"So amazing~"
On a distant mountain, White Zetsu watched the situation unfolding below.
"His normal speed really is abnormally fast."
Black Zetsu frowned slightly.
He secretly wondered if Kiyohara had somehow reverted to an ancestral state.
While Black Zetsu and White Zetsu conversed, the battle on the battlefield continued without pause.
"Ughhhhh!"
The Third Mizukage let out a scream of agony.
No matter how carefully he had calculated things, he never expected Kiyohara's Storm Release lightning to penetrate the Blood Armor so easily.
His Blood Release had clearly been mixed with his own chakra, which should have reduced conductivity to a certain extent.
At that moment, the Third Mizukage felt as if every muscle in his body was being torn apart by electric currents. His internal organs churned violently, and his vision darkened wave after wave.
Enduring the excruciating pain, he tried to escape the blood lake.
Inside water, the power of Storm Release would only be amplified further.
But Kiyohara was not about to give him that chance.
"Sage Art: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Kiyohara formed seals with one hand.
Under normal circumstances, the Water Dragon Bullet Technique required forty four hand seals to complete, but Kiyohara could now perform it with only one hand.
Not only that, he had simplified the seals down to merely four.
This was the same number of seals as the Second Hokage used.
The deeper one's understanding of the jutsu became, the fewer hand seals were required.
Even Chidori, which originally required two handed seals, had eventually been simplified by Sasuke to the point where it could be activated with a single hand.
A giant dragon formed entirely from rushing water burst out from the lake and slammed viciously into the Third Mizukage's chest.
The tremendous impact blasted him backward, sending his entire body crashing heavily into the rocky cliff at the edge of the blood lake.
Rocks tumbled down in all directions.
The Third Mizukage coughed up a mouthful of blood, at least three ribs in his chest already shattered.
He struggled to stand, only to realize that one of his legs and his shoulder had temporarily lost all sensation from the earlier lightning strike.
"Water Release: Heavenly Weeping."
Seeing this, the Third Mizukage immediately opened his mouth.
Sharp water needles shot out, slicing through the air.
When he was younger, the Third Mizukage had witnessed the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama use this technique during the wars of the Warring States Era.
The greatest advantage of this jutsu was that it required no hand seals and could be launched instantly as a sneak attack.
"Trying to ambush me?"
Kiyohara's fingers turned jet black as he instantly caught one of the incoming water needles between them.
Then he took a deep breath. His chest expanded before he suddenly exhaled.
Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!
The Third Mizukage's heart shook violently.
How did Kiyohara know this jutsu?
Had he mastered it long ago, or had he copied it during the battle just now?
No matter which possibility it was, it sent a chill down his spine.
At the brink of death, the Third Mizukage unleashed the last of his potential.
"Water Release: Water Body Flicker Technique!"
His body liquefied instantly, turning into a pool of blood water that merged into the blood lake below.
Even so, he was still a fraction too slow.
Puchi.
One water needle pierced straight through his right shoulder, leaving behind a bloody hole visible from front to back.
The Third Mizukage knelt on one knee within the blood lake, his face pale as paper. Blood loss, severe injuries, excessive chakra consumption. This aged Kage had finally reached his limit.
In the distance, several Mist jonin noticed something was wrong, and their expressions changed drastically.
"Lord Mizukage is in danger!"
"Quick, support him!"
Without hesitation, they charged toward the center of the battlefield.
But Kiyohara was even faster.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Binding Hand."
Kiyohara extended his right hand. Lightning chakra condensed in his palm, transforming into a gigantic hand made entirely of lightning that seized the Third Mizukage within its grasp.
"Cough... cough cough..."
The Third Mizukage struggled desperately inside the lightning hand while blood continuously poured from his mouth.
He could feel the chakra within the lightning hand invading his chakra pathways and destroying his internal organs.
He raised his remaining left hand, attempting to form seals for one final struggle.
But Kiyohara did not give him the opportunity.
The lightning hand clenched violently.
Crack.
The sound of bones shattering echoed through the battlefield.
The Third Mizukage's pupils suddenly dilated.
He opened his mouth as if trying to say something, but only bloody foam spilled out.
The lightning hand loosened.
The Third Mizukage's body slipped limply downward and fell into the blood lake with a splash, slowly sinking beneath the surface.
The dark red liquid quickly swallowed him whole, leaving behind only ripples spreading quietly across the water.
The Mist shinobis rushing toward the battlefield froze in place halfway there.
The invincible Third Mizukage in their hearts... had died just like that?
Killed by a teenager who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen?
One Mist jonin's legs gave out beneath him as he collapsed to his knees, his voice trembling.
"Lord... Mizukage..."
Another shinobi suddenly snapped back to his senses and roared hoarsely, "Avenge Lord Mizukage!"
But the only response he received was Kiyohara slowly turning his crimson Sharingan toward him.
The three tomoe rotated slowly, and the Mist shinobi immediately drew his blade against his own throat.
Every Mist shinobi present felt a chill rise from the depths of their spine. Not a single person dared to take another step forward.
"Do not go any farther! We need to retreat now!"
Aoba shouted loudly, ordering everyone to withdraw.
Although the Third Mizukage ruled over Kirigakure, not everyone was truly loyal to him.
Some shinobis were followers of Elder Genji instead.
"Go, quickly!"
"Return and wait for further orders from the higher ups!"
Once part of the shinobi forces began retreating, the remaining Mist shinobi also scattered one after another.
Kiyohara sheathed his blade and swept his gaze over the fleeing Mist shinobis before looking toward the distant battlefield where the Six Tails and One Tail were fighting.
That side seemed close to ending as well.
Kiyohara could no longer sense any major chakra fluctuations there.
Now that the Third Mizukage was dead, the battle should conclude very soon.
"You killed the Third Mizukage too?"
The spirit form of Yotsuki Kiyohara floated out beside him.
Perhaps because his first last will had been fulfilled, his spirit body had grown much dimmer, looking as though it might disappear at any moment.
"He was too old, and I'm not weak either."
Kiyohara shook his head.
More importantly, throughout the entire battle, the Third Mizukage had failed to break through his defenses or injure him.
Kiyohara suspected that this had also prevented the Third Mizukage's true Blood Release techniques from fully displaying their power.
For example, those rumored Blood Release jutsu capable of causing an enemy's blood to explode from within had never been used.
One could say that Kiyohara's Steel Release was a natural counter to him.
Without blood and without physical contact as a medium, Blood Release became difficult to utilize effectively.
"Kiyohara!"
Kurenai's voice called out from the distance.
Kiyohara turned around and saw Kurenai stumbling toward him across the blood lake that had yet to completely recede.
Behind her, Asuma, Kakashi, Rin, and the others were also rushing over at full speed.
"I'm fine."
Kiyohara stepped forward and reached out to support Kurenai's arm just as she nearly slipped.
Kurenai grabbed onto his wrist tightly.
Her eyes rapidly swept across his body, only to discover that aside from some torn clothing, he appeared completely unharmed.
"You really... weren't injured?"
Kurenai sounded unconvinced.
That had been the Mizukage.
The Third Mizukage of Kirigakure!
"Really."
Kiyohara released his hand and gestured to show he was perfectly fine.
"The Third Mizukage's Blood Release was troublesome, but not enough to injure me."
At that moment, Asuma also arrived.
He looked at the slowly receding blood lake, then at Kiyohara standing there as though everything that had just happened was perfectly normal. His expression looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"You... you killed the Third Mizukage...?"
Asuma's voice sounded dry and stiff.
"Killed him?"
"Otherwise?"
Kiyohara asked back.
"Was I supposed to invite him out for tea?"
The joke slightly eased the suffocating atmosphere, but Asuma's expression remained complicated.
He opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely grabbed his hair forcefully.
Even if the Third Mizukage was old, he was still a Kage.
Yet now, he had died at the hands of a shinobi barely in his teens.
If the outside world learned this news, the entire shinobi world would likely be shaken.
This kind of glory, this dazzling achievement, was something even Namikaze Minato had never accomplished.
After all, aside from the Third Raikage, the Third Mizukage was only the second Kage to die directly on the battlefield.
The remaining Third Tsuchikage and Fourth Kazekage were both still alive and well.
As for the Third Kazekage, he had died before the war officially began, becoming the spark that ignited everything, and even then he had been assassinated rather than slain in open battle.
"S-so amazing..."
Standing at the very back, Rin muttered quietly to herself.
She looked at Kurenai tightly holding onto Kiyohara's arm, as though she wanted to say something.
But in the end, no words came out.
"Kirigakure is beginning to retreat!"
The shout of a Sand shinobi echoed from the distance.
Everyone raised their heads to look, and sure enough, the Kirigakure forces, now leaderless, were withdrawing in an orderly manner.
"Begin rescue operations immediately!"
Kiyohara's voice pulled everyone back to reality.
"Prioritize the critically injured. Those with lighter injuries assist the others. Kakashi, take a squad and secure the eastern side. Prevent Kiri from launching a surprise counterattack."
"Understood."
"Asuma, Kurenai, the two of you handle the initial treatment of the wounded on the western side."
"Yes!"
"Rin, the medical unit needs you."
Rin nodded and immediately ran toward the direction of the medical tents.
Meanwhile, Kiyohara personally led a team of Konoha shinobi deep into the battlefield to search for wounded soldiers left behind.
The blood lake was rapidly receding.
Without the Third Mizukage's chakra maintaining it, the water created through ninjutsu was quickly being absorbed by the dry desert ground, revealing the dark red mud beneath that had been soaked completely in blood.
During this time, Tsunade sent word through Katsuyu. After learning that Kiyohara was safe and unharmed, she merely replied with a brief, "We'll talk when you return," before throwing herself back into the heavy burden of logistical command.
Still, Kiyohara could hear from Katsuyu's tone that his teacher had clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
By evening, the final batch of Mist shinobis had withdrawn from the borders of the Land of Wind.
Inside Sunagakure's main command tent.
Baki stood before the map and reported the battle situation to everyone present.
"Kiri has completely withdrawn from the Land of Wind frontlines. The Six Tails jinchuriki retreated with severe injuries, and the rampage of our One Tail jinchuriki has also been brought under control."
He paused for a moment before finally turning his gaze toward Kiyohara.
"The Third Mizukage and Kaguya Ryuno both died at Kiyohara's hands."
As his voice fell, every eye inside the tent focused onto Kiyohara.
Although his youthful appearance still made everything feel unreal, no one dared underestimate him anymore.
Killing the leader of a shinobi village was an achievement worthy of being engraved into the history of the shinobi world itself.
"If the Hokage hears this news, he'll definitely be very happy, Kiyohara."
A sincere smile appeared on Minato's handsome face as he patted Kiyohara on the shoulder.
"The Third Mizukage's Blood Release was extremely troublesome. I exchanged blows with him briefly before, so I know how difficult it is to deal with. For you to discover a countermeasure and kill him in such a short amount of time... that's truly incredible."
Minato spoke honestly.
He did not possess Kiyohara's Steel Release, nor did he know Earth Release: Earth Spear.
The only thing he could do was rely on Body Flicker to dodge attacks. Once caught, he would have been restrained by the Third Mizukage's Blood Release and forced to endure the full damage.
Of course, speed itself was Minato's greatest strength.
Kiyohara opened his eyes, his Sharingan already returned to its ordinary black color.
"You praise me too much, Lord Minato. If you all hadn't restrained the tailed beasts and exhausted the Third Mizukage beforehand, I wouldn't have succeeded so smoothly."
"There's no need to be modest."
Minato shook his head.
"This honor belongs to you."
On the other side of the tent, Rasa crossed his arms and silently observed the scene.
This boy had become even stronger again.
And this time, the power he used to defeat the Third Mizukage was not even the Magnet Release he specialized in the most.
Rasa recalled the earlier scene where Kiyohara had confronted him using Magnet Release.
Back then, Kiyohara had certainly been astonishing, but still within the realm of understanding.
But now...
At present, Suna and Konoha were allies.
But what about after the war ended?
For Sunagakure, would a genius with such terrifying growth speed become a blessing or a disaster?
At the Mountain's Graveyard.
Madara learned of the Third Mizukage's death the very moment it happened.
Soon after, White Zetsu, who had been hiding nearby and watching the battle, relayed the full details back to him.
"He even developed... Storm Release..."
Madara slowly opened his eyes within the pitch black cave.
That outcome had truly exceeded his expectations.
If things continued like this, Kiyohara might possess extraordinary talent when it came to bloodline limits.
Far superior to Obito.
At present, the only truly outstanding thing about Obito was his Mangekyo Sharingan ability.
Madara found himself curious about what kind of Mangekyo ability Kiyohara would awaken.
If Kiyohara's Mangekyo abilities also turned out to be exceptional, then Madara might truly need to reconsider whether he had misjudged things back then.
Several days later.
Kiyohara led the Konoha forces back to the coastal camp in the Land of Rivers.
The atmosphere inside the camp was unusually lively.
News of the Third Mizukage's death had already spread everywhere, and the Konoha shinobis now looked at Kiyohara with eyes full of awe and admiration.
Kiyohara first went to the medical tents to confirm the wounded had been properly settled, then headed toward Tsunade's tent.
Tsunade was carrying two jars of sake.
She had clearly already been drinking for some time. A faint flush colored her cheeks, while her brown golden eyes glimmered with moisture beneath the dim lighting.
"Sensei."
Kiyohara greeted her before sitting down in a nearby chair.
"Brat, you did pretty well."
Tsunade spoke lazily.
"I wouldn't be where I am today without you, Sensei."
Kiyohara replied.
Hearing that answer, Tsunade smiled in satisfaction.
Then she asked Kiyohara to drink with her.
Naturally, Kiyohara refused.
"How boring."
Tsunade curled her lips unhappily and could only continue drinking by herself.
Very quickly, she gulped down an entire jug of alcohol.
Kiyohara felt like she was drinking water instead of liquor.
"By the way, Sensei, how much longer do we need to remain stationed here?"
Kiyohara asked.
If Kirigakure reduced its offensive pressure against Sunagakure afterward, then there would be no reason to keep so many shinobis stationed here.
"I don't know. We'll see how things develop."
Tsunade shook her head slowly.
This matter depended entirely on Kiri's next actions.
"Now that you killed the Third Mizukage, the stalemate probably won't last much longer."
Tsunade spoke casually.
"That's what I was thinking too."
Kiyohara nodded.
"Sensei, are you still trying to treat your hemophobia?"
Kiyohara had previously seen Tsunade actively attempting therapy.
"I am."
At the mention of it, Tsunade frowned slightly.
Unfortunately, the results had been minimal.
Seeing this, Kiyohara suggested trying more psychological treatment methods and perhaps even developing a medical ninjutsu specifically aimed at the mind itself.
"Brat, there's no such thing as that kind of medical ninjutsu."
Tsunade laughed as if hearing something amusing.
If such a thing existed, she would have tried it on herself long ago.
"Then have you ever tried combining it with genjutsu?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Genjutsu?"
"That's right. Genjutsu can help treat psychological problems much more effectively."
Kiyohara explained.
Genjutsu could draw out the deepest thoughts hidden within the subconscious mind and also immerse the target into realistic experiences.
After hearing Kiyohara's explanation, Tsunade actually felt there was some logic to it.
"Your idea is interesting. It really might be worth trying."
After thinking carefully for a moment, Tsunade gave her answer.
The two continued discussing related topics for a while.
As the night deepened, Tsunade finished several more jars of sake.
"Hurry up and pour me another drink!"
Tsunade slurred loudly.
The scent of alcohol mixed with the faint herbal fragrance unique to her drifted directly toward him.
Kiyohara looked up.
"Sensei, you're drunk."
"I'm not drunk!"
Tsunade immediately refuted him, though her body unconsciously swayed slightly.
"You... you're the one who's drunk!"
"I haven't touched a single drop."
"Then... then why is your face red?"
Tsunade bent down and leaned close to his face, her warm breath brushing lightly across his skin.
Only then did Kiyohara realize the distance between them had become close enough for him to clearly see the curve of her eyelashes.
Tsunade's cheeks were flushed red from intoxication like peach blossoms blooming in spring. Her eyes reflected the dim light inside the tent along with his own figure.
Those eyes that were usually so forceful and domineering now carried a faint hazy softness.
"That's just your imagination, Sensei."
Kiyohara turned his gaze aside and tried to stand.
But Tsunade's body suddenly weakened, and she tipped forward.
Kiyohara instinctively reached out to support her waist. The instant his hand touched her, he could feel the firm curve beneath the shinobi vest.
"I already told you... I'm not drunk..."
Tsunade mumbled indistinctly as her entire body nearly collapsed into his arms.
The scent of alcohol and the warm fragrance unique to a woman surrounded him completely.
Kiyohara could feel the soft weight of her chest pressing against his arm through their clothing, warmth radiating clearly through the fabric.
"Sensei, it's time to go rest."
Kiyohara tried to help her stand upright.
"Not going back..."
Instead, Tsunade wrapped her arms around his neck like a child stubbornly throwing a tantrum.
"You... you pour me another drink. I'll prove... prove I'm not drunk..."
Kiyohara fell silent for a moment.
He could practically hear what Tsunade was planning from where he stood.
She simply wanted an excuse to drink more alcohol under the pretense of being sober.
Still, seeing this rare, defenseless drunken side of her, Kiyohara could not help finding it somewhat amusing.
This side of Tsunade was not something people normally got to witness. Perhaps it could only ever be seen when she was drunk.
"Alright, alright. You're not drunk."
He spoke in the tone one would use to coax a child.
"For now, let's go sleep first. You can drink again tomorrow, okay?"
"Hmph!"
Only then did Tsunade release him and wobble unsteadily as she turned around, preparing to head back.
Seeing this, Kiyohara extinguished the lamp inside the tent before helping Tsunade return to her sleeping quarters.
Once they reached her tent, she lifted the curtain and walked inside while undoing the clasps of her shinobi vest. She casually tossed the outer layer onto the floor, revealing the tight black shirt underneath.
Then she simply collapsed directly onto the bed.
Her full chest pressed heavily into the mattress while her back remained facing upward.
Her long golden hair spread messily across the pillow, with several strands sticking to the sweat dampened skin at the side of her neck.
Tsunade shifted slightly, trying to make herself more comfortable.
The lower hem of her clothing rolled upward from the movement, exposing a section of smooth and toned waist.
"Remember to take your shoes off before sleeping."
Kiyohara reminded her.
"I told you I'm not drunk... I can do it myse..."
Tsunade muttered vaguely, yet made no movement at all.
Her breathing gradually became steady and even. Clearly, she had already entered that half asleep, half awake state.
Kiyohara sighed softly and crouched beside the bed.
First, he straightened the shinobi sandals Tsunade had kicked off carelessly. Then he gently held her ankle and removed the other shoe that she was still wearing.
Tsunade's feet were smaller than he had imagined, with elegant arches, pale soles, and rounded toes.
It was difficult to imagine that such feet could unleash the terrifying monstrous strength capable of shattering mountains and splitting stone.
One Heavenly Foot of Pain strike could directly crack the ground across dozens of meters.
Kiyohara placed her shoes neatly aside before pulling over the thin blanket nearby and gently covering her with it.
After finishing everything, he stood quietly beside the bed for a moment, confirming that Tsunade had truly fallen asleep before finally turning to leave.
"Goodnight, Sensei."
Kiyohara spoke softly before blowing out the oil lamp inside the tent.
(End of Chapter)