Half a month later, at the Third Training Ground.
The sky was not even bright yet, but Uchiha Izumi was already standing in the open field.
"Ready?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
After half a month of training, Uchiha Izumi had grown much stronger.
"I'm ready!"
The moment Uchiha Izumi finished speaking, she kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
The kunai spun once in her hand, then stabbed toward Kiyohara's waist from the right.
Kiyohara dodged.
Using her forward momentum, Uchiha Izumi lowered her body, sweeping the kunai upward toward Kiyohara's jaw.
Her movements were much faster than half a month ago.
A hint of approval flashed through Kiyohara's eyes. He raised his hand and flicked away the tip of the kunai.
The force made the space between Uchiha Izumi's thumb and forefinger go numb, but she did not let go. Using the rebound, she flipped once in midair and landed at a distance.
Her left hand slipped into her ninja pouch, pinching three shuriken between her fingers before throwing them out.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Kiyohara raised his hand and knocked the shuriken away one by one.
But Uchiha Izumi had already vanished from where she stood.
Kiyohara tilted his head slightly.
Behind him.
Uchiha Izumi's kunai stabbed from behind, the blade aimed straight at Kiyohara's heart.
Poof.
Kiyohara disappeared.
"Shadow clone?!"
Uchiha Izumi's eyes widened.
At that moment, Kiyohara was already standing beside her, though she had no idea when he had moved.
"You were too impatient."
Kiyohara said calmly.
"Your speed and shurikenjutsu have improved a lot, but for that final strike, you wanted the hit too badly. You exposed an opening. If I were a real enemy, you would already be dead."
"Yes, Kiyohara-sensei."
Uchiha Izumi nodded.
"Rest for now."
Kiyohara walked to the edge of the training ground, took a water flask from his bag, and handed it to Uchiha Izumi.
Uchiha Izumi took the flask and tilted her head back to drink several mouthfuls. Water slid down the corner of her mouth, followed her chin, and dripped onto her collar.
She did not even bother wiping it properly, only casually swiping at her mouth with her sleeve.
"Teacher, can I pass the exam?"
"You can."
Kiyohara nodded.
At this level, graduating was no problem at all.
The Ninja Academy only tested the Three Basic Techniques. For Uchiha Izumi right now, passing with her eyes closed would be easy.
Even in the Chūnin Exams, her odds were very high.
"With your current strength, ordinary chūnin won't be a problem. But in the Chūnin Exams, you can run into all kinds of opponents. I'll teach you a new technique."
Uchiha Izumi's eyes widened slightly.
"What technique?"
"The Phantom Body Flicker Technique."
Kiyohara withdrew his hand and stood up from the ground.
"Your speed is already top-tier among your peers. Combined with the Sharingan's insight, ordinary chūnin won't even be able to touch you. But you lack a finishing move that can instantly decide a fight."
"Is it Shisui-senpai's technique?"
"Yes."
Kiyohara nodded.
Uchiha Shisui's Phantom Body Flicker Technique was a variation of the Body Flicker Technique. It created numerous afterimages during movement to confuse the opponent.
Although its speed could not compare to the Flying Thunder God Technique, its physical requirements were far less demanding.
With Uchiha Izumi's talent and speed foundation, enough time would let her master it.
"Am I learning it now?"
"Yes."
Kiyohara raised his hands and formed seals. His figure split into several forms across the training ground, each afterimage moving slightly differently.
Uchiha Izumi's eyes instantly turned crimson. The three tomoe in her pupils spun rapidly as she tried to track Kiyohara's movements.
But even with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, she could only barely see a blurry trail. Even though Kiyohara was holding back, his speed was still too fast.
The afterimages vanished at the same time, and Kiyohara appeared behind her.
"Did you see it clearly?"
"No."
"Then I'll demonstrate it again."
In the Land of Wind, the desert.
The blazing sun burned overhead, and yellow sand stretched all the way to the horizon.
The air was so hot it warped and twisted. Sand dunes slowly shifted in the wind.
Kiyohara walked to the back of a dune. The sand here was looser than elsewhere, and stepping on it made half his foot sink in.
He raised his right hand, palm facing upward.
A cluster of flame rose from his palm.
But the fire was not the usual orange-red. It was a ghostly blue.
The flames of Matatabi, the Two-Tails.
Kiyohara looked at the ghost-blue flame in his palm.
He had almost finished adapting to the Two-Tails' chakra.
Unlike the Three-Tails' water-natured chakra, the Two-Tails' chakra nature was pure fire.
And it was a ghost-blue flame that could burn everything to ash. Its temperature was much higher than ordinary Fire Release, almost approaching Scorch Release.
Driven by his chakra, the flame burned brighter and brighter, growing from a small cluster into a fist-sized fireball.
"Let's test the effect."
Kiyohara took a deep breath, his chest swelling slightly.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
He opened his mouth, and a huge fireball surged out.
But this fireball was not orange-red. It was ghostly blue.
The flame rolled and expanded in the air, becoming a massive blue fireball over three meters in diameter as it blasted toward the dune ahead.
Boom!
The instant the blue fireball struck the dune, the sand did not blacken like it would under ordinary fire. It melted directly.
When the flames dispersed, an enormous blackened hollow had appeared in the dune.
"The temperature really is much higher."
Kiyohara touched his chin.
This level of heat was enough to instantly melt most ninja tools and armor.
He gathered chakra again.
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
Kiyohara's chest swelled violently, and he opened his mouth.
Ghost-blue flames poured out wildly.
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
The reason Kiyohara had chosen the desert was because it was flat and open enough for him to test ninjutsu.
This was no ordinary orange-red sea of flame from Great Fire Annihilation. It was an entire wave of ghost-blue fire, blotting out the sky and dyeing the desert blue.
The flames lasted for a full half minute.
When the fire wave finally disappeared, several kilometers of desert had been completely transformed beyond recognition.
"That's enough."
Kiyohara moved his wrist, then turned and headed back toward Konoha.
Konoha, Hokage's office.
When Kiyohara pushed open the door and walked in, the sky outside had already darkened.
He noticed a lunchbox on the desk.
It was made of lacquered wood, its surface coated in deep red lacquer. A few tiny cherry blossoms were painted on the lid, and the craftsmanship was exquisite.
Beside the lunchbox was a pair of bamboo chopsticks, resting on a clean cloth.
Who sent this?
Kiyohara walked over and opened the lunchbox.
Inside, the food was arranged neatly.
On the top was a row of grilled eel slices, golden-brown with slightly charred edges.
Beneath the eel was white rice. On the other side of the lunchbox were several pieces of golden fried tofu, garnished with a few slices of pickled radish.
"Generous."
Kiyohara already had a guess about the owner of this lunchbox.
He picked up the bamboo chopsticks, took a slice of eel, and put it in his mouth.
"Is it good?"
Kurenai Yūhi walked in from outside and came to Kiyohara's side.
"Not bad. Did you buy it from some shop?"
Kiyohara asked.
He had guessed it might have been brought by Kurenai.
After all, Kurenai was essentially the Hokage's secretary and came here much more often than Tsunade or Nohara Rin.
"No. I… made it myself."
Kiyohara looked up at Kurenai.
"That's pretty impressive."
He found that Kurenai's cooking had improved again. He picked up a piece of eel and brought it to her lips.
Kurenai opened her mouth and ate the eel, her lips brushing the chopsticks in Kiyohara's hand.
"You eat. I already ate."
She said quietly.
Kiyohara picked up another piece of tofu and placed it in her bowl before continuing to eat.
Kurenai lowered her head and looked at the golden tofu in the bowl. She picked up her chopsticks and ate it in small bites.
Knock, knock, knock.
A sudden knock came from the door.
Kurenai's chopsticks trembled, and the tofu nearly slipped from between them.
She instinctively tidied the loose curls by her cheek.
"Come in."
Kiyohara said.
The door opened.
Uzuki Yūgao walked in.
"Kurenai-senpai."
Uzuki Yūgao said.
"Yūgao."
Kurenai nodded at her.
Uzuki Yūgao withdrew her gaze.
"Hokage-sama, an envoy from Kirigakure requests an audience."
Kiyohara put down his chopsticks, raising his brow slightly.
"Kiri? An official delegation, or a private visit?"
Since the end of the Third Shinobi World War, the relationship between Kirigakure and Konoha had remained lukewarm.
"Not an official delegation."
Uzuki Yūgao shook her head.
"Only one person came. She specifically said she is visiting in a personal capacity and requests a private audience with Hokage-sama."
Kurenai frowned slightly.
"One person? In a personal capacity?"
She felt that something was off.
"Who is it?"
"Mei Terumī."
Uzuki Yūgao said.
This time, Kiyohara truly raised his brow.
Mei Terumī.
The only ninja in Kirigakure with two kekkei genkai, Lava Release and Boil Release. A powerful candidate for the future Fifth Mizukage.
For her to come to Konoha at this time, and emphasize that she was here privately, clearly meant she was not here for tea and small talk.
"Let her in."
Kiyohara set down his chopsticks.
Uzuki Yūgao nodded, then turned and left the office.
Her footsteps gradually faded across the wooden floor.
Kurenai walked to Kiyohara's side.
"A Kiri ninja coming to you privately… could there be a problem?"
"Since she dared to come alone, that means the matter is serious enough for her to think it's worth the risk."
Kiyohara said, lightly tapping his fingers against the desk twice.
Not long after, Uzuki Yūgao returned.
A tall figure followed behind her.
"Hokage-dono."
Mei Terumī stopped in front of the desk and bowed slightly.
"I apologize for the sudden visit."
"Mei Terumī, long time no see."
Kiyohara leaned back in his chair.
This time, Mei Terumī seemed much more polite.
She addressed him as Hokage-dono, and there was no dissatisfaction on her face.
"You came to Konoha in a personal capacity. What is it?"
Mei Terumī glanced at Kurenai and Uzuki Yūgao, hesitating.
Kiyohara followed her gaze and understood what she meant.
"Kurenai, Yūgao, step out for now."
"Yes."
The two bowed and withdrew. The door closed again.
Only Kiyohara and Mei Terumī remained in the office.
Kiyohara gestured to the chair across from his desk.
"Sit."
Mei Terumī sat down, placing her hands folded on her knees.
"What you want to say can't be said even in Kirigakure?"
Kiyohara picked up the tea on the desk and took a sip of the cooled tea.
Mei Terumī took a deep breath, then raised her head. Her reddish-brown eyes stared directly at Kiyohara.
"There are traitors among Kirigakure's higher-ups."
Kiyohara set down the cup, signaling for her to continue.
"More than one."
Mei Terumī pursed her lips.
"After the Fourth Mizukage-sama returned, he purged a group of high-ranking officials who had secretly colluded with outsiders.
"I thought the matter had ended, but lately I've noticed that some of the Mizukage's trusted aides and several intelligence-line leaders in the village have been acting increasingly strange."
She paused, then continued.
"On the surface, there's nothing wrong with them. They appear utterly loyal to the Mizukage-sama and handle Kiri's affairs responsibly.
"But their decisions always go wrong at the most critical points. It's as if someone is manipulating everything from behind the scenes."
"I followed one of those intelligence leaders for nearly a month. I personally saw him walk alone into an abandoned warehouse and talk to a wall.
"And his tone had completely changed. It was like he had become someone else."
Kiyohara frowned slightly.
"Did you tell the Fourth Mizukage?"
A bitter look flashed across Mei Terumī's face.
"The Fourth Mizukage is also a little strange. I'm afraid of alerting the enemy."
Mei Terumī was afraid that if others found out Kirigakure's higher-ups were once again being manipulated in secret, the village's entire system of trust would collapse.
Kiyohara finished listening and said,
"So you came to me."
Mei Terumī raised her head.
"You are the strongest ninja I've ever seen."
Mei Terumī said.
For her to come to Kiyohara, she had overcome many psychological barriers.
Kiyohara was a little surprised that Mei Terumī would come to him.
But he quickly understood the logic.
Mei Terumī was not someone who would easily ask for help. Since she was willing to lower herself and come to Konoha alone, the situation inside Kirigakure must have reached a point where she could no longer deal with it alone.
Kiyohara folded his hands on the desk, his dark eyes meeting Mei Terumī's gaze.
"I can help you."
Joy flashed through Mei Terumī's eyes, but she did not rush to thank him. Instead, she waited for Kiyohara to continue.
"What is the price?"
She asked frankly.
Since she had dared to come to Konoha alone to ask for help, she had naturally prepared herself to pay a price.
Mei Terumī knew very well that Kiyohara would definitely make demands.
Kiyohara looked at her and slowly said,
"First, Kirigakure must provide me with a portion of its chakra metal supply."
Mei Terumī's brows moved.
"Second, after the matter is resolved, I will secretly support your path of promotion within Kirigakure. You can understand it this way: after you become the Fifth Mizukage, Kirigakure and Konoha will sign a long-term strategic cooperation agreement."
Mei Terumī was silent for a moment.
Both conditions were heavy.
But on second thought, if the Mizukage and those higher-ups were really being secretly controlled, then Kirigakure's resources were already being continuously funneled to an unknown force.
If that continued, the entire village would be hollowed out.
Rather than let Kirigakure be drained by an invisible enemy, it was better to let Kiyohara take a visible share.
At least Kiyohara was standing in the open.
"All right."
Mei Terumī raised her head, her tone firm.
"As long as you help me investigate this matter, I agree to both conditions."
Kiyohara leisurely extended his hand.
"Then it's settled."
Mei Terumī reached out and shook his hand.
"When can I leave?"
"Tomorrow."
"Then we can discuss the details afterward."
"Understood."
Kiyohara called toward the door.
"Yūgao."
The door opened.
Uzuki Yūgao walked in, her purple hair gently swaying with her movements.
"Take Mei Terumī to the prepared lodging. Tomorrow, I will personally go to Kirigakure."
Uzuki Yūgao glanced at Mei Terumī and nodded slightly.
"Yes. Mei Terumī-sama, please follow me."
Mei Terumī stood up and followed Uzuki Yūgao out of the office.
The footsteps gradually faded, and the door closed once more.
Kurenai Yūhi walked in from outside and came to Kiyohara's side. She lightly nudged his arm with her elbow, a teasing smile curving her lips.
"Looks like Hokage-sama is going to be busy again."
Kiyohara glanced at her.
"Jealous?"
"Who's jealous?"
Kurenai turned her face away and gave a soft huff, lifting her chin slightly.
"But that woman…"
Kurenai turned back again, her big eyes shining with gossip.
"She's quite beautiful. Her figure is good too. What did she want from you?"
Kiyohara explained that Mei Terumī suspected there were still people within Kirigakure's leadership being controlled and had specifically come to ask for his help.
After hearing it, Kurenai's smile gradually faded, and she frowned.
"Kiri has been infiltrated that deeply? Will you be in danger?"
"Danger?"
Kiyohara looked at her.
Kurenai's words got stuck in her throat.
If Kiyohara described his current strength out loud, even he himself would feel like he was bragging.
"In an era where the Six Paths does not appear, I am invincible."
Kiyohara raised his teacup and drained it in one gulp.
That was his confidence.
After inheriting so many futures, Kiyohara's base stats were already extremely high. That was without even mentioning the countless ninjutsu he knew.
Akatsuki's secret base.
The candlelight in the secret chamber flickered, casting several figures onto the stone walls.
Orochimaru stood in front of a stone platform. On it lay a specially prepared body.
"It's finally complete."
"It's finally complete."
Orochimaru's voice carried excitement he could barely suppress.
He stepped back and looked at the body before him, which had consumed countless hours of his effort.
Obito stood against the wall with his arms folded. The tiger-striped mask covered most of his face, revealing only his crimson Sharingan.
Black Zetsu clung to half of White Zetsu's body, standing in the shadows at the corner of the chamber.
"This body uses the cellular ratio closest to Uchiha Madara's constitution."
Orochimaru licked his lips and began explaining.
"I used Hashirama cells to strengthen vitality, White Zetsu cells as a buffering medium, and also integrated part of the experimental data I obtained from Kiyohara. Of course, the most important thing is this."
He took a well-preserved small bottle from his robe. Inside were some dark red fragments.
That was Uchiha Madara's DNA sample, something Obito had obtained from a place only he knew.
It was also during this research that Orochimaru learned Obito was not Uchiha Madara at all, but another mysterious Uchiha.
Who exactly was he?
Even Orochimaru could not guess Obito's true identity. He suspected Obito was someone from the same era as Uchiha Madara, merely using Madara's name for his own purposes.
"With this DNA, I can revive Madara within the framework of the Impure World Reincarnation, bringing him back close to his living state. Of course, it won't compare to his true peak when he was alive, but the gap won't be too large."
Obito finally spoke.
"That's enough."
Orochimaru was fairly satisfied with the result.
The next moment, Orochimaru began forming seals and activating the jutsu.
A cold chakra suddenly surged through the chamber, making the candles on the walls flicker violently at the same time.
Countless tiny paper-like fragments appeared from the void and rushed toward the body on the stone platform.
Those papers covered the body layer by layer, like countless white hands reshaping a person's outline.
The figure on the stone platform began to change as well, revealing a ninja clad in red armor.
His closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing a pair of crimson Sharingan.
Three tomoe slowly rotated in his pupils. Then the three tomoe connected, forming the more complex pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Madara had been revived.
Orochimaru took a step back. His hands unconsciously lowered to his sides, and rare caution appeared on his face.
Even though this Madara was only an Impure World Reincarnation body, not a truly living person, the instant those Mangekyō Sharingan opened, every hair on Orochimaru's body stood on end.
It was the instinctive fear of facing a creature higher on the food chain.
Obito stepped forward and stood before the stone platform, looking down at the freshly revived body.
Uchiha Madara slowly sat up from the stone platform, his movements somewhat sluggish, as if he were adapting to this new body.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands.
A smile appeared on his sharp-featured face.
"Looks like the plan succeeded, brat."
Uchiha Madara said.
Then he moved his fingers and raised his right hand, noticing the cracks on it.
His brows furrowed slightly.
"Impure World Reincarnation?"
He raised his head, his Mangekyō Sharingan staring straight at Obito.
"Why wasn't it the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique? Where is Nagato?"
Obito was silent for a moment before speaking.
"The situation changed."
Obito said.
"Kiyohara's strength has already far exceeded ours."
Obito began explaining to Uchiha Madara why he had revived him.