He saw the arc of the tree branches swaying in the distance, and the leaf patterns on them were perfectly clear.
A bit further away, swarms of flying insects circled the street lamp. They darted through the halo of light, and the frequency of their wing beats was more discernible than ever before.
Obito's face was directly in front of him, filled with shock and anger. The rage was almost palpable, surging in every fine line on his face.
Kiyoshi's sight skimmed over Obito's slightly parted lips, even catching the tiny grinding motion between his teeth.
Turning back, Rin Nohara's faint weariness leaked out from between her brows, and unconcealed worry was written in her eyes.
Kiyoshi watched them silently, the crimson in his eyes swirling, followed closely by a single black tomoe.
This was the power of the "Sharingan"!
"It's getting late. I should go now." Rin Nohara checked the sky, she couldn't stay any longer.
"Obito, let's go." Rin Nohara asked Obito to follow her, lest he continue to make things difficult for Kiyoshi here.
"Fine..." Obito could only suppress his emotions and sullenly followed Rin Nohara out.
Kiyoshi watched their retreating figures until the polite Rin Nohara closed the door. Only then did Kiyoshi look away.
A "cuckold" without the victim's pain has no soul.
Obito, throughout his life, brought nothing but suffering to the ninja world.
The Nine-Tails Attack... the Bloody Mist Village... the Fourth Great Ninja War.
One after another, countless innocent people were displaced, separated from their families, or lost their lives in these conflicts.
Such a person deserved punishment.
As for guiding Obito toward a different path?
Setting aside whether Madara Uchiha had already set his sights on Obito as an optional piece...
Just the fact that he saw Kakashi kill Rin, without even knowing the full situation, he became single-mindedly convinced that it was the fault of the ninja system and all ninjas.
A normal person's approach would be to develop new theories, start a revolution, and reform the world.
Obito was different.
He wanted to drag the entire world into the Infinite Tsukuyomi to evade the problem.
This kind of inherently extreme person was a true reflection of the Uchiha's innate evilness.
According to Tobirama Senju's theory, their temperament dramatically changed due to the influence of the dōjutsu on the brain.
Kiyoshi was different, he was not a pure-blood Uchiha, nor was he from this world.
He couldn't understand such a madman and found it difficult to change someone else's mind.
"The next step won't take long, will it?" Kiyoshi had a smile on his face.
His theory had no practical success case.
Rin Nohara, for Kakashi's sake, would inevitably come a second time.
As for why she was still failing to learn?
Was that Kiyoshi's fault?
She needed to look for the reason within herself.
He would let Rin Nohara consider if she herself was not working hard enough.
***
Rin Nohara and Obito, having left, reached the edge of the Uchiha compound. One step further would take them onto the streets of the Hidden Leaf.
"Obito, Kiyoshi was helping me practice chakra nature transformation just now," Rin Nohara finally explained.
"What kind of chakra nature transformation requires that?" Obito looked unconvinced. He paused and continued:
"Rin, don't be fooled by that Kiyoshi Uchiha guy. Some people look sunny on the outside, but they're incredibly dark on the inside."
Obito wanted to persuade Rin not to go to Kiyoshi Uchiha again.
Obito didn't know much about chakra nature transformation because he was always sleeping in class.
But he had never heard of needing hand-holding or any other physical contact to complete this kind of training.
"Obito, you don't understand." Rin Nohara could only shake her head.
Whether it worked or not, she had to try.
Could she really just stand by and watch Kakashi sink into despair?
Once a ninja acts impulsively, it's easy for things to go wrong on a mission.
She wanted to help Kakashi share some of the pressure.
"I'm going back now." Rin Nohara waved, stepping out of the Uchiha compound.
Obito remained alone, standing by the wall of the Uchiha compound.
"Rin is learning chakra nature transformation, but isn't Rin planning to become a medical ninja? Could it be the 'Yang Release' chakra nature transformation?" Obito mused.
***
Morning.
Kiyoshi got up from bed, ate a simple breakfast, washed up, and headed to the Third Training Ground.
The mountainside was densely forested, and birds occasionally flew off in alarm.
He stood in front of a tree.
He began using his chakra creation skill to refine the appropriate amount of chakra. Then, he formed hand seals, extending his index and middle fingers, joining them together.
Wisps of blue-white electric arcs swirled around Kiyoshi's fingertips. Kiyoshi calculated the consumption of chakra and stamina.
Unlike the Rank E Ninjutsu and the Lightning Release Ninjutsu [Iron Armor] and Cloud Style swordsmanship he had already learned, a pure offensive Ninjutsu like [Lightning Release: Lightning Finger] required more precise control.
If the ability to form "seals" or refine chakra was insufficient, it would result in waste.
Only Jōnin could avoid such waste and perfectly convert the excess chakra into stamina.
*Crack!*
A faint electrical arc sound rang out.
After the chakra gathered in the meridian system of his index and middle fingers, Kiyoshi fiercely thrust them forward.
*Sizzle.*
A smell of scorched, rough bark immediately rose.
Kiyoshi withdrew his fingers, and two black holes, still smoking white, were left in the tree.
"Not bad." Kiyoshi nodded.
The rank of a Ninjutsu doesn't represent everything. As long as one's "Intelligence" and "Stamina" stats are high enough, the power can be enhanced.
For instance, the Rank B Ninjutsu [Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame] released by Madara Uchiha required over twenty Hidden Mist ninjas to release the Rank B Ninjutsu [Water Release: Water Formation Wall] just to block it.
Kiyoshi's aptitude for Lightning Release was already high due to his Yotsuki clan talent, and it was further enhanced by the green Trait [Lightning Release Genin]'s 20% boost.
The ordinarily mediocre [Lightning Release: Lightning Finger] now dealt respectable damage in Kiyoshi's hands.
"Furthermore... I am still getting stronger." The dōjutsu feedback had not stopped since last night.
Kiyoshi had a premonition that this would continue for a while.
"Next up is Genjutsu." Kiyoshi thought.
By learning swordsmanship, he gained the [Apprentice Sword Ninja] Trait, and by learning Lightning Release, he gained the [Apprentice Lightning Release Ninja] Trait.
It stood to reason that once he got the hang of Genjutsu, he would also gain the corresponding Genjutsu Trait.
He just didn't know if the Trait panel would classify [Lightning Release: Flashbang] as Genjutsu or Lightning Release.
After a brief thought, Kiyoshi began practicing the Ninjutsu.
Overthinking was useless, it was better to seize every moment to strengthen himself.
***
Hidden Leaf Street.
Rin Nohara walked among the bustling crowd, her mind occupied with Kakashi.
"Lightning Release... how can I activate the cells?"
Rin Nohara suddenly heard a familiar voice. She looked back and saw it was Kakashi.
"Kakashi, have you already been assigned to a three-person squad?" Seeing the Kakashi she was constantly thinking about, Rin Nohara greeted him.
"Mm." Kakashi nodded, dressed in full ninja attire, carrying the short blade inherited from the White Fang on his back.
***
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