The escort mission was completed without incident, and Kiyohara's group safely returned to the rear logistics outpost.
The lingering glow of the setting sun draped the camp's tents in a veil of gold. The ninjas who had finished their missions returned in twos and threes, bringing a little more life to the camp.
After a simple dinner, Kiyohara went to Nohara Rin's Medical Tent as promised.
The tent was filled with the faint, refreshing fragrance of medicinal herbs. Medical supplies and scrolls were neatly arranged throughout.
"Qingyuan, you're here."
Nohara Rin smiled and gestured for him to sit down.
"Sorry to disturb you, Rin."
Kiyohara spoke.
Nohara Rin nodded slightly.
She had agreed to teach Kiyohara some basic Medical Ninjutsu.
For Nohara Rin, it was also a chance to reinforce her own knowledge.
Besides, improving her teammates' abilities was another way of helping herself.
"Learning Medical Ninjutsu requires immense patience and precise chakra control, especially in the application of Yang-nature chakra. Tonight, we'll start with the basics..."
She began explaining the principles of Medical Ninjutsu in detail.
Kiyohara listened attentively. After fusing with Renegade Kiyohara, his spiritual energy had become much stronger than before.
The most obvious result was that he could memorize knowledge far more quickly. Nohara Rin only needed to explain something once, and Kiyohara could already remember seventy or eighty percent of it.
"You remembered all that?"
Nohara Rin then asked Kiyohara several questions and found that he answered every one of them smoothly.
"I should have it all memorized after reviewing it one more time."
Kiyohara said.
His head felt a little itchy, as if knowledge was about to sprout from it!
"Eh, that fast?"
Nohara Rin looked at Kiyohara in surprise. She had not expected his memory to be so good.
Back when she had memorized this medical knowledge, it had taken her quite a while.
"Then I'll explain it again."
Nohara Rin went through it once more before continuing to quiz him.
She found that Kiyohara could still answer every question, clearly demonstrating an astonishing memory.
"Maybe you're unexpectedly well-suited to becoming a medical ninja, Kiyohara."
Nohara Rin said with some emotion.
As she spoke, a breeze slipped in through the curtain outside. Her short brown hair fell gently across her cheeks, making her look especially cute.
Nohara Rin then taught Kiyohara another basic Medical Ninjutsu called the Extraction of Pathological Tissue Technique, which could remove a portion of flesh and blood.
This technique was usually used to cut away areas afflicted by severe poison when there was no time to administer an antidote.
"It's a pity I don't know whether you have Yang-nature chakra."
Nohara Rin said regretfully.
Chakra test paper could only test the five basic chakra natures. Yin and Yang had to be tested through other methods.
"Who knows..."
Kiyohara smiled and did not continue the conversation. Instead, he tried to use the Extraction of Pathological Tissue Technique Nohara Rin had just taught him.
Unfortunately, nothing happened even after a long while.
He was only a little better at memorization, that was all.
Kiyohara only knew that he possessed Wind and Lightning natures. His enhanced spiritual energy had also greatly strengthened his Yin nature.
However, he did not know whether he possessed a Yang nature.
Everyone had chakra natures, but they needed to reach a certain threshold before they could manifest.
For example, Sasuke possessed six chakra natures but lacked Yang, while Naruto also possessed six chakra natures but lacked Yin.
I wonder if there'll be a future version of me who has learned Medical Ninjutsu?
Kiyohara mused inwardly.
If that happened, he might be able to skip straight to the end and directly inherit a medical ninja's talent or experience, avoiding twenty years of detours in life.
"It's all right, Kiyohara. Everyone starts out like this. Medical Ninjutsu takes time to get the hang of."
Seeing that Kiyohara still could not cast it, Nohara Rin comforted him softly.
She was worried that he was being too impatient.
This was actually normal. Medical Ninjutsu was inherently more difficult than ordinary ninjutsu and placed greater emphasis on chakra control.
She herself had needed to study for a while before successfully using Medical Ninjutsu. It was not something that could be accomplished overnight.
"The important thing in Medical Ninjutsu is laying a solid theoretical foundation. You can practice it gradually in the future."
"I understand. Thank you, Rin."
Kiyohara said.
As long as he fulfilled Young Kiyohara's wish in the future and fused with his talent, the knowledge he had memorized now could immediately become practical ability.
Whether he had Yang nature or not did not matter. It was enough if his future self had it!
As the night deepened, an oil lamp was lit inside Nohara Rin's tent, while the two of them continued talking.
A white figure silently emerged from the ground, observed them for a while, and then left again.
It came quietly and left quietly, without taking away a single cloud.
Except... Young Kiyohara had noticed it.
Young Kiyohara's spirit was crouched right in front of the White Zetsu, but the White Zetsu could not see him at all.
"Hmm... why does every White Zetsu have green hair?"
Feeling his own energy being consumed, Young Kiyohara returned to Kiyohara's side after the White Zetsu departed, like a guardian spirit at his back.
"Something happened?"
Kiyohara asked inwardly.
"Yeah. There was a White Zetsu. It was probably sent by Uchiha Madara."
Young Kiyohara nodded.
"Uchiha Madara..."
Kiyohara fell silent.
Uchiha Madara was surely watching for the right opportunity.
If he wanted Obito to fall into darkness, Uchiha Madara would inevitably have designed a meticulous plan beforehand.
"I need to sell it early tomorrow and have a ninja sword forged."
Kiyohara made up his mind.
At the same time, in the Graveyard of Mountains.
Beneath the massive "Demonic Statue of the Outer Path," Uchiha Madara sat in a chair with his eyes closed, listening to the information relayed from afar by the White Zetsu.
White Zetsu could infiltrate the roots of plants underground, subterranean water currents, and other organic networks. They also shared a radio-like telepathic connection with one another.
With these White Zetsu scattered beneath the ground everywhere, Uchiha Madara had formed a vast intelligence network in his hands.
Even while he remained in this dark underground passage, nothing that happened in the Ninja World could escape his eyes.
"Hey, Madara, when exactly are you letting me go back? I want to go back! I have to go back!"
Obito, his entire body wrapped in bandages and half of it made from White Zetsu Cells, struggled excitedly as he tried to rise from the crude bed.
The one eye he had exposed was filled with worry and longing for Nohara Rin.
Uchiha Madara ignored Obito and continued resting with his eyes closed.
Seeing this, Obito turned toward the White Zetsu that had just emerged from the ground.
"White guy, what were you just telling Madara?"
Obito asked impatiently.
Within this dim underground passage, Obito had completely lost all sense of time.
He did not know whether it was day or night outside, nor how long it had been since he had arrived here.
He wanted to know every scrap of information about the outside world.
Especially any information about Nohara Rin and Kakashi.
"Hmm... Obito, I saw one of your former companions learning Medical Ninjutsu."
White Zetsu said.
"Medical Ninjutsu?"
The moment Obito heard that, joy appeared on his face.
Former companion plus Medical Ninjutsu—those two labels together could only mean his beloved Rin!
Before you continue