Especially Hyūga Hiashi, his stern and dignified face would from time to time turn in Kiyohara's direction.
Those pure white eyes of his narrowed slightly, as though he were contemplating something.
Such a gaze was naturally impossible for Kiyohara to ignore.
'The head of the Hyūga clan…'
Kiyohara suddenly recalled that in order to prevent their bloodline from leaking beyond the clan, the Hyūga had even devised something like the "Caged Bird Curse Mark."
It could be described as one of the most extreme forms of internalized servitude in the entire shinobi world.
Once a clan member died or if someone attempted to extract their Byakugan, the "Caged Bird Curse Mark" would automatically activate, destroying both the brain and the eyes.
That was why, when Hyūga Neji died before Naruto, his eyes were closed.
Had they not been shut, perhaps Naruto would have seen nothing but shattered, ruined eyeballs.
'Still… in some ways, the Hyūga clan seems to be fighting against itself.'
Kiyohara pondered silently.
The Gentle Fist style was, in truth, extremely powerful.
The potential of the Byakugan was not weak, either.
And yet, the Hyūga clan in its current state could not fully bring out that power.
The reasons were simple. First: stagnation. They clung rigidly to tradition and had failed to develop new Gentle Fist techniques.
Second: insufficient chakra reserves.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's "Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack" bore striking resemblance to the Hyūga clan's "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm," yet the difference in destructive power between the two was like heaven and earth.
The "Caged Bird Curse Mark" had originally been intended to prevent the Byakugan from being lost, yet it resulted instead in a division between the Main House and the Branch House.
The Main House were the true inheritors of the Hyūga lineage, while the Branch House existed solely to protect them.
And the Main House was not limited to a single individual; even within the same lineage, if there were multiple descendants, only one could be chosen to inherit Main House status.
For instance, during Hinata's generation, there was another branch, one Hyūga Takashi—also of the Main House lineage, though his standing was somewhat lower than that of the clan leader's daughter, Hinata.
Factions within a clan were normal.
What was abnormal was this: although the Branch House existed to protect the Main House, they were born with an inherent "deficiency" of one percent and were forbidden from learning the higher-level Gentle Fist secret techniques.
Someone like Neji was simply too much of a genius. When denied instruction, he painstakingly deduced and mastered techniques on his own.
That was why Hiashi had once exclaimed that Neji was a descendant of Hyūga Tennin.
If Neji had been born into the Main House, how high might his achievements have reached?
And yet, because of the rigid division between Main and Branch Houses, he was not even allowed to fully learn the Gentle Fist.
As for later generations, they could only continue living off the legacy of the past—after all, no one was creating new techniques.
'I wonder… would there ever be a "Hyūga Kiyohara"?'
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
He was contemplating a rather serious matter.
If, in some possible future, he were born into a Branch House, would he inherit the "Caged Bird Curse Mark" engraved upon his forehead?
'No… the curse mark is released before death, isn't it?'
Kiyohara remembered that when Neji was on the brink of death, the "Caged Bird Curse Mark" activated, and the pattern on his forehead disappeared.
As for the reanimated Hyūga Hizashi possessing the curse mark, that was likely because the Impure World Reincarnation body perfectly replicated the state of the individual in life—even reproducing the curse mark.
While Kiyohara was thinking, Hiashi was also observing him.
He recalled the intelligence reports regarding this young man.
Graduated as a genin only two years ago, yet already promoted to Jōnin. Possessed both the Sharingan and the Magnet Release kekkei genkai. A disciple of Tsunade, highly proficient in medical ninjutsu, outstanding in combat ability…
An Uchiha bloodline that had flowed outside the clan, and yet had achieved such heights.
Hiashi's fingers unconsciously tapped against his knee.
He thought about the internal state of the Hyūga clan…
Those complicated rules and suffocating constraints.
If a Hyūga bloodline were to flow beyond the clan's control, would a genius like this emerge as well?
The thought tightened something in his chest.
No. The Hyūga's Byakugan must never be allowed to leak out.
But… what if someone were to exhibit an atavistic return to a pure Byakugan lineage?
As had occasionally occurred in history?
He decided that after the meeting, he would thoroughly review the clan genealogy and branch bloodlines.
In truth, the Hyūga still had distant relatives known as the Kohyūga clan.
However, though they carried Hyūga blood, it had grown so diluted that they could no longer awaken the Byakugan and had thus been excluded from the main clan.
The meeting continued.
Hiruzen assigned additional tasks, discussing the responsibilities of each unit, logistics, intelligence networks…
Every detail was discussed meticulously.
Kiyohara listened while observing each person's reactions.
When Nara Shikaku spoke, his logic was clear, and his tactical suggestions were pragmatic. Yamanaka Inoichi supplemented intelligence considerations. Akimichi Chōza focused on logistical support. The Inuzuka clan proposed deploying more shinobi hounds for reconnaissance…
Each clan, each Jōnin, played a distinct role within this system.
Konoha's war machine was operating with formidable efficiency.
The meeting lasted two full hours.
Toward the end, Hiruzen instructed Minato to bring Rin to the battlefield as well.
Not all Jōnin were aware that Rin was a Tailed Beast Jinchūriki.
Minato nodded solemnly, indicating he would carry out the mission.
Hiruzen's reasoning was simple. The previous time he had allowed Rin to accompany them to the kingdom of Rōran had been to observe whether she would lose control.
Now that preliminary confirmation had been achieved, it was time to apply that power to the war.
After all, Kumo had begun increasing its own deployment of Tailed Beasts.
Moreover, Konoha lacked experience in utilizing Jinchūriki in combat; ever since Kushina had become the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, she had not left the village.
Though the decision weighed heavily on Minato's heart, given the circumstances, there was little alternative.
At the conclusion, Hiruzen summarized:
"The front lines are under great pressure. Konoha requires the strength of every individual. This meeting is adjourned."
People rose one after another, quietly conversing as they departed.
Kiyohara waited for Tsunade to approach.
"How does it feel?" she asked.
"I wonder how many will die this time," Kiyohara replied.
War meant death—regardless of victory or defeat.
"War…"
Tsunade thought back to the Second Great Shinobi War. Peace had barely lasted before the Third Great Shinobi War erupted.
Even if this war were to subside, how long would it be before a Fourth Great Shinobi War broke out?
As they exited the meeting room, Minato approached them.
"Lady Tsunade, Kiyohara."
Minato smiled.
"We'll be fighting side by side again."
"Minato, please look after my disciple," Tsunade said.
"I'm well aware of Kiyohara's abilities," Minato replied, glancing at him. "On the contrary, it's Kiyohara himself who is exceptional. I believe he'll achieve notable accomplishments this time as well."
"I'll do my best, Lord Minato," Kiyohara answered.
After exchanging a few more words, they left the Hokage Building.
"Kiyohara."
Tsunade suddenly called out to him.
"Yes?"
She looked at him and thought of her younger brother, Nawaki.
One day he had been joking with her; the next, he had stepped on an explosive tag and been separated from her by life and death.
War was unpredictable like that.
"On the battlefield, medical-nin are often priority targets. You must save others but you must also protect yourself. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Sensei."
She stared at him for several seconds, then finally sighed.
"Go back and prepare. We depart tomorrow."
…
Within the Sarutobi clan compound—
Asuma was not wandering the streets as usual. Instead, he remained at home, training diligently.
"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!"
Smoke billowed outward, but the power was clearly insufficient.
Asuma frowned and formed hand seals again.
This time, the flames grew stronger, yet still failed to achieve the effect he desired.
"Not enough… nowhere near enough."
The distance between him and Kiyohara was still vast.
Asuma took a deep breath and began forming seals once more.
This time, he incorporated wind-nature chakra transformation, attempting to enhance the fire's destructive force.
"Wind Release: Dust Cloud Technique!"
The wind fed the flames, causing them to surge violently upward.
But his control was lacking; sparks scattered wildly, nearly igniting the trees at the edge of the training ground.
Asuma hurried to fetch water to extinguish the embers, panting heavily from exertion.
At that moment, faint footsteps sounded behind him.
Asuma turned and saw his father, Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing there.
Hiruzen did not speak immediately. He simply smoked quietly, his gaze resting upon the charred marks on the ground.
After a long while, he finally asked:
"Practicing ninjutsu?"
Asuma did not respond to Hiruzen.
The relationship between father and son had already begun to show faint but unmistakable cracks.
No matter what Asuma did, he was always labeled as "the Hokage's son," and inevitably compared to his father—Hiruzen, the man hailed as the strongest Hokage.
Such constant comparison placed immense psychological pressure upon him.
"I've noticed that these past few days you've been practicing ninjutsu constantly."
"Is it Kiyohara who's giving you pressure?"
Hiruzen had long since learned about the matter between Asuma and Kiyohara through the ANBU.
"Yes."
Asuma did not deny it.
At present, he truly was inferior to Kiyohara.
"Your chakra control still needs refinement. Your Fire-nature chakra is too aggressive, and it hasn't fused well with your Wind Release."
Hiruzen stood up and looked at his son.
"But your direction is correct."
"However, if you want to defeat Kiyohara, this alone won't be enough."
From within his robes, Hiruzen took out a pair of chakra blades and handed them to Asuma.
"These are chakra blades forged from chakra-conductive metal."
The weapons he presented were shaped like trench knives, designed to be gripped along the fist.
Asuma froze for a moment, clearly not expecting the old man to give him something like this.
"Hmph… th-thank you."
He kept his face stiff, his adolescent pride making it difficult for him to soften openly.
Yet in Hiruzen's eyes, this was already considerable progress.
It was not a bad thing that Kiyohara could place pressure on Asuma, Hiruzen thought to himself.
Without a rival, one could easily grow complacent.
Moreover, such rivalry might even help mend the distance between father and son.
Whenever Asuma lost, he would inevitably come seeking advice.
With that thought in mind, Hiruzen found himself viewing Kiyohara more and more favorably.
…
The following day, at the gates of Konoha.
Five hundred shinobi stood in orderly formation. At the very front were Minato and Tsunade.
Kiyohara stood at the head of the medical unit, with Shizune and several other medical-nin beside him.
"Move out!"
At Minato's command, the formation began to advance.
As they left the village, many civilians stood along the roadside to see them off.
The first day of marching proceeded relatively smoothly. The unit traveled along the roads within the Land of Fire, passing established supply points, so there was no need to camp in the wilderness.
Even so, the fatigue of long-distance travel gradually began to show.
By dusk, the unit set up camp beside a stream.
Tsunade sat atop a large rock, chewing on a dry and unappetizing soldier pill, her brows tightly furrowed.
"Disgusting…"
She muttered under her breath, though she still forced herself to swallow it.
Supplies at the front lines were limited—every resource saved mattered.
Though she possessed a certain degree of privilege, Tsunade had never once abused it.
At that moment, Kiyohara approached and handed her something wrapped in oil paper.
"What's this?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Open it and see."
She took it and unwrapped the paper.
Inside were several rice balls, still faintly warm.
"How did you…"
She looked at Kiyohara in surprise.
"I figured Lady Tsunade wouldn't be used to dry rations," he replied.
In truth, Tsunade had a fairly hearty appetite.
Kiyohara had every intention of strengthening his relationship with her—
And, in the process, inquiring about matters concerning Shikkotsu Forest.
Although it had never been explicitly stated where the first Hokage's Sage Mode originated, there was strong speculation that it came from Shikkotsu Forest.
After all, aside from curse marks, only three true forms of Sage Mode had ever been displayed.
And behind them stood the Three Great Sage Regions.
"Teacher, give it a try," Kiyohara said.
Tsunade picked up a rice ball and took a bite.
The rice was soft and pleasantly chewy, seasoned perfectly. What surprised her even more was that inside was grilled chicken, along with a special sauce.
"This is…"
Her eyes widened.
"Chicken rice ball," Kiyohara said with a faint smile.
"I thought you might be craving chicken."
Tsunade did not answer immediately.
She took another bite, chewing slowly.
The aroma of grilled chicken blended with the subtle sweetness of the rice, while the savory richness of the sauce struck just the right balance.
Compared to the dry soldier pills, this simple rice ball felt like a delicacy.
"You little brat…"
She paused, then continued:
"You really are good at taking care of people."
"It's only natural," Kiyohara replied.
"I'm the disciple. You're the teacher."
He smiled lightly.
Once Tsunade had nearly finished eating, he steered the conversation toward Shikkotsu Forest.
"You want a summoning beast?"
Tsunade initially assumed he wished to sign a contract with Shikkotsu Forest.
She had heard that Kiyohara had already formed a contract with a chameleon capable of invisibility.
"Yes. Actually, I'm also interested in 'Sage Arts,'" Kiyohara said.
In the ever-escalating evolutions of power, only Sage Arts and taijutsu consistently remained relevant.
Otherwise, ninjutsu would either be nullified—or absorbed entirely.
"You even know about Sage Arts?"
Tsunade raised a brow.
"I've heard Lord Jiraiya often boast about coming from Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Regions and about using something called 'Sage Mode.' So I wondered whether you might know it as well."
Kiyohara spoke evenly.
Jiraiya's mastery of Sage Arts was no secret.
Even at this point in time, it was highly likely that Minato had some understanding of it as well.
After all, he could already summon the toads of Mount Myōboku.
However, Minato's Sage Mode was not particularly refined. Though he could gather natural energy quickly, his duration was extremely short.
The additional burst of power it granted was arguably less efficient than conserving chakra and using the Flying Thunder God Technique several more times.
"That guy…"
Tsunade thought of Jiraiya, setting down her rice ball and absentmindedly licking the oil sheen from her lips.
"But I don't know Sage Arts," she said plainly.
She had never managed to learn it.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, brat. As far as I know, only Jiraiya and my grandfather have ever mastered Sage Arts."
Tsunade shook her head. The requirements for mastering Senjutsu were extraordinarily high; only a very small number of shinobi possessed the talent and aptitude necessary to even attempt it, let alone succeed.
Her expression gradually turned serious as she looked at Kiyohara with unmistakable solemnity and said in a firm voice, "Moreover, Senjutsu is extremely dangerous. If you are even slightly careless, you could lose your life."
She was not exaggerating or joking in the slightest. The Senjutsu of Mount Myōboku turned those who failed into frogs, and the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest carried similarly severe side effects.
Hearing this, Kiyohara understood that this was Tsunade's way of showing concern for him. After all, from the perspective of others, the failure rate was indeed terrifyingly high.
Even Naruto had relied on the assistance of Boss Fukasaku; the moment there were signs that Naruto might begin to "frog-ify," Fukasaku would immediately help expel the excess natural energy from his body. Once the transformation reached a certain threshold, it became an irreversible process.
"I understand, Sensei," Kiyohara nodded earnestly.
"What do you understand?" Tsunade retorted, extending her index finger and flicking him lightly on the forehead.
"If you truly understood, you wouldn't be asking about this in the first place."
She studied him carefully. Kiyohara was deeply interested in ninjutsu, so how could he possibly not be tempted by Senjutsu, which could amplify the power of ninjutsu several times over?
After a moment's thought, Tsunade said, "I can take you to Shikkotsu Forest to sign a summoning contract."
Kiyohara was her disciple now. Initially, she had only planned to teach him for a few months to fulfill her obligation, without ever considering bringing him to sign a contract. But as time passed and they spent more time together, she realized that both his talent and his character were exceptional.
Shizune's aptitude was limited; it seemed unlikely she could fully inherit Tsunade's mantle. If it were Kiyohara, however, there was genuine hope. Sometimes Tsunade even felt a trace of envy toward Jiraiya, who had such an outstanding disciple as Minato. Now it seemed that the disciple Tsunade had taken in was not inferior at all.
"I'll take you tomorrow," she decided. "I'm a bit tired today."
With that, she stuffed the remaining rice balls into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out adorably like a little hamster.
Watching her, Kiyohara couldn't help but feel that although Tsunade usually carried herself with decisive authority, there were moments when the contrast revealed a surprisingly cute side to her.
…
Elsewhere, Kurenai and Rin were sitting by the stream to rest.
"Rin, is the food Kiyohara makes really that delicious?"
Kurenai asked casually as she washed her feet in the clear water. They were all wearing standard shinobi sandals that left their toes exposed. After walking all day, she felt uncomfortable not washing up. Beneath the rippling surface of the stream, her pale toes moved lightly and flexed in the cool current.
"Yes," Rin nodded enthusiastically. "A few days ago I had dinner at Lady Tsunade's house. Kiyohara-kun was the one cooking. His skills are truly excellent—especially that dish, diced tofu…" She described the meal in detail, and Kurenai listened, completely absorbed.
"It sounds wonderful," Kurenai said, unable to hide her envy. How unfair!
All the good things seemed to fall into Rin's lap—bracelets from Kiyohara, home-cooked meals from Kiyohara. Poor her, she had nothing at all! She was about to get upset. "I haven't even tasted anything Kiyohara has made."
"I think if it's you, Kurenai, Kiyohara-kun wouldn't refuse," Rin said with a gentle smile.
As they were speaking, Asuma approached. He, too, would be heading to the Kumofront lines. In his hand were several pieces of compressed rations, which he offered to Kurenai. "Kurenai, have something to eat. The taste isn't great, but it's efficient and restores stamina quickly."
Kurenai glanced at the dull gray rations, then remembered the exquisite dishes Rin had just described. She couldn't help pouting slightly. "No thanks, I'm not hungry," she replied.
Asuma froze. "But you barely ate anything today…"
"Asuma," Rin couldn't help laughing softly, "you really don't understand a girl's heart, do you?"
"What?" Asuma looked completely baffled.
Kurenai sighed. "I just… want to eat something tasty. Like something Kiyohara made. Not these hard biscuits."
The moment her words fell, Asuma's expression stiffened. He looked down at the rejected rations in his hand, then over at Kiyohara in the distance, who was talking with Tsunade and still holding another rice ball.
Suddenly, he felt as if a cold wind had swept over him. Snow drifting, north wind howling. The poetic line surfaced in his mind from somewhere, strangely fitting the mood.
At last, Asuma remembered—it was something Kiyohara had once muttered during their days at the Academy, one of his odd, offhand remarks. Now all of it came rushing back. He recalled a winter day with falling snow. Though there was no snow now, Asuma felt as if snow were falling inside his heart.
"Well…" he began, wanting to say something more, but Kurenai had already stood up.
"I'll ask Kiyohara for some ingredients and see if we can cook some soup," she said, winking at Rin. "Rin, want to come along?"
"Sure!" Rin rose as well.
The two girls left together, leaving Asuma standing alone, still holding the unwanted compressed rations. No! Asuma felt that he was always just one step too late. If only he had bought some tasty snacks in advance.
"Asuma." Minato appeared at some point and patted him gently on the shoulder.
"Minato Senpai…"
"Girls can be like that sometimes," Minato said kindly. "But Kiyohara truly is attentive. In that regard, we're all inferior."
Asuma forced a bitter smile. "Yeah… attentive, gentle, capable, not bad-looking either. He's practically perfect."
"No one is perfect," Minato shook his head. "I believe you have your own strengths as well."
"I understand, Senpai Minato," Asuma replied quietly.
Minato smiled. "Go get some rest. Tomorrow we enter dangerous territory."
Night fell, and campfires were gradually lit throughout the encampment. Kiyohara sat in front of his tent, holding a list of medical supplies and checking them one by one.
"Kiyohara, aren't you going to rest?" Kurenai approached, carrying a bowl of vegetable soup. She had just used ingredients she obtained from him. They had discovered that Kiyohara always carried many sealing scrolls. Though convenient, sealing scrolls were expensive, and not every shinobi could afford to use them regularly.
"Soon," Kiyohara replied, accepting the soup and taking a sip.
"How does it taste?" Kurenai asked, watching his face carefully.
"It's good," he answered.
"My birthday is coming up soon," Kurenai said shyly.
Hearing that, Kiyohara remembered—it was indeed almost her birthday. "What would you like, Kurenai?" he asked.
"I… I want a bracelet like Rin's!" Her cheeks flushed red.
"I see," Kiyohara said, his expression turning slightly odd. The bracelet had only been something he improvised on the eastern coastline with whatever materials were at hand. He hadn't expected it to become so popular.
"Yes, I think it's really beautiful," Kurenai said with a bright smile.
Hmph—now whatever Rin had, she would have too.
(End of Chapter)