Rin Nohara's Hand Was Small and Soft

There came a rapid knock at the door.

"Kiyoshi, are you home?"

Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow slightly. The familiar voice instantly told him who had come.

He got up and walked to the courtyard gate. When he opened it, Rin Nohara's tired, slightly flushed face came into view, her breathing still somewhat unsteady.

"Rin Nohara, you came to see me this late?"

Kiyoshi's voice was calm. His gaze swept across her rosy cheeks, which seemed to gleam with a faint reddish luster beneath the setting sun.

Rin Nohara lowered her head slightly, panting. She had clearly just run all the way here.

"I thought it over carefully, and I still wanted to ask Kiyoshi about..."

Before she could finish, Rin Nohara took another breath and looked up at Kiyoshi.

Then, with a casual glance, she discovered that Kurenai Yuhi was standing behind Kiyoshi!

"Kurenai, why are you here?"

Rin Nohara's tone was filled with surprise.

She had thought the two of them merely chatted at school. She had never expected Kurenai Yuhi to have quietly made her way into Kiyoshi's home already.

If she had not come to find Kiyoshi today because of Kakashi, she might never have learned about this.

To reach Kiyoshi's home, she had to enter the Uchiha Compound, cross the walls and gates that served as boundaries, and endure the constant faint feeling of being watched.

The Uchiha were especially proud, and they were also members of the Konoha Police Force. Rin Nohara had barely dared to raise her head. She had only found the Kiyoshi Residence after forcing herself to ask an elderly couple selling pancakes nearby.

Kurenai Yuhi also stared at Rin Nohara in surprise.

Why had Rin Nohara come to see Kiyoshi at this hour?

"I came here to discuss genjutsu with Kiyoshi. What about you? Why did you come here?"

Kurenai Yuhi suddenly became wary for no apparent reason.

Could it be that Rin Nohara was going to accept Kiyoshi's tutoring too?

Rin Nohara lowered her head uneasily, seemingly unwilling to reveal too much. She only gave a vague answer.

"There... are some things."

Her tone was evasive, and she did not wish to say more.

"Kurenai Yuhi, it's getting late. You should head home first, or Senior Shinku will worry."

At that moment, Kiyoshi suddenly spoke.

"Mm, I nearly forgot."

Thinking of her father, Kurenai Yuhi hurriedly nodded.

Ever since her mother had passed away, her father had been very strict with her and always made her return home early.

If she did not go back soon, her father would likely come looking for her.

Kurenai Yuhi glanced back at Rin Nohara and Kiyoshi before gradually walking away.

"What exactly is going on?"

Kurenai Yuhi frowned.

Rin Nohara clearly had something she wanted from Kiyoshi, but if it was merely a matter, why did she need to hide it from her instead of telling her directly?

Kurenai Yuhi could not figure it out, so she could only bury it in her heart.

After Kurenai Yuhi left.

Kiyoshi leaned against the doorframe and looked at Rin Nohara, waiting for her to speak.

"Kakashi has always kept his father's affairs in his heart. I'm worried he might do something foolish... Other than using swordsmanship, is there any way to help him pull himself together again?"

The corners of Kiyoshi's lips rose slightly, as though he had already guessed she would ask this.

"As for that, Kakashi's focus should currently be on Lightning Release Ninjutsu. I can tell that he wants to develop a Lightning Release Ninjutsu."

"Lightning Release?"

Rin Nohara froze for a moment.

She seemed to recall Kakashi mentioning it a few times.

When it came to ninjutsu, she really was better at it than swordsmanship.

Although her foundation in ninjutsu was somewhat better than her swordsmanship, she had no experience with Lightning Release, a ninjutsu involving Chakra nature transformation.

She could not help frowning.

"I... I've never learned Lightning Release."

Kiyoshi smiled slightly and said, "I know, Rin Nohara. You don't need to worry that there isn't enough time to learn it."

"Lightning Release Ninjutsu doesn't require profound mastery. As long as you grasp the basics, you can have a common topic with Kakashi and more opportunities to interact with him. Isn't that enough?"

Rin Nohara's eyes lit up at his words.

Kiyoshi was right.

Kakashi was rather solitary and did not have many friends.

If he wanted to develop Lightning Release Ninjutsu, he would most likely research it by himself. If she joined in at this time, they really would have more things to talk about.

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Kiyoshi."

Kiyoshi extended his hand, smiled slightly, and said in a low voice, "Then I'll begin by explaining how to transform neutral Chakra into 'lightning,' Rin Nohara."

Kiyoshi led Rin Nohara into the inner room.

By then, night had gradually overtaken the sunset glow. The evening breeze gently brushed past, bringing with it a hint of chill.

The courtyard was so quiet that they could almost hear the wind passing through the treetops.

After brewing a cup of tea, Kiyoshi began explaining things to Rin Nohara.

Both "Lightning Release: Lightning Finger" and "Lightning Release: Iron Skin" contained basic instruction on this aspect, so Kiyoshi could use them directly.

The same was true of "Lightning Release: Blazing Flash."

Because this was the most fundamental transformation.

To use the Five Element Releases, Chakra had to undergo "nature transformation."

It had to be transformed into one of the five basic attributes.

For example, Chidori required Chakra to be transformed into "lightning," while the Rasengan was merely a "shape transformation," nothing more than a compressed, high-density rotating mass of neutral Chakra.

After listening to Kiyoshi for a while, Rin Nohara only half understood.

She felt as if she had gained something, yet also as if she understood nothing at all.

Rin Nohara's reaction was entirely within Kiyoshi's expectations.

He had never expected Rin Nohara to understand.

If she really understood, how could he carry out the next step of his plan?

Rin Nohara simply did not possess the "lightning attribute"!

According to the databook, Rin Nohara only had three Chakra attributes capable of nature transformation: "water," "fire," and "yang."

Without those Chakra attributes, one could still cast the corresponding techniques, but their power would be greatly reduced.

At the same time, such techniques would be difficult to understand and would require a great deal of time to comprehend. Otherwise, one could only serve as a conduit, assisting others in casting the same ninjutsu.

Just like the Ninja Alliance, numbering in the tens of thousands, had jointly cast the simplest Earth Release Ninjutsu. Yet despite all that enormous Chakra, they had only barely managed to withstand a single Tailed Beast Bomb from the Ten-Tails.

"You don't understand?"

Kiyoshi spoke.

Rin Nohara nodded, her face filled with disappointment.

"It's alright. Hold out your hand. I have another method."

Kiyoshi gestured for Rin Nohara to extend her hand.

Rin Nohara did as instructed.

Kiyoshi took Rin Nohara's hand. It felt small and soft, her skin smooth and delicate.

Rin Nohara likewise felt a large, heavy hand enclosing hers.

It was the first time she had ever held the hand of a boy her own age.

Rin Nohara's earlobes turned slightly red. At such close range, she could even feel Kiyoshi's breath.

She hurriedly shook her head and forced herself to focus.

"Next, I'll let you experience the process of generating Lightning Release Chakra."

Kiyoshi spoke utter nonsense with a perfectly serious expression.

Theoretically, the process of transforming neutral Chakra into attributed Chakra could succeed.

It merely required extremely high-level skill. For example, Naruto had shared the Nine-Tails' Chakra with others, allowing them to use and experience the Nine-Tails' Chakra without side effects.