Hidden Leaf Hospital.
Kiyoshi had bought a pair of shoes at a shop on the street to serve as a casual gift.
He carried them as he walked through the bustling hospital.
Even without Kiyoshi's presence, war would break out within a year or two at the latest.
This was an irreversible cyclical law of history in the ninja world.
Naruto and Sasuke were like Hashirama and Madara before them; they could suppress the tension while alive, but war would erupt the moment they were gone.
Fortunately, Naruto's descendants were also capable; his biological son Boruto was ninety-nine percent Otsutsuki, and his adopted son Kawaki was also an Otsutsuki.
They could stretch out the buffer time before a major conflict.
But ultimately, war would still break out.
The root cause of the First Great Shinobi War was the death of Hashirama, who had suppressed everyone above him.
The unreasonable distribution of resources, land, and Tailed Beasts between imperialist powers was brought back to the table, leading to the outbreak of war.
The Second Great Shinobi War was caused by an imbalance in the spheres of influence among the Five Great Nations, resulting in a free-for-all struggle.
The upcoming Third Great Shinobi War was, in fact, a continuation of the previous one.
The issue of unequal benefit distribution among imperialist powers had never been fully resolved; furthermore, many new small nations had emerged, occupying geographic positions that were previously empty.
These new nations would further compress the living space of other countries, especially for a place like the Land of Wind.
The Land of Earth was also full of rocky mountains and was only slightly better off than the Land of Wind.
Internal contradictions within these major nations would increase, leading them to shift those contradictions outward.
"This way, I'll be able to come into contact with even more Traits," Kiyoshi thought to himself.
Since war was inevitable, it was better to actively embrace it.
Last time he obtained a Trait like "Rose of the Battlefield," so he estimated he would gain similar Traits this time.
The Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, usually protected by the major hidden villages, would be deployed into the war one after another, giving Kiyoshi the opportunity to make contact.
"You've grown a bit taller after going out once."
Kiyoshi pushed open the door to find Nonō Yakushi processing documents.
Her eyes focused on Kiyoshi, and she even stood up to compare her height with his.
"Yes. These are the shoes I bought for you."
Kiyoshi set a pair of shoes down.
Nonō Yakushi smiled, feeling a sense of gratification.
But soon, her expression tightened again.
"It's best if you don't have further contact with Orochimaru."
"I know, Nonō-sensei. I was just discussing some scientific research matters with Lord Orochimaru."
Kiyoshi smiled.
His contact with Orochimaru certainly couldn't be hidden from Nonō Yakushi.
Just like the sushi shop he opened in the Hidden Cloud before.
It was just that the Hidden Cloud had put in a lot of effort to make the spy's identity appear perfectly legitimate, making it impossible for others to find anything through an investigation.
The fact that they could abduct someone as valuable as Kushina right under everyone's nose showed that the Hidden Cloud were experts in this field.
One must realize that Kushina was the candidate to become the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki; without her, the Hidden Leaf likely couldn't find a second person capable of suppressing the Nine-Tails.
To become a Jinchuriki, one must personally possess the conditions to be a vessel.
Otherwise, the Hidden Leaf wouldn't have gone all the way to the Land of Whirlpools to find Kushina and bring her back for careful cultivation; finding a local Hidden Leaf resident would have ensured much greater loyalty to the village.
Looking at Kiyoshi's expression, Nonō Yakushi could only let out a soft sigh.
She could only guarantee that as long as she was still in the Hidden Leaf, Orochimaru wouldn't get too close to Kiyoshi.
Once she left, she wouldn't be able to control it.
"Let's continue with our previous studies first. Memorize all this knowledge."
Nonō Yakushi turned around.
"Let's see if the shoes fit first," Kiyoshi said.
Ninjas usually wear ninja sandals, but those get very cold in the winter.
The temperature had been low lately, so it was better to wear something thicker.
Nonō Yakushi initially wanted to refuse, but thinking it was a gesture of Kiyoshi's filial piety, she nodded.
During her career as a spy, she had never experienced being a master to someone else.
This was her first time being a teacher, and she didn't have much experience.
Nonō Yakushi slowly leaned over and took off her shoes.
Her bare feet were pale and flawless.
Nonō Yakushi wasn't particularly tall, but her jade-like toes were slender and rounded. A few faint blue veins showed through the white and rosy curve of her arches, making the shape of her feet look even more elongated and elegant.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Nonō Yakushi's eyebrows twitched slightly; she wasn't used to having her feet scrutinized.
When most people saw her, they quickly buried their heads in a submissive manner.
Danzō Shimura was effectively the second-in-command of the Hidden Leaf and wanted to infiltrate the Hidden Leaf Hospital to take a piece of the pie; therefore, Nonō Yakushi had been given a green light throughout the hospital and held significant power.
Kiyoshi immediately said with a serious face:
"I'm checking if the shoes fit you, Nonō-sensei."
"...They fit quite well."
Perhaps because Nonō Yakushi had never felt this way before, she nodded, her voice softening a bit.
Unlike others, Kiyoshi was her disciple, and Nonō Yakushi always felt a sense of raising a child.
Although the two had never performed a formal apprenticeship ceremony, she still recognized Kiyoshi as her disciple.
Now that her disciple was so concerned for her, it gave her a different feeling.
As expected, pure children are the best.
His grateful behavior further strengthened Nonō Yakushi's resolve to open an orphanage.
As her first disciple, Kiyoshi was destined to hold a more special status than the children she would adopt in the orphanage in the future.
"As long as they fit."
Kiyoshi nodded.
With his Sharingan, measuring someone's size was an effortless task.
Nonō Yakushi stood up and walked a few steps, her feet treading in the shoes Kiyoshi had gifted her.
Come to think of it, this was also the first time she had received such a gift.
"Thank you, Kiyoshi."
A holy smile appeared on Nonō Yakushi's face.
...
The weather was quite cold today; white mist would puff out when speaking.
Kushina breathed into her small hands and looked at Mikoto sitting opposite her.
"Mikoto, are you really going to retire?"
In a small shop, Mikoto withdrew her gaze from the various pedestrians walking on the street.
"The current period is a bit sensitive. Once things stabilize, I might retire."
"Ah, so soon."
Kushina's eyes watched Mikoto.
Mikoto was dressed in capable ninja attire; her green ninja flak jacket bulged at the chest.
Despite being a ninja, Mikoto had a bit more meat on her than the average ninja.
It wasn't fat, but rather fullness.
This would be noticeable even in conservative clothing, but once she wore something that highlighted her figure, it would give off an indescribable sense of stunning beauty.
Especially when paired with Mikoto's gentle and elegant face.
"If we're talking about 'soon,' weren't you even sooner, Kushina?"
Mikoto chuckled.
Kushina used to be active in the ninja profession, but later, for some reason, she retired and became an ordinary person.
It was said that the inheritance left by Mito Uzumaki was enough for Kushina to live out her life in comfort.
Simply put, she didn't have to worry about food or drink.
"Well..."
Kushina was a straightforward woman and hated lying.
But the matter of the Nine-Tails involved too much; the Hidden Leaf higher-ups had forbidden her from revealing it on more than one occasion.
So, Kushina changed the subject, glanced at the empty shop, and leaned closer to Mikoto.
She whispered some private household secrets to Mikoto.
"How are things between you and Fugaku?"
"They're fine."
"Have you... kissed?"
Kushina's face turned bright red.
"Of course not. What kind of person do you take me for?"
Mikoto shook her head. Looking at the embarrassed Kushina, she smiled and asked:
"Then how are things with you and Minato? Why haven't you been stuck to each other every day lately?"
"...Minato is always neglecting me."
Kushina buried her head.
She knew Minato was busy and tired.
But sometimes she just wanted a bit of effort.
Like Kiyoshi, who had thoughtfully set up the movie-watching equipment for her.
Before he left for his mission half a month ago, he even copied several extra sets of videotapes for her in the evening, saying he might be out for a long time and wouldn't be able to come change the source material, which might make her bored.
If only Minato could care about details like Kiyoshi did.
Kushina let out a soft sigh.
"Minato has been working very hard to become the Hokage."
"...Is that so."
Mikoto's eyes flickered slightly.
Come to think of it, Fugaku's wish was also to become the Hokage.
But since the founding of the Hidden Leaf, the Uchiha clan had yet to produce a single Hokage.
"Then have you and... Minato done it?"
Mikoto, thinking of the relationship between the village and the Uchiha, changed the subject and leaned in to whisper the question to Kushina.
She and Kushina were very close best friends, and both had reached a marriageable age, so this was all very normal.
"No way."
Kushina shook her head.
She was just curious.
Something like kissing was still too early for her, and Minato Namikaze was such a gentlemanly man; he never made any untoward moves.
"By the way, Mikoto, is Kiyoshi back yet?"
Kushina asked.
***
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