By the afternoon of the next day, the unit arrived at the Kumo front's forward command post.
The atmosphere here was completely different from Konoha.
The moment Tsunade arrived, she took over medical command. She gathered all the med-nin for a briefing—Kiyohara attended as a squad leader.
"It's worse than we expected," Tsunade said, pointing at the map.
"Kumo's offensive is fierce. Ever since they deployed the Two-Tails jinchūriki, the pressure on our line has skyrocketed. Medical resources are critically short—many wounded can't be treated in time."
She looked at Kiyohara.
"Your team will reinforce Medical Point Three. It's closest to the front—highest pressure, but also the most important. Can you handle it?"
"Yes," Kiyohara nodded.
Among the med-nin here, aside from Tsunade, he was the strongest fighter.
After the briefing, Kiyohara led his team to Medical Point Three.
It was a half-underground bunker—cramped and rough, but at least it offered some protection.
Once they were settled, Kiyohara started training again.
Specifically: the Chakra Scalpel.
It let him concentrate chakra at his hands—cut into any part of the body for treatment, even transplant organs. In combat, it could sever muscles and chakra pathways, basically functioning as a weapon.
So I can hot-swap parts now too, Kiyohara thought dryly.
With Chakra Scalpel in hand, if he could get more Sharingan someday, he could even use Izanagi.
That inheritance came from the "Uchiha Kiyohara" future—but unfortunately, that future self didn't know Izanami.
Sharingan aren't easy to come by.
Kiyohara shook his head. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't use Izanagi.
A Three-Tomoe Sharingan was enough to activate it, but the price was permanent blindness.
One Sharingan was basically a resurrection token.
And normally, when an Uchiha died, their clan retrieved the eyes to prevent enemies from taking them.
As for Konoha insiders… Kiyohara guessed Danzō was always watching.
Battle damage varied wildly.
Some corpses were mostly intact—just a slit throat. Others were blown apart into indistinguishable chunks.
So "missed recoveries" happened.
Kiyohara suspected Danzō's hidden stash of Sharingan came from exactly those gaps.
After all, for a non-Uchiha like Danzō to be using Izanagi, there had to have been extensive experimentation.
Orochimaru's research also burned through Sharingan stock.
So right now, Sharingan were a scarce, hard currency.
At least with this, even without a special blade, I can still use swordplay to maneuver.
Kiyohara refined chakra at his fingertips until it formed a blade-thin edge, like a cicada wing.
This was the purest offensive medical technique.
Tsunade's improved version pushed its cutting power even further.
Kiyohara practiced repeatedly until the chakra blade stabilized completely—no wobble even if he jumped, climbed trees, or stood on water.
Just then, Rin approached.
She'd been looking for somewhere to practice medical ninjutsu too, and found Kiyohara training.
"Kiyohara-kun, you're still not slacking even after getting here," she said.
"Just getting used to a new medical technique," Kiyohara replied.
Chakra Scalpel was basically a "sharpness buff." In Suna, there were med-nin who used medical water release—like Medical Water Release: Water Mantis—which could both attack and carry the "scalpel" sharpness.
Following that logic, if Kiyohara's mastery became high enough, he could attach the effect to other jutsu too.
For example… could he layer it onto Chidori and push its power even higher?
"Is that Chakra Scalpel?" Rin asked, looking at the cuts around them. She remembered he'd trained it at Training Ground Three before—she was curious how far he'd come.
"Yeah," Kiyohara nodded.
"Then I'll try too."
Rin formed her own Chakra Scalpel.
Since she knew the A-rank medical jutsu Mystical Palm Technique, she naturally could use Chakra Scalpel too—though Doctor Miyako had only taught it to her recently.
A pale-blue chakra blade extended from her fingertips, about ten centimeters long.
Standard length—already solid for a med-nin.
She swiped and cleanly sliced open a tree trunk. The cut was neat—good control.
"Want to try, Kiyohara-kun?" she asked.
Kiyohara nodded and walked to a thicker tree. He took a breath, chakra pooling at his fingertips.
A pale-blue blade formed—
not ten centimeters, but forty.
And it was denser, almost visibly "solid."
Rin's eyes widened. Four times longer than hers.
Kiyohara didn't pause. He flicked his wrist.
The blade cut through the air silently, then through the trees—
one, two, three… five trees, each as thick as a bowl, cleanly severed at the waist. The cross-sections were smooth as mirrors.
The trunks slid and toppled with dull thuds.
Rin's mouth fell open.
"This…"
She stared at her ten-centimeter blade, then his forty-centimeter one, and the gap felt brutal.
"Probably just because I have more chakra," Kiyohara said, dispersing the blade.
"And Tsunade-sama teaches well."
"So amazing…" Rin said honestly. "You've already gotten to this level?"
"Rin, I believe you can too," Kiyohara replied.
Rin had mastered Mystical Palm earlier than Sakura ever did, and she also had the Three-Tails' chakra supply. Her potential was huge.
At that moment, a med-nin sprinted over.
"Captain Kiyohara! Tsunade-sama is calling an emergency meeting!"
…
Inside the command tent, Tsunade, Minato, and several frontline commanders stood around a map.
By the time Kiyohara arrived, the meeting was already underway.
"Kumo has a supply point to the northeast," Tsunade said, indicating a marked location.
"Intel says it's one of their major stockpiles—soldier pills and medical supplies. If we destroy it, we can slow their offensive tempo."
Minato frowned. "But that's deep behind enemy lines. Patrol density is high—if we force it, losses will be huge."
"That's why it has to be a raid," Tsunade said.
"Small elite unit. Get in fast, finish, and pull out."
Then she lifted her head and looked straight at Kiyohara.
"Kiyohara. Your team will do it."
Kiyohara blinked. "Me? But I'm a medical squad leader…"
His current core teammates were Kurenai and Shizune, plus several med-nin under him—true logistics specialists, with weak combat ability.
"Exactly because you're a med squad leader." Tsunade walked up and gave his shoulder a firm slap.
"You know medicine, you can fight, and you have long-range sensing and sniping ability. This mission needs a multi-tool."
Her slap made her lean forward—and Kiyohara's view caught the deep green flak jacket shifting, almost as if it were straining, the neckline briefly revealing pale skin and a soft curve.
"Tsunade-sama, I—"
He tried to speak, but Tsunade leaned closer, breath warm and floral against his ear.
"Don't worry. I trust you. And… if you come back after completing the mission, tonight I'll teach you a new technique."
Kiyohara's eyes lit up.
He inhaled, straightened, and declared loudly:
"We'll restore Konoha's glory—duty demands it!"
His voice rang through the tent.
The commanders froze for a beat, then looked pleased—moved by the "Will of Fire" in this young prodigy.
Even Minato smiled and nodded.
"Well said. That's the spirit a Konoha shinobi should have!"
Tsunade laughed and ruffled his hair hard.
"That's my student!"
Then Minato added, "Kiyohara, I'll escort the squad partway. Kakashi and Rin will come too."
"Understood, Minato-sama," Kiyohara said. No objections.
He'd worked with Minato's unit more than once.
He knew Kakashi and Rin well.
Kiyohara guessed Minato was letting Rin gain real combat experience—but didn't fully trust the situation, so he'd accompany them for a stretch, leave Flying Raijin markers as insurance, and then let Rin proceed with the mission.
Minato was one of the rare space-time specialists—always needed everywhere, busy as a spinning top.
By the end, Minato would lead the raid team, scheduled for the next day.
After leaving the tent, Tsunade tapped Kiyohara's head three times.
He understood—at 3 p.m., he went to find her.
Tsunade had just finished assigning tasks to a group of senior med-nin. Up close, you could tell many of them were major names in the field.
Yet in front of Tsunade, they all bent respectfully.
Because Tsunade was the peak of medical ninjutsu.
When they saw Kiyohara arrive, quite a few looked curious.
Everyone wanted to be Tsunade's student—yet this kid had managed it, just like Shizune.
"Teacher," Kiyohara greeted.
"Not bad," Tsunade said. "Your comprehension."
"…Are you copying Journey to the West?" Kiyohara deadpanned.
On long marches, he sometimes told Tsunade stories—he'd recently told the part where the Patriarch summons Sun Wukong in the dead of night.
Tsunade coughed. "I'm building master-student rapport. Rapport, got it?"
Then she waved everyone else away until only Kiyohara remained.
"This is the Shikkotsu Forest contract scroll."
It was small—nowhere near the massive one Jiraiya gave Naruto.
"You already know Summoning. Bite your thumb, sign your name in blood, and the contract is formed."
"Okay."
Kiyohara moved to bite his finger—
"Hey—no, not here!" Tsunade stopped him and turned away. "I hate blood."
Kiyohara nodded, signed Kiyohara, then glanced at the existing signatures.
Tsunade. Senju Hashirama.
And several others he didn't recognize—every one of them with the Senju surname.
Only Tsunade's entry lacked "Senju."
He rolled the scroll up quickly so Tsunade wouldn't see the blood.
"All done, Tsunade-sama."
He wiped his finger, stuffed the bloody paper deep into the trash, buried under other waste.
Tsunade turned back.
"I'll summon Katsuyu-sama so she can recognize you."
She closed her eyes as she summoned—avoiding blood reduced the impact of her hemophobia.
A black summoning seal spread across the ground. White smoke burst.
When it cleared, a slug remained—blue-and-white striped, antennae gently swaying.
"Tsunade-sama," Katsuyu greeted in a soft, gentle voice—like a calm human woman.
"Katsuyu-sama," Tsunade replied, also using honorifics.
Kiyohara watched the scene with interest.
Katsuyu had a true name—like the Great Toad Sage being "Gamamaru."
Katsuyu's true name was Katsuyu, and her status should theoretically be far above Tsunade's.
She was, essentially, the Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest.
All slugs of Shikkotsu were her split bodies—so even this small slug was still "her."
Yet both sides addressed the other as "my lady."
"Oh my—so this is your new student?" Katsuyu noticed Kiyohara.
"Yes. His name is Kiyohara," Tsunade said. "He may need your help in the future."
"That's perfectly fine, Tsunade-sama." Katsuyu turned politely to Kiyohara. "Hello, Kiyohara-sama."
Kiyohara hurriedly returned the greeting with the same respect.
"Alright, that's enough for now. Thank you, Katsuyu-sama."
Katsuyu nodded, and Tsunade dispelled the summon.
"Tomorrow's mission—stay alive," Tsunade said.
Then she handed Kiyohara… a chicken.
Kiyohara blinked and asked where she got it.
"Mountain pheasant," Tsunade said. "Cute, right?"
"…Sure," Kiyohara said, inspecting it. "It'll definitely taste good."
Wild fowl usually had better texture.
Tsunade patted his shoulder. "Good. You've got taste. Go deal with it."
She'd worked herself ragged today—she intended to reward herself properly.
Kiyohara already had a list of dishes in mind.
After all, a Shikkotsu contract slot was something countless shinobi in the world would kill for.
…
The next morning, Kiyohara and the others left early with Minato.
They moved along a path dusted with light snow. The world was silent, except for the soft hiss of snow through branches.
This Kumo front was mainly near the Land of Iron.
The Land of Iron, like the Land of Snow, stayed under heavy snowfall year-round—bitterly cold, full of frozen plains and snow mountains.
So the northeastern Land of Fire border near Iron Country was far colder than Konoha's interior.
"So cold…" Rin warmed her hands with her breath. Visible steam floated from her lips. The cold made her small hands look even paler.
"I know, right," Kurenai agreed, nodding hard.
Then both girls looked ahead at Kiyohara, Minato, and Kakashi.
Kakashi looked a bit pale—clearly feeling the cold.
Minato usually dressed thicker anyway, full kit on; he looked normal.
The one Kurenai and Rin couldn't understand was Kiyohara.
He wore only a flak vest and chainmail underlayer—good protection, terrible insulation.
Yet he didn't seem cold at all.
His physical conditioning really that good?
Then Kiyohara suddenly stopped.
Minato and Kakashi stopped too.
"Mm—" Kurenai almost bumped into Kiyohara's back, but Rin caught her.
"Your sensory ability is as sharp as ever," Minato said, looking at Kiyohara.
"You probably noticed first too, Minato-sama," Kiyohara said, eyes fixed on a distant snowy ridge.
He had sensed someone there. His Yang-release chakra expanded outward.
Minato smiled gently without denying it. He'd been testing whether Kakashi or Kiyohara would catch it; if neither did, he would've said something.
"One kilometer ahead," Kiyohara said calmly.
"Kiyohara… your sensing still beats mine," Kakashi muttered, tugging his headband up to expose the red Sharingan.
His dynamic vision and insight sharpened.
Then Kiyohara pulled out a shuriken from his ninja pouch.
He coated it with magnetic force, and threads of sand-iron curled around it like a coil.
Magnet Release activated.
The surrounding air subtly stirred. An invisible attraction spread outward—dead leaves trembled, dust and grit drifted toward the shuriken, as if pulled by an unseen hand.
"Magnet Release: Supersonic Shuriken."
He could accelerate spindle-shaped sand-iron slugs—so of course he could accelerate a shuriken too.
In the next instant, magnetic force detonated.
With a burst of electric arcs, the shuriken launched.
Whoosh!
A streak of light tore the air, the shuriken screaming forward in a straight line toward the target a full kilometer away.
Splurt!
In the distance, a spray of blood exploded against a tree trunk and splattered across the snow, staining white into red.
Only then did the body—previously hidden under a flawless disguise technique—reveal itself and collapse, pressing into the snow with a dull thud.
There was an old joke in the shinobi world: Kakuzu once threw a shuriken at Hashirama from "800 li away," and that's why he survived and could claim he'd fought Hashirama.
Kiyohara could only think: give him enough time, and he'd throw one from 800 li too.
In half a month, the next "last will" delivery was coming.
"Watch out!" Yugito instantly reacted, shouting to her comrades.
But the warning was already too late.
At the edge of their post, one Kumogakure chūnin—momentarily stunned by his comrade bursting in front of him—
saw only a black blur fill his vision.
Splurt!
Kiyohara fired a second shuriken.
Magnet-accelerated, it carried terrifying kinetic energy and punched clean through the chūnin, dragging him across the snowy slope and leaving a long red trail as his life drained away.
"Ambush! Spread out!" Yugito's pupils contracted. She was shocked by the speed.
In her perception, the enemy was still a full kilometer away.
But experience crushed panic. She gave the correct order instantly.
The remaining Kumo shinobi scattered and took cover behind rock and trees.
Almost simultaneously—
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Kiyohara's seals were already complete. A massive gale blasted out in a wide fan, tearing through nearly a hundred meters of snowfield.
With his chakra reserves, the technique hit far harder than normal.
Thick snow was peeled away, exposing frozen soil and dead grass beneath.
Two Kumo shinobi who'd been trying to crawl forward under snow camouflage were instantly stripped of cover—fully exposed, faces twisted with disbelief.
"Don't let them—Wind Release: Minor Practice Air Bullet!"
Kurenai followed up. She exhaled after forming seals, firing compressed air shots—less power than Kiyohara's, but fast and precise.
Two screams followed as the exposed enemies were injured on the spot.
Rin gripped a kunai, stepping slightly ahead of Kurenai. Her free hand curved, pale-blue chakra gathering at her fingertips—
Chakra Scalpel.
"Earth Release: Earth Wave!"
Kakashi slammed his hands down, sending earth chakra into the ground. The terrain ahead rippled into uneven ridges, disrupting enemy movement and cutting off hidden approach angles.
In the confusion, a sharp crackle sounded—
Kiyohara's body left a faint afterimage.
He stomped, Lightning Release: Lightning Legs stimulating his muscles for explosive speed, while a magnetic repulsion field at his feet boosted him into something close to a glide.
In a blink, he crossed dozens of meters and reached the wounded Kumo shinobi who hadn't regained balance.
The shinobi saw only a flash of steel.
He reflexively raised his blade to block—
But Kiyohara was faster.
Slash.
His ninja sword cut through vest, chainmail, flesh, and bone.
The Kumo shinobi didn't even manage a full scream before collapsing.
Clean. Efficient. Instant kill.
From the moment Kiyohara launched forward to the moment the target dropped—only a few breaths passed.
The ambushers had wanted to catch Konoha off guard.
Instead Kiyohara struck first and shattered their formation.
Yugito's eyes locked on Kiyohara, fury stirring—
and with it, the Two-Tails' chakra inside her began to churn. Threads of crimson chakra flickered around her skin, her fingertips starting to sharpen.
She almost lost control, wanting to tear Kiyohara apart with tailed-beast power.
She bit her lower lip hard—bright red, not from lipstick, but from her pale skin making the color stand out.
Blonde hair, fair skin, features like an exotic beauty.
She lowered her stance, staring at him.
"Magnet Release Kiyohara… and… the Yellow Flash."
She didn't fully lose her head. She was wary of the man behind him.
Especially Minato.
"Damn it. Konoha found us."
"Don't get reckless," Yugito told her remaining teammates.
Behind them was their base.
This fight—they still had the advantage.
~~~
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