Rin stirred slightly, her legs instinctively curling together even more tightly as her hips unconsciously lifted a little higher.
Kiyohara gently patted her again.
"Rin, wake up."
Rin's eyes slowly fluttered open.
Those warm brown eyes blinked blankly at first before gradually focusing on the face that was only inches away.
"K... Kiyohara-kun?!"
She abruptly sat upright, causing the hem of her white lab coat to flutter into the air before settling back down.
Her face reddened at a speed visible to the naked eye, the blush spreading from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.
"S... Sorry, I was too tired and accidentally fell asleep..."
Her voice became quieter and quieter as she nervously smoothed the wrinkled fabric of her clothes with both hands. Her fingers kept brushing over the material, but the more she tried to straighten it out, the messier it became.
Kiyohara sat down beside her and reached out his hand.
As her face rested against the back of the sofa, he noticed that her lips looked redder than usual today. She was clearly wearing lipstick.
Walking to the side of the sofa, Kiyohara crouched beside her.
A warm stream of Yang Release chakra flowed from his palm and entered Rin's body.
The chakra coursed through her chakra pathways, and everywhere it passed, the fatigue accumulated throughout her body melted away.
Rin's tense body gradually relaxed, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
"Thank you..."
she said softly as she looked up at him.
Kiyohara withdrew his hand.
"Why did you fall asleep here?"
he asked.
Rin blinked before suddenly remembering something. She quickly stood up from the sofa, walked to her desk, and pulled a document from a thick stack of papers.
"I've made some progress researching the material you entrusted to me before."
Turning around, she handed the report to Kiyohara.
He accepted it and lowered his head to examine the pages covered in densely packed data and handwritten notes.
The handwriting was neat and elegant. Some sections had been marked with red ink, and several simple diagrams had been drawn in the margins.
"Look here."
Rin stepped closer, pointing at one section with her fair, slender finger.
Without realizing it, she leaned nearer to him, and the cuff of her white coat lightly brushed against the back of his hand.
"The success rate of cellular fusion has increased by thirty percent compared to our estimates, and the rejection reaction has also been reduced significantly."
Kiyohara studied the figures before nodding.
"You've done well."
The limbs of White Zetsu had also been provided to Konoha Hospital by Kiyohara precisely so every effort could be devoted to researching why White Zetsu cells were so extraordinarily compatible with Hashirama Cells.
After all, every White Zetsu had originally been an ordinary human transformed through the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Yet after becoming White Zetsu, they could receive massive quantities of Hashirama Cells without suffering any significant problems.
Furthermore, White Zetsu possessed numerous cloned bodies, and many White Zetsu individuals actually originated from a single original body.
"You don't have to work this hard."
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow, inwardly thinking that Rin was pushing herself far too much.
"I want to help you, Kiyohara-kun."
Rin answered earnestly.
"This matter isn't urgent."
Kiyohara gently rubbed the top of her head.
His hand then slowly slid down from her hair until it rested against her cheek.
Rin's face was soft and delicate. His palm could almost cover half of it.
The moment his fingertips brushed against her earlobe, that patch of fair skin visibly turned pink.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
Rin noticed the way he was looking at her.
Kiyohara shifted his gaze back to her face.
"You put on makeup today?"
Rin froze for a moment before instinctively touching her lips.
"Mm... I put on a little."
She nodded.
Her lipstick was a light shade of red, resembling ripe cherries.
Combined with her naturally fair complexion, it made her appear even brighter and more beautiful than usual.
"Why?"
Kiyohara was curious why Rin, who rarely wore makeup, had chosen to do so today.
After all, even without makeup, Rin could already be described as naturally beautiful. There was really no need for her to spend extra time on such things.
Rin gently bit her lower lip.
"I wanted to invite you out for barbecue tonight."
she admitted.
She simply hadn't expected that after taking a short nap, Kiyohara would arrive before she had the chance to ask him.
"I see."
Kiyohara immediately understood.
She had dressed up because she wanted to invite him out.
Very good.
It seemed everything had developed just as planned.
Kiyohara felt that the time had finally come to harvest the fruit that was Rin Nohara.
"The barbecue can wait. If I remember correctly, lipstick is edible."
He reached out and gently lifted her chin.
Before dinner, filling his stomach with something else first did not sound like a bad choice.
Forced to tilt her head upward, the only thing reflected in Rin's brown eyes was Kiyohara's face drawing closer and closer until his lips finally met hers.
Her body stiffened for a brief moment before gradually melting into softness.
Not knowing where to place her hands, she held them suspended in the air for a while before finally grasping the sleeve of Kiyohara's Hokage robe.
Only after quite some time did Kiyohara finally release her.
Rin gasped for breath, her cheeks flushed scarlet.
The lipstick on her lips had already been smudged, spreading slightly to the corners of her mouth and leaving her looking adorably disheveled.
His hand slipped down from her chin onto her shoulder before traveling slowly along her arm until it finally rested upon her thigh.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
Rin seemed as though she wanted to say something.
His hand did not stop, gently stroking the smooth fabric of the white stockings covering her thigh.
He could clearly feel the muscles beneath tighten slightly before slowly relaxing again.
The silky stockings were incredibly smooth, making it difficult for his fingers to maintain any grip.
Rin's breathing gradually became more hurried.
"Someone... might... come in..."
she whispered between uneven breaths.
Kiyohara stopped moving and looked up at her.
"So you're saying it's fine as long as nobody's around?"
A smile curved across his lips.
Rin's entire face instantly turned crimson.
She lifted her hand and lightly smacked his shoulder.
Chuckling softly, Kiyohara finally withdrew his hand.
"I accept your invitation to tonight's barbecue."
Rin was stunned for a moment before her eyes lit up with excitement.
"Really?"
"Mm."
He nodded.
"But before that, there's something I need to tell you."
Rin blinked.
"What is it?"
Kiyohara took a document from inside his robe and handed it to her.
Rin accepted it and unfolded the pages.
Her eyes widened further and further, while her lips parted slightly in astonishment.
"Starting today, you're the Vice Director of Konoha Hospital."
Kiyohara announced.
Previously, after he had improved the salary and benefits of the ANBU, he had naturally received considerable private pressure from the higher-ups within the Hokage administration.
However, Kiyohara paid little attention to such matters.
Originally, only around seventy ANBU members possessed official positions. Everyone else was essentially temporary or contract personnel without formal status.
Even though the current ANBU force was somewhat larger than in the original timeline, it still had fewer than one hundred members.
Supporting the salaries and benefits of only a few dozen additional people was insignificant to Kiyohara.
Moreover, after reviewing Konoha's finances, he had found that while the village was not particularly wealthy, it certainly was not poor either.
Once his planned economic reforms were implemented, Konoha's financial strength would increase dramatically.
The traditional system of shinobis completing missions while the village simply collected a percentage of the rewards would eventually be transformed.
If things continued unchanged, Konoha would inevitably end up like Suna next door, becoming dependent upon financial aid from the Daimyo.
Even after Naruto eventually became the Seventh Hokage, he had never truly solved this problem and still had to treat the Daimyo with great respect.
Once Konoha's economy became stronger, these expenses could be covered entirely by the village treasury instead of requiring Kiyohara to pay out of his own pocket in advance.
Only then could he gradually reform Konoha's position within the Land of Fire.
In Kiyohara's opinion, there was absolutely no need for something like the Daimyo to continue existing.
Improving the life of the ANBU was merely the first step.
It was also the simplest method of winning people's loyalty.
"I... I..."
Rin's voice trembled.
"How could I possibly be qualified for such a..."
"You absolutely are."
Kiyohara interrupted her before she could finish.
"Your medical ninjutsu ranks among the top ten in Konoha. Your management skills are more than capable, and most importantly..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"I trust you."
Those words moved Rin deeply.
"As for the Hospital Director, I'll have my sensei serve as the nominal director."
Kiyohara added.
"That way, no one will dare question your decisions while you're handling hospital affairs."
Rin looked up at him before nodding.
"That's only natural."
If Tsunade became the hospital director, virtually no one would object.
Her abilities were recognized by everyone.
Whether during the First Shinobi War or the Second Shinobi War, Tsunade had saved countless lives and made immeasurable contributions to Konoha.
"I'll see you tonight at the barbecue restaurant."
After chatting for a little while longer, Kiyohara prepared to leave.
"Alright. I'll be waiting for you, Kiyohara-kun."
Rin nodded happily, anticipation filling her face.
As Kiyohara left Konoha Hospital, everyone he passed greeted him respectfully.
"Hokage-sama."
"Lord Fourth."
Kiyohara nodded politely in response to each greeting, though he never slowed his pace.
Occasionally, instead of relying on his Space-Time Ninjutsu, he preferred to simply walk back through the village.
Just as he reached the entrance of Tsunade's residence, a figure suddenly stepped out from the mouth of a nearby alley.
"Hokage-sama."
Uchiha Tekka called out to Kiyohara.
The green flak jacket he wore was still covered in dust and signs of travel, making it obvious that he had only just returned from a mission.
Now that Kiyohara had become Hokage, Tekka no longer dared to call him by name as he once had. Instead, he addressed him with the proper honorific.
"Fugaku-sama asked me to deliver a message."
Tekka continued.
"There's going to be a banquet at the Uchiha compound tomorrow evening. He'd like to invite you to attend."
Kiyohara stopped walking.
"What's the occasion?"
He wondered why Fugaku was hosting another banquet.
To celebrate his appointment as Hokage?
There had already been a similar celebration before.
Kiyohara had found it rather dull and had only stayed for a short while before leaving.
Normally, whenever he visited the Uchiha Clan, it was either to see Itachi or Izumi.
"Fugaku-sama has welcomed another son into the family."
Tekka explained.
Understanding immediately dawned on Kiyohara.
So that was it.
Sasuke...
He had finally been born.
"Sasuke?"
Kiyohara asked.
"That's right."
Tekka nodded.
"Fugaku-sama personally chose the name. It's Sasuke."
He continued with a grin.
"It's a great name. Just hearing it makes you feel like he'll grow into someone extraordinary."
"Wait..."
Tekka suddenly realized something.
"How did you know?"
He looked at Kiyohara curiously.
"I never mentioned the baby's name. How did you say it before I did?"
Could someone else from the clan, perhaps Shisui, have already told Kiyohara in advance?
"I've always heard that Lord Fugaku greatly admires the Third Hokage's father, Sarutobi Sasuke. Given Lord Fugaku's personality, naming his son after him isn't surprising."
Kiyohara replied calmly.
"That makes sense."
Tekka nodded, finding the explanation perfectly reasonable.
Sarutobi Sasuke had been a legendary shinobi before Konoha was ever founded.
Fugaku often spoke about how Sarutobi Sasuke's ninjutsu and character had both reached the highest level.
Naming his son Sasuke was naturally a way of expressing his great hopes for the child.
"So... will Hokage-sama have time tomorrow evening?"
"I will."
Kiyohara nodded.
Since Sasuke, Indra's reincarnation, had been born, there was naturally no reason for him not to go and take a look.
Of course, after all the butterfly effects he himself had created, Sasuke might no longer be Indra's reincarnation.
Either way, reincarnations possessed a unique resonance with one another.
He would know the moment he saw the child.
"Very well. I'll report back to Fugaku-sama."
Tekka said.
With a flash, his figure disappeared from the street.
"Sasuke..."
Kiyohara stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He should prepare a gift before visiting.
But that was tomorrow's matter.
For now, there were two things he intended to deal with.
The first was receiving the new "Last Will."
The second was keeping his dinner appointment with Rin that evening.
...
Meanwhile...
At the border of the Land of Rice Fields.
Inside an abandoned underground laboratory.
Only a few emergency lights still illuminated the dim corridor.
Occasionally, droplets of water fell from the pipes overhead.
Orochimaru walked at the front.
His pale face reflected an unnatural coldness beneath the dim lighting.
Today, he wore a dark gray robe, secured around his waist by a thick purple rope.
At the end of the corridor stood a massive metal door.
Orochimaru stopped.
Raising his hand, he knocked three times with his knuckles.
The door slowly opened from the inside.
Shinno stood at the entrance.
Compared to several years ago, he had become somewhat thinner, yet his physique remained powerfully built.
The moment he recognized Orochimaru, his eyes turned icy.
"What are you here for?"
Shinno frowned.
The guards he had left behind should all have been dealt with by Orochimaru.
What surprised him, however, was that none of his subordinates had been killed.
They had merely been knocked unconscious.
"Old friends meeting again."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Aren't you going to invite me inside?"
Shinno sneered.
"Orochimaru, there's no friendship between us."
"I haven't even settled our old score with you yet."
Shinno had never been particularly fond of Orochimaru.
Although they had cooperated on numerous research projects in the past, there had always been a deep conflict between them.
The reason was simple.
Konoha had destroyed the Land of Sky.
As the former leader of the Land of Sky, Shinno had always carried the responsibility of restoring his homeland.
"Shinno, I came today with sincerity."
Orochimaru said calmly.
"Sincerity?"
Shinno frowned even more deeply.
He had no idea what Orochimaru was planning.
"The secret to immortality."
Orochimaru replied.
He tossed over a scroll.
Shinno caught it and unfolded it.
Written prominently across the top were the words:
Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique.
"Immortality?"
Shinno looked genuinely shocked.
"That's right."
Orochimaru nodded.
"The fools in Konoha can't appreciate its value."
"But someone like you certainly can."
"I've already discovered a method."
"By transferring one's soul into a new vessel, it's possible to surpass the lifespan of ordinary humans."
Orochimaru slowly licked his unusually long tongue.
Naturally, although the technique functioned, it was still far from perfect.
There remained tremendous room for improvement.
One of the reasons he had shared it with Shinno was precisely because he wanted another brilliant researcher to help perfect it.
Shinno fell silent.
He was much older than Orochimaru.
The issue of lifespan was something he could no longer ignore.
Although his forbidden techniques allowed him to temporarily return to his physical peak, and as long as Dark Chakra continued supporting him he could even maintain peak combat strength indefinitely...
None of that actually extended his life.
When his time came...
He would still die.
And once he died, neither rebuilding the Land of Sky nor taking revenge on Konoha would ever become possible.
Thinking of that, the expression on Shinno's face shifted repeatedly between caution and greed.
Orochimaru did not rush him.
He simply waited quietly.
After a long silence, Shinno finally spoke.
"What do you want?"
"Bloodline Limits."
Orochimaru answered.
"I want us to work together and uncover the secrets behind bloodline limits."
Shinno frowned.
"Kekkei Genkai aren't something that can simply be reproduced through research."
"I know that."
Orochimaru replied.
"But Kiyohara's blood is especially worthy of study."
He took out a tiny vial of blood.
Kiyohara rarely suffered injuries that caused bleeding.
Orochimaru had gone to extraordinary lengths just to collect this tiny amount.
Shinno's gaze fixed upon the blood.
"Kiyohara..."
His brows furrowed.
Several years earlier, he had fought Kiyohara.
That battle had been where their grudge first began.
"Kiyohara's blood undergoes mutations at regular intervals."
Orochimaru interrupted Shinno's memories.
"Every time I collect a sample and analyze it, I discover something entirely new."
"And the strangest part..."
He paused.
His golden slit-shaped pupils narrowed slightly.
"These changes don't appear to originate naturally from within his body."
"It's more like..."
"Something is continuously merging into him."
Shinno's eyes lit up.
"You mean..."
"I believe Kiyohara may possess a kekkei genkai never before recorded in the history of the shinobi world."
Orochimaru voiced the conclusion he had reached after years of observation.
"A Bloodline Limit capable of learning other Bloodline Limits."
Only such an explanation could account for Kiyohara's unbelievable speed in mastering ninjutsu and developing entirely new Bloodline Limits.
Unfortunately...
The amount of blood Orochimaru possessed was simply too small.
Especially now that Kiyohara had become vastly stronger, there was no longer any opportunity whatsoever to obtain fresh samples.
The blood in his possession had all been secretly collected years ago on the battlefield, back when Kiyohara was still much weaker.
"So why come to me?"
Shinno asked.
"It's simple."
Orochimaru paused before answering.
"I need more of Kiyohara's blood."
"Preferably samples collected while he's actively engaged in battle."
Shinno raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to attack the Hokage?"
He naturally knew that Kiyohara had become Konoha's Fourth Hokage.
"You only need to disguise yourself as a shinobi from another village."
Orochimaru said.
"Kirigakure, Iwagakure... choose whichever identity you like."
"The shinobi of those villages haven't exactly settled down after the war."
"A few more clashes wouldn't attract much attention."
He continued.
"And if you and I join forces..."
"The odds are quite favorable."
"You've gained far greater control over the Zero-Tails than before."
"Combined with my techniques..."
Shinno stared directly at him.
"You're certain?"
"I'm certain."
Orochimaru replied without hesitation.
At the same time, he was already planning how to trick Shinno into handing over his own forbidden techniques.
After all...
Orochimaru had developed a considerable interest in the artificial Tailed Beast known as the Zero-Tails.
Shinno remained silent for quite some time.
Finally...
"Deal."
He agreed.
...
When Kiyohara returned home, he discovered the house was unusually quiet.
Shizune had taken Tonton out shopping.
Meanwhile, Tsunade was still upstairs catching up on sleep.
For once, she had not gone to the casino today.
Kiyohara pushed open the door and entered his room.
Several notebooks on fuinjutsu techniques rested beside his pillow.
He quietly waited for the appearance of a new future.
Today happened to be the day the new "Last Will" would arrive.
That was why he had been so eager to leave Rin's office earlier.
Otherwise...
He would certainly have stayed a little longer, spending more time teasing and enjoying Rin's company before leaving.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Kiyohara slowly closed his eyes.
Not long afterward...
A cold, mechanical female voice echoed inside his mind.
[Please retrieve your alternate future self's last will and urn. Make sure to properly take care of their remains.]
"So..."
"It has finally arrived."
Kiyohara immediately sank his consciousness into his mindscape.
Within the depths of his consciousness...
A brand new urn slowly materialized before him.
(End of Chapter)