"The black flames that never go out?"
Kiyohara focused his gaze on a single point in front of him.
In the next instant, a cluster of pitch black flames appeared out of thin air.
The moment they manifested, the fire immediately began to spread.
Its temperature continued to rise at an astonishing rate.
Seeing this, Kiyohara slowly raised his hand.
Black flames instantly wrapped around the surface of his skin.
The fire continuously scorched his flesh. Before long, his fair skin had been completely burned away, exposing crimson tendons and stark white bones beneath.
"Anything these eyes see will eventually be reduced to ashes. The temperature really is incredible."
Kiyohara could clearly tell that the heat generated by this dojutsu far surpassed the Fire Release Microwave techniques he had developed.
After all, according to theory, Amaterasu possessed a temperature comparable to the sun itself.
Unfortunately, despite such an overwhelmingly impressive description, its actual performance throughout the anime never truly lived up to that grand reputation.
"I can also feel that the longer it burns, the hotter it becomes. If it were allowed to burn continuously for seven days and seven nights, I wonder just how high its temperature would reach."
Kiyohara slowly closed his eyes, canceling the technique.
The black flames of Amaterasu disappeared instantly.
Meanwhile, the arm that had just been burned to the bone regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye. Flesh rapidly grew back over the exposed muscles and skeleton until it looked completely untouched, as though nothing had happened.
"So the Otsutsuki bloodline has improved my regenerative abilities as well?"
Kiyohara was slightly surprised.
The recovery speed of his physical body far exceeded his expectations.
And...
He reached up and touched the area around his eye sockets.
Using Amaterasu hadn't caused his eyes to bleed at all.
In the anime, whether it was Itachi or Sasuke, activating Amaterasu always caused blood to flow from their eyes.
"Powerful as it is, its weaknesses are still obvious."
Kiyohara let out a quiet sigh.
Amaterasu's greatest flaw was simply that it was too slow.
The flames spread too gradually to engulf a target's entire body in an instant.
Its burning speed was so slow that even something as absurd as a samurai removing his armor could avoid being consumed by the flames.
Besides that, there were several other methods of countering it.
One could seal the flames away with the Fire Sealing Method.
Certain chakra absorbing ninjutsu could remove them entirely.
Alternatively, covering oneself with a chakra cloak worked just as well. Once the outer layer of chakra was discarded, the attached black flames disappeared along with it.
The principle behind all these methods was fundamentally the same.
As long as there was an outer medium to block Amaterasu, whatever lay beneath remained unaffected.
And despite being called an eternal flame, once the material being burned was completely consumed, the fire itself vanished as well. It still required something to continue feeding on.
"But against someone like Guy, who doesn't possess any special abilities, it's practically impossible to counter."
Kiyohara shook his head.
If he launched a surprise attack against Guy, unless Guy possessed the same level of decisiveness as the Fourth Raikage and immediately severed the affected limb, there would only be one outcome.
He would burn to ashes.
Even opening the Gate of Death wouldn't change that ending.
"As for my other dojutsu..."
He gently touched his other eye.
"Naraku Yomotsu."
Now, each of his eyes housed two separate ocular techniques.
Naraku Yomotsu could drag anything within his line of sight into a spiritual abyss governed entirely by Kiyohara's own will.
Anyone pulled into that abyss would witness the thing they feared most.
They would hear the voices they least wished to hear.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until their minds were completely crushed beneath endless despair.
Unlike Tsukuyomi, Naraku Yomotsu did not fabricate elaborate illusions.
Instead, it simply excavated the deepest fear hidden within a person's heart, placed it directly before them, and quietly watched as that fear slowly devoured them from the inside out.
"It resembles the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique."
Kiyohara fell into thought.
But this Dojutsu was obviously a superior version.
Whether they were Tailed Beasts or ordinary humans, every living being possessed something they feared.
Kiyohara had a feeling that this technique might work exceptionally well together with Shinno's Dark Chakra.
After all, Dark Chakra was fueled by negative emotions.
Fear was one of the purest forms of negative emotion.
Whenever his supply of Dark Chakra ran low, he could simply use this dojutsu to harvest more from other living beings.
"I should also pay a visit to Hozuki Castle."
His thoughts drifted toward the prison hidden within the Land of Grass.
Inside Hozuki Castle lay the Box of Ultimate Bliss, one of the legendary shinobi tools left behind by the Sage of Six Paths according to the movie.
It was said to possess the power to grant wishes.
However, sealed within it was a monster named Satori, a creature that fed upon human fear.
"How does it feel?"
The voice of Mangekyo Kiyohara sounded beside him.
His body had become even more transparent than before, resembling a block of ice on the verge of melting away.
"Wonderful."
Kiyohara slowly clenched his fist.
He felt as though a single punch now possessed enough strength to collapse half of Konoha.
"Better than I've ever felt before."
He continued speaking.
"You've inherited more than just my ocular power. Your chakra and your body should continue evolving as well."
Mangekyo Kiyohara reminded him.
Kiyohara gave a slight nod.
He had already noticed the changes very clearly.
His muscles had become denser.
Stronger.
Far more resilient.
Even the density of his bones continued increasing.
Blood surged powerfully through his veins, every heartbeat pumping even more oxygen throughout his body.
Even the color of his chakra had changed.
It had become a brilliant golden hue, resembling a blazing miniature sun.
His originally fair complexion had grown even paler.
Not the sickly white associated with Orochimaru.
Rather, it was an unnaturally perfect yet completely healthy kind of pale complexion.
He raised one hand.
Chakra condensed within his palm.
A black rod slowly grew from the center of his hand.
It was completely pitch black from top to bottom.
Its surface reflected no light whatsoever.
A Chakra Black Rod.
"My chakra has changed quite dramatically."
Kiyohara guessed that the Otsutsuki bloodline had fundamentally altered the nature of his chakra.
Looking at the black rod, he grasped it firmly before pulling it free.
Crack.
The rod detached from his palm and rested solidly in his hand.
He immediately noticed that it was surprisingly heavy.
Its weight gave it an exceptionally solid feel.
Then he threw it.
Boom!
The Black Receiver instantly pierced through the wall of the Hokage Tower.
Even the protective barrier embedded within the wall shattered as the rod blasted through and flew into the distance.
The tremendous impact immediately alarmed numerous ANBU shinobi.
Assuming the Hokage Tower had come under attack, they rushed over while maintaining full combat readiness, surrounding Kiyohara to protect him.
However, when they arrived, all they saw was Kiyohara standing calmly with his back facing them, one hand stretched toward the hole in the wall.
A thin chakra thread connected his fingertips to the flying black rod.
With a gentle pull, the thread tightened.
The Chakra Rod was instantly reeled back through the air before landing neatly in his hand once more.
"It's nothing."
Kiyohara turned around calmly.
"I was simply testing a new ninjutsu."
The ANBU exchanged bewildered looks.
None of them had expected the Hokage to experiment with a new technique inside the Hokage Tower itself.
The resulting explosion had even shattered one of the building's protective barriers.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
One of the tall ANBU shinobi immediately knelt on one knee before leading the others away.
Only after they had all departed did Kiyohara return his attention to the Chakra Rod.
Driving one of these rods into an opponent's body could seal the chakra points used for refining chakra while simultaneously disrupting the flow of chakra itself.
It was an exceptionally convenient ability.
After considering it for a moment, Kiyohara stored the Chakra Rod inside a sealing scroll for future use.
A moment later, his Sharingan transformed back into the Byakugan.
From his perspective, the distance of his X-ray vision had suddenly doubled.
His visual range had increased by an entire hundred percent compared to before.
"So even my Byakugan's purity has been enhanced by Otsutsuki chakra?"
Kiyohara couldn't help smiling.
If that were true...
Then perhaps he wouldn't even need to travel to the moon in order to awaken the Tenseigan.
After all, he had now inherited half of Mangekyo Kiyohara's Otsutsuki bloodline.
Half of a half.
That still made him one quarter of a noble Otsutsuki.
The following morning.
Kiyohara slowly opened his eyes.
Turning his head to the left, the first thing he saw was Kurenai's smooth, flawless back.
She was still asleep.
Her long, curled hair lay scattered across the pillow, with a few loose strands resting beside her cheeks, gently rising and falling with each peaceful breath.
"Awake?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
Kurenai's eyelids fluttered slightly, but she didn't open them.
Instead, she instinctively nestled closer into his embrace, burying her face against his chest while letting out a soft, catlike murmur.
"No..."
"Let me sleep a little longer..."
Kiyohara's hand slowly slid upward from her waist before coming to rest against her back.
Her body was pleasantly warm.
The side pressed against him felt even hotter, like a small furnace radiating gentle heat.
Outside the window, birds chirped cheerfully.
More sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains, gradually crawling across Kurenai's exposed shoulder.
Only then did she slowly open her eyes.
Her crimson pupils blinked absentmindedly for a moment before focusing on the face before her.
A gentle smile slowly spread across her lips.
"Morning."
"Good Morning."
Kiyohara nodded.
After spending more time with Kurenai, he had gradually realized that she enjoyed sleeping in far more than he had originally imagined.
As for Rin, she rarely indulged in staying in bed.
And Tsunade...
Well.
Kiyohara hadn't had the chance to experience that yet.
He planned to change that sometime in the near future.
After all, even if she was an older woman, she was still an incredibly beautiful one, and thanks to her Transformation Technique, she looked no different from a youthful young woman.
Kurenai slowly pushed herself upright.
The blanket slid down from her shoulders.
One of the straps of her nightgown slipped down her arm as well, hanging loosely around her upper arm and revealing her smooth, fair shoulder.
Kiyohara quietly looked at her.
"Still haven't had enough?"
Kurenai asked with a faint smile.
"No."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Only then did Kurenai finally turn around to face him. However, as though she had suddenly remembered something, her brows gradually knitted together.
Kiyohara immediately noticed the subtle change in her expression.
"What's wrong?"
Kurenai bit her lower lip gently, hesitating for a moment before speaking.
"There's something... I want to tell you."
She lay back down again, turning onto her side so that she was facing him. One finger absentmindedly tapped against his chest as she spoke.
"Someone from the Kurama Clan came to see me."
"They want me to become a private tutor."
Kiyohara's eyebrows rose slightly.
The first person who came to mind was Kurama Yakumo.
Her talent in Yin Release was nothing short of terrifying.
It was so extraordinary that her genjutsu could directly influence reality itself.
If she painted a bolt of lightning inside a picture, a real bolt of lightning could appear in the outside world.
Sure enough, Kurenai continued.
"It's a little girl named Kurama Yakumo. I've already met her once. She looks very frail and doesn't talk much."
She paused before adding,
"She's... special."
"In what way?"
"Her talent for genjutsu."
Kurenai raised her eyes to meet his.
"I've never seen a child with such incredible talent. Well..."
She quickly corrected herself.
"Other than you, I've never seen anyone with talent like hers."
"So, did you accept?"
Kurenai gently shook her head.
"I neither accepted nor refused."
She sighed softly.
"That child..."
She hesitated, searching for the right words.
"I don't know how to explain it. She just... makes people worry."
Even Kurenai lacked the confidence to properly teach someone like Yakumo.
She was still undecided.
"Her health isn't very good, is it?"
Kiyohara asked.
Kurenai's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know?"
She looked utterly confused.
"She's physically weak. She can't stay active for very long. Even when she's painting, she has to stop after a short while and rest. I asked whether it was related to her Bloodline Limit, but her family couldn't give me a clear answer."
Kiyohara already understood Yakumo's condition fairly well.
He had encountered a similar situation before.
When spiritual energy became overwhelmingly powerful while the body's physical energy failed to keep pace, the imbalance resulted in exactly this sort of condition.
Yakumo's case, however, was much more severe.
It had already begun affecting her everyday life.
For someone like her, even becoming a shinobi was little more than an impossible dream.
"Take me to see her."
"If everything goes well, I'll accept her as my disciple."
Kurenai blinked.
"But you've already taken Itachi, Izumi, and several others as your students. You also have to manage all the affairs of the Hokage. Won't that be too much for you?"
"No."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"I've already gained plenty of experience teaching disciples."
The truth was that Kiyohara had been interested in Yakumo's extraordinary talent for quite some time.
If she were properly nurtured, she would undoubtedly become an incredibly powerful genjutsu specialist.
The Kurama Clan had once been one of Konoha's great clans.
At their peak, they had even been mentioned alongside the Uchiha Clan.
Unfortunately, fewer and fewer members were awakening their kekkei genkia with each generation.
Eventually, the clan had gradually faded into obscurity.
"You're too kind."
Kurenai had no idea that Kiyohara had long intended to recruit Yakumo.
She assumed he was simply trying to ease her burden.
The thought touched her deeply.
Without saying another word, she slowly slid downward until her head rested near his thighs before disappearing beneath the blanket.
The quilt bulged slightly into a small mound.
Kiyohara reached out, his fingers gently slipping through her silky hair before lightly stroking it.
For a while, Kurenai said nothing more.
Neither did Kiyohara.
Instead, he silently reflected on just how... experienced Kurenai had become.
He could not help feeling that this was precisely the charm of watching someone gradually grow.
One hour later.
Kurenai stood before the mirror, tying the final strip of bandage securely into place.
The white bandages wrapped tightly around her thigh before extending upward to just above her knee.
The edges pressed lightly into her soft skin, leaving faint, shallow impressions.
She flexed her leg a few times to make sure the wrapping wouldn't interfere with her movements.
Satisfied, she straightened up and carefully adjusted her blouse in front of the mirror.
"Done."
She turned toward Kiyohara.
Leaning casually against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest, he had been quietly watching her all this time.
Feeling somewhat self conscious beneath his gaze, Kurenai lowered her head to inspect her clothes.
"What?"
"Is something wrong?"
"No."
Kiyohara smiled.
"You look beautiful."
A faint blush immediately spread across Kurenai's cheeks.
She turned her face away.
We've already been together for so long.
Why are you still saying things like that...
"Let's go."
As she walked past him, her fingertips lightly brushed across the back of his hand.
"We shouldn't keep them waiting."
The two of them quickly left the house together.
"The Kurama Clan estate is on the eastern side of the village, near the mountain behind Konoha."
Kurenai explained while they walked.
"Yakumo's parents are both members of the Kurama Clan, but neither of them awakened their kekkei genkai. Their daughter, Yakumo, is the only one who inherited it."
"That really is unusual."
Kiyohara nodded.
The Kurama Clan possessed a Bloodline Limit known as the Five Senses Manipulation technique.
It allowed genjutsu to become reality while simultaneously depriving others of their five senses.
Many members of the clan had sacrificed their lives during the Third Great Shinobi War.
Unfortunately, almost no younger generation had managed to awaken the bloodline limit afterward.
As a result, the number of capable successors steadily declined, and the Kurama Clan gradually lost its standing as one of Konoha's prestigious shinobi clans.
If things continued this way for another few generations, they would probably lose even the title of a shinobi clan altogether and become ordinary civilians.
Not long afterward, they arrived at their destination.
The front door slowly opened from the inside.
A middle aged woman stood in the doorway.
She wore a dark kimono and carried herself with quiet elegance.
Her facial features bore a striking resemblance to Yakumo's.
Her gaze first landed on Kurenai, and she politely bowed.
Then her eyes shifted toward Kiyohara.
Her entire body immediately stiffened.
"H... Hokage-sama?!"
Her voice trembled.
She hurriedly bent deeply at the waist.
"Please forgive us for failing to welcome you properly..."
"No need to be so formal."
Kiyohara casually waved his hand.
"I've only come to meet Yakumo."
Yakumo's mother slowly straightened herself.
Her expression shifted repeatedly between astonishment, nervousness, and disbelief.
"Please come in... please."
Then she turned toward the house and called loudly.
"Hokage-sama is here!"
The moment her voice echoed through the residence, hurried footsteps sounded from inside.
A middle aged man quickly emerged.
His forehead protector was still tied around his waist, making it obvious that he had been preparing to leave.
His face closely resembled Yakumo's.
His sharp features gave him a naturally stern appearance.
However, the instant he recognized Kiyohara, all of that sharpness disappeared, replaced by respect mixed with unmistakable nervousness.
Kiyohara's reputation had long spread throughout the shinobi world.
At present, his fame could truly be described as reaching its absolute peak.
The man feared that even the slightest mistake might offend the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama."
Yakumo's father immediately knelt on one knee.
"Your personal visit has brought great honor to the Kurama Clan."
Kiyohara gestured for him to stand.
"I've only come to see Yakumo. There's no need to make such a fuss."
Kurama Soun rose to his feet and exchanged a glance with his wife.
Both of them wore nearly identical expressions.
Confusion.
Nervousness.
And beneath it all...
A faint trace of hope.
"Yakumo is painting in the hills behind our estate."
"I'll send someone to bring her back..."
"No need."
Kiyohara interrupted him.
"I'll go see her myself."
Kurama Soun froze briefly before nodding.
"I'll lead the way."
Behind the estate.
Passing through the rear gate of the Kurama residence revealed a narrow stone path.
The trail wasn't particularly long.
After roughly ten minutes of walking, they reached its end.
A broad grassy hillside opened before them.
Wild grass swayed gently beneath the breeze.
Standing near the front of the slope was Kurama Yakumo.
She was still very young.
A small easel had been set up before her.
A blank sheet of drawing paper rested upon it.
She held a paintbrush in her right hand while her left gently pressed against the edge of the paper to keep it steady.
Every stroke she painted was incredibly slow.
Each time the brush touched the paper, its tip lingered there for several moments before moving again.
After painting for a while, she stopped.
Breathing heavily, she took several quiet breaths.
She set the brush down and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Only after resting briefly did she pick the brush back up and continue painting.
Even from such a distance, Kiyohara's eyesight allowed him to see exactly what she was drawing.
It was a tree.
Its branches stretched outward gracefully.
Its leaves were thick and abundant.
Every single leaf had been painted with extraordinary care.
Even the tiny veins running through each leaf had been meticulously outlined.
Yet despite the beautiful details, the overall tone of the painting felt strangely gloomy.
The real leaves before them shimmered in brilliant golden autumn colors.
But on the canvas, they appeared dull gray, as though hidden beneath a layer of thick fog.
"That's an excellent painting."
Kiyohara nodded with genuine appreciation.
"Ah... y... yes. Yakumo has always been exceptionally talented in this area."
Her father stared blankly for a moment.
He clearly hadn't expected Kiyohara to be capable of seeing details from such an incredible distance.
"Let's go take a closer look."
Kiyohara suggested.
The group continued walking forward.
"Yakumo."
Her father called out.
"Hokage-sama has come to see you."
Yakumo's brush paused in midair.
She slowly turned around.
Only then did Kiyohara finally get a clear look at her face.
Her skin was unnaturally pale with the fragile whiteness of someone suffering from chronic illness.
Yet her delicate features were exquisitely beautiful, making her resemble a finely crafted porcelain doll.
A small yellow hairpin adorned her hair, adding a gentle splash of color to her otherwise frail appearance.
(End of Chapter)