Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 228
Just a precise adjustment.
'Once that's done… when Itachi's eyes are fully rewritten into Sasuke's template…'
His fingers moved steadily across the screen.
'It'll automatically be MS.'
He didn't say a word out loud.
'And when the seal activates and completes the rewrite… Itachi's chakra will resonate with Sasuke's eyes. That resonance will awaken EMS naturally. No transplant needed.'
He continued working without changing his expression.
'And with the Zetsu-cell treatment he'll be receiving over the year… he might even have a chance at awakening the Rinnegan.'
He had already discussed it with Minato beforehand.
Minato had agreed.
Because Kaito had written the entire program himself, he could ensure the additional modifications inside Itachi's ocular rewrite were hidden. They wouldn't appear in the general overview Tsunade was monitoring.
After around thirty minutes of quiet work, Kaito stood up and walked over to Tsunade.
"I'm done."
Tsunade glanced at him. "Already?"
Kaito didn't answer.
He simply connected his tablet to hers and merged the sections he had completed. A moment later, his clones stepped over and synced their finished portions as well.
The data integrated smoothly.
Tsunade scanned the merged result carefully.
All the while, Kaito stood there with a faint, pleased smile on his face.
…
Kaito stood in the mindscape, the dark water beneath his feet rippling outward with every shift of his weight. Opposite him, the massive form of the Seven-Tails loomed, its iridescent wings folded against its beetle-like back.
Kaito grinned at the seven tails "Thanks for sharing the chakra, Chōmei. I really appreciate it, ya know."
The massive beast shifted, its many wings fluttering with a sound like dry leaves. Its voice was surprisingly upbeat.
Chōmei replied In a buzzy, cheerful tone "Lucky number seven! Don't mention it, Kaito-san. Kurama is rarely one to ask favors for a human, so if he's putting his faith in your 'plan,' I suppose I can spare a bit of luck. Just don't make him look like a fool for trusting you.
Kaito gave a determined nod. "I don't plan on failing chomei. I've got too many people counting on me back home."
chomei buzzed as if nodding kaito dint know " good. It would be a real sting if all this effort went to waste! Go on now, Fū is waiting. I don't think she can keep still for much longer; she's practically vibrating out there. She doesn't get many visitors who don't look at her like she's a weapon. So... please visit her once in a while."
Kaito's gaze softened slightly, and he gave a small, genuine smile. "I will."
"I'll be off then. Thank you again, Chōmei," Kaito said, giving one final nod. Without another word, his image faded from the mindscape as he pulled his consciousness back to the physical world.
…
The noon sunlight filtered in through the window of the small apartment, casting a warm glow over the living room.
The heavy, still air of the mindscape was gone, replaced by the cool, humid breeze that always drifted through the Hidden Waterfall. Kaito and Fū were sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, their eyes closed and their fists still extended touching. On the floor next to them sat an empty bento box that Kaito had brought over.
kaito retracted his fist as he opened his eyes.
Fū blinked her large, orange eyes, tilting her head curiously to the side so far, her mint-green hair brushed her shoulder. She was bouncing slightly while seated. "So… did Chōmei say yes?" she asked, her voice a hushed, excited whisper .
Kaito let out a chuckle and offered her a genuine smile. "He did. Everything went smooth, ya know."
"I knew it!" she said, nodding rapidly. "Chōmei said you had good energy earlier. That's usually a good sign. If he didn't like you he would've kicked you out of my head already." She leaned closer with a conspiratorial grin. "That means you're one of the lucky ones."
Kaito chuckled, reaching out to pat her head briefly. "Well, I couldn't have done it without your help, Fū. Thanks for trusting me."
Fū waved her hand casually, though a slight blush of pride colored her cheeks. "Aww, it was nothing! It's what friends do, right?"
she then paused and looked at kaito with a hesitant look and asked "We... we're friends?"
Kaito's smile softened. He reached out and patted the girl's head again, his tone steady and warm. "Yeah, Fū. We're friends. I don't just go around sharing food with people I don't like, ya know."
Fū's entire face brightened, her eyes crinkling with joy. She jumped up and pumped a small fist into the air. "That's great! Fū has a friend! A real one!"
Kaito chuckled as he pulled out a sealing scroll. With a quick puff of smoke, he sealed the empty bento box back inside and rolled the scroll up, standing as he tucked it away.
Fū paused expression falters slightly as she sees him stand up "wait. You're leaving already?"
Kaito looked at the girl, seeing the disappointment eyes that she tried to hide behind her usual bubbly mask. "Yeah. I've got to get going, Fū. I'm sorry, but it'd be risky if I stayed any longer, ya know. I'm already pushing it by being in the village this long."
Fū looked down at the floor, her shoulders slumping. "Right. You're a busy shinobi. I can't expect you to stay with Fū all day."
Kaito crouched down to her eye level, catching her attention. "Hey, now, don't look sad. I told you we're friends, didn't I?" He gave her a small wink. "I promise I'll visit again, ya know. And next time... maybe I'll bring you over to my place. My brother and his friends are all around your age. I think you'd hit it off with them."
Fū was practically buzzing again, her disappointment vanishing instantly. "More friends?! Really? Do you promise, promise, promise?" she asked, raising her pinky finger with wide eyes.
Kaito chuckled and hooked his pinky with hers, nodding. "I promise. Next time I visit, I'll bring you over to see them, ok?"
Fū bounced on the spot, hugging her arms to her chest excitedly. "Fū is going to make a lot of friends! Fū can't wait, ya know!"
Kaito chuckled, but then he reached out and grabbed her shoulder gently before she could get too carried away. "Yes, Fū, you'll meet them. But first, I need you to listen to me for a second."
Fū paused, looking at him seriously.
"You've got to remember what I said about keeping this a secret, right?" Kaito said, letting go of her shoulder. "If the leaders here find out a Konoha shinobi was hanging out with their Jinchūriki, things would get messy for both of us. If that happens, I won't be able to visit, and I definitely won't be able to bring you to meet the others, ya know."
Fū nodded frantically, zipping her fingers across her lips in a 'sealed' motion. "Locked and keyed! Fū won't tell a soul. Not even Shibuki-sama!"
"Good," Kaito said, standing back up and giving her one last pat on the head.
Fū's eyes shimmered with hope. "When will you visit back, Kaito-nii? When can Fū go meet them?"
Kaito rubbed his chin thoughtfully, running through his schedule. "Hmm... how about next week Friday? Wait for me here. I'll come by in the morning so you can spend the whole day with them."
Fū beamed, a radiant grin back on her face. "Promise?"
"I promise," Kaito replied. "But remember, it's a secret, ok?"
Fū gave Kaito a quick, tight hug and nodded as she let go. "Hai!"
Kaito gave her a final wave. "Alright, Fū. I'll see you next Friday." With that he vanished, leaving the room silent once again.
Fū stared at the empty spot for a long moment, a wide smile still on her face. She whispered to herself, "Fū is going to have so many friends, Chōmei! Real friends who don't just stare at the floor! Fū is so lucky, ya know!"
…
The noon sun filtered in through the window of Kaito's room.
The room itself was quiet and spotless. Everything was organized the way Kaito liked it. Scrolls stacked neatly, notes pinned to the board, equipment arranged carefully on the desk.
Just then, Kaito reappeared in the center of the room without making a sound. He had teleported in next to the desk, displacing the air as he arrived.
Kaito let out a sigh as he stretched his arms over his shoulder slightly. he then reached down and unbuckled his shinobi pouch. He placed it on the desk
"That went a lot easier than I thought it would," he muttered to himself. as he said that His eyes shifted to the whiteboard next to the desk, on it were the names of the all Tailed Beasts in order: Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu... all the way to Kurama.
Kaito picked up the a black marker that was on the desk and uncapped it and then drew a clean, diagonal line through the seventh name: Chōmei.
"Three done," Kaito hummed, "only 5 more to go "
He set the marker down and lifted his hand slightly, looking at the seal on his palm. It was the Uzumaki clan's crest—a spiral in a circle. He stared at it for a moment, thinking about the chakra he had just secured and the plan he was building. He let out another small breath before lowering his hand.
"Alright," he murmured. "One step at a time."
He turned and walked toward the door. Kaito slid the door shut behind him and made his way down the corridor A few steps in, he could hear a soft humming coming from the living room. He sensed his mother was there, her chakra warm and familiar, so he made his way toward the sound.
He stepped into the living room and paused. Kushina was seated on the floor next to the coffee table. Around her were several neatly wrapped gifts stacked into small piles. She was humming a tune to herself while finishing up what looked like the final gift. On the coffee table sat a tray of tea that looked like it had been forgotten.
Kushina looked as radiant as ever. Her stomach was much bigger now, the baby bump clearly visible as she was six months pregnant. She wore looser clothes these days to hide the pregnancy, and whenever she went out in public, she usually used a transformation jutsu. They couldn't afford a leak; if the village found out, it would raise too many questions since the world still thought Minato was dead.
It really had Kaito scratching his head. His original plan was to keep Minato hidden until the Akatsuki made their move, but this pregnancy hadn't exactly been part of the tactical roadmap. He didn't want the village talking bad about her, which they definitely would if they saw a 'widow' having a baby. For now, the plan was just to keep it hidden and see how things went.
"Hey, Mom," Kaito said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
Kushina looked up at him, slightly startled. She hadn't noticed him walking in. She held a hand to her chest and exhaled. "Oh, Kai-kun! You gave me a scare there, ya know!"
Kaito scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. He had forgotten to deactivate his stealth seal after getting back from Taki. "Eh, sorry about that, Mom. Didn't mean to, ya know," he said as he walked over and sat down next to her.
Kushina waved him off with a smile. "When did you arrive? You've been gone for two days, ya know. Did you get done whatever you and your father were planning? How did it go?"
"Just a few minutes ago," Kaito said. "Yeah, I finished that part." He gestured to the pile of gifts on the table. "But what's all this? Are you going to open up a gift shop or something? Or did I miss someone's birthday?"
Kushina laughed, finishing the knot on the ribbon. "Shizune gave birth two days ago! I'm going to visit them today. They should have been discharged yesterday, so I wanted to drop these off."
She took a large scroll from the table and unrolled it. With a quick series of seals and a puff of smoke, she sealed all the gift piles into the scroll. "Do you want to come along, Kai-kun?"
Kaito shrugged. "I don't have anything important to do. Might as well."
Kushina clapped her hands and stood up, rolling the sealing scroll back up. "Alright then, go shower. We will be leaving in an hour."
Kaito stood up and nodded, but paused. "Oh, Mom, by the way... mind if I bring someone over next week Friday? She's a girl around Naruto's age, maybe a bit younger. She's the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails and she's pretty lonely."
Kushina looked at Kaito, tilting her head. "The Seven-Tails? Isn't that part of Taki?"
Kaito nodded, scratching his head again. "Eh, yeah she is. I promised her she could visit sometime and make some friends. She looked pretty sad when I was leaving. I told her I'd come get her next Friday and she could spend the day with Naruto and the others, ya know."
Kushina sighed softly and stepped closer, reaching up to pat his cheek. "You know… sometimes I think you're too kind for this world, Kai-kun." She looked at him for a moment before nodding slightly. "I feel bad for that girl, ya know. I know what it's like to be a jinchūriki. It must be hard for her."
Kushina folded her arms loosely. "She can come." Then she smiled faintly. "I think it'll be good for Naruto and the others to meet her too, ya know."
Kaito grinned. "Thanks, Mom. I'll go get ready."
…
Kushina and Kaito walked down the South-Eastern Residential District of Konoha.
The area was quieter than the market side of the village, but still lively enough. A few small shops lined the streets, and several families were outside enjoying the warm afternoon.
It was also fairly close to the hospital district.
Kushina wore a loose-fitting dress, and like usual when going outside, she had used a simple transformation jutsu to hide the baby bump. In one hand she carried a paper bag filled with freshly bought taiyaki.
Kaito walked beside her in a casual white long-sleeve shirt and black pants. His left hand rested lazily in his pocket while his right hand held one of the taiyaki.
He took another bite while glancing around the neighborhood.
A group of kids ran past them laughing.
Kaito chewed slowly before speaking.
"I didn't know they lived here," he said. "I thought Shizune and Genma lived in Genma's apartment."
Kushina gave him a side glance.
"That was before they got married, ya know," she said. "They moved here after the wedding."
She gestured lightly toward the street ahead of them.
"They have a baby now and they're starting a family. Of course they needed a bigger place than that tiny apartment."
Kaito nodded slightly. "That makes sense."
They turned onto a smaller residential road and stopped in front of a modest two-story house with a small front yard.
Kaito glanced at the house. "Not bad."
They walked up the stone pathway toward the door.
Before they even reached it, a baby's loud crying could be heard from inside the house.
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone's having a rough day."
Kushina chuckled. "That's normal, ya know."
She knocked on the door and stepped back.
Kaito stood slightly behind her, lazily finishing the last bite of his taiyaki.
A few seconds later the door opened.
Genma stood there.
He looked exhausted.
There were clear bags under his eyes, and the baby crying inside the house only seemed to get louder.
But the moment he saw Kushina he immediately straightened.
"Lady Kushina," Genma said politely as he stepped aside. "Please come in."
Kushina smiled warmly as she walked inside.
"Thanks, Genma."
She looked at him carefully.
"How have you and Shizune been doing, ya know?" she asked with a small chuckle. "Having trouble with the baby?"
Genma scratched the back of his head. "…You could say that."
Kaito stepped up beside him and raised an eyebrow. "Rough night?"
Genma gave him a tired look. "You don't even know the half of it, kid."
He closed the door behind them and followed them toward the living room.
Shizune looked even worse than Genma.
She sat on the couch rocking the baby in her arms while trying to calm her down.
The baby continued crying loudly.
Kushina chuckled softly when she saw her. "You look like you've been through a war, Shizune," she said. "Having trouble with the little one?"
Shizune blinked and looked up. "Kushina-nee?" She looked relieved to see her.
"Oh—please sit down," Shizune said quickly. "I'll get something for you to drink as soon as I calm her down."
Kushina waved that off and walked over. "Here," she said gently. "Give her to me, Shizune."
Shizune hesitated for a second before carefully handing the baby over. "I don't know what's wrong with her," she said tiredly. "She just woke up and started crying."
Kushina held the baby comfortably in her arms and checked her for a moment. She adjusted the blanket slightly and rocked her gently.
A few seconds later…
The crying stopped.
The baby went quiet.
Shizune and Genma both stared.
"…What?" Genma muttered.
Shizune blinked. "But how?" she asked. "I tried everything."
Kushina chuckled softly. "First babies are like that," she said. "You just need to learn what they're trying to tell you, ya know."
She lightly adjusted the baby's position. "She was uncomfortable. The blanket was wrapped too tight around her shoulders."
Shizune looked embarrassed. "Oh…"
Kushina smiled reassuringly. "It's alright. Everyone struggles at first."
She sat down while gently rocking the baby. "Let me show you a few things that helped when Kaito and Naruto were babies."
Shizune leaned closer immediately.
Meanwhile Kaito stood next to genma quietly eating the second taiyaki.
He watched the scene with mild curiosity while Kushina explained things.
A sudden knock sounded at the door.
Genma frowned slightly. "Who could that be?" He turned and walked toward the door. A moment later he returned.
"Kaito," Genma called.
Kaito looked up.
Genma shrugged. "It's for you. Lady Tsunade summoned you to her office."
Kaito sighed. "No doubt she's going to assign me to another mission." there was A puff of smoke appeared beside him as a shadow clone formed.
Kaito looked at Genma. "I'll leave a clone here if that's alright."
Genma shrugged. "Sure."
Kaito then handed him a larger scroll. "Congratulations, by the way," Kaito said. "This is mom's presents for the baby."
He started walking toward the door. "Word of advice," he added casually. "Open it somewhere with a lot of space." He glanced back briefly. "Mom went a little overboard with the gifts, ya know."
Genma stared at the scroll in his hand. "…eh thank you i gueses."
Kaito chuckled lightly as he stepped outside.
Back in the living room, Kushina looked at Shizune carefully.
Shizune looked like she might fall asleep at any moment.
Kushina smiled gently. "Why don't you go get some sleep, Shizune?" she said. "You and Genma both look like you could use it, ya know."
She continued rocking the baby calmly. "I'll watch her for a bit."
…
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, its light spilling through the large windows of the Hokage office and across the mountains of paperwork stacked on Tsunade's desk. The room was quiet except for the steady scratching of her pen as she worked through the endless reports.
A faint blur suddenly appeared outside the window. Kaito landed lightly on the roof beside it. He slid the window open and hopped inside, his sandals touching the office floor with a soft thud.
Tsunade didn't even look up, her brow furrowed in annoyance. She made a sharp gesture with her hand, and the two ANBU stationed in the office vanished leaving the two behind.
Tsunade finally setting her pen down. She leaned back, crossing her arms as she leveled a stare at him. "Where have you been? Your mother said you hauled off out of the village to 'handle something' two days ago."
"Yeah, I was over at Takigakure," Kaito said, leaning casually against the edge of her desk.
Tsunade's eyes sharpened. "So you've collected the chakra from their Jinchūriki, then? I assume you didn't get caught and start a war while I was busy with these budget reports."
Kaito had briefed her months ago on the threat. He'd told her how Kurama suspected the Akatsuki were aiming to resurrect the Ten-Tails, and that he was collecting small amounts of chakra from each beast to act as a 'resonance'—a failsafe to force a split if the worst happened.
Kaito scoffed and crossed his arms. "No, of course not. What do you take me for, an amateur or something?" He waved his hand dismissively. "That only happened once, ya know. And nobody even knew it was me. I only did it to stop a few clans from getting wiped out." He paused for a second before muttering under his breath. "And everything worked out fine anyway."
Tsunade slowly raised an eyebrow at him.
Kaito ignored the look. Then he suddenly straightened slightly and looked back at her. " Oh, by the way... Mind letting Fū come over?"
Tsunade's pen paused above the document she had been signing. "Fū?"
""The jinchūriki, her name is Fū" He held his hand out at waist height to show her height. "She's only about this tall and around nine or ten. She looked really sad when I left, ya know "
Tsunade let out a long, weary sigh. "Kaito, we can't just take another village's Jinchūriki. It would be a diplomatic nightmare. The other nations aren't just going to sit still if they think Konoha is hoarding the Tailed Beasts."
"I'm not asking to kidnap her, ya know," Kaito said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm just asking to let her visit every week or so. She's lonely, the kid is practically starved for attention, ya know. She'd probably follow anyone who gave her a high-five."
Tsunade looked at him for a long moment, her gaze flat. Then she rubbed her temples with a groan. "You're going to do it even if I don't allow it, aren't you?"
Kaito just grinned at her, not even trying to deny it.
"Fine," she snapped. "Just make sure you don't get caught, and keep her from using that power in the village. The last thing I need is a new headache while I'm dealing with the current ones."
"Thanks, Aunt Tsunade. You're the best, ya know," Kaito chirped. his expression turning curious. "Anyway, why did you call me in? Is it another mission?"
Tsunade looked at him, and for the first time, she looked genuinely exhausted. She shook her head slowly. "No. It's something else."
Kaito blinked, his confusion growing. "Alright... what is it?"
Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "I need you to take over as Acting Hokage full-time in a few months. Just for a while."
Kaito's jaw practically hit the floor. "What?! But you told me I had time! At least another year and a half before we even talked about this! Why so soon?"
"Not permanently, you idiot," Tsunade barked, though there was no real heat in it. "Just temporarily. For a few months."
"Why?" Kaito asked, his brain scrambling to find a reason.
Tsunade let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for a long time. She looked him straight in the eye. "Because I'm pregnant, Kaito."
The silence that followed was absolute. Kaito just stared at her, his mind completely blank as the words processed. "...Wait, what?"
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