Kurenai was slightly stunned.
She looked at the branch, so thin that it seemed as though it would snap with the slightest bend, then looked back at Kiyohara's expression.
"You're serious?"
"Of course."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
He walked to the riverbank, holding the cherry blossom branch in his right hand while forming a one-handed seal with his left.
After refining his chakra and converting it completely into water nature chakra, he extended the cherry blossom branch toward the river's surface.
Kurenai's eyes widened.
The moment the slender branch touched the water, the entire river flow moved!
As though guided by some invisible force, a section of the river rose from the surface.
Wrapped entirely in chakra, that portion of water slowly lifted from the riverbed and floated into the air.
It looked like a gigantic transparent fish being reeled out of the water.
Under the setting sun, the flowing water reflected countless tiny golden glimmers, sparkling brilliantly.
Inside the suspended river water, the fish that had been leisurely swimming continued to move as usual.
Then they suddenly reached the edge.
Confused, they flicked their tails.
A moment later, they dropped one after another onto the damp sand and stones of the riverbed with a series of splashes.
Crucian carp.
Common carp.
Several palm-sized grass carp.
They bounced and flopped desperately across the riverbed.
The water farther downstream continued flowing normally.
But this particular section that Kiyohara had separated seemed frozen in time.
Kurenai stood there with her mouth slightly open, unable to speak for a long while.
She stared at the floating section of river.
She stared at the fish falling from the emptied riverbed.
She stared at Kiyohara's profile as he held the cherry blossom branch.
"This... this is..."
Kurenai paused.
"A Water Release jutsu?"
She found it difficult to believe.
Kiyohara's mastery of Water Release had actually reached such a level.
Even among the shinobi of Kiri, she had rarely seen anyone with chakra control this precise.
Most Water Release users would release their techniques immediately after shaping them.
But maintaining a technique like Kiyohara's over a long period required an uninterrupted and perfectly stable chakra output.
"Mm."
Kiyohara responded softly and flicked his wrist.
The section of river water suspended from the cherry blossom branch swayed gently with his movement, like a real fish struggling against a fishing line.
More than twenty fish immediately tumbled out.
Splash.
Splash.
Splash.
They crashed onto the exposed riverbed one after another.
Then Kiyohara rotated his wrist.
Using wind chakra, he swept all the fish from the riverbed onto the shore.
Afterward, the suspended river water descended back into its original place.
Boom!
The separated waters reconnected.
Ripples spread outward in concentric circles.
Soon, everything returned to calm.
It was as if nothing had happened at all.
Only the thirty or forty fish flopping helplessly among the rocks and sand remained as evidence.
Kurenai stared blankly at the scene.
"How did you do that?"
Kiyohara put away the cherry blossom branch.
"I used water chakra to control the water flow and temporarily separate it from the riverbed. Once the fish lost the water around them, they naturally fell."
He paused.
"The principle is very simple."
Kurenai glared at him.
Simple?
What part of that was simple?
She was a shinobi too.
She could use Water Release as well.
But lifting an entire section of a river into the air and precisely wrapping it in chakra so it wouldn't disperse...
She did not even dare attempt something like that.
"You're talking nonsense again."
She puffed out her cheeks.
"There are plenty of hardworking people in the world. I don't see anyone becoming as ridiculous as you."
Kiyohara merely smiled and said nothing.
He crouched down and began collecting fish.
Kurenai also crouched beside him to help.
"This one's huge."
She picked up a plump carp.
The fish suddenly slapped its tail against her face.
Splash!
Water sprayed all over her.
Yet she was not annoyed.
Laughing, she tossed the fish into the bucket Kiyohara had taken out from a sealing scroll.
Kiyohara glanced at her.
The setting sun softened her features.
Several damp strands of hair clung to her cheek.
A droplet of water rested on her eyelashes.
As she blinked, the droplet trembled lightly before sliding down.
"Sensei's cooking tonight."
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze.
"You should come eat too."
Kurenai's movements paused.
"Lady Tsunade is cooking?"
There was a trace of uncertainty in her voice.
"Will it... taste good?"
"..."
"Hard to say."
Kiyohara stood up and shook the water from his hands.
"But the thought counts."
Kurenai considered it for a moment and nodded.
"Then I'll definitely come."
After a brief pause, she added,
"I can help out too. Cutting vegetables and things like that."
"Alright."
Kiyohara lifted the bucket filled with fish and began walking back.
Kurenai picked up her own bucket and followed beside him.
One in front.
One behind.
The two walked along the narrow path beside the river.
The setting sun stretched their shadows far across the ground.
Kurenai looked at the tall figure ahead of her.
Her footsteps slowed slightly.
She recalled what she had just witnessed.
"Kiyohara."
She suddenly spoke.
"Mm?"
"That technique of yours..."
"What about it?"
"What is it called?"
Kiyohara thought for a moment.
"It doesn't have a name yet."
"Then..."
Kurenai pursed her lips.
"How about Water Release: Cherry Blossom Fishing Technique?"
Kiyohara turned around.
Under the sunset glow, Kurenai's face carried a faint blush.
Her bright eyes looked directly at him.
"You used a cherry blossom branch to fish it out, so that's what it should be called."
Kiyohara looked at her for two seconds.
Then he laughed.
"Alright."
"We'll call it that."
He answered casually.
Whether the technique had a name or not did not really matter.
After all, he had only created it on a whim to test the extent of his Water Release mastery.
Judging from the results, his water nature proficiency was indeed excellent.
In truth, if Kiyohara wanted to, he could simply create a net using Storm Release and accurately capture all the fish in the river.
…
Back at the Konoha camp, bonfires had already been lit.
Tsunade wore a makeshift apron she had somehow found and held a kitchen knife in her hand.
On the cutting board lay a carp that Kiyohara had already cleaned.
All the blood had been drained away.
Only the prepared fish remained.
Tsunade suffered from hemophobia, but processed meat was usually manageable.
After all, even the rice balls she ate regularly sometimes contained raw salmon and similar ingredients.
Furthermore, she had been making a constant effort to overcome her condition during this period.
At present, seeing a properly cleaned fish no longer triggered a strong reaction.
A flash of cold light appeared.
The fish was sliced into thin pieces with astonishing precision.
Every slice was identical in thickness.
Identical in size.
The edges were so smooth that they looked as though they had been measured with a ruler.
"What amazing knife skills!"
Kurenai exclaimed from the side.
The corners of Tsunade's lips rose slightly.
Without stopping her movements, she rapidly transformed the entire fish into translucent slices neatly arranged on a plate.
"Of course."
She proudly waved the kitchen knife.
"I'm a medical shinobi."
"Knife skills are the basics."
Standing nearby, Kiyohara watched quietly.
His brows relaxed slightly.
It seemed Tsunade's hemophobia had indeed improved.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Even so, he still did not dare let her handle a live fish directly.
If seeing fish blood triggered her condition again, this entire tent might end up destroyed.
The next challenge was controlling the heat.
Tsunade heated a wok of oil and slid the fish slices into it.
Sizzle!
Steam and fragrant smoke rose immediately.
Her wrist moved lightly.
The spatula danced through the air.
The fish slices jumped within the pan, each piece receiving perfectly even heat.
Moments later, a plate of stir-fried fish slices was completed.
Golden in color.
Rich in aroma.
Kurenai leaned closer and took a sniff.
"It smells so good..."
Tsunade handed her the plate.
"Try it."
Kurenai picked up a slice with her chopsticks.
After blowing on it gently, she placed it into her mouth.
She chewed twice.
Then her eyes lit up.
"It's delicious!"
The smile on Tsunade's face deepened.
She turned toward Kiyohara and raised her chin proudly.
"Well?"
Kiyohara picked up a slice and tasted it.
The fish was tender and fresh.
The seasoning was balanced.
The cooking time was perfect.
"Not bad."
He nodded.
"Sensei has definitely improved."
Tsunade snorted.
But the smile at the corners of her mouth could not be suppressed.
"Naturally."
"When I get serious, what can't I do?"
She turned around and continued cooking.
Frying.
Stir-frying.
Steaming.
Simmering.
One dish after another took shape in her hands.
Steamed fish.
Braised fish chunks.
Fish head soup.
Pan-fried fish steaks.
Sashimi.
Fish Fillet.
One thing worth mentioning was that every single dish was something Kiyohara had made before.
While cooking, Kiyohara occasionally guided Tsunade through the recipes.
Many dishes from Kiyohara's previous life had already appeared during their daily lives and had received unanimous praise from Tsunade and the others.
Before long, the simple table was covered with seven or eight dishes.
Rin arrived carrying bowls and chopsticks.
Seeing the feast of fish, she could not help but laugh.
"Lady Tsunade is amazing today."
"Of course I am."
Tsunade wiped the sweat from her forehead and placed the final dish on the table.
"Alright."
"Time to eat!"
The group gathered around the bonfire.
The steaming dishes reflected the flickering firelight.
Warm laughter mixed with the crackling flames.
For this brief evening, amid the endless chaos of war, the camp felt less like a battlefield and more like home.
Kiyohara picked up a slice of fish and placed it into his mouth.
The fish was tender and fresh, while the rich sauce spread across his tongue with a satisfying depth of flavor.
Afterward, he looked toward the opposite side of the table.
Tsunade was enthusiastically eating fish. A bit of broth had stained the corner of her mouth, yet she seemed completely unaware of it.
Rin sat beside her, eating in small, delicate bites. Every now and then, she would glance up at Kiyohara before quickly lowering her gaze again.
Kurenai sat beside Kiyohara, occasionally placing food into his bowl.
"Eat more. You've worked hard."
"Thank you."
Kakashi sat on the outermost side of the gathering, silently eating fish. From time to time, he would raise his head and stare at the bonfire, as though contemplating something only he understood.
Guy was there as well.
He held a bowl larger than his own face and shoveled rice into his mouth with enormous bites. His eating style was so bold and aggressive that it looked as though he were fighting a battle against the food itself.
"Delicious!"
After swallowing a mouthful of rice, he raised a thumbs-up.
"Lady Tsunade's cooking is just a little behind Kiyohara's, but it's already very close!"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, just a little behind?"
"It means just a little behind."
Guy grinned broadly.
"Kiyohara's cooking is soul level cooking. Lady Tsunade's cooking is youthful passion level cooking. They're different. Completely different."
Tsunade was so irritated that she laughed.
"Just keep eating. Otherwise, you'll get a punch from sensei later."
Kiyohara kindly reminded him.
Guy's eyes instantly widened.
Only then did he suddenly realize something.
Tsunade was exceptionally nice only to Kiyohara.
If she actually got angry with him...
Several of his ribs would probably be broken.
Realizing that he had just walked through the gates of death without noticing, Guy immediately lowered his head and resumed stuffing rice into his mouth at full speed.
The bonfire crackled.
Warmth and delicious aromas drifted upward into the night sky.
Far away, inside the camp of Iwa.
Roshi had received a new order.
He stared at the mission document bearing the Tsuchikage's seal and remained silent for a very long time.
"Rescue Kitsuchi..."
he repeated quietly.
The Four-Tails sneered from within him.
"Rescue that brat? Ōnoki really is willing to pay a high price."
Roshi ignored the comment.
Although his relationship with the Four-Tails was relatively good, his own personality was incredibly stubborn.
In fact, he was arguably even more stubborn than Ōnoki himself.
Because of that, friction between him and the Four-Tails was unavoidable.
He rolled up the mission scroll and stood.
"No matter what, Kitsuchi is the Tsuchikage's son."
"And he's also a junior I've watched grow up."
That was all Roshi said.
…
The campfire gradually burned lower.
Kakashi and Guy were cleaning up the area, carrying the garbage to a distant location for disposal.
Tsunade had already returned to her tent to sleep.
Rin had gone to wash the dishes.
Shizune had not participated in tonight's gathering and was nowhere nearby.
Seeing that only she and Kiyohara remained, Kurenai pressed her lips together and stepped in front of him.
"Kiyohara."
"Mm?"
"Tomorrow..."
She hesitated briefly.
"Will we go fishing again?"
Kiyohara thought about it.
"That depends on the mission schedule."
"Oh..."
Kurenai lowered her eyes.
A trace of disappointment appeared on her face.
But soon she raised her head again and smiled.
"Then if you do go fishing, remember to call me."
"Alright."
Kiyohara nodded.
"You're not afraid of getting fat?"
he asked.
"How is that possible? I train every day."
Kurenai replied seriously.
She had seen plenty of female shinobi who were beautiful in their youth but neglected their health after reaching middle age and gradually gained weight.
Besides, back when she used to eat dango, Kiyohara had teased her by asking whether she would eventually turn into a giant sweet potato named Kurenai.
"That's true."
Kiyohara nodded thoughtfully.
"I can tell. Your figure is excellent."
Kurenai's figure truly was impressive.
And over the last few years, she had developed more and more, gradually becoming closer to the mature and elegant image Kiyohara remembered.
The places that should be curvy were curvy.
The places that should be full were full.
There was no room for complaint.
"You jerk!"
Kurenai's face instantly turned red.
She immediately understood exactly what Kiyohara had been looking at.
"I agreed that your figure is good."
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"So why am I the bad guy?"
Before she could respond, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Kurenai found herself pressed against his chest.
She was about to say something.
Then her words disappeared.
Her body gradually softened.
Soon she could barely remain standing.
Seeing this, Kiyohara thoughtfully supported her from below.
"Mmm..."
After a long while, their lips finally separated.
Even though this was not the first time, Kurenai's face still became bright red.
"You..."
She lightly punched his chest.
"What if someone sees us?"
"So what if they do?"
Kiyohara replied casually.
Everyone nearby was within the range of his sensory abilities.
If anyone approached, he would notice immediately.
"I'm heading back."
Kiyohara stepped away.
Tonight, he still needed to continue his training.
Kurenai watched his figure gradually disappear into the darkness.
Almost unconsciously, she raised a hand and touched her lips.
"Kurenai, what are you doing?"
A voice suddenly came from behind her.
It was Rin, who had just finished washing the dishes.
"Ah!"
Kurenai nearly jumped in fright.
Turning around, she saw Rin standing there.
"Rin..."
Kurenai hesitated.
"Did you... see anything just now?"
"See what?"
Rin blinked in confusion.
"Weren't you just standing here by yourself the whole time?"
"That's good."
Kurenai visibly relaxed.
If someone had witnessed that scene, it would have been incredibly embarrassing.
Rin gave Kurenai a strange look.
She could not understand why Kurenai's face was so red.
Was the night wind really that cold?
Unable to figure it out, Rin stopped thinking about it.
Instead, she raised her head and looked toward the distance, where Kiyohara's figure was gradually disappearing into the darkness.
At that moment, she was wondering whether she should somehow make time to ask Kiyohara to teach her cooking.
If she did that...
She would have more reasons to stay by his side.
"Rin?"
After spending a while recovering from her embarrassment, Kurenai noticed that Rin seemed to be staring at something.
She followed Rin's gaze.
There was nothing there except darkness and rows of tents.
"Nothing."
Rin waved her hand.
"We should head back too."
"Sounds good."
Kurenai nodded.
The two young women returned together.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
And eventually, the day arrived when the new "Last Will" would appear.
Kiyohara was training deep within the forest.
"Sage Art: Earth Release: Fist Rock technique."
His right arm was instantly covered with a rocky coloration.
The hardened muscles became even more defined.
Dense stone-like patterns spread across the surface of his skin.
This was a technique he had copied from a stone shinobi several days earlier.
It was the same technique Kitsuchi had used.
Technically, Kiyohara already knew this jutsu.
He had previously acquired it from the Steel Release version of himself.
However, this was his first time performing it using Sage Chakra.
After all, incorporating senjutsu into an existing ninjutsu required repeated practice and familiarization.
Kiyohara raised his right arm and felt the heavy power flowing through it.
The principle behind this technique was straightforward.
Earth nature chakra was infused into the arm, temporarily hardening the muscles and skin while granting defensive and offensive power comparable to solid stone.
It was different from Earth Release: Earth Spear.
Earth Spear increased the hardness of the entire body.
It covered everything like a suit of armor.
Fist Rock, on the other hand, concentrated all of the chakra into a single arm in exchange for far greater explosive force.
Each technique had its own advantages and disadvantages.
Kiyohara withdrew the chakra.
His arm quickly returned to normal.
Then he formed another sequence of hand seals.
These were all Earth Release techniques he had copied from stone shinobi during this period.
Some of them were techniques that even the Steel Release version of himself had never learned.
"Earth Release: Earth Spear Lance."
The ground trembled.
A gigantic stone lance emerged behind Kiyohara.
With a casual wave of his hand, the lance shot forward.
Boom!
It pierced directly into the mountain wall ahead and sank deeply into the rock.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Divide."
The earth beneath his feet began to shake violently.
Centered around Kiyohara, the land within a radius of several thousand meters appeared to be sliced apart by invisible blades.
Massive sections of terrain overturned, rose, and collapsed.
Countless intersecting ravines formed throughout the landscape.
Rock pillars were crushed by the surging earth.
Broken stones tumbled into cracks before being buried beneath fresh layers of soil.
Standing in the middle of the ever-changing terrain, Kiyohara remained perfectly steady.
His feet rested upon the only level patch of ground.
His body did not sway in the slightest.
Several moments later, the tremors ceased.
He looked around at the landscape he had completely transformed and nodded slightly.
Iwagakure's Earth Release truly possessed unique strengths.
Their techniques emphasized large-scale terrain manipulation.
Their focus was battlefield control.
Konoha's Earth Release techniques, by comparison, leaned more heavily toward defense and single-target attacks.
The two styles were fundamentally different.
Just as Kiyohara prepared to continue practicing another technique, a mechanical female voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
[Please retrieve your alternate future self's last will and urn. Make sure to properly take care of their remains.]
Kiyohara froze.
He stood in the center of the devastated forest with his hands still locked in a seal.
Around him was a landscape that had been torn apart by his own techniques.
But none of that mattered anymore.
It had arrived.
A new Last Will!
Kiyohara slowly inhaled.
Then he closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank into the depths of his mind.
There, numerous urns floated in empty space.
The Yotsuki Kiyohara urn marked with a lightning symbol.
The White Snake Kiyohara urn marked with a serpent emblem.
And now...
A brand new one.
Green in color.
Decorated with metallic ornamentation along the edges.
Engraved upon its surface was a symbol he knew better than almost any other.
The symbol of Konoha.
Kiyohara's spiritual form stared at the newly appeared urn.
Another self from Konoha?
He slowly extended a hand and touched the lid.
A cold sensation traveled through his fingertips.
Click.
The lid slid open slightly.
Then a hand emerged from the gap.
The hand was pale.
Exceptionally pale.
So pale that it seemed as though it had never seen sunlight.
Faint bluish veins could be seen beneath the skin.
The fingers were long and elegant.
The joints were distinct.
It was the kind of hand perfectly suited for forming hand seals.
The hand gripped the edge of the urn and gently pushed.
The lid opened completely.
A figure slowly rose from within.
The moment Kiyohara saw the figure, his pupils contracted.
A loose white robe draped over the person's body.
Long black hair flowed freely down to the waist, hanging over the shoulders and back.
But what truly captured Kiyohara's attention...
Were those eyes.
Those white eyes.
Within Konoha, aside from cataracts, what else possessed eyes of pure white?
The answer was obvious.
The Byakugan!
The Kekkei Genkai of the Hyūga Clan!
(End of Chapter)