Though Shiba Kiyokawa had just slapped Ando so hard that the man spun like a top, deep down he was actually grateful to this idiot.
Grateful that this fool had so thoroughly trampled on the ideals Konan once believed in with unwavering conviction.
If mutual understanding between people only exists to protect trash like him… is that ideal even worth holding onto?
It takes years of steadfast resolve to uphold a dream, but it can all come crashing down in an instant of heartbreak.
From that perspective, Ando had outdone himself today.
Still, now wasn't the time to deal with him.
There was one last enemy left: the Iwagakure squad leader.
Kiyokawa quickly calmed and reminded Konan:
"Konan-ne, that guy's a Tokubetsu Jōnin specialized in taijutsu. Keep your distance—don't let him get in close!"
A Tokubetsu Jōnin wasn't quite a full-fledged Jōnin. They only possessed Jōnin-level skill in a specific area, while their overall ability usually sat somewhere between Chūnin and Jōnin.
You could call them specialist half-Jōnin.
Like how, in the original story, Konoha's Hayate Gekkō was a Tokubetsu Jōnin skilled in swordsmanship and stealth.
Kiyokawa had long known that the Iwa squad captain was a Tokubetsu Jōnin.
He was a cautious person by nature. If he hadn't confirmed the threat was within manageable bounds, he would've gone back to call reinforcements the moment Ando started showing signs of betrayal.
His personal ninja code was:
"I'd rather anger the world than risk harming Kiyokawa."
Had Iwagakure sent a real Jōnin this time, he would've already unleashed Nagato.
What he didn't know was—there were actually two Tokubetsu Jōnin in the enemy squad.
He still believed the older ninja he killed earlier was just a Chūnin.
So now, as he and Konan slowly closed in from above and below—forming a calm, coordinated pincer—he had no idea that their target had already completely lost the will to fight.
The Iwa captain hadn't seen what happened inside the warehouse. He couldn't comprehend how his veteran partner and three genin subordinates had been wiped out in mere minutes by a boy who looked, at most, fourteen or fifteen.
Who the hell is this kid?!
Is he actually a Jōnin already?
Is he Rain's secret weapon?
Is the Land of Rain planning to go to war with Iwagakure?!
Kiyokawa had no idea his brief show of strength had thrown the enemy into such mental chaos.
But he did notice that the Iwa captain was becoming increasingly anxious—clearly preparing to flee.
"Konan-ne, he's trying to escape!"
Konan immediately responded, summoning more paper butterflies.
They formed massive white wings, spreading across the air and cutting off the escape route.
Konan wasn't just a soft-spoken flower vase.
Even in Shippuden, among the Akatsuki elite, she held her own.
At fourteen, she might not be able to fight a full-fledged Jōnin yet—but stopping a fleeing Tokubetsu Jōnin? No problem at all.
"Damn it! Get out of my way!!"
The Iwa captain roared like a trapped beast as the wings barred his path.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Draw!"
Right then, Kiyokawa struck with his lightning-infused blade!
"You little brat from the Rain—don't underestimate the Five Great Nations!"
Perhaps realizing escape was futile, the Iwa captain finally burned his last ounce of willpower.
But Kiyokawa remained composed as ever, his face even betraying a touch of disappointed disdain.
So this is what the Five Great Nations are made of?
That silent contempt only drove the enemy further into rage.
And that's exactly what Kiyokawa was waiting for—the emotional slip that would create an opening.
He tossed his sword upward and quickly formed seals.
"Water Release: Flowing Whip!"
Another low-ranked, common jutsu.
No dramatic dragon head like Water Dragon Jutsu.
No overwhelming force like Waterfall Basin Jutsu.
Just a stream of water encircling the enemy—then tightening to bind him.
The Iwa captain sneered confidently.
"You think a weak jutsu like that can restrain me?!"
But he failed to notice—during the initial sweep of the water, several paper butterflies had stuck to his body.
In the next second, Kiyokawa caught his sword and ran a chakra-coated finger down the blade, sparking electric arcs.
Then, without hesitation, he hurled the blade at the enemy.
Zzzap—BOOM!!
The crackling current ignited the explosive tags disguised as butterflies.
Bound by the water whip, the Iwa captain had no time to form seals, no room to dodge.
After the explosion, he collapsed, severely wounded, his expression frozen in fear and disbelief.
"How… could a damp explosive tag still detonate…?"
Kiyokawa advanced cautiously and confirmed the man was on the verge of death.
Only then did he offer an answer:
"Because I suggested Konan-ne coat the paper in oil."
Another tactic borrowed from canon—the future Konan had done exactly this.
She later filled an entire sea trench with explosive tags in her attempt to kill Obito.
The Iwa captain gave a resigned, hollow smile.
Even now, he tried to make a final threat:
"Rain shinobi… are you trying to start a war between the Land of Rain and Iwagakure? You'll regret this…"
Kiyokawa scoffed.
"You trespassed into our territory without permission, tried to destroy a local defense organization by force—then have the audacity to talk about war?"
The captain wheezed, voice growing faint:
"We were just… carrying out… a commission… It's our… duty as shinobi…"
But Kiyokawa no longer had any interest in listening.
He casually flicked a kunai behind him, both to shut him up and to test something.
The kunai arced slowly through the air—deliberately thrown without speed—headed straight for the still-paralyzed Ando, who lay on the ground nearby.
There were still plenty of paper butterflies floating around.
If Konan wanted to intervene, she easily had time.
The blade flew for a full half-second—
And was never stopped.
It landed clean between Ando's brows, dead center.
Kiyokawa smiled in satisfaction.
"What commission? All I saw was you colluding with foreign agents—trying to overthrow the Land of Rain."
The Iwa captain's eyes went wide in shock—just like his comrade's back in the warehouse.
And like him, he too… died with eyes wide open.