"Maybe."
Kiyohara sat down beside her, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight.
"Training stimulates physical development."
"Seriously…"
Kurenai muttered under her breath.
"I'm almost falling behind."
Her voice was soft when she said it, carrying that unique tone of a young girl, somewhere between a complaint and a hint of coquettishness. Kiyohara turned his head to look at her. Kurenai was lowering her gaze, her fingers twisting the sleeve of her kimono, the tips of her ears faintly flushed red.
The room fell silent for a few seconds, with only the faint hum of the desk lamp's electric current filling the air.
"Kurenai," Kiyohara suddenly said.
"Mm?"
"Abs actually look pretty good."
Kurenai jerked her head up, her face instantly turning bright red.
"W-what are you saying!"
"I'm saying that having abs is a good thing." Kiyohara's expression remained calm and composed. "Core strength is very important for a shinobi. Especially for genjutsu specialists, a stable lower body makes it much harder to be disrupted while casting illusions."
"I-I already know that!" Kurenai stood up abruptly, flustered as she lightly stomped her foot. "But a girl having abs… that's just strange!"
"It's not." Kiyohara also stood up and reached out, gently ruffling her hair.
Kurenai stiffened slightly, but she did not dodge.
"A healthy kind of strength has more value than simple frailty."
Kiyohara withdrew his hand. "Of course, that's just my opinion."
Kurenai fell silent for a moment, then suddenly raised her hand and lightly punched his shoulder, not too hard.
"You sure know how to talk."
She turned and walked toward the door, but stopped when she reached it.
"Oh right, tomorrow… are you free?"
"I have an appointment with the Uchiha clan head tomorrow."
Kiyohara answered honestly.
"But I should be free in the afternoon or evening."
"Then let's have dinner together in the evening."
Kurenai turned back, the blush on her face still not gone, but her eyes were bright and sparkling.
Tomorrow was Kiyohara's birthday.
"I bought a cake, so we can… celebrate your safe return."
Kiyohara did not refuse. Instead, he said, "Alright."
Kurenai smiled as well, her smile radiant under the warm light, almost dazzling to look at.
She waved her hand, her steps light and brisk as she disappeared into the night.
Kiyohara stood at the doorway until her figure was completely out of sight. Only then did he close the door and return inside.
The desk lamp on the table was still lit, its warm glow filling the room.
The next day, Kiyohara arrived at the Uchiha clan compound.
As one of Konoha's oldest shinobi clans, the Uchiha residential area was located in the northeastern corner of the village, bordering the Naka River.
At the entrance of the compound, two Uchiha shinobis were standing guard.
When they saw Kiyohara, one of them stepped forward.
"Kiyohara-sama, the clan head has been waiting for quite some time. Please follow me."
His tone was respectful, no longer carrying the scrutiny that had been present when they first met Kiyohara.
After all, within the Uchiha clan, strength was respected above all else, and Kiyohara had already proven his strength.
Kiyohara nodded and followed him through a series of winding alleys.
Along the way, members of the Uchiha clan occasionally cast glances in his direction.
Finally, they stopped in front of a building slightly larger than the surrounding residences.
The shinobi who had been guiding him bowed and stepped back. The sliding door was opened from the inside.
The one who opened the door was a gentle black-haired woman with a soft smile on her face.
"Kiyohara-kun, welcome."
Mikoto Uchiha stepped aside to let him in.
"Fugaku is waiting for you in the tea room."
"Thank you for having me, Lady Mikoto."
Kiyohara removed his shoes and stepped onto the wooden entryway, the floorboards creaking softly underfoot.
Uchiha Fugaku was seated in seiza at a low table, brewing tea.
He wore a dark blue clan robe, his expression as stern as ever. However, when he looked up at Kiyohara, the corner of his mouth still curved slightly into what could be considered a smile.
"Kiyohara-kun, please sit."
Kiyohara sat down across from him. Mikoto quietly excused herself and gently closed the sliding door.
Fugaku pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea toward him.
"Give it a try. This year's newly harvested gyokuro."
Kiyohara picked up the teacup. The pale golden liquid was clear, with an elegant fragrance.
He took a sip. After the initial bitterness came a long, lingering sweetness.
"Good tea."
Fugaku also took a sip. After setting down his cup, he remained silent for a moment.
"Kiyohara-kun, there are mainly two matters for inviting you here this time."
He spoke directly, his tone serious.
"The first is to thank you. Your activity on the fronts in the Land of Rain and against Kirigakure has secured a tremendous strategic advantage for Konoha. As the Uchiha clan, we are proud of this."
Kiyohara held his teacup without responding.
He knew the main point was still to come.
There was no way Fugaku had paid so much money just to tell him this.
As expected, Fugaku continued, "The second… concerns Itachi."
As soon as he finished speaking, the side door of the tea room slid open.
Itachi walked in and sat properly beside Fugaku.
"Kiyohara-senpai."
Itachi lowered his head in a respectful bow, his posture precise and impeccable.
Fugaku placed a hand lightly on his son's shoulder.
"Kiyohara-kun, recently… I have been getting busier and busier."
His words were tactful, but Kiyohara understood immediately.
As the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, Fugaku had to maintain order within the village.
At the same time, he also had to divide his attention toward the battlefield.
As a result, Fugaku had become extremely busy, leaving him with little time to personally guide Itachi.
"Itachi needs guidance."
Fugaku looked at Kiyohara, his gaze earnest.
"I am not praising him without reason. This child's talent surpasses even mine from back then. But precisely because of that, ordinary teaching methods have limited effect on him. He needs to see a broader world, to come into contact with… a shinobi like you."
Those who stay near vermilion become red, and those near ink become black.
Fugaku's intention was clear. He wanted Itachi to interact more with a genius like Kiyohara.
Kiyohara looked at Itachi.
Previously, Lady Mikoto had also asked him that if he had time, he could guide Itachi more.
But that was not the same as what Fugaku was suggesting now, which was for him to formally become Itachi's teacher.
"Itachi, what do you think?"
Kiyohara asked.
Itachi fell silent for a moment.
"I want to become stronger," he said.
"Not to surpass anyone, but to be able to protect… the things that are important."
For such heavy words to come from the mouth of a six-year-old child felt almost overwhelming.
"I am not the most suitable teacher."
Kiyohara spoke slowly.
"And my training methods may not necessarily suit you."
"That's fine."
Itachi shook his head.
"There are many things worth learning from you, Kiyohara-senpai."
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow slightly.
It seemed that the beatings from their previous encounters had finally made Itachi fully realize the gap between them.
There was none of the arrogance he had in the original story, only an extremely humble demeanor.
Kiyohara thought about it for a moment and found it perfectly normal.
After all, at this point he was a genius among geniuses. Teaching a child like Itachi was more than within his capabilities.
Fugaku spoke at the right time, "There is no need for you to teach him all day. You only need to give him some guidance on his training direction when you are free, or answer his questions. Of course, we will not let your time be wasted…"
"There is no need for compensation."
Kiyohara interrupted him.
"The Uchiha clan has already sent a generous gift."
He was referring to the three million ryo and the ninjutsu scrolls in his mailbox.
Fugaku shook his head. "That is a different matter. Those were a token of the clan's goodwill. Teaching Itachi… is my personal request."
Hearing this, Kiyohara felt that Fugaku was quite straightforward and clearly not short on money.
Kiyohara looked at Itachi.
Itachi sat upright, his small hands placed neatly on his knees, his fingertips slightly pale from the force of his posture.
"Alright."
Kiyohara finally nodded.
Becoming a casual teacher for Itachi was nothing significant. He could just take some time occasionally to guide him.
But when he thought about the saying that once you are a teacher, you are like a father for life, it felt a bit strange.
If something were to happen to Fugaku, Kiyohara felt that he would definitely take good care of Lady Mikoto.
"But I have a few conditions."
Kiyohara suppressed the stray thoughts in his mind and spoke.
"Please go ahead."
"First, I will not teach in the traditional way. I will teach Itachi what he needs, which means there may not be a fixed curriculum."
"That is acceptable."
"Second, the content of the training will be decided by me. You cannot interfere."
Fugaku hesitated for a moment, but still nodded. "I trust your judgment."
"Third."
Kiyohara looked at Itachi.
"If I believe that a certain kind of training is too early for you, then even if you insist, I will not teach it. Do you agree?"
Itachi thought seriously for a moment.
"I agree. Kiyohara-senpai's experience is far richer than mine. Your judgment deserves respect."
Hearing this, Kiyohara stroked his chin.
With his guidance, Itachi would probably never end up destroying his own clan.
Of course, if Itachi were still to be misled and stubbornly persist in the wrong path, Kiyohara did not believe that Itachi would be capable of dealing with him anyway.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was, in truth, a rather flawed ability.
When first using Susanoo, it did not just put a burden on every cell in the body, it would also lead to blindness after only a limited number of uses.
If one only used the ocular techniques without using Susanoo, it could slow the progression of blindness, but not by much.
Blindness would come eventually regardless.
"In that case, you can come to Training Ground Three tomorrow to find me. I will create an initial training plan based on your condition."
A flicker of light passed through Itachi's eyes. It was the kind of joy that a child could no longer fully hide.
"Thank you, Kiyohara-senpai."
Fugaku also visibly let out a breath of relief.
"I am deeply grateful, Kiyohara-kun."
After that, the conversation shifted to more relaxed, everyday topics.
Mikoto brought over delicate wagashi, and the three of them chatted casually while enjoying the sweets.
Fugaku asked Kiyohara about some details of the mission in the Land of the Sea, while Kiyohara subtly steered the conversation back toward the recent situation within the Uchiha clan.
He needed to know just how far this clan had progressed.
From Fugaku's implicit words, Kiyohara could sense that the Uchiha's situation was somewhat better than in the original story.
At the very least, they were not as isolated as before.
"Kiyohara-kun."
When they parted, Fugaku spoke solemnly at the doorway.
"No matter what happens in the future, please remember that the Uchiha clan will always be your support."
These words carried considerable weight.
Kiyohara nodded in response, but inwardly he knew that this was nothing more than empty talk.
In the eyes of this clan head, his two sons were the most important.
As for the other clan members, they were no more than passersby on the roadside.
After all, this clan head had never even considered avenging the dead of his clan, instead choosing death alongside them.
When Kiyohara returned to Tsunade's house, the lights in the living room were still on. Tsunade and Shizune were sitting on the sofa, several mission reports spread out in front of them.
"You're back?"
Tsunade did not even lift her head.
"What did the Uchiha side say?"
"They want me to guide Itachi."
Kiyohara sat down across from them.
Shizune looked up in surprise. "The Uchiha clan head's son? I've heard that child has exceptional talent."
"That's true."
Kiyohara accepted the teacup that Shizune handed him.
"He is even more remarkable than the rumors suggest."
"You agreed?"
Tsunade asked.
"Mm."
The next morning, Kiyohara arrived early at Training Ground Three.
When he got there, Itachi was already present.
Itachi was wearing a dark blue training outfit and was doing basic warm up exercises.
"Kiyohara-senpai."
Seeing Kiyohara, Itachi stopped his movements and bowed respectfully.
"You came quite early."
Kiyohara glanced at the sky. There was still half an hour before the agreed time.
"Father said that punctuality is a fundamental quality of a shinobi," Itachi replied seriously.
"And preparing in advance allows one to enter the proper state more effectively."
Kiyohara nodded.
Although Fugaku had failed in certain aspects of personal upbringing, his teaching regarding being a shinobi was quite solid.
"Then, before we begin formal training, I need to understand your current abilities."
Kiyohara walked to the center of the training ground.
"Show me what you have mastered recently. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, anything is fine."
Itachi stepped back a few paces, his hands rapidly forming seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A fireball nearly two meters in diameter burst from his mouth, striking a distant target and instantly reducing it to charred remains.
The temperature and scale of the flames far exceeded what should be expected at his age.
Immediately afterward, Itachi turned and threw out six shuriken in one smooth motion.
They collided with one another midair, altering their trajectories before finally embedding themselves precisely into six different bullseyes.
Lastly came taijutsu.
Itachi demonstrated a set of basic boxing techniques. His movements were fluid and well-coordinated. Although his strength and speed were limited by his age, his technique was already refined and skillful.
After finishing the demonstration, Itachi let out a slight breath and looked toward Kiyohara.
Kiyohara remained silent for a moment.
"Do you know what your problem is?"
Itachi thought for a moment. "Insufficient strength, limited chakra reserves, lack of experience…"
"None of those."
Kiyohara cut him off.
"Your problem is… that you are too standard."
Itachi froze for a brief moment.
"The Great Fireball Technique. Your hand seal speed, chakra output, and flame form all perfectly match the optimal solution written in textbooks."
Kiyohara walked up to him.
"But that is precisely the biggest issue. You do not have your own style."
Itachi's brows furrowed slightly, clearly thinking seriously about those words.
"A shinobi is a living being."
Kiyohara continued.
"The battlefield is constantly changing. You need to find a fighting style that suits you, not blindly pursue what is considered standard."
He raised his hand, palm facing upward.
Chakra began to gather, but not in any conventional form.
Golden grains of sand surged up from the ground, converging and rotating in midair before finally forming a golden sphere the size of a palm.
"This is Magnet Release, my kekkei genkai."
Kiyohara said calmly.
"But the way I use it is completely different from the shinobis of Sunagakure."
The sphere began to deform, stretching and reshaping into a slender golden short sword.
Then the short sword dispersed and reassembled into a small shield.
The shield shifted again, becoming chains, then a kunai, then fine threads, continuously transforming in rapid succession.
In the end, it took on a spindle-like shape, with electromagnetic force accelerating it.
If thrown, it could easily surpass the speed of sound.
"The Magnet Release used by Sunagakure is mostly applied for large-scale battlefield control or defense, but its deeper applications have actually not been fully developed."
Kiyohara dispersed the technique, and the golden sand fell back to the ground.
Itachi fell into thought.
Previously, everything he had learned had been rigid and by the book, without any personal interpretation.
He simply used whatever methods the adults taught him, without considering deeper levels of development or application.
Kiyohara watched the contemplative Itachi and continued his guidance.
In truth, he would be able to teach Itachi perhaps one day a month at best.
If calculated over a year, that would only amount to around twelve days of instruction.
Uchiha Fugaku had given him three million ryo. Calculated this way, each lesson was worth an astonishing two hundred and fifty thousand ryo.
Because of that, Kiyohara taught with a relaxed and comfortable mindset.
After all, who would have a problem with money?
While Kiyohara was teaching Itachi, Kurenai had already gone to find the others.
"I didn't expect time to pass so quickly."
Asuma sighed.
Today was actually Kiyohara's birthday.
Last time, he had bragged about giving Kiyohara a piece of chakra metal. At the time he had spoken with great confidence, but afterward he deeply regretted it.
Even thinking about it now made his heart ache a little.
There was no other reason, it was simply too expensive.
If Hiruzen found out that he had casually given it away, he would definitely not escape a harsh scolding.
Of course, Asuma knew that Hiruzen placed great importance on Kiyohara.
If it were someone else, he might get beaten for it, but since it was Kiyohara, it would probably just be a few words of reprimand.
"You are not regretting it, are you?"
Kurenai looked at Asuma.
Being questioned by the girl he admired, Asuma naturally refused to lose face and immediately said, "Ahem, do I look like that kind of person?"
He shook his head firmly.
"Asuma is definitely not that kind of person."
Might Guy gave a thumbs up.
Then he rummaged through the shinobi pouch at the back of his green training suit and pulled out his personally handwritten book titled "Youth Training Manual."
"My gift is ready too. I will give it to Kiyohara tonight."
"What about Kakashi?"
Guy turned to look at Kakashi.
Kakashi also took out the gift he had prepared.
Rin brought out her specially prepared medical kit.
"It is a pity that Genma is still on the battlefield and has not returned yet."
Kurenai shook her head.
If Genma were here, he would probably have given Kiyohara a set of senbon.
"Alright, let's go to Lady Tsunade's house first."
Kurenai said.
Since Kiyohara was currently staying at Tsunade's house, if they wanted to prepare a surprise, that was naturally the place to do it.
The group quickly made their way to Tsunade's residence.
After hearing their plan, Tsunade nodded and even had Shizune help order a cake.
A few hours later.
When Kiyohara returned home, he immediately sensed that something inside the house was off.
He opened the door, and light flooded into the dim interior.
At the same time, a birthday crown was placed on his head.
Kiyohara felt something soft brush against his forehead, as if he had touched something plush.
Then he saw that it was Tsunade who had put it on him.
"Happy birthday, brat."
Tsunade said with a smile.
The others also gathered around, offering their birthday wishes to Kiyohara.
"Happy birthday, Kiyohara."
"Another year of passionate youth!"
Kiyohara then watched as Shizune carried over a cake and placed it on the table, candles already lit on top.
"Go on, blow them out, Kiyohara."
Kurenai spoke softly.
Kiyohara nodded slightly, then blew out the candles.
"Do not forget to make a wish."
Tsunade reminded him.
Hearing that, Kiyohara made a wish.
It was a simple one. He hoped that he would not die too early and end up being sent back to his past self packaged as a so-called last will.
He had already seen too many ways to die.
And… he also hoped that his next future would be a bit stronger.
That was what Kiyohara thought.
After blowing out the candles, it was time for gifts.
Guy excitedly handed over his book to Kiyohara.
Looking at the crooked handwriting on the cover that read "Youth Training Manual," Kiyohara did not quite know what to say.
Could it be that he was expected to practice exaggerated slow-motion moves with both hands now?
(End of Chapter)