บท 135: Kaito Akaden Chapter 135

Kaito Akaden Chapter 135

Tsunade set her cup down with a sharp clink. "That bastard," she muttered angrily. She locked eyes with Kaito. "Can you find out where the children are being held?"

Kaito nodded, thinking to himself, 'That should be that kid's partner. I think they might be in one of the Root training bases.'

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Kushina stood up. "That must be Tsume. I'll get it."

Just then, Kushina greeted Tsume Inuzuka at the door, Tsume's wild brown hair and fierce demeanor were unmistakable. A large canine companion trotted beside her.

"Hey there!" Tsume greeted loudly. "You said you wanted to see me?"

Kushina hugged her and welcomed her in with a smile on her face. "Tsume, thank you for coming." She led her to the living room.

Tsume's eyes widened slightly. "Well, I'll be damned. Lady Tsunade? Now this is a surprise."

….

In a clearing within the Nara Clan's forest, Tsunade and Shikaku stood quietly, observing as the meeting had just concluded. The leaders of Konoha's clans and the department heads of each division were departing, each having pledged their support for Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage and signed a petition to present to the Fire Daimyo.

They had chosen the Nara Clan Forest because it was one of the most secure locations. Only members of the Nara Clan were permitted inside, and the clan ensured that no one trespassed, as the deer that inhabited the forest kept a vigilant watch over the area.

However, one of the clan heads had not yet left and was waiting for the others to depart.

Noticing this, Tsunade raised an eyebrow and turned to Shikaku. "Isn't he the head of the Kurama Clan? Why is he staying back?"

Shikaku nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe there's something he wants to discuss with you," he suggested. "Perhaps we should wait until everyone else has left."

After the rest had departed, the Kurama Clan head approached Tsunade and Shikaku, bowing respectfully. "Lady Tsunade, my name is murakumo Kurama. I am the current head of the Kurama Clan."

Murakumo continued, "If I may, I have a request."

Tsunade looked intrigued. "What can I do for you? Does it have something to do with your clan?"

Murakumo nodded. "In a way, yes. It's more about my daughter. She was born with the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai, but she has a weak physique and isn't suited to be a ninja."

Tsunade listened attentively. "So, you want me to take a look and see if I can help her?"

Murakumo bowed again. "We would be in your debt if you could assist us, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade nodded, her expression softening. "Sure, I'll take a look at your daughter after I've finished everything I need to do."

Murakumo bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade," he said before departing.

With everyone gone, Kaito emerged from the shadows beside Tsunade and Shikaku, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "Well, that went better than I expected," he remarked. He was pleased that everything was going according to plan and that the rumors had successfully destabilized Hiruzen's position as Hokage. Seeing that all the clans and department heads had agreed to elect Tsunade as the next Hokage was a significant victory.

Shikaku sighed softly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Indeed. Though I can't help but wonder if any of them will report this to the Third."

Kaito shrugged nonchalantly. "They can't. At least, not physically, anyway."

Both Tsunade and Shikaku turned to him, curiosity piqued. Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And why is that, exactly?"

Kaito leaned against a nearby tree, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Anyone who touched the petition had a seal placed on them. It prevents them from speaking about anything that happened here."

Shikaku sighed again, rubbing his face with his hand. "Why am I not surprised you'd do something like that?"

Tsunade looked at Kaito appreciatively. "How long will this seal last?"

"Until I release it," Kaito replied casually. "Which I plan to do once you're officially named the Fifth Hokage. Better safe than sorry, ya know."

Tsunade nodded approvingly. "Good thinking, brat."

Kaito pushed himself off the tree and walked over. "Well, now that we have the support we need, when are we going to meet the Daimyo? Kakashi informed me that the Hokage would be leaving on a diplomatic mission to the Land of Iron. This should be our best chance. ya know"

Shikaku sighed. "I know. i am the Jonin Commander, kaito I've already reserved a mission to the Land of Fire's capital for us. That way, it won't raise any suspicion since we often take missions together. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning. If everything goes according to plan, we should have this wrapped up in a few days."

Kaito rubbed his chin thoughtfully and asked, "But how are we going to get a meeting with the Daimyo? It's not like he'll see us without an appointment, ya know"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow and responded, "Why are you asking us? This whole thing was your idea. I thought you had a plan for that."

Kaito rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and said, "Yeah, about that—I was mostly relying on you for the Daimyo part since, you know, you're a Sannin and the granddaughter of the First Hokage, ya know" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Shikaku gave Kaito an exasperated look and muttered, "Troublesome."

Tsunade smirked and ruffled his hair. "It's okay, brat. Leave it to me. The Daimyo owes me for saving his life a few years back. Trust me, getting an audience won't be an issue."

Shikaku clapped his hands together. "Well, then it's settled. I want to get some rest." He began to walk away, waving over his shoulder. "You know the drill, Kaito. Meet at the south gate at 8 a.m. sharp. And let Hotaru know."

As Shikaku disappeared into the forest, Tsunade turned to Kaito. "Come on, brat. Let's get going; all that talking is tiring." She placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

Kaito nodded, made a one-handed Ram hand sign to activate Hiraishin, and in an instant, they vanished from the clearing.

….

The both of them appeared in the living room of the Uzumaki residence, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow through the windows. The aroma of baked goods created an inviting atmosphere.

Kaito smelled the scent and let out a contented sigh. "I smell something good."

Just then, Kushina poked her head out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. Her bright red hair framed her face, and her eyes lit up upon seeing them. "Welcome back! You're just in time, I just finished baking some cookies, ya know"

Kaito looked excited as he walked over. "You made cookies? You're the best, ya know" he said, hugging her in excitement before moving to the kitchen.

Kushina smiled and said to Tsunade, "Come on, Tsunade-nee, I'll make some tea for us."

Tsunade grinned. "Actually, I could go for some sake."

Kushina laughed. "Of course you would. I'll bring some out."

They sat down in the kitchen.

Kaito munched on his cookies without a care, dunking them in some hot cocoa, taking a bite, and humming in contentment.

Kushina poured a cup of sake for Tsunade and asked, "So how did the meeting go? I take it it went well." She glanced at Kaito, seeing him happily munching on cookies without a care.

Kushina sat down and sipped her own tea.

Tsunade took a sip and answered, "Yeah, everything went as expected. All the clans have signed the petition. All that's left is the Daimyo's approval."

Kushina smiled at the wonderful news. "When are you going to see the Daimyo?"

Tsunade said, placing her cup on the table, "Tomorrow. The brat's team is taking a mission to the capital."

"Where are Shizune-san and my shadow clone?" Kaito asked, taking another cookie. He looked around for his clone, sensing the other clone guarding the house but not the one that was with his mother.

Kushina replied after taking a sip of her tea, "Oh, Shizune wanted to get some herbs, so Clone-kun took her. They only left a few minutes ago."

Just then, a sudden crash echoed from deeper within the house, followed by a muffled groan. Kaito stood up. "That came from Shisui's room!" Without another word, he dashed down the hallway.

He slid open the door to find Shisui Uchiha sprawled on the floor beside the bed, struggling to push himself up. His face was pale, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

"Shisui!" Kaito exclaimed, moving over to help him. "You shouldn't be out of bed. You're still injured."

Shisui looked up at him with his one good eye, confusion clouding his gaze. "Kaito...? Where am I? How am I alive? The last thing I remember is..."

Kaito guided him back onto the bed. "Easy there. You're safe. You're in my house."

Tsunade entered the room. "Move aside, brat." Kaito stepped back, allowing her to kneel beside Shisui.

Shisui's eyes widened upon recognizing her. "Lady Tsunade? I must be dreaming."

Tsunade placed a glowing hand on his forehead, her chakra soothing his agitation. "No dream, kid. You've been in a coma for the past week. You need to rest."

As Shisui drank, Tsunade continued her examination. "Your recovery is progressing well, but there's still residual damage from the poison. It'll take time, but you'll be back to full strength eventually."

Shisui nodded weakly. "Can i have some water... please."

Kushina appeared at the doorway, a glass of water in hand. She approached his side, helping him take small sips. "Here you go. Slowly now."

Shisui finished drinking and looked at Kushina. "Thank you," he said softly. His gaze shifted between them. "But how did I get here? I remember falling off a cliff..."

Kaito pulled up a chair beside the bed. "Well, that's a long story. I was nearby when it happened and saved you from falling into the river. Then Itachi and I brought you to Lady Tsunade. She and her apprentice saved your life. It's not that long, but you know," he ended the explanation with a shrug.

Shisui's brow furrowed. "Itachi... is he okay? And what about the clan?"

"Don't worry," Kaito assured him. "Only Fugaku-sama knows about your condition. The rest of your clan believes you're... well, gone. It's safer that way for now."

Shisui's expression darkened. "Danzo?"

Kaito nodded.

He exchanged a glance with Tsunade before continuing. "We're handling it. Lady Tsunade has agreed to become the Fifth Hokage. We've already secured the support of the major clans, and the Uchiha have also agreed to support her. Things are changing."

Relief washed over Shisui's features. "That's... that's good to hear." He smiled weakly.

Tsunade reached into her bag and pulled out a small vial. "Here, drink this. It's medicine to help purge the remaining poison from your system."

She handed the vial to him, and he grimaced at the bitter taste but drank it without complaint. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

She patted his shoulder gently. "Get some rest. We'll check on you later."

Shisui fell back into sleep.

As they left the room, Kaito said, "Well, I should go and let Hotaru know about the mission. I'll be back later, Mom." Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair.

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