"Sensei is amazing."
Itachi Uchiha said that sincerely.
"I'm decent, I guess."
Not as amazing as you—you killed your whole clan.
Kiyohara didn't say the second half out loud. He only thought it to himself.
He guessed that by now, Itachi probably already saw him as part of the clan, not some outsider hovering at the edges.
Still…
Kiyohara glanced at Itachi.
He felt like his own rate of growth was far faster than Itachi's.
So even if Itachi did eventually get manipulated by Danzo and decide to reenact one of the ninja world's classic scenes—namely, killing his teacher—Kiyohara wouldn't mind responding with some ruthless methods of his own.
Of course, if Itachi stayed normal, then that was another matter.
At the very least, everything Kiyohara had taught this bargain-bin student of his was the real deal. He hadn't fed him any nonsense.
"Have you run into any problems with your training lately?"
Kiyohara asked.
Itachi looked up, his dark eyes meeting Kiyohara's.
"Sensei… I want to know how I can awaken the Sharingan faster."
Kiyohara crouched down so he was eye level with him.
"Why are you so eager to awaken it?"
"I want to become stronger."
Itachi clenched his little fists.
"Only with power can I change the war, change this world. Father said the Sharingan is the Uchiha clan's power. I want to master it as soon as possible."
"I see."
Kiyohara rubbed his chin.
"Awakening the Sharingan is related to age and chakra reserves, but it also depends heavily on mental stimulation and how much strain your body can handle."
He spoke slowly.
"The older you are, the more mature your body and mind become, which makes awakening it easier and safer. If you want to awaken it early… then you need a strong enough body to withstand the Sharingan's power, and a mind tough enough to bear the strain."
Kiyohara gave Itachi a simple explanation of the Sharingan.
Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan even earlier than Itachi.
But the price was that his entire family had been wiped out until only he and Itachi were left alive.
Then, in rage and trauma, his Sharingan awakened.
Sasuke had only been seven at the time. If that kind of event had happened when he was older—say, around Obito's age, in his teens—he might even have gone straight to the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itachi nodded, only half understanding.
"Then… how should I train my body?"
Kiyohara stood up, walked over to his bag, rummaged around for a moment, and pulled out a neatly folded outfit in a painfully bright color.
It was none other than a green jumpsuit identical to the one Might Guy wore.
Guy had practically forced it on Kiyohara.
He said that since Kiyohara had given him an Anbu uniform, he wanted to give Kiyohara something in return.
"Are you sure you really want to awaken it that badly?"
Just thinking about what he was about to do nearly made Kiyohara lose it.
Still, this really would help with physical conditioning.
It just wasn't exactly… aesthetically pleasing.
"Yes."
Itachi nodded firmly.
At the same time, he stared at the strange outfit in Kiyohara's hands.
What was Kiyohara doing with such a bizarre piece of clothing?
Itachi had never seen anything that ugly.
"Put this on, run ten laps around the Uchiha district every day, walk three thousand meters on your hands, and do a hundred push-ups. Stick with that for three months, and your physical foundation will surpass that of almost everyone your age."
Itachi stared at the nearly glowing green jumpsuit, and his little face instantly froze.
What was that?
Why was the color so… blinding?
And why was it so skin-tight?
He instinctively took half a step back, his eyes full of resistance.
This was nothing like the kind of physical training he'd imagined!
Where in the world had Kiyohara even gotten something like this?
"Sensei… this…"
Itachi's voice came out with difficulty.
He really did want to awaken his Sharingan.
But he had never imagined the price would be this.
Was this really a thing?
Itachi honestly felt like he'd seen a ghost.
He was even beginning to wonder if Kiyohara was pranking him.
"Itachi, do you know who killed the other four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
Kiyohara suddenly turned serious.
"It was… Might Duy."
Itachi did know about that.
That incident had been far too explosive back then.
A pathetic genin nobody respected.
Then one day—thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never mock a middle-aged man for being poor.
He turned into an absolute monster out of nowhere and kicked four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to death.
That kind of battle record was just absurd.
"That's right. It was Might Duy."
Kiyohara stuffed the jumpsuit into Itachi's arms and patted him on the shoulder.
"And Might Duy wore the exact same outfit!"
"…Really?"
Itachi still felt like Kiyohara was making things up.
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you? This kind of fabric absorbs sweat really well, and it also protects the skin and reduces damage."
Kiyohara said this with a straight face.
To be fair, there was actual science behind it.
It was just that the green training suits worn by Might Duy and Might Guy were so aggressively ugly that they felt like a crime against aesthetics.
"There are no shortcuts on the path to strength, and there's no dignity either. Either accept it, or give up. Your choice."
Itachi listened in silence, clutching that violently green bundle, his fingers sinking into the fabric.
In the end, his desire for strength overcame everything else.
"I accept it, Sensei. I'll do it."
"Good."
A smile tugged at Kiyohara's lips.
This kid really was teachable.
Kiyohara was already planning to outsource Itachi to Might Guy later for special training.
He found himself wondering.
What would Itachi look like wearing that thing?
Would he still be able to maintain any aura at all?
"Very good. Next time I come back to the village, I'll check your progress."
"Yes, Sensei."
Itachi nodded.
After that, Kiyohara even made him put it on so he could see what it looked like.
Left with no choice, Itachi pulled the green jumpsuit over his short-sleeved shirt.
Kiyohara looked him up and down, and the result gave him serious Rock Lee vibes.
"Not bad. Very good. Now say, 'Burn your calories,' so I can hear it."
Kiyohara said.
Even though Itachi thought this was bizarre, he still repeated the line.
Kiyohara fought back a laugh and nodded seriously.
Then he spent around three hours teaching Itachi. By the time it got late, he sent him home.
As for himself, he headed into the streets of Konoha and made his way to Ichiraku Ramen, planning to eat something.
"Oh, Kiyohara."
Teuchi greeted him with a smile.
"The usual set."
Kiyohara said.
Then, out of habit, he reached for his money pouch, planning to pay first.
He usually preferred paying up front so he could leave the moment he finished eating.
"No need."
Teuchi shook his head.
"Today's a special discount just for you."
He had heard about Kiyohara killing members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen too.
After all, Kiyohara and the others were protecting the village and the country.
"Thanks."
Kiyohara thanked him, getting to enjoy the treatment of a hero for once.
At the same time, he watched Teuchi make the ramen.
He had once said he wanted to learn Teuchi's cooking.
Teuchi had only thought he was joking and said that Ichiraku was hiring apprentices—if Kiyohara could learn it, he could come.
What Teuchi didn't know was that Kiyohara had copied his cooking skills that same day.
And not just Teuchi's. He'd copied the techniques of other ramen shops in Konoha too.
…
Deep within the Graveyard of the Mountains, chakra from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path continued to flow through the tubes and into Madara Uchiha's body.
Madara sat on his wooden seat, his withered fingers slowly rubbing the armrest.
His breathing was heavier than before.
According to the plan, he should have already pulled the tubes out himself and died.
But because of Kiyohara's existence, Madara wasn't fully confident leaving everything to Obito alone, so he was still clinging to life.
"Black Zetsu."
Madara spoke slowly.
From the shadows, the black-and-white figure of Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"Madara-sama, you called for me?"
"How is Obito's progress?"
Madara opened his crimson Sharingan, the tomoe turning slowly.
"According to the plan, he should have already manipulated Nagato. But because of Kiyohara's interference, Nagato never fully fell into the darkness in his heart. Obito is still trying to sway him…"
Black Zetsu said.
"Kiyohara's existence has disrupted too many things."
Madara said.
He fell silent, thinking.
Back then, should he have chosen Kiyohara instead of Obito?
If he'd known from the start, maybe Kiyohara would've been the better option?
The problem was that even Madara hadn't expected Kiyohara to have Uchiha blood and be capable of awakening the Sharingan.
Black Zetsu nodded in deep agreement.
As far as he was concerned, Kiyohara really had become a problem for his grand plan to resurrect his mother.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, nothing mattered more than freeing her.
"Obito is still adapting to the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Black Zetsu chose his words carefully.
"His talent is indeed astonishing, but his mindset… still needs more tempering. On Nagato's side, the ideals of the Akatsuki are taking root in the Land of Rain, and Yahiko's reputation is rising more and more. If we want Nagato to fully turn toward the Eye of the Moon Plan, he'll need a much harsher shock."
"There isn't much time left."
Madara frowned faintly.
"Madara-sama, your body…"
"It can hold on a little longer."
Madara cut him off.
"But Kiyohara's growth rate has exceeded expectations. If he keeps developing like this, he may become an uncontrollable variable in the future."
He looked at Black Zetsu, a sharp glint passing through his Sharingan.
"You go too."
Black Zetsu paused slightly.
"Go help Obito guide Nagato over to the side of the Eye of the Moon Plan."
"Yes, Madara-sama."
That suited Black Zetsu just fine.
"Go."
Madara closed his eyes again.
"Before I die, put every piece where it belongs."
Black Zetsu slowly sank back into the ground and disappeared.
Silence returned to the cave, broken only by the occasional scraping sound as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path transferred chakra.
Madara sat alone in the wooden seat, his withered fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
Kiyohara…
He turned that name over and over in his mind.
Sharingan. Magnet Release. Sage Arts…
That hunger for power was almost like… his younger self.
And that was exactly why he was even more dangerous.
"Hashirama… if you were still alive, how would you view this younger generation?"
Madara murmured.
He shook his head and cast aside the useless thoughts.
The plan had to continue.
The Eye of the Moon. Infinite Tsukuyomi. A perfect world without war, without pain, without loss.
That was the only correct path.
Anything that stood in the way had to be eliminated.
…
Several days later.
Konoha camp.
The sea breeze carried a salty dampness through the tents, but it did little to dispel the oppressive heat of the sunlight.
Inside the medical tent, the sharp smell of antiseptic hung in the air.
When Kiyohara lifted the tent flap and stepped inside, Rin happened to be walking out from behind a screen.
His steps paused slightly.
Rin had changed into a brand-new nurse uniform. It wasn't the older, somewhat tight-fitting one anymore, but the latest version issued to the medical corps.
It outlined her gradually maturing figure just right, with the hem of the skirt falling about a palm's width above her knees, revealing slender legs wrapped in dark red thigh-high stockings.
At the top of those stockings, a faint indentation pressed into the soft flesh of her thighs.
The overall effect gave her the fresh, pretty charm unique to a girl her age.
"Kiyohara-kun?"
Rin noticed where he was looking, her cheeks turning slightly red as she instinctively tugged at the hem of her skirt.
"That uniform suits you."
Kiyohara walked over to the rack of medical instruments, organizing the surgical tools as he continued,
"It fits you much better than the last one."
Rin relaxed, though she still looked a little embarrassed.
"The old one… was definitely getting too small. Shizune-senpai said I was practically about to pop the sleeves."
As she spoke, she sneaked a glance at him. Seeing that he was just calmly checking the medical bandage supply, the small bit of tension in her heart gradually eased.
Of course, Kiyohara had noticed her glance.
In fact, from the moment Rin stepped out from behind the screen, he'd automatically taken in every detail.
But he controlled his expression perfectly.
"Let's get started."
Kiyohara put on medical gloves.
"We've got a lot of wounded today. Seventeen of them need surgery."
"Yes!"
Rin instantly switched into work mode and jogged off to prepare anesthesia and sterilized instruments.
After that, the only sounds in the medical tent were the crisp clinks of tools and the low groans of injured shinobi.
Kiyohara operated while Rin assisted.
The two of them were already working together with excellent coordination.
Kiyohara had become highly skilled with the Chakra Scalpel technique.
He could peel shards out from inside organs one by one without damaging any healthy tissue.
Rin, meanwhile, focused on maintaining the wounded patients' vital signs.
Two hours later, the surgeries were finally done.
"Whew…"
Rin took off her gloves and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.
The continuous high-intensity work had left her tired, but looking at the wounded who were clearly improving, she felt a strong sense of accomplishment welling up in her chest.
"Kiyohara-kun."
As they stepped out of the tent, Rin walked over beside him. After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked,
"When it comes to the fine control of the Chakra Scalpel, I still feel like I'm not precise enough."
Kiyohara shut off the faucet and turned to look at her.
Droplets of water slid down his long fingers, glittering in the sunset light.
"You're already doing very well. I'm just stronger than you."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Compared to many of the medical ninja in this camp, Rin was already one of the better ones.
"But I still want to become stronger."
Rin said softly.
She looked at him.
Every time she looked at Kiyohara, Rin felt like the distance between them kept growing.
Because every so often, he'd take another huge step forward.
In medical ninjutsu, and in everything else too.
Sometimes Rin wondered if one day she'd fall so far behind that she and Kiyohara would no longer even have anything to talk about.
"I see."
Kiyohara looked at Rin. Her cheeks were still flushed from work, and a few strands of brown hair stuck to her face with sweat.
Suddenly, before Rin could react, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair.
"Huh?"
Rin froze.
The gesture came so suddenly that she forgot to step back.
Kiyohara's palm was warm, and the feeling of his fingers slipping through her hair made her heartbeat skip.
"Kiyohara-kun… why all of a sudden…"
She asked softly, the tips of her ears starting to burn.
"Nothing."
Kiyohara pulled his hand back, his expression so natural it was as if nothing had happened.
"I just suddenly thought the way you work hard looks like a certain animal."
"An animal?"
"Yeah. A cat."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Especially the look on your face just now. Your eyes were all round, like you were thinking, I absolutely have to get stronger."
Rin opened her mouth, but for a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Kiyohara said she looked like a cat.
Then what was the head pat?
Petting a cat…?
She looked down at her hands, then reached up and touched the hair he'd just ruffled.
A strange feeling rose in her chest.
It was a little embarrassing, a little confusing, but somehow… she didn't hate it.
"Ahem."
Kiyohara coughed lightly and steered the conversation back on track.
"As for fine control with the Chakra Scalpel, I've picked up a few new insights lately."
He started sharing some of those techniques with Rin.
Rin occasionally offered a few ideas of her own.
Some of them even made Kiyohara feel like he'd learned something, and he inwardly admired just how gifted she was.
Still, for the most part, Kiyohara spoke while Rin listened.
After listening for a while, Rin began to feel the gap between them all over again.
"I… I might need a really long time before I can reach that level."
She sounded a little discouraged.
"Everyone has a different path."
Kiyohara shook his head.
"You have other strengths too. Water Release, for example. You could build on that and develop your own style."
He paused, then added,
"Sunagakure has a medical Water Release tradition. I'm not sure why a village in the desert ended up developing that kind of technique, but the principles behind it should still be worth studying."
Medical Water Release had its own unique advantages.
Kiyohara knew that more than ten years in the future, there would be a female medical ninja named Ameno.
She would even create a Water Release medical technique that could heal injuries automatically.
Its effects were very similar to Tsunade's techniques, but with one advantage: it didn't require using up all of one's chakra in one burst.
In other words, it could be applied locally, in a slow and sustained way, improving endurance.
Ameno's first appearance was in the anime, during the second joint Chunin Exams hosted by Konoha and Sunagakure.
Kiyohara remembered that very clearly.
"Medical Water Release?"
Rin's eyes lit up.
She had heard of it before, but didn't know much about it.
"Yeah. They combine Water Release ninjutsu with medical ninjutsu."
"If you can also combine that with the traits of the Three-Tails chakra inside you, you might be able to develop a completely unique medical system of your own."
Rin fell into thought.
What Kiyohara said really did make sense.
Her greatest strength was Water Release, and she also had the huge chakra reserves and special water affinity granted by the Three-Tails' chakra.
If she took that path, it might actually give her much better results for the same effort.
"I understand."
She looked up, determination rekindled in her eyes.
"I'm going to start researching medical Water Release."
"If you need materials, I can help ask around."
Kiyohara said.
"Sunagakure should have some public research documents. In a few days, I'll also ask around about their medical ninja."
"Thank you, Kiyohara-kun!"
Rin smiled brightly, the kind of smile that almost dazzled the eyes.
Kiyohara nodded, said nothing more, and turned back to continue tidying the medical tent.
Rin watched his back and quietly clenched her fist.
She had to become stronger.
Strong enough to stand beside him—not just forever gazing at Kiyohara-kun's back from afar.
~~~
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