of containing the Dragon Vein and then sealed it within his body using fūinjutsu.
Such an act could practically be described as creating an "artificial Tailed Beast."
'Still, these puppets do have their merits.'
On the table in his room lay numerous fragments of puppet debris.
No one in Rōran wanted them.
So Kiyohara had gathered additional pieces to study—both to analyze the craftsmanship of puppet masters and to understand how Dragon Vein chakra circulated within the puppets.
...
Meanwhile, on a distant battlefield—
Itachi clearly remembered the moment he first realized what kind of person he would become.
That day, torrential rain poured from the heavens.
The downpour was so fierce it was nearly impossible to keep one's eyes open.
Four-year-old Itachi stood in the relentless rain, water striking mercilessly against his small frame.
At his side, his father did not utter a single word of comfort.
Nor had Itachi ever expected one.
"You must remember—this is the battlefield."
His father's deep, steady voice pierced through the roar of the rain and sank into Itachi's heart.
Battlefield… This was not a word a four-year-old child should have had to understand.
And the scene before Itachi's eyes was certainly not one meant for a child's gaze.
Corpses. Corpses. Corpses…
As far as the eye could see, bodies were piled high like mountains.
Not a single face bore peace; every rigid corpse was frozen with the twisted agony of its final moments.
"Why… did you bring me here?"
At his son's question, Fugaku fell silent for a moment, as though weighing his words carefully, before finally speaking slowly.
"You are a clever child."
"And precisely because of that, I want you to witness this reality with your own eyes."
Fugaku's gaze drifted toward the enemy corpses in the distance. As a shinobi of the Uchiha clan, one must always strive to be the best.
This had always been his conviction.
"So this is the world… I will have to live in from now on."
Itachi murmured softly.
"That's right, Itachi. Shinobi are beings born for battle. Never forget what you have seen today."
Fugaku nodded.
The time for this harsh lesson was sufficient—they would return to the village.
He believed that a son who had experienced the baptism of war would one day become an outstanding shinobi.
'After we return, I still need to deal with Kiyohara's matter.'
Fugaku thought to himself.
......
Several days later, Kiyohara and the others returned to Konoha from the kingdom of Rōran.
Minato submitted the mission report, while Kiyohara followed Tsunade back home.
Tsunade pushed open the door and practically threw herself onto the sofa.
With a long sigh of relief, her voluptuous body sank into the soft cushions.
She kicked off her high heels, her fair toes stretching lightly in the air.
"I'm exhausted…"
She muttered, her brown-gold hair spilling over the back of the sofa.
"Kiyohara, go cook a couple of dishes for your sensei. Shizune, go buy some shōchū sake, and make they're strong."
Kiyohara had just set down his luggage when he raised an eyebrow.
"Sensei, I just got back. I was planning to train for a while first."
Tsunade turned her head lazily and glanced at him.
"What's the hurry? Later I'll teach you the medical ninjutsu Chakra Scalpel. It's an A-rank technique. Do you want to learn it or not?"
Kiyohara's eyes lit up instantly.
"Ahem—well, since you put it that way…"
Medical ninjutsu had always been his weak point. The Chakra Scalpel could sever muscles or the nerves without damaging surface tissue, and it could even be used as a weapon in combat.
Its sharpness far surpassed that of ordinary blades.
He immediately turned toward the kitchen.
"A disciple serving his master is only natural. What would you like to eat, Sensei?"
"Anything. More meat. Check what's in the fridge and cook whatever's there."
Tsunade smiled in satisfaction and buried her face back into the sofa cushion.
Seeing Kiyohara heading to cook, Shizune had no choice but to take Tonton and head out to buy sake.
From the kitchen came the sounds of pots and pans clattering.
Listening to the noise, Tsunade couldn't help but hum softly.
She shifted from lying on her side to lying on her stomach, removing her outer coat.
Her sleeveless top clung to her smooth back, the curve flowing down to her waist before rising into the full arc of her hips.
Tsunade felt her life growing increasingly comfortable—generous mission rewards meant gambling funds, someone at home to cook, someone to buy sake, and a talented, diligent disciple she could personally train.
"That little brat…"
Tsunade muttered to herself, recalling how Kiyohara's attitude had changed in an instant the moment he heard the words "medical ninjutsu," and the corners of her lips could not help but curl upward slightly.
"He's just like Orochimaru—completely obsessed with ninjutsu."
She realized that she seemed to have discovered Kiyohara's weakness.
Just as she herself was hopelessly addicted to gambling, Kiyohara's craving for powerful techniques was practically written all over his face.
About half an hour later, Kiyohara came out of the kitchen carrying several dishes.
The first thing he saw was Tsunade lying prone on the sofa, her body rising and falling gently with her breathing.
He allowed his gaze to linger for a couple of seconds before calmly setting the dishes on the dining table without changing his expression.
"Sensei, dinner's ready."
Almost at the same time, Shizune returned, holding bottles of alcohol and carrying Tonton in her arms.
The three of them sat around the modest dining table. Tsunade wasted no time in opening a bottle of strong liquor and tilting her head back for a long gulp.
"After completing a mission, you've got to enjoy yourself."
She sighed contentedly.
"Kiyohara, your cooking's pretty good. The meat's done just right."
"As long as Sensei likes it."
Kiyohara replied.
Originally, his cooking skills could only be described as average, but ever since awakening the Sharingan, he had been able to constantly observe and imitate.
If Sasuke could replicate Rock Lee's taijutsu simply by observing it, so long as his physical condition allowed him to execute it, then copying cooking techniques was naturally even easier.
Shizune ate in small bites, occasionally feeding Tonton a bit of vegetable.
After dinner, Tsunade did indeed keep her word.
She instructed Kiyohara to stand in the center of the living room while she positioned herself opposite him.
"Watch carefully. The core of the Chakra Scalpel lies in extreme chakra control."
Tsunade raised her right hand, palm facing upward.
"You gather chakra in your palm but instead of forming it into a solid construct, you keep it in a flowing state. At the same time, you increase its high-frequency vibration to the point where it can cut through cells."
A thin layer of pale blue chakra gradually appeared in her palm, as delicate and translucent as a cicada's wing.
It gave the impression that even the slightest touch would result in a clean cut.
"When medical shinobi use this for surgery, they can make incisions without damaging surrounding tissue. But if you use it in battle…"
Her gaze sharpened as she suddenly swung her hand across an apple resting on the table.
The apple's surface remained completely intact, without a single visible mark. Yet when she split it open, the flesh inside had already been cleanly divided into two halves, the cut surface smooth as a mirror.
"It directly destroys the enemy's internal cells, nerves, and muscle tissue."
Tsunade dispelled the chakra in her palm.
"The person hit by it might only have a minor scratch on the outside—but internally, they could already be gravely wounded or even dead."
Kiyohara had already activated his single-tomoe Sharingan and even summoned the spirit of Uchiha Kiyohara to study together with him so they could cross-verify their observations.
His crimson pupil locked onto every minute fluctuation of chakra in Tsunade's palm.
He saw that the chakra was not evenly distributed; at the microscopic level, it vibrated at high speed, forming countless tiny "blades."
The vibration frequency was extraordinarily high, requiring terrifying control to maintain stability.
"Your turn."
Tsunade said.
Kiyohara closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He attempted to gather chakra into his right palm, then imagined making it vibrate.
The first few attempts failed immediately as the chakra dispersed.
After standing there for a moment discussing internally with the spirit of Uchiha Kiyohara, the blue chakra in his palm began to tremble faintly.
To Tsunade, it merely looked as though he had paused briefly in contemplation.
She raised an eyebrow, a trace of surprise appearing on her pretty face.
"Oh? You found the feeling that quickly? Good. Keep going—raise the frequency."
Time passed minute by minute. Fine beads of sweat formed on Kiyohara's forehead, but the chakra in his palm vibrated faster and faster.
Two hours later, he could barely make the chakra vibrate at a level sufficient to cut fruit.
He tried using it on another apple. A shallow cut appeared on the surface, but inside, only half of it had been severed.
"Not bad."
Tsunade offered rare praise.
"A normal person would need months to reach this level. That's enough for today. Remember that sensation and practice every day."
Kiyohara dispelled the chakra and nodded slightly.
…
Night fell.
Shizune had already returned to her room to rest.
Tsunade, slightly tipsy from drinking, swayed her way back to her bedroom.
Kiyohara, however, felt no trace of sleepiness. He quietly stepped out into the courtyard.
The Senju clan's courtyard was spacious—more than enough for training.
Moonlight bathed the yard, and insects chirped softly in the stillness.
Kiyohara raised his right hand, palm upward.
This time, he did not attempt the Chakra Scalpel, but instead… the Rasengan.
Back in the kingdom of Rōran, he had seen the azure sphere of chakra in Minato's hand.
He had immediately used his Sharingan to copy it.
Of course, the principle of the Rasengan was actually quite simple—it was pure shape transformation: continuously compressing and rotating attribute-less chakra.
Step one: make the chakra rotate within the palm.
Blue chakra gathered in his hand, forming a small whirlpool.
This step was relatively simple, and Kiyohara accomplished it quickly.
Step two: increase chakra output and accelerate the rotation.
The vortex spun faster and faster, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
Fallen leaves in the courtyard were drawn upward by the airflow, swirling around his hand.
Step three and the most difficult step—compress and stabilize the high-speed rotating chakra into a dense sphere.
In the next moment, a brilliant blue mass of chakra appeared in his palm.
"This technique consumes far more chakra than Chidori."
Kiyohara silently calculated the expenditure within his body.
Without sufficient chakra reserves, learning Rasengan would be nearly useless.
He could not help but think of Minato.
Minato did not merely use Rasengan—he combined it seamlessly with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He was also the only shinobi in Konoha, aside from Tobirama Senju of the Senju clan, who could independently use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Later iterations had to be broken down into the Flying Thunder God Formation, requiring three shinobi to perform it simultaneously.
After all, "Namikaze" was just an ordinary civilian surname.
In Konoha, it was not only shinobi clans or nobles who possessed surnames—commoners could have them as well.
For example, Sakura Haruno and her father Kizashi Haruno were purely civilians.
But how could someone of civilian origin possess such an enormous chakra reserve?
'Could Minato possibly be a distant relative of the Senju clan?'
Kiyohara pondered the possibility.
In the shinobi world, chakra quantity and life force were often tied to bloodline.
The Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan, for instance, were both renowned for their massive chakra reserves and vitality.
If Minato had inherited some of that bloodline in his ancestry, everything would make sense.
For example, Moegi Kazamatsuri, a teammate of Konohamaru Sarutobi, actually possessed partial Senju lineage.
'Then again, perhaps she's simply exceptionally gifted.'
Kiyohara shook his head.
One cannot generalize people's circumstances.
It could simply be that Minato's "blond gene" was so strong that it even overshadowed Kushina's red hair, resulting in Naruto being born blond.
After all, red hair was the most distinctive feature of the Uzumaki clan.
And Kushina's bloodline was extremely pure and was not just that of an ordinary Uzumaki.
After contemplating for a while, Kiyohara continued training.
Although he could successfully form the Rasengan, maintaining its rotation in actual combat would require further practice.
"That brat, still not sleeping in the middle of the night."
Behind the second-floor bedroom window, Tsunade leaned against the frame, holding a glass of water to sober herself up, watching Kiyohara train in the courtyard below.
"This kind of learning speed…"
She took a sip of water, a complex expression flashing through her eyes.
She had a feeling that Kiyohara would one day secure his own place within Konoha.
"Hmm. That'll make it easier for me to borrow money too."
…
Early the next morning, Kiyohara woke up at dawn. After preparing breakfast for Tsunade and Shizune, he headed to Training Ground Three.
He planned to find an open area to continue practicing Rasengan and Chakra Scalpel.
It was inconvenient to cause damage in the Senju courtyard.
However, when he arrived, someone was already there.
Might Guy was doing push-ups, sweat soaking through his training outfit.
"Nine hundred ninety-seven, nine hundred ninety-eight, nine hundred ninety-nine… one thousand!"
After finishing the final push-up, he flipped upright and happened to spot Kiyohara standing at the edge of the forest.
His eyes lit up, and he flashed his signature brilliant smile, giving a thumbs-up as his white teeth gleamed in the morning light.
"Oh, Kiyohara! You're here this early to train too? That's the spirit of youth!"
Kiyohara paused slightly, then nodded in greeting.
"Morning, Guy."
Might Guy strode over enthusiastically, patting Kiyohara on the shoulder.
"Since we're both here, how about training together? Taijutsu is the most important foundation for a shinobi!"
Kiyohara had initially intended to decline, but on second thought, taijutsu was indeed an area he needed to strengthen.
"Where do we start?"
"With a warm-up!"
Guy's eyes shone even brighter, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
"How about fifty laps around the training ground?"
"Sure."
Kiyohara nodded.
Might Guy's physical endurance was remarkable.
Back at the Academy, he had once run five thousand laps around the field in one go.
For an ordinary shinobi, that was already extremely intense training.
"Fantastic! This is the burning blood of youth!"
Guy pumped his fist excitedly.
"Then let's begin! First one to finish wins!"
Before he even finished speaking, Guy had already shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, leaving a faint afterimage behind him.
Kiyohara took a deep breath and mobilized the chakra within his body.
Unlike Guy, he did not sprint at full speed but maintained a steady rhythm.
The physical energy granted by his Yang Release chakra affinity gave him endurance far beyond that of ordinary people.
One lap, two laps, five laps, ten laps…
Kiyohara maintained a consistent pace. His breathing gradually deepened, yet his rhythm remained steady.
Running ahead, Guy occasionally glanced back. Seeing Kiyohara consistently keeping up, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He deliberately increased his speed, attempting to test Kiyohara's limits. Yet no matter how fast he ran, Kiyohara maintained the same fixed distance.
By the twentieth lap, Guy's breathing grew heavy, sweat pouring down like rain.
Their speed was so fast that even Guy began to feel the strain.
Meanwhile, Kiyohara's face was only slightly flushed, his breathing still steady.
"Kiyohara, your stamina…"
Guy could not help but comment during another glance back.
"Is impressive!"
"It's decent."
Kiyohara replied, though in truth he was carefully observing Guy's running posture.
The force of each push-off, the swing of the arms, the rhythm of breathing—everything had been refined into optimal form through countless repetitions.
This was not merely talent, but the result of relentless daily practice.
Many people, in fact, ran with incorrect posture.
Naturally, Kiyohara used his Sharingan to copy it directly.
After thirty laps, Guy's speed clearly slowed, yet he gritted his teeth and persevered, an unyielding flame burning in his eyes.
The two pushed faster and faster.
By the end, Guy was practically bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
"Ha… ha… Kiyohara… you…"
He looked up at Kiyohara, shock filling his eyes.
"You're not tired at all?"
"I am. But I can keep going."
Kiyohara answered honestly.
Jogging fifty laps was manageable, but sprinting fifty laps at high speed was indeed quite taxing on stamina. The training ground was many times larger than the Shinobi Academy's field. The time the two of them used to complete the laps was already extremely short—if it had been an ordinary shinobi, they simply would not have been able to keep up at all.
Long-distance running had undeniably consumed a great deal of physical strength, but his Yang-nature chakra was rapidly repairing the microscopic damage in his muscles. On top of that, Kiyohara also possessed the "Power of the White Snake." With both enhancements combined, his recovery speed and endurance far surpassed that of Might Guy.
"You're amazing!"
Might Guy gave a thumbs-up, speaking between heavy breaths.
"With a physique like yours, you were practically born for taijutsu!"
Kiyohara glanced at the sky; it was already getting late. He was just about to say goodbye to Guy when a figure appeared at the entrance of the training ground.
"Guy, I finally found you!"
Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"We have a mission today. Did you forget?"
"Ah!"
Might Guy smacked his forehead dramatically.
"I completely forgot! Such is the carelessness of youth!"
Ebisu walked over and nodded politely when he saw Kiyohara, then turned back to Guy.
"Let's go."
"Kiyohara, that's it for today!"
Guy flashed him another thumbs-up.
"Next time we'll train together again, that's a promise of youth!"
With that, he hurried off with Ebisu, the green figure quickly disappearing into the forest.
Kiyohara remained where he stood, stretching his slightly sore muscles.
When he looked up, through the gaps in the trees he saw several familiar figures approaching.
It was Kakashi, Kurenai, and Rin.
Training Ground Three was practically becoming their exclusive training area. Because Kiyohara liked to train here so often, the other three had started coming much more frequently as well.
After exchanging greetings, Kiyohara resumed his training. Not long after, he noticed another familiar figure approaching, with a smaller one following behind.
"Kiyohara!"
Uchiha Shisui waved in greeting. Beside him stood a small boy with black hair and black eyes, who looked to be only about four years old. Yet his gaze was so calm that he hardly resembled a child.
"Shisui."
Kiyohara walked over, his eyes settling on the little boy.
"And this is?"
"He's Lord Fugaku's son, Uchiha Itachi."
Shisui smiled and gently ruffled Itachi's hair.
"We were just about to practice shuriken techniques when we ran into you."
At that moment, Itachi looked up and studied Kiyohara with those steady eyes.
There was no childish curiosity or timidity in his gaze. Instead, it felt as though he was evaluating him.
"Kiyohara-senpai."
Itachi greeted calmly.
"Hello."
Kiyohara responded.
"Senpai, I heard you recently went to the Land of Wind?"
Shisui asked curiously.
"Yes, I went there on a mission."
Kiyohara nodded.
"How skilled is Itachi with shuriken now?"
Kiyohara asked next, intending to assess Itachi's current level.
"Well… his shuriken throwing skills are probably just a bit below mine. Compared to others his age in the clan, his 'Uchiha Style Shurikenjutsu' is already mastered to perfection."
"Mm, not bad."
Kiyohara nodded.
Which, in his mind, meant: still not enough.
"And ninjutsu?"
"So far, he can only use Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
As Shisui said this, an unmistakable pride appeared on his face for his friend.
There was no doubt—Itachi deserved to be called a genius.
"Also not bad."
Kiyohara waved a hand lightly, already thinking about defeating Itachi now and completing the second lingering wish.
At present, Itachi had not even awakened the Sharingan, so he had no genjutsu prowess to speak of. His four-year-old body was underdeveloped, and his taijutsu would naturally be limited.
Yes, at twelve he would be capable of instantly defeating three Uchiha jōnin with pure taijutsu. At thirteen, he would even defeat Orochimaru and leave a lifelong psychological scar upon him.
But now, he was only four.
Kiyohara almost wanted to laugh.
Was there even a possibility of losing?
He could simply carry out justice upon Itachi directly.
"Kiyohara, let's spar first."
Shisui spoke up before anything else.
"After our last match, I've figured out some new techniques. I'd appreciate your guidance."
Kiyohara nodded slightly.
Fighting Shisui first and then Itachi would make no difference.
"After that, I'd like to spar with Itachi."
Kiyohara pointed at the four-year-old Itachi.
Shisui looked at him in surprise.
"I'd like to guide him a bit and see how his taijutsu is."
"I see."
Shisui nodded in understanding.
"No problem."
Kiyohara removed his green flak jacket and placed it on a nearby wooden training post, revealing the black combat outfit underneath. He rotated his wrists and drew the chakra-metal shinobi blade from his waist.
Shisui also unsheathed his short sword.
"I'm coming, Kiyohara!"
With a flash of steel, Shisui dashed forward at high speed.
Kiyohara raised his own blade to block.
Clang!
A burst of sparks erupted where the blades met.
Then came a rapid succession of metallic collisions.
Both were adept at Body Flicker techniques. Not only did their blades flash, but their figures seemed to flicker as well.
"The Uchiha clan truly is strong…"
Kurenai murmured while watching from afar.
Both combatants were Uchiha.
Kakashi lowered the Lightning Release scroll in his hands and looked over. Having trained in kenjutsu since childhood, he naturally understood swordsmanship well. Even though he had abandoned it, his insight remained. He could tell both of them were highly skilled.
"I think Kiyohara-kun is stronger."
Rin commented softly.
Clang!
Sparks flew again as their blades clashed repeatedly.
"Your reactions have gotten faster."
Shisui grinned, increasing the force behind his strikes.
"You're not bad either."
Kiyohara replied calmly.
Seeing this, Shisui gripped his sword with both hands, and his aura suddenly surged.
"I'm getting serious now."
Before the words even finished, the Uchiha-style kenjutsu in his hands displayed astonishing lethality.
Inside Kiyohara's eye sockets, his Sharingan spun rapidly. Using its enhanced dynamic vision, he predicted Shisui's movements in advance.
At the same time, the Sharingan in Shisui's eyes was also predicting Kiyohara's actions.
Their blades collided again and again, the crisp clang of metal ringing out as dust and fallen leaves were swept up by their flashing figures.
"They're getting faster…"
Kurenai gasped softly. Even with her good dynamic vision, she was starting to lose track.
Kakashi had already straightened unconsciously, his exposed right eye fixed on the duel.
"Kiyohara only has a single-tomoe Sharingan. He can still keep up with Shisui?"
Kakashi felt once again that Kiyohara's growth rate was astonishing.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"
Kiyohara blew gently across his shinobi blade.
A pale-yellow current of wind wrapped around it, rapidly extending and solidifying under the amplification of chakra metal, forming a transparent wind blade about two meters long.
The edge vibrated at high frequency, emitting a sharp hum as though slicing through the air itself.
Shisui's pupils contracted slightly, but he immediately smiled in excitement.
"Excellent!"
He no longer held back. Fire-release chakra surged into his sword. Crimson flames ignited along the blade, the intense heat distorting the surrounding air.
"Uchiha Style: Flame Slash!"
He swung downward, releasing a flaming slash that detached from the blade and hurtled toward Kiyohara.
Where it passed, the ground was scorched into a blackened trench.
Kiyohara did not retreat—instead, he advanced. Wind and fire collided violently in midair, erupting in a thunderous explosion.
Shisui stepped back and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw!"
He hurled dozens of shuriken, then expelled fire from his mouth, enveloping them in flames so they shot forward like fiery meteors.
Crackle!
Blue lightning burst beneath Kiyohara's feet, leaving an afterimage in place as his true body moved laterally like a bolt of lightning.
Lightning Release: Lightning Step!
All the flaming shuriken missed, exploding into scorched craters upon the ground.
Rin watched Kiyohara with a hint of envy.
"If only I had a lightning nature talent."
"Rin, you already have Water, Fire, and Earth chakra natures—that's excellent."
Kurenai reassured her, then added with a small note of pride,
"But I do have lightning nature. Father says that's rare among genjutsu specialists."
Kakashi glanced at the two girls briefly before refocusing on the duel.
He had seen Kiyohara use this technique many times before—stimulating cells with lightning chakra to momentarily heighten activity and explode with speed.
'This method… I could learn from it.'
Kakashi mused silently.
Ever since returning from the Land of Grass, his two-tomoe Sharingan had inexplicably evolved into a three-tomoe Sharingan. He had noticed his perception and dynamic vision had improved significantly.
He wondered whether Chidori was still not fast enough.
What if he applied cell activation to his legs as well, like Kiyohara?
Body Flicker!
Shisui suddenly vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared five meters behind Kiyohara, gripping his sword with both hands and slashing downward with full force.
"Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!"
This slash was not flame—but a highly compressed wind blade.
Where the blade passed, the air tore apart, forming a visible vacuum shockwave so wide it nearly blocked every possible avenue of Kiyohara's escape.
The three onlookers instinctively focused.
The power of this technique had already surpassed that of an ordinary jōnin.
Uchiha Shisui was truly going all out.
(End of Chapter)