Kumogakure had withdrawn its forces.
All for Killer B.
In the end, the Fourth Raikage couldn't bring himself to abandon his younger brother. If that brute had truly hardened his heart and launched an all-out war against Konoha, determined to fight to the bitter end, both sides would have ended up devastated.
The man might be reckless, but he wasn't stupid. He knew how to weigh the pros and cons. After all, Kumogakure didn't have just one enemy. Iwagakure was watching closely from the sidelines.
That old fossil Ōnoki was still lurking, eyes fixed on the situation.
If Kumogakure and Konoha had fought to the death, that wily geezer would've swooped in to reap the rewards, inserting himself into the battlefield and harvesting heads from both sides.
After Kiyosuke brought Killer B back, his prestige within the village soared once again.
To the shinobi, capturing the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki—who also happened to be the Fourth Raikage's younger brother—alive was a feat of monstrous strength.
Everyone knew that killing an enemy was one thing, but capturing one alive was a completely different challenge. Unless there was a vast gap in power, bringing someone back alive usually meant hauling a corpse instead.
Kiyosuke had captured Killer B alive. That alone proved how terrifying his power was.
As for the civilians, all they needed to know was that Kiyosuke-sama was just plain awesome!
The victory over Kumogakure was brought back by Kiyosuke-sama. Long live Kiyosuke-sama!
The people's cheers for Kiyosuke were deafening. He couldn't even go out for a walk without someone respectfully greeting him with a loud "Kiyosuke-sama!" It was the kind of reception usually reserved for the Hokage…
When Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō saw that he had brought Killer B back alive, their smiles stretched so wide they practically reached their ears. Without hesitation, they seized the opportunity to dispel the genjutsu on the still-sealed Killer B and carted him off for experimentation.
But they wouldn't go so far as to kill him. A perfect Jinchūriki was a rare specimen. They wanted to understand how he maintained control over the Eight-Tails inside him—perhaps they could replicate the method to control the Nine-Tails.
Kiyosuke didn't bother interfering with their schemes. As long as Killer B didn't die, it didn't matter.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō weren't fools. If Killer B were to die and the Fourth Raikage arrived to find nothing but a corpse, that would definitely spark a war. Naturally, they wouldn't take things too far.
Killer B was treated to good food and drink, and while he was occasionally knocked out and subjected to experiments, he always woke up unharmed. He didn't seem to care much.
Later on, the Fourth Raikage led a delegation to Konoha to ransom his brother.
He knew full well Konoha wouldn't just hand Killer B back so easily, so he came prepared for battle.
But when he saw the plumper version of his brother, his mind blanked out.
"Bee!!! What the hell happened to you?!"
"Yoo~ Brother! Konoha's food is seriously top-tier!"
In just a few days, Killer B had packed on several pounds. His face was almost completely round.
The Fourth Raikage's iron grip clamped down on B's head, making him howl.
"Gyaaah! Ow ow ow! My head's gonna split open!"
"And here I was, worried sick about you! You got yourself fat in Konoha?! You disgraceful idiot!"
"Aaaaaah!!!"
The two brothers broke into a scuffle, completely ignoring the watchful gazes of Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others.
Eventually, things returned to business. Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō teamed up, the two sly old foxes putting on a good-cop, bad-cop act to negotiate Killer B's ransom.
The Fourth Raikage was swindled out of a massive sum. Fuming with rage, he took Killer B and returned to Kumogakure.
Kumogakure's withdrawal marked the end of the Third Great Ninja War. It became history.
The name of Konoha's Arsonist spread throughout the ninja world. It became common knowledge. Kiyosuke's information was added to the bingo books of nearly every village.
"S-Rank Shinobi. If encountered, abandon the mission and flee immediately. The village will not hold you accountable."
Previously, only select villages—like Kirigakure—had listed him. Now, all of them did.
It was a testament to how terrifying and influential Kiyosuke had become.
...
Upon returning to Konoha, Kiyosuke brought Naruto home.
The kid had been living like a young master in the Hyūga household, receiving the best care. He was practically glued to Hinata, training with her every day, wiping her sweat when she was tired, and bringing her water when she was thirsty.
This was his second friend, after all—someone he naturally cherished.
What's that?
You want to know who the first was?
Of course it was Sasuke!
The two brats had been together since they were just a few months old. They might've seemed like they didn't get along—always bickering—but in truth, they were very close.
Neji also took good care of Naruto, looking after him like an older brother. When it was time for Naruto to leave the Hyūga household, he was clearly reluctant to go.
...
Konoha Year 52.
Another year had passed, and Kiyosuke had turned nineteen. He, Rin, and Kakashi spent the New Year with Naruto. Not long afterward, Kiyosuke sent Naruto back to the Hyūga household.
"I'll be heading out on a mission. Naruto's in your hands, Hiashi-san."
Hiashi shook his head with a smile.
"It's no trouble at all. Naruto is very well-behaved."
Unlike the original timeline, Naruto hadn't grown up in misery. He knew who his parents were. Rin, Kakashi, and Kiyosuke all did their best to care for him, and thanks to Kiyosuke, the people around him hadn't shown him malice or indifference.
He no longer needed to pull pranks to get attention. Now, he was a sweet, obedient child—and rather adorable at that. When taken outside, quite a few young girls would approach him.
Though they seemed even more interested in Kiyosuke…
"Then I'll leave him to you."
Kiyosuke nodded, watching Naruto tug Hinata by the hand as they ran off.
Hmph, not bad. Just like the Fourth's son—already chasing girls at such a young age.
Hiashi didn't comment and simply let the two kids play.
Naruto knew when Hinata would go for training, and he would escort her back accordingly.
...
After saying goodbye to Hiashi, Kiyosuke headed for the Hokage building. Without announcing himself, he went straight to the Hokage's office.
Seeing him arrive, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked surprised. Unless there was a mission, Kiyosuke usually didn't come to the office. What had gotten into him today?
"Is something the matter, Kiyosuke?"
"Oh, I'm planning to make a trip to the Land of Water."
The timing felt about right. He wanted to see if that bastard Obito was still in Kirigakure. If he wasn't—fine. If he was—Kiyosuke would beat him up and drag him back.
"You're going to the Land of Water?" Sarutobi Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "What's the reason?"
"To investigate Uchiha Madara's whereabouts."
Hearing that, Sarutobi's expression turned serious. The possibility that Uchiha Madara was still alive had always been a thorn in his side, something that kept him up at night. Now that Kiyosuke was taking the initiative to track him down, how could he not care?
"You've found a lead?"
"More or less. There's a good chance he's in Kirigakure. That place has sealed itself off again. I suspect he's hiding there, so I want to take a look."