Soon, Kiyohara's consciousness sank deeply into his mental space.
Unlike the previous urn belonging to the Radical Spirit, which had borne the hourglass symbol of Sunagakure, this new urn had a rough, grayish-brown texture like unpolished granite. It was clearly branded with the symbol of Iwagakure—two overlapping rocks.
Kiyohara focused his mind and touched the new urn.
A spiritual body, visible only to him, drifted out of the stone vessel.
"I played it so safe... yet I still died," the new spirit sighed repeatedly, looking profoundly regretful.
He appeared to be about the same age as Kiyohara. He wore a standard, high-collared Iwagakure uniform patterned in brown and red. His right arm was completely bare, while his left arm was covered by a long, loose red sleeve.
His exposed arm and face were deeply tanned, suggesting he had spent his entire life baking under the brutal sun of the Land of Earth.
"Are you my past self?" the new spirit asked, taking the initiative.
"Yes. It seems you have already used your Last Words Letter?" Kiyohara replied.
"I did. But the day before I was scheduled to receive my next cycle, a future version of me from the Urn appeared. I died the very next day," the new spirit sighed again.
"How exactly did you die?" Kiyohara asked curiously. That was incredibly unlucky timing.
"As you can see, I am an Iwa shinobi," the new spirit pointed to the rock symbol on his headband. He paused, then stated proudly, "And I possessed a Kekkei Genkai."
"!"
Hearing this, Kiyohara's mental avatar lit up with genuine joy.
Another future timeline where he awakened a Bloodline Limit? That was fantastic news. Even if it was a lackluster or hyper-niche Kekkei Genkai, there would always be a tactical situation where it came in handy.
Furthermore, Kiyohara felt that stacking different genetic mutations was passively filling in the fragmented Ōtsutsuki genome within his cells.
Many Bloodlines in the modern ninja world ultimately originated from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki consuming the Chakra Fruit. Her descendants carried those warped genetic factors. Anyone who had even a slight ancestral connection to her bloodline possessed the latent potential to awaken a Kekkei Genkai under the right stress.
"What is your Bloodline Limit?" Kiyohara asked impatiently.
"It is... Steel Release," the new spirit said. His voice was low and gravelly, sounding like grinding rocks.
'Steel Release...' Kiyohara's eyes widened. He remembered the lore. This Kekkei Genkai could instantly harden the user's flesh to resist physical and ninjutsu attacks. It was conceptually similar to Kakuzu's Earth Release: Earth Spear, but because it was a true genetic fusion of elements, the defensive durability was vastly superior.
"That's right. Steel Release," the Iwa Spirit nodded, his tone turning self-deprecating. "It can instantly convert the body and localized chakra into impenetrable black steel, granting an absolute, flawless defense. I relied on this power to achieve a highly respected status in Iwagakure... however, my over-reliance on that 'absolute' defense became the direct path to my demise."
"What happened?"
"In a border skirmish, I encountered an elite Kumogakure squad," the Iwa Spirit explained bitterly. "I relied entirely on my Steel Release to tank their attacks, while my entire offensive arsenal consisted of basic Earth Release. Unfortunately, I overlooked a critical, fatal flaw in my build. Steel Release is a fusion born of Earth."
"So that's how you died?" Kiyohara realized instantly.
"Exactly. The five basic chakra natures counter each other," the Iwa Spirit shook his head in disgust. "Earth is inherently weak to Lightning. Unless the Earth user possesses vastly superior chakra density to overpower the Lightning user, the defense will fail."
"In the end, my chakra reserves were exhausted trying to maintain the armor against a barrage of high-voltage attacks. My steel shattered, and I was electrocuted to death. In my final moments... I could literally smell the scent of my own cooked flesh."
Listening to the Iwa Spirit's dark, brutal humor, Kiyohara immediately thought of Deidara and Sasuke. Deidara's entire explosive Earth Release arsenal had been ruthlessly countered by Sasuke's Lightning Release from start to finish. Deidara was completely defeated by elemental mechanics.
"So, what are your dying wishes?" Kiyohara asked.
"My wishes..." The Iwa Spirit rubbed his tanned chin, seemingly deep in thought.
Kiyohara waited patiently. Time within the mental space was heavily dilated; even if they talked for hours, only a split second would pass in the physical world.
"I have two," the Iwa Spirit stated, his tone hardening.
"First: Learn at least one B-Rank Lightning Release ninjutsu. Damn it, if you can't beat them, join them! I want you to make up for my fatal regret. I want you to use Lightning Release to ruthlessly humiliate the first Kumogakure ninja you see!"
'A B-Rank Lightning jutsu...' Kiyohara pondered secretly.
D-Rank was for Genin, C-Rank for Chunin, and B-Rank corresponded strictly to the Jonin level. If he wanted to exchange his military merits for a Jonin-tier Lightning technique, he was currently just a little short. He had already spent most of his Whirlpool merits on the Earth Release: Earth Spear jutsu weeks ago.
"I will accomplish it. It might take a few more missions to secure the funding," Kiyohara promised. "What is the second wish?"
"Second: Find and defeat at least one other Iwagakure ninja who possesses the Steel Release Kekkei Genkai," the Iwa Spirit demanded. "My Steel Release cannot be weaker than others! Once you complete the first wish and inherit my bloodline, achieving the second should be easy."
"That is acceptable," Kiyohara nodded slightly.
Compared to the madman ambition of the Radical Magnet Spirit, the Iwa Spirit was clearly much more cautious and grounded. He simply died because he mistakenly believed he was a flawless tank, completely ignoring elemental weaknesses.
'Very good. I have cataloged another way I can die in the future,' Kiyohara noted grimly. He silently warned himself to never become arrogant just because he possessed a Bloodline Limit. Otherwise, getting electrocuted or stabbed would be a brutal lesson in curbing his ego.
His consciousness snapped back to reality. Kiyohara slowly opened his eyes, the light of the dying campfire dancing in his pupils. Kakashi was sitting quietly on the other side of the flames.
'Steel Release... a phenomenally powerful defensive bloodline, yet defeated by a simple elemental counter and chakra exhaustion,' Kiyohara reflected. 'A Bloodline Limit is not invincible. A comprehensive, balanced arsenal is paramount.'
"Before I learn the Lightning jutsu, what Earth Release do you know?" Kiyohara asked internally, wanting to squeeze some immediate benefits out of the Iwa Spirit. By practicing specific elemental jutsu, he could rapidly deepen his understanding of the required nature transformations.
"What do you want to learn? I know the entire standard Iwa curriculum," the Iwa Spirit floated behind him. "I can teach you Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique right now. Only by making you stronger quickly can you complete my dying wishes."
"That works," Kiyohara agreed.
"Do I need to cut the right sleeve off my jacket?" Kiyohara asked.
The Rock Fist Technique was a staple Iwa jutsu. By concentrating Earth chakra over a specific limb, the user could manifest a massive gauntlet of ultra-dense rock to deliver devastating, armor-crushing blows. Because the jutsu required constant physical contact with the localized earth chakra, standard Iwa doctrine dictated that shinobi permanently removed the right sleeve of their uniforms to prevent fabric interference.
"No need. Your chakra control is high enough to bypass the fabric," the Iwa Spirit instructed. He began dictating the precise theoretical mechanics and hand seals. Kiyohara listened intently.
"Kakashi, you go to sleep first. I'll take the first watch," Kiyohara said suddenly, looking across the fire.
"Alright," Kakashi nodded without argument. They had a long march tomorrow, and splitting the night meant they both got adequate rest.
After Kakashi settled into his sleeping bag, Kiyohara spent the next four hours repeatedly visualizing the hand seals and internal chakra pathways for the Rock Fist.
After days of grueling trekking through the dense forests, the squad finally arrived at a massive Konoha logistics outpost located deep in the rear of the Land of Fire.
This outpost was significantly larger than the coastal camp. It possessed permanent structures and resembled a small, heavily fortified military fortress. Hundreds of Konoha ninja were stationed here for rest and resupply, and the air was thick with a tense, bureaucratic atmosphere.
As Tsunade led her three escorts toward the secure laboratory sector, a specific figure walking down the hallway caught Kiyohara's attention.
The man was tall, gaunt, and wore a pristine white researcher's coat. As he walked alongside Tsunade, engaging her in rapid conversation, his eyes would occasionally sweep over the three ninja railing behind.
But his gaze lingered specifically on Kiyohara. It was a cold, probing, deeply uncomfortable stare—the exact look a biologist gives a rare, fascinating specimen pinned to a corkboard.
Hiruko.
Kiyohara felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He recognized the man instantly from the canon movies.
'This guy hasn't defected yet?!'
Hiruko was a contemporary of the Sannin. He was their friend, but his natural combat talent was utterly abysmal compared to Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Obsessed with overcoming his genetic mediocrity, he had gone down a dark, forbidden path of human experimentation.
In the original timeline, Hiruko would eventually defect from the village, having developed the Chimera Technique—a monstrous, parasitic jutsu that allowed him to literally absorb the bodies of other ninja to steal their Kekkei Genkai.
'Is he interested in me because the military reports about my Magnet Release have already circulated through the high command?' Kiyohara became intensely, secretly vigilant. He reminded himself that he absolutely must not be left alone in a room with this man.
"Tsunade, regarding the current research on cellular activity and chakra nature affinity," Hiruko pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose, his tone carrying a hint of disturbing fanaticism. "If we could secure Orochimaru's assistance on this project, our progress would be exponential."
Hiruko smiled thinly. "He is the boldest, most brilliant researcher our generation has ever seen. Perhaps Orochimaru will become the smartest man in the world in the future."
'The smartest... man?' Hearing this, Kiyohara couldn't help but snort internally. 'Don't assume Orochimaru's future gender.'
Tsunade was clearly disgusted by the topic. She had only returned to active duty because she couldn't bear to see the village her grandfather built fall to ruin. She had zero interest in indulging Hiruko's obsessive, unethical theories.
"I need to analyze the Suna toxin samples immediately," Tsunade interrupted him sharply, her brow furrowing. "Where is the clean room?"
"Right this way," Hiruko bowed slightly, leading them to a heavy, reinforced door. But his gaze lingered on Kiyohara for one second too long.
Before entering the laboratory, Tsunade turned back to Kakashi, Rin, and Kiyohara.
"You three, wait outside. Secure the perimeter. Do not come in without my explicit permission." She then glared fiercely at the gaunt scientist. "Especially you, Hiruko. Do not disturb my work."
"Understood," Hiruko spread his hands in mock surrender.
As the three took up guard positions outside the heavy door, Kiyohara could still feel the phantom sensation of Hiruko's predatory gaze resting on the back of his neck.
At noon, when their guard shift rotated, Kiyohara found an isolated, secure training ground within the fortress walls.
He bit his index finger and slammed his palm onto the dirt. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Poof!
After a massive puff of white smoke, the huge, green-scaled Invisible Chameleon materialized in the clearing. Its shattered ribs and lacerations had healed significantly over the past few days.
'As expected, giant Summoned Beasts possess absurd cellular regeneration,' Kiyohara noted.
As soon as the Chameleon appeared, it hissed violently. It instinctively tried to activate its optical camouflage to escape.
But Kiyohara was prepared.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!"
Countless fine grains of iron sand erupted from his thermos, shooting toward the ground around the Chameleon like a black rainstorm, forming a dense, inescapable perimeter. Although he didn't attack the beast directly, the magnetic field severely restricted its movement. Furthermore, the residual iron dust clinging to its scales completely negated its camouflage.
"Roar!" The Chameleon let out an angry, low rumble, its scarlet eyes glaring fixedly at Kiyohara.
"It seems you are still not convinced," Kiyohara's eyes were icy.
The black iron sand surged around him, condensing into thick, heavy whips.
"Let's continue this until you understand exactly who the master is here."
He didn't aim for lethal blows. Instead, he mercilessly whipped the heavy iron cables against the Chameleon's tough outer scales, producing loud, muffled cracks that echoed across the training ground.
Taming a wild, predatory beast was a brutal process. Only by physically breaking its arrogance and establishing absolute dominance could a relationship of obedience be formed.
When the Chameleon finally stopped hissing and curled into a defensive, subservient posture, Kiyohara stopped.
He looked at the trembling beast expressionlessly, casually toying with a condensed iron bullet in his palm.
Taming required the stick and the carrot. Now that he had thoroughly applied the stick, he needed to find out what its preferred prey was to serve as the carrot.
He recalled his academic knowledge of Summoned Beasts. 'Certain smaller countries nearby possess massive indigenous Chameleon populations. The Pain paths contract massive ones, and there are even species capable of transforming into actual buildings.'
A thought sprouted in Kiyohara's pragmatic mind. 'If I can locate the territory of a larger Chameleon population, perhaps I could sign a contract with a more powerful apex individual... or guide this one to evolve through selective feeding.'
After a final wave of chakra suppression, the beast's wild nature was temporarily broken, and it laid listlessly in the dirt.
Knowing when to stop, Kiyohara released the Summoning jutsu, allowing the battered lizard to return to its home dimension to recover.
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