"It has the attack speed and raw power of the Buddha statue, combined with the defensive capabilities of Susanoo. There's a certain beauty in those numbers."
Standing atop the enormous Buddha statue, Kiyohara stroked his chin thoughtfully.
According to the detailed records in the Jin no Sho databook, this technique concentrated the statue's entire weight into its fists before unleashing one thousand consecutive strikes.
With both overwhelming mass and astonishing speed behind every punch, it had been powerful enough to shatter the Susanoo armor that Madara had wrapped around the Nine Tails.
If Susanoo chakra were layered onto the technique as well, it would probably be capable of unleashing another thousand attacks afterward.
How many people in the entire shinobi world could actually survive a move like that?
After thinking it over, Kiyohara realized that those capable of enduring such an attack could hardly still be considered human.
During the Shippuden era, they would be extraterrestrial members of the Otsutsuki Clan.
During the Boruto era, they would be various artificially modified humans fused with Otsutsuki genes.
Without even realizing it, Kiyohara's own strength had already surpassed the Kage level by an enormous margin.
As for the tier above that, the so-called Six Paths level...
He had no real reference point.
After all, he had never fought someone of that caliber before.
"Hmm..."
Those who reached that realm were either complete monsters in raw stats or monsters because of their absurd abilities.
Or perhaps...
They possessed both overwhelming numbers and broken mechanics.
"Still, the chakra consumption is simply too high."
Kiyohara felt that this fighting style still had room for improvement.
After all, even the reanimated Hashirama had been unable to use this technique.
The reason was simple.
The chakra cost was simply too terrifying.
The Reanimation Jutsu placed tremendous importance on the precision of the sacrificed body.
The higher the quality of the vessel, the closer it could reproduce the deceased's original strength, sometimes even surpassing it.
Naturally, the technique also came with tremendous advantages.
An immortal body.
And a greatly accelerated chakra recovery speed.
For most shinobi, these were massive buffs.
For Hashirama...
They were actually nerfs.
When he had been alive, he had essentially possessed the passive effects of instantaneous cellular regeneration together with his naturally enormous chakra reserves.
After being reanimated, however, even his maximum chakra capacity had been reduced.
That seemingly insignificant reduction was enough to prevent Hashirama from fighting at full strength.
It was obvious.
Although Hashirama had still been capable of battling the reanimated Madara on equal footing, he could no longer perform this technique.
For Kiyohara himself, the chakra consumption remained within acceptable limits.
However, continuously burning through such an enormous amount of chakra during prolonged combat would inevitably reduce the efficiency with which he could use his other ninjutsu.
"It'll have to remain a trump card."
After coming to that conclusion, Kiyohara continued training the Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands.
Meanwhile...
Konan escorted Samui to her new residence.
She glanced toward Samui.
During their walk through the village, Samui had attracted countless eyes.
Her short golden hair.
Her icy, beautiful face.
Her astonishing figure.
Everything about her carried an unmistakable exotic charm.
Konan could understand perfectly why Samui drew so much attention.
Even she herself had attracted the gazes of many Konoha shinobi.
It left her with no choice but to wear a mask.
She disliked being stared at like that.
Most of the time, the only person in front of whom she removed the ANBU mask Kiyohara had given her was Kiyohara himself.
As for the days of the Akatsuki...
As one of the organization's original founding members, no one had dared to stare at her so openly.
"Hungry?"
Noticing that Samui had fallen into a daze, Konan asked casually.
"N-No."
Samui hurriedly shook her head.
She had merely been wondering what the future held for both herself and Kumogakure.
"I see."
Konan answered calmly.
Although she knew that Kiyohara had already placed a cursed seal on Samui, making the situation extremely secure...
She still felt that Kiyohara was a little too carefree.
What if Samui decided to risk her life just to leak Konoha's intelligence back to Kumogakure?
Then another thought crossed Konan's mind.
Kiyohara had become famous during the Third Great Shinobi War.
Back then, there had already been plenty of information about him.
Now there was even more.
Some things, however...
Even if the enemy possessed every bit of intelligence available, it still would not be enough to overcome an overwhelming gap in strength.
"We're here."
Konan pointed toward an ordinary-looking house ahead.
"You'll be staying here for the next few days."
She stopped at the entrance.
"If you need anything, come find me."
"Thank you."
Samui thanked her sincerely.
Konan looked at her for a moment, nodded once, then quietly turned and left.
...
Inside the Akatsuki hideout.
Kakuzu stood within a secret chamber deep underground.
The stitches across his right shoulder slowly knitted themselves back together.
Countless black tendrils crowded the wound, writhing like living black serpents.
Kakuzu controlled the black tendrils, guiding the final White Zetsu heart into his body.
Crunch.
The tendrils pulled his ribcage shut.
Muscles regenerated.
Skin sealed itself.
The entire process took only a few breaths.
Rolling his right shoulder, Kakuzu could clearly feel the powerful heartbeat of the newly implanted heart.
It continuously pumped warm, vigorous life force throughout his chakra network.
That vitality belonged exclusively to White Zetsu cells.
After merging with Hashirama's cells, the effects had become even more remarkable.
"How does it feel?"
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
Kakuzu turned his head.
Obito stood at the entrance to the chamber.
His tiger-striped mask concealed his entire face, leaving only one crimson Sharingan visible.
"Madara."
Kakuzu nodded respectfully.
He raised his right hand, carefully sensing the smoother chakra circulation throughout his body.
"A White Zetsu heart is far superior to an ordinary shinobi's heart. Even chakra refinement has become significantly more efficient."
"If I were to face Kiyohara again, even if I still couldn't defeat him, I certainly wouldn't end up as miserably as last time."
"Good."
Obito stopped in front of Kakuzu.
"Our next priority is recruiting more people."
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.
"You mean..."
"Gather more comrades."
Obito turned around, the Sharingan behind the mask narrowing slightly.
"Kiyohara's strength has already exceeded our estimates. Our current combat force isn't enough to oppose Konoha anymore. We need more manpower."
"At this stage, accumulating strength really is the correct decision."
Kakuzu found Obito's reasoning convincing.
"It's just that Kiyohara..."
"Every single time he appears, he seems stronger than before."
"He suppressed the Nine Tails with ease."
"I've also heard Danzo was killed by him."
"If he's given another few years..."
"I know."
Obito answered calmly.
"Which is exactly why I'll accelerate my plans."
Since his own power alone could no longer contend with Kiyohara...
Then he would recruit more people.
Forge more so-called bonds.
And send all of those people to fight Kiyohara for him.
"Adapt to those new hearts as quickly as possible."
With those final words, Obito disappeared.
Kakuzu gently pressed a hand against his chest.
Although Kiyohara's overwhelming strength had completely crushed him...
He still could not suppress one particular curiosity.
Just...
What would Kiyohara's heart taste like?
...
Land of Fire.
Konoha.
Kiyohara walked out of a tailor's shop carrying a paper box tied neatly with fine hemp string.
When he returned home, Tsunade was already sitting on the living room sofa.
Today, her long golden hair was left untied, cascading naturally over her shoulders, with several loose strands draped across her chest.
A deck of playing cards rested on the coffee table before her.
The cards were face down, stacked into several perfectly organized piles.
She held a single card between her fingers, her brows slightly furrowed as if contemplating something.
"Sensei."
After changing into his indoor slippers at the entrance, Kiyohara walked into the living room.
"Still reviewing your game?"
he asked.
Whenever Tsunade suffered an especially crushing defeat, she would carefully replay every move in her head, trying to understand exactly where she had gone wrong.
Then, once she convinced herself that she had learned from her mistakes and would never lose the same way twice...
She would somehow end up losing in exactly the same fashion all over again.
Sometimes it was because of a tiny mistake on her own part.
Sometimes it was simply terrible gambling luck.
All sorts of unfortunate coincidences piled together until they inevitably produced the same familiar result.
Out of every ten bets, Tsunade would lose nine.
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never be defeated."
Tsunade's rosy lips parted as she spoke.
She had originally heard that saying from Kiyohara.
After hearing it once, she had never forgotten it.
The more she thought about it...
The more she felt the phrase suited her perfectly.
Soon, her gaze shifted toward the paper box in Kiyohara's hands.
"What's that?"
"A cheongsam."
Kiyohara placed the box on the coffee table and untied the hemp string.
"Remember what we agreed on?"
"Once I finished rebuilding the casino, I'd buy sensei a cheongsam."
"And then sensei would wear it for me."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
She set her cards aside, picked up the box, and lifted the lid.
Inside lay a neatly folded emerald-green Cheongsam.
The fabric was made of silk, shimmering softly beneath the room's lights.
Its collar featured the classic high-necked design, with elegant frog buttons extending diagonally from the collar all the way beneath the arm.
Every stitch reflected meticulous craftsmanship.
Tsunade lifted the dress out of the box and unfolded it.
The waist was carefully tailored to accentuate the figure.
The lower half narrowed from the calves downward.
The slit running along one side climbed astonishingly high, almost reaching the top of the thigh.
Even simply holding it in her hands...
She could already imagine how the fabric would sway and part with every graceful step.
"You little brat..."
"Why did you choose this kind of design?"
"So it can properly highlight Sensei's beauty."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"Hmph. What a smooth talker."
Although she sounded dismissive, her fingers instinctively continued caressing the smooth silk.
Kiyohara's compliment caused her heartbeat to quicken for reasons she could not quite explain.
It was almost laughable. After living for so many years, Tsunade realized she had never once worn clothing that was so form-fitting or so brilliantly elegant.
"Try it on and see if it fits. I think it'll suit you perfectly."
Tsunade gently bit her lower lip. She looked at the anticipation shining in Kiyohara's eyes. In the end, she simply could not bring herself to refuse him. Hugging the wooden box against her chest, she slowly stood up and walked somewhat awkwardly toward the bedroom.
"Wait here. I'll go try it on."
"Need any help?"
Kiyohara asked.
"You wish, brat."
Tsunade rolled her eyes at him before quickly disappearing into the bedroom.
Kiyohara sat down on the sofa, his gaze falling upon the deck of cards lying on the coffee table.
Even the cards Tsunade casually kept at home were terrible...
He stopped paying attention to the cards. Perhaps because Tsunade had not fully closed the bedroom door, he could faintly hear the rustling sounds of fabric as she changed clothes inside.
Not long afterward came the quiet sound of footsteps shifting across the wooden floor as she turned around in front of the mirror.
Kiyohara was not deliberately trying to listen.
However, with his current level of perception, noticing sounds like these had become almost instinctive. Unless he deliberately suppressed part of his sensory abilities, everything around him naturally entered his awareness.
"I wonder what goes through that brat's head every single day..."
Upstairs, Tsunade had already taken off all of her clothes.
Alone in her bedroom, her graceful figure was completely revealed.
Though her body was voluptuous and mature, there was not the slightest trace of excess fat around her slender waist. The lines of her thighs were smooth and perfectly rounded, and remarkably, there was not even a single scar anywhere on her body.
She picked up the cheongsam and, somewhat clumsily, began putting it on.
She had almost never worn clothing like this before, so every step felt unfamiliar.
After several minutes, she finally finished dressing.
The emerald-green silk clung closely to her skin, perfectly outlining every beautiful curve of her figure. The traditional high collar was stretched ever so slightly by her full chest, subtly changing its shape.
Walking over to the mirror, Tsunade stared at her own reflection.
A blush instantly spread across her cheeks.
She had never seen herself looking like this before.
Beautiful.
Enchanting.
The commanding, carefree aura she usually carried had softened considerably, replaced by a distinctly feminine elegance and charm she rarely displayed.
After standing there for a while, she finally reached for the doorknob.
The bedroom door slowly opened.
"Well?"
Biting her lip, Tsunade carefully stepped out.
Her movements were somewhat stiff.
Almost unconsciously, both hands rose to cover her chest as she avoided Kiyohara's eyes, unable to bring herself to meet his gaze directly.
The moment Kiyohara looked up at her from the sofa, his eyes widened slightly.
Even his breathing became a little heavier.
The green cheongsam outlined Tsunade's mature figure almost perfectly.
As she walked, the high slit along the side opened and closed with every graceful step, revealing flashes of her smooth, fair thigh.
"It looks amazing."
"It's even more suitable than I imagined."
Kiyohara said honestly.
"Really?"
Tsunade smiled proudly, lifting her chin slightly.
It was obvious that she was very satisfied with his reaction.
"My figure can still compete with anyone, even now."
She walked over to the sofa and sat beside him.
As she lowered herself, the hem of the Cheongsam slid slightly upward, revealing even more of her thigh.
She kept both legs together and sat with her body turned slightly to one side, while one hand continued instinctively covering her chest.
Kiyohara's gaze lingered on her for another brief moment before he politely looked away.
"Sensei."
"Would you like to visit a hot spring in a few days?"
he asked.
Tsunade turned toward him.
"A hot spring?"
"Yeah."
Kiyohara nodded.
"I'll reserve the entire place. No one will bother us."
Tsunade frowned thoughtfully before shaking her head.
"No."
"I have to finish playing cards first."
Her tone was completely serious, as though she were discussing an extremely important matter.
Kiyohara could not help laughing.
"Then I'll play with you."
Tsunade's eyes immediately lit up.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good."
She nodded with complete satisfaction.
"Then once we're done playing cards, we'll go to the hot springs."
Leaning back against the sofa, she relaxed her body.
That simple movement stretched the cheongsam's collar slightly farther open, widening the tiny gaps between the decorative frog buttons.
Just then, the sound of the front door opening came from the entrance.
Shizune stepped inside carrying Tonton in her arms.
Today she wore a dark gray kimono.
Her once short hair had grown noticeably longer.
Because Kiyohara had casually mentioned that she might look even prettier with long hair, Shizune had decided to give it a try.
She had worn short hair ever since childhood and had never experimented with letting it grow.
If it didn't suit her...
She could always cut it again.
"Lady Tsunade, I'm back..."
Her greeting stopped halfway.
Her eyes inevitably landed on Tsunade.
Tonton poked his little head out from Shizune's arms, blinking his round eyes as he let out several cheerful snorts.
"So beautiful..."
Shizune exclaimed in amazement.
"Lady Tsunade, you're absolutely gorgeous!"
Tsunade smiled proudly.
Raising one hand, she brushed aside a strand of her golden hair.
"When I was younger, I was the most beautiful woman in all of Konoha."
As she spoke, she shifted her body slightly.
The slit in the cheongsam opened once again, exposing another glimpse of her smooth thigh.
"Sensei is still beautiful now."
Kiyohara said.
Tsunade suddenly froze.
She glared at him.
For some reason, hearing Kiyohara compliment her privately never bothered her very much.
But saying those things in front of Shizune...
Filled her with an inexplicable sense of guilt.
After all, she felt as though she were an old cow eating young grass.
She had no idea what Shizune might think of her.
Shizune's eyes quietly traveled back and forth between the two of them.
A subtle expression gradually appeared on her face.
It was the unmistakable look of someone who had just realized something.
"Lady Tsunade..."
"Where did this cheongsam come from?"
Walking over to the coffee table, Shizune sat down on the opposite sofa.
"Kiyohara gave it to me."
Tsunade answered casually.
"Oh..."
Shizune deliberately dragged out the sound.
She secretly glanced at Kiyohara before looking back at Tsunade.
Tsunade naturally noticed the expression on Shizune's face.
Clearing her throat, she straightened her posture and attempted to restore the dignity expected of a sensei.
"Kiyohara."
She deliberately changed the subject.
"How is your training with True Several Thousand Hands progressing?"
"It's going pretty well."
"I can already maintain the form consistently."
"What exactly does 'pretty well' mean?"
Tsunade frowned.
"How many arms can you summon now?"
"Not many."
"About one thousand."
Listening to Kiyohara's unbelievably understated answer, Tsunade silently thought to herself that he truly was the perfect successor to her grandfather's Wood Release techniques.
She remembered clearly.
Being capable of producing one thousand arms already meant someone had fully mastered the technique.
An ordinary jonin...
Even if they spent every ounce of their chakra simply trying to create those arms, they probably would not be able to produce very many.
After a brief pause, she added,
"Then again, that's only natural."
"If Grandfather could do it, it'd be stranger if you couldn't."
She stood up.
The hem of the cheongsam gently swayed with her movements.
"I'm going to change back."
She began walking toward the bedroom.
"Wearing something like this around the house with you is one thing."
"But wearing it outside..."
"That's far too embarrassing."
Upon reaching the bedroom door, she looked back at Kiyohara.
"And don't forget."
"You're accompanying me to the casino tonight."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Of course."
The bedroom door slowly closed.
Shizune remained seated on the sofa, gently hugging Tonton while her gaze drifted repeatedly between Kiyohara and the tightly shut bedroom door.
Her lips moved slightly.
She wanted to say something.
Yet after a long hesitation...
She ultimately remained silent.
Instead, she lowered her head and gently stroked Tonton's back.
Tonton let out several contented snorts, happily narrowing his round little eyes into crescents.
Shizune hugged him a little tighter.
She decided that pretending not to know anything was probably for the best.
The next day.
Konoha Hospital.
When Kiyohara pushed open the door leading into the research wing, Rin and Nono were standing beside one of the laboratory benches, quietly discussing something.
The bench was covered with glass instruments of every kind.
The most eye-catching objects were several enormous cultivation tanks standing in one corner.
Inside the transparent containers floated irregular masses of white biological tissue, gently drifting through pale green nutrient solution.
Some resembled muscle fibers.
Others looked like tangled plant roots.
Several were even covered with structures resembling wooden branches.
White Zetsu body parts.
Hearing the door open, Rin looked up.
She was wearing a white laboratory coat today.
Her long brown hair had been tied into a low ponytail.
"Kiyohara-kun."
The moment she saw him, a warm smile immediately appeared on her face.
Nono also looked up, adjusting the glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.
She, too, wore a white lab coat.
Underneath it, however, she still wore her familiar black nun's habit.
At the moment, Nono held a test tube filled with pale green liquid.
"Hokage-sama."
she greeted respectfully.
Kiyohara walked over to the laboratory bench, his gaze settling upon the cultivation tanks.
"How is the research progressing?"
Rin picked up a data sheet from the bench and flipped through several pages.
"At the moment, we're trying to weaken the power of the Hashirama Cells."
After a short pause, she pointed toward the white tissue floating inside the tanks.
"You said these white limbs belonged to creatures called White Zetsu."
"Their cells really do contain components of Hashirama Cells."
Originally, Rin had known neither the name White Zetsu nor the existence of the so-called Hashirama Cells.
During the course of their experiments, however, they had discovered that part of the flesh contained cells exhibiting extraordinarily abnormal vitality and invasive properties.
Only afterward had Kiyohara explained that those were Hashirama Cells.
He had also told them that the owners of these white limbs were called White Zetsu and that they possessed the power of Hashirama Cells.
When Rin first heard that explanation, she had gasped in shock.
Her first thought had been that someone must have desecrated the First Hokage's grave.
Kiyohara then explained that these cells had actually originated from injuries Hashirama sustained during battles in the past. Someone had secretly collected those surviving cells, eventually giving birth to White Zetsu through them.
Furthermore, Konoha itself had once conducted experiments involving Wood Release.
Back then, the village had already collected a portion of Hashirama's cells for research purposes.
"We also tried directly transplanting White Zetsu cells into experimental animals."
Nono continued the explanation.
"The results weren't very encouraging. Although White Zetsu cells are less invasive than pure Hashirama Cells, they've already been completely assimilated by the Hashirama Cells. For ordinary cells, they're still far too powerful."
"Within three days after transplantation, the experimental animals' cells gradually transformed into something that existed somewhere between plant and animal."
As she spoke, she pointed toward several cages in the corner of the laboratory that had been covered with white cloth.
Beneath the fabric, faint, uneven silhouettes could be seen.
"So we're currently trying to weaken the White Zetsu cells even further."
Rin continued.
"If we can reduce their invasive properties to a level that normal cells can tolerate, then it may become possible to perform safe transplants and achieve true limb regeneration."
As she said those words, excitement was evident in her eyes.
If they could actually accomplish something like this...
Countless lives could be changed.
Kiyohara nodded.
His gaze shifted toward Rin.
Only then did he notice the faint dark circles beneath her eyes.
She clearly hadn't slept well the previous night.
"You've worked hard."
Kiyohara stepped forward and gently rubbed the top of Rin's head.
Rin smiled warmly.
"It wasn't hard at all."
"These experimental results are incredibly valuable."
"If we succeed, it'll greatly advance Konoha's entire medical field."
Kiyohara remained in the laboratory for a while longer, carefully reviewing several research reports before finally clapping his hands once.
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Konan silently appeared before him.
"Go notify Shisui."
"Tell him to come to Konoha Hospital."
Kiyohara instructed.
Konan nodded before her figure merged back into the darkness and disappeared once again.
Watching the place where Konan had vanished, Rin blinked curiously.
"Kiyohara-kun."
"What do you need Shisui for?"
"I'm giving the Uchiha Clan an opportunity to become stronger."
"They're also excellent candidates for gathering experimental data."
"Their bodies have considerably greater tolerance than ordinary people."
Kiyohara answered.
Rin and Nono exchanged confused glances.
Both could clearly see the uncertainty in each other's eyes.
Not long afterward, the laboratory door opened once again.
Shisui walked inside.
"Hokage-sama."
Standing before Kiyohara, he respectfully bowed.
Kiyohara looked directly at him before getting straight to the point.
"Shisui."
"The Uchiha Clan has an opportunity to become stronger."
"We're looking for volunteers willing to receive weakened White Zetsu cell transplants."
"In other words, a derivative of Hashirama Cells."
"There's a possibility that the transplant will enhance their ocular power while also increasing their chakra reserves."
Shisui's eyes widened slightly.
"Hashirama Cells...?"
"That's right."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Of course, there are risks."
"Although we've already weakened the cells considerably, rejection reactions are still possible after transplantation."
"But I can guarantee one thing."
"As long as I'm here..."
"No one will lose their life."
"I understand."
"I'll take the news back to the clan and let everyone decide for themselves."
Shisui nodded.
...
The Uchiha Clan Compound.
By the time Shisui returned, darkness had already settled over the village.
Passing through the main street, he headed directly toward the Uchiha Clan's meeting hall.
Several clan members greeted him along the way.
He merely nodded in acknowledgment without slowing his pace.
Several people had already gathered inside the meeting hall.
Fugaku sat at the head seat.
On the low table beside him rested a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
Aside from the Naka Shrine, this was the place where the Uchiha most frequently gathered to discuss important matters.
The secret chamber beneath Naka Shrine was only used from time to time.
Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi sat on opposite sides of the room, quietly discussing something.
Hearing footsteps, all three looked up simultaneously.
"Shisui."
Fugaku regarded him calmly.
"It's already this late."
"What brings you here?"
Shisui repeated everything Kiyohara had told him, word for word.
"Seriously?"
Tekka asked skeptically.
"Kiyohara wouldn't lie to us."
Shisui answered with certainty.
At the same time, another question surfaced in his mind.
If a member of the Uchiha Clan who had never awakened the Sharingan underwent this transplant...
Would they gain the ability to awaken it?
Throughout the clan's history, only a minority had ever successfully awakened the Sharingan.
If this procedure could significantly increase that number...
The Uchiha Clan might once again enter its greatest era of prosperity.
"Count me in."
While everyone else was still hesitating, Tekka immediately raised his hand.
Beside him, Inabi frowned.
"Aren't you worried something could go wrong?"
Tekka shook his head, his expression filled with complete confidence.
"If Kiyohara is asking Uchiha members to volunteer, then he must already be completely prepared."
"His medical ninjutsu is among the very best in Konoha."
"Even if something unexpected happens, there's nothing to worry about."
"And if the transplant succeeds..."
"Our chakra grows stronger and our sharigan grows even more powerful."
"Where else are we ever going to find an opportunity like this?"
Tekka looked genuinely afraid that if he missed this chance, it would never come again.
If an ordinary Konoha shinobi had brought them this proposal...
The Uchiha probably would have suspected hidden motives.
But Kiyohara himself...
Was an Uchiha.
As the saying went, when fellow townsmen meet, tears naturally fill their eyes.
An Uchiha would never deceive another Uchiha.
After remaining silent for a while, Inabi slowly raised his own hand.
"You've got a point."
"I'm in too."
Shisui nodded before turning toward Fugaku.
Fugaku, however, did not respond immediately.
Picking up the now-cold tea, he took a slow sip, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Fugaku-sama?"
Shisui asked cautiously.
Fugaku gently set the teacup back onto the table.
"You all should try it first."
"There shouldn't be any major problems."
"If Kiyohara is confident enough to propose this, then he must already trust its safety."
Fugaku spoke calmly.
"Besides..."
"The Uchiha Clan truly needs to become stronger."
"You witnessed what happened during the Nine Tails incident."
"In front of power on that level..."
"An ordinary Sharingan was practically useless."
After a brief pause, his eyes settled upon Shisui.
"Your Mangekyo."
"Kiyohara's Mangekyo."
"They both represent the strength of the Uchiha Clan."
"But if transplanting Hashirama Cells allows more clan members to approach that level..."
"Then it's undoubtedly a good thing for the Uchiha."
…
While they continued discussing the matter inside...
Outside the meeting hall...
Itachi leaned silently against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, quietly listening to the conversation drifting through the wooden doors.
Standing beside him was Izumi.
She held a bamboo skewer that still had bits of three-colored dango clinging to it.
It was obvious she had only just finished eating.
"Izumi."
"Are you going to give it a try?"
Itachi asked softly.
Izumi bit her lower lip and hesitated.
"I'll wait and see."
Turning her head, she stared at the tightly closed doors of the meeting hall.
"Did Big Brother Shisui mention any side effects?"
She had only just arrived and hadn't heard the earlier discussion.
Itachi thought for a moment.
"He said..."
"The skin around the transplant area might end up a different color."
Izumi immediately stiffened.
Lowering her head, she looked at the back of her own fair hand.
She imagined one of her hands becoming unevenly colored.
The thought alone made her vigorously shake her head.
"Then I'm not doing it."
She rejected the idea without hesitation.
Itachi looked at her with slight surprise.
"You're giving up just like that?"
"Of course."
Izumi answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What if I become ugly?"
"What would Kiyohara-sensei think of me?"
As those words left her mouth, her cheeks gradually turned red.
She lowered her head shyly.
"..."
Ugly...
Itachi lowered his own gaze toward his hands.
If the only side effect was having slightly different skin color...
It didn't really seem like a serious problem to him.
Should he volunteer for the transplant as well?
Itachi quietly fell into deep thought.
...
That night.
Kiyohara appeared within a desolate mountain range along the border of the Land of Fire.
The full moon hung high overhead, bathing the endless mountains in silver light.
Standing atop one of the peaks, Kiyohara allowed the night wind to stir both his hair and the hem of his robes.
In his hand rested an old scroll.
The paper had yellowed with age.
Its edges were worn from countless years of handling.
Clearly, it had existed for a very long time.
History of Warring States Seals.
The scroll meticulously recorded fuinjutsu techniques used by the great shinobi clans during the Warring States Period, along with the locations where powerful individuals had been sealed.
The reason Kiyohara had come here...
Was Uchiha Hikari.
(TN: I misnamed her guys, I thought it was Nanashi but that was actually just her alias. )
He quietly surveyed the surrounding mountains.
"It should be somewhere around here."
He had acquired this scroll a long time ago.
However, he had never dared act rashly.
Back then, he wasn't confident he could control the power of the Uchiha.
If Hikari managed to copy his Mangekyo ability...
Defeating her afterward would become extremely troublesome.
"I still don't understand why the Sarutobi Clan got involved in this."
Kiyohara shook his head.
According to the records...
Uchiha Hikari had been sealed jointly by the Senju Clan and the Sarutobi Clan.
If the Senju and Uzumaki Clans had worked together to seal her...
He would have understood.
But he genuinely couldn't figure out what role the Sarutobi Clan had played.
"Forget it."
"Time to get to work."
Kiyohara closed the scroll before slowly shutting his eyes.
The markings of Sage Mode gradually appeared around his eyes.
Dark emerald chakra began flowing across the surface of his body, causing his robes to flutter loudly in the night wind.
Snake Sage Mode.
His eyes slowly opened.
Within those vertical pupils marked by three tomoe...
The vast mountain range stretching endlessly before him was perfectly reflected.
His sensory perception spread outward like an invisible web, expanding from his body until it enveloped everything within several hundred kilometers.
Mountain peaks.
Forests.
Rivers.
Caves.
Everything within that vast area appeared with perfect clarity inside his perception.
Yet there was no trace of any seal.
Apart from ordinary animals and insects roaming the mountains, Kiyohara could not detect even the slightest fluctuation of Uchiha chakra.
"So there really is a barrier."
His expression remained calm.
To prevent whoever had been sealed from ever being discovered, the shinobi responsible for the seal had undoubtedly gone to great lengths.
A barrier capable of deceiving even the sensory abilities of his Snake Sage Mode had to be, at the very least, a fuinjutsu seal on the level of the Uzumaki Clan.
A barrier like that could never be found through perception alone.
In that case...
He would simply use another method.
Kiyohara brought both palms together.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands."
The instant the technique was activated...
The earth began to tremble violently.
Countless enormous wooden vines burst out from beneath the ground.
They erupted simultaneously from the mountain peaks, from cracks along the mountainsides, and from deep within the valleys.
Each vine dwarfed ordinary trees.
The thickest required dozens of people linking arms to encircle them.
Their surfaces were covered in rough bark that reflected a faint sheen beneath the moonlight.
The countless vines gathered beneath Kiyohara's feet.
Gradually...
They condensed into a colossal Thousand-Armed Buddha statue that towered over the landscape like a mountain itself.
The gigantic statue rose from the summit, its height surpassing every surrounding mountain.
Its face was solemn and majestic.
Its eyes remained peacefully closed.
Dense natural energy swirled continuously around its massive body.
One thousand powerful arms extended outward from its torso.
Each arm was enormously thick.
Each fist was tightly clenched.
Layer upon layer of gigantic arms spread outward behind the Buddha like a peacock displaying its feathers, covering nearly half of the night sky.
Standing atop the Buddha's head, Kiyohara continued pouring chakra into the technique.
The Mangekyo Sharingan within his eyes slowly began to rotate.
Golden chakra spread upward from the statue's feet.
It climbed along the enormous body until it completely enveloped the entire Buddha.
Within moments, the entire Thousand-Armed Buddha had become covered in golden chakra, as though it were wearing a magnificent suit of armor.
Susanoo: Armored Thousand Hands.
The Buddha's face was now wrapped in brilliant golden chakra.
Its eyes remained tightly shut.
Yet the aura surrounding it had become entirely different.
The vibrant green natural energy intertwined with the golden Susanoo chakra.
The two colors continuously flowed across the Buddha's surface, illuminating the night until the sky itself appeared painted in intertwining shades of emerald and gold.
Kiyohara slowly raised his right hand.
Then...
He clenched it into a fist.
At that exact moment...
Every one of the Buddha's thousand arms moved simultaneously.
BOOM!
One thousand colossal fists, each coated in golden Susanoo chakra, crashed toward the surrounding mountain ranges all at once.
Entire mountains shattered like blocks of tofu.
Massive boulders shot high into the sky before the following shockwaves pulverized them into even finer dust.
The thousand arms resembled a thousand enormous war hammers raining down from every direction.
The mountains trembled.
The earth groaned.
Ancient peaks that had stood for countless ages collapsed one after another beneath the relentless assault of the armored Buddha.
Dust billowed into the heavens, swallowing the moonlight.
Pulverized stone and drifting ash filled the air until the entire region was engulfed in a gray-white haze.
Standing atop the Buddha's head, Kiyohara had already activated his Byakugan.
In fact, he had opened it the moment he arrived.
Even so, the Byakugan's penetrating vision had revealed nothing.
Otherwise, any Hyuga who happened to pass through these mountains might have accidentally discovered Uchiha Hikari hidden beneath them.
"Nothing yet."
Kiyohara slowly swept his gaze across the landscape.
Through the Byakugan, every grain of dust and every shattered rock remained perfectly visible.
He wasn't impatient.
If he continued destroying the mountains...
Something would eventually reveal itself.
Sure enough...
After some time had passed, an anomaly suddenly entered his perception.
It lay within a valley nestled between two mountains.
Originally, it had appeared completely ordinary.
However, when one of the Buddha's colossal fists struck nearby...
A translucent barrier suddenly appeared across the cliff face.
Black sealing formulas slowly flowed across its surface.
An Uzumaki fuinjutsu technique.
Kiyohara immediately recognized those intricate patterns.
"Stop."
he said quietly.
All one thousand arms froze instantly.
Each remained suspended in midair, still holding the posture of delivering a punch.
Golden Susanoo chakra continued flowing around every gigantic fist, bathing the surrounding mountains in radiant light.
Kiyohara leaped from the Buddha's head.
Landing before the hidden valley, he watched as the massive armored Buddha gradually dissolved behind him.
Examining the barrier from up close made everything far clearer.
The translucent membrane covered the entire cliff wall.
Black sealing formulas continuously flowed across its surface.
The structure of the seal was extraordinarily complex.
Its formulas spiraled outward in concentric circles.
Each spiral contained countless smaller sealing arrays nested within it.
It was unmistakably the style of the Uzumaki Clan.
Layer upon layer.
One seal built inside another.
Kiyohara slowly raised his hand.
Golden chakra gathered within his palm.
Rather than immediately breaking the seal...
He first carefully examined its structure.
This was an excellent opportunity to learn.
Soon, he determined that the barrier consisted of four separate layers.
The outermost layer blocked physical intrusion.
The second concealed all forms of perception.
The third absorbed chakra.
The innermost layer restrained the target's consciousness.
Four independent seals stacked together.
No wonder even his Sage Mode senses had failed to detect it.
A faint smile appeared on Kiyohara's face.
For anyone else...
A seal of this complexity would likely have been impossible to overcome.
But for him...
The Uzumaki Clan's fuinjutsu techniques had long since become second nature.
Very soon...
He began dismantling the barrier.
Layer after layer.
The four seals were peeled away one by one within only a few moments.
When the final layer finally disappeared...
The cliff itself began changing.
The translucent membrane shattered like bubbles, dissolving into countless tiny particles of light that scattered into the night air.
The rock wall slowly split apart to either side.
A deep passageway was revealed.
The tunnel was narrow.
Only a single person could pass through at a time.
Both walls were covered with intricate sealing formulas.
However, all of them had already lost their luster.
Only faded carvings remained.
Seeing this, Kiyohara immediately understood.
These were simply the marks left behind by time.
The only fuinjutsu technique capable of surviving the relentless erosion of ages...
He felt...
Would probably be the Sage of Six Paths' Six Paths: Planetary Devastation.
"Then again..."
"Maybe not."
A different thought suddenly occurred to him.
A thousand years...
Really wasn't that long.
If Kaguya were truly immortal...
Then even if she remained imprisoned for ten thousand years...
Or a million years...
Eventually the chakra sustaining the seal might completely run out.
At that point...
Her sentence would effectively be over.
With that thought, Kiyohara stepped into the tunnel.
The walls inside the cave were likewise covered in ancient sealing formulas.
The air was icy cold.
A faint musty smell lingered within the chamber.
Clearly...
Fresh air had not entered this place for an incredibly long time.
At the very center of the underground chamber...
Lay a young girl.
Numerous fuinjutsu talismans covered every part of her body.
Kiyohara only needed a single glance.
This...
Was Uchiha Hikari.
Her eyes remained peacefully closed.
Long eyelashes cast gentle shadows across her cheeks.
Her features were delicate.
She possessed the cool, elegant beauty characteristic of the women of the Uchiha Clan.
She did not resemble someone who had been sealed away for more than a century.
Instead...
She looked like an ordinary traveler who had accidentally fallen asleep here only yesterday.
Kiyohara walked over and examined the numerous talismans attached to her body.
'The power of this seal really is remarkable.'
he thought to himself.
Within the shinobi world...
The most incomprehensible ability had always been fuinjutsu techniques.
Even someone as overwhelmingly powerful as Kaguya could only be sealed away.
And the condition required to activate that seal...
Had merely been for Naruto and Sasuke to simultaneously touch her using the powers of Yin and Yang.
If the battle had instead become a prolonged war of attrition...
Neither of them could ever have exhausted Kaguya.
At any moment, she could have escaped the battlefield using space-time ninjutsu.
Outside, countless victims remained suspended within the Divine Tree.
She could replenish her chakra through the God Tree whenever she wished.
Even if Naruto and the others pursued her across dimensions...
Opening each spatial gateway would consume an enormous amount of chakra.
Of course...
If events had truly reached that stage...
The Sage of Six Paths himself would almost certainly have intervened.
Kiyohara withdrew his thoughts.
He slowly raised his hand.
Then carefully peeled away the nearest sealing talisman attached to Uchiha Hikari's body.
(End of Chapter)