"To live… is to witness more wonders, and to grasp more truths."
Orochimaru repeated Kiyohara's words, his golden, slit-pupiled eyes locking onto him.
He had not expected Kiyohara to say something like this.
Neither his own teacher, Sarutobi—revered as "The Professor"—nor Tsunade, who stood at the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu, had ever spoken with such vision.
All of them… were mired in their own worldly desires.
Gambling, power…
Even Jiraiya, who had successfully mastered Sage Mode, was nothing more than an incorrigible pervert.
These people were like rusted windmills—no wind could make them turn anymore.
"That's right. Which is why one must live long enough to master the truth. The sages of the Three Great Holy Lands have lived for thousands of years. If humans could also achieve such longevity, then perhaps… they would be able to learn far more truths."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
In the shinobi world, there was a legitimate method to extend one's life.
Beyond becoming a Ten-Tails jinchūriki and transforming into an Ōtsutsuki… there was also Senjutsu.
Or rather, only Senjutsu could be considered the true orthodox power of the shinobi world.
The Great Toad Sage lived for thousands of years through Senjutsu. Even his two attendants, Fukasaku and Shima, had lived for eight hundred years.
But, the locations of the Three Great Holy Lands were elusive, impossible to trace. To common folk, they were little more than legend.
"Truth… immortality…"
Orochimaru repeated again.
Hearing the two key words—truth and immortality—was as though some deeply buried code in his mind had been triggered.
"Truth… immortality…"
He muttered once more.
The moment these words fell upon his ears, something ignited within him. His eyes suddenly became burning hot with desire. The golden slits contracted sharply, releasing an almost tangible intensity of interest.
His body leaned forward slightly, as if trying to see completely through Kiyohara—inside and out.
"Heh heh heh…"
Orochimaru's low laugh rumbled out, tinged with the delight of finding another creature of his own kind.
"Such a surprising answer, Kiyohara-kun. I did not expect your thoughts to reach such a level."
He looked at Kiyohara as though looking at a reflection of his younger self—an unexpected sense of shared kinship.
It was like discovering a human among a troop of monkeys.
"You flatter me, Lord Orochimaru," Kiyohara replied.
Compared to Uchiha Itachi, who at seven years old already possessed Hokage-level thinking, he was still far behind.
After all, Itachi's brilliant conclusion had been to slaughter his entire clan with his own hands so that the village would not be harmed.
"Kiyohara-kun, you will soon depart for the Mist frontlines. Consider this my gift to you."
A scroll slid out from Orochimaru's sleeve. He wrote something on it, then handed it to Kiyohara.
"Many thanks, Lord Orochimaru."
Kiyohara opened it and found a ninjutsu technique: Konoha Body Flicker Technique.
This version surpassed the ordinary Body Flicker, allowing faster evasion of attacks while scattering leaves to confuse the enemy's vision. In the original tale, the jōnin Hayama Shirakumo had used this technique against Iwagakure shinobi.
'So Orochimaru really doesn't want me dying out there.'
Kiyohara thought to himself.
The jutsu was purely for survival—made for escaping danger at the fastest speed.
Just then, the flap of the tent was silently lifted.
A Root shinobi wearing a bird-shaped mask entered, ignoring Kiyohara completely, and whispered a few words to Orochimaru.
Seeing this, Kiyohara wisely excused himself.
"Go on, Kiyohara-kun. Prepare yourself well. The Land of Whirlpools will not remain peaceful."
Orochimaru waved his hand, golden snake pupils shimmering with anticipation.
He truly had begun to harbor thoughts—of grooming a trusted subordinate.
His teacher Sarutobi was already old, and Danzō had openly stated he would support him becoming Hokage.
Therefore, Orochimaru believed the Fourth Hokage would likely be him.
A Hokage needed his own faction.
He wanted to see whether this seedling could survive the brutality of the battlefield and show the talent required.
And Kiyohara's civilian background, at this moment, became an advantage—clean background, high malleability.
As for the possibility that his future potential might not be high?
Orochimaru had many ways to… modify him.
The Cursed Seal… was one such power.
But at present, he had yet to fully master the Cursed Seal, and much work remained.
After Kiyohara left, a flicker of irritation flashed in Orochimaru's eyes as he turned to the Root shinobi.
"Tell Danzō that I will arrange the experiments as soon as possible. Have him… restrain his impatience."
The Root shinobi nodded and swiftly retreated.
…
Kiyohara stepped out of the tent.
Outside, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Rin immediately surrounded him.
"What did Lord Orochimaru want with you?"
Kurenai couldn't hold back her curiosity, her crimson eyes glimmering.
"Nothing much. He just encouraged me a little… and gave me this."
Kiyohara shook the scroll containing the Konoha Body Flicker Technique, selectively revealing only part of the truth.
Kakashi saw the scroll and a trace of understanding flashed in his dead-fish eyes.
Genma leaned in, hooked an arm around Kiyohara's neck, and whispered,
"Damn, even one of the Sannin is giving you special treatment now. Don't forget your brothers when you make it big!"
Rin exhaled with relief and said softly,
"As long as you're okay. Come on, let's go prepare. We leave tomorrow."
…
The next day.
A squad marched toward the eastern coastline.
Burdened with supplies, the march was grueling. Yet Kiyohara wasted no time.
He followed the unit while simultaneously studying the method of the Konoha Body Flicker Technique and squeezing in moments for training.
At times, he would ask Rin about precise chakra-control techniques used in medical ninjutsu—knowledge that greatly benefited both his training of new jutsu and the execution of Leaf-Style Willow.
His ability to immerse himself in training anytime, anywhere left Rin quietly impressed.
After a week of travel, the salty sea breeze grew stronger.
Finally, the squad left the land entirely and began running across the surface of the ocean.
Soon, they stopped before a desolate, ruined landscape.
Before them lay the remnants of Uzushiogakure, the Land of Whirlpools.
A shattered stone emblem of the Uzumaki clan lay half-buried in the sand. The massive stone structures had been reduced to only their foundations and scattered broken walls. Tenacious weeds and moss grew stubbornly through the cracks.
Their mission was to rebuild Konoha's defensive line on this land and remain vigilant against the Land of Water across the vast ocean.
Beyond the sea… there was only the enemy.
Kiyohara stood atop a tall fragment of wall, gazing out over the ocean. He felt the steady growth of chakra within his body and his increasing familiarity with the new jutsu.
There was no fear in his heart.
Soon, over the next week, Kiyohara's life returned to calm once more.
The defensive line was nearly complete.
During his constant training, the familiar voice of the "Last Will System" finally echoed in his mind.
[Please retrieve your alternate future self's last will and urn. Make sure to properly take care of their remains.]
"Will there be a Bloodline Limit this time?" Kiyohara whispered, excitement rising.
It felt like scratching a lottery ticket, anticipation burning in his chest.
(End of Chapter)