"Let me treat your wound, Kiyohara."
Rin stepped forward immediately. Her hands glowed with the soft, green light of the Mystical Palm Technique. She hovered her hands over the hole in Kiyohara's left palm, knitting the flesh and muscle fibers back together.
Her efficiency was incredible. In minutes, the wound was closed, leaving only tender pink skin.
"It avoided the major nerves," Rin cautioned gently, her eyes full of concern. "But try not to strain this hand for a few days."
"I understand. Thank you, Rin."
Kiyohara looked at her soft smile.
'Gentle, attentive, and highly competent,' Kiyohara sighed internally. 'No wonder Obito was so obsessed with her. She's the ultimate emotional anchor for an insecure teenage boy.'
Kiyohara nodded to her, then turned his attention back to the battlefield. It was time to loot.
He moved methodically. He carefully collected the pristine, diamond-hard bone fragments left behind by Kaguya Masaru, sealing them in a specialized scroll.
Then, he stripped the remaining Mist corpses.
Kurenai watched him, her ruby eyes filled with exasperation. 'Why is he always so desperate for money?'
When Kiyohara finished, he tallied the haul:
* Four salvageable Mist flak jackets.
* 62 Shuriken.
* 10 Kunai.
* 3 bags of Soldier Pills.
Most of the gear had been destroyed by the quicklime or the magnetic shockwaves, but it was still a decent payload.
A moment later, Genma and the Ninken emerged from the ruins.
"We lost them," Genma reported, spitting out his senbon. "They used the coastal terrain to mask their escape. Headed north."
"The scents are jumbled," Pakkun added, sniffing the air. "There's evidence of a rendezvous point. This wasn't just a scouting party. The Mist is staging a massive infiltration."
Kakashi's visible eye hardened. "Let's get back to camp. Lord Orochimaru needs to know."
Uzushiogakure Command Tent.
Orochimaru sat behind his desk, listening to Kakashi's concise report. His golden, slit-pupil eyes lingered on Kiyohara, and his tongue snaked out to lick his lips.
"Dealing with two elite Bloodline users alone... killing a Kaguya... repelling Mei Terumī," Orochimaru chuckled, a hoarse, pleased sound. "Kiyohara-kun, you have given me a great surprise once again. It seems you put my Body Flicker gift to excellent use."
Orochimaru turned to the other Jonin in the tent, his aura turning cold and absolute.
"The Mist is probing our lines. The real assault is imminent. Double the sentries. Increase coastal patrols. We are about to face a meat grinder."
If the defense of Whirlpool failed, Konoha would be forced to retreat to the mainland, fighting the war on their own shores.
The tension in the tent spiked. The Jonin bowed and scattered to execute their orders.
Kiyohara knew the time was right. He stepped forward.
"Lord Orochimaru. I wish to contribute more to the Village. My sensory abilities are suited for proactive reconnaissance. I request permission to operate a solo patrol outside the main camp."
"Oh?"
Orochimaru looked at him with interest, tapping a long, pale finger against his desk.
He knew Kiyohara. The boy was a pragmatist who valued his own life above all else. Why would a survivor volunteer for a solo recon mission right before a massive invasion?
'Ah,' Orochimaru realized, his eyes gleaming. 'He wants a transaction.'
Kiyohara didn't disappoint. He unrolled a scroll and unsealed the stark white, diamond-hard bone fragments of Kaguya Masaru.
He presented them silently.
"Heh heh heh..."
Orochimaru's laugh echoed in the dim tent. He reached out, his pale fingers tracing the pristine bone. For a man obsessed with unlocking the secrets of Kekkei Genkai, this was a priceless treasure.
"I like proactive ninja, Kiyohara-kun."
Orochimaru pulled a thick ledger of mission assignments from his desk and slid it forward.
"These are independent reconnaissance tasks. The danger level is... acceptable. Choose."
Kiyohara scanned the list. His eyes locked onto a specific entry:
[Reconnaissance: Coastline of the Land of Fire, West of Whirlpool.]
[Note: Suspected forward supply point established by Sunagakure. Intelligence suggests a Sand ANBU assassination unit is stationed there.]
It was perfect. It was isolated, and it contained the exact target he needed to fulfill the Radical Spirit's first dying wish: Kill a Suna ANBU.
It also made tactical sense. While Kiri was attacking the front of the island, Suna was trying to sneak in through the back door to hit Konoha from behind.
Kiyohara pointed to the entry. "This one."
"Very well," Orochimaru smiled thinly. "You have two days. Manage your own time. I await your good news."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
That night, under a hazy moon, Kiyohara packed his gear and slipped out of the camp, heading northwest toward the mainland coast.
He needed the Magnet Release. He needed the power to survive the incoming storm.
But as he reached the perimeter, a blur of green spandex shot out of the tree line, kicking up a trail of dust.
"Is that you, Kiyohara?!" a booming voice echoed. "Meeting under the moonlight! It is the perfect moment for a clash of YOUTHFUL PASSION!"
Might Guy.
The Taijutsu fanatic stood before him, giving a thumbs-up. His pristine white teeth literally sparkled in the moonlight. The fires of youth burned in his eyes.
Kiyohara stopped. He had absolutely zero desire to clash youthful passion with anyone right now.
"Guy. I'm on an urgent solo mission. Let's save the race for another day."
Hearing the word mission, Guy's boisterous demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by the solemn intensity of a true shinobi.
"A secret mission? Understood!" Guy nodded vigorously. "I shall save my passion to unleash upon the Hidden Mist! We will settle our score when you return! Youth brooks no delay, but it respects duty!"
Guy gave another blinding thumbs-up, dropped to the ground, and began walking away on his hands at an incredibly rapid pace.
Kiyohara watched him go, a sense of foreboding settling in his gut.
If Guy was here... then his father, Might Duy, was likely nearby.
The countdown to the clash with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had begun.
'Guy opening the Eight Gates nearly kicked Madara to death,' Kiyohara thought. 'But Duy's Eight Gates...'
He shook his head. He couldn't worry about that right now. The physical requirements to even survive the Eight Gates training were insane. Guy and Lee had mutant-level recovery genetics (the "Taijutsu Saint Body"). A normal ninja would tear their muscles from the bone trying to replicate their routines.
'I need to kill that Sand ANBU,' Kiyohara resolved, sprinting into the forest. 'I need to stack my future. I need deeper chakra reserves. I need to get stronger.'
Meanwhile.
On a jagged, isolated reef miles away from Uzushiogakure.
Seven figures stood in the sea fog, the massive, monstrous silhouettes of their legendary blades strapped to their backs.
The vanguard of the Bloody Mist had arrived.
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