After a brief thirty-minute rest and confirming no enemy presence nearby, the squad resumed their journey.
The encounter with Might Duy had left them somber and more vigilant than before.
They even reached the coastline earlier than expected, where a ship was already waiting.
The sea breeze carried a salty tang as everyone boarded in order.
The boat slowly pulled away from the harbor, slicing through the waves toward a more stable forward base—
the Fire Country's coastline.
Kiyohara stood at the ship's edge, gazing back at the fading shoreline.
'If I'd been a little weaker, I might've stayed there forever.'
He let out a quiet breath.
'Next up… it's probably the part where Rin gets captured.'
The war between Konoha and Kirigakure was far from over.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen weren't the end of the Mist's forces.
The Three-Tails Jinchūriki would likely show up next.
In the original story, Kirigakure's ANBU had sealed the Three-Tails into Rin.
That couldn't have been a wild-tailed beast—
there's no way Mist ANBU could wrangle one that easily.
Most likely, they had transferred the beast from their own Jinchūriki.
Considering Obito had been able to control the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, with his Sharingan for years…
Uchiha Madara, with even greater ocular power, controlling Mist ANBU—or even the Jinchūriki—wasn't far-fetched.
—
Konoha Village – Hokage Tower
In warfare, information was everything.
This truth held even stronger among ninja.
Messenger hawks and shinobi ran nonstop through the village, relaying frontline reports.
Specialized long-range techniques made info transfer even faster.
News of the battle at Whirlpool Country had already reached the upper brass.
Orochimaru's withdrawal order was deemed wise.
With Kirigakure's overwhelming numbers and geographical advantage, holding out would've been suicide.
Konoha couldn't afford heavy losses—not in this stretched state.
"So Duy had that kind of power…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, furrowed his brow.
He had known of the Eight Gates Technique—
a few Konoha shinobi practiced it. It wasn't a secret technique.
Otherwise, a lifetime genin like Might Duy wouldn't have had access to it.
But few ever truly mastered it.
"Hmph. So what if he did? No one else can train like that anymore."
Danzo Shimura, Konoha's shadowy operative, sneered through his single eye.
The method existed, sure.
But replicating Duy's discipline? Almost impossible.
And Danzo wasn't here to talk about taijutsu.
He was more interested in something else—
"A magnet release user appearing in the village… how curious."
He narrowed his eyes.
What bothered him wasn't just the bloodline.
It was that he had missed recruiting Kiyohara.
Danzo had long filtered talent into his secretive Root Division,
only letting elites into the core—just 17 members total.
He used temptation, coercion, even brainwashing.
But Sarutobi often blocked him.
Still, not even Sarutobi could watch everything.
Danzo always had his ways.
"Danzo, what are you planning?"
Sarutobi didn't even look up from his paperwork.
He had noticed Kiyohara during the Chūnin Exams.
He wasn't surprised that Danzo had now caught wind of the boy's potential.
"He's a perfect candidate," Danzo said smoothly, "no clan loyalties, young, awakened bloodline… a blank slate. Just waiting to be shaped."
"No need. I already have plans for Kiyohara."
Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke, rejecting the proposal without hesitation.
Danzo scowled.
He hadn't expected such a flat refusal.
"You're wasting a talent!"
"I know what I'm doing."
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
"Enough, Danzo. I am the Hokage."
Sarutobi's voice was stern as he slapped his desk.
The word "Hokage" clearly struck a nerve.
Danzo's face twitched.
He still hadn't forgotten that fateful day—
when he had arrived just one minute too late to claim the title for himself.
With a huff, Danzo stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Sarutobi didn't try to stop him.
Let him stew.
"What a troublesome era…"
He glanced at the door.
'If he broke the hinges, I'll make him pay for it.'
He turned back to Kiyohara's report.
The boy's background was clean.
No ties to any clans. No deep roots.
All the better.
No political baggage, no inherited shackles.
'Magnet Release, huh… might be worth grooming carefully.'
—
Back on the Fire Country front line…
Kiyohara finally exhaled in relief.
After confirming his identity, being reassigned, and getting his tent,
he finally collapsed onto a real bed.
Even a wooden one felt heavenly after everything.
He slept like a rock.
—
But morning didn't come peacefully.
Kiyohara awoke to the feeling of someone poking his cheek.
He didn't even need to look.
"Yūhi Kurenai. Again?"
Sure enough, it was her.
"You're awake already?!"
Kurenai flinched, yanking her hand back like she'd been burned.
She turned away sharply, showing only her pale profile.
Last time, she'd nearly touched his face.
That missed opportunity had lingered in her mind.
Today, she had finally done it.
"You gonna tell me why you're here?"
Kiyohara pulled down his blanket, which had been issued with the tent.
Nice and warm—perfect for damp camps like this one.
Still, a troubling thought crossed his mind.
'If I slept naked, she would've seen everything…'
"Hmph! You don't act like this with Rin!"
Kurenai suddenly snapped.
There was a strange jealousy in her tone.
She had seen how Kiyohara smiled while talking to Rin.
Wasn't she—Kurenai—his teammate?
His partner?
"I was here first!"
Kiyohara blinked.
Same old Kurenai.
Since the academy, she'd always been like this.
Too bad he knew her too well to be surprised.