One rather ironic thing was that although Kumogakure appeared to be filled with nothing but reckless hot blooded brutes, their technological development was actually the most advanced among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
After all, only two years after the Fourth Shinobi War, they had already developed the "Chakra Cannon," a weapon capable of blasting the moon apart with a single strike.
As for exactly when the research had begun and how many years it had taken to perfect, only Kumogakure's scientific personnel likely knew the answer.
After resting for half an hour, a shinobi came to notify Kiyohara that he was needed for a meeting.
When Kiyohara lifted the tent flap and stepped inside, the meeting had already begun.
Around twenty people sat within the tent, all dressed in standard green shinobi flak jackets.
At the head seat sat none other than Jiraiya.
This heroic member of the Legendary Sannin had, for once, put away his usual carefree grin.
Kiyohara's arrival caused a faint disturbance.
Several gazes immediately focused on him, carrying curiosity, caution, admiration, and various other emotions.
In the shinobi world, strength was the hardest currency of all.
Kiyohara's achievements on the Kirigakure front had long since spread throughout the battlefield. Killing two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and seizing their blades was a feat impressive enough to make anyone take notice, even amidst the Third Great Shinobi War.
"Kiyohara, sit over here."
Jiraiya looked up and nodded toward him, gesturing to an empty seat on the left side.
Kiyohara sat down as instructed and swept his gaze across the people present.
There were quite a few Uchiha clan shinobi here, and one of them stood out particularly.
His expression was rigid and severe, his face lined with deep wrinkles.
It was none other than Uchiha Setsuna.
"Our reconnaissance team discovered a newly constructed Kumogakure supply station twenty one miles (35 km) northeast of here. The scale isn't large, but the defenses are tight. There are at least several jonin stationed there permanently, along with numerous chunin."
Jiraiya's finger slid across the map before finally stopping at a location marked with a red triangle.
"Here. Blackstone Canyon. It's the mandatory route for Kumogakure forces transporting supplies to this side. The terrain is dangerous and naturally easy to defend."
He paused and looked around the room.
"The intelligence division believes Kumo has been mobilizing troops frequently lately. They are most likely stockpiling supplies in preparation for a winter offensive. If they complete their supply buildup smoothly, the pressure on us once winter arrives will increase dramatically."
Silence filled the tent.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Kumogakure was located in high altitude mountainous terrain. Their shinobi lived year round in harsh conditions, making them far more adaptable to winter warfare than Konoha.
If they were allowed to secure sufficient supplies and launch an offensive during the freezing season, Konoha's defensive lines would face an extremely severe test.
"So…"
Jiraiya straightened up, placing both hands on the table.
"We need to destroy their supply lines on a large scale."
His eyes swept across the room before finally settling on Kiyohara.
"Kiyohara-kun, you already have experience cutting off enemy supply lines from the Kiri front. For this mission, I'd like to hear your opinion."
Instantly, everyone's attention once again converged on Kiyohara.
Kiyohara remained calm under their gazes. He stood and walked toward the map.
His finger slowly traced along the outline of Blackstone Canyon.
"The terrain is indeed dangerous. A frontal assault is not advisable. Since Kumogakure chose this place as a supply station, they definitely established comprehensive defensive fortifications and warning systems. A direct attack would only drag us into a war of attrition."
"Then what's your suggestion?"
Nara Ensui asked, the shogi piece in his hand finally stopping its rotation.
"Circle around and sabotage from the rear."
Kiyohara's finger extended upward along the canyon walls before finally stopping at a hilly area behind the enemy position.
Cutting off the enemy's supply line had always been one of the most classic tactics in both ordinary warfare and shinobi warfare.
The Battle of Kannabi Bridge was the perfect example. That operation had directly determined the direction of the war between Konoha and Iwagakure, allowing Konoha to seize the upper hand.
As Jiraiya listened to Kiyohara's analysis, he found it quite reasonable.
In truth, they had already considered this plan before. The real problem was implementation.
However, once he thought about Kiyohara's extraordinary mobility, Jiraiya began to feel that the strategy was indeed feasible.
"Kiyohara, I have several potential routes here for disrupting their supply lines. Which one do you want?"
Jiraiya listed several options in succession.
Kiyohara listened quietly.
Only when he heard Samui's name did he finally speak.
"I'll go to Samui's side."
"Oh?"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow slightly.
Samui was Killer B's disciple, and the supply line under her protection was the hardest one to sever. Yet Kiyohara had immediately chosen the most difficult target?
"The Will of Fire means fearing neither hardship nor danger. The more difficult the mission, the more it reveals the purity of one's Will of Fire."
Kiyohara declared that his Will of Fire was precisely this noble.
His backbone was harder than stone, and his ambition loftier than mountain peaks.
After hearing Kiyohara's explanation, Jiraiya felt deeply satisfied with his interpretation of the Will of Fire.
The discussion then continued with a few additional details.
The general idea was that Kiyohara would head there in advance and lie in ambush.
Afterward, he would launch a surprise attack on the enemy and complete the sabotage mission.
Once the meeting ended, Kiyohara left the tent directly.
"Kiyohara."
Uchiha Tekka called out to him.
"What is it?"
Kiyohara glanced at him.
Tekka had not been present at the meeting just now.
"Did you take a mission?"
Tekka asked curiously.
"I took one."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Who are you bringing this time? Can you count me in? I've been stuck here for a whole week already. I'm about to suffocate from boredom."
Kiyohara looked at him.
"What are you skilled at?"
"Fire techniques, of course. The Uchiha clan's trademark Fire jutsu. I may not compare to you, but I'm still pretty proficient. My shurikenjutsu is good too, and my taijutsu isn't bad either."
"This mission requires stealth. Fire Release isn't suitable."
Kiyohara interrupted him.
What a joke. Launching a Fire Release technique in the middle of the night would practically announce their location to the enemy.
According to information from the reconnaissance division, Kumogakure usually transported supplies at night.
"And you've already been stationed here for half a year. Kumogakure likely has records on you already. You'd be easy to identify."
Kiyohara continued.
"Then who are you bringing?"
"Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai."
Kiyohara had already decided on the team members.
Kakashi's Sharingan and Lightning Release would give them an advantage in reconnaissance and in dealing with Kumogakure shinobi.
Asuma also possessed the Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning technique, which could obscure the enemy's vision.
As for a sensory type shinobi, Kiyohara himself was enough.
He could sense chakra personally and could also release Yotsuki Kiyohara to assist with scouting.
"Fine then."
Uchiha Tekka could only wave his hand helplessly before leaving.
Kiyohara watched his departing figure and shook his head slightly.
Tekka's position truly was awkward. If he possessed instantaneous movement abilities comparable to Shisui's, bringing him along might actually have been possible.
"Kiyohara!"
A voice suddenly came from the side.
Kiyohara turned and saw Kurenai jogging toward him.
"Have you eaten dinner yet?"
Kurenai asked.
"Not yet. Oh right, I need to tell you something."
Kiyohara recounted the contents of the meeting to her.
"Understood."
Kurenai nodded.
"I'll go inform the others."
The next morning, just as dawn began to break, the team had already assembled at the eastern gate of the camp.
Kiyohara stood at the front, Samehada wrapped in bandages across his back.
"Everyone ready?"
Kiyohara asked.
Kurenai and the others nodded.
Then the group began moving out.
The mountain path was rugged and difficult.
In the region surrounding the Kumogakure front lines, towering snow capped mountains could still be seen in the distance.
The route Kiyohara's group traveled had sparse vegetation, consisting mostly of exposed rocks and low shrubs.
This kind of terrain was extremely unfavorable for stealth movement. There was little cover, the field of vision was broad, and it was easy to be exposed.
However, the route Kiyohara selected was extremely clever.
He kept the group moving almost entirely along the shadowed side of the mountain ridge, using the shadows of rocks and variations in elevation to conceal their figures.
Whenever they occasionally crossed open terrain, he would signal everyone to lie flat and use chameleon like camouflage techniques to blend perfectly into the environment.
By evening, as the setting sun dyed the western sky orange red, the five of them arrived at the designated ambush point.
This was a slope piled high with countless black rocks. Some were as large as houses, while others were only the size of fists.
Stubborn moss and low shrubs grew between the cracks in the stone, providing natural concealment for an ambush.
Kiyohara closed his eyes and condensed Yang Release chakra toward the front.
A moment later, he opened them again, understanding flashing through his gaze.
He pointed toward a jagged rocky mountain to the left front.
"It's there. The terrain matches perfectly, and… there are enemies behind the rock wall."
"Enemies?"
Kurenai lowered her voice.
"Four jonin hiding in the crevices on the shaded side."
Kiyohara replied.
"They should be permanent hidden sentries arranged by Kumo to monitor this passage."
"Four jonin…"
Asuma's expression shifted slightly as he subconsciously tightened his grip on his trench knives.
Naturally, he was not afraid of battle.
But four experienced Kumogakure jonin serving as hidden sentries would undoubtedly be an extremely troublesome obstacle.
Once a direct confrontation broke out, even if they managed to win, it would inevitably take a long time, and the commotion certainly would not be small. There was a high chance it would alert the enemy prematurely.
And once the information was transmitted out, the entire ambush plan would collapse.
Asuma could not help but glance toward Kiyohara, a growing sense of frustration rising in his chest.
The gap.
That same crushing gap that made people feel powerless.
If he had been leading the team alone, he probably would have had no choice but to either abandon the mission or devise an extremely complicated and highly dangerous plan.
"The essence of shinobi assassination is achieving a kill in a single strike."
Kiyohara spoke slowly.
"So called stealth assassination is not limited to silently approaching the target at close range. If the enemy dies before realizing they are under attack, that is also assassination."
Kurenai looked at Kiyohara's profile, then glanced toward the distant rocky mountain that could barely be seen more than a thousand meters away. She could not help but lower her voice in concern.
"Kiyohara, isn't the distance too far? Shouldn't we get closer first, just to make sure…"
"No need."
Kiyohara interrupted her.
The power of his eyes was no longer what it once had been.
As Kiyohara's spiritual energy increased, the power of his Yin Release also strengthened accordingly.
And with it, the ocular power of the Sharingan rose naturally as well.
The mouth of the gourd hanging at Kiyohara's waist trembled slightly.
In the next moment, golden sand poured from the gourd like flowing quicksand, rapidly gathering before him.
The gold dust quickly molded itself into four spindle shaped projectiles about as thick as thumbs, each sharpened at both ends.
Kiyohara raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers together while pointing toward the rocky mountain in the distance.
At the same time, dense and violent blue white arcs of electricity suddenly danced across the surfaces of the four golden projectiles.
"Magnet Release: Electromagnetic Gold Dust Bullets."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Four streaks of golden light tore through the air, shooting forward at speeds surpassing sound itself.
The instant the bullets flew out, they created white cone shaped shockwaves.
The piercing sonic booms could not even keep up with the speed of the projectiles. Only after the golden streaks vanished at the edge of vision did the deafening thunderous roar finally arrive.
BOOM!!!!
One thousand meters away.
Four Kumogakure jonin were vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
All of them were experienced veteran shinobi with sharp instincts. Terrain like this was especially prone to ambushes, so they remained extremely cautious.
But no matter how cautious they were, they could never have imagined an attack coming from a thousand meters away.
One of the jonin suddenly felt his heart clench violently.
It was the survival instinct forged through countless brushes with death screaming a warning inside his mind.
He instinctively tried to dodge sideways.
But it was already too late.
All he saw were four flashes of golden light streaking across his vision.
In the next instant, agonizing pain erupted from his chest.
He looked down.
A blood soaked hole the size of a bowl had been blasted clean through his torso. The edges of the wound were blackened and charred, with no blood flowing out because the extreme heat had carbonized the tissue instantly.
He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but only blood foam and fragments of internal organs spilled out.
Thud.
His corpse collapsed to the ground.
The other three jonin were struck almost simultaneously.
Two had their heads blown apart like smashed watermelons.
The third was hit in the abdomen, his upper and lower body nearly separated completely.
The corpses fell into the dust as blood rapidly soaked into the earth.
On the other side.
Asuma had not even managed to clearly see how those gold dust bullets disappeared. He only heard an incredibly brief muffled sound.
Then everything returned to silence.
The distant rocky mountain still stood there quietly, as though absolutely nothing had happened.
"Th They're dead?"
Asuma's eyes widened in disbelief.
Kiyohara slowly lowered his hand, and the gold dust flowing from the gourd ceased.
"Let's go confirm it. We might also find some useful intelligence worth recovering."
His tone remained calm and indifferent.
After the group quietly approached the rocky wall, they finally understood just how terrifying that attack had been.
Even in death, the expressions on the four jonin's faces still carried traces of confusion, as if they could not comprehend where the attack had even come from.
Kiyohara swiftly searched the bodies of the Kumogakure shinobi and found fragmented map pieces, encrypted communication scrolls, and several specially made signal flares, casually stuffing them all into his sealing scroll.
He looked toward Kakashi and the others.
"Clean this up, then continue preparing the ambush. The real target will arrive soon."
Everyone silently nodded and immediately began moving.
Kiyohara led the group back to the ambush point. Using Earth Release ninjutsu, he dug a shallow pit behind the rocks and spread waterproof cloth inside, creating a temporary resting area.
Night soon descended.
The plateau nights were bitterly cold, with temperatures dropping below freezing in an instant.
Every breath exhaled immediately condensed into white mist, and a thin layer of frost formed across the surfaces of the rocks.
Kiyohara took several thick blankets from a sealing scroll and handed them out.
Time gradually passed.
Kiyohara also sank part of his consciousness into his mindscape.
Within his mind, Yotsuki Kiyohara's urn floated silently in the darkness.
The lid was slightly ajar, revealing the dark skinned, heavily muscled spirit lying inside with his arms folded behind his head and one leg crossed lazily over the other.
"Yo, other me. How's the progress?"
Yotsuki Kiyohara sensed his consciousness and asked lazily.
"We've reached the ambush point. Waiting for the target to appear."
"What about that woman Samui? Seen her yet?"
"Not yet. According to the intel, she might be in this supply convoy."
"When you meet her, make sure she calls you master. Don't forget."
"I know."
Kiyohara felt somewhat helpless.
This version of himself was truly persistent in certain aspects.
"Oh right, there's one more thing."
Yotsuki Kiyohara suddenly remembered something.
"If you run into Darui, try not to kill him. That kid's talented. If you kill him, the inheritance of Black Lightning Jutsu might disappear. Nobody else compares to him in that area."
Kiyohara understood.
Darui would eventually become the future Fifth Raikage, and his talent was genuinely exceptional.
And considering Yotsuki Kiyohara originated from Kumogakure, it was understandable that he still retained some attachment to the village.
"Then what exactly is Black Lightning Jutsu?"
Kiyohara asked curiously.
Normal Lightning Release was blue, so why did black lightning exist?
What was different about it in nature?
"I don't fully understand the exact principles either. It was a secret technique developed by the Third Raikage and taught only to a very small number of people."
Yotsuki Kiyohara shook his head.
"All I know is that Black Lightning Release is vastly more powerful than ordinary Lightning Release, and it possesses a kind of… corrosive property. Wounds struck by black lightning are extremely difficult to heal."
Difficult to heal…
Kiyohara fell into thought.
"Anyway, be careful."
Yotsuki Kiyohara lay back down again.
"I'm going back to sleep. Wake me once you've dealt with Samui."
After speaking, his spirit slipped back into the urn, and the lid slowly closed once more.
Kiyohara's consciousness also returned to reality.
Three in the morning.
"There's movement."
Kiyohara spoke quietly.
He stared toward the canyon as a convoy was approaching.
Twenty three people.
Six jonin, ten chunin, and seven genin, each carrying enormous scrolls on their backs.
"Six jonin…"
Kakashi also climbed up beside him, lifting his forehead protector to reveal the Sharingan underneath.
"Looks like Kumogakure values this shipment highly."
Kiyohara carefully observed the convoy.
His gaze finally settled on a female shinobi in the middle of the formation.
The woman had short golden hair that gleamed under the moonlight. Her features were delicate, though her expression remained cold and indifferent. She wore the standard Kumogakure flak jacket.
Samui.
"So when do we attack?"
Asuma asked.
"When they enter the optimal ambush position."
Kiyohara pointed toward an open area near the entrance of the canyon.
Once the distance was close enough, Kiyohara immediately ordered the attack.
He drew Samehada from his back and instantly charged forward, slaughtering several jonin first.
By the time Samui reacted, Kurenai and the others had already engaged the remaining Kumogakure shinobi in combat.
Samui pulled out her short blade and stared at Kiyohara in shock.
That bastard again!
The memories of being interrogated by Kiyohara previously came flooding back all at once.
Why him?
Why was he here?
According to the intelligence reports, was he not supposed to still be in the Land of Rivers fighting Kirigakure?
A torrent of questions and an overwhelming sense of danger caused Samui's heart to pound violently. The fingers gripping her blade tightened so hard that her knuckles turned pale white.
She immediately shifted her gaze away and focused on Kiyohara's shoulder instead, avoiding direct eye contact to prevent falling into Sharingan genjutsu again.
After thinking about it, Samui still felt it was unsafe, so she lowered her head even further.
"!"
Yet she suddenly realized her body had frozen stiff.
"The moment you looked at me, you had already lost, Samui."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
Then he activated the Sharingan genjutsu once more.
Samui believed that lowering her head afterward would keep her safe.
Unfortunately for her, the instant she looked up earlier, she had already fallen under the illusion.
That was the terrifying aspect of the Sharingan.
Merely making eye contact for an instant was enough to place someone under genjutsu without them even realizing it.
Unless one lowered their head from the very beginning, avoiding eye contact entirely, there was no way to prevent it.
"Master."
Samui's eyes widened as she helplessly watched herself utter the word against her will.
Kiyohara listened quietly.
The first wish truly had not been difficult at all.
Samui's voice was not loud, but to the nearby Kumogakure shinobi who were either locked in combat with Kakashi or desperately trying to disperse Asuma's Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning technique, it sounded no different from a thunderclap exploding in their ears.
What?
One Kumogakure chunin who had just deflected Kakashi's kunai suddenly froze mid movement and turned toward the direction of the voice.
What had Samui just said?
Master?
To that Konoha Uchiha?
Could Samui actually be a Konoha spy, which was why this transport route had been ambushed in the first place?
(End of Chapter)