Half a month passed.
In an empty clearing, Kiyohara tried injecting Wind Release chakra into the Rasengan.
If he succeeded, he could turn the A-rank Rasengan into the S-rank Rasenshuriken.
Even though he already had Fire Release: Microwave Bullet, that technique needed preheating. It wasn't nearly as quick or convenient to cast as Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
And the Rasenshuriken could be developed even further.
Kiyohara planned to eventually add Lightning Release chakra as well—so that once thrown, it could turn invisible. If the enemy didn't notice, they'd be cut down on the spot.
He extended his hand and began condensing Wind Release chakra.
His Wind Release talent was probably better than Naruto's in the original story.
So even without a swarm of shadow clones, his progress wasn't slow.
For example, he'd already created the intermediate form: Wind Release: Rasengan.
It was far stronger than a normal Rasengan, and it looked different too—white spiraling gusts clung to the outside of the spherical chakra mass.
Bzzzz!
Kiyohara slammed the Wind Release Rasengan into a boulder, instantly blasting out a crater.
And the rock behind the crater cracked open as well.
"Not bad."
He nodded slightly.
He'd only been tinkering with this in spare moments, without pouring in much time.
For something made on the side, that power was more than acceptable.
If he wanted to handle all kinds of enemies, he needed all kinds of tools.
Chidori was stronger in "cutting" and "piercing."
Rasengan was stronger in "blunt impact" and "sustained internal damage."
Each had its own ideal scenarios—so Kiyohara intended to master both.
Later, Wind Release Rasengan could even be combined with Water Release: Tearing Torrent to form a tornado wrapped in mist—useful for both offense and blocking enemy ninjutsu.
That was called Typhoon Water Vortex Technique.
"Hopefully the next future comes with a Water Release chakra nature."
He checked the timing.
Less than ten days remained until the next future arrived.
…
Mount Myōboku.
Massive toad stone statues towered over a lush valley; waterfalls hung like silver ribbons.
Fukasaku had just finished eating when Shima hurried over.
"Kid's father—the Great Elder woke up. He wants to see us."
Shima's tone was unusually grave.
The two old toads exchanged a look and quickly headed deeper into Mount Myōboku, to the grand hall.
The air inside carried a faint incense haze. The Great Toad Sage sat atop a high stone seat, eyes closed, as if he'd already fallen asleep again.
But when they approached, his ancient eyes slowly opened.
"The Child of Prophecy…"
His voice was deep and sluggish, like it came from far inside a dream.
"…changed."
Fukasaku stepped forward. "Great Elder, what did you see?"
"Light… and shadow…"
The Great Toad Sage's cloudy pupils didn't seem to focus—awake and asleep at once.
"The road that was once clear split into branches… a red-eyed child… standing at the crossroads of fate…"
His voice sank lower until it became a murmur.
"Bring him back… little Jiraiya… must know…"
Before he could finish, the Great Toad Sage sank into sleep again, snoring softly.
Fukasaku and Shima exited the hall, faces heavy.
"The Great Elder's prophecies have never been wrong," Shima said.
"The Child of Prophecy's fate changing… that's not a small matter."
Fukasaku nodded. "We need to inform little Jiraiya—now."
…
That afternoon, at the Konoha camp.
Kakashi had just finished his night patrol and returned to his tent to rest—only to find Kiyohara waiting for him.
"Kiyohara?"
Kiyohara pulled out a glass vial filled with liquid.
"This is for you."
"This is…?"
"White Snake Power," Kiyohara said.
It was the batch he'd gotten from Orochimaru.
With Kakashi's body, taking a half-dose—like Kurenai and Rin—shouldn't be a problem.
"This can noticeably boost cellular vitality and speed up chakra recovery. For you, it should reduce the Sharingan's burden."
Kiyohara wanted to strengthen Kakashi too.
Kakashi was his subordinate now, and current Kakashi was still far from the future "Copy Ninja Kakashi."
Right now he was weaker—fewer copied techniques, less experience—yet the Sharingan cost the same amount of chakra.
Kakashi stared at the vial. He understood its value.
But it was a heavy gift.
"Why give it to me?" Kakashi asked. "Why not keep it yourself?"
"I've already used it." Kiyohara paused, then added, "And on the battlefield, you and I are comrades. If you get stronger, the whole squad benefits."
He couldn't exactly say "get stronger so you can work harder," so he wrapped it properly.
Comrades…
Kakashi's fingers tightened slightly.
Was this what people meant by bonds?
"Thanks."
Kakashi accepted the White Snake Power and drank it on the spot.
Kiyohara watched quietly.
He'd already tested it—no issues.
As for the other half-dose, Kiyohara planned to give it to Yakushi Nono so she could research it.
The current White Snake Power was still the earliest version. He wanted to refine it further—make a stronger version.
Because once Orochimaru finished developing curse marks, he'd start leaving "backdoors" everywhere.
Orochimaru's stuff wasn't something Kiyohara dared use without testing. Even now, he only used it after lab checks.
The instant Kakashi swallowed it, he felt changes ripple through his body.
A warm current spread from his heart to his limbs. Muscles that had been exhausted for a long time felt like they were soaking in a hot spring. His chakra pathways felt gently nourished.
Most noticeable of all was his left eye—the ever-present heaviness eased a little.
He tried refining chakra. The speed was nearly fifty percent faster than before.
"This effect…"
Kakashi—rarely—looked genuinely surprised.
"Give it a few days and it'll feel even better," Kiyohara said. "Tomorrow morning, spar with Guy. Test the improvement in real combat."
Kakashi nodded, engraving the favor into his memory.
…
The next morning, in a clearing outside the camp.
Might Guy was already there, wearing his black Anbu uniform.
When he saw Kakashi and Kiyohara, he instantly flashed a thumbs-up and that signature bright grin.
"Kakashi! I can't wait for today's youthful duel!"
Kakashi pulled down his forehead protector, revealing the Sharingan.
"Let's see if you still have that much energy when this is over."
They faced each other ten meters apart.
Kiyohara stood to the side as referee.
"Begin."
The moment he spoke, Guy vanished, leaving only an afterimage.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
A sharp kick came in from the left, wind pressure ruffling Kakashi's silver hair.
But Kakashi only shifted slightly. The three tomoe in his Sharingan rotated calmly, predicting the trajectory.
He stepped back half a pace—Guy's toes skimmed past his chest.
"You got faster, Kakashi," Guy said, landing without pause—then doing three backflips to widen the distance.
"But my youth isn't just this much speed!"
"Eight Gates… First Gate—Gate of Opening, open!"
Green chakra steam flared from Guy, and his speed jumped again.
Kakashi's gaze sharpened. His hands flew through seals.
"Chidori!"
The screeching cry of a thousand birds exploded as blue-white lightning gathered in his palm.
Against an Eight Gates Guy, pure evasion wasn't enough.
They collided again.
Every kick Guy threw carried the force to shatter stone.
Kakashi didn't dare block. He relied on the Sharingan's dynamic vision to weave through the blows.
The fight heated up fast.
Guy opened more gates—Second, Third…
His skin reddened, steam pouring from his pores.
And with the double support of the Sharingan and White Snake Power, Kakashi actually kept up.
Finally, Kakashi found an opening.
Guy's heavy punch missed.
In that instant, Kakashi's Chidori was already pressed against Guy's throat.
Lightning crackled, illuminating the sweat on both their faces.
"…I lost," Guy admitted readily, giving a thumbs-up.
His duels with Kakashi had always gone back and forth—wins and losses.
Only against Kiyohara had he never won even once.
"Kakashi, your youth is finally burning bright!"
Kakashi dispersed Chidori and pulled his mask back up.
"Black Beast. You should call me by my codename."
Guy scratched his head. "No problem, Kakashi."
Kakashi: "…"
"Better than expected," Kiyohara said as he walked over.
He could tell Kakashi didn't look as "chakra-anemic" as before.
Kakashi nodded. The difference was even clearer to him.
It meant he could use Chidori more often—giving him a bigger edge in prolonged fights.
That gift really did change his combat style.
Kiyohara nodded, then also sparred briefly with Kakashi and Guy.
As expected, neither of them could beat him.
Afterward, Kiyohara excused himself, while Kakashi and Guy stayed behind to keep training.
Not long after Kiyohara returned to camp, he spotted an unexpected face—Shiranui Genma.
"Genma, you're back?"
"I'm back."
Genma saw him too and waved.
They hadn't met in a while since Genma left the squad.
After a brief exchange, Genma said, "I came back from another front line last night. On the way, I ran into someone from Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?"
"Yeah." Genma nodded. "That blue-haired woman—Konan."
Genma had gone to the Land of Rain before with Kiyohara, Kurenai, and Orochimaru, so he knew them.
"She looked like she'd run into trouble. She was asking about you. She wanted to pass a message—Akatsuki needs help, and they hope you'll come to the Land of Rain."
Akatsuki…
Kiyohara rubbed his chin.
On this timeline, Akatsuki hadn't "gone dark" yet.
If they had, Hanzo would've already been killed by Nagato's Six Paths of Pain.
But Hanzo was still alive and well right now.
Their fall into darkness would happen later—because of Obito's meddling.
Obito would be manipulating Nagato on one side, and having Shimura Danzo pressure Hanzo on the other.
Two prongs: massive casualties in Akatsuki, Yahiko's death, and Nagato becoming obsessed with making the world "feel pain."
One bag of rice—how many floors?
Right now, Akatsuki was still an idealistic mercenary group trying to change the Land of Rain through peaceful means.
If he could build ties before they fell…
Maybe even cooperate…
Kiyohara went quiet, weighing it.
He could trade with Akatsuki—turn them into assets.
And as long as Akatsuki existed, they'd tie up the Land of Rain and reduce pressure on Konoha.
"Is she still near the Rain border?" Kiyohara asked.
"Probably. She said she'd wait a week," Genma replied.
"Oh—also, I'm teamed up with Aoba Yamashiro and Iwashi Tatami now."
"Alright." Kiyohara nodded.
To him, whether his teammate was Shizune or Genma didn't matter much.
After a few more words, Kiyohara went to find Tsunade.
Inside the command tent, Tsunade was reviewing medical reports.
After hearing Kiyohara's summary, she set down her pen and tapped her fingers lightly on the table.
"Land of Rain… that's Hanzo's territory. I've heard of Akatsuki—a bunch of kids running a peace organization. Hanzo doesn't seem to like them."
"Which is exactly why they're worth contacting," Kiyohara said.
"Akatsuki is a mercenary group. If Konoha can establish cooperation with them, it eases frontline manpower pressure. And Rain sits at the junction of three nations—its intelligence value is huge."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"So you want to take a Land of Rain mission and meet that Konan?"
"Yes."
"The reasoning is solid…" Tsunade thought for a moment. "And Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato are still Jiraiya's students."
"Alright. In a few days, I'll go with you and take a look."
She stretched, her soft curves bouncing slightly.
Ever since Rasa's retreat, Konoha and Suna had entered negotiations.
Suna wanted to buy Pakura back and form an alliance.
Konoha was still pressing demands.
With that, pressure at Kikyo Pass eased significantly—few attackers, mostly the occasional wandering rogue ninja who didn't know better.
"Got it, Sensei." Kiyohara nodded.
"You've been doing good lately," Tsunade added. "As a reward, you can go play at a Land of Rain casino when we get there."
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow.
"Sensei… is that a reward for me, or for you?"
"Of course it's for you." Tsunade grinned. "And I'm even going to accompany you to the casino. Isn't that thoughtful?"
Kiyohara had no words.
The more familiar he got with Tsunade, the more she seemed to let her true self run wild.
…
Elsewhere.
"Rin, what are you preparing?" Kurenai asked as she approached, curiosity in her dark red eyes.
Rin looked up, her eyes curving like crescents under her short brown bangs.
"Special hemostatic powder," she said. "I added great burnet and agrimony. It works better than the standard formula."
Then she added, "Kiyohara's birthday is coming up, right? I'm going to make him a medical kit."
Kurenai blinked, then suddenly remembered.
She knew his birthday too—sometime soon.
But she still hadn't decided what to give.
She leaned in to look at Rin's kit.
"This one's more refined than the one you gave Kakashi," Kurenai said thoughtfully.
Rin's fingers paused. Her ears reddened slightly.
"I added a waterproof layer and hidden pockets. It can hold three extra rolls of bandages and two antidote bottles…" she explained, then quietly added, "Kiyohara fights pretty aggressively. He's more likely to get hurt."
"Is that so…" Kurenai rested her chin on her hand, hair sliding off her shoulder.
"But if it's a birthday present… isn't a medical kit a little plain?"
"It's not plain at all." Kurenai shook her head, looking at Rin seriously.
"Kiyohara's place is basically empty. Whatever you give him, he'll be happy."
Rin thought about it and realized… she wasn't wrong.
The kitchen tools in Kiyohara's house were still the ones Rin had brought before.
Just then, Asuma walked over. He'd just rotated off patrol, looking for water, and overheard their conversation.
"You're talking about Kiyohara's birthday?"
Asuma lifted a kettle and took a long drink.
Kurenai turned her head, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
"Yeah. So, Asuma—what are you giving him? Don't give me that 'ninjas don't celebrate birthdays' old-man talk."
Asuma choked on his water and coughed.
He really hadn't thought about it. On the battlefield, birthdays got lost between life and death.
And honestly, he wasn't exactly fond of Kiyohara.
He knew Kiyohara was a decent guy—but seeing how close Kurenai was to him made Asuma's mood sour.
Now that she asked, he felt a sudden urge not to lose face.
"Chakra metal," he said, putting the kettle down and trying to sound casual.
"I've still got a small piece. If you mix it into the forging of kunai or shuriken, it improves chakra conduction."
Kurenai's eyes lit up.
"Really? Then Kiyohara will definitely be happy."
Seeing her smile, Asuma felt a burst of pride.
It was a substantial gift, practical too—worthy of the Hokage's son.
But then Kurenai added—
"If Kiyohara's happy, I'm happy too. Better weapons mean he'll be safer in battle."
…Wait. Didn't that sound like she was asking him for a gift for Kiyohara?
Asuma felt both stabbed and confused.
"Asuma?" Kurenai noticed him zoning out.
"It's nothing." Asuma shook his head, fished out his cigarette case—then remembered he couldn't smoke in camp, and shoved it back in annoyance.
"I just think you've been in a good mood lately."
"Have I?" Kurenai blinked, fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of hair.
"Maybe because… the situation's stabilizing. Suna's negotiating. We can finally breathe."
As they talked, Kakashi and Guy arrived one after the other.
"Yo, everyone's here," Guy said. He'd already changed out of his Anbu uniform and back into his usual green training suit.
"Kakashi and I just finished a blazing-hot youth spar! I lost, but my youth burns even brighter now!"
"What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked, a bit curious.
"Kiyohara's birthday gifts," Rin said, carefully bottling the ground medicine powder.
"Oh." Kakashi remembered Kiyohara's birthday date.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 120 Chapters Ahead of Others!