Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Akaden Chapter 139

But the masked man became intangible at the last second. Kakashi's lightning-covered hand passed through him harmlessly. The masked man jumped back, putting distance between them.

As Kakashi moved past where the masked man had been, their eyes met—Sharingan to Sharingan.

The masked man landed a few feet away. "Seems you're lucky today, Itachi Uchiha. Next time, you won't be so fortunate." His body began to be sucked into a portal that spiraled open from the eye hole of his mask.

Kakashi stood protectively in front of Itachi, thoughts racing. "I wasn't sure when Kaito mentioned it, but now, seeing him up close, I'm certain... it's Obito..." he thought.

Turning to Itachi, Kakashi asked, "Are you okay?"

Itachi nodded, gratitude in his eyes. "Yes. You arrived just in time, senpai."

Kakashi nodded. "Can you still fight?"

"I'll manage," Itachi replied, though he was clearly exhausted.

Kakashi surveyed their surroundings. "Alright, we still have work to do."

....

The night sky was softly illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. Inside the Uzumaki residence, everything seemed peaceful and calm, just as it always was.

Kushina sat on the couch, humming quietly to herself while knitting. She was trying to keep her hands busy because today was the day Tsuna-nee and kaito-kun were going to enact the plan to instate Tsuna-nee as the fifth hokage. Kushina felt uneasy, hoping with all her heart that everything would go smoothly. Knitting helped calm her nerves, so she kept at it, using the gentle click of her needles to steady herself.

Across the room, Naruto and Karin were sitting at the coffee table, working through some school assignments. Naruto let out a groan, glaring down at his workbook. "This is stupid! Why do I even have to learn math to become a ninja, dattebayo?" He whined and pressed his forehead against the wood as if the table might provide answers.

Karin glanced at him over her glasses and rolled her eyes. "Naruto, it's not that hard," she said, slightly amused. "Numbers can help you plan strategies, you know."

Naruto pretended to sob, tears he didn't actually have welling up as he lifted his head. "But I'll never pass the academy if they keep asking these weird questions!" he moaned, clutching at his chest. "Everyone will leave me behind and graduate without me!"

Kushina paused her knitting and reached over to gently bop her son on the head with the back of her hand. "Stop being so dramatic, Naruto-chan," she said with a sigh. Her voice was affectionate but firm. "You can do it if you try."

"Ow, that hurt!" Naruto shot back, rubbing his head, looking a bit wounded but mostly just annoyed. Karin giggled softly, enjoying the playful back-and-forth between mother and son.

Just then, Shizune entered, carrying a tray of tea. She carefully set it down on a corner of the table not covered by books. Glancing at Naruto, who was still pouting and cradling his head, Shizune offered a warm smile. "It can't be that bad, Naruto-kun. Come on, let me help you."

Naruto's eyes lit up with relief. "Really? You'll help me, Shizune-nee? Thanks!" He sat up straighter, looking suddenly more hopeful.

…

Outside, in the trees surrounding the Uzumaki home, several of Kaito's clones kept watch. One of these clones stood on a high branch, arms crossed, leaning casually against the trunk. Using the Mind's Eye of Kagura, he was carefully sensing everything happening in the Hokage's office. Kaito felt confident that everything would go according to plan.

However, as the clone surveyed the events unfolding at the Hokage's office, something unexpected happened. Danzo's figure vanished in a puff of smoke—it was only a shadow clone. The Kaito clone's brows shot up in surprise. "What…? Did Danzo figure out our plan?" it muttered to itself. Quickly, it searched the village with its sensing ability, just as the original Kaito was doing from the Hokage Tower, looking for Danzo's chakra signature.

The clone's eyes went wide when he detected a large number of shinobi attacking the Uchiha clan district. At the same time, he sensed the original Kaito teleporting to the nearest Hiraishin marker near the Uchiha compound. The clone cursed under its breath. "This is bad. Danzo must have known all along. But how? We made sure no one we spoke to could leak anything…"

Without wasting another second, the clone rushed toward the ANBU squad assigned to protect Kaito's family that day. Tenzo, wearing a bear mask, was on duty. The clone appeared beside Tenzo so suddenly that the ANBU nearly jumped.

"Ah!" Tenzo exclaimed, catching his breath. "You scared me, Kaito."

"There's no time for that," the Kaito clone said urgently. "Tenzo, you and your squad need to head to the Uchiha clan district right now. They're under attack by Root shinobi."

Tenzo stiffened. "What? Are you sure?"

The clone nodded, voice low and serious. "We don't have time for a full explanation. The short version: The Third Hokage has been replaced. Lady Tsunade is the Fifth Hokage, and she's already arrested the Elders for their wrongdoings. Danzo escaped and is attacking the Uchiha clan as we speak."

Another ANBU dropped down beside them. "What did you just say? Lady Tsunade is the new Hokage?"

"Yes," confirmed the clone, not pausing for breath. "We can't waste time. Around a thousand Root shinobi are attacking the Uchiha. Go now. I'll guard this place."

Tenzo trusted Kaito's strength—he knew Kaito was at least as strong as Kakashi. Plus, Kaito always kept about ten clones around to protect his home. Tenzo nodded firmly. "Alright, team, move out!"

As Tenzo and the ANBU team vanished, the Kaito clone remained behind. "I should go too," he thought, "but protecting my family takes priority." The clone moved swiftly, body-flickering to the rooftop. Settling down, he resumed its sensing, splitting its attention between the battle at the Uchiha compound and keeping watch for any threat that might approach the Uzumaki home.

he sensed the original Kaito rushing around the Uchiha district, cutting down Root operatives and rescuing people. It also detected Tsunade, Kakashi, Itachi, and the others arriving on the scene, counterattacking, and slowly gaining the upper hand.

The clone scanned the rest of the village, checking for other attacks. he seemed the assault was focused solely on the Uchiha clan. "Danzo must want them wiped out if he's already branded a traitor," he thought grimly.

Just then, another shadow clone landed beside it. "Hey, are you sensing what I am? There are dozens of tiny chakra signatures all around us."

The first clone stood up, concentrating. "Yeah, they feel like small animals or birds, but this many, all at once… something's off."

The first clone flickered away, heading toward the nearest suspicious chakra signature in the trees. Landing on a branch, he peered into the darkness. A glint of silver flashed, and the clone had just enough time to raise a kunai and block it. Its eyes narrowed. A Root operative!

"How did we not sense them until now?" he muttered, leaping back as ten Root shinobi emerged from hiding. They quickly formed hand signs, releasing combined torrents of flame.

"Combination Ninjutsu: Flame Tower!" their voices echoed as multiple streams of fire melded into one raging inferno.

The clone responded by weaving his own signs. "Water Style: Great Water Wall!" He pulled moisture from the air, forming a massive water wall. "Water Style: Great Water Wall!" The two jutsu collided in a violent Steam exploded where fire met water, hissing and obscuring the battlefield. the clone to skid backward as he landed on the ground.

Chakra chains erupted from the clone's back, anchoring themselves into the earth and forming an adamantine sealing chain barrier around the house. Even so, he realized too late that about half of the two hundred or so Root shinobi had slipped inside the perimeter before the barrier was fully formed. "Damn it," he cursed as he parried a sword strike, swiftly cutting down a masked operative. each clone created two more clones for backup. the clones flickered around, cutting down any Root operative that approached, desperately defending the home.

…

Inside, Shizune had just finished helping Naruto work through a math problem for the second time. "See? It isn't that hard, Naruto-kun," she said, hoping he'd finally grasp it.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Could you show me again?" He laughed nervously, feeling a bit silly.

Shizune sighed, though it was fond. "Alright, one more time," she agreed. "Try to follow along carefully."

Kushina, still knitting, snickered quietly at Shizune's predicament. However, her humor vanished instantly when a thunderous explosion shook the house. Everyone froze.

Kushina's instincts, long dormant from her shinobi days, kicked in. She jumped up, kunai in hand. "Get inside, both of you!" She swiftly pulled Karin and Naruto behind her, protective and alert. Shizune also readied herself, senbon poised between her fingers.

The sound of fierce combat echoed from outside—jutsu clashing, steel meeting steel. Without warning, the living room window shattered as a Root operative lunged through with a tanto. Kushina reacted on pure reflex, blocking a descending tanto with her kunai. She shoved him back and delivered a swift kick to another masked attacker who lunged at Naruto and Karin.

"Stay behind me!" Kushina shouted, her voice tight. She sidestepped a sword strike from a third operative and drove her kunai into his skull, then kicked the corpse into another incoming enemy.

Shizune threw several poisoned senbon, striking two Root shinobi in quick succession. One staggered; the other collapsed. As another attacker rushed in, Shizune ducked low, sweeping his legs and driving a fistful of senbon into his mask. She leapt back to Kushina's side

Two Root operatives retreated momentarily, weaving hand signs. One unleashed a torrent of flames, while the other directed a wind jutsu to intensify the blaze. The combined inferno roared toward Kushina and Shizune, who stood protectively in front of the children. Kushina tried desperately to summon her chakra chains. They erupted from her back but then faltered as pain tore through her abdomen, causing them to flicker and vanish.

Kushina gasped, clutching her stomach as the magnified flames consumed the front of the house. Wood splintered, and a massive explosion shook the foundations. Outside, a Kaito clone saw the fiery blast and shouted, panic in his voice, "NO, Mom!" Before he could rush in, a Root blade sank into him, dispelling the clone instantly.

As the smoke cleared inside, instead of charred remains, there stood a green, skeletal ribcage made of chakra shielding Kushina, Shizune, Naruto, and Karin. It was a Susanoo—Shisui's Susanoo.

Shisui stood before them, his single eye bleeding, Mangekyō Sharingan spinning wildly. "Are you all right?" he asked, voice taut with effort, never looking away from the attackers.

Shizune nodded. "Thank you, Shisui-kun," she breathed, relieved.

Kushina was on the ground, clutching her stomach. The pain was overwhelming. Naruto knelt beside her, tears in his eyes. "Mom, are you all right?" he asked, voice trembling. Karin stood next to him, protective and worried.

Shisui's Susanoo flickered slightly, and he spoke urgently. "You need to get to a safe place. Is there somewhere secure inside the house?"

Kushina forced herself to speak through the pain. "Th-The basement," she said, voice strained. "It's protected by seals."

Shisui nodded. "Good. You head there. I'll hold them off." Susanoo's arm swung forward, scattering a wave of Root shinobi. Shizune supported Kushina, guiding her deeper into the house, while Naruto and Karin stuck close, eyes wide and frightened.

Seeing Shisui, one of the Root shinobi shouted, "It's Shisui Uchiha! He's alive!" Several of them attacked at once, but Shisui created multiple after-images, each darting forward with lethal precision. Steel flashed, and Root operatives fell one after another.

While Shisui provided a distraction, Shizune guided Kushina deeper into the house, Naruto and Karin right behind. They were only steps away from the basement door when four more Root operatives appeared.

Shizune rushed forward, engaging them directly, hoping to give Kushina and the children time to escape. One of the Root operatives broke away, lunging at Kushina with his katana raised high. Kushina, still in pain and supported by Naruto and Karin, couldn't block in time.

the katana was blocked by Kaito, he had teleporting in front of his mother just then. Before the Root operative could react, Kaito slashed forward, taking the man's head off in a single fluid motion.

"Kaito-nii!" Naruto and Karin shouted, relief flooding their voices.

Kaito didn't even glance at them. He simply closed his eyes—and vanished.

In the next few seconds, a blur of red lightning flickered in and out of sight, both inside and around the Uzumaki residence. The sound of startled cries filled the air, but it all happened so quickly that to the onlookers it was over in the blink of an eye. Within moments, every last Root operative who had dared to attack the home lay defeated.

When Kaito reappeared, in front of Kushina, Naruto, and Karin. He gasped for breath, falling to one knee, his body drenched in sweat. "Hiraishin Level-3 Massacre…" he muttered. It was his version of Minato's Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three. But Kaito preferred his own name for it.

He looked up, concern etched onto his face as he took in Naruto, Karin, and finally Kushina's condition. "Are you guys okay?" he asked, voice strained with worry. But the moment he truly noticed Kushina's state, his anxiety spiked. "Mom…?"

Shizune rushed over, kneeling beside Kushina and checking her over. "I'll take care of her," she assured him as she carefully administered some pills to help calm the flare of Kushina's chakra. "Don't worry, she'll be alright. She just needs to rest. That technique she tried to use aggravated her condition."

Naruto's eyes were large and wet. "Mom's gonna be okay, right?" he asked softly, desperately seeking reassurance.

Karin hovered nearby, anxiety making her voice tremble. "Aunt Kushina will recover, won't she?"

Shizune offered both of them a reassuring smile. "Yes, she will. She just pushed herself too far. Give her a bit of time."

As Shizune eased Kushina down to lie more comfortably on the floor, Kushina winced and asked, "What's going on? Why were we attacked?" Her voice was unsteady, but she was trying her best to stay calm.

At that moment, Shisui approached them. Kaito managed a shaky sigh of relief before explaining, "Danzo found out about what we were doing. He's launched an attack on the Uchiha clan… and hit us here to create a distraction."

Shisui's single, intense eye widened. "The Uchiha clan is under attack?" He moved as if to rush out the door, but Kaito raised a hand to stop him.

"Don't go, Shisui," Kaito said, voice firm but sympathetic. "You're still hurt and not fully recovered. Lady Tsunade and the others have already arrived to help. very thing is under control. I need you to stay here and protect everyone while I head over."

Shisui tensed, torn by the urge to protect his clan. But he knew Kaito was right. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he nodded reluctantly. "Alright," he said quietly.

As one of Kaito's clones moved forward to pick Kushina up and carry her to her room, Shisui stood guard, Kaito nodded to him before teleporting away.

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