Kiyohara put down the scroll and sat beside Tsunade, naturally reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist.
"I'll help reduce some of your workload, Sensei."
Tsunade turned her head and met Kiyohara's dark eyes.
She knew this troublesome disciple far too well.
"You're disturbing me, not helping me."
Kiyohara took the hand she had pressed against his chest and gently held it, his fingers brushing over the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist.
"Sensei, I'm being serious this time."
"You said the same thing last time."
"Last time was last time. This time, I really am serious."
Kiyohara placed her hand on his thigh while his other hand slowly moved from her waist to her flat abdomen.
"Sensei, your understanding of the essence of Wood Release chakra is still lacking a little. The part you are missing is actually related to the cellular level."
"Although you awakened Wood Release, the Senju bloodline within your body has not been completely activated. The cells of the First Hokage are naturally capable of perfectly combining Water and Earth. You, however, are still relying on acquired effort to adapt to this process."
Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly. What Kiyohara said did make sense.
"So?"
"So, as long as we help your cells adapt to this process more quickly, that will be enough."
The expression on Tsunade's face changed from confusion to wariness.
"What are you planning to do?"
"It's very simple."
Kiyohara lowered his head and leaned close to her ear. His warm breath brushed against the fine hairs around her ear.
"Improve Sensei's natural aptitude."
Tsunade's cheeks immediately grew hot.
As a medical shinobi, how could she possibly not know what method could improve someone's natural aptitude?
Kiyohara's cells possessed a special quality similar to those of her grandfather's cells, although they were even gentler and easier to control.
Over the years, his cells had silently transformed her chakra pathways and physical constitution from within. They had allowed her to go from a medical shinobi whose chakra reserves were somewhat outstanding to a powerful shinobi capable of practicing Sage Arts and awakening Wood Release.
And the fastest and most efficient way to accelerate that improvement was naturally to introduce more of his cells into her body.
Tsunade glared at him. However, the redness around the corners of her eyes caused by the heat in her face made the glare completely lacking in intimidation.
However...
She had heard this excuse countless times already.
Every single time, Kiyohara said the same thing!
"I knew you were up to no good..."
Kiyohara did not give her a chance to finish.
He lowered his head and kissed those full, crimson lips.
Tsunade's protest was sealed between their lips and teeth, reduced to a muffled sound.
Her hands pressed against Kiyohara's chest as she instinctively tried to push him away, but the force she used was so weak that it could not have pushed away even a single flower petal.
The Wood Release scroll slid off the table with a soft thump and landed on the tatami. It rolled across the floor several times before finally coming to a stop.
Moonlight slipped through the gap in the curtains and fell across Tsunade's smooth, delicate back after her clothes had already been removed.
Half a year later.
The cherry blossoms of Konoha had bloomed and withered, then bloomed again. The trees lining both sides of the streets had already gone through two changes of leaves.
The Third Training Ground remained much the same.
The enormous tree still stood at the edge of the clearing, its crown spreading wide enough to block out the sky. The earth beneath it had been compacted and flattened by countless footprints.
Kiyohara stood beneath the shade of the tree, his long black hair tied behind his head with a hair cord.
After successfully forming the Yin Seal, Kiyohara had already achieved an appearance that would remain unchanged with age. Half a year had passed without leaving even the slightest trace on his face.
Moreover, his natural lifespan was already far beyond that of ninety-nine percent of shinobi.
At this moment, Hiashi respectfully greeted Kiyohara.
Today, he was dressed in the formal, moon-white robes of the Hyuga main family. Hyuga Natsu followed behind him, carrying a small figure in her arms.
Hinata was wearing a light-purple little kimono today, with several small iris flowers embroidered along the collar.
Her dark-blue short hair had grown considerably longer compared to half a year ago, softly resting against the sides of her face.
Her cheeks still retained the round softness of a baby, white and tender like freshly steamed rice cakes.
Her pure white eyes were even clearer than when she had been younger, their whiteness resembling the snow of a mountain peak.
Kiyohara looked at Hinata and calculated the timeline in his mind.
It had already been half a year since Itachi graduated. Under the leadership of Hikari, he had carried out several missions and had already gained a small reputation within the ANBU.
Guren and Yakumo had also been steadily growing under the guidance of Kurenai.
As for Izumi, she had also passed the Chunin Exams and become one of the youngest Chunin.
This generation of children was growing up at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye.
And the younger children of Hinata's generation had also reached the age when they could begin learning how to refine chakra.
"Hokage-sama."
Hiashi spoke.
"Hinata has reached the age when she can begin refining chakra. According to our previous agreement, I have brought her here."
Kiyohara nodded slightly.
Natsu carried Hinata forward, bent down, and gently placed the little girl on the ground.
Hinata's small feet touched the soil of the training ground. A few blades of grass clung to the hem of her light-purple kimono.
She raised her head and looked at the tall figure standing before her, her expression somewhat timid.
Hiashi glanced at his daughter, then at Kiyohara.
A sense of anticipation rose within him, much like the feeling of buying gold and then suddenly watching its value soar.
Over the years, he had personally witnessed how Kiyohara had gradually pushed Konoha toward the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
As one of Kiyohara's earliest supporters, the Hyuga clan had naturally benefited greatly from this.
More importantly, Kiyohara was willing to personally teach Hinata.
This meant that the bond between the Hyuga clan and the Hokage would become even stronger, while Hinata's future would be limitless.
"Hokage-sama, I will entrust Hinata to you."
Hiashi bowed once more before turning around and leaving with Hyuga Natsu.
The training ground was now left with only Kiyohara and Hinata.
A breeze passed through the treetops. Several leaves drifted down from the branches, spinning gently through the air before landing on Hinata's shoulder.
Hinata remained standing where she was, her two little hands clasped together.
She had seen Kiyohara several times before.
During her full-moon celebration, Kiyohara had held her in his arms and given her a stream of very warm chakra.
Later, when that white-haired villain had tried to take her away in the courtyard, Kiyohara had suddenly appeared and driven the villain away.
Her mother had told her that Kiyohara-sensei was the strongest shinobi in Konoha and also the benefactor who had saved the entire Hyuga clan.
Her mother had told her that from now on, she should train properly under Kiyohara-sensei and never cause him any trouble.
Hinata remembered her mother's words.
Even so, she was still extremely nervous.
Her heart was pounding inside her chest, beating several times faster than usual.
She lowered her head and stared at her toes, her voice as soft as the buzzing of a mosquito.
"Kiyohara-sensei... hello..."
She suddenly became stuck.
Her mother had taught her how to greet people. Was she supposed to say "Good morning," or "It is a pleasure to meet you"?
But it was not morning, and this was not their first meeting either.
What was she supposed to say?
Hinata's little face turned bright red, and a layer of moisture appeared in her pure white eyes.
Looking down at the little girl who was so nervous that she could barely speak properly, Kiyohara could not help laughing softly.
"Hinata."
Because of the difference in their heights, Kiyohara took the initiative to crouch down, bringing his eyes level with hers.
Hinata's eyes widened slightly.
She had never seen an adult crouch down just to speak with her.
"There is no need to be nervous."
Kiyohara reached out and placed his palm on top of Hinata's head.
His hand was large enough to completely cover her small head.
"Your mother should have told you that from today onward, I will be your sensei."
Hinata nodded.
The movement was so small that it was almost imperceptible.
"Then, from now on, you do not need to be so formal when you are with me. Say whatever you want to say, and ask whatever you want to ask. I will not scold you, and I will not hit you."
Kiyohara spoke in a calm voice.
Hinata raised her head and met Kiyohara's dark eyes with her pure white ones.
She pursed her lips and gathered all her courage. Finally, she managed to say the complete phrase her mother had taught her.
"K-Kiyohara-sensei, p-please take good care of me."
Her voice was still very soft, but at least she did not stumble over the words.
"Please take good care of me as well."
Kiyohara raised the corners of his mouth slightly. He withdrew the hand resting on her head and stood up from the ground.
"Then, let's begin. Today, I'll teach you the most basic thing first, how to refine chakra."
He reached up and plucked a leaf from the tree, then placed it against Hinata's forehead.
"Chakra is a type of energy within a shinobi's body. It is also the foundation of all ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. Without chakra, a shinobi would be no different from an ordinary person."
Hinata listened seriously, her pure white eyes fixed on Kiyohara without blinking.
She was not accustomed to the sensation of the leaf resting against her forehead, but Hinata resisted the urge to reach up and touch it.
"To sense your chakra, you must first close your eyes and empty your mind. Then, concentrate all your attention on your abdomen. That is where your chakra gathers."
Hearing this, Hinata closed her eyes.
Following Kiyohara's instructions, she tried to focus all her attention on her abdomen.
At first, she could not feel anything at all.
There was only the rustling of the leaves as the wind passed through them, along with the distant sounds of shinobi tools clashing together on another training ground.
But gradually, she sensed something warm gathering in her lower abdomen.
The sensation was difficult to describe. It was almost as if warm water were gently swaying inside her stomach.
"I... I can feel it."
Hinata spoke in a tiny voice.
"Very good. That is your chakra. Next, try guiding that chakra toward your forehead and keep the leaf from falling."
Kiyohara instructed her.
Hinata concentrated with all her strength, carefully controlling that warm mass of energy and slowly guiding it upward toward her forehead.
The leaf on her forehead trembled.
Its edges lifted slightly, but it remained attached to her skin.
She bit her lower lip as fine beads of sweat appeared along her forehead.
After a while, the leaf finally stabilized and adhered firmly to her forehead without moving at all.
"You can open your eyes now."
Kiyohara spoke.
Hinata opened her eyes. She could feel the weight of the leaf against her forehead, and a hint of surprise and delight appeared in her pure white eyes.
She had done it!
"Very well done. Being able to make the leaf stick on your first attempt means your talent for chakra control is quite good."
Kiyohara nodded.
Hiashi had said that Hinata possessed excellent natural aptitude, and he had not been merely flattering her.
In the original story, the reason Hinata had been considered mediocre by her father was mainly because her personality was too gentle and timid. She lacked the aggressiveness that a shinobi was expected to possess.
There was another important reason as well.
Hinata had simply never been allowed to eat her fill.
She might have appeared quiet and refined on the surface, but she actually had a surprisingly contrasting side.
She was a great eater who could consume even more food than Choji.
Unfortunately, the Hyuga clan's strict upbringing naturally did not allow Hinata to eat too much.
Her personality prevented her from displaying her true strength, while her body was unable to receive sufficient nutrition.
Under the influence of these conditions, Hinata clearly possessed the purest Byakugan, yet her strength remained mediocre.
This was also why Hiashi had become disappointed in Hinata and shifted his attention toward the younger Hanabi instead.
So, what should he teach Hinata?
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist was inherently more focused on defense than offense. However, simply defending without attacking, and lacking sufficient offensive power, would inevitably put one at a disadvantage in actual combat.
But in Kiyohara's eyes, none of these were real problems.
Aggressiveness could be cultivated. Combat experience could be accumulated. What truly determined the upper limit of a shinobi was their talent for chakra control and the purity of their bloodline limit.
Hinata's potential in both of these areas could be considered top-tier.
Kiyohara looked at the leaf that remained firmly attached to Hinata's forehead.
The father and son from the Otsutsuki clan, Toneri and his father, had come to Konoha before precisely because they wanted to find a wife for Toneri who possessed a high-purity Byakugan.
In the end, Kiyohara had successfully driven the father and son away.
Now that Hinata had become his disciple, if those people on the moon still dared to come, they would truly be courting death.
"Keep practicing. Today's task is to keep the leaf on your forehead for ten minutes without letting it fall."
Kiyohara pulled his thoughts back to the present.
"Yes, Sensei."
Hinata nodded vigorously.
Because the movement was too large, the leaf on her forehead almost slipped off. She hurriedly reached up to hold it in place, but immediately realized that she was not supposed to use her hand. She quickly lowered it again, her little face filled with panic.
Seeing her flustered appearance, Kiyohara could not help smiling.
Hinata raised her head and met Kiyohara's dark eyes, which were filled with amusement. She realized that Kiyohara was not as difficult to approach as she had imagined.
Her mother had told her that Kiyohara-sensei was an incredibly powerful person, someone so strong that there was no one in the entire shinobi world who could defeat him.
Someone that powerful could actually have such a gentle personality.
Hinata's thoughts became a little jumbled.
"The new generation is about to grow up."
Kiyohara created a wooden chair using Wood Release and lay back on it while watching Hinata practice.
In another two years, children like Naruto and Sasuke would be entering the Academy.
By then, the number of disciples under his guidance would become even larger.
Of course, Kiyohara's attention toward the new generation did not prevent him from continuing to grow stronger himself.
Over the past six months, he had completely adapted to the chakra of the Two-Tails. That faintly blue flame now flowed freely through his meridians.
His adaptation to the Eight-Tails' chakra was also progressing steadily, and his applications of the tentacle substitute technique and ink sealing technique had become increasingly proficient.
The Three-Tails' Water Release enhancement had brought his affinity with Water-Style chakra to a level he had never reached before.
With the chakra power of four Tailed Beasts gathered within his body, Kiyohara's own chakra reserves had expanded to a degree that even he considered rather outrageous.
Next would be the Nine-Tails.
Kiyohara had a good relationship with Kushina and Minato, so obtaining some of the Nine-Tails' chakra was naturally quite easy.
The Nine-Tails' chakra was rather special. It did not possess any particular chakra nature.
However, the amount of chakra it contained was enormous.
If he could successfully adapt to the Nine-Tails' chakra, Kiyohara's total chakra reserves would reach an entirely new level.
"It's just that the progress with the Dragon Vein is a little too slow."
Kiyohara stroked his chin.
His cells were also slowly adapting to the Dragon Vein chakra, continuously increasing the upper limit of what his body could withstand.
Although fully adapting to Dragon Vein chakra would take considerably longer than adapting to Tailed Beast chakra, once the process was complete, both his chakra recovery speed and total chakra reserves would enter an entirely new stage.
What Kiyohara looked forward to even more was the increasingly obvious sensation deep within his eyes.
Ever since he had absorbed a portion of the chakra from the Golden Tenseigan, the gestation of his own Tenseigan had clearly accelerated.
Judging from the current progress, he estimated that it would not be much longer before it truly awakened.
Kiyohara estimated that it would happen sometime this month.
While Kiyohara was deep in thought, several children passed by him one after another.
They glanced over from a distance before quickly speeding up and running away.
To these children, Kiyohara was still quite intimidating.
On the small path on the other side of the training ground, two tiny figures were walking one behind the other.
The boy walking in front had a head of brilliant golden hair.
He wore an orange T-shirt, with the legs of his pants rolled up to his calves.
Several scratches that he had gotten from brushing against the bushes earlier that day could be seen on his legs. Three whisker-like markings appeared on each side of his cheeks, shifting slightly whenever the muscles of his face moved as he spoke.
In his hand, he held a reed that he had just broken off from the riverbank. He swung it around as he walked, sending the fluffy fibers from the reed's head scattering through the air.
"I'm telling you, Sasuke, yesterday I saw a super, super huge frog by the river! It was this big!"
Naruto threw the reed aside and suddenly stretched both arms outward, making a gesture wider than his entire arm span.
His hand nearly smacked Sasuke in the face.
Sasuke turned his head to avoid the hand that had almost hit him, his expression remaining calm and indifferent.
He was about the same height as Naruto.
He wore a dark-blue short-sleeved shirt, with the Uchiha clan's fan crest printed across the back.
His black hair was slightly spiky, and his skin was considerably paler than Naruto's.
"Frogs don't grow that big."
Sasuke's voice still carried the soft tone of a young child, but his manner already contained a hint of the aloof confidence he would develop in the future.
"You're making things up again."
"I'm not making anything up!"
Naruto suddenly turned around and began walking backward, waving both hands through the air as he explained.
"It really was that big! And it could spit water too! It went pffft and sprayed me from head to toe!"
"You fell into the river."
"The frog pushed me into the river!"
"You just said it sprayed water, not that it pushed you."
"It sprayed water first, then pushed me!"
Naruto declared this loudly before turning around and continuing forward.
"Next time I'll take you there, and then you'll know I'm telling the truth. It's by the little stream near the village entrance. I'll prove it to you!"
Sasuke could not be bothered to argue with him anymore.
He lowered his head and watched the road, stepping around a shallow puddle on the ground.
Suddenly, Naruto stopped.
Sasuke almost walked straight into his back.
"Hey, don't just stop while you're walking..."
Naruto abruptly turned around.
He raised one index finger to his lips and pointed toward the front with the other hand. His bright blue eyes were opened as wide as possible.
"Shh! Look over there!"
His voice was lowered to what he apparently thought was a whisper, although it was still fairly loud.
Sasuke followed the direction of his finger.
On the training ground, Kiyohara was getting up from his reclining chair.
His long black hair hung loosely over his shoulders, sliding down his back as he leaned forward.
He crouched down and reached out, removing the leaf from Hinata's forehead. The leaf had already become slightly damp from sweat.
His thumb naturally brushed across Hinata's forehead, wiping away the fine beads of sweat that had gathered there.
Naruto sucked in a breath.
His entire body instinctively retreated half a step, and the orange T-shirt he wore puffed up slightly in the breeze.
"That's the Hokage!"
Sasuke frowned.
Of course he knew Kiyohara.
Whenever his father, Fugaku, mentioned Kiyohara, he always used an unusually solemn tone.
His mother, Mikoto, would always show a gentle smile whenever she saw Kiyohara.
And his older brother, Itachi, mentioned Kiyohara constantly. Almost every conversation would eventually bring up the words "Kiyohara-sensei."
Yet for some reason, every time Sasuke saw Kiyohara, a very strange feeling would well up inside him.
As long as Kiyohara appeared within his field of vision, that indescribable stir would slowly rise within his chest.
That feeling of familiarity and intimacy was even stronger than the feeling he experienced when he saw his own father.
He did not understand why.
Sasuke had no idea that the chakra of Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths and the ancestor of the Uchiha clan, resided within his body.
Nor did he know that this chakra had formed a peculiar connection with the chakra Kiyohara possessed.
Kiyohara also noticed the two tiny figures standing at the edge of the training ground.
He raised his hand and waved toward them.
Naruto immediately jumped out from behind the tree and ran toward Kiyohara, practically bouncing as he went. The reed he had been holding was long forgotten, and no one knew where he had thrown it.
Sasuke followed behind him.
"Uncle Kiyohara!"
Naruto ran up to Kiyohara and raised his head.
"Why are you here? Sasuke and I were just going to the river. I was telling you, yesterday there was a super huge frog by the river..."
"You said it was the day before yesterday."
Sasuke walked over and corrected him.
"Huh? Did I say that?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, messing up his golden hair until it looked like a bird's nest that had exploded.
"Whatever! Anyway, there was a super huge frog, and it pushed me into the river!"
"You just said it sprayed water first and then pushed you. You also said you were going to prove it to me."
"Sasuke, you don't have to remember every little detail like that!"
Kiyohara looked down at the two little boys who, even combined, were not yet as tall as a table.
He could not help laughing.
Naruto still had that loud and energetic personality. He was practically identical to Kushina when she had been young, although his appearance resembled Minato much more.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was completely different.
He seemed much calmer and more composed.
"Naruto. Sasuke."
Kiyohara called their names.
He naturally knew these two boys quite well.
As the future "protagonists," Kiyohara had been paying considerable attention to them.
"What do you want to become when you grow up?"
Naruto's eyes immediately lit up.
He planted both hands firmly on his hips and puffed out his chest.
"I'm going to become Hokage! And not just any Hokage. I'm going to become the strongest Hokage who surpasses every Hokage who came before me, including you, Uncle Kiyohara!"
Sasuke squinted slightly when Naruto shouted so loudly.
"I want to become as strong as my brother, and then... surpass my brother."
Naruto's eyes widened immediately.
He turned his head and stared at Sasuke with an incredulous expression.
"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of dream is that? You really have no ambition at all. You're supposed to have a dream bigger than that!"
"You're the one with no ambition."
Sasuke frowned.
"My brother is the most... talented genius in the Uchiha clan."
He had originally intended to say "the strongest genius," but just before the words left his mouth, he remembered his father saying that Itachi was still inferior to Kiyohara-sensei.
So he changed the wording at the last moment.
"That's the impossible dream! You actually think you can surpass every Hokage..."
"Why is it impossible?"
Naruto jumped up immediately and pointed directly at Sasuke's nose.
"I'll definitely accomplish whatever I say I'm going to accomplish! And you keep looking down on other people's dreams. When you grow up, you're definitely going to become a stingy and narrow-minded adult!"
"Idiot. You're always bragging!"
"Stupid Sasuke! Who are you calling an idiot?"
The two boys began arguing right in front of Kiyohara.
However, Kiyohara was more interested in the chakra within their bodies.
From Kiyohara's perspective, there was a mass of orange chakra within Naruto's body, while Sasuke possessed a mass of purple chakra.
Both of these chakra masses contained the faint silhouettes of two humanoid figures.
(End of Chapter)