Inside the tent, Tsunade had just finished processing a batch of medical documents. She rubbed her brow and, relying on her exceptional sensory abilities, could vaguely perceive the murmurs outside. She snorted softly and said, "That brat Kiyohara really does have boundless energy."
Shizune, cradling the little pig Tonton in her arms, looked somewhat worried. "Lady Tsunade, won't a private spar like this cause some kind of conflict…?"
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, picked up the glass of liquor beside her, and only after the strong alcohol slid down her throat did she slowly part her red lips and say, "Relax. Anyone Orochimaru values won't be a reckless fool. I've been observing this kid for several days now. Aside from being a bit eye-catching when he hangs around Yuhi Kurenai and Nohara Rin, all his thoughts are devoted to training. He knows his limits and acts with restraint."
If Kiyohara hadn't been training relentlessly every single day, Tsunade might have even thought he was trying to juggle two relationships at once.
As she spoke, she stood up and lazily stretched her proud figure. Her full, snowy curves swayed slightly, and under the dim lighting inside the tent, faint bluish veins could be seen tracing across her smooth, pale skin.
Her face carried the heavy exhaustion that came after a full day of official duties. She let out a small yawn. "I've been busy all day—my bones are about to stiffen up. I'm going to have a few drinks and then get a good night's sleep. Shizune, if you're curious, you can go take a look yourself."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
Shizune nodded. A hint of curiosity about tonight's sparring had indeed arisen in her heart.
Especially about that young man named Kiyohara—just how far had his strength progressed?
"Then, Lady Tsunade, who do you think will win?" she asked.
"Kiyohara," Tsunade replied casually as she walked out.
"Kiyohara…?"
Shizune watched Tsunade's retreating figure. Tsunade seemed quite confident in Kiyohara.
Shizune found herself wondering why Lady Tsunade believed Kiyohara would win.
Night gradually descended, and the open ground by the river was illuminated by the cold moonlight and the scattered firelight from the camp.
After hearing from Kakashi that Kiyohara would be sparring with an Uchiha shinobi, Rin also came over to watch the excitement.
"Kakashi, who do you think will win?" Rin asked.
"Hard to say," Kakashi shook his head.
One side had the Sharingan, the other had Magnet Release.
This was a clash between two bloodline-limit shinobi.
To be honest, even Kakashi couldn't tell who would come out on top.
"Shisui, I think," Asuma said as he walked over from a distance, his hands tucked into his pockets.
On his way back, he had happened to overhear the conversation between Kiyohara and the two Uchiha clansmen.
This wasn't Asuma acting on impulse—after all, the Uchiha were Konoha's largest clan and truly had some serious strength.
Once awakened, the Sharingan granted the ability to copy ninjutsu, hypnotize opponents, see through chakra, and greatly enhance dynamic vision, among many other effects.
Asuma felt that even if you considered any one of these abilities on its own, it would be enough to qualify as a separate bloodline limit.
And yet a single Sharingan gathered all of them together!
"You've transplanted Obito's Sharingan, so you should be able to feel the gap even more clearly," Asuma said.
Hearing this, Kakashi nodded in silence.
He truly understood how powerful the Sharingan was.
If he had to name a flaw, it would be that outsiders couldn't deactivate it.
But for true Uchiha like Tekka or Shisui, this wasn't an issue at all.
"I'm rooting for Kiyohara."
Kurenai's clear voice rang out. She stood beside Rin, her crimson eyes fixed tightly on the familiar figure in the field.
Faced with two Uchiha clansmen she didn't know well, her choice was obvious—she would support her own companion.
While the spectators were discussing among themselves, Kiyohara and Shisui had already formed the "Seal of Confrontation."
"Please go easy on me, Senior Kiyohara," Shisui said.
Shisui was a bit younger than Kiyohara, so he addressed him as senior.
"Likewise, Shisui," Kiyohara replied.
The moment the hand seal fell, both figures moved at the same time!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!
Uchiha Shisui's fingers were suddenly filled with eight sharp kunai, which shot toward Kiyohara's vital points from all directions.
The Uchiha clan's throwing techniques truly lived up to their reputation. The kunai collided with one another midair, altering their trajectories and forming a chain of interlocking attacks, making them nearly impossible to defend against.
However, Kiyohara's reaction was just as astonishingly fast.
Almost at the exact moment Shisui made his move, Kiyohara's hands had already plunged into his shinobi pouch, and several shuriken whistled through the air.
Clang clang clang!
A series of crisp, rapid collisions rang out as sparks flew in all directions.
The shuriken Kiyohara threw struck the sides or tails of the kunai with pinpoint precision, and in the end, both the shuriken and kunai fell harmlessly to the ground.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Without the slightest pause, in the very next second after his kunai were deflected, Shisui had already completed his hand seals.
His chest expanded as he forcefully spat out a massive fireball more than three meters in diameter!
The blazing flames churned violently, radiating terrifying heat that distorted the surrounding air.
Facing the surging fire release technique, Kiyohara rapidly formed hand seals. His chakra nature transformed instantly as he refined magnetic force.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
The iron sand stored in the thermos at Kiyohara's waist surged out, transforming into a dense black rain that shot toward the massive fireball from all directions!
Hiss hiss hiss!
The iron sand collided fiercely with the flames. The extreme heat instantly melted the foremost grains, producing a huge cloud of steam and smoke.
But the iron sand behind surged forward relentlessly, forcibly piercing through the white smoke and the Great Fireball itself, stabbing straight toward Shisui's chest behind it!
"What?!"
The pupils of the watching Tekka shrank sharply.
This was his first time seeing a Magnet Release shinobi in action, and he hadn't expected it to be able to directly punch through a fireball like that.
It could be said that Kiyohara's current strength was worlds apart from when he had participated in the Chūnin Exams.
This rate of improvement was simply unbelievable—faster even than him, an elite Uchiha clansman?
How was that possible?
Was the Magnet Release kekkei genkai really this powerful?
"Kiyohara, you've got this!" Kurenai couldn't help shouting, her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest.
In the field, facing the iron sand shooting toward him like lightning, Shisui also showed a trace of surprise on his face, but his movements didn't slow in the slightest.
He stomped hard against the ground, his body drifting backward as he twisted to the side. The iron sand brushed past the edge of his clothing.
At the same time, Kiyohara's figure vanished.
Only a few slowly drifting leaves were left behind where he had stood.
The Leaf Body Flicker Technique!
Kiyohara's speed was so fast that Kakashi's exposed right eye widened noticeably.
He felt that Kiyohara's Body Flicker seemed even faster than before.
Had his bloodline limit awakened further, leading to increases in both chakra quantity and physical vitality?
Kakashi couldn't help but speculate.
Kiyohara's kunai flashed with cold light as it stabbed straight toward Shisui's back.
But it was as if Shisui had eyes on the back of his head. At the instant before the kunai could strike, he spun around sharply, and with a crisp clang, used his own kunai to firmly block Kiyohara's attack.
After a brief clash of strength, the two of them each retreated half a step, then simultaneously reached back and drew their ninja blades!
(End of Chapter)