Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Akaden Chapter 140

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. every 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.

….

The morning sun had fully risen over the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Yet, despite the warm glow, the entire village was on high alert and under strict lockdown. Shinobi rushed through the narrow streets and past bustling shops, their expressions grim. Villagers whispered quietly to their neighbors, casting nervous glances over their shoulders. Everyone was talking about what had happened the night before, and rumors flew through the marketplace like startled birds.

A woman carrying a cloth bag stepped closer, leaning toward the shopkeeper, and asked softly, "Hey, Yasaki-san, are these rumors true?"

The shopkeeper, an elderly woman, leaned in and replied just as softly, "Hai, I heard the Third Hokage isn't Hokage anymore. Lady Tsunade has taken over." Her voice turned conspiratorial as she took the basket of vegetables to be counted.

A man picking out some cucumbers said, "Yes, I heard she exposed the Third Hokage and his advisors for their wrongdoing—something about their involvement in the destruction of the Senju Clan because the Senju refused to support him. Can you believe it?"

The shopkeeper nodded. "That's what everyone's saying. The Third Hokage and his advisors have been accused of terrible things—like orchestrating the downfall of the Senju clan simply because they wouldn't support him. They say he was involved in the Orochimaru incident too."

"I heard something even more disturbing," the man whispered. "People claim Lord Danzo kidnapped children for Orochimaru's experiments, and that the Third Hokage knew about it the whole time."

The shopkeeper nodded gravely. "I also heard that when Lady Tsunade tried to arrest Danzo, he attacked both the Uchiha clan and the Uzumakis. Did you see the aftermath near the Uchiha district? The street's closed off."

"Oh, so that's what those explosions were yesterday." A woman looked worried. "Oh dear, are they okay? I hope Lady Kushina and her children are alright. They've been through so much already."

"I think they're alright. That'll be 100 ryō," said the shopkeeper handing the man the bag with the packed vegetables. "Apparently, that Uzumaki kid—the older boy—saved both the Uchiha clan and his own family. Some say he's the one who convinced Lady Tsunade to come back to the village."

"He's becoming more and more like his father, the Fourth Hokage," the man added, handing over money.

"If the Fourth were still alive, things would never have gotten this far," the woman sighed.

The shopkeeper shook her head. "Don't say that. He gave his life to save us, and we should be grateful. If it weren't for his sacrifice back then… well, I don't even want to think about it."

…

Within a large, dome-shaped barrier created by glowing chakra chains, one of Kaito's clones sat guard atop the Uzumaki home. The golden chains wound their way into the ground, forming a protective dome. Inside, two of his clones cleared debris from the previous night's attack, while two more dealt with the lifeless bodies of ROOT shinobi. The front hall of the house was singed and partially blown apart by a wind-enhanced fire jutsu. The living room was half-destroyed. Elsewhere, the house remained mostly intact, but the damage was still significant.

In Kushina's bedroom, the real Kaito sat at her bedside, holding his mother's hand. Beside her, Naruto and Karin slept curled up, their cheeks stained with dried tears. Kaito's gaze lingered on Kushina's face. Her breathing was calm but occasionally hitched with pain.

Kaito's mind churned with last night's memories, replaying every horrific moment. He had almost lost his mother. The clones' memories tormented him—the wind-enhanced fire, the desperate attempts to reach Kushina and the others in time, and the unbearable feeling of watching his world nearly collapse.

"I'm not strong enough," he thought, his heart twisting. "If Shisui hadn't stepped in… and if I hadn't teleported just in time…" Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, one sliding down his cheek. He struggled with the memory of feeling utterly helpless, even though he had done so much to protect them.

After he saved his family, Kaito went back to help the Uchiha clan. By the time he arrived, they had everything under control and had successfully repelled and captured the ROOT shinobi. Kaito then rushed back home, leaving the rest to his shadow clones. He'd known that Danzo would flee the village amid the chaos. Once back, he told Shizune and Shisui what had happened. Shizune went to assist in the hospital, surely overflowing with injured Uchiha, while Shisui left to help his clan.

In his previous life, Kaito had been an orphan. Now, reborn into the Naruto world, he cherished his family. He had lost his father, Minato, because he hadn't acted in time, and nearly losing his mother as well—she had only survived by sheer luck. The same had almost happened again the previous night; Kushina survived once more only by chance. It was a harsh reminder of how weak he truly was. He had believed he was strong enough now, but the events of the night before proved otherwise. He stayed awake until dawn, watching over Kushina as she slept, filled with worry.

Kaito lowered his head, resting it lightly against her hand. After a while, he felt Kushina stir. He opened his eyes and leaned back as Kushina slowly opened hers, panic flickering in her gaze as she remembered last night's attack. She winced in pain at the sudden movement.

Kaito placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Mom, please," he said softly. "Shizune-san said you need rest. Don't strain yourself." He adjusted her pillows, helping her lie back more comfortably.

Kushina's eyes darted around anxiously. "What… what happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

Kaito exhaled slowly. "Danzo found out about our plan and attacked the Uchiha clan—and us—before escaping," he explained. He gestured gently to Naruto and Karin. "They're fine, just exhausted. They cried themselves to sleep after last night's attack."

Kushina's eyes softened. She reached out, stroking Naruto's hair, then Karin's. "I'm so glad everyone's okay," she whispered.

Kaito lowered his head, his voice tight with guilt. "I'm sorry I… I wasn't here sooner." His throat caught, and he forced the words out, eyes watering. "If Shisui hadn't protected you… if I hadn't arrived in time…"

Kushina reached up, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "It wasn't your fault, Kai-kun," she reassured him softly.

His eyes closed, voice trembling. "You could have… if Shisui hadn't saved you…" He couldn't finish the thought.

She pulled him into a hug. "It wasn't your fault," she murmured against his hair. "We're alive because you saved us. Don't blame yourself."

They stayed like that for a while. When they parted, Kaito wiped his eyes and asked gently, "Mom, please let me heal you," pushing up his sleeve. "I nearly lost you… I can't stand the thought of that happening again. Please…" His voice was raw with emotion.

Kushina shook her head. "Kai-kun, I can't knowingly let you shorten your own life for me. As your mother, that's something I just can't do."

"But Mom," Kaito insisted, "I have more chakra than I did back then. I'm sure it won't happen again. That time it happened because I was younger and didn't have enough chakra."

Kushina took his hand and kissed it, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kai-kun. I just can't."

Kaito bowed his head, knowing he couldn't change her mind. Just then, a Kaito clone came in wearing an apron. "Good morning, Mom! I made breakfast," he said cheerfully. On the tray were simple tamagoyaki, rice, and chicken teriyaki.

"good morning clone-kun, and thank you" she greeted him with a smile as she tried to take the food.

Kaito took the tray. "You need to rest, Mom. Don't strain yourself; I'll feed you."

Kushina tried to protest, but when she saw how determined he was, she relented. Kaito carefully fed her small bites of food. As they settled into this quiet routine:

"Mm… something smells good," Naruto mumbled drowsily, rubbing his eyes.

Kushina giggled softly, and Naruto perked up. Realizing his mother was awake, he shouted, "Mom!" and tried to hug her. Before he could accidentally hurt her, Kaito's chakra chain gently held him back.

"Naruto, be careful," Kaito cautioned. "She's hurt. Don't jump on her."

Naruto's blue eyes went wide with worry. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy you're okay. I was so scared after what happened. ya know!"

Kushina smiled and opened her arms. "It's alright, ya know. Come give Mama a hug."

Kaito released him, and Naruto gave her a gentle hug. Naruto's exclamation woke Karin, who watched them quietly. Kushina smiled at Karin. "Come here, Karin-chan, give me a hug too."

"I'm glad you're okay, Aunt Kushina," Karin said, hugging Kushina with relief.

After a few moments, the Kaito clone in the apron poked his head into the room. "hey you two, why don't you two wash up and have some breakfast in the kitchen? I made enough for everyone."

They nodded and left, looking relieved and hungry. Kaito turned back to feeding Kushina, carefully offering small bites until she seemed more comfortable.

…

A girl with midnight-blue hair rushed through the trees, worry etched on her face. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a white hoodie with short sleeves over a black long-sleeved shirt. Her pale eyes, tinted with purple, showed concern as she neared the damaged Uzumaki house.

Meanwhile, outside the barrier, another Kaito clone gathered the ROOT corpses. He worked efficiently, dragging bodies into a pile to seal them into a scroll later. He paused, sensing a familiar presence. As she landed in front of the barrier, her eyes were filled with worry as she took in the damaged front of the house and charred walls.

The clone waved. "Hey, Hotaru-chan," he called. "Don't panic—it looks worse than it is. The real Kaito is inside with Mom. Just walk through; the barrier will let you in."

Hotaru nodded, relief visible on her face. "Thank you, Clone-kun." She stepped forward, and the barrier parted as though acknowledging her presence.

Inside, she found another Kaito clone wearing an apron plating breakfast. "boss's in mom's room" He pointed her toward Kushina's room. Hotaru rushed down the hall.

"Kaito! Lady Kushina!" she exclaimed, voice full of concern. "Are you all right? I heard what happened and came as hear what happend. Is everyone safe? Naruto-kun, Karin-chan? You look a bit pale, Lady Kushina. Are you alright?"

Kaito raised a hand, calming her. "Hotaru, we're fine. Mom's just a bit hurt, but she'll recover. Naruto and Karin are safe; they're just washing up now."

Hotaru sighed, visibly relieved. She sank onto the floor beside Kaito, pressing a hand to her chest. "I was so worried," she confessed. "When I heard what had happened, I rushed over."

Kushina mustered a small smile. "We're safe, Hotaru-chan. I've got my little knight here," she said, ruffling Kaito's hair. Kaito looked down, still feeling a bit guilty, but he said nothing.

Noticing his mood, Hotaru was about to ask something when a Kaito clone poked his head through the door. "Boss, an ANBU is here," he announced. "You're being summoned to the Hokage's office."

Kaito nodded, setting the plate aside on the bedside table. He stood up, and exhaustion nearly took him off his feet. He stumbled.

"Kai-kun!" Hotaru exclaimed, catching his arm, worry returning to her face.

Kushina's eyes went wide with alarm. "Are you all right?"

Kaito forced a small smile. "I'm fine," he said softly.

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