Maintaining the state of suppressing his presence while moving was no easy task.
Kiyosuke often slipped up, which usually ended in failure.
In the end, he had no choice but to "cheat" by using Shadow Clones to speed up his training.
After accumulating enough experience through repetition, he finally grasped the essentials and even made a trip to Manda's place before returning.
Manda, that guy, seemed to live quite comfortably.
With his overwhelming strength, he had claimed a massive section of Ryūchi Cave entirely for himself.
No other snakes dared enter his domain.
Kiyosuke couldn't help but find it strange that a snake would even have such a strong territorial instinct.
But the good news was—he had finally mastered Presence Suppression.
Next up was Floating.
Floating was a Sage Technique far from easy to learn.
After all, very few in the shinobi world were capable of flight.
Those who could truly hover and move freely in the air included the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and later on, Pain's Deva Path.
The rest relied on external means—Deidara's explosive clay, Fu's wings, or the Six Paths' power wielded by the likes of Madara, Obito, and Naruto with the Sage of Six Paths' body.
But Ryūchi Cave's Sage Techniques were unique in that they allowed genuine flight—though only by entering Sage Mode.
It demanded immense control over Sage Chakra.
For Kiyosuke, it was a nightmare to learn.
Ichikishimahime and the others had lived for who knew how many centuries, and flight came to them naturally.
But for him, it would take a long time to adapt.
They had already taught him the method, yet no matter what, he just couldn't get it right.
Even with Shadow Clones multiplying his training, the most he could manage was a short float, and at a very low height.
As for moving around freely in the air? Forget it.
Ichikishimahime said,
"Humans weren't born to fly. Of course it's troublesome for you to learn."
Kiyosuke replied helplessly,
"You're snakes. I've never heard of snakes flying either."
"We are Sages!"
No—you're monsters. Snake spirits, more like...
"Anyway, keep working at it. You've been in Ryūchi Cave for almost a month, haven't you?" Ichikishimahime asked.
"Seems like it."
Ryūchi Cave had no day or night, making it impossible to tell the passage of time.
Kiyosuke had even brought a clock with him just to keep track.
He'd been here for a month.
Presence Suppression—mastered.
Floating—progress slow as ever.
By his calculations, Naruto should be returning soon.
Which meant it was about time for him to head out as well.
With that in mind, Kiyosuke said,
"I'll keep training a little longer then. Ichikishimahime-sama, please continue teaching me!"
"Why me? There are two others, you know."
"Tagitsuhime-sama isn't as easy to get along with as you are. And Tagorihime-sama's never seemed too fond of me. Besides, you and I get along best—if not you, then who?" Kiyosuke grinned.
"Well, you're not wrong. Alright then, let's continue."
Ichikishimahime clapped her hands.
"Same as always—meditate, gather natural energy, and lift yourself into the air. It's actually a fairly simple process. You should be able to do it."
"Yes!"
Under her guidance, Kiyosuke resumed training, summoning multiple Shadow Clones.
A whole crowd of clones worked tirelessly—doubling efficiency, asking questions when stuck, and feeding back their experiences once dispelled.
Shadow Clones really were training accelerators.
So useful.
Time passed.
Another month.
Two months in total.
At last, Kiyosuke could maintain floating and move freely through the air.
The feeling of soaring wherever he wished was simply exhilarating.
But after two months, his appearance was a disaster.
His clothes were filthy, his body stank, his long hair had grown all the way down his back and tangled into knots.
His face was grimy, his beard scruffy—he looked like a savage.
"Well, it's about time to head back," Kiyosuke said, standing up and bidding farewell to Ichikishimahime.
"Good riddance. Hurry up and leave already—you stink to high heaven."
She pinched her nose, unable to hide her disgust.
Kiyosuke had been training like a madman, forgetting food and sleep, stuck in a cycle of training, eating, restoring chakra, and sleeping.
But his efforts had paid off.
His chakra reserves had grown, his presence more fearsome than ever.
Two months of training had pushed his strength to another level.
That was the benefit of true cultivation.
After saying goodbye to Ichikishimahime, Kiyosuke left Ryūchi Cave and returned home.
That day, Karin happened to be on break, resting at home and cooking.
Suddenly, a "wild man" barged into the house.
Startled, she instinctively hurled the frying pan in her hands.
"Whoa! Karin, what are you doing?!" Kiyosuke caught the pan mid-air, quickly asking.
Hearing his voice, Karin froze.
Still doubtful, she asked,
"Kiyosuke-sama?"
"It's me."
"What happened to you? You reek."
She stepped closer, sniffed, then instantly backed away.
Hey, was that half-step retreat really necessary?
"I've been training in Ryūchi Cave for two months, without much chance to bathe. The smell can't be that bad."
"No, it's awful. Kiyosuke-sama, you need a bath—now. I need to spray the whole house with freshener."
Karin covered her nose, her face full of disdain.
"Fine, fine."
Kiyosuke headed to the bath and scrubbed himself clean.
It took a whole hour just to wash the grime off.
After that, he soaked in the hot spring for a while, feeling as though his entire being had been reborn.
Shaving off his beard, tying his now-smooth hair neatly behind his head, he looked into the mirror.
Once again, a handsome man stared back—one who could make countless Konoha girls swoon.
He flashed a smile, teeth shining white, nodding in satisfaction at his reflection.
Humming, he stepped out of the bath and sat down to enjoy the lunch Karin had prepared for him.
Finally, real food!
Ryūchi Cave had nothing worth eating.
He'd been surviving on rations he brought himself—food pills, whose taste was truly indescribable.
Now, he devoured bowl after bowl of rice, finally leaning back with a satisfied burp.
Picking his teeth, he watched Karin carry dishes into the kitchen and ask,
"Kiyosuke-sama, you were gone so long, we thought you had run off to Kirigakure again."
"Hey, who taught you to say that? I've been training hard this whole time. Who told you otherwise?"
"Asuma-sensei and the others."
"That damn Asuma, spreading rumors about me!"
Kiyosuke clenched his fists.
He needed to find him and deliver a good beating.
Yes—it's decided. You're the one, Asuma!
At that very moment, Asuma—busy at home taking care of his daughter—sneezed suddenly, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.