Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Akaden Chapter 148

Hotaru paused just before leaving and gave Kaito a warm hug. "Goodnight, Kaito," she said softly before hurrying off to join her mother and sisters.

As the group dispersed, Kushina turned to Naruto, Karin, and Kaito with a wide grin. "So, are you three hungry? Because I sure am, ya know!"

Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Ichiraku Ramen!"

Karin nodded, smiling. "Ramen sounds perfect."

Kushina mirrored Naruto's enthusiasm, punching the air. "Then let's get going!" she said, her voice full of energy.

Kaito sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course, ramen…" he muttered, but he followed them without complaint.

As they made their way toward Ichiraku Ramen, Kaito's attention drifted to the Hokage Monument. Tsunade's face had recently been added, but his eyes lingered on his father's—the Fourth Hokage. He slowed his steps slightly, staring at the carved stone. One day, Dad…

Kushina noticed him lagging behind and called out, "Hey, Kaito-kun! Hurry up, ya know!" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Kaito gave a small smile and jogged to catch up with them, shaking his head at his mother's boundless energy.

…

Kaito sat cross-legged in the middle of his room, a scroll in his hands as he studied it intently. Four shadow clones were each going through the scrolls scattered around. The room was quiet, except for the occasional rustle of parchment as Kaito focused on his work.

His concentration broke when he heard a knock at the door, followed by it sliding open. Kaito glanced over his shoulder to see who it was.

Kushina stepped inside, holding a ladle in one hand. She was dressed in casual attire, with an apron over it. "Oh, what are you working on, Kai-kun?" she asked, glancing at the clones and the scrolls scattered around. "You've been cooped up in here for the past few days, ya know!"

Kaito shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "Nothing much, just a new seal I'm working on, ya know."

Kushina's eyes lit up with excitement. "A new seal? Let me see! I can help, ya know!" she said eagerly, stepping closer and reaching for one of the scrolls.

Reacting quickly, Kaito snatched the scroll away before she could grab it. "Sorry, Mom. It's a surprise," he said with a sheepish smile. He didn't want her to know about the seal he was working on—she had already made it clear she didn't want him wasting his time trying to find a cure for her. She was content with how things were, but Kaito wasn't.

Kushina pouted dramatically, crossing her arms. "Mou, Kai-kun won't even show me his work anymore," she whined, pretending to wipe away fake tears. "You used to love when I helped you with seals!"

Kaito sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is there something you wanted, Mom?" he asked, standing up to face her.

Dropping her fake crying act, Kushina smiled and said, "Oh, right! An ANBU came by. Tsuna-nee wants to see you in her office." She stepped aside to let him leave the room.

Kaito groaned softly, running a hand through his hair. "She probably wants to send me on another mission…" he muttered, grabbing his things as he walked out.

Kushina laughed as she reached out, pulling Kaito in with one arm and ruffling his hair playfully. "Oh, don't be so grumpy, Kai-kun! How are you going to be Hokage if you complain about going on missions?" she teased, giggling.

Kaito grumbled, crossing his arms. "I never said I wanted to be Hokage," he muttered under his breath.

He sighed, pulling away from her grip to straighten his clothes. As he did, he paused, sniffing the air. "What's that smell?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

Kushina's giggles stopped abruptly, and her face paled. "Oh no! My curry!" she exclaimed, dashing toward the kitchen in a panic.

Kaito followed behind her, sighing as he walked into the kitchen. He found his mom frantically trying to salvage the curry, stirring the pot with desperate intensity. But the smell of burnt food was unmistakable, and her efforts proved futile. With a defeated sigh, Kushina opened the window to let the smoke escape, then slumped to the ground.

"My curry…" she muttered, pouting as she stared at the charred pot.

Kaito shook his head, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm heading out, Mom. Want me to grab something on the way back?" he offered, his tone calm.

Kushina looked up at him, her pout quickly replaced by determination. "It's alright, Kai-kun. I'll just make it again, ya know!" she said, standing up with renewed energy.

Kaito nodded. "Alright, then. I'll be back later." With that, he turned and left the house.

Once outside, he leapt onto a tree branch and began making his way toward the heart of the village, the rooftops and trees blurring past him. As he ran, Kaito's thoughts drifted back to the past few days.

…

Kaito sat shirtless in the backyard of the Uzumaki residence, next to the pond and surrounded by the lush greenery of his mother's garden. Lady Katsuyu rested on his shoulder, her calm voice guiding him through the process.

It had been a day since his fight with Jiraiya, and now Kaito was training with Katsuyu to sense and gather nature energy. They were training here instead of Shikkotsu Forest because Kaito couldn't afford to use shadow clones for guarding his mother and Naruto while focusing on senjutsu. The intense concentration required for nature energy training made it too dangerous—losing control could mean death. So, Kaito trained in his mother's garden, ensuring his family was safe inside the house.

Faded black markings began to appear on Kaito's face, while patches of slime formed on his body. His expression, however, was strained as he struggled to maintain balance.

"Very good, Kai-kun," Katsuyu said softly. "Maintain the balance. Keep calm."

Kaito took a deep breath, his face gradually relaxing. The markings around his eyes darkened and solidified, while the slime on his skin receded. After a few more moments of focused breathing, he opened his eyes and stood up.

"Congratulations, Kai-kun," Katsuyu said with pride in her voice. "You've finally managed to enter Sage Mode."

Kaito looked at his reflection in the pond and noticed the markings on his face. They resembled the pattern Hashirama Senju had when entering Sage Mode. He flexed his hands, marveling at the sensation coursing through his body. "This… this is incredible. I feel stronger. My senses…" He trailed off, looking toward the village gates. "I can sense everyone in the village."

He wasn't exaggerating. His sensory range, which was already 25 kilometers with his Kagura Mind's Eye, now spanned well over 100 kilometers. And he hadn't even entered Sensory Mode yet.

Katsuyu's calm voice broke his thoughts. "Hai, that is one of the benefits of Sage Mode—heightened senses and enhanced strength."

Kaito nodded but frowned slightly, looking at the small patches of slime still clinging to his skin. "But it's not perfect yet," he said. "I still haven't completely stabilized it."

"You've made great progress, Kai-kun," Katsuyu assured him. "You've balanced nature energy and your chakra. Now it's just a matter of fine-tuning it."

Kaito nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Lady Katsuyu."

Katsuyu tilted slightly on his shoulder. "Now, Kai-kun, try using your jutsu. Test it with senjutsu-enhanced chakra."

Nodding, Kaito held out his right hand, palm facing up. Chakra began to swirl and coalesce in his palm, forming a spinning blue sphere—the Rasengan. As he observed the jutsu, his eyes widened slightly.

"It's denser than my regular Rasengan," he said, marveling at the difference. "It feels as strong—if not stronger—than my nature transformation Rasengans."

Satisfied, Kaito let the Rasengan dissipate; the violently rotating ball of chakra faded from his hand. Looking at the far end of the garden, he moved at his top speed, using pure body movement without chakra enhancement. In an instant, he reappeared at the far end of the garden.

Coming to a stop, Kaito thought to himself, That was at least three times my previous speed. And my reflexes… they've heightened to the point where it's easy to adjust to the boost.

Kaito began running through a set of taijutsu katas at full speed. His movements were fluid and precise, his body responding effortlessly to the enhanced energy coursing through him. When he finished, he stood upright, exhaling deeply. "Everything feels so much easier," he muttered, his voice filled with awe.

Just then, he felt a subtle tug on his chakra—it was the Hiraishin marker he had given to Lord Fukasaku the day before.

Kaito glanced at Katsuyu. "Lady Katsuyu, I have to leave. I can feel the marker I gave to Fukasaku-sama. He's summoning me to Mount Myōboku. Would you like to come along?"

Kaito created a shadow clone, which immediately released its gathered nature energy, reverting to its base form. While the clone did that, Kaito grabbed his shirt from where it lay on the ground and slipped it on quickly, preparing to leave.

Katsuyu tilted her head slightly. "To Mount Myōboku? Hmm… sure, Kai-kun. I'll come along."

Kaito nodded back, focusing as he activated the Hiraishin seal. In an instant, he and Lady Katsuyu teleported to Mount Myōboku, arriving in a small house above his tri-pronged kunai.

The moment they arrived, Kaito's body convulsed as he lost control of the abundant nature chakra surrounding him. He fell to one knee, parts of his body becoming slimy and partially liquefied.

Katsuyu reacted immediately, siphoning off the excess nature chakra from Kaito's body. "Are you alright, Kai-kun?" she asked as his body slowly returned to normal.

Kaito nodded, his breathing labored, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Out of Sage Mode now, he gasped, "Yeah, I'm fine… I was just overwhelmed. I didn't expect there to be this much nature energy in one place, ya know."

Katsuyu gave a slight nod. "Hai, that's understandable. Mount Myōboku, like Shikkotsu Forest, is teeming with nature energy."

From across the room, Fukasaku observed the scene, his eyes sharp. "So, you were using senjutsu?" he asked.

Kaito glanced at him and nodded. "Yeah, I just managed to enter Sage Mode a few minutes ago," he said, scratching the back of his head. "But I guess I'm not fully attuned to nature energy yet. I'm glad I brought Lady Katsuyu with me—if she hadn't been here, I might've been in real trouble."

Katsuyu slithered slightly forward, still perched on Kaito's shoulder. "I apologize for intruding, Lord Fukasaku," she said politely.

Fukasaku chuckled warmly. "Ah, Katsuyu-girl, it's good to see you. And no apologies needed—you're always welcome at Mount Myōboku."

He turned his attention back to Kaito, his expression one of approval. "You've made great progress, lad. Entering Sage Mode is no small feat."

Before Kaito could respond, Shima walked in, wiping her hands on an apron. "Ah, there you are, lad! I just finished cooking. Come eat!"

Kaito froze, his face paling at the offer. He immediately recalled what the toads of Mount Myōboku usually ate—bugs—and his stomach churned at the thought. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, he said, "Uh… Thank you, Lady Shima, but I'll have to politely decline your offer. You see, I don't eat bugs, and, well… eating them would be disrespectful to Lady Katsuyu here." He gestured toward Katsuyu on his shoulder.

Ma, noticing Katsuyu for the first time, smiled warmly. "Ah, Katsuyu! It's good to see you again. A shame, though—I made more than usual when Pa said you were coming." She sighed, looking at the pot of food. "Well, I suppose I'll just give it to the other tadpoles."

Katsuyu inclined her head slightly. "Good to see you as well, Lady Shima. I hope you're doing well."

Kaito, eager to escape the conversation about eating bugs, turned to Fukasaku. "Fukasaku-sama, why did you call for me? Has the Great Elder agreed to meet with me?" He wasn't expecting a quick answer—it had only been a day since his request.

Fukasaku nodded. "Yes. We spoke to him, and he said he had been expecting you."

Kaito tilted his head, confused. "Expecting me? What does that mean?"

Fukasaku shrugged. "That's all he said before going back to sleep. Come on, lad. I'll take you to him."

They made their way to a temple-like structure. Inside, a massive old toad sat in a large tub of water, his body partially submerged. His eyes were closed, and he appeared to be asleep.

Kaito stared at him in awe, thinking, So that's Gamamaru, huh? He wasn't sure if the toad was truly asleep or just meditating, but the steady rise and fall of his chest suggested slumber.

When they approached, Kaito stood in front of the Grand Elder, waiting respectfully. Fukasaku hopped off Kaito's shoulder and stepped forward. "Grand Elder! Wake up! I've brought Kaito Uzumaki, as you asked."

Gamamaru stirred slightly, his eyes cracking open in confusion. "What…?" he murmured groggily.

Pa sighed, his tone patient. "I've brought Kaito Uzumaki, as you requested, Gamamaru-sama. Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest is also here."

Kaito bowed deeply. "It's an honor to meet you, Great Elder."

Katsuyu also spoke respectfully. "An honor, Great Elder Gamamaru."

The elder toad looked at Kaito, even though his eyes were still closed. "Ah yes, Uzumaki Kaito. Oh, of course, of course. Katsuyu, it's always a pleasure having you here," he said, then fell silent again.

Sweatdropping, Fukasaku spoke once more. "Grand Elder, you called them here, remember? You said you had been expecting the lad."

"Hmm, yes I did... what was it? Is it that… hmm…" Finally, he continued, "Ah yes, I have had a dream about you. You who will guide the future. I have seen you fighting foes stronger than you, ones that will threaten the world, many of them with ocular powers."

Kaito thought to himself,' What is he talking about? Is he saying that I'm changing the future? That makes sense—I don't exist in the original timeline, and I've already changed Naruto's fate, as well as the Uchiha clan's. Is he talking about Madara or the Ōtsutsuki's?'

Pa, looking shocked, stepped forward. "Great Elder, are you saying that Kaito is the child of prophecy that Jiraiya has been looking for? The one who would bring an era of change?" He looked stunned, glancing between Kaito and the elder.

Katsuyu looked confused. "The child of prophecy?"

Kaito stayed quiet, already knowing it referred to Naruto.

Gamamaru hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm, no, but he will be the one to guide him and play a big role."

Fukasaku nodded. "I see. Then, Great Elder, what about the seal that Kaito asked about? Is there something like the seal he described?"

Gamamaru nodded again. "Hmm, ah yes, there is such a seal. I used it a long time ago. It should be in the archives if I remember correctly." With that, he went back to sleep.

Fukasaku sighed, watching as the elder fell asleep just like that. "Well, lad, let's go to the archives."

…

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts as he landed next to the window of the Hokage's office. He knocked on the window and opened it, poking his head inside. "You called for me, Lady Tsunade?"

Inside the office, Tsunade sat behind her desk, looking annoyed as Kaito entered through the window. "Can't you use the door like a normal person?"

Kaito shrugged. "Well, it's too much hassle. And who said I'm a normal person?" He glanced at the other occupants of the room.

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