Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 214
Her hand trailed through Kaito's hair again, gentle and slow. "He doesn't talk about it, but I can see it. The pressure, the fear… he hides it so well that sometimes I forget he's still just a kid. He's been carrying a lot on his shoulders. More than any kid should."
Minato listened quietly as she leaned against his shoulder, her voice quiet and heavy. "Ever since he heard that the Akatsuki will be coming after Naruto in two years, he's been really stressed. He doesn't show it much, but… he even had a panic attack, ya know."
Minato set his cup down and looked at Kaito, the faint rise and fall of his son's chest steady against Kushina's lap. "He's had to carry too much… but he did it because he loves you both," he said softly.
Minato reached over, placing a comforting hand over hers. "Hey…" he said quietly. "You didn't fail him, Kushina. If anything, you're the reason he's as strong as he is."
She turned to look at him.
Minato smiled gently, his tone calm but firm. "But now we're here. He doesn't have to carry it all anymore. We can help him bear those burdens."
Kushina exhaled slowly, resting her head on Minato's shoulder. "Yeah… our turn, ya know."
…
The first rays of sunlight crept over the mountain peaks surrounding Konoha, casting a warm glow across the village. The faces of the Hokage carved into the cliff slowly lit up, one by one, as the morning came alive.
Down below, shopkeepers began opening their doors, vendors set up their stalls, and the quiet streets filled with the sounds of early chatter. Birds chirped as they fluttered above the rooftops, welcoming the day.
One small bird landed near the Hokage's window, tilting its head as it chirped cheerfully.
Inside, sunlight filtered softly into the office, glinting off the mountain of papers stacked on the Hokage's desk. Amid the quiet hum of the waking village came a faint, rhythmic sound—Tsunade's light snoring.
She was slumped over her desk, cheek pressed against an open scroll, one arm tucked beneath her head like a makeshift pillow. A faint line of drool traced the corner of her mouth, pooling over the ink she'd been reading.
Just then, a faint distortion shimmered on the rooftop outside. Kaito's body flicker faded in and out before he appeared silently beside the window. The bird gave a startled chirp and flew off.
Kaito glanced inside, frowning slightly when he spotted Tsunade asleep at her desk.
'Just like Mom said… she's been sleeping here again,' he thought with a quiet sigh.
He slid the window open and stepped inside without a sound.
The soft creak of his sandals made Tsunade stir. She mumbled drowsily, "Five more minutes…" before shifting in her seat.
Kaito walked up beside her desk and looked down, unimpressed. The open scroll beneath her was dotted with fresh drool.
He let out another sigh and gently shook her shoulder. "Hey, Aunt Tsunade, wake up, ya know."
Tsunade jolted slightly, eyes half-open and unfocused. She turned her head sluggishly toward the voice, blinking until she recognized him. "Kaito…?" Her voice was rough, and a smudge of ink streaked her cheek.
Kaito nodded. "Good morning, Aunt Tsunade," he said, moving around the desk to stand in front of her.
She sat up straighter, still half asleep, and gave a lazy nod. "Mm… morning… morning" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Kaito pinched the edge of the scroll she'd been sleeping on between his fingers and lifted it with a small grimace. A thin string of diluted ink and drool trailed off as he rolled it back up.
Tsunade yawned loudly, stretching her arms over her head. "Mmm… what time is it?" she muttered, smacking her lips tiredly.
Kaito glanced at the clock on the wall. "Around six-forty," he said, setting the rolled-up scroll neatly back on the desk. He frowned. "Didn't you go home last night?"
Tsunade blinked at him, still half-groggy, and frowned back. "I just had a lot of work that needed to be done."
Kaito crossed his arms, unimpressed. "You could've used a shadow clone, ya know. Mom told me you've been staying here the past week or so. You okay?"
He remembered what Kushina had said — that Tsunade hadn't gone home in days. With Shizune now married and moved out, the Senju estate must've felt emptier than ever. Even with Mom's shadow clone visiting daily to bring her food and company, Tsunade probably still felt lonely.
Tsunade looked up at him, brows furrowing in mild confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about? I just had a lot of paperwork lately, that's all." She waved him off dismissively.
Kaito sighed softly but didn't push further.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, rubbing her neck. "Anyway, what are you doing here this early, brat? Don't you usually train around now?"
Kaito shrugged casually. "Finished earlier today. And I brought breakfast for you."
That made her pause. "You brought breakfast?" she repeated, sounding genuinely surprised.
Kaito nodded with a small grin. "Yeah. I was coming over to see you, so Mom asked me to bring it along, ya know."
Tsunade blinked, then chuckled under her breath. "Your mom, huh…"
Kaito smiled faintly. "You should go wash up, ya know. You've got ink and drool on your cheek." He pointed at his own left cheek as a hint.
Tsunade blinked, then rubbed her face, eyes widening slightly when she realized he wasn't kidding. "Tch… I don't need commentary this early," she muttered, stifling another yawn as she stood and stretched.
Kaito watched her head toward the door, shaking his head with a soft smile.
Once she left the office, he unrolled a small scroll and pressed his palm to the seal. With a soft poof, the room filled with the comforting scent of grilled fish and miso. Steam rose from a bowl of freshly cooked rice, golden tamagoyaki rested neatly beside pickled vegetables, and a small pot of green tea sat ready beside it all.
A short while later, Tsunade returned looking refreshed. The moment she caught the aroma, her lips curled into a faint smile. "Mmm, smells good. Remind me to thank Kushina later," she said as she walked over to the desk.
Kaito was seated in the chair opposite hers, legs crossed casually.
Tsunade sat down, picked up the chopsticks and the rice bowl, and murmured, "Itadakimasu," before taking a bite of tamagoyaki with rice.
Kaito quietly poured her a cup of green tea and set it down in front of her. "Here," he said.
Tsunade nodded. "Thanks." She glanced at him between bites. "You're not eating?"
Kaito shook his head. "Nah, I already ate, ya know."
Tsunade hummed and took another bite of fish. "So, you said you came to see me. What's this about? Feeling restless and want to go out on a mission again?"
Kaito chuckled softly. "Eh, not exactly. Though now that you mention it, I might take one later—probably with Hotaru once she gets back from her mission."
Tsunade nodded, setting the bowl down before lifting the cup of tea he'd poured earlier. She took a sip, her golden eyes watching him over the rim. "Then what did you want to see me about?"
Kaito rubbed the back of his head, looking a little hesitant. "Well… there are two things, actually." He reached into his pouch.
He placed a scroll and a sword hilt—one without a blade—onto the desk. "First, I wanted to hand this over to you."
Tsunade's brow arched as she set her cup down and leaned forward. "Wait a second… isn't this the Raijin no Ken?"
Kaito nodded with a small grin. "Yep."
Tsunade looked over at Kaito, brow lifting. "Where did you find it? Wasn't it stolen by a chunin a few years back?"
Kaito nodded. "Yeah, his name is Rokusho Aoi. he tricked a genin into stealing it for him. then defected to Ame. he had the blade when I caught him."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, setting the hilt back on the table before returning to her meal. "You captured Aoi Rokushō?"
Kaito nodded again and tapped the scroll on the desk. "Yeah. I've got him sealed in here. I figure Ibiki might want to handle him personally, ya know."
Tsunade gave a low hum. "Where did you find him?"
Kaito leaned back slightly. "Degerashi Port. He was hired by the Wagarashi to help them win the race."
Tsunade paused, finishing her bite before pointing her chopsticks at him. "The Great Todoroki Shrine Race?"
Kaito smiled faintly. "Yeah, that one. The Wagarashi hired him to sabotage the other side. Oh—Ibiki's brother, Idate Morino, is still alive. He's actually the runner for the Wasabi family."
Tsunade blinked, taken aback. "Wait, Idate? The kid Aoi tricked into stealing the sword? He works for Boss Jirōchō now?"
Kaito nodded. "Yep. From what I could gather, he thought Ibiki died trying to save him, so he ran away. Jirōchō found him later, and he's been working for him ever since."
Tsunade nodded slowly, taking another bite of grilled fish before speaking again. "I see… Degerashi Port, huh? That's a long way from Konoha." She leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "So Idate's still alive, and running for the Wasabi family… Hmph. I remember his file—bright kid, too eager to prove himself. A shame he got tangled up with that snake Aoi."
She sipped her tea in silence for a moment, then sighed. "Well, we can't exactly drag him back. If he's built a life for himself under Jirōchō, forcing him home would do more harm than good." Her expression softened slightly. "But Ibiki deserves to know his brother's alive. He can decide whether to reach out."
Tsunade took another sip of tea before glancing at the sealed scroll Kaito had mentioned. "As for Aoi… Ibiki will want to handle him personally."
Then she fixed Kaito with a measured look. "Now, what were you doing in Degerashi Port? Don't tell me you just happened to stroll into a cross-country feud and a missing-nin. Weren't you supposed to be in Konoha?"
Kaito scratched his cheek, looking a little sheepish. "One of my clones was there, ya know. I was checking out some land for the next branch of the resort." He shrugged casually.
Tsunade sighed and shook her head, muttering, "Of course you were…"
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," she called.
Izumo and Kotetsu stepped inside, both carrying tall stacks of paperwork.
"Lady Hokage," Izumo said, adjusting the stack in his hand, "we've got the documents you asked for."
Kotetsu, tried looking over the stack and added, "Where do you want us to drop these?"
Tsunade gestured toward the clear spot on her desk. "Over here's fine," she said, patting the empty space on her desk.
Kotetsu looked over to see where she was pointing—and spotted Kaito sitting opposite her. "Oh hey, Kaito! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out blowing something up again?" he joked, walking over.
Kaito smirked. "Hey guys. What about you two, huh? Aren't you eternally bound to the village gates?"
Izumo let out a dry laugh. "Ha ha ha. Hilarious." He dropped the paperwork onto the desk with a heavy thud.
Kotetsu grinned. "If we're stuck guarding the gate forever, at least we get peace and quiet without you around."
Kaito chuckled. "Please, you'd be bored without me, ya know."
The two chunin laughed, trading playful jabs while Tsunade calmly finished the last of her breakfast. She set her chopsticks down, wiped her mouth, and leaned back slightly.
"All right," she said, glancing up at them. "I need you two to fetch Ibiki for me. After that, you can take the rest of the day off."
Both men blinked in surprise. "Really?" Kotetsu asked, just to be sure.
"Unless," Tsunade said sweetly, "you'd prefer to stay and help with the paperwork."
That got an instant reaction. Both men straightened up. "No, ma'am! Thank you, Lady Hokage!"
Tsunade smirked faintly as they all but bolted for the door, which shut behind them a second later.
Tsunade took a long sip of her tea, then set the cup down with a quiet clink. Her gaze slid back to Kaito. "So," she said, "what was the other thing you needed to talk to me about?"
"Right, that reminds me." Kaito stood and stretched his arms above his head, rolling his shoulders loose. "I've gotta go get the others. Come by the house around ten, ya know."
Tsunade blinked, lowering her cup. "The others?"
"Yeah," Kaito said, ticking names off on his fingers. "Sensei, Hiashi-sama, Fugaku-sama, and Kakashi."
Her brow arched higher with each name. "Why all of them? What did you do this time?"
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, a grin tugging at his lips. "It's better if you see it in person, ya know. Just come by the house around ten and oh, clear your schedule for the rest of the day. You'll want to."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You're way too cheerful for this hour. That's never a good sign."
Kaito only smiled wider. "Relax. It's a surprise. Something good, trust me, ya know."
He turned toward the window and slid it open with a soft click.
Tsunade's tone sharpened. "Can't you use the door like a normal person for once?"
Kaito glanced over his shoulder, a teasing glint in his blue eyes. "Who said I was normal, ya know?"
And with that, his body flickered in and out before vanishing completely.
Tsunade stared at the spot he'd been standing for a long moment, then let out a slow sigh and sank back into her chair. "What did that brat get himself into this time…" she muttered, rubbing her temple.
….
Later that morning sun warmed the courtyard of the Uzumaki compound, throwing long, soft shadows across the gravel path.
Kaito stood outside the house leaning against the front porch his eyes closed arms crossed as he sensed for the arrival
One by one, chakra signatures flickered at the edge of Kaito's senses.
kaito cracked his eyes open just as the first figure appeared.
Kakashi dropped from a trees with lazy grace, both hands tucked in his pocket. A heartbeat later, Shikaku landed beside him, hiding a yawn behind one hand as he started toward the porch.
kaito pushed himself of the porch and walked over with a grin yo kakashi, sensei you guys are right on time
Kakashi gave a half-shrug. "didn't have much to do,"
Shikaku rubbed the back of his neck. "Have the others arrived yet."
kaito nodded to the side and said "Yeah—just about."
just then, Fugaku landed in front of the house in his police force uniform, posture perfectly straight, he crossed his arm and nodded to kakashi and shikaku and kaito as he strolled over.
A soft rustle of cloth followed as Hiashi landed beside him, robes immaculate as ever. They exchanged polite nods before turning their attention to the red-haired young man waiting by the gate.
"Kaito-san," Hiashi greeted, calm as always. "I hope I'm not late."
Kaito shook his head. "No, no, you're right on time. We're just waiting on Lady Tsunade—she's just around the corner, ya know."
Almost on cue, Tsunade appeared at the end of the gravel path, walking at an easy pace. Her green coat fluttered behind her with every step. A bottle of sake swung casually from her right hand as she made her way toward them.
She looked from one person to the next, taking in the small crowd gathered at the front of the house.
"All right, brat," she called. "You've dragged half the village's leadership out here—what is this about?"
Kaito only grinned, sliding the door open. "You'll see soon enough, ya know. Come in."
Inside, the living room was bright and welcoming.
Kushina greeted them with her usual energy, her long red hair tied back in a loose braid. "Come in, come in! Please, make yourselves at home, ya know!" she said cheerfully, carrying in a tray of steaming cups.
She moved around the table, setting the tray down on the table and serving them one by one.
Fugaku took the spot closest to the door, his posture formal and straight as always. He accepted the cup from Kushina with a polite nod. "Thank you, Kushina-san."
Hiashi seated himself beside him, folding his hands neatly into his sleeves. "My thanks as well, Kushina-san," he said with a small, courteous smile.
Shikaku slouched beside them, already looking like he wanted a nap. He accepted his cup with a nod. "Thank you, Kushina."
Kakashi sat cross-legged, his single visible eye half-lidded in curiosity. When Kushina handed him a cup, he inclined his head. "Thanks, Kushina-nee."
Tsunade sat down last, arms crossed.
When Kushina reached her, she offered an empty cup instead, grinning. "Looks like you brought your own drink, Tsuna-nee."
"Thank you, Kushina," Tsunade said with a smirk, taking the cup and pouring herself a generous serving of sake.
When everyone had settled, she finally spoke, leaning back slightly. "All right, brat—spill it. What did you call us here for?"
Kaito nodded. "Right…" he said quietly. Then he turned toward the hallway. "You can come out now, Dad."
The room fell silent.
Tsunade's brow furrowed, and across the table, Kakashi's visible eye snapped open. Shikaku straightened, confused. Fugaku and Hiashi both turned toward the corridor.
Then came the sound of footsteps. A tall figure stepped into the light of the doorway—Minato Namikaze, golden hair gleaming faintly, blue eyes calm and familiar. He paused at the edge of the tatami mat and offered a smile.
"Good morning, everyone."
For a moment, no one moved. The world seemed to narrow to the sound of his voice.
Kakashi's eye widened. "S-Sensei…" he breathed.
Fugaku's stoic mask cracked, a flicker of shock passing through his dark eyes.
Hiashi exhaled slowly. "Well," he murmured, "this isn't what I was expecting."
Shikaku stared for a beat, then sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Troublesome…"
And Tsunade simply froze. Her lips parted as her mind tried to bridge the impossible sight before her.
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