"Focus."
Kiyohara's voice came from in front of her, carrying a trace of amusement.
"I... I am focused!"
Kurenai immediately protested.
That feeling was completely different from what she had imagined.
Normally, when Kiyohara was dressed, all she could tell was that he had a good physique. Only when she actually touched him could she truly feel the strength hidden beneath those smooth lines.
His muscles were firm like steel that had been forged countless times, yet they still carried the natural warmth of a living body.
Time slowly passed.
Inside the bathroom, the steam grew thicker and thicker.
However, it did not affect Kiyohara in the slightest.
Nor did it affect his senses or perception.
If anything, it added a hazy sort of beauty to the scene.
It was like gazing into an abyss. When you looked back at the abyss, the abyss seemed to be looking back at you as well.
Nothing escaped Kiyohara's sight.
Faced with that, Kurenai could only press her lips together and lower her eyes as she continued her work.
Before long, she finished scrubbing his back.
"It's done..."
she said softly, her voice sounding a little unsteady.
"I finished your back."
Kiyohara turned around.
The water rippled with his movement, rolling toward her before retreating once more.
Kurenai instinctively shrank back.
Unfortunately, the bathtub was only so large. There was nowhere for her to retreat.
Kiyohara looked at her.
The steam blurred the surroundings, but it could not blur his vision.
Kurenai's face was so red that it seemed as though blood might drip from it at any moment.
Those crimson eyes were veiled with moisture.
Tiny droplets clung to her eyelashes, trembling every time she blinked before finally falling.
The droplets slid down her cheeks, across her jawline, down the side of her neck, and disappeared from sight.
Her hands instinctively crossed in front of her chest, but they could not really hide anything.
The water level only reached just below her chest.
Part of her fair skin remained above the waterline, and whenever the surface rippled, faint outlines could be seen beneath.
"W-What are you looking at...?"
Her voice became quieter and quieter.
"You."
Kiyohara answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Kurenai froze.
She wanted to say something.
She wanted to argue.
She wanted to glare at him.
Yet when she looked into Kiyohara's face, every word vanished.
Kiyohara really was handsome.
The thought suddenly appeared in her mind.
This was far from the first time she had thought so.
Still, she felt that the most important thing about him was his heart.
Even back when they attended the Shinobi Academy, Kiyohara had always seemed different from everyone else.
If she had to describe it, he was more flexible in the way he thought and acted.
He was not as rigid as most other shinobi.
And he had always treated her very well.
"Idiot..."
Kurenai muttered.
"There are still other places, aren't there?"
Kiyohara said.
As the saying went, if you were going to do a good deed, you might as well see it through to the end.
"Hmph."
Kurenai closed her eyes and increased the strength of her hands.
However, she secretly left the tiniest gap between her eyelids.
Just enough to steal a glance.
Eventually, Kiyohara turned on the hot water.
Splash.
The warm stream flowed over his skin before dripping downward.
"Are you still going to keep scrubbing?"
Kiyohara asked.
"N-No!"
Kurenai glared at him.
Though the look in her eyes resembled more of a pout than an actual glare.
"You're bullying me."
"When did I bully you?"
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow.
"You were the one who said you wanted to help me bathe."
Kurenai opened her mouth.
She wanted to argue.
Yet she realized he was telling the truth.
She had indeed said she would help heat water and help him bathe.
She had indeed followed him back to Konoha.
She had indeed entered the bathroom with him.
And now...
"T-That still doesn't mean..."
She could not continue.
Kiyohara suddenly leaned closer and placed another kiss on her forehead.
"Alright. I'll stop teasing you."
He stepped back and stood up.
Droplets of water slid along the firm contours of his body before falling back into the bath, creating tiny splashes.
Kurenai's eyes unconsciously followed one of those droplets.
The moment she realized it, she hurriedly turned her head away.
Her face felt so hot that it seemed ready to burst into flames.
"Y-You should get dressed already!"
"What's the hurry?"
Kiyohara picked up a towel and leisurely dried himself.
Meanwhile, Kurenai remained curled up in the bathtub, with only her head visible above the water.
Kiyohara crouched beside the tub, holding a clean towel and opening it toward her.
"Come out. Don't soak for too long."
Kurenai looked at him.
Then at the towel.
Then at her slightly reddened shoulders from the hot water.
Her face reddened even further.
"Turn around."
"Alright."
Smiling, Kiyohara turned his back.
Only then did Kurenai stand up from the bathtub.
She quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped herself tightly inside it.
The towel was large enough to cover most of her body.
Still, it could not conceal the pair of fair legs extending beneath it.
Barefoot, she stepped onto the wet tiles, leaving a trail of damp footprints behind.
"I'm done."
she said quietly.
Kiyohara turned around and looked at her.
The towel was wrapped tightly around her figure, outlining the curves of her body.
Her long wet hair draped across her shoulders.
Water continued dripping from the tips, soaking into the edge of the towel.
Her face remained flushed.
Whether from the heat or something else was difficult to say.
"Let's go."
Kiyohara extended his hand.
Kurenai hesitated briefly before placing her hand into his palm.
His hand was warm and dry.
Completely different from the humid atmosphere of the bathroom.
Holding her hand, he led her out of the bathroom and into the living room.
"Do you want something to drink?"
Kiyohara asked.
"N-No."
Kurenai shook her head.
"I... I should head back. If it gets too late, people might notice..."
As she spoke, her voice gradually became quieter.
Kiyohara looked at her.
Under the lights, a faint blush still lingered on her cheeks.
His figure was reflected in her eyes.
"Alright."
Kiyohara nodded.
The two of them then began getting dressed.
Using Fire chakra, Kiyohara dried Kurenai's hair before drying his own.
Afterward, he wrapped an arm gently around her waist.
Kurenai froze.
The next second, the scenery around them began to distort.
Then, in an instant, they appeared before a familiar row of tents.
The cool night breeze drifted past.
It carried the scent of grass and trees, along with the lingering warmth of distant campfires.
Kurenai blinked and looked around.
The Konoha camp.
They were back.
"That was fast."
she exclaimed.
Space-time ninjutsu really was convenient.
Of course, techniques of this level were also incredibly difficult to learn.
Among all space-time techniques, the only truly universal one was the Summoning Technique.
Even the Reverse Summoning Technique was something that not everyone could master.
"Well, of course it's fast when I'm here."
Kiyohara released his hold on her.
"Get some rest."
he said.
Kurenai glanced at him.
This time, she took the initiative.
Standing on tiptoe, she gently pressed a kiss against his lips before immediately retreating.
"Good night."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and ran toward her own tent.
After only a few steps, she looked back.
Kiyohara was still standing there, watching her.
Her face became even redder.
She hurried away and soon disappeared among the tents.
Kiyohara remained where he was, watching her silhouette vanish into the night.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
Then he turned around and disappeared as well.
When Kurenai returned to her tent, her heart was still pounding wildly.
She sat down on her bedding and covered her burning face with both hands.
Her mind was filled with images from moments earlier.
The mist-filled bathroom.
Kiyohara's back.
That kiss.
And...
"Kurenai?"
A voice came from outside.
Kurenai jumped.
Taking several deep breaths, she hurriedly tried to calm herself and appear normal.
"Rin? Come in."
The tent flap was lifted.
Half of Rin's body poked inside.
"I thought I heard you come back just now..."
She stepped inside and looked at Kurenai.
"Huh? Did you take a bath?"
"Y-Yeah."
Kurenai nodded.
Subconsciously, she tugged at her collar.
"I... I washed up in the camp."
Rin did not think much of it.
She sat down beside her.
"Oh, right, Kurenai."
Rin tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Don't you think Kiyohara-kun has gotten taller again?"
Kurenai was momentarily stunned.
"Grown taller?"
"Mm."
Rin nodded.
"Every time I see him, I feel like he's gotten a little taller. It was especially obvious today. I really wonder how tall he'll end up becoming."
Kurenai thought about it for a moment.
"He'll probably... end up taller than Lord Minato, right?"
As she spoke, the image of Kiyohara standing in the bathtub suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
His broad shoulders.
The smooth lines of his muscles.
That droplet of water sliding down across his defined abdomen...
"After all, he's always training in taijutsu. His physique is also... really good. Really big too."
The words slipped out before she realized what she had said.
Rin blinked.
"Really big?"
She looked at Kurenai curiously.
"How do you know? Kiyohara-kun is always wearing clothes. The only time he takes off his flak jacket is during sparring, and even then you can only see his upper body."
Kurenai's face instantly turned scarlet.
"I... I meant his muscles!"
she hurriedly explained.
"The muscles on his upper body are really impressive, aren't they? Y-You've seen them too, right?"
Rin thought for a moment before nodding.
"That is true. Kiyohara-kun's upper body muscles are really well-developed. Especially when he's wearing chain armor, you can clearly see the outline."
After a brief pause, she added:
"And he looks really good wearing chain armor too."
Kurenai nodded frantically.
"Right, right, that's exactly what I meant..."
As she spoke, however, even more images appeared uncontrollably in her mind.
Not just his upper body.
Her face became even redder.
"Kurenai, your face is really red."
Rin looked at her with concern.
"Was the bathwater too hot?"
"Y-Yeah."
Kurenai quickly followed along with the excuse.
"It was a little hot. I soaked for too long, so I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
"Then you should get some rest."
Rin stood up.
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
After watching Rin leave, Kurenai let out a long sigh and collapsed onto her bedding.
She stared blankly at the ceiling of the tent.
Those scenes still lingered in her mind.
"...Idiot."
She quietly muttered the insult.
Whether she was cursing Kiyohara or herself, even she was not entirely sure.
Then she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.
Yet the corners of her lips could not help but curve upward.
Outside the tent, however, Rin was left feeling puzzled.
Recently, Kurenai had been acting strangely.
Kiyohara as well.
The two of them seemed to be hiding something from her.
But what exactly was it?
Rin could not figure it out.
In the end, she pushed the matter to the back of her mind and decided to continue working on her medical notes.
"Mm. This way, I can spend a little more time with Kiyohara-kun."
That was what she thought.
…
Several days later.
At the border of the Land of Grass, within a deserted valley.
Kiyohara stood atop a massive boulder with his eyes closed.
The instant he opened them, his black pupils had already transformed into a luminous white.
The Byakugan.
This was the power he had borrowed from Hyuga Kiyohara.
Although it was only a temporary possession, it was more than enough for him to complete the final stage of his ninjutsu development.
"Seventh Gate... Gate of Wonder... Open!"
Blue steam erupted explosively from every part of Kiyohara's body.
His skin began turning red.
Bulging veins spread across his forehead, neck, and arms.
The gigantic boulder beneath his feet started cracking under the immense pressure, fragments of stone tumbling down around him.
"Compress the air."
"Infuse the shockwave with chakra."
"Layer two shockwaves together and multiply the destructive force."
"Let's begin."
Kiyohara threw a punch.
This was the technique he had been developing during this period of time.
A closer look would reveal something unusual.
His thumb was positioned between his middle and ring fingers before being clenched into a fist, creating a unique hand seal.
In that instant, the surrounding air compressed into a giant white fist.
The moment it was launched, the white fist immediately turned red and became engulfed in flames.
When Kiyohara finally stopped, a massive crater had appeared on a distant hill.
Inside the crater was a gigantic fist-shaped imprint.
'This time, it finally succeeded.'
Kiyohara thought to himself.
Within the vision of the Byakugan, he could clearly see the residual chakra traces left behind by the attack.
First, the air was compressed.
Then, at the instant he threw the punch, chakra was injected to propel it forward.
The incredible speed generated friction against the atmosphere, producing flames.
In that regard, it was somewhat similar to the technique Daytime Peacock.
Then Kiyohara punched again.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
His left and right fists alternated continuously.
A field of crimson fist shadows formed before him.
Every single one was more than ten times larger than his actual fist.
BOOM!!!
The distant mountainside trembled violently once again.
Another giant fist imprint appeared.
This one was even deeper than the last.
Kiyohara did not stop.
He continued throwing punches.
Each punch unleashed another roaring chakra fist.
Endless explosions echoed throughout the valley.
Rock fragments flew everywhere.
Dust filled the sky.
By the time everything settled, the distant cliff had become completely unrecognizable.
The once-intact mountainside was now covered with countless fist marks.
If Kiyohara continued, he could probably flatten the entire area.
Finally, he stopped and took a deep breath.
"This power..."
The spirit of Hyuga Kiyohara floated beside him.
Those pale white eyes stared unblinkingly at the mountainside covered in fist imprints.
"...It's approaching Evening Elephant."
he muttered.
"Not the Evening Elephant of all Eight Gates being opened, but achieving this level of power with only the Seventh Gate..."
Even Hyuga Kiyohara sounded astonished.
The fact that such a thing could be accomplished was simply unbelievable.
"There's still room for improvement, though."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Blood was still seeping from the skin between his thumb and forefinger.
However, he could feel the wounds healing rapidly.
Within only a few breaths, the injuries disappeared completely.
"What are you planning to call this technique?"
Hyuga Kiyohara asked curiously.
Kiyohara fell silent for a moment and looked toward the cliff he had practically turned into a sieve.
"Eight Heavenly Vacuum Strikes."
he said.
"Eight Heavenly Vacuum Strikes?"
"Mm."
Kiyohara nodded.
Hyuga Kiyohara seemed ready to say something else, but Kiyohara continued before he could.
"Every punch I throw becomes a chakra fist."
"I can keep launching them continuously until my chakra is exhausted."
Of course, the name did not mean the technique only involved eight punches.
Just like Kaguya Otsutsuki's Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack was not limited to eighty strikes.
"Eighty Gods" was merely a name, likely carrying the meaning of a calamity deity.
As for Kiyohara's choice of "Eight Heavenly," it was simply because the compressed air generated flames through friction.
"No matter what, I suppose I've fulfilled one of your last wills."
Kiyohara said.
"Looks like you have."
Hyuga Kiyohara looked down at himself.
A sphere of light emerged from within his body before flying directly into Kiyohara.
At the same time, Kiyohara felt his spiritual energy increase once more.
His chakra reserves rose as well.
He also inherited several Gentle Fist techniques that Hyuga Kiyohara had never taught him.
But most importantly...
He inherited the Byakugan itself.
The sensation was difficult to describe.
It felt as though a missing corner within him had finally been completed.
Kiyohara could clearly feel that using the Byakugan no longer placed the same burden on him as before.
He then tested his eyesight.
Looking toward the horizon, he discovered that his maximum visual range had reached fifteen kilometers.
That was an astonishing figure.
After all, Hinata's visual range was only around ten kilometers.
The Byakugan normally provided a three-hundred-sixty-degree field of vision.
Like a flashlight shining outward in a circular pattern, everything within that circle could be perceived.
However, if the beam were concentrated and narrowed from a circle into a fan shape, reducing the area while increasing the depth, the viewing distance could be dramatically enhanced.
Kiyohara could effortlessly reach fifteen kilometers.
'This distance is already extremely impressive.'
he thought.
It was undoubtedly a major enhancement to his sensory abilities.
Then he tested something else.
Blue lightning arcs enveloped his body, forming a cloak of electricity.
Crackle!
The lightning continuously crackled around him.
As he observed the electric cloak covering his body, he noticed something.
The chakra consumption was lower than before.
After all, another ability of the Byakugan was allowing its user to release chakra from every point on the body.
Ordinary jonin could only release chakra through specific chakra points.
Kiyohara had previously been capable of releasing chakra from his entire body as well.
However, the efficiency was nowhere near what it was now.
After familiarizing himself with his new abilities, Kiyohara prepared to return.
Only then did he notice a shinobi hawk circling overhead, searching for him.
When it landed on his arm, he removed the scroll tied to its leg and fed it a small piece of meat.
Then he opened the tiny scroll.
The contents were short.
But the implications were significant.
Iwagakure had taken the initiative to seek peace.
Konoha would be organizing a diplomatic delegation to travel to Iwa and negotiate a ceasefire.
Recommended delegation members:
Tsunade.
Kiyohara.
…
After reading the message, Kiyohara rolled up the scroll.
As expected.
It had finally happened.
Turning around, he headed back toward the camp.
Inside the command tent, Tsunade sat before a low table.
An identical scroll lay open in front of her.
Hearing footsteps, she raised her head.
"Finished reading it?"
"Mm."
Kiyohara sat down across from her.
"What do you think, Sensei?"
Tsunade set the scroll aside.
Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair.
Her golden-brown eyes looked toward him as a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"What is there to think about?"
"Obviously, Iwagakure can't hold on any longer and wants a ceasefire."
She paused.
"As for sending us, it's probably because we've already handled negotiations with Suna before and have experience."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Then are you going?"
"Of course I'm going."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"How could I miss something like this?"
Then she suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"I've wanted to see the casinos of the Land of Earth for a long time."
Kiyohara laughed.
He knew his teacher had been thinking about that.
"Then I'll accompany you."
"Good."
Tsunade nodded before leaning back once more.
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something.
"Oh right."
"You once mentioned wanting to modify the Strength of a Hundred Seal?"
Kiyohara paused.
He had indeed brought it up before.
During a casual conversation, he had jokingly said, "It would be nice if the anti-aging effect could be separated from the Strength of a Hundred Seal."
Unexpectedly, Tsunade had remembered.
"It was just a random thought."
he replied.
"A random thought?"
Tsunade lifted an eyebrow.
"With your personality, you don't randomly think about useless things."
She paused and fixed her gaze on him.
"Come on. Tell me."
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Which little girl is making you willing to put in this much effort?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
Today, Tsunade was wearing her familiar green haori over a gray sleeveless shirt.
"What are you staring at?"
Tsunade noticed his gaze and slightly raised an eyebrow.
(End of Chapter)