"Shouldn't we go to the Forest of Death? I want to see Teacher's Wood Release with my own eyes."
"Now?"
"Yeah, now."
Tsunade hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
She raised her hand and pressed it against Kiyohara's shoulder.
The next instant, the two vanished from the street.
The Forest of Death.
Tsunade stood in a relatively open clearing, while Kiyohara leaned against the trunk of a large tree not far away, arms crossed over his chest.
Tsunade took a deep breath and formed hand signs.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.
Her palm slammed onto the ground.
The soil beneath her feet split open, and several emerald-green saplings broke through the earth.
Those saplings grew at a visible speed. In just a few breaths, they had already reached half a person's height, their trunks covered in tender green bark.
Tsunade straightened up, planted her hands on her hips, and looked at her work with satisfaction.
"How's that?"
She turned to Kiyohara.
Compared to the scale her grandfather had once displayed, this technique was not even one-thousandth as large.
But for her, it was already a tremendous breakthrough.
A few months ago, she never would have believed she could awaken Wood Release.
"Very good."
Kiyohara walked to her side and looked down at the proud expression on her face.
"As expected, Teacher is the best."
Tsunade felt a little embarrassed by the praise. She raised a hand and tucked the loose strands around her face behind her ear.
"I'm still far from Grandpa. But give me a few more years, and I'll definitely be able to use it on a much larger scale…"
"I believe you."
Kiyohara nodded.
It was simple enough. If this technique was used with the support of Sage Art, it would definitely become stronger.
And Tsunade's weakness in terms of chakra volume had already been greatly supplemented.
Learning Sage Art was only a matter of days now.
Kiyohara thought for a moment, then pulled Tsunade into his arms.
Tsunade's body immediately softened, and her hands instinctively braced against Kiyohara's chest.
Kiyohara lowered his head and kissed her.
Tsunade let out a muffled sound.
Kiyohara's hand slid down along the curve of her waist, his palm supporting that full curve.
Through the thin robe, he could feel the softness underneath.
Tsunade's body stiffened slightly, but she quickly relaxed. She even leaned a little more toward Kiyohara.
"You disobedient student… thinking indecent thoughts again."
Tsunade whispered beside Kiyohara's ear.
When she spoke, there was the lingering fragrance of sake and a warmth that seemed to rise from within her body.
Kiyohara did not answer. He simply held her hips more firmly, reducing the distance between them to zero.
After a long while, Tsunade lightly patted the hand Kiyohara had placed on the small of her back.
"We should go back."
"I haven't had dinner yet."
"I'll treat you, Teacher."
Kiyohara spread his hand.
A few days later.
Konoha, Hokage's office.
That familiar synthetic female voice rang out in Kiyohara's mind.
[Please check your last letter and urn. Properly bury the remains.]
Kiyohara set down his brush, closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness deep into his mental world.
A new urn floated quietly in midair. When Kiyohara's consciousness approached, the lid began to loosen, making a faint clicking sound.
Kiyohara looked at it and found that the clan emblem on it looked very similar to the Hyūga clan's crest.
Could it be a Hyūga future?
Kiyohara thought that would be good too.
He had had such a future before.
If another one stacked on top, the purity of his Byakugan would double again, speeding up the gestation of the Tenseigan.
Click.
The lid slid open.
A figure slowly emerged from the urn.
It was a slender man wearing the Hyūga clan's white robes. The Hyūga clan emblem was embroidered on his sleeves and back.
What surprised Kiyohara most was that his eyes were not white.
His pupils looked pale blue, but the whites of his eyes were completely black.
What kind of eyes were these?
Just as Kiyohara was puzzled, he suddenly thought of the answer.
Could it be…?
So Kiyohara took the initiative and asked,
"Are your eyes the Jōgan?"
The new future nodded and looked at Kiyohara.
"Yes. They are the Jōgan."
Jōgan Kiyohara said calmly.
When Kiyohara heard that, he immediately felt as if he had hit the jackpot.
According to legend, the Jōgan was the star of hope for the coming destruction. With this eye, one would shoulder the fate of the world.
Among the Ōtsutsuki clan, this eye was also extremely special.
In the original story, only Naruto's son, Boruto, had awakened this eye.
"Compared to an ordinary Byakugan, what's different about it?"
Kiyohara asked directly.
Although he knew the Jōgan possessed the Byakugan's basic abilities, he wanted to know whether it was stronger or only roughly similar.
"The Byakugan's insight, X-ray vision, and long-distance vision are all present in the Jōgan, and each is on an even higher level."
Jōgan Kiyohara said.
"Beyond that, the Jōgan can see through space-time. No matter what kind of space-time ninjutsu it is, nothing can hide from my sight."
Jōgan Kiyohara paused, pointing at his eyes.
"If I had to describe it, this dōjutsu is like something born specifically to counter the Ōtsutsuki. Whether it's Kamui, Flying Thunder God, or the Ōtsutsuki clan's methods, all of them leave traces in my eyes."
Kiyohara was silent for a moment.
That ability was truly powerful.
The Ōtsutsuki clan was extremely skilled at space-time techniques.
Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki could use "time freeze," and it was precisely by relying on that move that he planted the Kāma on Boruto.
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki could also use "time reversal," allowing himself to return from the present to a point several seconds earlier.
As for space-type techniques, there were countless examples. Ōtsutsuki Isshiki could shrink objects, while Ōtsutsuki Kaguya could open black portals out of thin air and freely move between different dimensions.
If the Jōgan could truly see through all of that, then when fighting the Ōtsutsuki, he would have a decisive advantage.
"Besides countering the Ōtsutsuki, does the Jōgan have any other abilities?"
Kiyohara pressed.
Jōgan Kiyohara shook his head slightly.
"Like the Sharingan, the Jōgan needs constant adaptation and growth. In my lifetime, I only developed its spatial abilities, but this eye's potential goes far beyond that."
Jōgan Kiyohara said.
"I suspect the Jōgan's abilities unlock gradually according to the level of the host's power."
"As for the rest, you'll have to explore it yourself."
Kiyohara kept those words in mind, then asked the most important question.
He chatted with Hyūga Kiyohara for a while longer, learning about that future.
Only then did Kiyohara ask,
"What is your dying wish?"
"Resurrect Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
At those words, Kiyohara's brows immediately furrowed.
"…What?"
"Resurrect Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
Jōgan Kiyohara repeated.
Kiyohara stared at him for a long time.
He knew that those who could be recorded in the "last letter" were all somewhat abnormal.
But this was the first one who wanted to resurrect Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
"Why?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Because I want to see it with my own eyes."
There was a kind of fanaticism in Jōgan Kiyohara's tone.
"What realm the power of the Six Paths truly reached. That woman, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, is the only being in the entire history of the shinobi world who can truly be called a god.
"It took the Sage of Six Paths and Ōtsutsuki Hamura working together to seal her. A thousand years later, even Six Paths Naruto and Six Paths Sasuke only barely managed to defeat her by working together."
Jōgan Kiyohara explained.
"For a thousand years, no one has ever defeated her alone.
"All methods, in the end, were only sealing her, not killing her. That itself proves one fact: she is powerful."
Kiyohara listened in silence.
Was this a joke?
And after reviving her?
Would Kiyohara have the ability to clean up the mess?
Unless…
Kiyohara thought of his artificial tailed beast plan.
If he created a weakened version of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, it might not be impossible.
"How did you die?"
"Old age."
Jōgan Kiyohara shook his head.
His gaze returned to Kiyohara.
"So I'll leave it to you."
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
Although this dying wish was insane, it was not impossible for him.
"What's your second wish?"
Kiyohara asked.
The first one was already high difficulty. The second likely would not be simple either.
Jōgan Kiyohara raised a finger and tapped near the edge of his eye socket.
"Evolve the Tenseigan."
When he said that, there was expectation in his voice.
"I have already experienced the Jōgan's power, but the legendary Tenseigan is something I never managed to witness with my own eyes. It is said to be the endpoint of the Byakugan's evolution, power on the same level as the Sharingan's evolution into the Rinnegan."
Kiyohara breathed a sigh of relief.
"That wish… isn't difficult."
A trace of surprise flashed in Jōgan Kiyohara's eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Kiyohara replied.
"My Tenseigan happens to be gestating right now."
Jōgan Kiyohara's pupils shrank slightly.
He floated closer and studied Kiyohara's eyes for a while before finally noticing something.
"I see."
Jōgan Kiyohara nodded slightly.
"You also possess Byakugan bloodline, as well as some Ōtsutsuki chakra."
"That's right."
Kiyohara nodded.
After they chatted a while longer, Kiyohara returned to reality.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
Kiyohara said.
The door opened.
Uzuki Yugao walked in, her purple hair swaying lightly over her shoulders.
"Hokage-sama, the latest batch of chakra armor from the Land of Snow has arrived in Konoha. Two hundred sets in total. All have passed inspection."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Good. Put them into storage first. I'll personally inspect them later."
Uzuki Yugao turned and withdrew.
The door closed again, and the office became quiet once more.
Kiyohara leaned back in his chair, his mind recalling the appearance of that batch of chakra armor.
After he reached a cooperation agreement with the Land of Snow, the Land of Snow's chakra armor technology had undergone years of improvement and imitation. Now it could already be mass-produced.
Although the mass-produced version's performance was slightly inferior to the original, its advantage lay in quantity. It was enough to equip the entire Anbu.
His plan was simple: one set for each Anbu ninja.
These armors would not only greatly enhance the Anbu's overall combat strength, but more importantly, they could effectively protect those ninjas who carried out missions for Konoha in the shadows, reducing unnecessary casualties.
Once this batch of armor is equipped, the Anbu's casualty rate should drop again.
Kiyohara calculated inwardly.
Then there's the artificial tailed beast container. The infusion of dragon vein chakra is almost ready too. Once these matters are handled, I'll make a trip to Rōran.
Kiyohara gathered his thoughts and was about to continue reviewing the remaining documents when a violent pulse suddenly came from deep within his eyes.
Kiyohara closed his eyes. Through his eyelids, he could feel his eyeballs trembling slightly.
With a thought, he used Body Flicker and returned to his residence.
Standing before the mirror in his bedroom, Kiyohara watched his reflection. The black in his eyes slowly faded away, replaced by a luminous white.
Then a faint blue ring seeped into that whiteness.
The instant that blue ring appeared, Kiyohara felt a phantom drift out from his body.
He turned his head and found that it was Jōgan Kiyohara's spirit.
"Looks like the progress is quite fast."
Jōgan Kiyohara's tone carried something that was hard to distinguish—envy or emotion.
When the sky completely darkened, another knock sounded at the Hokage's office.
This time, the visitor was Hyūga Hiashi.
He wore a dark gray kimono with the Hyūga main family crest embroidered on the sleeves. Behind him followed several clan members carrying gift boxes.
The gift boxes were wrapped in fine silk, clearly valuable at a glance.
"Hokage-sama."
Hyūga Hiashi stopped before the desk and bowed deeply.
"Last time, you acted to repel those villains. The Hyūga clan will never forget this favor. I specially prepared some humble gifts. Please accept them, Hokage-sama."
Kiyohara sat behind the desk, moving his gaze from the document to Hyūga Hiashi, then gently shook his head.
"Clan Head Hiashi, you're exaggerating. They infiltrated Konoha. Handling that was my duty as Hokage. There's no need to be so courteous."
But Hyūga Hiashi did not straighten up. He maintained the bowing posture.
"As the Hyūga clan head, I failed to notice when they approached Hinata. If Hokage-sama had not acted, that child Hinata might have met misfortune."
Kiyohara smiled.
"Clan Head Hiashi doesn't need to blame himself too much. Those two people's methods are not comparable to conventional ninjutsu."
Only then did Hyūga Hiashi straighten, his face still ashamed.
"Even so, please accept this small gift, Hokage-sama."
Several clan members placed the gift boxes on the desk, then quietly stepped back.
Kiyohara did not look closely at the boxes. His gaze went past Hyūga Hiashi and toward the small swaddled bundle in Hyūga Natsu's arms not far outside the door.
Hyūga Hinata was staring at him with wide eyes, unblinking.
"Hinata came too?"
"Mm."
Hyūga Hiashi followed Kiyohara's gaze, and his tone gained a trace of fatherly affection.
"I happened to take her out for a walk tonight. If Hokage-sama does not mind, I can have Natsu bring her in for Hokage-sama to see."
Kiyohara nodded.
Hyūga Natsu quickly entered with the swaddled infant in her arms and stopped before Kiyohara, bowing slightly.
Hinata, in her arms, still stared straight at Kiyohara with her white eyes. Her little fist was raised beside her ear, and she babbled unclear syllables.
Kiyohara leaned down, reached out, and gently brushed aside the few strands of blue baby hair by Hinata's cheek. The corner of his mouth curved slightly.
"When she's a little older, she can start training with me."
Hyūga Hiashi's eyes instantly brightened. His face showed joy he could not hide, and he hurriedly bowed.
After everything that had happened during this period, Hyūga Hiashi had already confirmed one thing:
Clinging tightly to Kiyohara's thigh was absolutely the correct choice.
"Thank you for your favor, Hokage-sama. The Hyūga clan will do everything in its power to cultivate Hinata and will not disappoint your expectations."
Kiyohara withdrew his hand and nodded.
Hyūga Hiashi said a few more words of gratitude, then took the clan members and Hyūga Natsu away.
At the same time, Akatsuki base, an underground chamber.
The chamber walls were covered with dense sealing formulas. Candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of several figures onto the stone walls.
At the center of the chamber stood a stone operating table. A man lay on it, tightly bound by a restraining curse.
His mouth was stuffed with a rag, his eyes filled with fear, and his body trembled nonstop.
Orochimaru stood before the stone table, looking down at the sacrifice lying on it.
"The sacrifice is ready."
He turned and looked at Obito and Black Zetsu standing by the chamber door.
Obito leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and nodded slowly.
"Good. Begin."
"Who do we start with?"
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Shimura Danzō."
Obito said.
A trace of surprise flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, but he quickly understood.
Shimura Danzō had been killed by Kiyohara. If this technique could successfully revive Danzō, it meant that it could also revive Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, and every other powerful figure who had left their name in history.
"I need his DNA."
"It's already prepared."
Black Zetsu extended a hand from the shadows. In his palm was a well-preserved piece of white bandage.
It was one of Shimura Danzō's relics, still carrying traces of his blood and cells.
Orochimaru took the bandage and placed it beside the sacrifice on the operating table.
He took a deep breath and formed hand seals.
A cold chakra spread through the chamber.
"Impure World Reincarnation!"
Orochimaru's hands slammed onto the operating table.
The sacrifice let out a scream muffled in his throat, and his body began twisting violently.
Countless tiny paper-like pieces appeared from the void and attached to him, covering his body layer by layer.
When the last layer of paper settled, the person lying on the stone table was no longer that innocent ordinary man.
It was an old man with long black hair, bandages wrapped around his right eye, and a cross-shaped scar on his chin.
Shimura Danzō.
His face was marked with crack-like scars, and his chest did not rise with breath at all. He looked like a dead man.
Not long after, Shimura Danzō opened his eyes. After a brief instant of confusion, his gaze quickly turned sharp.
He instinctively tried to sit up, only to discover that he could not move at all.
"This is…"
Shimura Danzō's pupils shrank.
He remembered.
He had been killed by Kiyohara.
After that, everything he had accumulated over the years must have been completely destroyed by Kiyohara.
Thinking of this, anger surged within Shimura Danzō.
Then he saw the person before him.
Tiger-striped mask. Crimson Sharingan.
"Uchiha…"
Shimura Danzō instinctively wanted to circulate chakra, but his body still remained completely motionless. He could only let those crimson Sharingan look down on him.
"Stop wasting your strength, Danzō. You're already dead."
Obito heard the contempt in Danzō's voice and added a hint of mockery to his own tone.
"The only reason you can move now is because I revived you."
Danzō's expression froze. His gaze went past Obito and landed on the pale figure beside the stone table.
Orochimaru wore Akatsuki's black cloak with red clouds and was smiling at him sinisterly.
"Danzō-sama, long time no see."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"I never thought that when we met again, you would appear before me in this form. Tsk, how touching."
Danzō's eyes widened.
"You… Orochimaru… How are you with him…"
"That is none of Danzō-sama's concern."
Orochimaru cut him off, turned around, and spread his hands toward Obito.
"See? It went very smoothly."
Obito nodded.
Shimura Danzō had indeed been successfully revived.
Although the body after Impure World Reincarnation could not compare to his living body, at least his memories, personality, and combat ability were preserved.
More importantly, he was completely under the caster's control. There was no possibility of betrayal.
"Good."
Obito said, his gaze returning to Danzō.
"Next will be more and stronger chess pieces."
One year later.
Border of the Land of Wind. Endless desert.
The blazing sun hung overhead, roasting the yellow sand until it was scorching hot. The air shimmered with heat, and the distant dunes rose and fell like waves.
Kiyohara stood at the top of a dune. Behind him was Tsunade, who had come all the way with him.
Today, Tsunade wore a fitted white sleeveless top, with a green robe casually draped over it.
The hot desert wind blew her golden hair backward, and a few strands stuck to her slightly sweat-damp neck.
"You dragged me out to this godforsaken place. What exactly are you trying to do?"
"The dragon vein."
Kiyohara said, raising a hand and pointing at the desert beneath them.
"The ancient kingdom of Rōran is ahead. There's an enormous amount of chakra stored there."
"The dragon vein?"
Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly.
"What are you going there for?"
"My goal is to collect a portion of the dragon vein chakra. Just keep an eye on the surroundings for me."
Kiyohara said.
Tsunade nodded thoughtfully and did not ask further.
The two leapt down from the top of the dune and continued toward the depths of the desert.
Suddenly, Kiyohara's brows moved slightly, and his steps unconsciously slowed.
On the other side of the desert, there were chakra collisions, and not just one.
"Someone's fighting."
Tsunade noticed it too.
Kiyohara nodded slightly. The two tacitly concealed their presence and quickly moved toward the source of the chakra fluctuations.
After circling around a huge dune, the scene before them opened up.
A battle was taking place in the desert.
No, it should be called an overwhelming pursuit.
Kiyohara knew the person being pursued.
Green hair with orange tips, dressed like a wandering ninja. It was Pakura.
The one chasing Pakura was also a figure Kiyohara knew.
Sasori of the Red Sand.
He wore a dark gray ninja outfit.
But his body was clearly different from before. His joints glinted with metallic luster, and his movements were stiffer, yet faster.
Clearly, he had upgraded his puppet technology.
Beside Sasori stood a young man.
He had slicked-back gray-white hair, pale purple eyes, and a metal pendant carved with strange symbols hanging around his neck.
His forehead protector was not worn on his forehead. Instead, it was tied around his neck like a collar.
He carried a bizarre three-bladed scythe on his shoulder. The blade gleamed dark red under the blazing sun, and the bottom of the scythe was connected to a rope wound around his waist.
"Pakura, you can't escape. Obediently join Akatsuki, and you'll suffer less."
Sasori's voice came from his puppet body.
Pakura gritted her teeth and raised her hand, sending out a scorching fireball.
The orange-red fireball carried a heatwave that twisted the air as it flew toward Sasori. But Sasori casually raised his left arm, and a metal shield covered in chakra blocked the fireball completely.
The scorching flames scattered, and Pakura staggered.
"Isn't that Pakura?"
Tsunade's eyes widened.
The hero of Sunagakure, Pakura.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Tsunade had heard of Pakura. It was said that she died during a secret mission.
But the person before her, covered in dust though she was, was undoubtedly Pakura herself.
Kiyohara nodded, his gaze sweeping over the group one by one.
A moment later, he turned to Tsunade.
"Teacher, want to test your skills?"
Tsunade froze for a moment, then the corner of her mouth lifted in a spirited smile.
"Just what I wanted."
She kicked off the ground, shooting into the battlefield like a green meteor. Her right leg rose high.
Wrapped in the unique white force of monstrous strength, it came crashing down into the sand between Sasori and Hidan.
Heavenly Foot of Pain!
Boom!
The sand was smashed open into a massive fissure several meters deep. Yellow sand shot into the sky, and the shockwave forced Sasori and Hidan back at the same time.
Pakura was also pushed back several steps by the shockwave and barely managed to steady herself. She looked up in shock. When the smoke and dust cleared, she saw that green figure.
Tsunade.
Then Pakura's gaze passed over Tsunade and landed on Kiyohara atop the sand dune.
"Kiyohara…"
Pakura's expression brightened. She had not expected to meet Kiyohara here.
Sasori had also been forced back several steps. After steadying himself, those puppet eyes lingered on Tsunade for a few seconds.
Then they slowly turned toward the white figure on the dune. His tone carried a trace of gravity.
"I didn't expect to run into you even in a place like this, Kiyohara."
"I didn't expect the famous Sasori of the Red Sand to fall so low that he would chase a woman around the desert."
Kiyohara said calmly as he walked down from the dune.
Hidan pulled his bloody triple-bladed scythe out of the sand and rested it on his shoulder. His pale purple eyes moved between Tsunade and Kiyohara, and his mouth split into a grin.
"This woman's got a pretty nice body. If I offer her to Lord Jashin, he'll definitely be pleased."
Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly, disgust showing on her face.
"Teacher, watch his weapon. If it touches blood, it'll become troublesome."
Kiyohara's voice came from behind her.
Tsunade nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the bizarre triple-bladed scythe in Hidan's hand.
Although she knew nothing about Hidan, her many years of combat experience let her keenly sense that the scythe was not ordinary.
With her strength, she could completely tank it head-on. But since Kiyohara had specifically warned her, it meant the threat posed by this technique was far greater than it seemed.
"Hmph!"
When Hidan heard this, he guessed Kiyohara had somehow learned his information and immediately decided to strike first.
With a flick of his wrist, the Bloody March Scythe dragged its long rope through the air. The three blades spun midair, slicing through wind and sand as they swept toward Tsunade's waist.
Hidan's fighting style was wildly aggressive. He held nothing back and made no defense, only seeking the fastest possible attack speed and trying to wound his opponent in the shortest time possible.
"This guy…"
Tsunade looked at Hidan's extreme style. Pure attack with no defense, as if he had no concern about being injured.
The next moment, Tsunade dodged Hidan's scythe.
Then her right foot stomped down hard. Chakra poured into the sole of her foot, and the dune beneath her cracked open into a huge fissure. The yellow sand collapsed, and the entire sandy ground tilted toward Hidan.
Hidan's footing instantly crumbled. His body sank downward, but his face showed an even more fanatic smile. Using the pull of the rope, he tried to leap out of the sand pit.
Tsunade brought her hands together in front of her chest, causing her massive weight to tremble lightly.
Wood Release: Adamantine Beckoning Tree.
The sand beneath Hidan suddenly split apart. Several thick, hard wooden stakes broke through the sand and wrapped toward his body.
The wooden stakes were covered in rough bark and moved extremely fast.
Hidan swung his scythe in midair. The three blades cut through the foremost wooden stakes at the waist.
Wood chips scattered. The severed stakes crashed into the sand, sending yellow sand splashing.
But he had underestimated the speed and density of Tsunade's Wood Release. More wooden stakes continued surging up from behind.
One stake circled around the scythe and struck him heavily in the back.
Bang!
Hidan's body was sent flying, smashing into the sand and rolling several times before he regained his balance.
He spat out a mouthful of sand, and his expression finally turned from fanaticism to irritation.
"Damn it. She can use Wood Release too."
Sasori's voice came from the other side of the battlefield, still without any emotion.
"Shut up!"
Hidan roared, leapt up from the ground, and flicked his wrist again.
The Bloody March Scythe attacked Tsunade from the side.
Just as Sasori slightly raised his hand, making the joints of his puppet prosthetic click as he prepared to coordinate with Hidan from the flank, a scorching heatwave came from the side and interrupted his movement.
Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!
Pakura panted heavily, two orange-red fireballs gathering in her right palm before she smashed them toward Sasori.
The fireballs flashed through the air, leaving two charred black trails in the sand from the residual heat.
Sasori dodged sideways, but the edge of his sleeve was still scorched.
He turned his head and looked coldly at Pakura.
"Pakura, are you courting death?"
"You're the ones who should die."
Pakura snorted coldly.
"I've been running for so long. Even if I die here today, I won't join you lunatics."
Sasori said nothing more. He raised both hands at the same time.
Two openings appeared in his palms, and many poison-coated senbon shot out from them, dense as rain.
Pakura quickly formed hand signs and condensed a scorching fire wall in front of her.
As the senbon passed through the fire wall, most melted from the high temperature. But a few still penetrated the flames, grazing Pakura's arm and shoulder, leaving several shallow bloody marks.
Pakura groaned, her face turning paler.
The poison was seeping into her body, and her movements had clearly started to slow.
On the other side, Tsunade and Hidan's battle had entered a fever pitch.
Hidan's attacks became wilder with every wave. The Bloody March Scythe constantly swung through the air, but it never managed to touch Tsunade's skin.
Each time the scythe was about to graze her, Tsunade avoided it.
The more Hidan fought, the more frustrated he became. This woman's taijutsu and reactions were both above his. His scythe could not touch her at all, while her Wood Release kept creating trouble for him nonstop.
"Do you only know how to dodge?!"
Hidan roared, swinging his scythe down hard.
Tsunade did not answer.
She sidestepped the scythe, and a green chakra appeared in her right palm.
Wood Release: Silent Killing Bind.
The sand beneath Hidan instantly split open, and dozens of thick vines burst through the sand, wrapping toward his limbs.
Hidan swung his scythe and cut through the front vines, but the ones behind followed immediately.
One vine wrapped around the wrist holding his weapon. Another vine wrapped around his ankle.
The vines tightened further and further, binding Hidan firmly in place.
Strength of a Hundred Seal: Release!
The purple diamond mark on her forehead suddenly lit up, and black lines surged from it, spreading downward along her forehead.
The surrounding sand was pushed outward by an invisible force, creating a circular wave of sand with Tsunade as its center.
Hidan could feel the chakra of the woman in front of him rising at a terrifying speed.
The surge was so violent that it even changed the flow of air around her, making her golden hair dance without wind.
Tsunade withdrew her palm and brought her hands together before her chest.
Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!
The sand beneath her feet shook violently.
Thick wooden vines broke through the sand, lifting the desert around Hidan with them.
The vines rapidly condensed into a giant wooden figure at a visible speed.
Hidan was thrown into the air by the huge rising force.
Residual branches still clung to his body, and he rolled several times midair before barely stabilizing himself. He landed on one knee with one hand pressed against the sand.
Sasori nearby was also affected by the Wood Human's shockwave. Several vines rolled toward him, knocking him and several puppets back together. He had no choice but to increase the distance between himself and Hidan.
"This monster…"
Hidan looked up at the enormous wooden figure blotting out the sky, then at Tsunade standing proudly on the Wood Human's shoulder. In his heart, he cursed furiously.
He could not touch this woman at all. He had no chance to take her blood. His trump card was completely countered.
Not to mention there was also Kiyohara watching from the side from beginning to end without raising a hand.
Because of that, they could not fully devote themselves to the fight. They had to split part of their attention to keep an eye on Kiyohara.
"Let's go for now."
Sasori said.
Hidan nodded, pulled the Bloody March Scythe from the sand, turned, and fled together with Sasori.
The two figures rapidly disappeared between the dunes. Tsunade, floating on the Wood Human's shoulder, did not pursue them. Only after confirming that they had really left did she let out a light snort and release the Wood Human Technique.
The giant Wood Human slowly collapsed, turning into countless wood chips scattered across the yellow sand.
She landed lightly beside Kiyohara, patted the sand from her palms, turned to Kiyohara, and smiled.
"How was that? Teacher's Wood Release didn't embarrass you, did it?"
"Teacher's progress is very fast."
Kiyohara sincerely praised her.
"Although there's still a gap compared to me, you're already stronger than many Wood Release users."
What Kiyohara was thinking was that Tsunade's current Wood Release had already surpassed Yamato's.
The smile at the corner of Tsunade's mouth deepened. She raised a hand and brushed aside the golden hair falling over her shoulder.
"Of course. Look whose granddaughter I am."
Kiyohara did not continue on that topic. Instead, he walked to Pakura's side.
Pakura was kneeling in the sand. The wound on her right arm was still bleeding, but her gaze was fixed directly on Kiyohara.
"I'll treat your injuries."
Kiyohara crouched and began healing Pakura.
At the same time, he asked why Pakura was here.
Pakura said that during this period, she had been wandering in the Land of Wind while trying to find ways to overthrow Rasa's regime.
"So after leaving the orphanage, you've been here all along."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"Why not come to Konoha?"
Kiyohara added.
Then he took a sealing scroll from his ninja tool pouch, unfurled it, and released the seal.
With a soft puff, a brand-new set of chakra armor appeared in his hand.
Compared to the bulky original version from the Land of Snow, this armor was more refined and lighter. It was entirely silver-white.
"This is Konoha's recently developed chakra armor. It can increase the user's chakra recovery speed and strengthen the power of ninjutsu.
"Moreover, it can block most fatal injuries, so you won't have to worry about being ambushed again."
Kiyohara handed the armor to Pakura.
Pakura was indeed a genius.
Over the years, she had been wandering outside as a rogue ninja, and her talent had been buried.
If he supported Pakura and helped her rise, Kiyohara could directly control Sunagakure.
Using force to occupy it would obviously be inferior to making Pakura, a legitimate Suna ninja, the Kazekage while Kiyohara controlled things indirectly.
Pakura looked at the silver-white armor. The hot desert wind blew her green hair into a mess.
"Wouldn't I cause trouble for you?"
"Do you think I'm afraid of trouble?"
Kiyohara asked back.
Pakura lowered her head, looking at her dust-covered hands.
Those hands had once rendered outstanding service for Sunagakure. In the end, she had been betrayed by her own people and nearly died to a sneak attack with a kunai.
She took a deep breath, raised her head, and something reignited in her brown eyes.
"Fine. I'll go with you."
Tsunade stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze moved between Pakura and Kiyohara. The corner of her mouth curled slightly, but she said nothing.
With her eyesight, she could naturally tell that Pakura was strong. Scorch Release was a rare kekkei genkai in the shinobi world. Having such a talent join Konoha would only benefit the village.
Thinking of this, she unscrewed the lid of her flask and took a sip, suppressing her unnecessary thoughts.
After Pakura's injuries stabilized, Kiyohara led the two of them deeper into the desert.
The ancient kingdom of Rōran was hidden behind a long stretch of dunes and shrouded by a faintly visible barrier.
The barrier was not strong. Its main purpose was concealment and misdirection, making passing travelers unconsciously go around the area.
Kiyohara raised his hand and pressed it against the edge of the barrier. Chakra appeared in his palm, and ripples spread across the barrier's surface.
The barrier parted to both sides like a water curtain, revealing a stone road leading downward.
Pakura followed behind Kiyohara, her gaze sweeping vigilantly over the surroundings.
Rōran's ancient city was much brighter than when Kiyohara had last visited.
Although most of the houses on both sides of the street were still ruins, the few buildings around the central plaza had already been repaired quite well.
At the center of the plaza stood a tall tower. A fist-sized crystal was embedded at its peak, emitting a faint purple glow.
Dragon vein chakra was being restrained by that crystal and continuously transported along the chakra patterns carved into the ground, flowing to every corner of the city.
In the plaza, several Rōran residents were repairing a fountain.
When they saw Kiyohara's group approaching, they stopped what they were doing and bowed.
Clearly, Kiyohara was not a stranger here.
"So this is where the dragon vein is?"
"Yes."
Kiyohara nodded.
Back then, Minato Namikaze had used the dragon vein chakra sealed inside a necklace to draw out a faint connection to several key nodes of Rōran City.
This allowed Rōran to maintain its most basic operations while preventing outsiders from becoming greedy.
As they spoke, Rōran's queen walked out from the tower.