Kiyohara knew Rin didn't believe him, so he didn't explain further. He just smiled faintly.
The day he set foot on the moon wasn't that far off.
Without the Tenseigan, Ōtsutsuki Toneri wouldn't be anywhere near as terrifying as he was in the movie.
After all, he had been born disabled, without even having eyes in his sockets.
He perceived the outside world through a special kind of sensory ability.
Still, Toneri's Ōtsutsuki bloodline was extremely pure.
Strictly speaking, Naruto and Sasuke were both reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths' sons, and they also carried the Sage's blood.
But people like Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki and Urashiki Ōtsutsuki had never considered Naruto or Sasuke their kin. To them, one was just a fox brat, and the other was an irritating man who had awakened the Rinnegan.
Yet the moment Urashiki saw Toneri, he immediately recognized him as a fellow clansman. Because of the Ōtsutsuki clan's internal rule that kin were forbidden from killing one another, Urashiki only froze Toneri in time and sealed him away, sparing his life.
"You'll find out eventually,"
Kiyohara said after a moment of thought.
"Okay."
Rin nodded.
She had clearly taken it as a joke.
Kiyohara didn't say anything more.
The night wind brushed past, lifting her hair.
Rin wrapped her arms around herself and shrank her shoulders slightly.
Kiyohara took off his coat and draped it over her.
Rin froze for a second.
"Kiyohara-kun…"
"It gets cold at night,"
Kiyohara cut in.
Rin lowered her head and looked at the coat on her shoulders, still carrying his warmth.
A wave of warmth rose in her chest as well.
She lifted her head and looked at him.
His figure was reflected in those brown eyes.
"Thank you…"
Kiyohara looked at her.
Under the moonlight, her face had gone slightly red.
"A thank-you shouldn't be just that."
A faint curve lifted at the corner of his lips.
Rin paused.
"Then… then how should I…"
She didn't get to finish.
Kiyohara had already lowered his head.
Rin's whole body stiffened in place.
Her eyes widened, and his face was reflected clearly in her pupils.
Her heart started pounding faster and faster in her chest.
If someone had measured her heartbeat right then, they would have found it steadily climbing.
The clarity in her eyes gradually softened into a dazed haze.
And then Rin suddenly realized something.
Kiyohara had kissed her once before, but that time it had only been a brief touch.
So why did he feel so… practiced now?
"Ki… Kiyohara-kun…"
Rin wanted to ask something.
But Kiyohara had no intention of stopping, and he was far too smooth about it.
Before long, Rin grew more and more lightheaded, her body going limp as Kiyohara held her.
Seeing her like that, Kiyohara couldn't help but smile.
It took quite a while before Rin finally got the chance to breathe properly again.
Completely overwhelmed, she gave Kiyohara a light push, then turned and leapt down from the roof, hurrying off in flustered embarrassment.
"Hm. Rin really does feel different from Kurenai."
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
…
A few days later.
Just before they reached Konoha, Kiyohara took a set of clothes out of a sealing scroll and handed them to Konan.
It was an Anbu uniform.
A black skintight suit, silver armor, and an animal mask.
Konan accepted the clothes and looked down at them.
"…Anbu?"
"Yeah."
Kiyohara looked at her.
"You'll be embedded as an Anbu member. It'll make things easier."
Konan fell silent for a moment, then looked up.
"What about Nagato…"
"I'll go to the Land of Rain regularly, collect his cells, and continue researching a treatment plan,"
Kiyohara cut her off.
"You just need to protect yourself and wait for news."
After thinking it over, Konan realized there really was no better option, so she nodded.
"Alright."
She took off the Akatsuki robe and changed into the uniform.
Underneath, she was wearing a sleeveless skintight top that left her smooth midriff exposed.
Rin glanced over and noticed that there was a ring near Konan's navel.
A belly piercing?
Rin suddenly felt that the Akatsuki really were all a little strange.
Nagato was gaunt as a skeleton, and his puppets were covered in black rods.
Konan had a lip piercing, and apparently even a navel piercing too.
Even though Konan had a cold, alluring sort of beauty, Rin really didn't know how to appreciate that style.
Kiyohara looked too.
In the relatively conservative ninja world, Konan's look was undeniably bold.
Konan noticed both Kiyohara's and Rin's gazes, but didn't say anything. She simply finished changing.
"Let's go."
Once that was done, Kiyohara led them onward toward Konoha.
Getting Konan into Konoha under the identity of an Anbu member wasn't difficult for him at all.
He was the captain of an Anbu squad, after all. He had at least that much authority.
And with Kiyohara's current status and position, hardly anyone would dare investigate him.
"Kiyohara-kun."
"Do you think Konan will get used to life in Konoha?"
Rin looked at Konan as she asked.
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze.
"She will."
He believed that for Nagato's sake, Konan would work seriously and adapt well enough.
…
Konoha.
The moment the great gates of the village came into view, Guren's eyes lit up.
"So this is… Konoha?"
she asked excitedly.
Rin nodded.
"That's right."
Guren stared at the massive gatehouse and the bustling streets faintly visible beyond it, her eyes full of wonder.
Konoha really could be called a huge city.
Guren had never seen a place this lively before.
"So big…"
Kiyohara walked ahead, leading them through the gates.
The streets were crowded and lively, with people constantly coming and going.
Guren stayed close to Kiyohara and Rin, but her eyes kept darting everywhere.
Konan walked at the very back.
Kiyohara led them through several streets, finally stopping in front of a courtyard.
He pushed the gate open.
"Come in."
Guren hesitated for a moment, then stepped over the threshold.
Several unfamiliar flowering plants were growing in the yard, each covered with tiny white blossoms.
"Kiyohara?"
A voice came from inside the house.
Guren turned toward it.
A woman in a green coat was walking out from the house.
Long blonde hair fell loosely over her shoulders, with a few strands hanging down in front of her chest.
There was a lazy sort of beauty on her face, but when she saw Guren, her brow lifted slightly.
"This is?"
Tsunade walked up to Kiyohara, her gaze falling on the little girl holding Rin's hand.
"Guren,"
Kiyohara said.
"A war orphan. I brought her back."
Tsunade lowered her head and looked at Guren.
Her golden-brown eyes lingered on her for a moment, then narrowed slightly.
A thin face. Pale skin. And that faint wariness hidden in her eyes.
Tsunade had seen far too many children like this.
On battlefields. In ruins. In villages devoured by war.
Back when Jiraiya first met his three students, they had looked very much like the little girl in front of her now.
Tsunade bent down to Guren's eye level.
"Kid, what's your name?"
Guren looked at her.
"…Guren."
"Guren?"
Tsunade nodded.
"Nice name."
She straightened up and clapped her hands once.
"Alright. Since you're here, you might as well stay."
She turned and walked back inside.
"There are plenty of rooms. More than enough space."
After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back.
"By the way, have you eaten?"
Guren froze, then shook her head.
Tsunade arched a brow.
"Then what are you standing there for? Come inside and eat."
Guren stayed where she was, looking at Tsunade, then lifted her head to look at Kiyohara.
"Go on,"
he said.
Once Kiyohara gave the word, Guren nodded and hurried after her.
Tsunade's gaze then landed on the last figure standing there in the Anbu uniform.
That figure was slender and upright, wearing an animal mask and standing motionless.
"And who is this?"
Tsunade raised a brow.
Kiyohara walked over to her side.
"My subordinate,"
he said calmly.
"Personal protection."
Tsunade's brow rose even higher.
"Personal protection?"
She looked Konan up and down.
"Since when did you start caring this much about your personal safety?"
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"These are special circumstances."
He didn't elaborate, but Tsunade understood.
The Hokage election.
Every one of the candidates had a chance of becoming the next Hokage.
At a time like this, it would be perfectly normal for other countries to send people to cause trouble.
"Fine."
She nodded.
Tsunade felt that Konan looked vaguely familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before.
"Konan?"
she said despite herself.
"Yeah. I brought Konan back to serve as my temporary subordinate."
Kiyohara had no intention of hiding it from Tsunade, so he briefly explained Nagato's situation.
Tsunade frowned.
This was a sensitive matter.
Still, she believed Kiyohara knew how to distinguish what mattered and what didn't.
"Do what you want."
Tsunade started walking inside.
In any case, Kiyohara was already strong enough that Tsunade didn't think Akatsuki posed any real threat.
"Lady Tsunade,"
Konan greeted her.
She hadn't expected Tsunade to recognize her despite the disguise.
Not long after—
A low table was set with several side dishes and a steaming pot of miso soup.
Guren sat at the table holding a bowl of rice.
She ate little bite by little bite, as if she were tasting some rare delicacy.
Tsunade sat across from her, a cup of sake in hand, watching.
"Eat slower. No one's going to steal it from you."
Guren looked up at her for a moment, then lowered her head and kept eating.
But her pace did slow down a little.
Rin sat beside her, picking food into her bowl.
"Eat more."
Guren nodded and obediently ate everything Rin gave her.
After the meal, Rin took Guren to wash up.
That left only Kiyohara, Tsunade, and Konan in the living room.
Tsunade leaned back in her seat with her legs crossed, her pale feet swinging lightly.
"What are you planning to do with that kid?"
Kiyohara sat across from her.
"Get her healthy first, then send Guren to the Ninja Academy."
He had already arranged for Kabuto to enter the academy once before, so he was more than familiar with how to handle something like this.
"The Ninja Academy, huh? That's not a bad place for her."
Tsunade knew Kiyohara meant to raise Guren as a ninja.
"She has a kekkei genkai. Good talent. She's worth cultivating."
"What kekkei genkai?"
Tsunade asked curiously.
"Crystal Release."
Kiyohara explained that it was a technique that could produce all sorts of pink crystals.
Tsunade listened and thought that sounded pretty useful.
"That works."
She stood up and stretched.
As she moved, the green coat lifted slightly, exposing a strip of her pale, toned waist and abdomen.
"I'm sleepy. I'm going upstairs to rest."
She yawned and headed for the stairs.
"Oh, right."
She looked back at Konan.
"If you're Kiyohara's subordinate, then behave yourself and stay put."
With that said, Tsunade went upstairs.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade,"
Konan replied.
Tsunade's footsteps gradually faded away, leaving only Kiyohara and Konan in the living room.
Kiyohara stood and headed upstairs.
"Come with me."
Konan rose and followed him.
He first showed her the room where she would be staying temporarily, then brought her to his own room.
Kiyohara sat down at the desk, turned around, and looked at Konan.
She stood in the doorway without coming in.
Kiyohara looked at her.
"Take it off."
Konan was silent for a moment, then raised a hand and removed the mask.
Her cool, refined face was revealed, the paper flower in her blue hair swaying slightly.
"I'll start researching Nagato's condition as soon as possible,"
Kiyohara said.
"For the next few days, stay here and get used to the environment."
Konan acknowledged that quietly.
"Anything else?"
Kiyohara asked.
"No,"
Konan said.
"Then go rest."
Kiyohara waved a hand dismissively.
Konan turned to leave.
"Wait."
Kiyohara suddenly called out to her.
She stopped and looked back.
Kiyohara looked at her.
"I'm a little thirsty."
he said flatly.
Konan's brows drew together slightly.
This guy really was treating her like a subordinate.
But every time she thought of Nagato, she had no choice but to go along with Kiyohara for now.
"Where's the tea?"
She looked around but didn't see any cups or tea leaves nearby.
"Downstairs in the kitchen. Left-side cabinet."
Konan turned and left the room.
A moment later, footsteps sounded again.
The door opened.
Konan walked in carrying a tray.
On it were a teapot and a teacup.
She set the tray on the desk, lifted the teapot, and poured him a cup.
The tea was clear, and steam rose gently from it.
She slid the cup toward him.
"Please."
Kiyohara picked up the cup and took a sip.
The temperature was perfect.
He was very satisfied.
Konan really did have the makings of a good maid—no, a good subordinate.
"What are you looking at?"
Konan glared at him. Because she had just poured the tea, she was kneeling beside him.
"Nothing."
Even so, Kiyohara kept looking at her.
From this angle, he could see the pale line of her neck.
Because she was kneeling, the tight Anbu pants clung closely to her, outlining the shape of her body.
Every now and then, as she shifted her weight slightly to one side, the curve of one hip became even more pronounced.
Kiyohara's gaze rested on her for a moment.
Then he withdrew it and continued drinking his tea.
"You can go."
At that, Konan's figure dissolved into sheets of paper and disappeared.
Her real body retreated into the shadows instead.
The Land of Rain also had Anbu, and since Hanzō of the Salamander had been paranoid about death, Amegakure had quite a lot of them.
So Konan understood well enough what Anbu work was supposed to be.
…
Root headquarters.
Under the pale white light, Orochimaru stood beside an operating table wearing surgical gloves, in the middle of handling something.
When he heard the door open, he looked up.
"It's done."
Orochimaru looked at Shimura Danzō's right arm.
The arm was pale, and embedded all across it were blood-red eyeballs.
There were ten Sharingan in total.
Each one was turning faintly, as though peering at the world.
"It's done?"
Danzō's voice was hoarse.
Because he didn't trust Orochimaru, Danzō hadn't used anesthesia at all. He had stayed conscious the entire time.
Orochimaru nodded.
"The transplant went smoothly."
He removed his gloves.
Danzō had previously transplanted a few Sharingan one after another.
But only today had the number been increased to ten.
If they added any more, Orochimaru estimated Danzō would no longer be able to control them.
Ten was the ideal number.
As long as he didn't burn through them all at once, after every battle Danzō could simply replenish them with new Sharingan.
Paired with the Uchiha clan's forbidden technique, Izanagi, it could practically be called a kind of immortality.
Danzō lowered his head and looked at his arm.
This wasn't actually his own arm. It was an arm Orochimaru had removed from someone named Uchiha Shin.
That arm could serve as a vessel for both Hashirama's cells and the Sharingan, allowing Danzō to use them.
Danzō could feel it clearly—the ten Sharingan together contained an enormous amount of ocular power.
"This state needs to be sealed,"
Orochimaru said from beside him.
"Otherwise, you won't be able to move normally."
Danzō had already prepared for that.
Without any hurry, he took out a new restraint device from his clothes.
The inside of the restraint was engraved with sealing formulas.
He slid the arm into it, adjusted its position, and fixed it in place with a series of heavy screws.
Click.
The restraint closed, locking the arm down tightly.
Danzō flexed his fingers.
"Good."
He turned and looked at Orochimaru.
"There's something I need you to do."
Orochimaru looked back at him.
"What is it?"
"Go test Kiyohara's strength."
Danzō's voice was dark.
"I've heard he's mastered a forbidden technique called the Eight-Headed Serpent Technique."
Orochimaru's brows drew together slightly.
"The Eight-Headed Serpent Technique?"
"That was something I taught him."
Orochimaru gave a hoarse little laugh.
For a moment, Danzō almost thought he had misheard.
What had Orochimaru just said?
"…What?"
"It's my technique,"
Orochimaru said calmly.
"I gave it to him."
Danzō's face turned livid at a visible pace.
"You gave it to him?"
He couldn't understand what kind of madness Orochimaru was playing at.
"Do you even know what you've done?!"
Orochimaru looked at him, expression calm.
"I need Kiyohara-kun's assistance."
"And besides, that technique was still incomplete. I didn't expect him to refine it that far."
Danzō drew in a deep breath, forcing down the anger boiling inside him.
"You…"
He pointed at Orochimaru, his finger trembling slightly.
"You're helping the enemy!"
Orochimaru didn't argue.
He simply stood there in silence, waiting for Danzō's temper to settle.
A moment later, Danzō lowered his hand.
"In a few days, I'll go spar with him,"
Orochimaru said.
"I want to personally experience how complete Kiyohara-kun's Eight-Headed Serpent Technique really is."
He had already received reports that Kiyohara had used the technique on the battlefield, but he had never faced it in person.
Danzō stared at him.
"You're confident?"
"It's only a spar."
Orochimaru paused, then licked out his long tongue.
"Besides, I'd also like to see whether Kiyohara-kun's body… has changed in any way."