A Small Cheat Isn't Really Cheating

Immediately after, the young Kiyohara took control of Kiyohara's body. The ninja sword in his hand seemed to come alive; it was no longer a rigid hacking motion, but had transformed into a rapid, fluid offensive.

The Kirigakure swordsman's previously sharp assault was instantly dismantled, leaving him to swing his katana in a clumsy, desperate defense.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The dense sound of blades colliding merged into a continuous stream within the thick fog. The two figures traded blows at high speed, sword light flickering so fast that Kakashi and the others watching from the side could barely keep up.

"Hmph, so what if you have a bit of skill?"

Mizunashi Hebi wanted to spit out some harsh words.

Squelch!

Suddenly, the young Kiyohara seized the opening created by his speech. Mizunashi Hebi let out a miserable shriek as his katana flew from his hand. He clutched at the bloodline forming on his throat, wanting to say something more.

Unfortunately, with his throat already pierced, he could only emit a wheezing sound like a broken bellows.

Finally, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Villains die because they talk too much.

Kiyohara thought to himself as he regained control of his own body.

Kiyohara then slowly sheathed his blade, feeling waves of weakness wash over his body.

The possession by the young Kiyohara consumed a massive amount of physical stamina.

He glanced at the dead Kirigakure swordsman.

Is basic swordsmanship really this strong...

Kiyohara had felt it deeply; the young Kiyohara had used nothing but the most ordinary sword techniques just now.

"How come I've never seen you use those before?"

Genma Shiranui asked, puzzled.

At this moment, with the three Kirigakure ninja dead, the thick white fog surrounding them began to dissipate.

"Because I didn't have the money to buy a sword before," Kiyohara said casually.

He squatted down and began to "loot the corpses" with practiced ease, saying without looking up:

"Whoever makes the kill gets the loot. No objections, right?"

Genma Shiranui opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Kurenai Yuhi remembered that Kiyohara still had loans to pay off, and suddenly understood why he was so enthusiastic about searching the bodies.

Kakashi watched in silence as Kiyohara stripped the Kirigakure swordsman of everything valuable, including the katana that looked quite expensive, as well as some scattered ninja tools and cash.

"You take it. You can have my share as well."

Kakashi's expression was indifferent; honestly, he wasn't short on this kind of money.

Kiyohara could tell that Kakashi didn't care; this guy was decked out in expensive gear from head to toe.

Rich brat!

Kiyohara could only grumble to himself. Who told him he didn't have a father more powerful than the Sannin?

Not long after, Kiyohara packed away the fifty or sixty thousand ryo in cash, the Explosive Tags, and the useful ninja tools he had scavenged. Finally, he placed the katana alongside the two blades left behind by the previous Kirigakure ninja.

He quickly tallied his gains.

"The cash and the money from selling the Explosive Tags add up to nearly one hundred and fifty thousand ryo. This katana... it's of excellent quality; it could probably sell for over three hundred thousand ryo on the black market. Plus what I've saved up before..."

Kiyohara's heart began to race uncontrollably.

Enough!

It was definitely enough!

This would be more than enough to forge a ninja sword, perhaps even with some to spare!

Kiyohara carefully sealed all these items into a scroll.

With this, the funds required for the young Kiyohara's second dying wish—to forge a ninja sword of his own—had finally been fully gathered!

This way, he could increase his strength once more. Once he completed the first wish of taking revenge, Kiyohara might even become a genius swordsman.

After all, the young Kiyohara could even master S-rank sword techniques; his talent in this area was actually very high.

It looks like once the ninja sword is forged in a while, my strength will take another huge leap.

Kiyohara thought to himself.

This was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?

Others had to work painstakingly hard, undergo guidance from famous masters, or face life-and-death crises to make progress.

Such traditional methods were dangerous and slow, and years of incorrect training methods could even ruin one's body or leave it deformed.

Yet he could directly use the experience of his future self to empower himself!

Moreover, these experiences were the correct ones that his future self had practiced bit by bit; he only needed to follow the correct answer key.

Safe and efficient.

The difference was clear!

"Let's go."

After Kiyohara finished packing up, Kakashi spoke.

He didn't know if it was just his imagination, but Kakashi felt that Kiyohara was in a very good mood right now.

Was it because he had made money?

Kakashi shook his head, not dwelling on it further.

Kiyohara packed his things and caught up with the team, and the group continued to escort the supplies.

The rest of the journey was much safer, and they arrived at the new outpost without any incidents, where they delivered the supplies.

"We really owe this to you and Kakashi, Kiyohara."

Nohara Rin sighed.

She hadn't been able to help much herself.

"Not at all. Without Rin behind us, how could we have the confidence to fight at the front?"

Kiyohara said with a smile.

He was in a good mood right now.

"Eh?"

Nohara Rin hadn't expected Kiyohara to say that.

She had thought Kiyohara would say something about everyone being comrades, but instead, he was affirming her abilities.

"It is precisely because we have an excellent medical ninja like you, Rin, that we dare to fight without looking back."

"Is that so?"

This was the first time Nohara Rin had heard it put that way.

In the past, Obito would only praise her beauty, and Kakashi would only think about how to complete the mission.

Only Kiyohara had noticed her own abilities and talent.

He was not a shallow or boring man.

Thinking of this, Nohara Rin looked up at Kiyohara.

Kiyohara was the type with sharp, well-defined facial features and a very handsome face.

Even among the Uchiha, he would belong to the most attractive group.

"Thank you."

A happy smile appeared on Nohara Rin's pretty face.

"I'm just stating the facts."

Kiyohara shook his head.

Nohara Rin was a genius comparable to Sakura Haruno, or perhaps even stronger.

One had to know that the current Nohara Rin already knew the A-rank medical ninjutsu, Mystical Palm Technique, while Sakura Haruno had only learned it after apprenticing under a top-tier master like Tsunade.

The current Nohara Rin did not have those resources.

If she hadn't died young, it was hard to say what her future would have been like.

"By the way, when you have time, could you teach me some medical ninjutsu?"

Kiyohara asked.

On the road, through his conversation with the younger Kiyohara, he had learned that his Chakra attributes were Yin and Yang.

With the Yang attribute, Kiyohara could attempt medical ninjutsu.

He could collect some medical ninjutsu beforehand; if he inherited the younger Kiyohara's talent, he would be able to use them directly.

"Hmm, come to my tent tonight."

Nohara Rin thought for a moment and said.

They still had to return to their original outpost later, and only after finishing that would they have their own free time.

"Then I'll be troubling you, Rin."

Kiyohara said.

He planned to find a way to deal with these things once he got back.

There was a small town near the outpost where some Konoha ninjas were stationed, serving as a transit point during the war.

Kiyohara intended to go there to sell his items and have a ninja sword forged.

It shouldn't take much time; Kiyohara felt that a ninja sword could be processed in a single day.

Because this world was actually quite modernized and possessed something as convenient as Chakra, the speed of forging a ninja sword was very fast.

"Tomorrow, then..."

Kiyohara felt that by tomorrow night, it should be about ready.