บท 120: Kaito Akaden Chapter 120

Kaito Akaden Chapter 120

Kaito said, " I can heal people by letting them bite me and then funneling my chakra through the bite."

Kushina sighed, gently caressing Kaito's head. "Kai-kun, you didn't just use your chakra to heal me. You had to use your life force as well. I don't want you to lose any more of your lifespan. As a mother, I just can't let my son throw away his life."

Kaito insisted, "But Mom, I have a lot more chakra than before."

Kushina shushed him with a warm hug. "It's okay, Kai-kun."

Tsunade, understanding the situation, nodded thoughtfully. "While it might not be possible to heal you completely, I can make something that will help lessen the pain you experience."

…

It was just past noon as Kushina walked alongside Tsunade and shizune who carried ton ton in her arms, the three women weaving through the lively streets of Degerashi Port. They chatted about old times, their laughter occasionally drawing glances from those passing by.

Kushina chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hey, Tsuna-nee, do you remember when Jiraiya-sensei thought it was genius to spy on the women's bathhouse? Right there, smack in the middle of Konoha?"

Tsunade smirked, shaking her head. "Oh, don't remind me. I swear, I could see steam coming out of his ears when you got him. He was so proud of his 'stealth.' What did you do again? Set up some seals, didn't you?"

Grinning, Kushina nodded. "Yup! Slipped a couple of explosive tags under the floorboards and tied them to a small genjutsu. Every time he tried to peek, it looked like a geyser of steam was blasting him in the face."

Tsunade burst into laughter. "He shot out of there like his life depended on it! For a second, I thought he'd mastered some new speed technique. His face was redder than yours!"

Kushina mimicked Jiraiya's gruff tone. "'It's all for research, Kushina!' Yeah, right. I bet he's still wondering why it only happened to him."

Tsunade grinned. "And the best part? He never figured it out. Even Minato was in on it, wasn't he?"

Kushina giggled. "Oh, totally. Minato thought it was hilarious! He'd try to be all serious, like, 'Kushina, you shouldn't prank sensei,' but I'd catch him holding back a laugh every time Jiraiya brought it up."

Behind them, Kaito followed absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts. He was still mulling over everything that had happened recently, his mind elsewhere.

....

Tsunade sat across from Kaito and Kushina, her expression serious but reassuring. "While I might not be able to heal you completely, Kushina, I can make something to help ease the pain you're feeling."

Kushina smiled warmly. "That'd be wonderful, Tsuna-nee. It'd really help a lot, ya know."

Kaito sighed, knowing he couldn't persuade his mother to let him use the heal bite on her. He glanced over at Tsunade and asked, "Is her life in danger or anything like that?"

Tsunade shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Aside from her chakra network, everything else is perfectly fine. She won't be able to use her chakra anymore, but there's no risk to her life."

Kushina gently patted Kaito's head, her touch soft and comforting. "See, Kai-kun? There's nothing to worry about, other than the pain. I'm just fine."

Kaito sighed again, but his mind was already spinning, searching for a way to help his mother. "Maybe the…"

....

Kaito was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his mother, Kushina, calling from a distance. "Hey, Kai-kun, hurry up! You're falling behind, ya know!" she called, standing a few steps ahead with Tsunade and Shizune, both waiting for him.

It seemed Kaito had gotten so lost in his thoughts that he'd lagged behind without noticing. Seeing Kushina waving for him to catch up, he quickened his pace. As he reached them, he said, "Sorry, Mom. I kinda spaced out."

Kushina gave him a sad but understanding smile, then took his hand gently. "It's alright, Kai-kun," she said softly, and they continued walking together.

Just as they turned a corner, they heard a familiar voice shout, "Hey, there's Mom!"

Naruto came bounding towards them, dragging Karin along, with Kaito's shadow clone trailing behind. Naruto flung his arms around Kushina in a big hug, which she returned warmly. "So, how did it go, Mom? Did the old lady heal you?" he asked, brimming with enthusiasm.

Kaito's clone nodded to him before body flickering away, having done its job.

Tsunade's brow twitched at being called "old lady," a thick vein appearing on her forehead.

Kushina smiled awkwardly. "Hai, hai, Tsuna-nee said she'd give me some medicine, ya know," she replied, trying to keep Naruto from learning the full truth without outright lying.

Karin, standing beside Naruto and Kushina, gave a polite bow to Tsunade. "Thank you for helping Lady Kushina," she said with a warm smile.

Naruto, oblivious to the tension, grinned widely. "That's great, ya know!" He then turned to Tsunade, giving her a thumbs-up. "Thanks for helping Mom, old lady!"

Tsunade's temper flared as she bonked Naruto on the head. "Who are you calling an old lady, you brat?" she snapped.

Naruto rubbed the top of his head, grimacing. "Hey, what was that for? That hurt, ya know!"

Kushina smiled awkwardly and tried to smooth things over. "Naruto-chan, you shouldn't call people old, ya know."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "But you said she's older than you and even Sasuke's dad. That makes her old!"

Tsunade's expression darkened further, and Kushina's smile became more strained as she watched the situation worsen. Kaito sighed and stepped in. "Naruto, calling Lady Tsunade an old lady is insulting to her. How would you feel if people called you names like that? Or like the time someone insulted Mom—remember how that felt?" He referred to the day they first took Naruto to Senju Park.

Naruto's eyes widened in realization, and he hastily stammered, "But I didn't mean it like that, ya know!"

Kushina crouched down to Naruto's level, her voice gentle. "I know, baby, but even when we don't mean to hurt someone, it can still make them feel bad, ya know?"

Naruto looked down, clearly upset, his earlier cheerfulness vanishing. He glanced up at Tsunade and quickly bowed. "I'm sorry I called you old. I didn't mean it like that."

Tsunade huffed but sighed, ruffling Naruto's hair. "It's alright, kid. Just watch what you say next time."

Seeing the tension finally lift, Kushina clapped her hands together with a grin. "Well, now that that's settled, how about we get something to eat, ya know?"

Naruto's mood instantly brightened at the mention of food. "Yeah! Let's go! I'm starving!" he shouted, his usual enthusiasm returning in full force.

They eventually settled down in a large, bustling izakaya for lunch. The atmosphere was warm and lively, with the sounds of clinking dishes and soft chatter filling the space. Kaito absentmindedly picked at his tempura donburi, only half-aware of the conversation around him as the others chatted away.

Kushina turned to him, breaking the silence. "Kai-kun, when do you think Hotaru-chan and Shikaku-san will be back?"

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts, blinking. "Hmm, I'm not sure. They should be back by the afternoon," he replied with a casual shrug, before returning to his meal.

Kushina then shifted her attention to Naruto and Karin. "So, what have you two been up to?"

Naruto, already halfway through his second bowl of ramen, enthusiastically responded between bites. "We went all around the place trying different food! And we even visited a shrine with a lizard guardian!"

Karin, more composed, chimed in to fill in the gaps of Naruto's rambling, adding details about the different stalls they visited and how fascinating the shrine had been.

Tsunade, taking a sip of her drink, then spoke up. "You know, there's supposed to be a festival tonight. That's actually why we came here in the first place. It's a three-day event, happens every two years." She turned to Kushina. "Are you planning to stay for it?"

Kushina's face lit up with excitement. "Yeah, that sounds lovely! We haven't been to many festivals back home lately, ya know."

She then looked over at Naruto and Karin. "What do you two think? Fancy going to the festival tonight?"

Both Naruto and Karin nodded eagerly, Naruto nearly bouncing in his seat. "Yeah! That'd be awesome, ya know!"

After finishing lunch, they wandered around Degerashi Port, watching as merchants set up their stalls for the night's festival. The air buzzed with anticipation, lanterns were being hung, and the smell of grilled food started to fill the streets.

Kushina and Tsunade were deep in conversation about their plans to visit the hot springs.

As they strolled aimlessly, they spotted Hotaru and Shikaku returning from their mission. Seeing them, Kushina waved enthusiastically. "It's good to see you both back! I hope everything went smoothly?" she asked Hotaru.

Hotaru nodded with a small smile. "Hai, Lady Kushina. We had an easy time tracking down the bandit groups. Nothing too difficult."

Kushina clapped her hands together. "That's great to hear! You should come with us to the hot springs, Hotaru-chan. I used to love soaking in the springs after missions back in the day. It's the perfect way to relax! ya know"

Hotaru's tired expression softened into a smile. "That sounds wonderful, Lady Kushina. I could really use it after that mission."

Kushina grinned. "Then it's settled! We're going to the hot springs!" With that, she happily put her arms around Hotaru and Karin, pulling them along. Tsunade and Shizune followed close behind, chuckling as they were swept along by Kushina's enthusiasm, leaving the men behind.

Naruto exclaimed, "Hey, they're leaving us!" and tried to run after them.

But Kaito grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "Let's leave them be," Kaito said, glancing up at the sky. Then, turning to Naruto with a grin, he added, "How about we do some training instead?"

Naruto's eyes lit up as he looked at Kaito. "Will you teach me something awesome? Like the Rasengan?" His excitement was clear.

Kaito chuckled. "Maybe not the Rasengan, but if you can land a hit on me, I'll show you something cool."

Naruto nodded eagerly. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" he said, pumping his fist in the air.

Kaito turned to Shikaku and asked, "Want to join us, sensei?"

Shikaku sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I could take a nap while you two train."

Kaito, Naruto, and Shikaku reached the outskirts of Degerashi Port, where they found a large clearing perfect for training. Shikaku quickly found a tree, sat under it, and dozed off.

Kaito turned to Naruto. "Use only your taijutsu and come at me."

Naruto nodded eagerly and rushed at Kaito, throwing a punch. Kaito deftly dodged, easily avoiding Naruto's attacks.

As he continued to dodge, Kaito's mind wandered to his mother and how he was going to heal her. Being a transmigrator, Kaito knew many things about the world of Naruto that others didn't. He thought to himself, "According to Tsunade, there's no way to heal damaged chakra networks... but there has to be something. There must be a way to heal her."

For the next hour, Naruto threw punches and kicks, while Kaito dodged them almost absentmindedly, his thoughts consumed by his mother's condition.

Suddenly, Kaito felt a sharp sting on his cheek. Snapping out of his thoughts, he realized Naruto had landed a hit on him. Naruto stood there, panting, sweat dripping down his face as he grinned triumphantly.

"Huh?" Kaito blinked in surprise.

"I did it! I totally hit you, ya know!" Naruto cheered, his excitement overflowing as he celebrated.

Kaito came out of his daze and smiled. "Good job, Naruto. You actually managed to land a hit on me," he said, patting Naruto on the shoulder. "As promised, I'll teach you something cool."

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Alright! What is it? Is it something cool? Maybe a jutsu where I can shoot lasers out of my eyes?"

Kaito sighed, seeing Naruto getting carried away. "Settle down, Naruto," he said, bending down to pick up two fallen leaves. He handed one to Naruto.

Naruto looked at the leaf, confused. "Huh? What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked, holding up the leaf.

Kaito explained, "I want you to split the leaf in half using only your chakra." To demonstrate, Kaito channeled his wind chakra into his leaf, and it cleanly split down the middle.

Naruto watched, wide-eyed, but then frowned. "Hey, I thought you were going to teach me something cool, not just how to cut leaves!" he said indignantly.

Kaito sighed again. "Naruto, remember what I told you and Karin before? There are five chakra natures, and we discovered that yours is wind, right?"

Naruto nodded, so Kaito continued. "Well, this is the first step to mastering wind chakra."

Still looking a little confused, Naruto asked, "How does cutting a leaf help with wind-style jutsu?"

Kaito explained, "Mastering this will make your wind-style ninjutsu stronger. Not only that, but it will also improve your chakra control. Once you've got the hang of it, you'll be able to perform wind-release techniques much easier—like how Sasuke can use his fireball jutsu, but even more easily with wind-release."

Naruto's face brightened with understanding. "So, if I learn to cut this leaf, it'll help me learn wind-style jutsu faster?"

Kaito nodded. "Exactly. And if you manage to master this, I'll teach you a wind-style jutsu."

Naruto grinned confidently. "I'll have this down in no time!"

Kaito nodded and demonstrated the technique to Naruto once more before walking over to where Shikaku was napping, leaving Naruto to train. As Naruto focused on the leaf, Kaito sat down beside Shikaku, watching him try to split it in two.

Without opening his eyes, Shikaku asked, "Are you sure it's a good idea to be teaching Naruto nature transformation this early?"

Kaito replied, "I had already learned two nature transformations by the time I was Naruto's age. I need to prepare him—he'll be a target in the future."

Shikaku hummed thoughtfully, and they sat in silence for a moment. Then Shikaku asked, "So, I take it things didn't go well with Lady Tsunade, judging by how absent-minded you've been?"

Kaito sighed. "She couldn't heal my mom... It's her chakra network that's damaged. But she did say she could make some painkillers to help ease the pain."

Shikaku nodded and hummed again, deep in thought.

Kaito glanced over at him. "I could teleport Shikamaru and Yoshino-san to visit, you know."

Shikaku sighed. "That'd be too troublesome," he muttered, settling back into his nap.

While the ladies soaked in the hot spring, Kushina sighed contentedly, relaxing against the edge with her chin resting on the ledge as she sipped some sake.

Beside her, Tsunade leaned back against the wall, also drinking sake, her posture equally relaxed.

A little further away, Hotaru sat with Karin and Shizune, chatting away. Hotaru was enthusiastically recounting her adventures as a genin and chunin to the other kunoichi, while Kushina and Tsunade enjoyed their conversation.

Taking another sip, Kushina sighed with a smile. "This is really relaxing, ya know."

Tsunade nodded, finishing her cup. "Yeah, always nice to unwind at the end of the day."

Just then, Tsunade froze mid-sip. She turned to Kushina with a raised eyebrow, a tick mark forming on her forehead. "Hey… is your son a pervert?"

Kushina blinked, confused and slightly offended. "What? No! Why would you ask something like that about my son?"

Tsunade crossed her arms. "Because I can sense him lurking outside the hot spring… I think he's peeping on us."

Kushina smiled. "Kai-kun's a gentleman, ya know. He's not peeping—he's just using his sensory abilities to keep us safe." She sighed, her expression softening. "Kaito thinks I don't notice, but he's always got shadow clones watching over me."

Kushina then began to tell Tsunade about the night of the Nine-Tails attack. She explained about the masked man, how Kaito had saved her, and how ever since, he'd been paranoid that the masked man would come after her and Naruto. "That's why he's always keeping watch over me, even tries to hide it from me," she added with a wistful smile.

She sighed deeply. "He even has clones watching over us while we sleep. I'm really worried he's pushing himself too hard."

Kushina's voice grew quieter as she continued, sadness creeping in. "Kaito was forced to grow up too fast. He didn't really get to enjoy his childhood..." A tear slipped down her cheek as she spoke.

Tsunade, noticing the tear, gently asked, "You must be really proud of him, though."

Kushina wiped her cheek and smiled softly. "I couldn't have asked for a better son, ya know."

After another hour, Naruto, Kaito, and Shikaku bathed and met up with the ladies at the inn before exploring the festival. While Shikaku opted for some drinks, the others wandered around, enjoying the sights, buying food, and picking up souvenirs.

Later, they regrouped with Shikaku for dinner, booking a private room at the same bar where they had first met Tsunade. Though the atmosphere was lively, Kaito was still deep in thought, trying to remember if there was any way to heal his mother.

As the adults drank sake, Kaito sat quietly beside Shikaku, absentmindedly picking at his food, while Hotaru sat across from them, animatedly chatting with Shizune. Kushina and Tsunade sat a bit further down the table, engrossed in their own conversation.

Shikaku, noticing Kaito's distraction and hearing Hotaru's lively chatter, sighed. 'Looks like it's up to me then,' he thought.

Clearing his throat, Shikaku grabbed everyone's attention. "Lady Tsunade," he began, "while helping to treat Kushina was one reason we came to find you, it wasn't the only reason."

He nudged Kaito, who blinked and realized everyone was now looking at him. "Since it's your idea, you should tell her," Shikaku urged.

Kaito, a bit flustered, sat up straighter. "huh Right, I'm sorry. Yes, we came here to also ask you to become the Fifth Hokage."

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