After all, what stood behind this matter were the village's interests, so Tsunade naturally would not back down.
The village was something her grandfather had devoted his entire life to protecting. As his granddaughter, there was no way Tsunade could just stand by and watch Konoha decline.
The more benefits they could secure at a time like this, the easier it would be for Konoha to recover.
Kiyohara remained silent most of the time, only occasionally offering suggestions when the negotiations touched on specific details of cooperation.
Every so often, his gaze drifted toward the corner of the meeting room, where several Sand guard shinobi stood stationed. Every one of them looked exhausted and uneasy.
It seemed Pakura's disappearance had left them deeply unsettled.
They simply did not know where she had gone, or whether she was even still alive.
After all, Pakura had lost a considerable amount of blood in the desert.
Rasa sat at the head of the table, dark circles hanging beneath his eyes.
"Did the Kazekage-sama not sleep well last night?"
Kiyohara asked casually.
"I was handling paperwork pretty late."
Rasa smiled faintly.
Naturally, he would never reveal anything in front of Leaf's shinobi.
Kiyohara smiled as well.
Though what amused him was how convincing Rasa's disguise was.
Three days later, the delegation finally departed and began returning to Konoha.
After leaving the borders of the Land of Wind and entering the hilly region of the Land of Rivers, Tsunade suddenly ordered the group to stop.
"You all head back first."
She waved her hand, signaling the clerical shinobi and escorts to continue onward.
"Kiyohara and I still have something to take care of."
"Tsunade-sama, this…"
One of the shinobi revealed a troubled expression.
"That is an order."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, and the pressure belonging to one of the Legendary Sannin naturally spread outward.
"What? Am I not even allowed this much freedom?"
"...Of course not."
The group could only continue eastward helplessly, soon disappearing around the bend in the hills.
After all, Tsunade was both the final princess of the Senju Clan and one of the Sannin. She naturally possessed certain privileges.
Once everyone had left, she finally turned around, a sly grin appearing on her face.
"Let's go, Kiyohara."
She slapped his shoulder lightly.
"The largest casino in the Land of Fire is in Tanzaku Town. I've been thinking about it for ages."
Kiyohara let out a sigh.
He knew it.
Tanzaku Town was one of the most prosperous towns in the Land of Rivers. Because it sat at the intersection of the Lands of Fire, Wind, and Earth, merchant caravans constantly passed through the area.
Casinos, taverns, and inns lined the streets, while all sorts of shady figures mixed together in the crowds.
The moment Tsunade entered the casino, it was like she had returned home. She skillfully exchanged chips and squeezed into the busiest dice table.
Meanwhile, Kiyohara booked two rooms at an inn across from the casino and briefly scouted the surrounding terrain.
On his way back to the casino, he suddenly stopped at the entrance of a secluded alley.
Suppressed sobbing echoed from within, accompanied by rough curses.
"You little bastard, keep crying and I'll cut your tongue out!"
"Let me go... Mom... Mom...!"
Kiyohara stepped into the alley.
Three men dressed in coarse clothing were dragging a little girl, around seven or eight years old, deeper into the alley. Her clothes had already been torn, and a bright handprint was clearly visible on her face.
"Hey."
Kiyohara's voice was calm and flat.
The three men turned simultaneously. When they saw it was only a young man who looked barely older than a teenager, irritation immediately filled their faces.
"Get lost and mind your own busi..."
Before the sentence could finish, scarlet Sharingan lit up within the darkness.
The expressions of the three men instantly froze.
Their eyes became vacant, and their bodies stiffened like puppets with severed strings.
Kiyohara walked over to the little girl and crouched down, using a chakra scalpel to cut through the rope around her wrists.
"Can you walk?"
The girl stared blankly at him. She nodded, then shook her head, tears falling heavily down her cheeks.
Kiyohara asked no further questions. He lifted her with one arm while placing his other hand against one of the men's foreheads.
Genjutsu: Sharingan.
He immediately began interrogating them.
He truly had not expected to encounter something this disgusting here.
Still, dealing with people like this was hardly any trouble.
Kiyohara originally intended to gather some information before taking the little girl to the nearest magistrate office, the local law enforcement organization.
These institutions operated under the daimyo's rule and were responsible for maintaining civilian order.
Very quickly, information about a human trafficking ring, secret hideouts, transportation routes, and contact personnel was extracted from them.
Then Kiyohara's brows lifted slightly.
He had unexpectedly stumbled upon something extra.
According to the information extracted through genjutsu interrogation, there was a heavily guarded warehouse hidden in the mountainous border region of the Land of Rivers.
Aside from delivering people there, these traffickers were also responsible for disposing of human organs.
Kiyohara immediately understood.
This was a human experimentation site.
Orochimaru's?
Kiyohara grew somewhat curious.
He knocked the three men unconscious, tied them together with rope, and dragged them along as he escorted them and the little girl to the magistrate office near the street entrance. After briefly explaining the situation, he turned and left.
The mountainous region.
The so called warehouse was actually a massive stone structure built directly against the mountain. Simple barrier formations surrounded the exterior, while patrol shinobi constantly moved through the area.
Standing atop a distant cliff, Kiyohara's Sharingan pierced through the darkness, observing the flow of chakra within.
The presence of shinobi guards meant this place was anything but ordinary.
Roughly twenty people.
Five of them possessed jonin level strength, while the rest were chunin.
The security was far too heavy for a normal human trafficking hideout.
Kiyohara put on a black mask he had prepared beforehand and draped a dark cloak over himself, allowing his entire figure to blend into the night.
The first security line consisted of two chunin hiding among the tree canopies.
Kiyohara did not even approach them.
He simply raised his hand.
Two shuriken wrapped in Lightning Release chakra silently shot forward.
Puchi.
The corpses fell from the trees, only to be caught by the gold dust surging upward from below before slowly sinking into the ground.
Not even a trace of blood remained.
The second layer consisted of barrier nodes.
Using Uzumaki fuinjutsu techniques he had learned from Kyoko, Kiyohara directly infiltrated the barrier itself.
He slipped through the layers one after another, like a fish silently diving into the deep sea.
Until he finally reached the interior of the building.
This was no warehouse at all.
Just as Kiyohara had guessed, it was a laboratory.
During the infiltration, Kiyohara had also interrogated one of the shinobi with genjutsu and discovered that this place actually belonged to Danzo.
Under the pale white lighting, rows upon rows of glass containers stood neatly arranged.
Inside floated all kinds of human organs, mutilated limbs, and even complete corpses with hollow, vacant eyes staring outward.
The air was thick with the mixed stench of formalin and blood.
Several researchers in white coats busily recorded experimental data, completely unaware of the slaughter occurring outside.
Kiyohara's gaze swept across the glass containers before finally stopping at the innermost row.
Inside those containers floated eyes.
Scarlet eyes.
Eyes carrying tomoe patterns.
Sharingan.
At least two pairs.
His pupils contracted slightly.
At that exact moment, the laboratory doors were suddenly pushed open. A shinobi wearing an animal mask walked inside and froze the instant he saw Kiyohara.
"Enemy attack!!"
The scream had barely sounded before Kiyohara's figure flashed.
He appeared behind the masked shinobi.
The blade left its sheath.
A crescent shaped arc of light sliced through the air.
The head flew upward.
Blood sprayed across the ceiling like blooming crimson fireworks.
The researchers inside the laboratory finally reacted, screaming as they scattered in panic.
But it was already too late.
Kiyohara's figure flickered throughout the laboratory.
Every appearance brought another spray of blood.
Blades sliced open throats.
Kunai pierced through foreheads.
Lightning Release tore through hearts.
In the end, Kiyohara was the only person left standing in the laboratory.
The researchers in white coats lay collapsed in pools of blood, some still frozen in the posture of running for their lives.
Kiyohara flicked the blood from his blade and walked toward the row of Sharingan containers.
He opened the jars and carefully removed two pairs of three tomoe Sharingan before sealing them inside a specially prepared sealing scroll.
Afterward, he approached the central control platform and dismantled every experimental data drive, sealing those away as well.
Once he finished, he slowly looked around the laboratory and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song."
Blazing white flames burst from his mouth.
The terrifying heat carbonized flesh, melted metal, and completely erased every trace of those horrific crimes.
Within the flames, Kiyohara's figure gradually retreated until he finally merged into the shadows in the corner.
When he appeared once more atop the cliff outside, the structure behind him had already transformed into a towering inferno, dyeing half the night sky orange red.
The night wind lifted the hem of his cloak, revealing the small sealing scroll held in his hand.
Inside were two pairs of Sharingan, along with experimental data valuable enough to make Danzo's heart ache for years to come.
He lowered his head and glanced at his right hand as the curse mark patterns on the back of it slowly faded away.
"Time to head back."
A trace of delight rose in Kiyohara's heart.
He had merely gone out casually, yet he still managed to gain something worthwhile.
"That old bastard Danzo really does have plenty of wool worth shearing."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Two pairs of Sharingan, four eyeballs in total, were already more than enough for his current needs.
As for the remaining experimental data, that would also prove extremely useful. It would greatly accelerate his research into bloodline limit transplantation.
Kiyohara even planned to give a copy of the information to Nono.
Tanzaku Town, outside the casino entrance.
Tsunade walked out with a gloomy expression, the money pouch in her hand flattened like a frog that had been stepped on.
"Lost again?"
Kiyohara stepped out from the shadows of the inn across the street, having already changed back into his usual clothes.
"I was only one step away during the last three rounds!"
Tsunade gritted her teeth furiously.
"That dealer was definitely cheating. I clearly saw the dice were..."
"Sensei."
Kiyohara interrupted her endless complaining.
"How about going to a hot spring? I heard there's a pretty good one nearby."
Tsunade's eyes immediately lit up, but then she suspiciously narrowed them.
"Why are you suddenly being so considerate? You're not planning to laugh at me, are you?"
"I just think you need to relax."
Kiyohara's expression remained perfectly calm.
Naturally, he was not about to mention that he had just casually wiped out one of Root's hidden bases and was currently in an excellent mood.
"Hmph... At least you still have a bit of conscience."
Tsunade rolled her shoulders.
"Fine, let's go. I'm exhausted anyway. But just so we're clear, you're paying!"
"Yes, yes."
The hot spring inn was hidden within the bamboo forest behind Tanzaku Town. The environment was peaceful and secluded, with white steam drifting through the air.
Kiyohara and Tsunade rented out the entire hot spring area. Tall walls separated their section from the rest of the establishment.
All other guests had already been cleared out.
The only sounds remaining were the flowing water and the rustling of bamboo leaves swaying in the wind.
Tsunade removed her outer robe and slipped into the hot spring wearing only a bath towel, letting out a deeply satisfied sigh.
"Ah... I'm alive again..."
Kiyohara sat by the edge of the pool, his lower body submerged in the water while his upper body leaned lazily against a rock.
Steam billowed upward, blurring the surroundings.
"Kiyohara."
Tsunade suddenly spoke, her voice vague and drowsy, as though she were half asleep.
"Hm?"
"Have you... been hiding something from me lately?"
Kiyohara turned his head slightly.
Tsunade reclined against the edge of the bath, her wet golden hair clinging to her cheeks and neck. Beneath the water, the towel floated faintly, exposing her smooth shoulders and collarbone.
Droplets of water slid along her skin before disappearing into deeper curves below.
Her eyes remained closed, tiny beads of water clinging to her eyelashes.
"Why do you ask?"
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze and looked toward the night sky.
Mixed bathing really was an excellent tradition.
It deserved to be promoted everywhere.
Especially after reserving the entire place, leaving only himself and Tsunade here.
Kiyohara finally understood the corrupting pleasures of money.
"Intuition."
Tsunade answered lazily.
"You've always been this kind of person. The more important something is, the more you prefer to keep it bottled up yourself. Back then it was your training. Later it was the battlefield. And now... who knows what you're plotting."
She paused for a moment before lowering her voice.
"I just want to say this. If there's ever anything you need help with, remember to come find me."
The mist from the hot spring slowly drifted upward, blurring the space between them.
Kiyohara fell silent for a while.
Even the subtle changes in his mentality had been noticed by Tsunade.
Though in this case, it was entirely a good thing.
Even if Danzo discovered what happened, there was no way he could publicly admit that all those inhuman experiments belonged to him.
"Thank you, Sensei."
Tsunade did not respond again.
She seemed to have fallen asleep.
Kiyohara also closed his eyes, quietly enjoying the sensation of the warm water enveloping his body.
Deep within the Root base.
Danzo sat upon a stone chair, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers.
Recently, his mood had genuinely been quite good.
The war was nearing its conclusion.
Kiri had retreated.
Suna had sought peace.
Even Iwa was still hesitating and observing.
All of this meant Konoha would soon be able to redirect more resources inward.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's desire for the position of Hokage had become increasingly obvious. That mad scientist needed Danzo's support and was willing to pay the appropriate price for it.
Everything was progressing according to plan.
Danzo could already picture the future.
Once Orochimaru became Hokage, he would gradually hollow him out from within before eventually taking over the Hokage's hat himself.
The last time he had come this close to the position had been many years ago, during the mission where he stayed behind to cover for Tobirama-sensei.
At that time, he had believed he would die.
Yet he survived.
So what about this time?
He, Danzo, would definitely make Konoha great again!
"Danzo-sama!"
Rapid footsteps suddenly shattered his thoughts.
A Root shinobi practically stumbled into the hall, breathing heavily beneath his mask.
Danzo frowned.
"Why are you panicking? As a member of Root, can you not even maintain basic composure?"
"Th this subordinate apologizes..."
The Root shinobi dropped to one knee, barely calming his breathing, though his voice still trembled.
"Speak. What happened?"
"The base... in the Land of Rivers..."
The shinobi swallowed hard.
"It was attacked."
Danzo's tapping fingers abruptly stopped.
"The details."
Danzo's voice was cold.
"Everyone was wiped out. All personnel, test subjects, and guards inside the base were killed. The experimental data was destroyed, and the core samples disappeared. Before leaving, the attackers set the entire base on fire. It has already burned down completely."
Silence descended upon the hall.
The only sounds were the crackling torches along the walls and the suppressed breathing of the kneeling shinobi.
After a long while, Danzo slowly spoke again.
"The losses?"
"A preliminary estimate places the destruction of the building and equipment at around eighty million ryo. The experimental data... cannot be evaluated. And also..."
The Root shinobi's voice became quieter and quieter.
"Speak."
"The finished samples from the Sharingan transplantation project... are all missing."
Crack.
The armrest shattered in Danzo's grip.
Fragments of stone crumbled from between his fingers and scattered across the floor with sharp little sounds.
His face remained hidden within the shadows, making his expression impossible to read, but the atmosphere in the hall instantly grew unbearably oppressive.
"Who did it?"
Danzo forcibly suppressed the rage boiling inside him.
"We... are still investigating. No useful clues were left at the scene. The attacker handled everything extremely cleanly. The only thing we can confirm is that the intruder was extraordinarily powerful. The five jonin level guards didn't even have the chance to sound the alarm before..."
"Trash."
Danzo cut him off.
Eighty million ryo.
Two pairs of Sharingan.
Years worth of accumulated experimental data.
The numbers continuously churned through his mind.
My money!
Danzo suddenly remembered that one of his experimental bases had already been completely destroyed by Kiyohara before.
And now this happened again.
Damn it, why did every disastrous thing always happen to him?!
"Investigate."
Danzo slowly stood up, his single eye radiating icy light from within the darkness.
"Mobilize every hidden line and every informant. You will find out who did this for me. I want to know exactly who dared to touch Root's property."
"Yes!"
The shinobi hurriedly withdrew in panic.
Silence once again returned to the hall.
Danzo remained standing there motionlessly for a long time.
Torchlight cast his shadow across the stone wall, stretching it into a distorted shape resembling a lurking beast.
Slowly, he raised his hand and watched the stone dust in his palm spill downward little by little.
The black Root base never experienced rain.
Yet at this moment, this colorless world itself seemed to be mourning in silence for those eighty million ryo and the two lost pairs of Sharingan.
Hot spring inn.
Kiyohara rose from the pool, droplets of water sliding down the firm lines of his muscles.
He changed into a clean yukata and tied the sash around his waist before glancing at Tsunade, who was still asleep in the bath. Then he turned and walked into the inner room.
The table held clear tea and snacks prepared by the inn.
There was also a small slip of paper that had somehow been stuffed through the crack in the door.
Kiyohara picked it up.
Written upon it in delicate handwriting were the words:
"Top quality young girls and mature beauties. Guaranteed quality from the Land of Fire. Hot spring massage and full service available. Address: Third floor, back alley of Tanzaku Town. Reservations contact..."
Did he look like that kind of person?
Hm?
Trying to tempt a future elite with this?
Kiyohara did not even twitch an eyebrow.
A small flame rose from his fingertips and instantly burned the paper into ashes.
As the ash drifted into the ashtray, Tsunade rubbed her eyes and walked inside.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
Kiyohara calmly pushed a cup of tea toward her.
With Tsunade already here, why would he bother looking for anyone else?
As Kiyohara's eyesight continued improving, he was now able to see countless details that had once escaped him.
Tiny imperfections on ordinary women's faces would become magnified in his vision.
Of course, women like Kurenai, who possessed chakra and maintained themselves carefully, looked exceptionally good, without any visible flaws at all.
But when it came to Tsunade, it was on an entirely different level.
With the Strength of a Hundred Seal, her maintenance was practically monstrous. Her skin was so delicate it seemed as though it could break with a gentle breath.
And no matter how much time passed, it would probably remain perfectly firm and youthful.
That was the power of the Yin Seal.
A permanent youth preserving buff.
"It was just an advertisement flyer from the inn. Do you want a massage, Sensei? I can handle it myself."
Kiyohara said casually.
He certainly did not mind giving Tsunade a full spa treatment.
"A massage?"
Tsunade's eyes brightened instantly, though suspicion soon followed again.
"You're not planning to mess with me, are you?"
"Why would I?"
Kiyohara took a sip of tea.
"I just figured Sensei lost quite badly today and could use some relaxation."
"Hmph... At least you still have some conscience."
Tsunade sat down and accepted the teacup. Then, as though suddenly remembering something, she leaned closer and carefully examined him.
"Now that I think about it, haven't you gotten taller lately? And your muscles have gotten a lot firmer too..."
Her gaze swept across the collar of his yukata, over the visible lines of his collarbone and chest, before pausing briefly and shifting away without a trace.
"Looks like you haven't neglected your training."
"That's thanks to your guidance, Sensei."
Kiyohara set down his teacup.
He had Tsunade lie down on the bed while he stood behind her, massaging her shoulders and pounding lightly against her back.
From the side angle, Kiyohara could also see an extremely impactful sight.
(End of Chapter)