Soon after, Kakashi also took out his birthday gift, which turned out to be a set of techniques related to the Hatake clan's kenjutsu.
Seeing this, Kiyohara felt a trace of delight in his heart.
This was a good thing. Back when he did not yet have the Sharingan, Kakashi used these techniques all the time, yet Kiyohara had no way to copy them. By the time Kiyohara gained the ability to copy, Kakashi had already stopped using the Hatake kenjutsu. Now, this was the perfect opportunity to continue refining his own kenjutsu.
"Thank you, Kakashi."
Kiyohara nodded as he spoke.
This was something very useful to him.
When it came to kenjutsu, Kiyohara had never abandoned it. It was just that his current shinobi blade could no longer keep up with the level of his battles, so he used it less frequently. However, chakra was incredibly versatile. Later on, he could attempt to learn ninjutsu that transformed chakra directly into weapons.
For example, the weapons held by Susanoo were formed entirely from chakra. Taking it a step further, certain unique tools could even allow their users to freely manifest weapons from their chakra.
This was a technique that Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki could use.
Specifically, the red circular ring behind him, known as the "Pawer God" from his Furious Smelting was said to be a unique weapon inherited from his predecessors. Through it, he could generate a wide variety of weapons using chakra, in great numbers.
It was even said that if any one of those weapons were used at full power, they could split the sky apart.
Of course, that claim was somewhat questionable.
In the end, Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki could only be turned into a "chakra pill," which Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki consumed on the spot to enter his second stage. Otherwise, the two of them likely would have been defeated quickly once Naruto and Sasuke joined forces.
With their level of strength, trying to measure up to Kaguya was still a bit unrealistic.
Kiyohara suspected that Kaguya did not only fear Momoshiki and Kinshiki, but was even more wary of the other members of the Ōtsutsuki clan. After all, that clan had truly produced beings akin to gods.
"Kiyohara, this is the custom medical kit I made for you. There is also a charm inside that I made myself."
Rin spoke softly, her pretty face slightly flushed.
"Thank you, Rin."
Kiyohara glanced at the custom medical kit and felt that it looked even more delicate and refined than Kakashi's gift.
Finally, Shizune also brought out her gift for Kiyohara, which turned out to be a full set of senbon needles.
Kiyohara felt that today's harvest was quite good.
After all, all of these items were essentially free, and he would not mind receiving even more.
A few days passed.
Kiyohara was in the backyard of Tsunade's house, practicing the Fire Release technique Dragon Flame Release Song.
Unlike ordinary Fire Release techniques that were released with brute force, the essence of this jutsu lay in division and control. One had to split a single stream of chakra into four, while simultaneously maintaining and controlling four fire dragons.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song!"
After forming hand seals, Kiyohara exhaled.
Four crimson fire dragons burst forth in response, each about as thick as a person's waist, twisting and coiling through the air.
They occupied the four directions of up, down, left, and right, yet remained synchronized. However, after maintaining for three seconds, the fire dragon in the upper left suddenly began to tremble violently, losing coordination with the other three.
Kiyohara immediately cut off the chakra supply to that fire dragon, allowing it to dissipate, while reinforcing his control over the remaining three.
'This is basically like using four jutsu at the same time,' Kiyohara thought to himself.
This was completely different from the Five Release Great Combo Technique that Hiruzen had given him. That technique relied on summoning four shadow clones to cooperate, each using a different elemental ninjutsu to attack the enemy simultaneously. During that process, the shadow clones also shared part of the chakra control burden.
But Dragon Flame Release Song relied entirely on a single person.
Still, Kiyohara was not discouraged.
This was simply how ninjutsu training worked. The more advanced the technique, the more time it required to polish.
He stood up, poured himself a cup of water, and prepared to rest for a moment before continuing.
At that moment, a gentle knocking sound came from outside the door.
"Kiyohara, are you there?"
It was Rin's voice.
Kiyohara opened the door.
Rin stood outside.
"Kiyohara, I want to ask you for a favor."
She took a deep breath.
"It's about the power of the Three Tails. I want to try to take it a step further."
Kiyohara stepped aside to let her in. "Come inside and talk."
Rin sat down in seiza at the low table, while Kiyohara sat across from her. Sunlight slanted in through the window.
Tsunade had gone out early in the morning with Shizune to buy new alcohol from an izakaya, so Kiyohara was the only one at home right now.
"I have been practicing borrowing the tailed beast's chakra these past few days."
As she spoke, Rin extended her right hand, and a faint red chakra appeared in her palm.
"But I can feel that the Three Tails' power is far more than this. It feels like I can make this chakra heavier, more solid, just like other jinchūriki."
Kiyohara knew that she was referring to the partial tailed beast transformation mode.
When a jinchūriki used the tailed beast's chakra, it was divided into several stages. The initial stage was the borrowed chakra mode, where faint red chakra would emerge, often with bubbles within it. In this state, all of the shinobi's abilities would be enhanced, and the tailed beast's chakra would heal their wounds, leaving almost no scars and granting astonishing recovery ability.
But the next step was the partial tailed beast transformation mode, where the body would undergo visible changes, becoming covered in dark red chakra, and even forming a skeletal structure behind them.
According to what was known, a Three Tails jinchūriki would develop thicker armor on their back.
"You want me to stay nearby and watch, just in case?"
Kiyohara asked.
Rin nodded, her eyes lighting up. "If you are here, I will feel much more at ease. And if I really lose control…"
"I will stabilize the situation," Kiyohara finished for her.
"However, Rin, you need to understand that partial transformation is not just about borrowing more chakra. Your body will change, and your mind will also be affected. You will become more violent and aggressive."
"I understand."
Rin clenched her fists.
"Didn't you say before that a shinobi must learn to control their power, instead of being controlled by it?"
Kiyohara nodded at this.
He had accompanied Rin during her previous training sessions, but she had never reached the stage of partial transformation before.
"Alright."
Kiyohara stood up.
"Let's go to the training field. We have no missions today, so we can take it slowly."
Training Ground Three.
Kiyohara selected an open area and set up a simple barrier around it. This was both to prevent others from seeing and to guard against the possibility of Rin losing control, giving them at least a slight buffer.
"Start with a warm-up. Gradually draw on the tailed beast's chakra as you usually do."
Kiyohara stood ten meters away.
"I will observe your condition. Once you adapt, then try to deepen the connection."
Rin nodded and closed her eyes.
Faint red chakra seeped out from her chakra points, swirling around her like a thin mist. At first, it was just a light layer, but over time it grew denser, eventually forming a faintly visible cloak of chakra around her body.
"Continue," Kiyohara said, his Sharingan observing the flow of chakra.
Rin bit her lower lip and began to loosen her restraint over the Three Tails' chakra.
More of the tailed beast's chakra surged out from within her, causing the chakra cloak to grow heavier and thicker. It even began to form a tail made of chakra behind her.
Rin could feel a strange consciousness trying to influence her. It was not the complete will of the Three Tails, but rather the instinctive rage and destructive urge of the tailed beast.
It was like standing at the edge of a raging tide, where a single misstep could drag her under.
"Kiyohara… I feel… something is wrong…"
"What feels wrong?"
Kiyohara stepped closer, activating his Sharingan.
"It is hot… my heart feels irritated… I want to destroy things…"
Rin's breathing became rapid, and the shadows of three tails began to sway behind her.
"I… I cannot control these thoughts…"
The three tomoe in Kiyohara's Sharingan began to spin rapidly.
"Look at me, Rin."
Rin instinctively raised her head and met those crimson eyes.
In an instant, a cool stream of chakra flowed into her mind.
Kiyohara used genjutsu to forcibly stabilize her, allowing her to regain clarity.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes… just a bit tired."
Rin leaned against his arm, breathing heavily.
The experience just now left her shaken. For a brief moment, she had nearly been consumed by that overwhelming urge to destroy everything.
Kiyohara helped her over to rest beneath the shade of a tree and handed her a water flask.
Rin took it and sipped from it in small mouthfuls, her cheeks still flushed from the exertion just now.
At the same time, she could not help recalling how she had just leaned against Kiyohara's arm like that.
"Thank you, Kiyohara."
She lowered her head, her voice very soft.
"If you had not been there, I might have already…"
"The first attempt is always like this."
Kiyohara sat down beside her.
When Jiraiya taught Naruto how to control the power of the tailed beast, he had nearly been killed by Naruto's rampage, even leaving a permanent, massive scar on his chest.
But Kiyohara had the Sharingan, so naturally he did not need to end up in such a miserable state like Jiraiya.
"As you gradually get used to it, it will become easier and easier."
Kiyohara said calmly.
Rin secretly raised her eyes to look at him.
The contours of Kiyohara's profile were clear under the sunlight, and those crimson eyes had already returned to their usual deep black.
For some reason, as she looked at him, most of the fear she had just felt began to fade away.
A quiet sense of reassurance slowly spread within her heart.
"Kiyohara."
She suddenly spoke.
"Hmm?"
"Can you… accompany me for a few more practice sessions?"
Rin gathered her courage.
"I want to master this state as soon as possible."
Kiyohara turned his head and met her gaze.
After a few seconds, he nodded.
"Alright, but that is enough for today. You have used too much chakra. We will continue tomorrow."
Rin smiled happily.
Over the next twenty or so days, whenever there were no missions, Rin would come to Training Ground Three early in the morning and practice her partial tailed beast transformation under Kiyohara's supervision.
Her progress was visible to the naked eye.
On the seventh day, she was able to maintain clarity of mind while forming two complete chakra tails.
On the twelfth day, when the third tail took shape, she no longer showed any obvious emotional fluctuations.
On the eighteenth day, she attempted a deeper level of partial transformation, and a hardened layer resembling bone appeared around her elbow joints, a sign of the Three Tails' chakra reshaping her body.
On that same day, Kurenai also arrived at the training ground.
"Rin, Kiyohara."
Kurenai waved in greeting. Today she was dressed in a dark purple training outfit suited for movement, her long hair tied into a high ponytail.
"I heard Rin has been practicing a new technique. Can I see it?"
Rin looked toward Kiyohara, and he nodded. "Perfect timing. Actual combat is the best test. Kurenai, you can be my opponent."
"No problem."
Kurenai walked to the other end of the open space and began forming hand seals.
"Then I will not hold back. Demonic Illusion: Naraku Clone!"
Three illusionary clones of Kurenai appeared at the same time, charging toward Rin from different directions.
This was Kurenai's usual tactic, using genjutsu to interfere while hiding her real body among the illusions to launch a surprise attack.
If it were the Rin of before, she would likely have already fallen into a passive position at this moment.
But today was different.
"Ha!"
Rin gave a light shout, and a red chakra cloak instantly covered her entire body. Three solid tails spread out behind her.
She did not attempt to distinguish which one was the real body. Instead, she slammed both hands onto the ground. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A circular wall of water rose up from the ground, isolating all four Kurenai figures outside.
At the same time, Rin clenched her right hand slightly as Water Release chakra rapidly gathered.
"Water Release: Water Fang Blade!"
She condensed the flowing water in her hand into a rotating blade of water.
Kurenai quickly drew out a kunai to respond.
Now!
Chakra burst beneath Rin's feet, and her speed instantly increased several times over.
Kurenai only saw a red afterimage flash past, and in the next moment, Rin had already appeared at her side. Her elbow, covered with a white bone like hardened layer, struck forward.
"So fast!"
Kurenai barely managed to raise her arms to block.
Bang!
The force of that elbow strike sent Kurenai sliding back several meters, carving two shallow grooves into the ground.
She shook her numb arms and gave a wry smile. "This strength is way too exaggerated…"
"I am sorry, Kurenai!"
Rin quickly retracted her chakra.
"I did not control my strength properly."
"No, you did very well."
Kiyohara walked forward.
"Your speed and strength have reached expectations, and your chakra control is stable. However…"
He turned to Rin. "The partial tailed beast transformation puts a heavy burden on you. How long can you maintain that state at most?"
Rin felt her current condition and replied, "About… two minutes?"
"Two minutes is already good. That is enough to handle many battles."
Kiyohara nodded.
Battles between shinobis were usually very fast and did not last long. Situations like Sasuke and Naruto fighting from day to night were quite rare.
Kurenai rubbed her arms as she walked over, though there was a smile on her face. "But that was really impressive, Rin. For a moment just now, I thought I was going to lose."
"You are being too modest, Kurenai."
Rin said shyly.
"If you fought at full strength, keeping your distance and using genjutsu and Wind jutsu, I would not be able to deal with you so easily."
"That is a matter of tactics."
Kurenai blinked playfully.
"But seriously, seeing how much stronger you have become, I will have to work harder too. Next mission, let's both do our best."
Regarding the power Rin had gained, Kurenai did not feel jealousy, only a bit of admiration.
As Kiyohara looked at Kurenai, he found himself thinking about the progress of Yakushi Nono's research on the Ketsuryugan. He had received money from Fugaku, but he had also donated a portion of it to the orphanage.
By the time they returned to Tsunade's house, it was already afternoon.
Shizune was in the kitchen preparing lunch, while Tsunade leaned against the sofa reading the latest medical journal. Although she often said she disliked paperwork, when it came to her professional field, she still studied it seriously.
"You are back?"
Tsunade did not even lift her head.
"How did the training go?"
"Very smoothly."
Kiyohara sat down across from her.
"Rin has already begun to grasp the partial tailed beast transformation."
"Oh?"
Tsunade put down the journal and looked at Rin with interest.
"Not bad, Rin. But the training of a jinchūriki cannot be rushed. You have to take it step by step."
"I will keep that in mind, Lady Tsunade."
Rin replied obediently.
Although she now knew that Lady Tsunade also had flaws, such as her love for drinking and gambling, and was not the flawless person she once imagined, Rin still respected her deeply, because Tsunade's abilities were undeniably real.
At that moment, urgent knocking sounded from the entrance.
Shizune went to open the door, and outside stood an Anbu shinobi wearing an animal mask.
He spoke concisely, "Lady Tsunade, the Hokage has urgently convened a Jonin meeting. Please proceed to the Hokage building immediately."
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned serious.
"Do we know what it is about?"
Tsunade stood up, her expression solemn.
"A request for assistance from Sunagakure."
The Anbu replied briefly.
"There has been a change on the Kiri front."
Tsunade and Kiyohara exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.
A request for aid from Suna meant that the situation on the western front had likely deteriorated to the point where they could no longer hold on alone. It was important to remember that Suna and Konoha had only recently formed an alliance. Sunagakure would not casually ask Konoha for help, as doing so would expose their weakness.
"Kurenai, Shizune, you come along as well."
Tsunade grabbed the green coat hanging on the rack.
"Kiyohara, let's go."
"Yes."
Rin could only watch enviously as everyone left.
Shizune was a tokubetsu Jonin, and Kurenai was a full Jonin. As for her, she had not yet obtained her Jonin certification.
"I should become an official Jonin as well," Rin thought to herself.
Now that she had become a jinchūriki, becoming a Jonin would not be a big problem. As long as the higher ups acknowledged her qualifications, she would pass.
...
Hokage Building, top floor conference room.
Both sides of the long conference table were already filled with people.
Aside from Hiruzen and the two advisors Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, representatives of various clans such as Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, Yamanaka Inoichi, as well as Minato and others, had all arrived.
When Tsunade and her group entered, many people cast their gazes toward them.
Kiyohara could feel the complex emotions within those looks, scrutiny, expectation, and even a hint of concealed wariness.
What had happened in the Land of Rain had already spread.
Kiyohara maintained a calm expression as he walked to the seat behind Tsunade and sat down, while Kurenai and Shizune took seats further back in the observation area.
"Everyone is here."
Hiruzen tapped his pipe lightly.
"Then let us begin."
The murmurs in the conference room immediately fell silent.
"An hour ago, an urgent request for aid from Sunagakure was delivered via a summoned beast."
Hiruzen unrolled a scroll.
"After breaking through Sunagakure's defensive line, Kirigakure's main forces have entered the Land of Wind. At present, their vanguard is only three days' march away from the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire."
A restrained gasp echoed throughout the room.
"What are Suna's losses?"
Shikaku asked in a deep voice.
"According to the information they provided, they lost at least eight hundred shinobis in naval combat, and multiple points of their land defenses have also been breached."
Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke.
"More importantly, Kirigakure has deployed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen this time."
After suffering heavy losses when several of their members were kicked to death by Might Duy in the past, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been reorganized, with a new group of candidates forming the current lineup.
(End of Chapter)