"No need to explain. Give me a scroll first."
Kiyoshi extended his hand.
In a ninja world where knowledge was tightly guarded and major clans rarely shared their techniques, every piece of information was extremely valuable. Even someone like Orochimaru, who sought to master all jutsu, still had techniques that even as one of the Sannin he couldn't obtain through normal means, forcing him to sneak into forbidden archives to learn them in secret.
Hearing this, Samui placed her hand on her wrist and tapped it lightly, causing a ninjutsu scroll to appear.
"This is a D-rank Lightning Release scroll—Lightning Release: Ground Flow."
Kiyoshi took it, glanced through it briefly, then set it aside.
Being able to release lightning through the ground was acceptable, but nothing more.
"Not enough."
Kiyoshi shook his head, signaling for her to raise the offer.
Samui frowned slightly. She couldn't just give Kiyoshi everything—what if he took what he wanted and walked away?
"I want a technique that can temper the internal organs. It must be at least C-rank."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly.
Kumogakure definitely had such methods. The Third Raikage was the finest example.
His physical body could fight tailed beasts head-on, exhausting the Eight-Tails, and the only scar on his body came from accidentally injuring himself with his own lightning—not from a Tailed Beast Bomb.
With a body like that, Kiyoshi would no longer have to worry as much about ambushes.
After all, the longer one stayed in the ninja world, the more enemies one would have, and no one knew when an attack might come.
For a ninja, a single well-placed kunai strike to a vital point meant instant death.
Even Hashirama had once intended to kill himself with a kunai to prove something to Madara…
Whether he could actually die that way was unclear, but the fact that someone with passive regeneration like him even considered it was enough to show that a ninja's defense wasn't truly that high—an ordinary kunai with enough force could pierce the skin and strike vital areas.
Samui hesitated, holding her teacup and taking another sip as she considered whether to give such a technique.
Kiyoshi waited patiently for her response, casually reviewing the newly obtained jutsu in the meantime.
After about three minutes, Samui finally made her decision.
"Fine."
She took out another scroll from her other wrist and handed it to him.
Kiyoshi smiled faintly.
She really had prepared well.
Even accounting for the possibility that he would push for more.
What she gave earlier had only been to test the waters.
In principle, "not allowed" often just meant "allowed, but at a price."
It was simply a way to show how much Kumogakure valued him.
Looking at the scroll, Kiyoshi scanned it briefly before pointing at a specific section.
"Here. I need you to demonstrate this part."
"I have the Sharingan. I can see the flow of chakra in the body, which will help me learn faster."
He spread open the second Lightning Release scroll and pointed to a section.
Hearing this, Samui had no choice but to comply.
Following the meridian pathways described in the scroll, she began gathering Lightning Release chakra.
But suddenly, Kiyoshi grabbed her wrist.
Startled, Samui asked, "What are you doing?"
"I want to observe the chakra flow at a closer distance."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Kiyoshi's lips.
The Sharingan was not like the Byakugan—it couldn't freely see through the body or clearly observe internal organs and detailed meridian systems.
At best, it could only vaguely perceive the flow of chakra.
But the closer he was—
The clearer it became.
Samui immediately tried to pull her hand away, but Kiyoshi held her wrist firmly.
"Does Kumogakure reject me that much? Or is it just you who doesn't want to accept an Uchiha like me?"
Kiyoshi pressed the point sharply.
The clever Samui instantly understood the implication behind his words.
She looked into his eyes, and the burning, unrestrained gaze within them felt all too familiar.
Her expression stiffened, her face turning slightly pale, and even her usual composure nearly faltered.
After hesitating for several minutes, Samui let out a quiet sigh.
She resumed refining Lightning Release chakra, guiding it through her internal meridian system.
Her long, curved eyelashes trembled slightly as she focused completely on the process.
Meanwhile, Kiyoshi activated his scarlet Sharingan and leaned closer, carefully observing the pathways of chakra flow within her body.
Whenever he encountered a section he didn't fully understand, he even reached out to touch lightly for confirmation.
The power in his eyes surged.
At the sushi shop, Atsui watched as the sky gradually darkened, dusk fading into night.
It was almost time to close, yet his sister still hadn't returned.
"Don't worry. Samui is one of our best operatives. With her composure, she can handle anything."
Yukiya Yasukawa reassured him.
Hearing this, Atsui forced himself to calm down.
Yasukawa was right—if something had happened to her, they would already be facing arrest by Konoha.
So he waited.
Finally, just a minute before closing, Samui hurried back.
"What's wrong, sis?"
Atsui was relieved at first, but then noticed she was clutching her clothes tightly, as if feeling cold.
But it was already spring.
"It's nothing. Close the shop."
After saying that, Samui hurried toward the bathroom.
Soon, the sound of running water could be heard.
She was clearly taking a shower.
Atsui stood there, confused, unsure of what had happened, deciding to ask later.
He walked forward and locked the door.
Their sushi shop wasn't small—there was the storefront in front, and behind it a smaller residential building for staff.
Time passed quietly.
In the blink of an eye, it was only a few days before the Chunin Exams.
Kiyoshi and his team had already completed multiple D-rank missions, and even a C-rank mission successfully, gaining sufficient experience.
With strong backgrounds like Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi, it was only natural they wouldn't be weak.
"These are the application forms. I've already recommended you under my name."
Mizunashi Yukiro handed out three forms.
"Application forms…"
Kiyoshi took his.
They contained basic personal information, along with risk disclosures.
Any violation would result in disqualification.
Severe cases could even lead to permanent disqualification from becoming a Chunin.
"That was fast…"
Kurenai sighed softly, holding the white form.
They were about to become Chunin?
Genin made up the majority of ninja, while Chunin were already considered elites capable of leading small teams.
"Thanks, sensei!"
Asuma grinned as he accepted his form.
He still remembered the surprised expression on his father's face when he said he wanted to participate.
"Don't mention it."
Mizunashi Yukiro replied.
He glanced at Kiyoshi.
Just yesterday, the Hokage had summoned him and mentioned Asuma's intention to participate.
He had agreed immediately.
Asuma was strong enough.
Otherwise—
He would never have let this Uchiha advance so quickly.