Tilct's Realm

Kaito Akaden Chapter 135

Kaito Akaden Chapter 135

Sorry for the late upload, everyone. ChatGPT was really giving me a headache, and it took longer than I expected to edit this.

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.

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 18

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 18

"Maybe so," Neville conceded, "but you have to admit some things don't add up. If the Seeker catches the Snitch in, like, a minute, then the game only lasts a minute. That's just daft—why would anyone pay to watch something that could end as soon as it starts or could drag on indefinitely? And then there's the scoring—ten points for a goal is fine, but a hundred and fifty for catching the Snitch? That diminishes the whole point of scoring goals at all if all it takes to win is catching the Snitch."

Seamus, who was sitting beside Neville, scratched the back of his head. "Well, when you put it like that, Quidditch doesn't make much sense," he admitted. Dean and Hermione nodded, agreeing with Neville.

Ron's ears turned red as he grumbled, "Whatever. You're just not smart enough to understand the beauty of Quidditch."

Neville thought to himself, "Yeah, more like J.K. didn't really think this through," as they continued watching the match. Shrugging, he glanced around, wondering if he could spot the Snitch, not particularly focusing on the rest of the game.

…..

"Slytherin in possession," announced Lee Jordan. "Chaser Pucey dodges two Bludgers, evades both Weasleys and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the—wait a moment—is that the Snitch?" A ripple of excitement spread through the crowd as Adrian Pucey suddenly dropped the Quaffle.

Just then, Harry dived sharply after something, but—

A roar of fury erupted from the Gryffindors below—Marcus Flint had deliberately blocked Harry, sending his broom spinning off course. Harry clung on for dear life. "Foul!" the Gryffindors shouted in unison. Madam Hooch flew over, her face stern, and reprimanded Flint before awarding a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But amidst all the chaos, naturally, the Golden Snitch had vanished from sight once again.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was shouting, "Send him off, ref! Red card!" "What are you on about, Dean?" Ron asked, looking confused. "Red card!" Dean repeated passionately. "In football, you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!" "But this isn't football, Dean," Ron reminded him patiently.

Neville chimed in, "That's another reason why it doesn't make sense—there's no serious punishment for fouling a player."

Hagrid nodded in agreement with Neville. "They ought to change the rules. Flint could've knocked Harry clean out of the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it increasingly difficult to remain unbiased. "So—after that blatant and appalling bit of cheating—" "Jordan!" Professor McGonagall growled warningly. "I mean, after that open and revolting foul—" "Jordan, I'm warning you—" "All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker—which could happen to anyone, I'm sure—so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away with no trouble at all, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Harry dodged a Bludger that whizzed just past his head, but then something happened—his broom gave a sudden, violent lurch. Harry gripped it tightly with both arms and legs.

Neville noticed and thought, "Ah, I remember now, Quirrell tried to kill Harry during this game."

The Slytherins were cheering loudly. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was acting strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Don't know what Harry thinks he's playing at," Hagrid mumbled, staring through his binoculars. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have..." Suddenly, people all over the stands were pointing up at Harry. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom gave a wild jerk, and he swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus asked, bewildered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Nothing can interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic—no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand." At these words, Hermione grabbed Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started scanning the crowd frantically.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped. "Snape—look."

"He's doing something—jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

Neville took the binoculars from Hermione and looked at Snape. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering non-stop under his breath. Looking above him, Neville saw Quirrell also doing the same, only his face looked more focused, with a glare.

The binoculars were snatched away from him by Ron, who looked at Snape and said, "You're right! But what should we do?"

"Leave it to me," Hermione said before dashing down the stands towards the entrance.

Neville decided not to interfier and let Hermione handle thing after all, she did the same in the movies.

"Lend me that, Ron," Neville said, grabbing back the binoculars. He watched as Harry's broom tried to throw him off.

Then he turned back to observe Quirrell and Snape.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered.

Neville watched as Hermione sprinted down the row, accidentally knocking Quirrell headfirst into the seats in front. He couldn't help but smile; it was rather comical how she'd practically thrown him into the stands below.

Turning back to the game, Neville saw Harry regaining control of his broom—even before Hermione set Snape's robes on fire.

"Neville, look Hermione did it!" Ron exclaimed.

Neville handed the binoculars back to Ron. "Yeah, it seems Hermione managed to sort it out," he said with a grin.

As soon as he steadied himself, Harry dived towards the ground and caught the Snitch.

"He's got the Snitch!" Ron shouted, his face alight with joy as the crowd went wild, cheering while Harry held the golden ball aloft.

Ron and Seamus hugged each other, jumping around in excitement.

"Well, it was more like he swallowed it," Neville chuckled.

Lee Jordan's voice boomed across the stadium, announcing the final score—Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

Harry was lifted onto the shoulders of the Weasley twins as they cheered triumphantly.

Hermione made her way back up the stands, and Neville patted her on the head. "Well done, Hermione. You've turned to the dark side," he joked.

She blushed and playfully batted his hand away with a grin. "Oh, stop that you prat," she laughed.

"Come on, we should go find Harry," Ron suggested.

"You lot ought to come to me hut for a cuppa," Hagrid offered warmly.

Neville nodded. "Sure thing, Hagrid."

Neville, Ron, and Hermione made their way down to the Gryffindor locker room.

Arriving there, they greeted Harry.

"Well done, mate! That must've been a record!" Ron exclaimed enthusiastically.

Hermione beamed at him. "Congratulations, Harry! You were fantastic."

"Yeah, you were brilliant out there—even if the game doesn't make any sense," Neville added with a smirk and a shrug, holding his hands up in a light-hearted gesture.

Ron looked annoyed at Neville's comment. "Quidditch makes perfect sense! You're the one who doesn't understand the game."

"Whatever you say, Ron," Neville replied with a cheeky grin, shrugging again.

Harry looked a bit miffed by the brewing argument.

Not wanting Ron and Neville to start bickering, Hermione jumped in. "Anyway, Hagrid invited us to his hut, so we should get going," she said. Leaning over to Harry conspiratorially, she added, "And we've got something to tell you."

Harry just nodded his head confused. "Yeah, sure."

Back in Hagrid's hut, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione were all squeezed together on the snug sofa as Hagrid poured them mugs of strong black tea.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining to Harry. "We saw him—he was cursing your broomstick, muttering under his breath, and he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"That's a load of codswallop," Hagrid said as he handed them each a steaming mug. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

As they continued their discussion, Neville was more preoccupied with the rock cakes Hagrid had offered them. He tapped one against his mug, only to hear a sharp clink as two solid objects met. He realised the cakes were practically as hard as stones.

He decided to soak his in the tea for a few minutes and cautiously took a bite. It was still rock hard, so he gave up and placed both the tea and the rock cake back on the table.

"I found out something about him," Harry told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Hallowe'en. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot with a loud clatter. "How do you know about Fluffy?" he exclaimed, looking alarmed.

"Fluffy?" Ron, Hermione, and Harry echoed in unison.

"Yeah—he's mine—bought him off a Greek chap I met in the pub last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the—"

"The what?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me any more," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it," Ron insisted.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid firmly. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher; he'd never do anythin' of the sort."

"But we saw him!" Hermione persisted. "He was jinxing the broom—you've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all—I saw him!"

Neville spoke up, "Well, he could have been trying to use the counter-curse, you know."

All three of them looked at him incredulously.

"What are you talking about?" Ron exclaimed. "You were there—you saw him cursing Harry!"

"I'm not saying he wasn't," Neville replied calmly. "All I'm suggesting is that both jinxing and counter-curses require maintaining eye contact. Remember, always look beneath the surface."

Hermione looked thoughtful at this.

"But why would Snape try to save me?" Harry questioned. "He's always had it in for me. It doesn't make sense—he must have been the one cursing my broom."

"I'm tellin' yeh, you're wrong!" said Hagrid heatedly. "I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn't try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all of yeh—you're meddlin' in things that don't concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, and you forget what it's guardin'—that's between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel—"

"Aha!" said Harry triumphantly. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

"I shouldn't have said that," Hagrid muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I should not have said that."

Neville interjected, "Hagrid, let them be—you won't change their minds. Anyway, Hagrid, I've been meaning to ask you something. I've heard there are Bowtruckles here at Hogwarts, and I've been wondering where to find them. Do you know where they are? I tried asking some of the older students, but they weren't sure where they could be found."

Neville recalled those thin, plant-like creatures from the Fantastic Beasts films but couldn't remember their name at first. He had looked them up in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and discovered they were called Bowtruckles. The book mentioned they lived on trees with magical properties but didn't specify where to find them, which Neville found rather misleading. He remembered seeing Newt Scamander playing with Bowtruckles when he was at Hogwarts and wondered if Hagrid knew where they might be.

Hearing Neville's question, Hermoine asked, "Er, what exactly are Bowtruckles? ive never read about them before "

Hagrid explained, "Oh, Bowtruckles, eh? Fascinatin' little critters, they are! Guard trees with magical properties, y’see. Look like skinny twigs themselves, with them long fingers an’ shiny little eyes. They’re right clever, too—proper protective of their trees.

Neville chimed in, "They're said to be very protective of the trees they inhabit—they might even gouge your eyes out if you provoke them!"

Hagrid laughed. "They're harmless, 'less yeh bother 'em. They live on Bowtruckle Island in the Black Lake. If you lot fancy it, I can take yeh to see 'em, but not now—what with winter comin', they'll be hibernatin'."

"Could I come along as well?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Course yeh can," Hagrid agreed.

Neville nodded. "Thanks, Hagrid. I've been wanting to see some magical creatures ever since you told me about the Mooncalves."

"Oh yeah, the Mooncalves!" Hagrid said brightly. "Yeh asked if I could take yeh to see 'em. How about after the winter holidays, I take yeh all to see both?"

"We're going off topic," Ron interjected, leaning forward. "Who's Nicolas Flamel?"

"I told yeh, I can't tell yeh any more," Hagrid insisted, avoiding their eyes.

Hermione glanced at the others. "Well, we'd better get going," she said, standing up. "Thank you for the tea, Hagrid."

"Yeah, cheers," Ron added, getting to his feet.

Neville sighed as he stood up with the others. "Thanks, Hagrid, and don't forget about the Bowtruckles and Mooncalves."

"Won't forget," Hagrid nodded. "I'll let yeh know when we're goin'."

As they made their way to the door, Hagrid called after them, "Now, promise me yeh won't go meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. That dog's there fer a reason."

"Of course, Hagrid," Harry replied, giving him a reassuring smile.

Once outside, Neville couldn't help but grin. "Can't wait to see Mooncalves and the Bowtruckles!" He was giddy; he'd been wanting to see magical creatures for ages, and now he had the chance. He was over the moon.

"Getting off topic again, Neville," Harry said shaking his head. "We've got to find out who Nicolas Flamel is."

"I've heard the name somewhere," Hermione mused thoughtfully. "I'll have a look in the library."

Ron rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Of course you will."

Kaito Akaden Chapter 134

Kaito Akaden Chapter 134

Hey everyone, so sorry about that! I just realized the chapter was sitting in the drafts section on Patreon I must have accidentally left it there.

Itachi sighed. "Through my surveillance, I discovered that Yashiro Uchiha is in contact with the masked man."

Fugaku closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. "So, the coup d'état is part of the masked man's plan to destabilize the village even further," he murmured.

Itachi nodded solemnly. "It appears so."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she turned to Kaito. "Is this the same masked man who attacked the village seven years ago?" she asked sharply.

Kaito nodded grimly. "Yes, it's him."

Fugaku opened his eyes, a steely resolve settling in them. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This information changes things." He paused, then added, "I believe I know what must be done."

He looked directly at Tsunade. "Itachi will inform you of the decision the clan makes."

….

Early that morning, the moon's gentle glow bathed the streets of the Uchiha compound, In the Uchiha clan head's house, a crucial meeting was drawing to a close.

"Very well, Fugaku. We will leave the rest to you," one of the elders said, his voice gravelly with age. He stood up slowly, his face illuminated under the dim lantern light.

Fugaku Uchiha sat cross-legged in his study, eyes closed and arms folded across his chest. His stoic demeanor revealed nothing of his inner thoughts.

The other elder nodded in agreement as he rose from his seat. "We trust your judgment," he added sincerely before the elders began making their way out.

Mikoto Uchiha stood near the doorway of the study, her eyes following the elders as they departed. She offered them polite bows, her smile warm yet reserved. "Thank you for coming," she said softly as they left the house.

Once they were alone, Mikoto quietly shut the door and walked over to Fugaku. She settled beside him, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "Did the meeting go well?" she asked gently, her eyes searching his face for any sign of emotion.

Fugaku opened his eyes and gave a slight nod. "Yes. The elders have agreed to Lady Tsunade's proposal," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of relief that only someone close to him might notice.

Mikoto's shoulders relaxed, and she let out a small sigh. "That's a relief. I was worried about how they might react," she admitted, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Fugaku glanced at her, his expression softening ever so slightly. "This could change everything for our clan."

Fugaku then turned his gaze towards a seemingly empty corner of the room. "Itachi, you can come out now," he called.

In an instant, their eldest son appeared before them, kneeling respectfully on the floor. "Father," Itachi said, his voice steady and composed.

Fugaku acknowledged him with a nod. "As you heard, the clan has agreed to the terms. We will be fully backing Lady Tsunade."

A subtle look of relief passed over Itachi's eyes. "Thank you, Father," he said sincerely, his tone reflecting genuine gratitude.

Fugaku studied his son for a moment before speaking again. "But I want to know your opinion on the decision the clan has made. Are you okay with us choosing the Shadow Kage position for the Uchiha clan over you becoming Hokage?"

Itachi nodded thoughtfully. "I believe the clan has made the wiser choice," he began. "Even if one of us were to become Hokage, there's no guarantee that the same issues wouldn't surface again. Securing a permanent position within the Konoha government ensures that the Uchiha won't be marginalized anymore. It helps us integrate more fully into the village as a whole. Besides," he added with a slight smile, "I'm not sure I'm the right person to be Hokage. Kaito once told me, there's far too much paperwork involved in being hokage."

Mikoto chuckled softly. "He may have a point," she teased.

Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of Kaito Uzumaki, what are your thoughts on him? Do you think he’d make a good Hokage?"

Itachi paused for a moment, considering his words carefully. "I do. Kaito is wise beyond his years. He's always a step ahead, noticing even the smallest details and finding patterns others might overlook. It's almost as if he can foresee events before they happen, and he plans accordingly. He recognized the issues within the village and devised solutions on his own initiative. He was the one who approached Sensei, sought out Lady Tsunade, and persuaded her to take up the mantle of Hokage. He even had a contingency plan in case she declined. He loves the village deeply, but he cares for his family and friends even more. He would do anything to keep them safe, yet he'd never compromise his morals to do so. He always finds another way."

He paused and smiled. "i think Kaito would make an excellent Hokage."

Mikoto smiled fondly. "He a blend of his parents his father's brilliance and his mother's caring nature."

Fugaku observed his son carefully. "Very well then. Tomorrow, you are to report to Lady Tsunade about the clan's decision. For now, you should rest."

Itachi bowed respectfully. "Yes, Father. Mother," he said. He stood up and made his way towards the door.

As he slid the door open, Fugaku's voice stopped him. "Itachi."

He turned slightly. "Yes?"

"I'm proud of you," Fugaku said, his tone sincere.

A smile graced Itachi's face. "Thank you, Father." With that, he exited, the door closing softly behind him.

Mikoto watched his silhouette disappear down the hallway. "It's been a while since I've seen him smile like that," she whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I hope everything turns out well."

….

After a refreshing shower, Kaito emerged from his room, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt as he made his way down the hallway toward the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen, he was greeted by the inviting aroma of breakfast. His mother, Kushina, was bustling about in her usual attire—a green apron tied snugly around her waist. Her long red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was humming softly as she plated his meal, a warm smile gracing her face. Seated at the table were Lady Tsunade and Shizune, each sipping from a steaming cup of tea. Naruto and Karin had already left for the academy, leaving the adults and Kaito.

"Good morning, Mom," Kaito greeted, leaning in to kiss Kushina on the cheek.

"Good morning, Kai-kun," she replied cheerfully. "Your breakfast is ready. It's getting cold."

He took a seat at the table, nodding politely to their guests. "Good morning, Lady Tsunade, Shizune-san."

Shizune offered a friendly smile. "Good morning, Kaito."

Tsunade smirked. "Morning, brat."

Kaito chuckled, As he began eating, he mentioned, "Oh, by the way, Itachi came by this morning. He said the Uchiha clan has agreed to our terms and will be supporting you, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "That was quicker than expected. Did he mention which option they chose?"

He nodded, swallowing a mouthful of food. "They've opted for the position of Shadow Kage."

Shizune looked thoughtful. "That makes four of the major clans now supporting Lady Tsunade. Since Shikaku-san confirmed that the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans are on board, that leaves us with the Hyuga, Inuzuka, Aburame, and the other minor clans."

Kushina chimed in, "I'm friends with Tsume Inuzuka, the head of the Inuzuka clan. I can ask her to come by later today so you can talk to her."

Tsunade nodded appreciatively. "That would be helpful. kushina." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "What time is our meeting with the Hyuga clan?"

Kaito checked the clock and said. "In about an hour. We should get going soon." He finished his breakfast and created a shadow clone to assist Kushina with the dishes.

Kushina smiled. "Thank you, Kai-kun."

After tidying up, Kaito and Kushina left the house and made their way to the Hyuga compound. The streets were filled with villagers going about their daily routines, the hum of chatter and activity filling the air.

Upon arriving at the grand gates of the Hyuga compound, Kaito greeted the guards with a friendly wave. "Good morning."

Kushina offered them a warm smile. The guards recognized them and promptly allowed them entry.

They walked through the meticulously maintained grounds, the elegance of the Hyuga estate evident in every detail. Soon, they arrived at the clan head's residence.

At the entrance, they were greeted by Hotaru and Hitomi Hyuga. Hotaru's eyes lit up upon seeing them. "Kai-kun! Lady Kushina! Welcome."

Hitomi embraced Kushina warmly. "It's so good to see you."

Kushina returned the hug, albeit with a hint of awkwardness. "You too, Hitomi. How have you been?"

Hitomi noticed the slight hesitation but decided not to comment. "We've been well. Please, come in. Father is expecting you."

Hotaru added, "I'll show you to his study."

"Thank you," Kaito said, following her lead.

As they walked, Hitomi called after them, "I'll bring some refreshments."

Kushina and Kaito exchanged a quick glance. There was an unspoken understanding between them.

Upon reaching Hiashi's study, Hotaru gestured towards the door. "He's inside. I'll go help Mother with the tea."

Kaito nodded. "Thanks, Hotaru."

Entering the study, they found Hiashi seated behind a low desk, his posture impeccable. "Kushina-san, Kaito-san," he greeted them. "Please, have a seat."

Kaito bowed slightly. "Thank you for seeing us, Hiashi-sama."

Kushina offered a polite bow as well. "yes thank you for meeting us higashi-san."

Hiashi inclined his head. "there's no problem with it."

Moments later, Hitomi and Hotaru entered, carrying trays laden with tea and snacks. They set them down gracefully, pouring cups for everyone.

"Would it be alright if we stayed?" Hitomi asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Kushina glanced at Kaito, who gave a subtle nod. She smiled at Hitomi. "Of course. We wouldn't mind you joining us Hitomi-san."

Hitomi raised an eyebrow hearing kushina use the san to address her

Hiashi observed the exchange, his eyes narrowing slightly. Something seemed amiss.

Before the conversation could continue, Kaito spoke up. "Hiashi-sama, if it's alright with you, I'd like to erect a privacy barrier."

Hiashi's eyebrow arched in surprise. "Is that necessary?"

Kaito nodded earnestly. "Given the sensitive nature of what we're about to discuss, I believe it is."

After a brief pause, Hiashi acquiesced. "Very well. Proceed."

Kaito placed his palm on the floor, and intricate kanji spread out across the room, glowing softly before settling into a dormant state.

As the privacy seal activated, Kushina's form puffed into a white smoke. When it cleared, Tsunade sat in her place, a sly grin on her face. "Much better," she remarked, taking a sip of tea. Her eyes gleamed with amusement at the shocked expressions before her.

Hitomi gasped softly. "L-Lady Tsunade?"

Hiashi's eyes widened at the sight of Tsunade, then narrowed as he turned to Kaito, silently demanding an explanation.

Kaito bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry for deceiving you, Hiashi-sama, lady Hitomi. We needed to keep Lady Tsunade's presence in the village a secret for now. i asked Hotaru to keep it secret."

Hotaru nodded, bowing deeply to her father. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

Hiashi took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "Very well. I trust there is a significant reason for this."

Tsunade nodded. "Indeed, there is," she said placing her cup on the table

Kaito continued, "We've come to ask for the Hyuga clan's support in electing Lady Tsunade as the next Hokage."

Hitomi looked surprised, casting a glance at Hotaru.

"That's quite a bold proposition," Hiashi said, taking a sip of his tea. He noticed that his daughter was not surprised by the request, which meant she was already aware of it.

"Please, hear us out," Kaito urged. He explained the situation: how the Third Hokage hadn't officially been re-elected after the Fourth's death, how he hadn't been seeking a successor, and how his administration was contributing to the village's current problems. "If we don't act, it could lead to civil war within Konoha, or worse, the Uchiha clan might face genocide at the Hokage's orders."

Hiashi's expression grew serious. "That's a grave accusation."

"It's the reality we're facing, Hiashi," Tsunade interjected firmly. "We believe that appointing a new Hokage is the best solution to prevent disaster."

Hiashi leaned back, considering their words. "But this plan hinges on the Uchiha clan's agreement."

Tsunade nodded. "They have agreed to support me, along with the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans. We're hoping the Hyuga clan will join us."

Hotaru leaned forward and pleaded with her father. "Father, this is the best path to keep the village peaceful."

Hitomi placed a gentle hand on Hiashi's arm. 

Hiashi closed his eyes, deep in thought. The room remained silent as everyone awaited his response. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and nodded. "Very well. The Hyuga clan will support Lady Tsunade. We've had our own disagreements with the Third Hokage's administration, and a new Hokage would bring much-needed change." He glanced at Kaito. "And, truth be told, a significant part of my decision is influenced by you, Kaito. This is our way of repaying you for all you've done for my family."

Kaito smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama," he said sincerely.

Before anyone could react, Hotaru let out an excited squeal and threw her arms around Kaito, causing them both to tumble backward.

Kaito blinked in surprise, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Uh, hotaru-chan."

Hitomi's eyes sparkled with amusement. She discreetly pulled out a small camera and snapped a photo of the two, capturing the moment.

Tsunade chuckled, shaking her head. "Kids these days," she muttered fondly.

Hiashi cleared his throat loudly, his stern gaze fixed on his daughter. "Hotaru."

Realizing herself, Hotaru quickly released Kaito, her face turning a shade of pink that rivaled her eyes. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away."

Kaito sat up, smoothing out his clothes. He glanced at Hitomi and noticed the camera in her hand. "Where did she get that...?" he thought.

…

Later that afternoon, Kaito sat in the living room of the Uzumaki residence, a steaming cup of tea in his hand. The afternoon sun cast warm rays through the windows, illuminating the room in a golden hue.

Across from him, Tsunade sipped sake from a small cup and let out a contented sigh. "Well, that went smoother than I expected. Now we only have the Inuzuka and Aburame clans left among the major clans."

Kaito nodded thoughtfully. "Sensei, have you approached the Aburame clan yet?"

Shikaku Nara, who had joined them, leaned back in his chair. "I have. Shibi Aburame agreed to meet with me tomorrow." He accepted a cup of tea from Kushina, who had just entered the room. "Convincing him should be manageable. Word is that Danzo has been trying to recruit his son into Root."

Kaito closed his eyes, thinking, ‘If I remember correctly, Shino's friend was recruited into Root.’

Kushina frowned, concern evident in her eyes. "Isn't his son around Naruto's age? They're in the same class if I recall correctly."

Shikaku nodded gravely. "Yes. And that's not all. A couple of months ago, Inoichi reported that a child from the Yamanaka clan went missing. We searched but found nothing. I suspect Danzo is behind it."

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."

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 17

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 17

Neville smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's a good thing it worked, even if just for a second. It gave us enough time to get out of the way—or we might've been squashed flat.". The earlier tensions seemed to fade away as they got to know each other better.

After they finished their dinner, Professor McGonagall returned. "Time to head back to the Gryffindor common room," she said kindly to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Mr. Longbottom needs his rest."

Hermione leaned over and hugged Neville. "I'll visit you first thing tomorrow," she promised with a smile.

"Get well soon, mate," Ron added, giving him a thumbs-up.

"See you tomorrow," Harry said, nodding.

Neville watched as they left, feeling a warm glow inside. He leaned back on his pillows and sighed, happy that everything had turned out relatively okay. Only he had gotten injured, and no one else was hurt. Closing his eyes, he let sleep claim him.

…

Neville made his way back to the Gryffindor common room after his shower, pondering better places to train as the chill of the changing seasons set in. His hair was soaking wet and stuck to his face. Running a hand through his hair, Neville reflected on the past week.

It had been a week since the troll incident, and, as usual, the Hogwarts rumour mill was at its finest, it seemed. The entire school had learned how Neville had killed a troll and saved Hermione.

There were a few versions of the rumour circulating, and the day after Neville was cleared to leave the hospital wing, he was bombarded by his fellow first-year Gryffindors asking him what had happened and if it was true.

Some of the stories he heard had Ron and Harry fighting the troll alongside him, helping in the ordeal. Neville thought this must have been Ron's doing, embellishing his side of things, but he didn't care. In fact, Neville preferred if they took all the credit.

The worst were Lavender and Parvati, who had besieged him with how he saved Hermione and how romantic it was, calling him Hermione's knight in shining armour.

He was even approached by the Weasley twins, who joked about it endlessly.

It had taken a week for the rumours to die down, mainly because the Quidditch season was starting.

Other than that, it had been relatively quiet. Neville and Hermione had started learning more spells together after classes, and Hermione was doing really well. Harry joined them occasionally, but most of the time Ron would distract him and lead him elsewhere.

Hermione had also become more relaxed about breaking rules and was less strict, seeming more at ease.

….

Late yesterday evening, Neville and Hermione returned to the common room after practising spells. Neville had his bag slung over his shoulder, carrying it like a sack.

Hermione was humming a tune beside him as they entered. She was chuffed because she'd finally managed to get Accio to work flawlessly after a week of practice, though it required her to concentrate hard and left her slightly winded.

Entering the common room, they were greeted by the usual chatter of students. Walking past them to get to the dormitories, they came across Harry and Ron huddled near the window, ostensibly doing their homework.

Hermione tapped Neville on the shoulder and whispered, "What do you reckon they're discussing? I bet they're definitely up to something."

Neville looked over to see Harry and Ron speaking in hushed, conspiratorial tones, their homework left forgotten. He shrugged and said, "Well, let's go ask them," wondering if they'd found out about the stone already as he and Hermione walked over.

They approached, and Neville said, "Alright, you two, what are you up to?"

Both paused mid-discussion upon hearing Neville.

Harry looked up and said, "Oh, hey Neville, Hermione. Just working on our assignments. You two just back from practising spells?"

Neville nodded. "Yeah, just got back. You haven't finished them yet?"

Ron grumbled, "We would have been done if someone had shared their work."

Hermione replied, "Well, how would you learn if you didn't do it yourselves?" as they sat down in the empty chairs.

Harry glanced at Hermione and asked, "Mind reading through mine?" He handed her his assignment.

“sure“ Hermione nodded, taking the paper, and began to read through it.

While Hermione was reading, Neville leaned over to Harry and asked in a low voice, 'So, what were you two whispering about before we came in?'

Hermione looked up from the paper, leaning in as well, clearly interested.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances; Ron looked like he didn't want to share.

After a moment's silence, Harry leaned in and said, 'Remember earlier today when Snape confiscated that book?'

Neville and Hermione nodded.

'Well,' Harry continued, 'I wanted the book back, so I went to the staff room looking for him. I saw Snape getting his leg bandaged, and he was complaining about how someone was supposed to keep an eye on all three heads at once.' He paused. 'You know what this means?'

Neville shrugged, already knowing what Harry was getting at, but Hermione asked, 'What?'

'He tried to get past the three-headed dog on Hallowe'en. That's where he was headed when Ron and I came looking for you two. He's after whatever Dumbledore is keeping safe.'

'No—he wouldn't,' Hermione said. 'I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try to steal something Dumbledore is keeping safe.'

'Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something,' snapped Ron. 'I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?'

Neville shot Ron a glare for snapping at Hermione but said calmly, 'I don't like Snape any more than the rest of you, but I'm with Hermione on this one. I don't think Snape is the one trying to steal it. You can't always take things at face value; you should always look underneath the underneath,' Neville said, channelling his inner Kakashi.

Both Ron and Harry looked puzzled at Neville's comment.

Neville stood up and said, 'Well, I need to have a shower before dinner. See you lot later.' With a wave, he headed up to the dormitories.

….

Entering the common room, Neville spotted Hermione, Ron, and Harry sitting and waiting for him. He walked over and greeted them, "Alright, you lot, let's get to the Great Hall," while adjusting his sleeves.

Hermione sprang up from her seat. "Yeah, sure, Neville," she replied, and Harry and Ron followed suit. Ron was trying to distract a jittery Harry by chatting about something, which Neville tuned out. Turning to Hermione, he asked, "So, when do we leave for the holidays, Hermione?"

It was Saturday, 9th November 1991—the opening day of the Quidditch season.

Hermione shrugged and said, "It should be around Christmas. I'd guess somewhere around the 20th or 21st," she replied as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast.

The Great Hall was filled with the delicious smell of fried sausages and the buzz of excited chatter, as everyone was eager for the season's first match.

They sat down to eat, and Neville dug into some sausages, eggs, and bacon with toast, assembling them into a sandwich.

Taking a bite of his creation, Neville reached for his cup of apple juice. After swallowing, he took a sip. Setting it down, he noticed that Harry wasn't eating anything.

Harry was sitting opposite him, with Ron beside him, shovelling food into his mouth.

"Not hungry, Harry?" Neville asked, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Harry shook his head. "I'm not that hungry," he replied.

Hermione, who was sitting next to Neville, said, "You should eat some breakfast, Harry."

"I don't want anything," Harry said, hoping they'd drop the subject.

"Just a bit of toast," Hermione coaxed, handing him a slice.

Harry shook his head again. "I'm not hungry," he insisted.

Neville shrugged. "Leave him be, Hermione. He'll eat if he wants to."

Hermione looked like she wanted to argue but sighed and returned to her breakfast.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus, who was on Neville's other side. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

Neville couldn't help but smile, seeing Seamus only make Harry more nervous as Harry thanked him sarcastically.

By eleven o'clock, they were in the Quidditch stadium stands. Harry had gone off with Wood and the other Gryffindor team players after breakfast.

The stands towered high above the ground, and a brisk wind was blowing. They were seated in the top row alongside Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Lavender, and all the other Gryffindor first-years.

They were holding a banner made from a bed sheet that read "Potter for President" with a large Gryffindor lion beneath it. Dean had made it, and Hermione had charmed the paint so it flashed different colours.

They stood there, waiting for the game to begin.

Looking down at the field, Neville saw both teams coming out onto the pitch, walking over to Madam Hooch, who was standing in the centre.

Fifteen brooms rose high into the air—they were off; the match had started.

As the game got underway, the commentator, Lee Jordan, enthusiastically narrated the action, "And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too --" "JORDAN!" "Sorry, Professor."

Neville laughed at that, he had to admit that Jordan's commentary was quite entertaining.

Jordan continued his lively commentary, much to everyone's amusement, while Professor McGonagall couldn't help but chide him whenever he let his opinions slip in.

The crowd cheered as Gryffindor and Slytherin battled fiercely for possession of the Quaffle. Gryffindor's Chasers were in fine form, with Angelina Johnson making impressive moves, but Slytherin was giving them a run for their money.

While watching the match, Neville heard a familiar voice saying, "Budge up there, move along, excuse me," coming closer.

Turning his head, Neville saw Hagrid making his way towards them, holding a large pair of binoculars.

Ron shuffled over so Hagrid could sit beside him, just behind Neville and Hermione.

"Been watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting the binoculars around his neck, "but it's not the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though—that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Neville remarked aloud, "You know, Quidditch as a whole doesn't really make sense."

Hearing this, Ron became a bit defensive. "What did you just say?" he challenged.

"Just saying it doesn't make much sense," Neville replied. "The entire game relies too heavily on one position. There's no time limit—the match could go on forever if nobody catches the Snitch, and if someone does catch it, the game's over." Hermione nodded in agreement.

Ron crossed his arms. "You just don't get it. You've never even seen Quidditch before."

"Maybe so," Neville conceded, "but you have to admit some things don't add up. If the Seeker catches the Snitch in, like, a minute, then the game only lasts a minute. That's just daft—why would anyone pay to watch something that could end as soon as it starts or could drag on indefinitely? And then there's the scoring—ten points for a goal is fine, but a hundred and fifty for catching the Snitch? That diminishes the whole point of scoring goals at all if all it takes to win is catching the Snitch."

Seamus, who was sitting beside Neville, scratched the back of his head. "Well, when you put it like that, Quidditch doesn't make much sense," he admitted. Dean and Hermione nodded, agreeing with Neville.

Ron's ears turned red as he grumbled, "Whatever. You're just not smart enough to understand the beauty of Quidditch."

Neville thought to himself, "Yeah, more like J.K. didn't really think this through," as they continued watching the match. Shrugging, he glanced around, wondering if he could spot the Snitch, not particularly focusing on the rest of the game.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 133

Kaito Akaden Chapter 133

Itachi nodded slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I do, Father. I’ve thought about it long and hard. A coup could lead to needless bloodshed. It would weaken the village, and in the end, it might even make us vulnerable to outside threats."

Fugaku leaned back, crossing his arms once more. "We have been marginalized for too long, Itachi. The clan deserves respect, autonomy."

"the clan is growing restless," he muttered, Fugaku's voice carrying the weight of their years of grievances. "The pressure to act is mounting every day."

Itachi listened, nodding earnestly. "I understand our clan’s grievances, Father," he replied, his voice steady. "But there must be another way to achieve our goals without resorting to violence. I don’t want to see our clan or the village torn apart."

His gaze softened as he looked between his parents. "Please, Father, I believe there may be a peaceful solution."

Mikoto reached out, placing a gentle hand on Fugaku’s arm, her voice soft. "Perhaps we should hear him out."

Fugaku sighed, glancing at his wife before looking back at Itachi. His expression softened, though skepticism still lingered. "You believe you have an alternative solution?"

Itachi met his father’s gaze intently, as he nodded.

….

Fugaku was pulled from his thoughts by Itachi's quiet announcement. "They're here."

Following his son's gaze, Fugaku saw Tsunade, Shikaku, and Kaito emerging from between the trees. He was taken aback to see Lady Tsunade among them, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Lady Tsunade? Why is she here?" he wondered silently.

Tsunade and Shikaku nodded in greeting, which Fugaku returned with a guarded expression.

As they approached, Kaito offered a polite nod. "I hope we didn’t keep you both waiting too long," he said. "Let me secure the area before we begin."

With that, chakra chains sprouted from Kaito’s back, weaving into the ground and forming a dome that covered the area. He then crouched and placed his hand on the ground, and a seal matrix spread from beneath his palm, covering the dome.

Standing up, Kaito dusted off his hands. "That should keep anyone from snooping around."

Fugaku gave a curt nod, acknowledging Kaito's thoroughness, then turned sharply to Itachi. "Itachi, did you inform them about… our situation?"

Before Itachi could respond, Kaito interjected. "I pieced it together myself, Fugaku-sama. Itachi didn't disclose anything."

Itachi met his father's gaze earnestly. "Father, please, I ask that you hear them out."

Fugaku nodded thoughtfully, turning his gaze to Tsunade and Shikaku.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Fugaku," Shikaku began, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.” We appreciate your willingness to listen. I assume Itachi mentioned that we have a proposal regarding the current tensions in the village?"

Fugaku inclined his head. "He mentioned you might have a solution, though the details were not provided."

Shikaku nodded. "Our plan is straightforward. We propose appointing Lady Tsunade here as the Fifth Hokage." He gestured toward Tsunade, who stood with her arms crossed.

Fugaku crossed his arms over his chest. "I agree that new leadership could be beneficial. But tell me, why shouldn't the new Hokage be a member of the Uchiha clan?"

Shikaku took a deep breath. "The friction between your clan and the village stems largely from the current administration—the Third Hokage and his advisors. They've been in power for a long time, and their policies have, unfortunately, marginalized the Uchiha. Electing Lady Tsunade would provide a fresh start, an opportunity to mend old wounds."

Fugaku crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I agree that new leadership could be beneficial," he conceded. "But why can't it be a member of the Uchiha clan?"

Tsunade let out a dry laugh, uncrossing her arms. "Trust me, I'd be more than happy if one of you took over. Frankly, I'm not exactly eager to step into the role myself. But given the current circumstances, we don't have many options."

Shikaku sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fugaku, if it were feasible, selecting someone from the Uchiha clan would have been ideal. We wouldn't have spent the last six months searching for Lady Tsunade and convincing her to return. But the unfortunate reality is that, given the clan's declining reputation within the village, it's not a viable option at this time."

Fugaku's grip tightened on his arms. He knew the truth in Shikaku's words. Ever since the Nine-Tails attack, suspicion had fallen upon the Uchiha. Relations had only worsened as tensions escalated between clan members and villagers, especially with incidents involving the police force.

Shikaku continued, "You know very well that you'd need not only the village's approval but also that of the other clans, the Jonin Council, and the Daimyo himself. Right now, the Uchiha clan's reputation is at its lowest. Even if we forcibly placed you as Hokage, it would divide the village and might lead to a civil war."

Fugaku nodded, closing his eyes. He knew all of this already.

Itachi looked at his father and said, "Father, I agree with them. That's why they've come to ask for the clan's support to elect Lady Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage."

Fugaku opened his eyes and met his son's gaze. "I agree with your assessment of the situation," he acknowledged. "But that still doesn't explain what benefits the Uchiha clan would receive by supporting Lady Tsunade."

"I'm glad you asked," Tsunade replied, stepping forward with a determined look. "My goal as Hokage would be to mend the rifts within the village. That includes addressing the grievances of the Uchiha clan. I intend to restore trust and ensure that your clan is treated with the respect it deserves."

Fugaku raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Words are one thing, Lady Tsunade. Actions are another. How do you propose to accomplish this?"

She took a step closer, her expression resolute. "First, by integrating Uchiha members into key positions within the village administration—ANBU, the hospital, the Torture and Interrogation Force," she explained. "Your clan's talents have been underutilized, and I aim to change that."

"I would also like to take one of your clan members as my personal apprentice," Tsunade added. "I want to train a few kunoichi as medical-ninjas. Your clan has promising talent that shouldn't go to waste."

She continued, "In return, we ask that you open up the Uchiha Police Force to other clans and civilian ninjas."

Fugaku began to say something, but Tsunade raised her hand to pause him. "I know the police force was gifted to the Uchiha clan by my granduncle as a symbol of trust," she acknowledged. "But you've likely noticed that it's become a double-edged sword. While it gives the clan a sense of honor, it's also become a source of disdain—positions of authority often are. Opening up the police force would lessen that burden. Rest assured, the police force will still be under Uchiha's leadership; the only difference is that others will be allowed to join. This, combined with allowing your clan members to be part of other branches of Konoha's administration, will help them reintegrate into the village structure and feel less isolated."

Shikaku nodded in agreement. "The Uchiha clan will also no longer be isolated to a corner of the village. Your people will be free to live wherever they wish within Konoha."

Fugaku closed his eyes, contemplating their words. "I agree with your assessment of the situation and how you plan to help the clan reintegrate into the village," he said thoughtfully. "But what guarantee is there that something like what happened after the Nine-Tails attack won't happen again? The Uchiha clan, along with the Senju clan, is one of the founding clans of Konoha. If the village could cast mistrust upon us and isolate us once, what guarantee can you give that such events won't repeat?"

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. "That's why we're proposing two options for you to consider," she began, her eyes meeting Fugaku's. "The first choice is that I would officially announce an uchiha as my successor. Alternatively, the Uchiha clan would be granted a permanent position within the Konoha government—the role that the police force should have been."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed with curiosity and caution. "Explain," he demanded.

Shikaku stepped forward. "The option is straightforward," he elaborated. "Either Itachi or Shisui would become candidates for the position of Sixth Hokage."

Fugaku interrupted a hint of sorrow in his voice. "Shisui... I'm afraid Shisui has committed suicide. We found a letter written by him. The clan is still investigating his disappearance and hasn't announced it to the village yet."

Kaito raised a hand gently. "Fugaku-sama, Shisui is alive. He's currently at my house, recovering from his injuries."

Fugaku's eyes widened in shock before narrowing with suspicion. "Explain," he demanded.

Itachi clarified, "Father, Shisui was attacked by Danzo. Danzo was after his Sharingan and managed to take one of his eyes. Shisui escaped, but, fearing that the situation between the clan and the village would escalate, he attempted to end his own life. Thankfully, Kaito saved him, and we brought him to Lady Tsunade and her apprentice. They were able to heal him."

Fugaku closed his eyes, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. "Danzo..." he muttered under his breath.

Tsunade spoke firmly."Don’t worry, Fugaku. Dealing with Danzo will be one of my first priorities as the Fifth Hokage. He will be held accountable for his actions. That, I promise you."

Fugaku exhaled slowly, attempting to steady himself. Opening his eyes, he bowed slightly. "Thank you for saving Shisui," he said sincerely, gratitude evident in his tone.

Shikaku resumed, clearing his throat gently. "As I was saying, the second option involves creating a new position directly under the Hokage. The person who holds this position would be second only to the Hokage—even the ANBU would answer to him, and he would report solely to the Hokage. Essentially, it's the right-hand man of the Hokage—the 'Shadow of the Kage,' if you will. The individual selected should be as strong as a Kage. In the event of another incident like the Nine-Tails attack, and if the Hokage isn't available, the Shadow Kage would take charge. If something were to happen to the Hokage, like with the Fourth Hokage when there was no successor lined up, the Shadow Kage would step in and lead until a suitable candidate is selected."

Fugaku raised his left eyebrow, skeptically. "And you expect the other clans to be agreeable to you granting the Uchiha such a position of power?"

Tsunade met his gaze steadily. "You're right—the other clans might oppose the idea of granting permanent power to the Uchiha clan. However, I believe that offering this as a sign of trust, acknowledging the mistakes of previous administrations, and as a reward to the only remaining founding clan of Konoha could sway them. It's a gesture to make amends for the wrongs inflicted upon your clan."

Fugaku considered her words carefully. "What's the catch to this position?" he asked.

Tsunade took a deep breath. "If the Uchiha select the second option, the clan would forfeit the right to be selected for the position of Hokage."

Fugaku's eyes widened. expecting his reaction, Shikaku continued, "There's a reason for this proposal. As you've already noticed, granting both positions to the Uchiha clan would create a significant power imbalance. It would give your clan too much influence and could lead us back into a situation similar to the one we're trying to resolve."

Fugaku nodded slowly, He closed his eyes for a moment, deep in thought, weighing the options laid before him. After a contemplative silence, he opened his eyes and asked, "I understand your reasoning. But if we choose the second option, who would be your candidate for the Sixth Hokage?"

A sly smile spread across Tsunade's face. "Well, that's easy," she said, pointing directly at Kaito. "That brat over there."

Kaito nearly stumbled in surprise, eyes wide. "Eh? Me?" he exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"

Tsunade chuckled softly. "Yes, you, brat. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. You've shown great leadership qualities and took it upon yourself to help find a solution to the problems our village is facing."

Shikaku nodded in agreement. "Lady Tsunade is right. You would be a good candidate for the position. You came up with the entire plan, convinced Lady Tsunade to return, and devised strategies to help reintegrate the Uchiha clan into the village. That’s not something just anyone could do."

Itachi a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I agree. Kaito would make an excellent Hokage."

Kaito looked between them all, utterly flabbergasted. "But I... I..." he stammered, searching for words.

Tsunade shrugged nonchalantly. "It doesn't matter for now. It all depends on the decision the Uchiha clan is willing to make."

An uneasy silence settled over the group as Fugaku fell deep into thought.

After what felt like an eternity, Fugaku finally spoke. "Your proposition is very tempting," he admitted. "But I cannot make this decision alone. I will need to discuss this with the elders. However, I believe they will agree to support you as the Fifth Hokage."

Tsunade nodded understandingly. "I appreciate that you need to consult with your clan's elders. We would, however, appreciate an answer as soon as possible. We're moving quickly to secure the approval of the other clans and the Daimyo, and the Uchiha clan's support would be immensely helpful."

Fugaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "In that case, I will convene an emergency meeting with the elders. Itachi will inform you of our decision."

"Excuse me, Fugaku-sama," Kaito interjected hesitantly. "There's something you should know before you meet with the elders."

Fugaku turned to face Kaito, curiosity piqued. "Oh? And what might that be?"

Kaito exchanged a glance with Itachi before replying. "Itachi, I think it's better if you explain what you've discovered about the masked man."

Shikaku's eyes widened at the mention, and Tsunade's expression turned serious. Fugaku's gaze sharpened, sensing the gravity of the situation.

Itachi eyes widen he had almost forgotten about that. "A few months ago, while I was monitoring the clan, I noticed a masked man lurking around the Uchiha compound. He was the same individual Kaito identified—the one responsible for the Nine-Tails attack."

Fugaku's eyes widened in alarm the implications sinking in.

"so I brought this to Kaito's attention," Itachi continued. "we found it suspicious that the masked man was hovering near the clan. Kaito suggested that I monitor the members who were most vocal about the coup d'état."

Kaito picked up the explanation. "From what I know of him, he wants to cause problems for Konoha. Seeing him near your clan didn't sit right with me. So I asked Itachi to tail those members who were most adamant about the coup. However, since the masked man uses space-time ninjutsu, tracking him is incredibly difficult."

Fugaku nodded slowly, understanding their reasoning. "I see. And what did you find?"

Itachi sighed. "Through my surveillance, I discovered that Yashiro Uchiha is in contact with the masked man."

Fugaku closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. "So, the coup d'état is part of the masked man's plan to destabilize the village even further," he murmured.

Itachi nodded solemnly. "It appears so."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she turned to Kaito. "Is this the same masked man who attacked the village seven years ago?" she asked sharply.

Kaito nodded grimly. "Yes, it's him."

Fugaku opened his eyes, a steely resolve settling in them. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This information changes things." He paused, then added, "I believe I know what must be done."

He looked directly at Tsunade. "Itachi will inform you of the decision the clan makes."

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 16

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 16

Neville slumped back, exhaustion washing over him. Hermione turned, her eyes wide.

"You... you did it," she whispered.

He gave a weak smile. "All in a day’s work," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. He closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief, only for it to turn into a grimace as a fresh wave of pain rippled through him.

Ron approached the troll cautiously, giving it a poke with his foot. "Is it... is it dead?"

"I'd say so," Harry replied, staring at the lifeless creature.

"Is he alright?" Harry asked, rushing over with Ron.

Hermione knelt beside Neville, checking his pulse. "He's hurt, We need to get him to the Hospital Wing."

"Quickly," Hermione urged, glancing over her shoulder. "Help me lift him."

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.

…

Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell arrived on the scene, McGonagall's eyes widening at the sight of the fallen troll and the battered students.

"My goodness!" she exclaimed, moving swiftly towards the students. She knelt down beside Neville, checking on his slumped form while asking, "Is everyone all right?"

Hermione, seeing the professors, said urgently, "Neville is hurt, Professor. He can't move."

McGonagall nodded, and without wasting a moment, she pointed her wand at Neville. "Mobilicorpus!"

Neville's body lifted gently off the ground, floating slightly as McGonagall began to escort them. "We need to get all of you to the Hospital Wing immediately," she said firmly.

Professor McGonagall’s gaze turned to Snape. "Professors Snape and Quirrell, please see to the removal of this troll. Afterward, we shall have a very serious discussion about this security breach."

Snape's eyes flashed as he looked at the students, particularly at Neville. "Very well, but I'll be back," he sneered, clearly annoyed as he and Quirrell reluctantly set about dealing with the troll.

With a swift motion, McGonagall conjured a silvery tabby cat—her Patronus—which dashed off down the corridor. "That will inform Professor Dumbledore to meet us there," she explained.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed closely as McGonagall guided the floating Neville through the winding corridors. Madam Pomfrey was already waiting for them, alerted by the Patronus.

"Neville Longbottom!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, her tone a mix of exasperation and concern. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Neville managed a weak grin. "Had to rescue a damsel in distress, Madam Pomfrey," he joked softly.

The professors moved away, and Madam Pomfrey turned back to Neville, muttering under her breath as she examined him. "You lot will be the death of me, I swear."

She shook her head, guiding him onto a bed. "I might as well reserve a permanent bed for you if this is any indication of how your years at Hogwarts are going to be."

Neville chuckled and winced. "Suppose you might at that."

Shaking her head, Madam Pomfrey cast a diagnostic spell over Neville, her expression turning to exasperation. "Broken ribs and a bruised spine by the looks of it. Worse than the last time you were here. This will require Skele-Gro, I'm afraid. It won't taste pleasant."

Turning to the others and fussing over them, she said, "Let me have a look at all of you to ensure you're not hurt."

After finishing her examinations, she announced, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger you all seem unharmed. You're free to leave but do get some rest. Neville, you'll need to stay overnight. The potion will mend your bones, but it's best if you remain here." She left to fetch the potion.

Just then, Professor Dumbledore entered the Hospital Wing, his eyes grave yet kind. "I came as quickly as I could. It seems we have much to discuss."

"Explain yourselves. All of you," McGonagall demanded, her tone sharp and unyielding.

Hermione, ever quick-thinking, took a step forward, her voice steady though she was visibly shaken. “Professor, it was… we were… I was the one who went-” She glanced nervously at Neville, who was shaking his head slightly.

"Actually," Neville cut in, giving Hermione a frown. "I came looking for Hermione because she'd been missing all day, thanks to an idiot who decided to make her life difficult out of jealousy."

McGonagall's eyebrow arched slightly. "Jealousy?" she asked icily.

Neville nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Someone said something to Hermione, and she didn't come to the Great Hall. I learned from Parvati and Lavender that she'd been in the first-floor girls' lavatory all day. But on our way back, we, er..." He glanced down, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "We sort of ran into the troll."

"Harry and I came looking for them when we noticed they weren't with the rest in the Great Hall, and we saw Neville leaving earlier to look for Hermione," Ron added quickly. "Neither of them knew there was a troll loose in the castle, so we wanted to inform them."

Dumbledore looked between them all, his eyes twinkling. "And the troll? How exactly did it end up dead?"

All eyes turned to Neville, who managed a small, embarrassed laugh. "Well, that was me. I used a Banishing Charm to send the sword into the troll's mouth because the troll was magic-resistant," he admitted, looking down. "Though I got hurt doing something stupid." He chuckled a little, though it ended in a grimace. "Tried to cut its arm with a sword, but, er, turns out troll skin's a bit tough for that."

Dumbledore and McGonagall's eyes widened upon hearing that Neville was able to perform advanced spells. "That's quite an advanced spell, Mr Longbottom; it's not taught until your third year," McGonagall remarked.

Dumbledore added, "Indeed, that is quite an advanced spell. What other spells do you know? How far ahead are you in terms of spellwork?"

Neville started, "Um, not many—just a few from a book my gran sent me. I'm not that far ahead of the others."

Just then, Professor Snape strode in, his robes billowing behind him. He eyed the students coldly. "Headmaster, these students were out of bounds during a dangerous situation. They should be expelled for their reckless disregard of safety."

Rolling his eyes, Neville winced slightly as he sat up and interrupted, "Professor Snape, we weren't aware there was a troll loose in the school. And is it against school rules to leave the Great Hall during dinner? Perhaps you should adjust your priorities and ask the real question here: why was there a troll in the castle in the first place? Isn't Hogwarts supposed to be safe for students?" He continued, "I mean, aren't there security measures in place? Don't other schools make sure creatures like that don't get anywhere near students? Or is that just a Hogwarts thing?"

Snape looked livid, but before he could respond, Dumbledore spoke up. "That's quite enough, Severus."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "An excellent point, Mr Longbottom. Rest assured, we will be investigating how this breach occurred. In the meantime, I must commend all of you for your bravery."

Neville rolled his eyes, thinking, "Yeah, like you'll actually do something since you already know who let the troll in."

Dumbledore smiled gently at them. "For your courage, quick thinking, and loyalty to your friends, I award Gryffindor fifty points."

Ron looked down, guilt flickering across his face as he remembered how he'd treated Hermione earlier.

"Now," Madam Pomfrey interjected, returning with a vial of potion. Her voice was exasperated as she waved her hands at everyone crowding around Neville's bed. "I need space to tend to Mr Longbottom, so kindly take your congratulations and scoldings elsewhere!"

She handed Neville a goblet filled with a steaming, foul-smelling liquid. "Drink up. I won't sugarcoat it—it's dreadful."

Neville grimaced but drank it all in one go, coughing slightly. "Ugh, that's worse than I imagined."

Madam Pomfrey patted his shoulder. "Well, perhaps you should avoid getting injured if you don't want to taste my potions."

Professor McGonagall addressed them. "I'll be back shortly to escort you back to the Gryffindor common room. Your dinner will be brought here while I attend to something."

As the professors left, Ron and Harry lingered awkwardly by Neville's bed. Once McGonagall was out of earshot, Ron cleared his throat.

"Er, Neville, Hermione... we just wanted to say thanks," Ron began sheepishly. "You know, for everything."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, we really appreciate it."

Neville looked at them seriously. "You know, Ron, you've been acting just as badly as Malfoy. The only difference is that Malfoy's rich."

Ron flushed, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I... I know," he mumbled.

Neville turned to Harry. "And you, Harry. You only stand up to Malfoy because he picks on your friends," he nodded towards Ron. "But you don't seem to care if the bully is your friend. A real friend tells their mates when they're being gits."

Hermione placed a gentle hand on Neville's arm. "It's all right," she whispered.

But Harry shook his head. "No, Neville's right," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "I haven't been a good friend. This is the first time I've ever had mates, and I didn't want to lose them. But that's no excuse."

Ron looked up, eyes earnest. "Hermione, I'm really sorry for what I said. I was wrong, and I didn't mean it. I was just frustrated because you're so good at everything, and I felt... left behind. I'm sorry."

Hermione's eyes shimmered with tears. "I forgive you," she said softly. "And I'm sorry if I was a bit much. I was just trying to impress you both. I wanted to make friends, too."

They exchanged small smiles.

Harry extended his hand. "Friends?"

Neville looked at Harry's hand, then over at Ron and Hermione. A smile slowly spread across his face. "Friends," he agreed, shaking Harry's hand firmly.

Just then, plates of food appeared magically on the table beside them. Ron's eyes widened. "Finally! I'm starving," he exclaimed, grabbing a piece of bread.

They all settled down to eat, the delicious aromas making their stomachs rumble. As they dug in, harry leaned forward, his fork hovering over his plate. "Neville, that spell you used to stop the troll for a moment. what was it? I've never seen anything like it."

Neville swallowed a bite of shepherd's pie before answering. "Oh, that was Arresto Momentum. It slows down moving objects. I wasn't even sure it'd work on a troll."

"That's brilliant!" Ron said, eyes wide. "Where'd you learn that? We're only first years!"

Neville shrugged modestly. "It’s from one of the books my gran sent me. I’ve been practicing a few spells from it on my own."

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "That's actually really advanced magic. I'm impressed you could pull it off under pressure."

Neville smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's a good thing it worked, even if just for a second. It gave us enough time to get out of the way—or we might've been squashed flat.". The earlier tensions seemed to fade away as they got to know each other better.

After they finished their dinner, Professor McGonagall returned. "Time to head back to the Gryffindor common room," she said kindly to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Mr. Longbottom needs his rest."

Hermione leaned over and hugged Neville. "I'll visit you first thing tomorrow," she promised with a smile.

"Get well soon, mate," Ron added, giving him a thumbs-up.

"See you tomorrow," Harry said, nodding.

Neville watched as they left, feeling a warm glow inside. He leaned back on his pillows and sighed, happy that everything had turned out relatively okay. Only he had gotten injured, and no one else was hurt. Closing his eyes, he let sleep claim him.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 132

Kaito Akaden Chapter 132

Shikaku nodded. "Given that history, I think we can expect support from the Hyuga clan head," he said.

Tsunade gave a slight nod. "Then we have the Hyuga heir’s support for the plan."

Shikaku glanced at Kaito, smirking slightly. "More accurately, he has their support," he corrected, gesturing toward Kaito.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, eyeing Kaito with mild amusement. "Is that so?" she asked, a playful glint in her eyes.

Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, a bit flustered. "Hotaru and I have been friends for a long time," he said.

Tsunade smirked knowingly. "Friends, huh?" she teased before turning back to business. "What about the Aburame and Inuzuka clan?"

Kaito brightened. "Mom is close friends with their clan head" he explained. "I'm sure she cloud help us get a meeting with her"

"that would leave only the Aburame clan "Shikaku nodded. " Once we have the support of the major clans, the smaller, allied clans should follow."

…

Kaito appeared in the living room using the Hiraishin, with Tsunade and Shizune holding onto his shoulders. His clone followed closely behind, carrying Shisui.

"Welcome back!" Kushina greeted them warmly. "You're just in time for lunch."

Tsunade stepped forward and embraced Kushina. "I'm sorry I left so abruptly the last time we met," she said softly.

Kushina returned the hug with a smile. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're alright, Tsunade-nee. It was a lot to take in."

Kaito's clone spoke up. "I'll take Shisui to one of the guest rooms."

Turning to look at Shisui, concern filled Kushina's eyes. "Oh my, what happened to Shisui-kun? Is he alright?"

She remembered meeting Shisui many times when he trained with Kaito and his team back when they were still genin.

Tsunade nodded reassuringly. "He needs to rest, but he'll be fine."

Shizune offered her assistance. "I'll help you with him." The clone nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. I'll also show you where you and Lady Tsunade will be staying." Together, they left the living room.

The real Kaito followed his mother and Tsunade into the kitchen.

"So, where are the other two brats?" Tsunade asked with a playful grin.

"They're at the academy," Kushina replied. "The new school term just started."

Tsunade hummed thoughtfully. "Ah, I was hoping to see them again," she said with a smile.

Kushina chuckled. "You'll get to meet them soon, you know."

Tsunade settled into a chair, engaging in light conversation with Kushina as she finished cooking. Kaito joined his mother, helping with the preparations. As the mother-son duo worked side by side.

As they continued cooking, Tsunade engaged them in light conversation. "It's been ages since I've had a proper home-cooked meal," she admitted, leaning back in her chair.

"Well, you're in for a treat," Kushina said cheerfully. "Kai-kun has become quite the chef."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? I didn't know the brat could cook."

He laughed modestly. "I'm not that good. Mom's the real cook here. I just help out, ya know"

"Don't let him fool you," Kushina teased. "He's been my little helper since he could walk."

Tsunade smiled warmly. "It's nice to see you both like this. It feels... peaceful."

Kushina glanced over at her old friend. "It's good to have you here with us. Makes the house feel even more lively."

Shizune returned to the kitchen after helping settle Shisui into one of the guest rooms. She took a seat beside Tsunade, letting out a small sigh of relief.

Just then, a knock echoed from the front door.

"I'll get it," Kaito offered, pushing his chair back. He had already sensed who it was. Walking to the door, he opened it to reveal Hotaru standing there with a bright smile.

"Hey there, Hotaru-chan!" he greeted her warmly, waving. "Come in! We're just about to have lunch."

Hotaru beamed back at him. "Thanks, Kai-kun! I hope I'm not intruding."

He shook his head, dismissing her concern with a wave of his hand. "Not at all. Mom loves having you over, ya know."

As they walked back to the kitchen, Hotaru followed closely behind Kaito. Upon entering, she saw Tsunade, Shizune, and Kushina gathered around the table.

"Good to see you, Lady Kushina," Hotaru said with a warm smile, moving forward to give her a hug.

Kushina returned the embrace enthusiastically. "Hotaru-chan! So glad you could join us for lunch."

"Thank you for having me," Hotaru replied, her cheeks flushing slightly. She then turned to Tsunade and gave a respectful bow. "Good to see you again, Godaime-sama. And you too, Shizune-san."

Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "I'm not the Godaime yet. Just call me Tsunade."

Shizune smiled kindly. "It's good to see you again, Hotaru-chan."

They all took their seats around the table as Kushina began bringing over dishes of steaming food. The aroma filled the room.

As they started serving themselves, Tsunade looked over at Hotaru. "So, what brings you here today?"

Hotaru's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, right! I almost forgot." She turned to Kaito. "I came to inform you that my father has agreed to meet with you. I've scheduled the meeting for tomorrow, if that's okay with you, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nodded approvingly. "That's excellent news. The sooner we can convince the big clans, the better. I assume you'll be attending the meeting with your father?"

Hotaru nodded thoughtfully, stirring her tea as she spoke. "I haven't told Father the specifics of the meeting yet. All he knows is that you and I have something important to discuss with him in private." She glanced at Tsunade. "But how are we going to include you, Lady Tsunade, without raising suspicions?"

Kaito leaned back in his chair, considering the options. "Well, I could use the Hiraishin to teleport Hiashi-sama here," he suggested. "Or we could bring Lady Tsunade and sensei directly into the meeting."

As Kushina placed a steaming bowl of miso soup on the table, she chimed in, "Speaking of meetings, when will you be seeing the Uchiha clan?"

"Tonight," Kaito replied, reaching for a piece of freshly sliced sashimi. "We'll be meeting with Fugaku-sama and Itachi."

Kushina sighed softly, a hint of concern in her eyes. "I hope everything goes well," she said, offering him a reassuring smile.

"Me too," Kaito admitted.

Just then, a high-pitched, girlish shout echoed from somewhere inside the house, causing everyone to jump slightly.

"What was that?" Tsunade asked, her eyes narrowing as she instinctively prepared for trouble.

Kaito was already on his feet. "I'll check it out," he said quickly, moving towards the source of the noise. Did someone get into the house? he wondered, adrenaline beginning to surge.

He followed the sound to one of the guest rooms and pushed the door open. Anko was standing in front of a mirror. She was examining her neck intently, her oversized T-shirt slipping off one shoulder and revealing a hint of cleavage. She seemed completely absorbed, her fingers tracing the skin where the cursed seal used to be.

"Oh right," Kaito thought with a mental facepalm. "I forgot she was still here."

He stepped into the room cautiously. "Hey, Anko, are you okay? Why did you scream like that?"

Anko spun around, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and joy. The moment she saw him, a radiant smile spread across her face. Before he could react, she lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and tackling him to the ground.

"Whoa!" Kaito exclaimed as he landed on his back, Anko hugging him tightly. She was laughing and crying at the same time.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" she kept repeating, planting kisses all over his cheek.

"Hey, get off me!" he protested, his face turning crimson as he tried to push her away.

Tsunade appeared in the doorway, arms crossed and a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, well," she teased. "Looks like you are quite the ladies' man eh brat."

He finally managed to sit up, gently pushing Anko off him. "What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek where her kisses had landed.

Kushina and Shizune arrived just then, concern etched on their faces. "Is everything alright?" Kushina asked.

Anko wiped her eyes, her smile never fading. "The seal... it's gone," she said breathlessly. "I'm free!"

Kaito blinked in surprise. "Huh? Of course, the seal is gone. Didn't I tell you I could remove it?"

Kaito stood up, dusting himself off. As he did, he felt a sudden chill. Turning slowly, he saw Hotaru standing a few feet away, her Byakugan activated. She was staring at Anko intently before her gaze shifted to him.

"Uh, Hotaru?" he began nervously. "Why do you have your Byakugan active?"

She raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "Just... observing," she replied cryptically.

A bead of sweat trickled down Kaito's temple. "Observing what, exactly?"

She held his gaze for a moment longer before her face morphed into a creepy smile. "Making sure everything is as it should be."

He gulped and nodded quickly. "Right. Of course."

Hotaru stepped closer and patted him lightly on the head. "Good, you understand," she said, with the same smile.

Shizune giggled behind her hand. "You two are adorable."

Tsunade chuckled as well. "Seems like Kaito has his hands full."

Meanwhile, Kushina was gently helping Anko calm down. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, concern evident in her eyes.

Anko nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just so happy," she said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "The seal is no longer on me. I feel... free."

Kushina smiled warmly. "That's wonderful news. Come on, let's get you something to eat. You've been in a coma for the last few days—you must be starving."

Anko wiped her eyes, a sheepish grin forming as her stomach grumbled loudly. "I guess I could eat."

Just then, Tsunade, who had been listening nearby, approached them with a curious expression. "Wait a minute," she said. "What seal? And why were you in a coma?"

Anko turned and was startled to see Tsunade standing there. "Lady Tsunade?" she exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise.

Kaito stepped forward to explain. "It's a cursed seal that Orochimaru placed on her," he said matter-of-factly.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Orochimaru placed a cursed seal on you?" She knelt down beside Anko, her hand glowing with medical chakra as she performed a diagnostic with the Mystic Palm Jutsu. "Hold still for a moment."

As Tsunade assessed Anko's condition, Kaito continued, "Anko was Orochimaru's student. When he defected from the village, he experimented on her with his cursed seal."

Tsunade listened intently, her face serious. After a moment, she nodded. "She's alright. There's no trace of foreign chakra in her body," she confirmed, offering Anko a reassuring smile.

Anko let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you," she whispered.

Kaito added thoughtfully, "The seal had a piece of Orochimaru's soul embedded in it. He was probably trying to find a way to become immortal." He rubbed his chin, almost speaking to himself. "It's a good thing he doesn't know about the Byakugō no In."

Tsunade looked up sharply. "Why do you say that?" she asked, her tone edged with curiosity.

He met her gaze. "It's just a theory, but I think both his cursed seal and the Byakugō no In are related—or at least derived from the same foundational seal," Kaito explained. "Or perhaps they're stripped-down versions of another, more complex seal."

Kaito had been mulling over a theory for a while now, one that connected the Byakugō no In and Orochimaru’s cursed seal. Kaito suspected that if the Byakugō no In and the cursed seal were combined, they could potentially recreate something akin to the Karma seal.

he shared his theory with Tsunade. "If Orochimaru had found a way to combine the principles of his cursed seal with the Byakugō no In, he could have created a seal that allowed him to fully imprint his consciousness onto another person and take over their body entirely."

Tsunade looked at him skeptically. "And how do you know all this?"

Kaito shrugged. "I don’t know for sure—it’s just a theory."

Kushina, chimed in with a cheerful tone. "Alright, that’s enough intense talk for now! Let’s go eat before lunch gets cold." She helped Anko to her feet.

Anko accepted Kushina’s help, flashing her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Kushina-san."

…

Fugaku stood silently in a secluded forest clearing with his eldest son, Itachi. The moon casts a dim light through the trees, giving the forest an ethereal glow. Shadows stretched across the frost-covered ground, adding a cold stillness to the quiet night.

They were somewhere deep in the woods surrounding the Hidden Leaf, far from prying eyes. Fugaku leaned against a thick tree, arms folded, his gaze fixed on Itachi, who stood by his side, alert and scanning the area, waiting for whoever they had come to meet.

With a sigh, Fugaku closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. His thoughts drifted back to the events that had unfolded just two days prior, the very reason they now found themselves standing in the heart of the forest.

…

Fugaku sat quietly in his study, eyes closed and arms crossed as he reflected on the recent clan meeting. Mikoto sat beside him, pouring him a cup of sake, her presence calm and reassuring. A single candle flickered, casting a soft, wavering light around the room.

Itachi and Shisui hadn’t attended the meeting tonight, and Fugaku couldn’t shake his curiosity and concern over their absence.

He sighed, picking up the cup and taking a slow sip. "Itachi and Shisui weren’t at the meeting tonight. I wonder what kept them."

Mikoto glanced toward the door, her face shadowed with worry. "I’m starting to worry about him." she murmured. "Itachi’s been so distant lately,"

Just then, a soft knock interrupted their thoughts. "Father, Mother," Itachi’s voice sounded from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

Fugaku nodded, motioning for him to enter. "Come in, Itachi. I’d like to know why you missed tonight’s meeting."

The door slid open, and Itachi stepped in, closing it behind him. He moved forward, kneeling respectfully before his parents. "I apologize for my absence," he said, his tone somber.

Fugaku studied his son intently. "Did you have other obligations?"

Itachi met his father’s gaze directly, his expression resolute. "Yes, but there’s something I need to discuss with you Father. It’s…. it’s about the coup."

A silence filled the room. Fugaku’s gaze softened slightly. “You have doubts about our plans?"

Itachi nodded slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I do, Father. I’ve thought about it long and hard. A coup could lead to needless bloodshed. It would weaken the village, and in the end, it might even make us vulnerable to outside threats."

Fugaku leaned back, crossing his arms once more. "We have been marginalized for too long, Itachi. The clan deserves respect, autonomy."

"the clan is growing restless," he muttered, Fugaku's voice carrying the weight of their years of grievances. "The pressure to act is mounting every day."

Itachi listened, nodding earnestly. "I understand our clan’s grievances, Father," he replied, his voice steady. "But there must be another way to achieve our goals without resorting to violence. I don’t want to see our clan or the village torn apart."

His gaze softened as he looked between his parents. "Please, Father, I believe there may be a peaceful solution."

Mikoto reached out, placing a gentle hand on Fugaku’s arm, her voice soft. "Perhaps we should hear him out."

Fugaku sighed, glancing at his wife before looking back at Itachi. His expression softened, though skepticism still lingered. "You believe you have an alternative solution?"

Itachi met his father’s gaze intently, as he nodded.

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 15

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 15

Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of updates. I’ve been sick, but I’ll be uploading the next chapters of Kaito’s and Goten’s stories later today. Thanks for understanding!

He was about to retort when the floor beneath them trembled slightly. A foul odour wafted through the corridor, seeping into the hallway and causing them both to wrinkle their noses.

"What's that smell?" Hermione asked, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.

Neville's eyes widened in alarm. 'It's here,' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. "Shit!" he whispered, the urgency in his voice unmistakable.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, noticing his sudden change in demeanour.

He looked at her urgently, his expression grave. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Before she could respond, a low grunting noise echoed from around the corner, followed by heavy, dragging footsteps that reverberated through the stone floor as a towering figure entered the corridor they were in.

"Is that—" Hermione began, her face paling as realization set in.

….

Neville and Hermione stood frozen, their eyes locked on the towering figure that had just lumbered into the corridor. The troll was even more terrifying in person than Neville could have ever imagined. Standing at a staggering twelve feet tall with grey, warty skin, it exuded a stench so foul it was like being trapped in a neglected public loo. Neville felt his stomach churn, almost losing his dinner right there.

"Bloody hell," Neville muttered under his breath, eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief.

The troll dragged a massive wooden club along the stone floor, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. Its small, beady eyes zeroed in on them, and it let out a low, guttural snarl.

Hermione began to hyperventilate beside him, her breaths coming in rapid, shallow gasps.

"Stay calm," Neville whispered, more to himself than to her.

Without taking his eyes off the troll, he reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. Slowly, they began to step backward, trying not to make any sudden movements that might provoke the creature.

"Just nice and easy," he murmured.

The troll, however, took a lumbering step forward, matching their retreat. Its eyes narrowed, and saliva dripped from its slack mouth.

"Not good," Neville thought, his heart pounding in his chest.

Suddenly, the troll let out a roar and swung its club horizontally. Neville reacted instinctively, yanking Hermione towards him and ducking. The massive club whooshed over their heads, smashing into the wall behind them. Bits of stone and shattered porcelain rained down as a nearby vase exploded on impact.

Neville's eyes widened at the sight. If they hadn't ducked, they'd have been crushed.

"Run!" he shouted, gripping Hermione's hand tightly.

They bolted down the corridor, the way they'd come. Neville glanced back over his shoulder. The troll, realizing it had missed, let out another roar and started after them, its heavy footsteps echoing ominously.

"He's gaining on us!" Hermione cried, panic lacing her voice.

"Just keep running!" Neville urged though he knew it was futile. The troll's strides were enormous; it would catch up in no time.

Sure enough, after only a few seconds, the troll was nearly upon them. Neville heard the rush of air as the troll swung its club down vertically.

"Watch out!" he yelled, pushing Hermione forcefully to the side. He dove in the opposite direction, pulling out his wand as he rolled.

The troll's club smashed into the floor where they'd just been standing, cracking the stone tiles and sending up a cloud of dust.

Neville scrambled to his feet, pointing his wand at the troll. "Flipendo!" he shouted.

A jet of red light shot from his wand and hit the troll square in the face. For a moment, he thought it might work, but the spell merely fizzled out against the troll's thick hide.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he groaned. "Of course it's spell-resistant."

Hermione had managed to get back on her feet. "Neville, what are we going to do?" she asked, her voice shaking.

The troll shook its massive head as if annoyed by a pesky fly. Then it fixed its gaze on Neville and snarled, lifting its club once more.

"Move!" Hermione screamed.

Neville saw the club coming down towards him and leaped to his left, rolling across the floor to end up beside Hermione.

"Any brilliant ideas?" he panted.

"Trolls are resistant to most spells!" Hermione said frantically as they backed away. "We need to think of something else!"

Neville racked his brain. "In the original timeline, Ron knocked it out by dropping its own club on its head," he thought. "Worth a shot."

As the troll raised its club again, Neville pointed his wand at it. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted.

The club wrenched itself from the troll's grasp and floated upwards. The troll looked confusedly at its empty hand, then up at the club hovering above.

"Now!" Neville thought, and with a flick of his wand, he directed the club to drop straight down onto the troll's head.

The club crashed onto the troll's skull with a resonating thud. The creature groaned, staggering slightly and rubbing its head, but remained standing.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Neville exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. "How did Ron manage to knock it out, and I can't? That's just… dumb!" he muttered to himself, feeling both baffled and mildly exasperated.

Just then, a voice called out from behind the troll. "Well, we've found the troll!"

Neville looked past the creature to see Harry and Ron skidding to a halt at the end of the corridor.

"Blimey, that thing is ugly," Ron remarked, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"Perfect timing," Neville muttered sarcastically.

"Help! Get someone!" Hermione shouted towards them.

The troll shook its head vigorously, then bent down to retrieve its club. Angered, it turned back to Neville and Hermione, eyes blazing.

"Watch out!" Neville yelled as the troll swung the club horizontally, its movements more erratic now.

He grabbed Hermione and pulled her down to the floor just as the club smashed into the wall above them, dislodging tapestries and cracking the stone.

"We can't keep this up," Neville panted, helping Hermione back to her feet.

The troll shook its head again, trying to clear the dizziness. Ron and Harry began picking up bits of broken stone and wood, hurling them at the troll.

"Oi! Over here, you great git!" Ron shouted.

"Yeah, that's right! Come and get us!" Harry added, throwing a piece of debris.

The troll turned its head slightly but seemed more focused on Neville and Hermione.

"Brilliant plan, lads," Neville thought sarcastically.

The troll roared, lifting its club high above its head, preparing to bring it down on them.

"Not again," Neville groaned.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry sprinting towards the troll.

"What does he think he's doing?" Neville thought, alarmed.

"Harry, no!" Hermione screamed.

Realising Harry was about to get himself killed by doing something utterly daft, Neville acted without a second thought. He pointed his wand straight at Harry. "Flipendo!"

The spell hit Harry squarely in the chest, knocking him backward and away from the troll's reach.

"Stay back, you idiot!" Neville shouted. his voice frustrated

Turning back to face the troll, Neville saw the creature's massive club already swinging down towards him, and he had barely a moment to react. No time to dodge. Without a second thought, he raised his wand.

"Arresto Momentum!"

The club slowed dramatically mid-swing, halting inches above their heads, its weight suspended as if frozen in thick air. Neville felt his heart pounding as he stared up at the massive, hovering weapon.

But he didn’t waste a second. Thinking fast, he grabbed Hermione's arm. "Move, now!" he urged, pulling her aside.

They scrambled out of the way just as the spell wore off, and the club crashed into the floor, sending shards of stone flying.

"Blimey," he muttered. Neville was breathing heavily, feeling the strain of casting overpowered spells. "I can't keep this up," he thought.

"Spells only seem to slow it down," Hermione said, her face pale. "We need another plan!"

Neville's mind raced. "Wait, if I can trip it..."

He pointed his wand at the troll's leg. "Flipendo!"

This time, he poured as much strength as he could into the spell. The force hit the troll's knee, causing it to buckle. The troll wobbled unsteadily before crashing face-first onto the floor.

The troll began to push itself up, shaking its head.

"Won't stay down for long," he muttered.

Scanning the corridor, Neville's eyes fell on a sword lying amidst the wreckage of a suit of armor behind the troll.

"That might do it," he thought.

He aimed his wand at the sword. "Accio sword!" hoping this time the spell would work

The blade trembled for a moment before flying through the air towards him. Neville caught it by the hilt just as the troll was getting back to its feet.

The troll turned to face him, the club at the ready.

"Alright, big fella," Neville muttered. "Let's see how you like this."

With a deafening roar, the troll swung its club downwards. Neville darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. The club smashed into the floor beside him.

Using the momentum, Neville swung the sword at the troll's arm. The blade struck, but barely scratched the tough hide.

"Oh, that’s just brilliant," he muttered under his breath, exasperated. "Might as well be trying to chop down a tree with a butter knife."

The troll, enraged, lashed out with its free hand. The massive fist connected with Neville's chest, sending him flying backward. He slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, the sword clattering to the ground beside him.

"NEVILLE!" Hermione screamed, rushing to his side.

He groaned, pain radiating through his back as he tried to push himself upright. "I'm... I'm alright," he gasped, struggling to catch his breath. "Actually, no, that's a lie. I feel like I've been hit by the troll," he managed, attempting a weak smile to lighten the moment.

rubbing the spot on its arm where Neville had struck it. The troll began advancing towards them,

Come on, you've got to get up!" Hermione urged, her voice filled with desperation as she tried to pull him to his feet.

Neville shook his head weakly, wincing as he attempted to shift his weight. "Don’t think I can," he murmured, pain lacing his words. "You… you need to go. Get yourself out of here."

Hermione’s grip on his arm tightened she shook her head. "Not a chance," she replied fiercely. "I'm not leaving you."

Desperate, Hermione stepped in front of Neville, raising her wand. "Stay back!" she shouted, though her voice quavered.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Neville rasped. He needed to think of something, anything, to help them.

Harry and Ron were frantically searching for anything that might help.

"There's got to be something!" Ron exclaimed, rummaging through the debris.

Neville's eyes fell on the sword lying next to him. An idea sparked. Summoning his remaining strength, he tapped his wand against the sword. "Levioso," he whispered.

The sword lifted off the ground, hovering unsteadily.

"Come on," he urged, guiding it with his wand.

The troll was nearly upon them, raising its club once more.

"Now, for the tricky part," Neville thought.

“Hermione, get down!” he shouted. She dropped to the floor without hesitation, trusting him completely.

He directed the sword towards the troll's open mouth. "Depulso!"

The sword shot forward, plunging into the troll's gaping maw and embedding itself deep into its skull.

The troll's eyes widened in surprise. It let out a final, gurgling groan before collapsing backward, the ground shaking with the impact.

Silence fell over the corridor.

Neville slumped back, exhaustion washing over him. Hermione turned, her eyes wide.

"You... you did it," she whispered.

He gave a weak smile. "All in a day’s work," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. He closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief, only for it to turn into a grimace as a fresh wave of pain rippled through him.

Ron approached the troll cautiously, giving it a poke with his foot. "Is it... is it dead?"

"I'd say so," Harry replied, staring at the lifeless creature.

"Is he alright?" Harry asked, rushing over with Ron.

Hermione knelt beside Neville, checking his pulse. "He's hurt, We need to get him to the Hospital Wing."

"Quickly," Hermione urged, glancing over her shoulder. "Help me lift him."

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 131

Kaito Akaden Chapter 131

authors note: Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of updates. I was feeling under the weather and couldn't get any writing done. Thanks for your patience!

Kaito replied without hesitation. "Fugaku Uchiha is the best candidate. Without the Third or the three idiots, it would be easier getting him elected as Hokage with Sensei's support."

Tsunade looked deep in thought, her gaze fixed on the cracked cup in her hand. She bit her lip, weighing the options.

Silence filled the room, tension thick in the air. Finally, Kaito stood up. "Well, we should get going," he announced. "Mom would be worried sick; I didn’t tell her where I was going."

Itachi also stood up, sensing the conversation had reached a stalemate.

Kaito hesitated for a moment. "Is it okay if Shisui..." he began, but was cut off when Tsunade spoke up.

"I will do it," she declared.

Both Kaito paused and looked at Tsunade in surprise.

Shizune, now standing beside Tsunade, looked at her with wide eyes. "Lady Tsunade?" she whispered.

Kaito blinked, confusion evident on his face. "Huh? What?" he asked.

Tsunade looked up at Kaito, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'll accept the position of Fifth Hokage," she stated firmly.

…

The morning sun bathed Konoha in a warm, golden glow, casting long, stretching shadows across Training Ground Three. The scene's tranquility was suddenly broken by a young voice shouting, "Wind Release: Breakthrough!" and a powerful gust slammed into a nearby tree. The leaves shuddered violently. The sudden force startled a group of birds resting in the branches, sending them fluttering into the sky with startled cries that echoed above the training ground.

Naruto stood at the center of the clearing, his clothes fluttering from the residual wind. Panting heavily, sweat trickled down his forehead, a grin spreading across his face. "Yahoo! I finally did it!" he exclaimed, leaping into the air with excitement. Landing with a thud, he turned eagerly toward Kaito's clone. "Did you see that? I finally got it down!"

The clone smiled warmly at him. "Well done, Naruto. You did great," he said calmly. "Now, do it again."

Naruto's excitement faltered, his grin fading into a look of disbelief. "What? Why? You saw it, right? I just did it! I've totally mastered the jutsu!"

Kaito's clone shook his head gently. "Learning something is different from mastering it," he replied. "I want you to be able to use this jutsu without needing any hand signs."

Naruto stared at him incredulously. "Without making any hand signs? That's impossible, you know!"

The clone sighed softly. "Watch me." He took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing a "Wind Release: Breakthrough" without forming a single hand sign. The gust of wind was even larger than Naruto's, causing the tree to shake violently and sending a shower of leaves cascading to the ground.

Naruto's eyes widened, awe replacing his skepticism. "That was so cool!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration.

Kaito nodded. "The more you practice, the easier it will become for you to perform the jutsu," he explained. "As you get more skilled in chakra molding, you'll need fewer hand signs. Some jutsu don't require them at all. It's all about having control over your chakra."

Meanwhile, in another part of the clearing, another Kaito clone was sparring with Karin. She lunged forward, throwing a series of punches and kicks, but the clone dodged and weaved effortlessly, evading each attack with fluid grace.

"Hold still, will you?" Karin huffed, frustration creeping into her voice as she narrowly missed him again.

The clone smirked slightly. "Now that would defeat the purpose of the exercise, Karin. ," he advised, sidestepping another punch.

At the edge of the clearing, the real Kaito leaned against a tree, arms crossed and eyes closed. Despite the lively training around him, his thoughts were elsewhere, replaying the events of the previous night.

…

Tsunade looked up at Kaito, her eyes blazing with determination. 'I'll accept the position of Fifth Hokage,' she stated firmly."

Kaito stared at her, momentarily speechless. This was the last thing he expected to hear. After gathering his thoughts, he finally asked, "Why?"

She raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion crossing her face. "What do you mean, 'why'? You're the one who sought me out and asked me to take up the mantle," she replied, crossing her arms.

"I know," Kaito admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "But you've been adamant about not wanting the position. You've made it clear that being Hokage isn't something you desire. So why the sudden change of heart? If it's just because of the current situation, don't feel pressured. Itachi and I can manage things for now. You've already been through so much. It's not solely your responsibility to fix all of Konoha's issues."

Tsunade's expression softened as she listened to his concerns. She stood up from her seat and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder before playfully ruffling his hair. "You're a thoughtful kid, you know that?" she said with a small smile. "It's true—I didn't want to become Hokage. Losing Dan and Nawaki... it broke something inside me. They both dreamed of that title and after they were gone, I left the village because the memories were painful."

She gazed out the window, her eyes reflecting a mix of sorrow and resolve. "But you've reminded me that I still have family in Konoha. People who care about me, and whom I care about. I don't want to lose anyone else. Besides," she added with a smirk, "someone has to keep an eye on you brats."

Kaito felt a wave of relief wash over him. A genuine smile spread across his face as he bowed slightly. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade. It means a lot to all of us."

"Don't thank me just yet," Tsunade replied, her tone turning serious. "We have a lot of work ahead. So, what's the plan?"

Kaito straightened up, his demeanor shifting to match her seriousness. "First and foremost, we need to convince the Uchiha clan to support us. Gaining their backing is crucial," He glanced over at Itachi, who had been quietly observing the exchange. "We'll need your help with that, Itachi."

Itachi nodded thoughtfully. "I can arrange a private meeting with my father," he offered. "If we can persuade him, it'll go a long way toward convincing the rest of the clan"

"That would be a significant step forward," Kaito agreed. "We'll also need to reach out to the other clan leaders. If it's alright with you, Lady Tsunade, I'd like to bring my sensei tomorrow morning so we can strategize further."

Tsunade considered this for a moment before nodding. "That's fine. Bring him here around ten. The sooner we start coordinating, the better."

"Understood," Kaito replied. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, handing it to her. "Could you keep this somewhere safe? Maybe on a table or desk. I'd prefer not to use the marker I placed on you directly."

She accepted the kunai. "Alright. I'll keep it nearby."

As Kaito and Itachi prepared to leave, Shizune stepped forward, holding a small piece of paper. "Hold on a moment, Kaito-kun," she called out.

He turned back to her. "Yes, Shizune-san?"

She handed him the list. "Could you gather these herbs while you're out? We're running low on supplies needed to make the antidote."

"No problem," Kaito assured her. "We'll see you tomorrow."

…

Kaito opened his eyes when he sensed someone landing beside him. Without turning, he said, "You're late, Sensei."

Shikaku Nara stood beside him, hands tucked casually into his pockets as he surveyed the training field. He let out a quiet sigh, muttering, “troublesome... You only informed me about the meeting this morning."

Kaito nodded. "Let's get going."

Shikaku sighed. "Alright."

With a nod, Kaito placed his hand on Shikaku’s shoulder, focusing his chakra. In an instant, the two of them vanished, leaving nothing but a wisp of disturbed air behind.

Naruto, catching a glimpse of the sudden disappearance from the corner of his eye, frowned in confusion and called out, "Hey! Where’d big bro go?" His eyes scanned the area, a bit thrown off by Kaito’s abrupt departure.

One of the Kaito clones nearby raised a hand, signaling to Naruto. "Eyes here, Naruto! Focus. do it again!"

Naruto groaned, his shoulders slumping as he dragged his gaze back to the clone. "Ugh, how many times do I have to keep doing this? My chakra’s gonna run dry at this rate!"

…

Kaito and Shikaku suddenly appeared in the middle of the room where Tsunade and Shizune were staying.

Tsunade sat leaning against the wall, gazing out at through the window. A steaming cup of tea rested in her hand, and she took a slow sip as if savoring the moment. sensing Kaito and Shikaku, she turned to face them, her eyes sharp and unamused. "You're late," she said pointedly, her tone leaving little room for excuses.

Kaito rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a nervous grin spreading across his face. "Sorry we're late, Lady Tsunade," he apologized. "

Shikaku bowed slightly in greeting. "Lady Tsunade," he acknowledged with a nod. "In all fairness, you didn't really give me a heads-up earlier. I had to take care of some pressing matters before coming."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow but gestured for them to sit opposite her at the low wooden table. "Fine. Let's get on with it," she said, taking another sip of her tea.

The sound of footsteps approached, and Shizune emerged from one of the adjoining rooms, a gentle smile on her face. "Good to see you again, Shikaku-san," she said. Turning her attention to Kaito, she added, "Kaito-kun, did you bring the herbs I asked for?"

Kaito nodded, reaching into his pouch to pull out a sealed scroll. "I have them right here," he said, handing it over to her. "Everything you requested should be inside."

"Excellent," Shizune replied, accepting the scroll gratefully. Just as she was about to turn away, Kaito reached back into his pack.

"There's... one more thing," He retrieved a small container a glass vessel filled with a clear liquid, inside which floated an eyeball. Kaito handed it to her carefully. "It's Shisui's eye," he explained. "Itachi gave it to me to give to you. We thought you might need it."

Shizune accepted it carefully. "Good. I'll start working on the antidote immediately." She gave them a small smile before heading off to her workspace.

Shikaku's gaze followed her, his eyes narrowing when he realized what Kaito had handed over. Turning back to Kaito, he gave him a stern look that clearly said, "Explain. Now."

Kaito raised his hands defensively. "Hey, don't look at me that way. Itachi and I saved Shisui from Danzo. Danzo was trying to take Shisui's eye and poisoned him. We had to bring him here to Tsunade-sama and Shizune for treatment."

Shikaku's eyes widened slightly, a rare display of shock crossing his usually composed features. "Danzo attacked Shisui?" he repeated as if trying to process the information.

"Yes," Kaito confirmed, nodding gravely. "Shisui was trying to stop the Uchiha clan's coup d'état. He had informed the Hokage and the elders about his plan to prevent it peacefully. But Danzo saw him as a threat and decided to eliminate him."

Tsunade slammed her cup down on the table. "That damn Danzo," she muttered angrily. "Always meddling where he shouldn't. He's jeopardizing the entire village."

Shikaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his expression growing more serious by the moment. "So the Uchiha clan has decided on a coup, then?" he asked, though it seemed he already suspected as much.

Shikaku closed his eyes and said. "Then we don't have much time to waste." He looked directly at Tsunade.

Tsunade nodded, mirroring his intensity. "Exactly. That's why you're both here—to hammer out a concrete plan. I presume you've been thinking about our next steps?"

Shikaku nodded thoughtfully. "We'll need to start with the Uchiha clan. If they’re the ones pushing hardest, they’ll also need to be the first to understand our intentions."

Kaito chimed in, eager to add what he’d recently learned. "Speaking of which, Itachi mentioned to me this morning that he’s spoken with his father. They’ve arranged a meeting for tomorrow."

A hint of relief softened Shikaku’s expression as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Good. That should simplify things, at least on that front. Convincing Fugaku is one thing, but getting the rest of the clan on board…" He trailed off.

Tsunade leaned forward, her brows knit in focus. "And what about the rest of the village? Having the Uchiha’s support alone isn’t going to cut it—not when the stakes are this high."

Shikaku nodded in agreement. "I've been subtly probing around with the heads of the other clans. Most are… let’s say, discontented with the village’s current state of management. Especially with the rumors swirling around lately." He cast a sidelong glance at Kaito.

Kaito raised his hands in mock innocence, flashing a playful grin. "What? I haven’t said anything."

Shikaku rolled his eyes but continued. "Anyway, I’m confident that if you’re our candidate, Lady Tsunade, the other clans would rally around you. You have their respect. That said, we won’t be reaching out to certain families—specifically, Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans, and their allies.".

Tsunade pursed her lips, deep in thought. "So that leaves us with the Daimyo and the village's jonin to sway."

"Exactly," Shikaku agreed, his tone serious. "The jonin are already leaning in favor of you stepping up as the Fifth Hokage. Most of them have seen enough conflict and mismanagement under the current leadership and would welcome the change." He hesitated. "But the Daimyo… well, that’s a different matter. We should wait to approach him until we have the majority of the village's clans on board. His approval is vital, but he’ll only be swayed by solid backing from within."

Tsunade nodded in understanding, a small smile tugging at her lips as a memory surfaced. "We’ll need to go and meet with the Daimyo personally, then. He and I have always had a decent rapport. I want both of you with me for that meeting."

Kaito nodded thoughtfully as he remembered something important. "We may need to move forward with our plan as soon as we have the Daimyo's approval. I just remembered that one of the Third Hokage’s sons is part of the Twelve Guardian Ninja."

"You're talking about Asuma, right?" Shikaku asked.

Kaito nodded. "Exactly. If he catches wind of our plans, there’s a chance he might feel compelled to inform the Hokage."

Shikaku sighed, considering the implications. "That’s a valid concern. Asuma is loyal to the village first and foremost. We’ll have to be cautious and move discreetly."

Tsunade agreed, her expression firm. "Then we need to act quickly. Once we’ve secured support from the clans, we’ll take our proposal to the Daimyo without delay."

Shikaku leaned back thoughtfully, hands folded as he outlined the next steps. "I can work on convincing the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans," he said. "The Nara clan is close with both of them, so we have an advantage there. But we’ll likely need to speak directly with the Aburame, Inuzuka, and Hyuga clans."

Kaito nodded, already considering who could be their allies. "I’m confident the Hyuga clan will be on our side, especially with Hotaru helping us," he said. "She’s already said that she would help us talk to her father on this matter."

Shikaku nodded in agreement. "Hiashi Hyuga isnt particularly fond of the current administration," he noted. "Especially after the… incident with Hotaru a few years ago."

Tsunade frowned, her curiosity piqued. "What incident?" she asked, looking between the two. "And isn’t Hotaru the Hyuga girl that came with you?"

Shikaku glanced at Kaito before answering. "Yes, that’s her," he confirmed. "A few years ago, when they were 8. there was an incident involving the Hyuga clan and the Hidden Cloud Village. The kumo envoy sent to sign a peace treaty attempted to kidnap Hotaru the hyuga clan heiress. Kaito here was the one who saved her and captured the Kumo ambassador red-handed and during the incident, Kaito also discovered that Root was behind the kidnaping.."

Tsunade’s eyes widened. "They attempted to kidnap the Hyuga clan's heiress? That’s… bold," she remarked.

Shikaku nodded grimly. "It almost escalated to war. The Hidden Cloud demanded Hiashi’s life, accusing the Hyuga clan of making false allegations. But Kaito’s quick actions saved us from a diplomatic disaster. With the Kumo ambassador captured alive, we had undeniable proof of their intentions."

Kaito added bitterly, "Unfortunately, the Hokage brushed off Danzo’s involvement entirely. He denied any role from Root and didn’t take action. That didn’t go over well with the Hyuga clan, especially with Hiashi sama."

Shikaku nodded. "Given that history, I think we can expect support from the Hyuga clan head," he said.

Tsunade gave a slight nod. "Then we have the Hyuga heir’s support for the plan."

Shikaku glanced at Kaito, smirking slightly. "More accurately, he has their support," he corrected, gesturing toward Kaito.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, eyeing Kaito with mild amusement. "Is that so?" she asked, a playful glint in her eyes.

Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, a bit flustered. "Hotaru and I have been friends for a long time," he said.

Tsunade smirked knowingly. "Friends, huh?" she teased before turning back to business. "What about the Aburame and Inuzuka clan?"

Kaito brightened. "Mom is close friends with their clan head" he explained. "I'm sure she cloud help us get a meeting with her"

"that would leave only the Aburame clan "Shikaku nodded. " Once we have the support of the major clans, the smaller, allied clans should follow."

Goten Chapter 7

Goten Chapter 7

Goten looked between his mother and the door. "Mom, I'll go after him. Someone has to keep him safe."

"No, Goten! You're too young!" Chi-Chi pleaded.

"I'm strong enough, and Gohan needs me," Goten insisted.

Chi-Chi's eyes filled with tears. "I can't lose both of you!"

Goten hugged her tightly. "We'll come back, I promise."

Breaking away, he ran after Gohan. "Gohan, wait up!"

Chi-Chi stood in the doorway, watching her sons disappear into the night sky. "Please, be safe," she whispered.

Goten flew as fast as he could, but Gohan was already a golden streak in the distance, having transformed into a Super Saiyan to increase his speed. The gap between them widened.

He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on sensing Gohan's ki. heading toward Parsley City. Opening his eyes, Goten increased his speed and thought, "You better not get yourself killed, Gohan."

…

The afternoon sun cast a warm, golden hue over Parsley City, painting long shadows across the empty streets. Shops stood with their doors open and lights on, but they were devoid of customers and staff alike. The usual hustle and bustle had vanished as shoppers abandoned the area in fear, leaving behind a silent, almost ghostly marketplace. Yet, amid the eerie stillness, one boutique remained occupied.

Inside, a petite blonde woman wandered leisurely between the racks of elegant clothing. Her eyes caught a striking red dress, and she paused to admire it. Gently taking it off the hanger, she walked over to a full-length mirror. Holding the dress against her body, she tilted her head, imagining how it would look when worn.

From behind a nearby rack of clothes, a portly, middle-aged man peeked out nervously. His hands trembled as he clutched a piece of fabric, and his voice wavered when he finally spoke. "You... you like it, yes?"

Without turning, the woman continued to examine herself in the mirror. "Yes," she replied softly.

The man, the store manager, swallowed hard. "Well, it's yours—free of charge," he offered hastily.

She gave a slight nod and moved on, selecting several more dresses—a deep blue one, a sleek gray number, and others in various colors and styles. Each time she held up a dress, the manager mustered the courage to speak.

"That one is absolutely stunning on you, madam. Yes, yes, yes!" he exclaimed. "Oh, but if it's not quite to your liking, perhaps this one? Of course, whatever you prefer. Please, take them all! They suit your figure perfectly."

His compliments flowed incessantly, a mixture of genuine admiration and a desperate attempt to keep her appeased. He watched her every move, trying his hardest not to betray the fear that knotted his stomach.

Android 18 carefully placed all the neatly folded dresses into a tidy pile, cradling them in her arms. "You just saved your life," she said to the store owner, her tone even but unmistakably serious. "Thank you. I may be an android, but I'm still a woman." She offered a slight nod as she walked past him toward the door.

Stepping out of the high-end boutique, a satisfied smile played on her lips. Behind her, the store owner peeked cautiously from behind a wall, his face glistening with sweat as he dabbed nervously at his forehead. "Is there anything else I can assist you with, ma'am?" he called out, his voice quivering ever so slightly.

Android 18 glanced back, her icy blue eyes meeting his anxious gaze. "No, I think that'll be all," she replied coolly. Turning away, she walked toward a sleek convertible parked at the curb, its engine quietly humming in anticipation.

As she approached the car, her twin brother, Android 17, leaned casually against the side. His arms were crossed over his chest, and a playful smirk danced on his lips. "Find anything you liked?" he asked.

"Well, I found some really cute stuff," she said, gently placing the dresses in the back seat. "And that man said I had a fabulous figure."

"Did he now?" Android 17 raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Pushing himself off the car, he glanced back at the boutique. "Interesting."

Before she could react, he extended his finger toward the store, a small orb of KI forming at his fingertip. "17, what are you—" 18 began, alarm flashing across her face.

But it was too late. The KI blast shot past her, striking the boutique. The building erupted in a fiery explosion, glass and debris raining down onto the street. Flames licked the sky as a plume of smoke billowed upward.

"No! I spared him!" she exclaimed, turning to face the smoldering ruins. "You know, 17, that makes me look like I was lying. That's not fair."

He shrugged nonchalantly, his grin widening. "Sorry, that was rude," he said, though his tone lacked any genuine apology.

"Was that really necessary?" 18 scolded, irritation clear in her voice. "I hadn't even finished shopping there."

He stretched his arms above his head, unfazed. "Relax, sis. There are plenty of other cities with plenty of other shops. Besides, I was getting bored."

She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Now we'll have to find another store."

He opened the driver's side door and slid into the seat. "Well then, let's get moving," he said, revving the engine slightly. "Maybe the next place will be more entertaining."

She cast one last glance at the destroyed boutique before climbing into the passenger seat. "You really need to work on your patience," she muttered, fastening her seatbelt.

Just as Android 17 and 18 were about to drive off, a faint whistling sound pierced the air. Their senses sharpened instantly, but before they could react, a rocket-propelled grenade streaked toward their car. The explosive slammed into the vehicle, engulfing it in a fiery eruption. The blast sent a shockwave ripping through the surroundings, shattering windows and setting off car alarms in a cacophony of chaos.

From the shadowed entrance of a nearby alleyway, a squad of soldiers observed the scene through binoculars. Dressed in tactical gear with helmets concealing their features, they watched as black smoke billowed skyward from the wreckage.

"Direct hit!" one of them exclaimed, lowering his binoculars with a triumphant grin. "Did we get them?"

Another soldier clapped him on the back, his eyes gleaming with adrenaline-fueled excitement. "Had to have. Nothing could survive that."

As the smoke began to clear, they exchanged confident smiles, some even beginning to cheer. "We did it!" they shouted, elation evident in their voices. The car was completely destroyed a mangled heap of metal and flames.

But their celebration was premature. Behind them, Android 17 and 18 hovered effortlessly a few feet off the pavement. Android 17 had his arms casually crossed over his chest, a subtle smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. 18 looked decidedly less amused, her expression a mix of annoyance and cold detachment.

"Well, well," 17 began, his voice dripping with mock surprise. "Looks like we've got some party crashers."

The soldiers spun around at the sound of his voice, eyes widening in disbelief. One of them raised a trembling finger, stammering, "H-how... how is this possible?"

18 glanced down at the singed edges of her jacket, a scowl deepening on her face. "This was new," she muttered, brushing off bits of ash and debris. "You're going to pay for that."

A wave of panic washed over the soldiers. The captain, attempting to mask his fear with authority, barked out orders. "Open fire!" he shouted, raising his assault rifle.

The squad unleashed a hailstorm of bullets, the air filled with the deafening roar of gunfire. The rounds zipped toward the androids but bounced off harmlessly, clattering to the ground like rain. Not a single shot found purchase. 17 yawned exaggeratedly, inspecting his fingernails with feigned boredom.

"This is getting annoying," he said flatly, his eyes flicking back to the soldiers.

18's icy gaze locked onto the squad. "I've had enough of this," she declared, her tone cold.

Without further warning Android 17 extended his arm and began charging a ki blast aimed directly at the soldiers. "Let's wrap this up," he said,

"Wait!" one of the soldiers shouted desperately, his voice cracking with fear. But his plea was in vain. The ki blast shot towards them, illuminating the area with a blinding light as it exploded. The force of the explosion was immense, shaking the very foundations of nearby buildings. The alleyway was obliterated in an instant, debris, and dust propelled outward by the sheer power of the blast.

Thick smoke and dust filled the air, creating a heavy gray haze over the devastated street. When it finally began to settle, there was nothing left of the soldiers—only a smoldering crater where they had stood moments before.

Android 17 casually dusted off his hands, turning back to his sister with a satisfied smirk. "All done. Ready to go?"

Android 18 huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now I have to find another outfit," she grumbled, glancing down at her singed clothes. "This day just keeps getting better."

As they descended back to street level, a faint sound caught 18's attention—a series of ragged coughs followed by unsteady footsteps. She tilted her head slightly, her sharp senses honing in on the source. Emerging from a side alley was a young woman, staggering into view.

The woman's clothes were torn and bloodied, her dark hair matted with sweat and grime. A trickle of blood ran down the side of her face, but despite her injuries, her eyes burned with fierce defiance. She clutched a pistol in her trembling hands, raising it as she drew closer.

"Another one?" 17 remarked, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise.

The woman leveled the pistol directly at 18, her hands shaking yet her gaze unwavering. Without hesitation, she squeezed the trigger. The bullet zipped through the air, striking 18 on the cheek and leaving only a tiny mark before ricocheting away.

Android 18 touched her face, her fingers brushing over the slight blemish. Her expression darkened, eyes narrowing into a cold glare. "You people just don't learn, do you?" she said icily.

Undeterred, the woman fired again and again, emptying the entire clip. Each bullet found its mark but clattered uselessly to the ground after hitting the androids, leaving them entirely unharmed.

"Persistent, isn't she?" 17 commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

In the blink of an eye, 18 vanished from where she stood, reappearing directly in front of the woman. The sudden movement caused the woman to gasp, stumbling back a step. 18 snatched the gun from her grasp with lightning speed, effortlessly crushing it into a twisted hunk of metal with one hand.

The woman's eyes widened in shock, fear flickering across her face for the first time. She took a shaky step backward, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Why do you even bother?" 18 asked coldly, her voice barely above a whisper yet cutting through the air like a blade. "You saw what happened to the others."

The woman clenched her fists, her knuckles white. "You... you monsters need to be stopped," she spat out, her voice wavering but filled with conviction.

17 approached them leisurely, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Monsters?" he echoed, feigning offense. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

She glared at him, her eyes darting between the two androids. "You destroy everything in your path. Innocent people are dying because of you."

18's gaze remained impassive. "We do what we want," she stated matter-of-factly. "Your lives are of no concern to us."

He glanced at 18. "What do you want to do with her?"

Android 18 gripped the girl's arm, twisting it mercilessly, and drew a sharp, pained scream from her captive. The cry echoed through the desolate street.

Leaning in closer, 18 examined the girl's face. Up close, the teenager's features were striking despite the grime and blood smudged across her skin. She couldn't have been more than sixteen or seventeen. Dark hair clung to her forehead in damp strands, and her eyes—though wide with fear—burned with a fierce mix of anger and defiance.

"What's your name?" 18 asked, her voice cold but oddly curious.

The girl met her gaze unflinchingly, her jaw set tight. "Videl," she spat out, each syllable laced with contempt.

"Well, Videl," 18 replied, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, "you should have stayed hidden." Without warning, she wrapped her fingers around Videl's throat, lifting her off the ground.

Panic surged through Videl as she felt the air constrict in her lungs. Desperate, she summoned every ounce of strength she had left. With her free hand, she swung at 18's face, aiming for any vulnerable spot she could reach. But 18 caught her fist mid-swing, her grip like a vice.

"Feisty," 18 remarked, almost amused. She began to squeeze, and a sickening crack resonated as bones fractured under the pressure. Videl's scream tore through the air, raw and filled with agony.

Suspended above the ground, Videl's vision blurred. Spots danced before her eyes as she struggled against the inevitable. 18 watched her impassively, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "You humans never learn," she taunted, tilting her head as if considering her next move.

Mustering the last of her defiance, Videl glared down at 18. With a swift motion, she spat directly into the android's face. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

18's eyes widened in surprise. Slowly, she wiped the spittle from her cheek, her expression darkening. "You'll regret that," she whispered, her tone dripping with menace.

An orb of KI began to form in 18's free hand, casting an eerie light on both their faces. The hum of power grew louder. "Any last words?" she asked mockingly.

Videl closed her eyes, a single tear escaping down her cheek. Her thoughts raced memories, regrets, and a faint hope that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be the end.

Suddenly, before 18 or 17 could react, 18 was punched in the face the fist connecting squarely with her jaw. sending her hurtling into the side of a nearby building.

Videl felt herself falling but was caught gently before hitting the ground. She opened her eyes to see a young man with spiky golden hair, an aura of golden light surrounding him, and a serious expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, not looking at Videl but at Android 17.

She nodded numbly, staring at him wide-eyed. "Who... who are you?"

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 14

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 14

Author note: Sorry for the short chapter!

Neville tilted his head, puzzled. "Heard what?"

Leaning in closer, Lavender whispered, "Hermione's been in the first-floor lavatory all day, crying her eyes out."

"What? Why?" Neville asked, alarmed.

Parvati sighed. "Apparently, Ron Weasley said something awful to her after Charms. She's been upset ever since."

Neville felt a surge of anger and worry. "She's been crying all day?" He shot a glare down the table at Ron, who looked uncharacteristically guilty, while Harry was giving him a pointed stare.

Lavender nodded. "We tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't come out."

Neville's mind raced. Suddenly, pieces began to fall into place. First-floor lavatory... Halloween... the troll! His eyes widened as he remembered the events from the first book.

"Shit," Neville muttered under his breath.

…

Neville felt his heart race as the realisation hit him. The pieces were all coming together—the troll, Halloween night, and Hermione alone in the girls' lavatory. "I've got to find her," he muttered under his breath, urgency propelling him into action.

Without a second thought, he pushed himself up from the Gryffindor table, his plate of food barely touched.

"Where're you off to?" Seamus called after him, noticing Neville's abrupt departure.

"Forgot something important," Neville replied hastily as he walked past, heading to the doors of the Great Hall. The buzz of conversation and clinking of cutlery faded behind him as he slipped out into the entrance hall.

The corridors were dimly lit by torches flickering along the stone walls. Most students were still at dinner, leaving the hallways empty and quiet. Neville quickened his pace, jogging as he headed up the stairs to the upper floor.

First-floor girls' lavatory, where was it? He paused, thinking to himself, recalling that it was in the west wing. He took off at a sprint, took a sharp turn, and almost collided with a suit of armour as his shoes skidded.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" shouted a portrait.

"Sorry," he mumbled to the portrait.

Reaching the entrance to the girls' lavatory, Neville slowed down and hesitated for a few moments. He looked around to see if anyone was about; he didn't want anyone finding him entering the girls' lavatory and spreading it around the school. Seeing that no one was around and everyone was at dinner, the chances of being caught were slim.

"I need to hurry," he thought, taking a deep breath and pushing the door open cautiously.

Inside, the lavatory was quiet, the soft drip of a leaky tap the only sound. From one of the closed stalls came a muffled sniffle. He walked over.

"Hermione?" Neville called out tentatively, his voice echoing slightly as he stood in front of the door he could hear the sniffles coming from.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione's voice sounded surprised, but strained—Neville presumed it was from crying.

"What else? I came looking for you," he said gently. "I was worried when you didn't show up for the two classes after lunch. I've been searching for you. I only just heard from Lavender and Parvati that you were here, so I came to get you."

There was a pause before she responded. "I don't want to leave," she said stubbornly. "Just go away."

Neville sighed, glancing anxiously over his shoulder. He needed to get her out of here before the troll arrived. "Hermione, please. You shouldn't be here alone—you've been here all day."

"Just leave me alone. I want to be by myself," she insisted, sniffling.

He ran a hand through his hair, searching for the right words. "Look, I heard what happened with Ron. He's a git, Hermione. You shouldn't listen to him. He's just jealous of how brilliant you are."

Silence met his words, broken only by a soft sniffle. "He's right," she whispered finally. "I am a know-it-all. I don't have any friends."

"That's not true," Neville said firmly. "Yes, you tend to know things and share them, but that's not a bad thing. You're just trying to make friends the only way you know how. That doesn't make you a bad person."

A pause followed. Neville could almost hear her thoughts, the weight of her insecurities pressing down on her.

"You wouldn't understand," she said quietly from behind the stall door.

He felt a pang of empathy. "Actually, I do understand," he replied gently. "I know what it's like to feel out of place, to think you don't belong. But you do have friends. I'm here, aren't I?"

There was a rustling sound, and the latch of the stall clicked. The door opened slowly, revealing Hermione's tear-streaked face. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks flushed. "Do you really mean that?" she asked, her gaze searching his for sincerity.

"Every word," Neville affirmed, feeling a bit awkward as he looked around warily.

She managed a faint smile, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to," she murmured.

Neville offered a small smile in return. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I left you here, would I?"

Hermione sniffed, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I suppose not."

"Do you want to go back to the Great Hall or the common room?" he asked gently. "We can skip dinner if you're not up to it."

She hesitated before replying, "I'd prefer the common room, if that's all right."

"Works for me," Neville said with a shrug. "Come on, then."

"Just let me wash my face first," she said, moving towards the sinks.

"Of course," he agreed, leaning against the wall and trying to appear casual, though his mind was racing. 'We need to hurry,' he thought anxiously. 'The troll could be here any minute.'

As she turned on the tap, the sound of running water filled the silence. Hermione splashed her face, the cool water washing away traces of her tears. She glanced at her reflection, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"You missed two classes today," Neville remarked, attempting to keep the conversation light. "I'll give you the notes from Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Never thought I'd be the one sharing notes," he added with a chuckle.

Hermione gave his arm a gentle smack, shooting him a mildly reproachful look as she dabbed her face with a paper towel. "Very funny," she said, though there was a hint of gratitude in her tone. "So, why did the Headmaster call you to his office?" she asked as they headed towards the door.

Neville hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Oh, that. Snape tried to get me expelled over the assignments," he said as he held the door open for her.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Expelled? You almost got expelled?"

"Well, not exactly," he admitted with a shrug. "He complained about my assignments. I suppose I'll have to let you say 'I told you so' this time."

She smacked his arm again, this time with a bit more force. "I did warn you. So, what happened?"

Neville smirked. "The Headmaster told me to redo my assignments and gave me detention with Snape. But Professor McGonagall, bless her, thought that putting me in detention with Snape would only make things worse. So I've got detention with her instead."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, a mix of exasperation and amusement playing across her features. "You're lucky to get away with just detention and redoing the assignments. I'll have to make sure you do them properly this time. Who knows what you'd hand in otherwise."

He grinned. "Already done. I handed them over to Snape in the Headmaster's office."

Her jaw dropped slightly. "How did you finish them so fast?" Then, realisation dawned on her. She pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You did this on purpose! You expected this to happen—that's why you had your assignments pre-made!"

Neville raised his hands in mock surrender. "Guilty as charged."

She shook her head, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

He was about to retort when the floor beneath them trembled slightly. A foul odour wafted through the corridor, seeping into the hallway and causing them both to wrinkle their noses.

"What's that smell?" Hermione asked, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.

Neville's eyes widened in alarm. 'It's here,' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. "Shit!" he whispered, the urgency in his voice unmistakable.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, noticing his sudden change in demeanour.

He looked at her urgently, his expression grave. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Before she could respond, a low grunting noise echoed from around the corner, followed by heavy, dragging footsteps that reverberated through the stone floor as a towering figure entered the corridor they were in.

"Is that—" Hermione began, her face paling as realization set in.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 130

Kaito Akaden Chapter 130

Tsunade dumped the water into the bucket and took the solution from the other bucket, repeating the process again and again as Shizune kept changing the water with help from Kaito.

She did this a couple of times before ending it.

Tsunade wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “That should keep him stable until we synthesize an antidote,” as she stood up and, looking at Shizune, said, “You know what to do, Shizune.”

Shizune nodded happily, seeing her master back again. “Hai, I will get right on it.”

Tsunade nodded, then walked back to the small coffee table, sat down, poured herself a cup of sake, and chugged it down before looking at Kaito and saying, “Sit down brat. We have a lot to discuss.”

….

Kaito sat down opposite Tsunade, the small coffee table between them. The atmosphere was calm as Tsunade poured sake into her small cup. Placing the sake bottle back on the table, she eyed Kaito as she took a slow sip.

Kaito watched her intently as she sipped as Itachi walked over to where Kaito was seated. Tsunade gave him a nod to sit, and he took a seat next to Kaito.

Meanwhile, Shizune was diligently working on isolating the poison from the water they had used to extract it from his body.

Placing her cup back on the table, Tsunade broke the silence. "First things first: how did you find us? More importantly, how did you appear here without Shizune or me noticing you?" She looked between Kaito and Itachi, awaiting an explanation.

Kaito reached into his pouch and pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, holding it out for Tsunade to see.

Tsunade's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "You... you managed to learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu?" she asked, more of a statement than a question.

Kaito nodded. "I did.".

Tsunade eyes narrowed as she deduced, "you placed your marker on me when you grabbed my wrist in the izakaya that day. That's how you were able to appear here without Shizune or me sensing you—you teleported to the mark you placed on me."

"Actually," Kaito corrected gently, "I placed my marker when you grabbed my shirt when you got mad."

Tsunade grunted, Placing her cup back on the table, she said. "So that's how you all escaped the Raikage that day."

Kaito confirmed with a nod. Itachi looked at him with curiosity. "You ran into the Raikage? Is that why you're in Kumo's latest bingo book?" he asked, tilting his head.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "He placed you in the bingo book because you learnt the Hiraishin?"

Kaito sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, I might have permanently injured him and even threatened to kill him next time," he admitted reluctantly.

Itachi's eyebrow arched in curiosity. Shizune, who had been listening nearby, looked utterly shocked. "You fought the Raikage?" she asked incredulously.

Tsunade's skepticism was evident as she narrowed her eyes. "You actually managed to injure the Raikage?" she questioned.

Kaito nodded slowly. "Hey, in my defense, he was threatening to capture Mom, Hotaru, Naruto, and Karin," he explained, his eyes flashing with anger at the memory. "He wanted to create his own versions of the Hyuga and Uzumaki clans for the Cloud Village. That's why I kind of shoved a Wind Release Rasengan into his right arm and warned him I'd kill him if we met again."

Itachi nodded in understanding. "So that's why he listed you as an S-rank threat," he mused.

Tsunade snorted dismissively. "Sure, kid, you managed to injure the Raikage with a Wind Release Rasengan..." She trailed off as her gaze fell upon Kaito's right hand. A swirling ball of chakra had formed in his palm, emitting a high-pitched screeching sound as he infused it with wind nature. The air around them seemed to ripple from the sheer energy.

Kaito shrugged nonchalantly. "Believe me or not, that's the truth. You can ask Sensei if you want." He let the Rasengan dissipate, the chakra fading into nothingness.

Tsunade studied him for a long moment before shifting her stance. "What's the situation in the village?" she asked seriously. "I need to know what's happening."

Kaito glanced at Itachi. "I think it's better if Itachi fills you in on the current situation."

Itachi agreed, his expression turning grave. "The Uchiha clan is preparing for a coup d'état. They've already started making moves, and the Third Hokage hasn't made any effort to persuade them otherwise. Even though Shisui has been spying for him for quite some time now, nothing has changed."

Tsunade let out another snort, this time laced with bitterness. "That old man wants to wait until the last minute and then claim he couldn't do anything," she said sharply. "It would give him the perfect excuse to massacre the Uchiha and pin the blame on someone else—just like he did with the Senju clan."

Itachi's eyes widened upon hearing Tsunade's words. Noticing his reaction, Tsunade turned to Kaito. "You haven't told him about what happened to the Senju clan, have you?" she asked, seeing his surprise.

Kaito shook his head. "This is the first time we've met in a long while," he explained. "Itachi has been busy, and I didn't really have an opportunity to tell him yet."

Tsunade took a deep breath. "Well, long story short, the Senju clan didn't agree with the Third Hokage when he started the war. So he and his advisors had them systematically killed by sending them to the front lines. They even kidnapped and experimented on the children to try and awaken the Mokuton of the First Hokage," she said, her voice dripping with barely contained anger. "Your friend here," she gestured toward Kaito, "found proof in one of the Root bases." The cup in her hand cracked under the pressure of her grip.

Turning back to Kaito, Tsunade asked, "So who is going to be the next Hokage? I assume since I rejected the position, you've selected someone else for the role."

Kaito sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping slightly. "You were the best option for the position," he admitted. "There weren't any other candidates other than you."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "So you just gave up on the plan?" she challenged. "Surely there are others who can be Hokage." Itachi, too, looked at Kaito curiously. He hadn't heard anything about a new plan since Tsunade had declined.

Kaito shook his head. "Without someone strong as the Hokage, the other villages won't hesitate to start the next war," he explained. "Making anyone other than you or Fugaku-sama Hokage would only give the image that Konoha is weak with a weak leader. With you declining and Fugaku-sama not an option due to the Uchiha clan's reputation in the village right now..."

He trailed off, and Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "So what are you suggesting?" she asked.

Kaito looked up, determination shining in his eyes. "The only solution is to get rid of the Third Hokage and his advisors," he stated firmly.

Tsunade stared at him incredulously. "You're planning on taking out the old man?" she asked.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, I was planning to teleport the Third and his advisors out of Konoha and deal with them," he said matter-of-factly. He turned to Itachi. "I was planning on asking you to help me with that. Can you deal with Danzo and the two elders while I deal with the Hokage?"

Itachi thought it over, his eyes closed in contemplation. "Are you sure you can handle the Hokage?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Kaito nodded confidently. "Hai. I'm sure I can take on the Third Hokage. Do you think you can handle Danzo and the two others?"

Itachi opened his eyes and nodded slowly. "I can," he affirmed, "but I would need intel on them."

Tsunade looked between the two young men, disbelief written on her face. "Are you two crazy?" she exclaimed. "Do you think that two snot-nosed brats like you can assassinate the Hokage and his advisors? Do you really think the two of you can pull it off? What if you fail? What about your mother? Have you thought about that?"

Kaito met her gaze steadily. "We won't fail," he said firmly. "We can't fail. And what other option do we have?" He gestured emphatically. "If the Uchiha clan launches a coup d'état, the village will devolve into civil war, which could lead the other villages to take advantage and start the next shinobi war. And if the Uchiha clan revolted, it would only make the village refuse to accept one of them as Hokage. If the Third and his old cronies decide to take action, they will kill off one of the founding clans and weaken Konoha considerably, possibly starting a war as well. The other option is to help the Uchiha clan with the coup, but that would just increase tension and allow the loyalists of the Third to plan a coup as well. Making the Third Hokage and his advisors disappear is the best solution with the least casualties."

The room fell silent as his words hung heavily in the air. Tsunade studied Kaito's face, searching for any sign of doubt but found none. Itachi's expression was equally resolute.

Finally, Tsunade sighed. "You two are serious about this," she murmured

Shizune looked at both of them as if they were insane. "You can't be serious," she interjected.

Kaito shrugged, a hint of impatience in his posture. "We can't just wait for the adults to do something when we know they won't do anything," he said pointedly, looking directly at Tsunade.

Tsunade sat back, considering his words. "Then if you manage to pull this off, who is going to be the fifth Hokage?" she asked.

Kaito replied without hesitation. "Fugaku Uchiha is the best candidate. Without the Third or the three idiots, it would be easier getting him elected as Hokage with Sensei's support."

Tsunade looked deep in thought, her gaze fixed on the cracked cup in her hand. She bit her lip, weighing the options.

Silence filled the room, tension thick in the air. Finally, Kaito stood up. "Well, we should get going," he announced. "Mom would be worried sick; I didn’t tell her where I was going."

Itachi also stood up, sensing the conversation had reached a stalemate.

Kaito hesitated for a moment. "Is it okay if Shisui..." he began, but was cut off when Tsunade spoke up.

"I will do it," she declared.

Both Kaito paused and looked at Tsunade in surprise.

Shizune, now standing beside Tsunade, looked at her with wide eyes. "Lady Tsunade?" she whispered.

Kaito blinked, confusion evident on his face. "Huh? What?" he asked.

Tsunade looked up at Kaito, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'll accept the position of Fifth Hokage," she stated firmly.

Goten Chapter 6

Goten Chapter 6

Sorry for not uploading Goten for a while. It seemed like there wasn't much interest in the fanfic, but a few of you have asked, so I’ll be continuing it!

Before he could fully indulge in his fantasy, Chi-Chi’s fist came down hard on his face, sending him crashing to the ground. “What do you think you’re trying to do, you old pervert? Are you trying to corrupt my two babies?” she shouted, her voice full of righteous fury as she loomed over the crumpled Roshi.

As Chi-Chi continued to berate Roshi, Turtle, and Oolong exchanged a knowing glance and said to Gohan and Goten, “Man, this really brings back memories.”

Gohan chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he tried to diffuse the situation. “Uh, Mom, please don’t beat Master Roshi too much…”

A while later, a thoroughly bruised Master Roshi was dragged back by Chi-Chi, who had a firm grip on his ear, her expression still showing signs of lingering anger. “Ahem... as I was saying,” Roshi mumbled, trying to regain some dignity, “I will train you two.”

….

The sun hung high in the sky, casting its reflection over the endless expanse of the ocean. Waves gently lapped below as Goten and Gohan hovered above the water, panting heavily, their auras glowing around them like heatwaves. Seagulls circled overhead, their cries drowned out by the echoes of their Kamehameha clash.

"Come on, Gohan! Stop holding back!" Goten shouted, a confident grin spreading across his face.

Gohan wiped the blood leaking from the corner of his mouth with his fist and smiled back. "Oh, so now you're asking for it, huh, brat?"

"Bring it on, then!" Goten retorted, settling into the Turtle School's fighting stance.

Without another word, the two Saiyans launched at each other, fists colliding with such force that shockwaves rippled across the water's surface. They moved at blinding speeds, disappearing and reappearing clashing as they exchanged blows.

On the sandy beach below, Master Roshi stood with his arms folded behind his back, his sunglasses reflecting the intense energy above. Beside him were Oolong and Turtle, both watching the sparring match with keen interest.

"Man, Gohan is getting pummeled by Goten," Oolong remarked, his eyes wide with disbelief. while eating popcorn

Turtle nodded slowly. "Goten is improving at a much faster rate than Gohan. It's quite remarkable."

Gohan threw a punch, but Goten deftly dodged it, spinning around to deliver a kick that sent Gohan hurtling toward the ocean. He crashed into the water, sending up a towering spray. Emerging quickly, he shook off the water and took to the sky again, but it was clear he was breathing harder than before.

"Come on, Gohan! Is that all you've got?" Goten taunted, knowing that Gohan only grew stronger the angrier he became.

Gohan gritted his teeth. "Don't get cocky, Goten!"

They clashed once more. Gohan pushed himself to keep up, but Goten's speed and agility were becoming overwhelming. It had been three months since they began training under Master Roshi, and in that time, Goten's progress had been astonishing.

"Unbelievable," Oolong muttered. "If Goten keeps improving like this, he might actually stand a chance against the androids."

Master Roshi stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Indeed. Goten's improvement is exponential, but he has a long way to go before he's ready to face the androids."

Turtle glanced at Roshi. "Do you think he can take them on if he manages to turn into a Super Saiyan?"

Roshi sighed. "Perhaps."

Back in the sky, Gohan was on the defensive, blocking a barrage of punches and kicks from Goten. Each strike pushed him back a little more, until finally, Goten found an opening. With a punch to the face, he sent Gohan flying across the water. Gohan managed to regain control before hitting the surface, but the effort left him winded.

"That's enough for today, boys!" Master Roshi called out, his voice carrying effortlessly over the distance.

Goten immediately halted, floating gently down toward the beach. Gohan followed suit, landing beside his brother. Both were breathing heavily, but Gohan's exhaustion was more apparent.

"Great job out there, Goten," Gohan said between breaths. "You really gave me a hard time."

Goten frowned slightly, sensing his brother's frustration. "Thanks, Gohan. You were amazing too."

As they approached Master Roshi, Oolong couldn't help but comment, "Goten, you've gotten stronger than Gohan! At this rate, you might be the one to beat those androids."

Turtle nodded in agreement. "Your growth is truly impressive, Goten."

Goten scratched the back of his head, a modest smile on his face. "I still have a long way to go."

Gohan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground.

Master Roshi observed the two brothers carefully. Turning to Gohan, he said, "Gohan, may I have a word with you?"

Gohan looked up, surprised. "Yeah, sure, Master Roshi."

They walked a short distance away, leaving Goten with Oolong and Turtle. Roshi gestured for Gohan to sit on a rock overlooking the sea. The old master settled beside him, the wind rustling his long beard.

"Gohan, have you noticed that something is holding you back," Roshi began gently.

Gohan looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Roshi gazed out at the horizon. "Your training hasn't been progressing as it should. You're not improving as fast as Goten. Granted, two people don't improve at the same speed, but in your case, you're holding yourself back, my boy."

Gohan frowned. "I'm not sure I understand, Master."

The old master turned to face him. "Tell me, what drives you, Gohan? What is it that you seek?"

Gohan hesitated before answering. "I... I want to become stronger. To protect everyone from the androids, like my father would have if he were alive."

"Hmmm," Roshi hummed, nodding slowly. "And therein lies the issue. You're trying to be like Goku, but you're not Goku. You're Gohan. You don't have to change yourself to fill in Goku's shoes."

Gohan's eyes widened. "I don't understand. Isn't that what everyone expects of me? To be like him? To fill his shoes?" He paused, looking over the ocean. "I... I feel like I'm failing to live up to him—to everyone's expectations."

Roshi placed a reassuring hand on Gohan's shoulder. "Looking up to someone isn't wrong, Gohan. We all have heroes we admire. But trying to change yourself to become someone you're not will only hinder you. Strength comes from embracing who you truly are—mind, body, and spirit."

Gohan looked down, his expression conflicted. "I just... I don't want to let everyone down."

"You're not letting anyone down by being yourself," Roshi said firmly. "In fact, that's when you'll truly shine. Your father was a great man, but you're not meant to be his copy. You have your own path to follow."

Gohan was silent for a few moments, contemplating Roshi's words. "I don't know what to do, Master."

Just then, Goten approached, concern evident in his eyes. "Is everything okay?"

Roshi smiled. "Perfect timing, Goten. Perhaps you can help your brother understand. I think you've also noticed what's holding Gohan back."

Goten looked between the two. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this, Gohan. I've noticed you've been pushing yourself really hard lately. You're trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Gohan sighed. "I have to. If I don't, who will?"

"You don't have to do it alone," Goten said, placing a hand softly on Gohan's shoulder. "And you don't have to be Dad. You're amazing just the way you are. You've always been my hero, not because you're like Dad, but because you're you." That was the truth; ever since he was little, he'd been a huge fan of Gohan.

Gohan looked at his younger brother, surprise mingling with emotion. "You really think that?"

Goten nodded earnestly. "Of course. You've taught me so much, and not just about fighting. You're smart, kind, and you care about everyone. That's what makes you special."

Roshi chuckled. "Wise words from someone so young."

Gohan felt a weight lifting off his shoulders. "Maybe... maybe you're right. I've been so focused on trying to be like Dad that I forgot who I am."

Roshi stood up, his expression pleased. "Embrace yourself, Gohan. Your true strength will emerge when you accept who you are, not who you think you should be."

Gohan rose to his feet and bowed deeply to Master Roshi. "Thank you, Master Roshi. I have a lot to think about."

Roshi nodded. "Take your time. Self-discovery is a journey, not a destination."

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, Gohan and Goten prepared to head back home.

"Come on, Gohan, I'm starving," Goten said as his feet left the ground and he floated. "I wonder what Mom cooked."

Gohan smiled genuinely for the first time in days. "Yeah, I'm starving too. Let's go home." Waving to Master Roshi and the others, they left the island and headed back to Mount Paozu.

They took to the sky, flying side by side. The cool evening air rushed past them, and for a while, they flew in comfortable silence. Gohan had a lot to think about.

After a few minutes, Goten broke the silence. "You know, Gohan, I think you should spend some time doing what you want to do, not just train, you know."

Gohan glanced at his brother with a puzzled expression. "Do something that I want to do, huh?"

Goten grinned. "Yeah, things you really enjoy doing. I remember Mom saying that your dream was to be a scholar when you were young."

Gohan chuckled. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time I started studying again."

Goten laughed and said, "Yeah, after the androids are dealt with, you'll need something to do." Hearing that, Gohan chuckled too.

They continued flying, the familiar landscape of Mount Paozu coming into view. As they descended toward their home, the comforting scent of Chi-Chi's cooking wafted up to greet them.

"Smells like Mom's making something delicious," Goten remarked, his stomach rumbling.

"Race you to the table!" Gohan challenged, a playful glint in his eye.

"You're on!" Goten laughed, and they both landed, sprinting toward the house.

Chi-Chi looked up as they burst through the door. "Well, you two seem to be in good spirits."

"Can't help it when dinner smells this good, Mom," Gohan said, giving his mother a hug.

Goten nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, we're starving!"

"Go wash up first," Chi-Chi instructed, though her eyes softened at seeing her sons so happy.

They quickly did as they were told and soon sat down at the table. As they began to eat, the radio played softly in the background, broadcasting the evening news.

The announcer's voice reported solemnly: "Today marks the fifth anniversary of the android attacks that have plagued our cities. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant and report any sightings to the authorities."

Gohan's shoulders stiffened as he placed his bowl back on the table.

Chi-Chi noticed and placed a hand on his. "Don't let it ruin your appetite, dear. I'll change it to something else." She got up to change the radio channel.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm okay, Mom." Picking up his bowl and chopsticks, he started eating again.

Suddenly, the broadcast was interrupted. "We interrupt this program for an emergency announcement," the announcer said urgently. "The androids have been spotted attacking Parsley City. All residents are urged to evacuate immediately."

Gohan slammed his bowl down and stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "I have to go," he said, determination in his eyes.

Chi-Chi grabbed his arm. "Gohan, no! It's too dangerous!"

"I can't sit by while people are in danger," he replied gently but firmly, seeing the fear in his mother's eyes.

Before she could protest further, he dashed out of the house.

Goten looked between his mother and the door. "Mom, I'll go after him. Someone has to keep him safe."

"No, Goten! You're too young!" Chi-Chi pleaded.

"I'm strong enough, and Gohan needs me," Goten insisted.

Chi-Chi's eyes filled with tears. "I can't lose both of you!"

Goten hugged her tightly. "We'll come back, I promise."

Breaking away, he ran after Gohan. "Gohan, wait up!"

Chi-Chi stood in the doorway, watching her sons disappear into the night sky. "Please, be safe," she whispered.

Goten flew as fast as he could, but Gohan was already a golden streak in the distance, having transformed into a Super Saiyan to increase his speed. The gap between them widened.

He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on sensing Gohan's ki. heading toward Parsley City. Opening his eyes, Goten increased his speed and thought, "You better not get yourself killed, Gohan."

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 13

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 13

Snape glowered and opened his mouth to respond when Dumbledore interjected, “It seems that Professor Snape’s judgment might have been clouded by anger during that particular lesson.”

McGonagall glared at Snape, stating firmly, “He shouldn’t let anger interfere with his teaching or impact students’ grades. I would expect this sort of behavior from a new graduate, but not from a professor at Hogwarts.”

Dumbledore stepped in again, “I’m sure Professor Snape won’t let anger cloud his judgment in the future.”

Snape merely glared at Neville, then nodded curtly before stalking out of the office, his cape billowing behind him.

Sighing, Dumbledore turned to Neville. “Well, that should be all. You may return to your classes, Mr. Longbottom.”

….

Neville descended the spiral staircase from the Headmaster's office, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. The encounter with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape had been thoroughly vexing, but at least he'd managed to dodge detention with Snape. "Damn, stupid old man," he muttered under his breath. ‘At least I won't be serving detention with Snape. Detention with Professor McGonagall is loads better than suffering one with Snape,’ he thought.

As he stepped onto the seventh floor, Neville decided he needed to clear his head. Glancing at a clock, he realized Charms class was still in full swing, and there was at least another thirty minutes before lunch. "Might as well make good use of the time," he mused to himself. He headed towards one of the empty classrooms he used for extra practice. The corridors were quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of students absent as classes were in session.

Pushing open the creaky door of the deserted room, he stepped inside. The afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow across the classroom.

He placed his bag on a worn wooden table and drew his wand, rolling it thoughtfully between his fingers. he was going to continue practicing The Summoning Charm, and he was determined to get the hang of it this time.

"Right then," he said quietly, setting a quill on the far side of the room. Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind entirely on the task at hand. "Accio quill!" The quill wobbled uncertainly before skidding a few inches towards him. Frowning, Neville squared his shoulders and tried again, concentrating even harder. "Accio quill!" This time, the quill slid a bit further, inching its way across the floor.

"on come. on," he chided himself. Remembering that most magic was about visualising, he closed his eyes for a moment, picturing the quill flying straight into his hand. Opening his eyes, he pointed his wand with renewed determination. "Accio quill!" The quill lifted off the ground slightly before dropping back down.

"Well, progress is progress," he muttered with a sigh. Neville spent the next half-hour practising, summoning the quill with increasing success. By the end of his session, he was still unable to summon the quill into his hand. Sighing, he tucked his wand away. "At least I made some progress. Not too shabby," he encouraged himself.

As his stomach gave an audible grumble, Neville realized it was lunchtime. Gathering his things, he made his way to the Great Hall. The corridors were now bustling with students heading to lunch, laughter, and chatter echoing off the stone walls.

Entering the Great Hall, Neville spotted Seamus, Dean, and the rest of his classmates already seated at the Gryffindor table. He slid into an empty seat beside them.

"Hey, Neville!" Seamus greeted him, piling mashed potatoes onto his plate. "We wondered where you'd got to."

"Yeah," Dean chimed in, "you missed the end of Charms. Where were you, then?"

Neville chuckled. "Sorry, got held up. Had a meeting with the Headmaster."

At this, several heads turned. "That's right, you were called to Dumbledore's office," Parvati exclaimed, Lavender, leaning in with wide eyes. "What was that all about?"

Neville sighed, reaching for a slice of roast beef. "It's nothing serious. Snape complained about my assignments; he wanted me expelled."

Lavender exchanged a knowing look with Parvati. "I bet Hermione's going to say 'I told you so' when she hears about this," she said with a teasing grin.

Neville shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time," he admitted, though he couldn't help but smile. Hermione was always nagging him about his assignment.

After a few moments, he glanced around. "Speaking of Hermione, has anyone seen her?"

Lavender tilted her head thoughtfully. "I saw her leaving Charms earlier, but I'm not sure where she went. Probably the library, knowing her."

Parvati nodded in agreement. "She must have gone there after class ended."

Neville nodded but thought to himself, ‘She's probably off researching spells so she doesn't fall behind me, especially after seeing how far I was in spellcasting.’

Seamus nudged him playfully. "Oh, forget about studying for a bit. Did you hear about the Quidditch trials happening this week?"

Neville shook his head and joined in the conversation, discussing the latest gossip and the upcoming matches. Lunch passed quickly, filled with laughter and friendly banter.

As the bell signaled the end of lunch, students began to disperse to their afternoon classes. Neville gathered his belongings and headed towards the greenhouses for Herbology with Professor Sprout.

Inside Greenhouse Three, the earthy scent of soil and plants enveloped him. Rows of peculiar flora lined the benches. Neville took his usual spot but noticed the empty space beside him.

"Where could Hermione be?" he muttered under his breath. It wasn't like her to miss Herbology; she loved the subject.

Professor Sprout clapped her hands to get the class's attention. "Today, we'll be studying the properties of Puffapods," she announced cheerfully. "Now, pair up and collect a pod from the front."

Seeing that Hermione wasn't here yet, Neville had hoped to pair with Harry but noticed that Ron had already teamed up with him. He ended up partnering with a Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley. As they worked together, carefully handling the delicate pink pods, Neville kept glancing towards the door of the greenhouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione's bushy hair, but to no avail.

"Everything alright?" Justin asked, noticing Neville's distraction.

"Yeah, just wondering where Hermione could be. It's not like her to miss a class," Neville replied.

Justin shrugged. "Maybe she's feeling under the weather and went to the infirmary."

"Maybe," Neville murmured.

After Herbology, Neville decided to swing by the library before their next class, considering it was closest to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. The grand hall of books was quiet, save for the soft rustling of pages and the occasional whisper. He wandered between the towering shelves, peering down each row, but Hermione was nowhere to be found. With time running short, he hurried off to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Entering the classroom, Neville scanned the seats. Hermione's usual spot was empty. He took his own seat, a knot of concern gnawing at him. Professor Quirrell shuffled in shortly after, his turban slightly askew and his nervous stutter as pronounced as ever.

The lesson was as unengaging as ever, Quirrell's quivering voice doing little to capture the class's interest. Neville found his mind wandering, replaying the day's events. Where could she be? he wondered. It's not like Hermione to miss classes.

As soon as the lesson ended, Neville decided to visit the Hospital Wing. "Maybe Justin was right; perhaps Hermione wasn't feeling well and had stayed in the infirmary," he thought. He made his way to the infirmary, and not finding Hermione there, he approached Madam Pomfrey.

The matron looked up from her paperwork as he entered. "Yes, dear? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine, ma'am," Neville assured her. "I was wondering if Hermione Granger has been in here today."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips thoughtfully. "No, I haven't seen Miss Granger. Is something the matter?"

Neville hesitated. "Uh, no, ma'am. I was just looking for her and haven't seen her since this morning. Thought she might have come here for something."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure she's fine. Perhaps she's resting in your common room. Some students do get overwhelmed and need a bit of quiet from time to time."

"You're probably right," Neville conceded. "Thanks anyway."

As he made his way back towards Gryffindor Tower, a nagging feeling persisted. Something didn't add up. Hermione wasn't the type to skip lessons or hideaway. From what he knew of her, she wouldn't miss classes without a good reason.

Reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, Neville muttered the password, "Caput Draconis." The portrait swung open, and he stepped into the cozy common room. The fire crackled warmly in the hearth, casting a golden glow across the room. A few students lounged on the sofas, chatting quietly or immersed in their homework.

He glanced around but saw no sign of Hermione. he saw a few first-years huddled over their homework, but there was no Hermione. Neville sighed, dropping into an armchair. Maybe he was overthinking it, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

Looking up the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory, he hesitated for a moment. Maybe she's sleeping, just as Madam Pomfrey suggested, he thought.

Deciding there was little else he could do, for now, Neville headed up to his dormitory. He placed his bag at the foot of his bed and took a quick shower before dinner might,

Dressed and feeling somewhat refreshed, he lay on his bed and picked up one of the books his grandmother had sent him, the very one he had lent to Hermione. Flipping through the pages, he smiled as he read the summaries Hermione had written for him, minutes slipping away unnoticed.

It wasn't until he saw his dorm mates grabbing their robes and heading out that he glanced at the clock. "Is it time for dinner already?" he exclaimed. Quickly setting the book aside, he went down the stairs, thinking, ‘Maybe she'll be in the common room now.’

But upon entering the common room, he found it emptier than before. Not seeing any of the girls around, Neville thought they might have already gone ahead to the Great Hall.

He joined Seamus, Dean, Harry, and Ron as they made their way down the tower to the Great Hall.

Entering the Great Hall, Neville's eyes immediately sought out the Gryffindor table. The girls were already seated—Lavender, Parvati, and a few others—but there was still no sign of Hermione. He sat down, a sense of unease settling over him like a heavy cloak.

"Hey, Neville," Seamus said between bites of pie. "Who are you looking for?" he asked, noticing Neville scanning the hall.

"Have any of you seen Hermione?" Neville asked, glancing at his classmates. "I've been looking for her everywhere but can't find her. Did she stay back in the dormitory?"

Lavender looked up from her conversation with Parvati. "Haven't you heard?" she said, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

Neville tilted his head, puzzled. "Heard what?"

Leaning in closer, Lavender whispered, "Hermione's been in the first-floor lavatory all day, crying her eyes out."

"What? Why?" Neville asked, alarmed.

Parvati sighed. "Apparently, Ron Weasley said something awful to her after Charms. She's been upset ever since."

Neville felt a surge of anger and worry. "She's been crying all day?" He shot a glare down the table at Ron, who looked uncharacteristically guilty, while Harry was giving him a pointed stare.

Lavender nodded. "We tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't come out."

Neville's mind raced. Suddenly, pieces began to fall into place. First-floor lavatory... Halloween... the troll! His eyes widened as he remembered the events from the first book.

"Shit," Neville muttered under his breath.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 129

Kaito Akaden Chapter 129

"That should buy us some time," Kaito explained calmly. "It will stop the poison from spreading and keep him stable until we can find help."

Itachi nodded slowly, processing the information. "But where can we take him?"

Kaito's mind raced. "Where should we take him? We can't take him to the Konoha hospital. I don't know anyone from the Aburame clan who could help. I could bring him to Hachō Village, but I doubt they'd have the antidote for this poison." Then, a thought struck him.

"Hold onto my shoulder, Itachi," Kaito said urgently as he lifted Shisui into his arms.

Without hesitation, Itachi grabbed Kaito's shoulder.

In an instant, Kaito teleported them away.

…

Tsunade gazed down the streets of the town as the sun dipped below the horizon.

She was wearing a loose resort kimono that hung over her shoulders. She rested her head on her right arm, leaning against the windowsill as she looked out the window.

She held her pendant in her left hand; her mind was elsewhere.

Beside her, Tonton was fast asleep next to her leg.

Just then, Shizune walked into the room carrying a tray with cups and a bottle of sake.

"I'm back, Tsunade-sama," Shizune said as she placed the tray on the small table between them.

Tsunade let out a sigh as she released the pendant and turned to face Shizune.

Tonton, waking up, oinked at Shizune and walked over before settling on her lap.

Shizune smiled and patted Tonton's head. "Did you have a good nap, Tonton?" The little piglet oinked in confirmation before lying across Shizune's lap and falling asleep.

Shizune placed a cup for Tsunade and poured the sake. "Here you go, Tsunade-sama."

Without a word, Tsunade took the offered cup and turned back to the window, slowly sipping the sake.

Shizune sighed as she watched Lady Tsunade in her current state.

It had been a few months since they left Degerashi Port without informing anyone, following the revelation about what had happened to the Senju clan. Ever since then, Tsunade hadn't spoken much. She rarely engaged in conversations, only responding when spoken to, and most of the time, her mind seemed elsewhere.

After that day, Tsunade had even stopped gambling, which was a real shock to Shizune. As long as Shizune had known Tsunade, her gambling habits were a constant, so her sudden decision to quit deeply worried her.

In the first few days, Tsunade tried to keep herself numb by drinking a lot and crying frequently. However, after a few days, she stopped. She still drank sake, but not as much as before. Most of her time over the past few months was spent gazing into the distance absentmindedly.

Shizune knew that the revelation had shattered her master, and she didn't know how to fix it. So, she decided to give Tsunade some space. They were currently staying at a resort in the Land of Hot Water, where they had arrived a few days ago. Tsunade had refused to set foot in the Land of Fire and instead chose to walk around the surrounding areas, avoiding any entrance into the Land of Fire.

Tsunade continued to gaze out the window as the dark sky was illuminated by the stars and moon. The small town’s streets shimmered under the glow of the streetlights.

She took another sip and finished the cup of sake, placing it back on the table behind her. She then laid her right hand across the windowsill and rested her chin on her hand, gazing down the streets below.

Shizune, who was sitting behind Lady Tsunade, sighed as she refilled Tsunade’s cup.

The two of them sat in silence, as was the norm these days. Shizune stroked Tonton while she sipped her sake quietly.

Their quiet night was suddenly interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Kaito, holding an unconscious Shisui and Itachi clinging to Kaito's shoulder.

Kaito was crouched as he laid Shisui’s body on the floor, and Itachi stood up.

Kaito said, “Please, we need your help, Lady Tsunade, Shizune-san.”

Tsunade was the first to react, jumping back in shock at their sudden appearance. “W-what… H-how?”

Shizune quickly jumped up and stood beside Tsunade, shocked by their sudden arrival. She was holding Tonton under her right arm and a kunai in her left hand, facing Kaito and Itachi. “W-wha… K-Kaito,” she stammered, both of their hearts pumping.

Tonton in Shizune’s arms squealed in fear at the sudden movement.

Kaito interrupted them, looking at both Shizune and Tsunade. “We need your help. he’s been poisoned,” he said, gesturing to Shisui.

Itachi added with a bow, “We are extremely sorry for intruding. Please forgive us, but we need your help.” He bowed deeply.

Tsunade’s eyes widened as she saw Shisui. She took in Shisui’s condition, and her body began to tremble. Her gaze lowered to the ground as she leaned against the wall, and slowly sliding down it into a fetal position while holding her pendant with both hands.

Shizune lowered her weapon as she fully took in the scene in front of her. She placed Tonton down and said, “Quickly! Bring him over here,” as she led them to the other side of the room.

Kaito nodded and carried Shisui over to the spot, placing him in front of Shizune as he broke his gaze on Tsunade’s form.

Itachi followed them.

Shizune asked, “I need to know what happened if I’m going to treat him,” she said, looking at both Itachi and Kaito as she knelt down next to Shisui’s body. Her hands began to glow green as she checked on Shisui.

Kaito looked at Itachi, signaling him to explain. Itachi nodded and said, “He was attacked by Danzo-sama. Shisui informed me that Danzo Sama asked to meet him before today's clan meeting. shisui was planning on casting a powerful genjutsu on the clan head to deter the coup d'état. He informed the Hokage of this earlier today. Danzo attacked Shisui during their meeting for Shisui’s eyes. He managed to escape them but was poisoned.” Itachi explained everything he knew.

Kaito had informed Itachi of the failed negotiations with Lady Tsunade, so telling them the whole truth wouldn't do much.

Kaito added, “He was most probably poisoned by an Aburame. I placed a seal on Shisui to slow the spread; it works by lowering the heart rate,” explaining to Shizune why Shisui had such a low heart rate.

Shizune nodded and said, “That’s why his heart rate is so low. I take it that Danzo has his eyes.”

Itachi nodded and said, “Danzo has one of his eyes. Shisui gave me his other eye before he tried to take his own life.” Itachi said, showing her the other eye.

Shizune kept nodding and replied, “Hold onto it; I will need it later. We need to first remove the poison from his system before we can heal him.” Looking at Kaito and Itachi, Shizune instructed, “Get me three buckets of water, an empty bucket, some towels, and some warm water. And remove his shirt quickly.” She got up and rummaged through the bag to take out some medicine.

Kaito and Itachi nodded, and Kaito created three shadow clones to help Itachi and Shizune as they left the room in a hurry to find the items listed. A clone removed Shisui’s Jonin vest and shirt, getting him ready for Shizune.

Meanwhile, the real Kaito was looking at Tsunade, who was sitting against the wall next to the window in a fetal position, holding her pendant, shivering, and crying.

Kaito, looking at her, didn’t know what to do. In the original timeline, she had snapped out of her hemophobia after being inspired by Naruto. Kaito didn’t have the means to recreate the same situation for her to overcome it, so he had thought of a few ways to get rid of Tsunade's hemophobia. One way was to seal away the part of her memory that caused her hemophobia. Another solution could be Kotoamatsukami—the version used on Itachi’s Edo Tensei during the Fourth Shinobi War, the one that took ten years to cool down. However, using the second option would have revealed that he had knowledge of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan ability to both Shisui and Itachi, which would make them suspicious of him. Additionally, the first solution would likely drive Tsunade to murder Kaito. Kaito shook his head, knowing that it wasn’t an option.

Looking away from Tsunade and back at Shizune, who was instructing Kaito’s clones and Itachi on what to do, Kaito sighed and thought, “Maybe I can just talk to her. ya know.”

Sighing, Kaito walked over to Tsunade, who was unaware of her surroundings.

Walking over to her, Kaito looked down at her and knelt in front of her.

Looking at her closely, Kaito felt sad for her.

Kaito sighed and gently lifted her chin a bit, wiping Tsunade’s tears away with his thumb as she watched him intently.

Kaito spoke, “I know it's hard,” he started and paused to wipe his other eye. “I know it's hard to lose someone close to us. The pain can be unbearable, ya know.” Kaito smiled sadly at her as she watched him intently. “I've felt it too...,” he paused and continued, “I watched my parents getting impaled by the Nine Tails as I stood there. I couldn't do anything, ya know? I watched as Dad and Mom said their last words to us.”

Shizune stopped what she was doing to look behind her upon hearing Kaito talk to Tsunade. She wanted to stop Kaito but didn't as she listened.

Kaito continued, “I watched as Dad sealed the Nine Tails with the last of his chakra into Naruto. I watched as Dad fell lifeless to the ground...,” he paused, reliving the day. “I watched as Mom fell down with a huge hole in her torso. I held her in as she slowly died... We were lucky that day. If I hadn't awakened my Kekkei Genkai that day,” he closed his eyes as a tear escaped his eyes, “I would have lost both my Mom and Dad that day... I still wonder to this day, what if I had awakened healing abilities a little earlier? Would I have saved my Dad? Could I have prevented Dad from dying?”

Kaito said, “I blamed myself for a long time, ya know? For Dad’s death, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, but I didn't do much to prevent it. I blamed myself every time I saw Mom crying at night for a long time. That day, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let anything happen to my loved ones ever again. I know that I might fail, but I won't give up. As long as I have even one person that I care for, I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe till the day I die. That's my Nindo, my ninja way. Because I know Dad wouldn't want me to keep blaming myself, he would want me to live on carrying the happy memories that we shared, ya know. you still have loved ones, my mom, Shizune-san, and even Tonton. since you are like a sister to mom you are also one of my precious people” Kaito said, with a smile, looking into Tsunade's eyes with determination.

”You still have loved ones. ya know, my mom, Shizune-san, even Tonton. Since you are like a sister to Mom, you are also one of my precious people.”

Then Kaito bowed his head fully and said, “So I ask you one more time, please help me keep the people I love safe. Help me keep them safe from Danzo and the Third Hokage.”

After a while, Kaito sighed and stood up, turning back to look at Shizune and the others working on Shisui.

Tsunade just sat there, staring at Kaito for a long time. Her tears had dried up. A moment later, she slowly started to stand up shakily, leaning against the wall.

She stood up fully and walked slowly past Kaito with her head down to where Shizune was treating Shisui.

Kaito watched as Tsunade walked past him over to Shizune.

Reaching Shizune, Tsunade said, “Move, Shizune. Let me take a look at him.”

Shizune, shocked, looked back at Tsunade. “But, Lady Tsunade…” But looking at Tsunade's determined face, Shizune numbly nodded and moved aside for Tsunade to work.

Tsunade, kneeling beside Shisui, placed her hand into the bucket for the solution and took it out with precise chakra control. She lifted the blob of water and said, “Hold him down and keep him still. This will hurt a lot, and I want the first bucket of water as soon as I'm done with this. Keep some of the poison aside so we can make an antidote.” She ordered them, and all nodded with a “Hai, Tsunade-sama.”

Nodding, she started working on Shisui, cutting open a hole in his abdomen. She pushed the blob of water into Shisui's body as his body reacted but was held down by Kaito’s clones and Itachi. Tsunade extracted the water blob over Shisui’s heart as purple liquid mixed with blood came out of his body.

Tsunade dumped the water into the bucket and took the solution from the other bucket, repeating the process again and again as Shizune kept changing the water with help from Kaito.

She did this a couple of times before ending it.

Tsunade wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “That should keep him stable until we synthesize an antidote,” as she stood up and, looking at Shizune, said, “You know what to do, Shizune.”

Shizune nodded happily, seeing her master back again. “Hai, I will get right on it.”

Tsunade nodded, then walked back to the small coffee table, sat down, poured herself a cup of sake, and chugged it down before looking at Kaito and saying, “Sit down brat. We have a lot to discuss.”

Kaito Akaden Chapter 128

Kaito Akaden Chapter 128

Holding out his hand, Shisui insisted, "You're the only one I can count on, my best friend. Protect the village and the Uchiha name—both of them."

Tears welled up in Itachi's eyes, but he nodded, his Sharingan activated. He took the eye from Shisui. "Alright, I accept it. What will you do now?"

"If I die, many things will change. I've left a note," Shisui said as he walked backward, edging closer to the cliff's edge.

Itachi realized what was happening and called out, "Shisui, wait..."

But Shisui interrupted, "Don't try to stop me, Itachi." He smiled one last time before leaning back and falling off the cliff into the river below.

Itachi lunged forward, trying to grab Shisui as he fell, but he was too late. He watched helplessly as Shisui disappeared over the edge, shouting, "Shisui!" His hand reached out, but he was too far away.

…..

Kaito's clone sat atop Minato's head on the Hokage Monument, gazing over the village as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow across the sky. Currently, Kaito's shadow clone was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed; he was using the Mind’s Eye of Kagura to keep an eye on Hiruzen.

Seeing that the situation with the Uchiha clan had escalated, Kaito ordered one of his clones to monitor the Third Hokage and his associates, knowing that the Uchiha clan massacre could happen at any moment. Itachi had already told Kaito that the Uchiha clan had started to arm themselves for the coup d'état.

Kaito knew that in the original timeline, Shisui was attacked somewhere around this time. So yesterday, right after the mission report was given, Kaito had made a shadow clone and assigned it to Tail Shisui.

Using the Mind's Eye of Kagura, Kaito could see that the Third Hokage was having a meeting in one of the rooms within the Hokage Building. Alongside him were Koharu, Homura, and Danzo. They were seated behind a large desk as Shisui gave his report to them.

Seeing Danzo among them, Kaito's clone thought, "I thought so. Danzo hasn't lost his influence on the surface." The sight of Danzo with the Third Hokage confirmed his suspicions.

They were deep in discussion, and Danzo was the most vocal of the group. Shisui, kneeling in front of them, said, "So, as it stands, the coup is still in motion."

Hiruzen sighed and looked down at Shisui. "I see," he said thoughtfully.

Danzo glanced sharply at Hiruzen and demanded, "Hiruzen, what's your plan now? If we remain idle any longer, it's going to be too late."

"Hmm," Hiruzen hummed as he leaned back in his chair, contemplating.

Danzo pressed on, his tone insistent. "Look, as the head of the village, sometimes it's necessary for you to make hard decisions. Isn't it time to do just that?"

They continued to argue among themselves, Just then, Shisui spoke up, his voice steady but urgent. "Please wait... if I may, I think I have an alternative. There's a plan I'd like to try, if you'll let me."

Hiruzen's eyes focused on Shisui. "A plan, you say?" he asked,

Danzo attempted to silence him, asserting, "This is a waste of time. There are no other options right now."

Hiruzen ignored Danzo's interruption and turned to Shisui. "What is this plan, Shisui?" he asked.

Shisui bowed his head respectfully and said, "I will use my Mangekyo Sharingan on the clan."

The elders were taken aback by his declaration, and Hiruzen pressed further, "Do you truly understand what you're saying? You'll forever be branded with the sin of using such a jutsu against your own clan."

Shisui nodded solemnly. "I understand. But still, it's worth it to protect what I hold dear... Lord Third, please!" he pleaded, looking earnestly at Hiruzen.

Hiruzen closed his eyes in contemplation before nodding in agreement. "If you believe in this, I won't stop you. Do what you must."

Shisui bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, sir."

However, Hiruzen added, "However, you may step back and cancel your plan if you change your mind. Remember, there is still some time for all of us to think of other alternatives. Understood, Shisui?"

Meanwhile, Kaito, using the Mind's Eye of Kagura, could only sense what was happening inside. The Mind's Eye wasn't as visually clear as the Byakugan, so he wasn't able to read their lips to know exactly what they were discussing.

But Kaito grasped the gist of it, thinking to himself, "So Shisui just told the Hokage that he's going to use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku, huh? The idiot just painted a target on his back." He noticed Danzo's eyes narrow at Shisui's departing figure as he left the room and signaled to one of his ANBU.

Kaito's clone watched through the Kagura's Mind's Eye as Shisui left the Hokage's office. Almost immediately, a Root ANBU operative approached him to convey a message. Shisui pondered for a moment, then nodded, and the Root ANBU vanished as swiftly as he had appeared.

Standing there briefly, Shisui seemed deep in thought. He then summoned a crow, attached a note to it, and sent it soaring into the sky. Without wasting any more time, he sped off toward the southern outskirts of Konoha.

Back atop Minato's head on the Hokage Monument, Kaito's shadow clone opened his eyes and stood up, stretching his limbs in preparation. He leaped gracefully from the monument, landing on a nearby rooftop. From there, he propelled himself forward, following after Shisui while maintaining a cautious distance of about two kilometers.

Shisui exited Konoha's walls and entered the surrounding forest, darting through the trees as he made his way to his destination. After some time, he reached a secluded Root base and waited there for Danzo to arrive.

Kaito came to a halt atop a tall tree, leaning against its sturdy trunk about 2.5 kilometers away from Shisui. He scanned the area with his sensory abilities. After thirty minutes of patient waiting, he sensed someone approaching Shisui's location.

It was Danzo—that much was clear. But Kaito also detected fifteen other Jonin-level shinobi subtly converging on the area. Danzo walked toward Shisui alone, but his Root operatives were hidden strategically around the vicinity.

Danzo said, "Shisui, even if you use your dojutsu on Fugaku to get the clan to cooperate, what if the village doesn't change?"

Shisui replied confidently, "Lord Hokage has promised to bring about that change."

Danzo shook his head. "Even if the Third Hokage is content, the distrust among the Leaf Village won't simply disappear."

Shisui nodded thoughtfully and said, "I realize that, but in time..."

Danzo interrupted him sharply, "Besides, someone as suspicious as I am will never change. What will you do then, Shisui?"

Looking confused, Shisui asked, "But Lord Danzo..."

Danzo's eyes narrowed. "When the time comes, will you use your Kotoamatsukami on me too? Your Sharingan shall be in my safekeeping."

Without warning, Danzo lunged at Shisui, reaching out for his eye. Shisui reacted swiftly, catching Danzo's hand and casting a genjutsu on him, causing Danzo to go limp.

As Shisui turned to walk away, he suddenly sensed danger and jumped back as kunai were hurled toward him. Landing gracefully and facing Danzo, he realized he was now surrounded by fifteen ANBU members. One of them had already released the genjutsu on Danzo.

While all this was going on, Kaito's shadow clone watched silently but chose not to interfere. Kaito had decided that this was necessary. He remembered that Itachi only awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan because of Shisui's death, and Kaito didn't want to prevent that pivotal moment. So, he opted to observe and not intervene just yet.

Shisui engaged the fifteen Root ANBU members, managing to take down a few of them. However, Kaito could see that Shisui was starting to slow down considerably. Kaito thought, "He's been poisoned; that's why his movements are becoming sluggish." Shisui desperately fended off the ANBU, panting heavily.

Using his Kagura Mind's Eye, Kaito watched as Danzo sneaked up on Shisui and plucked out his left eye. Shisui jumped back, clutching the empty socket where his eye had been. He landed in a clearing, facing Danzo who stood opposite him. Panting, Shisui watched as Danzo placed the eye into a container and said something to him.

Kaito sensed that Shisui was channeling a large amount of chakra into his remaining eye. Shisui activated his Susanoo and attacked Danzo and the Root ANBU, creating a distraction. Seizing the opportunity, Shisui escaped.

Kaito's shadow clone followed as Shisui reached Itachi. The clone watched as Shisui told Itachi what had happened, then handed over his right eye. Just as Shisui began to lean back to fall off the cliff, Kaito's clone thought, "Now," and dispelled himself—not before dropping his marker.

Kaito appeared atop a tree, a tri-pronged kunai at his feet, just as Shisui was falling off the cliff. Plucking the kunai, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.

Reaching the cliff's edge, Kaito threw down the kunai he was holding onto the ground near Itachi. Then, he hurled another kunai toward Shisui. Just as Shisui was about to hit the river below, Kaito appeared beside him, caught him mid-air, and disappeared once more.

They reappeared on the cliffside behind Itachi, at the spot where Kaito had dropped the tri-pronged kunai—all of this happening before Itachi could even process what was going on.

Kaito gently laid Shisui on the ground, his hands glowing green as he used the Mystic Palm Technique to assess Shisui's condition. Shisui was already unconscious.

Sensing Kaito and Shisui behind him, Itachi turned around and saw Kaito hunched over his friend. Confused, he called out as he got up, "Kaito, h-how...?" and rushed over to their side.

Kaito gave a brief nod to Itachi but remained focused on Shisui. "Itachi, he's in bad shape. What happened to him? Why is Shisui in this condition?" Kaito asked, not showing that he already knew the reason behind Shisui's condition.

"Danzo attacked him and got his Sharingan," Itachi said, his voice tinged with urgency. "Can you save him, Kaito?"

Kaito shook his head. "He's been poisoned. We need to get him to a hospital quickly," he replied, starting to pull a scroll out of his pouch. He thought to himself, "He must have been moving through sheer willpower alone. This must be one of the Aburame clan's poisons."

"Danzo must have poisoned him," Itachi said, shaking his head. "We can't. If the clan finds out that Danzo attacked Shisui, they'll launch the coup immediately. Even if they don't discover Danzo's involvement, Danzo himself would kill Shisui while he's in the hospital. That's why Shisui tried to take his own life."

Unfurling the scroll over Shisui's body, Kaito made a series of hand signs and placed his palm on the seal matrix. The kanji seals spread across Shisui's body, glowing briefly before fading. As the light dimmed, Shisui's breathing came to a stop.

Kaito rolled the scroll back up and looked over at Itachi. He noticed Itachi's eyes had shifted into the Mangekyo pattern as he stared intensely at Kaito. "What did you do?" Itachi demanded, concern and suspicion evident in his voice.

"That should buy us some time," Kaito explained calmly. "It will stop the poison from spreading and keep him stable until we can find help."

Itachi nodded slowly, processing the information. "But where can we take him?"

Kaito's mind raced. "Where should we take him? We can't take him to the Konoha hospital. I don't know anyone from the Aburame clan who could help. I could bring him to Hachō Village, but I doubt they'd have the antidote for this poison." Then, a thought struck him.

"Hold onto my shoulder, Itachi," Kaito said urgently as he lifted Shisui into his arms.

Without hesitation, Itachi grabbed Kaito's shoulder.

In an instant, Kaito teleported them away.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 127

Kaito Akaden Chapter 127

For the next ten minutes, Kushina carefully painted the kanji on Anko’s skin, the symbols trailing from her neck down her body and onto a scroll that contained the seal matrix.

Kushina stood up, wiping her hands. "Alright, Kai-kun, you’re up."

Kaito nodded, moving to sit in front of the sealing scroll. "Okay, brace yourself. This is going to hurt... a lot."

Anko took a deep breath. "Bring it. I can—ahhhh!" Her words turned into a scream as Kaito slammed his hand onto the seal matrix, initiating the sealing process.

The entire procedure took about two minutes, and by the end, Anko slumped to the ground, completely unconscious.

Kushina glanced at Kaito with a deadpan expression. "Did you really have to do it when she wasn't ready?"

Kaito just shrugged, offering a tired smile. "I'm exhausted, Mom. I just wanted to get this over with."

Kushina sighed, walking over to Anko to help put her shirt back on. "Fine. But you can sleep after you carry her to the guest room."

….

Neji had his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

Hinata sat on the ground beside Karin, both of them catching their breath after the intense session.

Naruto lay flat on his back, gasping. "I think I’m just gonna take a nap for a bit, ya know?"

Hinata looked up, still breathing hard, and asked, "Do you do this every day?"

Karin, sitting next to her, nodded. "Hai, Kaito-nii makes us do this almost every day."

Neji, standing near Naruto, nodded in agreement. "If this is how they train, no wonder they’re both so strong."

Hinata and Karin both nodded, clearly in agreement.

Naruto groaned. "Nii-san’s going easy on us. His usual training is way worse than this."

They were in the training ground where Kaito usually trained. Hotaru had brought Hinata and Neji along to join the session, and it was the first time either of them had trained with Kaito.

Kaito had given Naruto and Karin training weights, as the routine had become easier for them since they did it nearly every day.

Kaito clapped his hands together to get their attention. "Alright, enough rest. We’re moving on to the next part of your exercise."

Naruto groaned, throwing his head back. "Oh, come on, nii-san! Can’t we rest a little longer, ya know?"

"Stop complaining, Naruto," Kaito said with a smirk as he formed a ball of water above Naruto's head and dropped it, soaking him.

Naruto sputtered, jumping up and pointing an accusatory finger at Kaito. "Oi! What was that for?!"

Hotaru, standing beside Kaito, giggled at Naruto's antics. "Come on, guys. After this, we’re done for the day."

The others nodded, getting to their feet, while Naruto grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms.

Kaito ignored Naruto’s grumbling and said, "Alright, we’re going to do a dodging exercise."

Naruto groaned, already knowing what was coming.

Hinata raised her hand nervously. "Um, are you going to throw kunai at us?"

Hotaru smiled and shook her head. "No, we’ll be throwing these." She held up a ball. "They’re soft, so they won’t hurt much."

"But," Kaito added, "there’s a seal on them. If the ball touches you, you’ll get a mild shock. So, you’d better dodge them."

He grinned, adding, "Whoever gets hit the least, I’ll buy them whatever they want." His promise clearly intended to make them more competitive.

Neji smirked confidently. "This is going to be easy."

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Kaito said with a mischievous smile. "You’re not allowed to use your Byakugan."

With that, Kaito created 30 shadow clones, positioning them in the surrounding trees.

"You’ll have to dodge for the next hour," Kaito explained. "You can’t leave the clearing, but teamwork is allowed." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Yeah, that’s about it."

Naruto raised his hand hopefully. "Can we at least take these weights off?" Karin nodded eagerly beside him.

Kaito shook his head. "Nope. You’ve done this exercise before, so to make it more challenging, you’ll keep the weights on."

Naruto crossed his arms, grumbling Stupid older brothers and stupid training weights.

Kaito's clones stood ready, each holding a ball and prepared to start throwing.

"Alright, get ready... set... go!" Kaito called out. With that, both he and Hotaru jumped back onto a tree branch to watch.

As soon as Kaito shouted "Go," the shadow clones began peppering the four of them with the balls.

All four of them—Naruto, Karin, Neji, and Hinata—started dodging the incoming balls as if their lives depended on it.

Naruto and Karin used to this kind of training, began dodging and jumping back, but weighed down by the training weights, their reactions were slower.

"Ow!" Naruto shouted as he was pelted by a ball, not moving fast enough to dodge.

The same went for Karin; as they adjusted to the training weights, they got hit multiple times.

But once they got used to the weight, they could keep up with the onslaught.

Neji dodged and weaved through the barrage of balls, but as the intensity increased, it became harder for him to keep dodging.

He started using his Gentle Fist to deflect the incoming balls while also dodging, but as time went on, fatigue set in, and he began getting hit by more and more balls.

Hinata, on the other hand, was performing the best among the four. She used minimal body movement to dodge the incoming balls, deflecting some of them with her Gentle Fist. Her efficient style allowed her to conserve energy while avoiding most of the hits.

Kaito and Hotaru observed from where they were perched. Kaito remarked, "Hinata-chan’s doing well. She quickly figured out that moving too much would just tire her out, so she’s using minimal movement to dodge."

Hotaru nodded. "Hai, Hinata is very skilled, but she doesn’t like fighting. If she did, the clan would see her as a prodigy."

Kaito nodded in agreement. "Neji’s doing well too, but he needs to work on his stamina."

Hotaru glanced at him, a bit concerned. "Aren’t we pushing them too hard, Kai-kun? They’re only six years old."

Kaito sighed, his expression softening. "I don’t want them to get hurt in the future just because we went easy on them, Hotaru-chan. You know how bad things are right now. I just want them to be safe, ya know?"

Hotaru sighed as well, understanding what he was referring to. She nodded, fully aware of what could happen.

By the end of it, all four of them were sprawled on the ground, panting heavily.

Kaito and Hotaru landed in front of them.

Kaito clapped his hands. "Well done, all of you," he said as he handed them water bottles.

He then turned to Neji. "You did well, Neji, but you'll need to work on your stamina."

Neji nodded, finishing his water while still catching his breath. Hotaru patted him on the shoulder.

Kaito ruffled Naruto and Karin's hair. "You two got used to the weights quickly. Maybe I should increase them, ya know?" he teased.

Naruto grumbled something about "stupid weights."

"You all did great," Kaito continued. "Especially you, Hinata-chan. You had the fewest hits." He grinned as he patted her head.

Hinata blushed at the praise, ducking her head shyly.

"Great job, Hinata," Hotaru praised, giving her little sister a hug.

Karin cheered for Hinata. "Good job, Hinata!" she said, patting her on the back, to which Hinata smiled.

"Well, as promised, I'll buy the winner whatever they want," Kaito said, looking at Hinata. "So, Hinata-chan, what would you like?"

Hinata looked up at him shyly. "Ano... it's okay, Kaito-nii."

Hotaru put an arm around her shoulder. "How about cinnamon rolls? Your favorite?"

Hinata nodded shyly.

"Well then, let's get you some cinnamon rolls," Kaito said as he led them out of the training ground toward the village.

After picking up some cinnamon rolls and taiyaki for the others, Kaito walked behind the group with Hotaru as they reached the Hyuga clan compound.

Neji, Naruto, Karin, and Hinata were chatting among themselves as they enjoyed their treats.

Upon arriving at the Hyuga compound, Neji turned to Kaito and asked, "Can I join your training again?"

Hinata nodded eagerly. "Ano... c-can I come t-too?"

Naruto beamed at them, giving a thumbs-up. "You're more than welcome, ya know!"

Karin nodded in agreement.

Kaito smiled. "Yeah, sure, if you guys want to."

Hotaru added, "I can bring them tomorrow."

Looking up at the darkening clouds, Kaito remarked, "Looks like it's going to rain. See you guys tomorrow," as he turned to walk home.

After quickly saying goodbye to Hinata, Hotaru, and Neji, Naruto and Karin caught up with him as they continued heading back.

Reaching the Uzumaki residence, Kaito followed Naruto and Karin into the house. "Mom, we're back!" he called.

Suddenly, Kaito paused mid-step, his eyes widening. "Shit..." he muttered, as he received his clone's memories. Without hesitation, he quickly teleported out of the house.

Kushina emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Looking up, she said, "Welcome back, guys..." She paused, looking puzzled. "Huh? Didn't your brother come in with you two? I could have sworn I heard Kai-kun," she asked, confusion evident on her face.

Naruto turned to his mother, equally baffled. "What are you talking about? He was right behind us..." His voice trailed off as he realized Kaito wasn't there.

Karin noticed the open door and Kaito's absence. "Maybe he left to do something," she suggested.

Kushina's expression shifted from confusion to concern. "Kaito-kun wouldn't leave without telling me unless it was an emergency," she thought to herself.

…

"It seems we can't prevent the Uchiha coup d'état. If a civil war erupts in the Leaf Village, the other villages will invade for sure. A new shinobi war would break out," Shisui said, standing on a cliff facing Itachi as he coughed up blood.

Shisui looked weak; his left eye was closed, and blood was trickling down his face from the empty socket.

Itachi, seeing Shisui's condition, stepped forward to support him. "Shisui, there's..."

Shisui cut him off. "When I tried to stop the coup with Kotoamatsukami, Danzo stole my left eye. That man doesn't trust me at all. He intends to protect the village his own way, no matter what it takes or how it looks. I suspect he'll come after my right eye next, so I'll give it to you before he has the chance." Shisui plucked out his right eye and held it out to Itachi.

Itachi stared in shock. "Shisui, you can't..."

Holding out his hand, Shisui insisted, "You're the only one I can count on, my best friend. Protect the village and the Uchiha name—both of them."

Tears welled up in Itachi's eyes, but he nodded, his Sharingan activated. He took the eye from Shisui. "Alright, I accept it. What will you do now?"

"If I die, many things will change. I've left a note," Shisui said as he walked backward, edging closer to the cliff's edge.

Itachi realized what was happening and called out, "Shisui, wait..."

But Shisui interrupted, "Don't try to stop me, Itachi." He smiled one last time before leaning back and falling off the cliff into the river below.

Itachi lunged forward, trying to grab Shisui as he fell, but he was too late. He watched helplessly as Shisui disappeared over the edge, shouting, "Shisui!" His hand reached out, but he was too far away.

Kaito Akaden Chapter 126

Kaito Akaden Chapter 126

Hey everyone, I'm changing the fanfic name from 'Kaito' to 'Kaito Akaden.' Don't worry, I'm still the same author, I just felt that the new name suits the story better than just plain 'Kaito,' ya know? So, going forward, it will be 'Kaito Akaden.' P.S. 'Akaden' means 'Red Lightning,' which is Kaito's signature jutsu.

Kaito paid them no mind as he reached for Ao's left eye. As he attempted to extract it, a seal activated, blocking his efforts.

"Tsk," Kaito clicked his tongue, tearing through the seal to reveal the Byakugan hidden beneath.

Shisui landed behind him, concern evident in his voice. "Kaito, what are you doing? This wasn't part of our mission."

Anko and the other shinobi arrived moments later, eyes wide as they took in the scene.

Calmly, Kaito plucked the Byakugan from Ao's eye socket. "Just taking back what doesn't belong to Kiri," he said, showing the eye to Shisui.

Retrieving a sealing scroll, he secured the eye within it. Turning to Shisui, he asked, "Can you alter their memories? Make them think he lost the eye to a rogue shinobi on their way here?"

Shisui sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I can do that." Activating his Sharingan, he cast a genjutsu over the captured Kiri shinobi, altering their memories as requested.

….

The sky over the Hidden Leaf Village began to darken, heavy clouds gathering as rain threatened to fall.

In the Hokage’s office, four individuals stood before the Third Hokage, delivering their mission report.

Hiruzen sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair, listening intently as he took a drag from his pipe.

“That’s all, Hokage-sama,” Shisui concluded, finishing the rundown of their mission.

Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowing slightly. “So, they were sent to create disturbances in the Land of Fire to keep us distracted?”

Shisui nodded. "Yes. Going through some of their memories, it seems they were ordered to make themselves appear strong and to hide any internal issues they might have."

The Third Hokage took another puff from his pipe. "I see." He then turned his sharp gaze toward Kaito. "kaito why did you attack the Kiri shinobi? I specifically instructed that this situation should not be escalated."

Kaito gave a casual shrug. "The Kiri shinobi had a Byakugan. That would have given Kiri an advantage, especially since we had no idea they possessed it. I didn’t want one of Konoha's kekkei genkai falling into their hands, and it could be a real threat if used against us. Besides, I knew Shisui could alter their memories, I’ve worked with Itachi before, so I was confident in that."

Hiruzen studied Kaito for a long moment, his eyes sharp and calculating. Finally, he nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke from his pipe. "I take it you'll be handing it over to the Hyuga clan, then?" he said, already assuming Kaito's course of action. "Very well, see to it. I expect a written report on my desk by tomorrow. The rest of you, except for Shisui, are dismissed."

Shisui remained standing while the others bowed respectfully. "Hai, Hokage-sama," they responded in unison, with Kaito adding, "Hai, Sandaime-sama," before they turned and filed out of the office.

As they walked out, Kaito couldn’t help but think, The old monkey’s definitely keeping Shisui back to discuss the Uchiha clan's situation. With a quiet sigh, he made his way toward the exit.

That’s when Kaito felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and heard an irritated voice snap, "Hey, brat, where do you think you’re going?"

Turning around, he saw the hand belonged to Anko. Kaito tilted his head, confusion clear on his face. “Huh?” he asked, genuinely puzzled about what she wanted.

Anko looked even more annoyed. “What do you mean, ‘huh’? You promised to remove this damn seal, you brat!” she practically shouted, her hand gripping the back of her neck.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Oh, right! I completely forgot about that," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, which only made Anko’s eye twitch in irritation.

Thinking quickly, Kaito tried to placate her. “Alright, how about this? Come over to my place for dinner. I’ll need to let my mom know first. Also, you might want to clear your schedule for the rest of the week, just in case the removal knocks you out for more than a day or two.”

Anko hesitated, looking a bit awkward. “Uh... I think it’s fine. I’ll come over after dinner; I don’t want to intrude.”

"Mom won’t mind," Kaito assured her. He then asked, “You know where I live, right?” When Anko nodded, he continued, “Great. Be there by 7:30. That’ll give you a few hours to clear your schedule and freshen up.”

They continued talking as they exited the Hokage building.

Anko gave a final nod. "Alright, I’ll be there," she said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Kaito let out a sigh, and with a body flicker, he vanished as well.

Hopping from one tree to another, Kaito made his way toward the Hyuga clan compound.

Landing gracefully in front of the gate, he entered, waving lazily at the guards with a smile. "Hey there, Iroha-san, Hoheto-san. Is Hiashi-sama in?"

The two guards nodded in response, and Hoheto replied, "Oh, hey there, Kaito-san. Yes, Hiashi-sama should be in his house right now."

Kaito nodded back. "Mind if I go in to see him? I have something I need to discuss."

Iroha gave him a nod and said, "You don't need to ask, Kaito-san. You’re an honored guest of the Hyuga clan."

Kaito grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks," he said with a slight bow. "I appreciate it." With that, he walked past them, heading toward the clan head's house.

As Kaito approached the house, he sensed the presence of Hotaru, Hinata, Hiashi, Hitomi, and even little Hanabi, along with Hizashi and Neji.

He raised an eyebrow at sensing Hizashi and Neji there but quickly shrugged it off; after all, Hizashi was Hiashi’s brother.

Reaching the door, Kaito knocked and waited.

A moment later, the door opened to reveal Hitomi. Upon seeing Kaito, she smiled warmly. "Ah, Kaito-kun! It's so good to see you. How have you been? Didn't I tell you to visit us more often?"

Kaito returned an awkward smile at the affection in her voice. "It's good to see you too, Lady Hitomi. We've been well. I hope you and Hanabi-chan are doing alright. I’m sorry I haven’t visited; I've been busy with missions, ya know"

Hitomi smiled and ushered him in. "Come in, don’t just stand outside. Can I get you some water?" Kaito nodded, and she led him inside.

Handing Kaito a glass of water, Hitomi continued, "We’ve been well, thank you for asking. I heard and you must have just gotten back from a mission by the looks of it. Are you here to see Hotaru-chan?" she asked with a teasing glint in her eyes as she led him to the dining table.

Kaito scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yes, I just got back from a mission, but I’m actually here to see Hiashi-sama," he replied, taking a sip of the water.

Hitomi stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oh? Here to see my husband? Isn't it a bit early to ask for my daughter’s hand in marriage, Kaito-kun?" she said with a mock-bewildered expression.

Kaito choked violently on his water, coughing and thumping his chest a few times to clear it. Finally getting his breath back, he frantically waved his hands. "It's not like that, Lady Hitomi! I'm here to see Hiashi-sama about something else!"

Hitomi couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth as she giggled. "Calm down, Kaito-kun, I was just teasing you."

Kaito let out a deep sigh, though he was a bit annoyed. "Right... So, can I see him?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Still smiling, she nodded and led him toward the courtyard of the house.

As they reached the courtyard, Kaito saw Hiashi and Hizashi standing on the porch, watching as Hotaru sparred with both Neji and Hinata.

Hiashi stood on the porch, cradling a baby in his arms, while Hizashi had his hands clasped behind his back.

Hotaru, Neji, and Hinata, their Byakugan activated, were fully focused on their sparring session. However, Hotaru caught sight of Kaito and tilted her head curiously. "Huh? Kai-kun?" she called out, stopping the spar. Her gaze then shifted to Kaito and Hitomi, prompting both Hiashi and Hizashi to turn their attention to him as well.

Kaito approached them and gave a slight bow. "Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "Kaito-san, what brings you here?" he asked.

Hitomi, now standing beside her husband, gently took the baby from his arms. "Oh, Kaito-kun came here to see you, dear," she said. Then, with that familiar mischievous glint in her eye, Kaito could already tell she was about to say something embarrassing. "He’s here to ask for your permission to marry Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru's face instantly turned beet red. "W-What?! M-Mom, K-Kai-kun!" she stammered, practically steaming at the ears.

Hinata, eyes wide, whispered in a meek voice, "Hotaru-nee is getting married?" Her cheeks flushed as the words sank in.

Neji nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "Well, Kaito-san is strong, and Hotaru-san does have a crush on him, so it does make sense," he mused, nodding to himself as if confirming his own reasoning.

Kaito sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ‘Hitomi-san's antics are almost as bad as mom’s...’ he thought, dreading what might happen if the two of them ever joined forces.

Hizashi simply watched the scene unfold, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Hiashi cleared his throat, casting a stern look at his wife. "As amusing as that might be," he said, shooting a quick glare at Hitomi, "I believe Kaito-san is here for something else."

Kaito sighed and stepped forward. "Yes, Hiashi-sama. I’m here to give you this," he said, handing Hiashi a sealing scroll. "During my recent mission, we encountered a Kiri shinobi who possessed a Byakugan."

Hinata gasped, covering her mouth, while Hotaru’s expression turned serious. Neji, on the other hand, looked contemplative and confused.

The room fell into stunned silence until Hitomi spoke up. "How could this be? All Byakugan are sealed after the person dies!"

Kaito shrugged. "It’s possible it was taken while the Hyuga clan member was still alive, or it might have belonged to a main branch member who died during the Third Shinobi War. I’m not entirely sure, but I managed to retrieve the eye from him."

Hiashi nodded, his expression grave. "Thank you, Kaito-san, on behalf of the Hyuga clan, for recovering the stolen Byakugan," he said, offering a slight bow in gratitude.

Kaito gave a respectful bow. "It's alright, Hiashi-sama. I'll be leaving now," he said calmly.

Before he could take a step, Hitomi intervened. "Oh, please stay for dinner, Kaito-kun. It’s the least we can do for everything you've done for us."

Kaito scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. "I'm sorry, Lady Hitomi, but I'm afraid I can't. I promised someone I’d help them with something, and I haven't even informed my mom yet. But I'd love to join you another time," he said, politely declining the offer.

Hitomi nodded, though a bit disappointed. "Ah, that’s a shame. How about the day after tomorrow at 7, then? Your whole family is welcome," she proposed, glancing at Hiashi. He gave a slight nod in agreement. "Yes, that sounds good."

Kaito nodded back. "I'll let Mom know and confirm as soon as possible," he replied as he began to walk toward the exit.

Hotaru quickly followed him to the front door. "Kai-kun, training tomorrow at the usual time?" she asked, now fully recovered from her mother’s teasing.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, bring Hinata and Neji along. They can train with Naruto and Karin," he said, getting an enthusiastic nod from Hotaru.

With a final wave to her, Kaito disappeared in a body flicker.

….

After showering, Kaito came out of his room, a towel draped over his head as he dried his hair. He made his way toward the kitchen, drawn in by the delicious aroma filling the house.

Upon entering, he saw his mother, Kushina, placing a pot of curry on the table while Karin helped with the plating.

"Mm, that smells amazing, Mom. What did you make?" Kaito asked, breathing in the scent.

Kushina smiled warmly. "I made katsu curry with miso soup," she replied proudly.

Naruto, growing impatient, whined, "Come on, Mom, how much longer? I’m starving, ya know!"

"We’re having a guest over, Naru-chan, so be patient, ya know!" Kushina chided playfully. She glanced at the clock. "What time did you say she’d be here, Kaito?"

"I told her to be here by 7:30," Kaito replied, looking at the clock, which now read 7:40.

Just then, they heard a knock on the door. "That must be her," Kaito said. "I’ll get it, Mom." He walked over to the door.

Opening it, he was met with Anko, who looked noticeably annoyed.

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Why do you look so annoyed?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Anko grumbled something under her breath about the Anbu.

Kaito shrugged, figuring the Anbu might have questioned her about why she was here. "Come on in," he said, leading her to the dining room.

“Mom, this is Anko Mitarashi,” Kaito introduced, gesturing to Anko. Then he turned to Anko, adding, “And this is my mother, Kushina Uzumaki. Those two are Naruto and Karin Uzumaki.”

Kushina smiled warmly and ushered Anko to the table. "Ah, you’re just in time, ya know!"

Anko smiled nervously and gave a slight bow. "Thank you for inviting me to your home, Lady Kushina, and for helping me with the seal."

Kushina waved her hand. "It’s alright, Anko-chan. We’re happy to help!"

As they began eating, Naruto and Karin eagerly started asking Anko about her missions. She entertained them with stories of some of her most thrilling mission while Kushina listened with a smile. Meanwhile, Kaito sat quietly, lost in thoughts.

After dinner, one of Kaito’s clones took care of the dishes while Kushina put Naruto and Karin to bed. Once they were settled, she returned to the kitchen to help clean up.

Kaito stood up, stretching slightly. "Alright, let's get this over with," he said, glancing at Anko as he moved toward the sealing room.

Anko followed him, entering the room quietly. Kaito walked over to a table, pulling out several scrolls. "Anko-san, please sit in the center," he instructed.

She did as told, then asked, "So, how is this going to work?"

While preparing the ink, Kaito said calmly, "First, take off your shirt."

Anko's eyes went wide, and she immediately jumped up, covering her chest with her arms. "You—you perverted brat!" she shouted, pointing a finger at him.

Kaito blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes. "Do you want the seal removed or not?" he asked flatly.

Hearing the commotion, Kushina walked in. "What’s all the shouting about, Anko-chan?" she asked, glancing between the two.

Anko, still flustered, pointed at Kaito. "He’s asking me to take off my shirt!"

Kushina sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Anko-chan, for the sealing to work, the kanji need to be painted directly onto your skin. For that, you’ll need to be... well, topless."

Anko's face turned red as she sputtered, "Then why can’t you do it?"

Kushina smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Anko-chan. I’m the one who’s going to paint the kanji on you, but Kaito will be the one performing the actual sealing."

Anko looked incredulous. "Why can’t you do both?" she asked, frustration evident in her voice.

Kaito sighed, trying to keep his cool. "She can't," he explained patiently. "Her chakra coils are damaged." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a blindfold. "Here, I'll use this," he said, holding it out to her. "I’ll blindfold myself, okay?"

He then tied the blindfold around his eyes.

Anko frowned, clearly still confused and frustrated. "How are you going to do the sealing if you can't see? I don’t want to die if you mess this up!"

Kaito let out a slow breath. "Trust me, I’ve practiced enough that I can do the sealing by sensing chakra alone. You’ll be safe, I promise."

Kushina sighed, understanding Anko's hesitation. "Don't worry, Anko. I’ll make sure he doesn’t make any mistakes. You can trust us, ya know."

Anko glanced between the two for a moment, then grumbled under her breath before sitting down and reluctantly taking off her shirt.

Kushina examined the seal on Anko’s neck, her expression turning serious. "This is a nasty piece of work. What was the old man thinking? He should have brought you to me sooner."

Kaito nodded as he brought the ink over. "The worst part is, there's a fragment of Orochimaru's soul embedded in it."

Anko’s eyes widened in horror. "W-What?!" she stammered, looking back and forth between Kaito and Kushina.

Kushina's lips tightened into a thin line. "Yeah. That madman really went too far with this... this abomination of a seal, ya know."

Anko, now visibly worried, asked, "You can remove it, right?"

Kushina gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course. This seal is nothing an Uzumaki can't handle. Now, stay still."

For the next ten minutes, Kushina carefully painted the kanji on Anko’s skin, the symbols trailing from her neck down her body and onto a scroll that contained the seal matrix.

Kushina stood up, wiping her hands. "Alright, Kai-kun, you’re up."

Kaito nodded, moving to sit in front of the sealing scroll. "Okay, brace yourself. This is going to hurt... a lot."

Anko took a deep breath. "Bring it. I can—ahhhh!" Her words turned into a scream as Kaito slammed his hand onto the seal matrix, initiating the sealing process.

The entire procedure took about two minutes, and by the end, Anko slumped to the ground, completely unconscious.

Kushina glanced at Kaito with a deadpan expression. "Did you really have to do it when she wasn't ready?"

Kaito just shrugged, offering a tired smile. "I'm exhausted, Mom. I just wanted to get this over with."

Kushina sighed, walking over to Anko to help put her shirt back on. "Fine. But you can sleep after you carry her to the guest room."

Kaito Chapter 125

Kaito Chapter 125

Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, I’m glad both of you managed to escape that ordeal unharmed."

He then glanced at the book in Kaito's hands. "It will be difficult for you now that there’s a price on your head."

Kaito closed the book and handed it over to Homura. "I don’t think things would be much different if people knew I could use Hiraishin. It might even serve as a deterrent."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Yes, that might be the case. Your father’s use of that jutsu is quite well-known."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door, and Hiruzen called out, "Enter!"

A familiar black-haired teen walked in, followed by an unfamiliar-looking Anko and a few other shinobi. It was Shisui, standing at the front. He bowed slightly and said, "You asked for us, Hokage-sama?"

….

Kaito sat on the front porch, slipping his sandals on as the front door of the house creaked open. His mother, Kushina, stepped out, holding a packed bento in her left hand while keeping her right hand hidden behind her back.

Kaito finished putting on his sandals and stood up, turning to face her.

"Here you go, Kai-kun!" Kushina said, handing him the bento with a warm smile. "I packed you some lunch for later." Then, with a gleeful grin, she brought her right hand forward, revealing a large bowl brimming with takoyaki. "And I made you some takoyaki to snack on!"

Kaito couldn't help but grin back. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best." He took the bento and sealed it away for later, then eagerly grabbed a piece of takoyaki. Popping one into his mouth, his eyes lit up. "Mmm, these are so good, Mom!"

Kushina's grin widened. "I'm glad you like them, Kai-kun."

Kaito popped another piece into his mouth, nodding as he chewed. "See you later, Mom," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the food. With a quick wave, he turned and started walking away.

"Good luck on your mission, Kai-kun! Do your best, ya know!" Kushina called after him, her voice filled with a mix of pride and affection.

Kaito hopped leisurely from one tree to another, heading towards the main gates of Konoha while enjoying a large bowl of takoyaki.

Finishing the last piece, he let out a loud burp and licked his lips in satisfaction. before, he teleported the empty bowl to a hiraishin marker in his house. It was a variation of the Hiraishin technique that his father had created, allowing him to send objects without needing to teleport himself along with them.

Picking up his pace, he reached the main gate of Konoha within a few minutes.

Landing near the entrance, Kaito spotted Shisui standing with the assigned team. Walking over, he gave a short wave. "Yo, guys."

Shisui, who was in the middle of a conversation with one of the chunin on the mission, turned at Kaito’s voice. With a teasing grin, he said, "Well, look who finally showed up—the resident S-rank shinobi!" He was poking fun at the threat level Kumo had assigned to Kaito.

Anko, standing nearby with her hands lazily behind her head, grumbled. "What took you so long, brat?"

Kaito scratched the back of his head sheepishly, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, kinda woke up late, ya know."

Shisui just chuckled. "Alright, let's get going, shall we?" They all nodded and followed him towards the village guards.

The four-man team left the village, heading west and hopping from tree to tree. Shisui took the lead, as he was the mission's designated leader.

Jumping to another branch, Kaito’s mind drifted back to yesterday’s mission briefing.

Shisui had entered the room with Anko and another shinobi Kaito didn’t recognize. They stood beside Kaito in the Hokage’s office as Hiruzen puffed out a plume of smoke and said, "Good, you’re all here."

Hiruzen then began, "We’ve received reports of disturbances near our border with the Land of Water."

Koharu continued, "Some of Konoha’s border patrol have gone missing, and there have been skirmishes with Kirigakure shinobi near the border."

Homura added, "We want you to investigate and, if possible, push back the Kiri shinobi."

Hiruzen took a deep breath, then said, "That’s why we’ve chosen you for this mission. We’re hoping that your presence alone will be enough to deter them."

He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out over the village. After another puff of smoke, he sighed, "The village cannot afford a war with Kiri right now."

Turning back to the assembled shinobi, Hiruzen continued, "Shisui, you will lead this squad. You leave tomorrow. Dismissed."

Shisui nodded, a confident glint in his eye. "Leave it to us, Hokage-sama," he said with a slight bow.

Anko and the other shinobi bowed deeply, while Kaito gave a respectful nod before following Shisui out of the office.

After two days of travel, they finally reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. Settling around a campfire, they took a moment to rest and plan.

Shisui, looking at the group, began, "As you’ve been told, most of the attacks happen at night. So, we’ll split into two teams." He crouched down and started drawing a map in the dirt with a stick. "Each attack has been carried out simultaneously."

He pointed to a spot on the makeshift map. "This is the nearest border post to the Land of Water. We’ll be patrolling this area." Moving the stick to another point, he continued, "Once we get there, we’ll split into two teams to scout and set traps. We’ll meet back here afterward."

Looking up at the group, Shisui added, "Our goal is to ambush the Kiri team."

Kaito, Anko, and Misaki nodded in agreement with the plan.

Seeing their readiness, Shisui nodded back. "Alright, scatter!"

With that, they split off, heading towards their designated locations in the darkening forest.

Kaito and Anko had just finished setting traps in the western area.

Standing up, Kaito glanced at Anko. "Hey, what’s with that curse seal on you?" he asked casually, acting as though he didn’t already know.

Anko, who was a few steps ahead setting another trap, froze. Her hand instinctively went to her neck, where Orochimaru's mark was hidden. She jumped away from Kaito, eyes narrowing. "How do you know about that?" she demanded.

Kaito shrugged. "I can sense it. It disrupts your chakra and stands out from your chakra signature," he replied. He wasn’t lying—Kagura’s Mind’s Eye allowed him to pick up on such things.

Anko glared at him. "It's none of your business, brat."

Kaito shrugged again. "I could take a guess. You were Orochimaru’s student before he defected, right? He must’ve been the one who put it on you."

Anko's glare intensified, her eyes becoming moist with anger. Without a word, she threw a kunai at him, shouting, "Like I said, it’s none of your business!"

Kaito lazily caught the kunai mid-air, twirling it around his finger. "Poison-laced, huh? You really shouldn’t be throwing this kind of thing around so carelessly."

Before Anko could respond, chakra chains burst out from Kaito's back, wrapping around her and pinning her in place. The sudden move caught her completely off guard.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Anko struggled, her face now showing fear as she fought against the chains. "I’ll kill you once I get free!"

Kaito calmly brought her closer. "Relax. I’m just going to take a look." He glanced at her, his expression serious. "And besides, what makes you think you can break free? Not even the Nine-Tails could get out of these chains."

Anko stiffened as Kaito brought her closer and moved her collar aside to examine the seal.

Looking at it, Kaito frowned. "What kind of lousy seal is this? Orochimaru really doesn’t know how to make a proper one, does he?" he muttered, inspecting the mark. "And who put this Fūja Hōin on top of it? That’s just stupid."

After carefully studying the seal, Kaito released Anko, who immediately jumped back into a defensive stance.

"What I don’t get," Kaito began, eyeing her curiously, "is why you haven’t removed it yet."

Anko scoffed, her hand instinctively going to her neck. "You think they haven’t tried? I’m stuck with this thing until I die."

Kaito tilted his head. "Huh? Who said that?"

Getting irritated, Anko snapped, "Who else? The Third Hokage, you idiot!"

Kaito shook his head, a hint of disbelief on his face. "Who died and made the Third a seal master?" He sighed. "Let me guess, he’s the one who placed the Fūja Hōin on it? The old man thinks he knows seals, but he really shouldn't mess with them if he doesn’t know what he’s doing."

Anko snorted. "Like you could do any better."

Kaito shrugged. "Of course I can. Unlike the old man, I am a seal master. Just looking at this one, I can already see several ways to remove it."

He shook his head in annoyance. "Mom could’ve removed it easily. But instead, the old man decided to play seal master."

Anko’s eyes narrowed, anger flaring. "Don’t talk about things you know nothing about, brat."

Kaito simply shrugged again. "I could remove it right now, but it would leave you in a coma for a few days since it’s connected to your chakra network."

Anko’s expression shifted, a mixture of disbelief and hope. "You… you really mean it? You can remove it?" she asked, her voice unexpectedly vulnerable.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah. But let’s focus on finishing this mission first." He turned and began walking in the opposite direction. "Once we get back to Konoha, I’ll take care of it." With that, he leapt onto a nearby tree and started moving away.

Anko stood there for a moment, holding her neck, then quickly chased after him.

Landing on top of a tree, Kaito held out his hand, signaling Anko to stop. Closing his eyes, he used the Mind’s Eye of Kagura to sense the Kiri shinobi.

Anko halted on the same branch, looking at him with a frown. "Why did we stop, brat?"

Kaito focused for a moment and sensed a six-man squad moving toward the east, right in the direction of the Konoha border patrol. Opening his eyes, he said, "I sense them coming from the east. We need to inform Shisui." Without waiting, he leaped in that direction, with Anko following close behind.

As they moved, Kaito glanced at her. "You know, we’re not that far apart in age. Why do you keep calling me a brat?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Anko shrugged with a grin. "You’re still younger than me, so you’re a brat."

Kaito shook his head and picked up his speed, leaving her behind. "Hey!" Anko yelled in protest as she tried to catch up.

Reaching Shisui, Kaito quickly reported, "They’re heading toward the border post from the east."

Shisui nodded. "Then we’ll ambush them there."

As they closed in on the Kiri shinobi, Kaito muttered, "They’re about 1.5 kilometers away from us."

Shisui raised his hand, and they all came to a halt. "I’ll cast a genjutsu on them from here. It might be enough to make them retreat," he said calmly.

Anko blinked in surprise. "You can cast a genjutsu from 1.5 kilometers away? Don’t you Uchiha need eye contact for that?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes, I can. It depends on the caster. The more powerful ones usually don’t need eye contact."

Kaito, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, closed his eyes. "It's worth a try. Less work for us," he said, a smirk on his face.

Kaito closed his eyes, using the Mind’s Eye of Kagura to sense the movements of the Kiri team approaching their position. He could feel Shisui placing one of them under a genjutsu, and soon after, one of the Kiri shinobi dropped to the ground, clutching his head in pain.

The rest of the Kiri team stopped immediately, rushing over to their fallen comrade. Their leader looked sharply in Kaito and Shisui’s direction.

Kaito’s focus zeroed in on the leader, his senses picking up something strange about the man's left eye. His eyes widened slightly as he realized it—it was a Byakugan. He hadn't noticed before, but now he was certain: the leader of the Kiri squad possessed a Byakugan.

Opening his eyes, Kaito stared intently in their direction and thought, "That must be Ao, one of Terumi Mei’s bodyguards."

"That should do it," Shisui said, satisfied with his genjutsu. But before he could finish his sentence, Kaito body-flickered away, rushing toward the Kiri team.

"Fast!" Anko thought, her eyes widening as she saw Kaito body-flicker toward the Kiri shinobi.

"Damn it, Kaito!" Shisui cursed, immediately chasing after him, with Anko and the others following close behind.

Kaito reached the Kiri shinobi before they could move their injured comrade. The moment he appeared, chakra chains erupted from him, wrapping around all six of them.

They struggled against the bindings, shouting, "What the—?" "How?" "Damn it!"

Ignoring their protests, Kaito pulled Ao closer. "Let go of us, you Konoha scum!" one of the Kiri shinobi yelled.

Kaito paid them no mind as he reached for Ao's left eye. As he attempted to extract it, a seal activated, blocking his efforts.

"Tsk," Kaito clicked his tongue, tearing through the seal to reveal the Byakugan hidden beneath.

Shisui landed behind him, concern evident in his voice. "Kaito, what are you doing? This wasn't part of our mission."

Anko and the other shinobi arrived moments later, eyes wide as they took in the scene.

Calmly, Kaito plucked the Byakugan from Ao's eye socket. "Just taking back what doesn't belong to Kiri," he said, showing the eye to Shisui.

Retrieving a sealing scroll, he secured the eye within it. Turning to Shisui, he asked, "Can you alter their memories? Make them think he lost the eye to a rogue shinobi on their way here?"

Shisui sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I can do that." Activating his Sharingan, he cast a genjutsu over the captured Kiri shinobi, altering their memories as requested.

Kaito Chapter 124

Kaito Chapter 124

Kushina stirred awake, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. They were puffy from crying all night, and she had requested that both Naruto and Kaito sleep with her, feeling vulnerable after learning the truth about her clan’s betrayal. She had wanted to hold her sons close while she slept.

Looking at Kaito, she offered a faint smile and asked, “Ah… didn’t you sleep,” She walked over to him, sat down beside him, and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. she asked ” Kai-kun? What’s on your mind? You know you can tell me, right?”

Kaito sighed, his expression heavy. “Lady Tsunade left, Mum.”

Kushina’s smile faltered, and she gently pulled away, concern etched on her face. “Don’t worry, Kai-kun. She just needs time to think. I’m sure she’ll come back, ya know?”

….

Kaito leaped back just in the nick of time as a massive lightning dragon crashed onto the spot where he'd been standing moments before. He landed on a tree branch, his sandals skidding slightly as he came to a halt in a small clearing. Glancing back at the direction he’d come from, his eyes narrowed.

Standing on a nearby branch was a tall, dark-skinned man with a broad, muscular frame. His full head of white hair flowed down his back, accompanied by a long beard. He wore the distinctive single-strap flak jacket of Kumogakure, with no shirt beneath, and a thick rope tied around his waist. Dark blue sweatpants completed the look. This was none other than A, the Third Raikage.

The Raikage chuckled deeply. "Hahaha, look around you, brat. You're surrounded. Kumogakure will win this war, no matter what!" As he spoke, Kaito quickly scanned the area. Sure enough, Kumogakure shinobi filled the trees all around, leaving him no room to escape.

"And when we do win," the Raikage continued with a wicked grin, "I'll make sure to take all of Konoha’s kekkei genkai back to Kumogakure." He laughed darkly, and the Kumo shinobi around him echoed his amusement.

Some of them even shouted, “Yeah! We’ll take all your women back to Kumogakure too!”

Kaito's left eye twitched as his gaze narrowed, hearing those words. His left hand slipped into his ninja pouch, while his right hand gripped a tri-pronged kunai, ready for action.

He quickly retrieved a handful of kunai and shuriken, tossing them into the air in a wide arc. As soon as they left his hand, they multiplied into several hundred using the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.

The kunai and shuriken embedded themselves in the trees and the ground, encircling the clearing and the branches where the Kumo shinobi stood. They flew past the Kumo shinobi without hitting them, scattering randomly across the battlefield.

The Raikage laughed, his voice dripping with derision. "Was that your last desperate attack? How far Konoha’s standards have fallen!" He pointed at Kaito with a sneer. "This is your end!" Cloaking himself in his lightning armor, the Raikage charged at Kaito with blinding speed, intent on finishing him off.

Just as the Raikage's fist was about to connect, Kaito vanished.

Suddenly, the battlefield erupted with streaks of red. A blur cut down every Kumo shinobi in its path, appearing and disappearing so swiftly that no one could comprehend it before it was too late.

In a flash of red, Kaito reappeared right in front of the Raikage, plunging a kunai crackling with red lightning into his chest. In a low voice, Kaito muttered, "Hiraishingiri – Level 2."

The Raikage's lightning cloak flickered and fizzled out as he slumped to the ground, gasping, "A-Akai... S-Senkō..."

Kaito relaxed his posture and glanced back at the fallen form of the Raikage, panting heavily.

Suddenly, the Raikage's body dissipated into a puff of smoke, followed by all the surrounding Kumo shinobi, revealing them to be Kaito’s shadow clones, transformed to look like enemy ninjas.

Exhausted, Kaito collapsed onto the ground, staring up at the sky while trying to catch his breath.

Thanks to his durability seal—something he had created himself—the clones were able to take far more damage than normal and held chakra reserves equivalent to at least a jonin-level shinobi. Combined with his skills, it made for a deadly training simulation.

Kaito had instructed his clones to go all out against him, and they had done just that. However, with their own personalities, they decided to play the role of Kumo ninja led by the Third Raikage.

Since Kaito already knew the speed of the Fourth Raikage, the clones had kept a similar pace for the Third.

There were strict rules for this exercise: the clones weren’t allowed to use their own shadow clones or the Hiraishin technique. Kaito, on the other hand, was limited to using only Hiraishin to face all of them. This was a test to sharpen his proficiency with the technique.

Kaito closed his eyes, steadying his breath as he reflected on the past six months.

After Tsunade had left, he, his team, and his family decided there was no point in staying at Degerashi Port any longer, so they left. Tsunade hadn’t outright rejected the position of Hokage, but she had simply walked away without giving them an answer.

Kaito and Shikaku had considered various candidates to step in as the Fifth Hokage, but none seemed ideal.

Jiraiya had been a strong option, but he had already turned down the position twice before and hadn't remained in the village since Orochimaru’s defection. Kaito knew Jiraiya wasn't the best choice either, given his foolish beliefs and lack of interest in leadership.

Shikaku was another possibility. While a brilliant strategist and leader, Shikaku himself admitted he wasn’t at a Kage’s combat level. His appointment might give other villages dangerous ideas about launching an attack.

That left Fugaku Uchiha as the only real option, but making him Hokage would be difficult, especially given the current circumstances.

And speaking of the situation—things had worsened. Itachi had confirmed that the Uchiha clan was indeed planning a coup d'état. They had already begun stockpiling weapons and armor in preparation.

itachi had told him that Shisui had informed the Hokage and his advisors about the impending coup, confirming the dire state of affairs.

Itachi was also acting as a double agent, working both for the Uchiha clan and the Hokage, so he had intimate knowledge of the situation.

Time was running out, and Kaito felt lost, unsure of the right course of action.

He had only one real option: help the Uchiha clan execute the coup. But in his mind, the plan would involve only killing the Hokage and his advisors.

If he and Itachi worked together, they could eliminate the Third Hokage and his council without too much difficulty. With Hiraishin, Kaito could discreetly mark the targets and teleport them far from Konoha, making it easy to kill them and make it seem as though they had simply vanished.

Kaito sighed in frustration.

Just then, he heard the cry of a hawk from above.

Sighing again, he stood up and teleported to the head of his father’s statue atop the Hokage Monument. In the next instant, he flickered away, reappearing beside the window of the Hokage’s office.

Peering through, he saw several figures seated inside, including Koharu, Homura, and Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. They were gathered around the table, with Hiruzen puffing calmly on his smoking pipe.

Kaito knocked lightly on the window, then opened it, asking, "You called, Lord Third?"

Hiruzen nodded, smiling warmly. "Ah, Kaito-kun, come in. You're rather early—I only just sent out the summons."

"I was nearby when I received it, Lord Third," Kaito said as he stepped into the office, only for Koharu and Homura to immediately chastise him for entering through the window.

Kaito didn’t bother greeting the two elders, as he wasn’t particularly fond of them.

Koharu huffed, "Is this any way to enter the office of your village leader?"

Homura added, "This is highly disrespectful to the Hokage’s authority. I expected better from Minato’s son."

Hiruzen waved them off, chuckling. "It’s quite alright. Jiraiya and my other students used to do the same."

Kaito simply deadpanned, staring at them with clear boredom. Inwardly, he thought, Maybe I should just kill them now and be done with it. He could sense about five Anbu nearby, none of whom were particularly strong.

Hiruzen turned to Kaito, his tone more relaxed. "It's been a while, how have you been, how’s Kushina, Naruto-kun, and Karin-chan? If i’m not mistaken they started at the academy this term."

Kaito nodded. "They’re doing well, Lord Third. Mum's keeping busy. With Naruto in school, she has a lot more time to work on developing new seals. As for Naruto and Karin, yes, they started at the academy this year. Naruto’s finding it hard to focus in class—says he’s bored—but other than that, they’re both doing fine. Karin’s adapted to life in Konoha well, and she’s even made some friends, mostly through Naruto."

"Ah, that’s good to hear," Hiruzen replied, puffing out a plume of smoke. "I’m glad you’re all doing well, my boy."

Kaito tilted his head slightly and got straight to the point. "Was I called here for a mission, Lord Third?" He then glanced at the two elders, thinking to himself, If this is about a mission, why are these two old farts here? They usually don’t get involved in mission assignments unless it concerns the Fire Daimyo—and even then, rarely.

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes, you were. We’re just waiting for the others to arrive so I can explain the mission details to all of you together."

Koharu cleared her throat, cutting in. "Since you’re here early, there’s something we need to discuss that’s come up recently."

Homura handed Kaito a small black book, opened to a specific page.

Kaito took the book and looked at the open page, seeing his name written alongside a picture of himself.

Kaito Uzumaki
Age: 11-12
Hidden Village: Konoha
Jonin Sensei: Shikaku Nara
Rank: Chunin
Threat Level: S
Status: Active
Affiliation: None
Intelligence: High

Known Chakra Natures:

• Wind

• Lightning (highly proficient)

• Earth

• Water (highly proficient)

Description:
The son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki. Kaito has red hair and blue eyes, making him easily identifiable.

Known Abilities:

• Incredibly fast

• Highly skilled in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and fuinjutsu

• Subdued a Jinchuriki at the age of 8-9

• Proficient in kenjutsu

• Able to use the Uzumaki clan’s chakra chains

• Wields red lightning, similar to Kakashi’s Chidori

• Can use the Rasengan with ease, including elemental variations of the technique

Special Ability:

• Hiraishin no Jutsu: He possesses the ability to use the Fourth Hokage’s most prized technique. His level of mastery is unknown, but approach with caution.

Note:

• Do not engage unless you are an S-rank shinobi.

Reward:
50 million ryo (dead)

"It seems the Raikage really didn’t take kindly to me injuring his arm," Kaito thought as he glanced up from the bingo book, already anticipating what these fools were going to ask.

Homura spoke first. "That’s the latest edition of Kumogakure’s bingo book, and you’ve been added to it with a rather hefty reward attached."

Koharu followed, her tone sharp. "One of the reasons we called you here is to ask why you’ve been placed in their bingo book." She narrowed her eyes at Kaito—or rather, tried to, as she always had them closed for some reason.

Hiruzen interjected, his voice more serious. "And can you explain why there’s a note saying you can use the Hiraishin no Jutsu?"

Kaito shrugged casually. "It must be from when I ran into the Raikage a few months ago." Now that the secret was out about his ability to use Hiraishin, Kaito figured it wasn’t a big deal to admit he’d encountered the Raikage. However, he had no intention of sharing all the details.

Both Hiruzen and Homura’s eyes widened. "You ran into the Raikage?" Hiruzen asked, sounding shocked.

Looking down at the book, Kaito responded calmly, "It was a few months back, while Hotaru and I were on a mission. We crossed paths with the Raikage near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water." Kaito wasn’t about to tell them the whole truth, so he gave them a version that tied into one of the missions he and Hotaru had completed around that time.

Kaito continued, "While we were resting for lunch, the Raikage and his subordinates landed in the same clearing we were in. It seemed the Raikage recognized both me and Hotaru. One of his subordinates suggested they should kidnap us to create their own Uzumaki and Hyuga clan for Kumogakure. the Other said that since Konoha had humiliated them, this would be the perfect opportunity."

Hiruzen, piecing everything together, asked, "So you used Hiraishin to flee from them?"

Kaito nodded.

Koharu then added, "That still doesn’t explain why you didn’t inform your Hokage about this incident or your ability to use Hiraishin." Homura nodded in agreement.

"It honestly slipped my mind. It was a three-week mission, and we were exhausted by the end of it," Kaito shrugged. "I’m not as proficient with it as my father. It still takes a lot of chakra and concentration to pull off, and it's completely useless in battle. I didn’t think it was worth informing the Hokage about."

Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, I’m glad both of you managed to escape that ordeal unharmed."

He then glanced at the book in Kaito's hands. "It will be difficult for you now that there’s a price on your head."

Kaito closed the book and handed it over to Homura. "I don’t think things would be much different if people knew I could use Hiraishin. It might even serve as a deterrent."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Yes, that might be the case. Your father’s use of that jutsu is quite well-known."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door, and Hiruzen called out, "Enter!"

A familiar black-haired teen walked in, followed by an unfamiliar-looking Anko and a few other shinobi. It was Shisui, standing at the front. He bowed slightly and said, "You asked for us, Hokage-sama?"

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 12

I'm sorry for not uploading chapters over the past few days, everyone. I've been under the weather this week, and I hope you understand.

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 12

Neville and Hermione watched closely as the professor executed the wand movement, and then they tried it themselves.

“Ah, that’s right! The half-circle at the end,” Flitwick encouraged. “Now give it another go.”

Neville nodded and tried again, this time using the wand movement that Professor Flitwick had shown him. “Accio pillow!” The pillow didn’t just shake; it moved towards him before falling to the ground.

Beside him, Hermione attempted the spell as well, calling out, “Accio pillow!” while making the necessary wand movement. One of the pillows on the shelf shook and moved a bit, but that was all.

“Excellent, excellent!” Professor Flitwick exclaimed. “As you can see, it was just the wand movement. With a bit more practice, both of you will be able to perform the spell flawlessly!”

…

Flitwick flicked his wand, and the pillow on the ground floated back to the shelf. Turning to Neville and Hermione, he said with a smile, “Well done, both of you! With a bit more practice, I’m sure you’ll both manage the spell perfectly.” He slipped his wand back into his pocket.

Neville stood with his wand resting by his side, watching the pillows float back to the shelf. Beside him, Hermione lowered her outstretched wand arm, looking a little worn out. “It’s harder to cast this spell than the others,” she remarked, slightly breathless.

Flitwick chuckled softly. “Well, there’s a reason it's taught in the later years. It’s far more demanding on your magic. I’m surprised you’re both able to manage it at all! Oh, you two would’ve made excellent Ravenclaws,” he added with a wistful sigh, mourning the loss of such talent to another house.

For the past half hour, Neville and Hermione had been practicing Accio. Neville had managed to move the pillow a bit further than before, while Hermione had successfully moved it from the shelf, dropping it to the floor.

Glancing at the clock, Flitwick exclaimed, “Oh my! Look at the time—it’s nearly 8:45. Class is about to start, so you'd better find your seats.”

He returned to his desk and handed Neville back his book.

“Thank you for your help, Professor,” Neville said gratefully, taking the book from him. Hermione, still slightly out of breath, nodded her thanks as well.

Neville stuffed the book back into his bag and went to the top seat at the back of the classroom.

Sitting down, he placed his sling bag and wand on the table before he stretched his back by leaning on the chair. Hermione sat beside him in the open seat, then turned to ask, “How far along are you in the other subjects?”

Neville rested his head on the desk and thought for a moment. “Well, let’s see... I’ve got all the Charms we’re meant to learn this year sorted, and all the Transfiguration spells too. I’ve covered everything in the book up to the Summoning Charm. So, that’s about it, I think.” He glanced at Hermione.

She bit her lip, clearly mulling something over. After a moment, Neville added, “Like I said, Hermione, I don’t mind helping you catch up if you’d like.”

Hermione nodded and sighed. “Well, if you need help with your assignments, I’ll give you a hand—though you’ll probably still end up doing them wrong,” she added, wrinkling her nose slightly at the end.

Neville chuckled. “I might take you up on that,” he said, knowing full well how much it bothered her that he never did his assignments the way she thought he should.

As they chatted, the classroom began to fill up with other first years from all the houses, forty students in total.

when the classroom filled up, the diminutive Professor Flitwick began, "Ah, glad to see you’ve all made it today! We’ll be working on the Levitation Charm, but first, I want to divide you into pairs."

The class immediately started chattering, shifting towards their friends. Flitwick chuckled and said, “I can see you’re all excited, but I’ll be assigning your partners myself.” With a wave of his wand, the names appeared on the chalkboard, randomly pairing everyone up.

Neville glanced up and saw he was partnered with Harry Potter. Meanwhile, he heard Hermione groan. Looking over at the board, he spotted why—she had been paired with Ron Weasley of all people.

Neville couldn’t help but chuckle. “Looks like you’ll have to talk to him, then,” he said with a grin.

Hermione shot him a glare before standing up and heading toward her new partner, clearly less than thrilled.

A few moments later, as everyone shifted to sit with their assigned partners, Harry walked over and sat in the seat Hermione had just vacated. “Hey, Neville,” he greeted.

Neville smiled back. “Well hello there, Harry.”

Over the past month, Neville had been trying to get closer to Harry, being friendly and offering his help when he could. But Ron always seemed to wedge himself between them, dragging Harry off to play chess or do something else. It was almost as if Ron was determined to keep others from getting too close to Harry.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor Flitwick began the lesson. “Alright, now that everyone’s settled, let’s start by practicing the wrist movements. Repeat after me,” he instructed, demonstrating a delicate flick of his wrist. The class followed along, trying to mimic his motion. “Ah, just like that—swish, then flick,” he repeated, showing them again. “Swish, then flick. Now, the spell is Wingardium Leviosa.”

The class echoed him, practicing the incantation while Neville lazily held his wand, waiting for them.

Satisfied with their progress, Flitwick said, “Well done! Now, try the spell on these feathers.” With a flick of his wand, a feather floated onto the desk in front of each pair. “Take turns casting the spell, and don’t forget that nice wrist movement we’ve been practicing!”

Perched on top of his usual pile of books, Flitwick added with a squeak, “Swish and flick, remember! And make sure to say the magic words properly—don’t be like Wizard Baruffio, who said ‘s’ instead of ‘f’ and ended up with a buffalo on his chest!”

Harry gave his wand a swish and flick, chanting, “Wingardium Leviosa,” but the feather didn’t budge. He blinked in surprise, then tried again. Still, nothing happened. With a sigh, Harry turned to Neville and said, “Your turn, Neville.”

Neville shrugged and gripped his wand casually.

Noticing how Neville was holding it, Harry asked, “Er, why are you holding your wand like that?” pointing at Neville’s unusual grip.

Neville paused, confused, and glanced down at his hand before shrugging again. “Umm, it just feels comfortable, I guess.”

With a casual flick, Neville muttered “Wingardium Leviosa” under his breath, and the feather floated gracefully into the air, following the movement of his wand.

Professor Flitwick squeaked in delight. “Well done, well done, Mr. Longbottom! Five points to Gryffindor!” he praised, watching the feather rise smoothly.

Lowering the feather back down, Neville turned to Harry and said, “Your turn.”

Harry looked at him, astonished. “How did you do that on your first go?”

Neville smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Well, that wasn’t exactly my first time using the spell. I, er, learned it about a month ago.”

Harry’s eyes widened in surprise. “You learned it a month ago?”

Neville nodded. “Yeah, during the first week after I lost my memory.”

Harry looked curious. “How many spells have you learned?”

Just as Neville was about to answer, Professor Flitwick called out, “Mr Longbottom, you’ve been summoned to the Headmaster’s office. Please follow Mr Smith here.”

Neville glanced to the front of the room, where a prefect stood next to Flitwick’s desk.

'Why would Dumbledore want to see me?' Neville wondered, his mind racing.

Harry broke his thoughts. “What do you reckon the Headmaster wants with you?”

Neville shrugged. “Only one way to find out,” he said, starting to pack his bag. “Well, I’ll see you later, then, Harry,” he added, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking over to the prefect waiting by the door. Harry simply nodded as Neville left.

Neville nodded to Professor Flitwick as he walked past him.

As he approached the prefect, the older student nodded and said, “Alright, follow me.”

Neville simply nodded back and followed as they made their way up the stairs. It took them over 15 minutes, weaving through the castle from one end to the other until they reached the seventh floor. They walked down a corridor that ended with a statue of a gargoyle.

The prefect looked at the gargoyle and said, “Iced mice.” Instantly, the gargoyle began to rotate, revealing a spiral staircase that ascended beneath it, carrying the statue upwards like a screw.

'So this is where the office is,' Neville thought.

The prefect turned to him and said, “Well, I’ll leave you to it then. Just head up the stairs, and you’ll be let in.”

Neville nodded in thanks and began walking up the spiral staircase. Upon reaching the top, he saw a door. Just as he raised his hand to knock, he heard the Headmaster’s voice call out, “Come in.”

He must have some sort of wards to alert him when someone’s here, Neville thought, as he opened the door to step into the office.

As Neville opened the door, he saw that the Headmaster wasn’t alone. Standing with him were his Head of House, Professor McGonagall, and the ever-dreaded dungeon bat himself, Severus Snape.

Seeing them, Neville immediately knew what this was about and thought to himself, 'So, he’s gone and complained, has he?'

Dumbledore smiled warmly upon seeing him. “Come in, come in, my boy.”

Snape sneered as Neville entered, but Neville ignored him, keeping his focus elsewhere.

He closed the door behind him and walked over, bowing slightly to McGonagall and Dumbledore. “Good morning, Professors.”

Looking up, he addressed the Headmaster, carefully avoiding direct eye contact by focusing on Dumbledore’s nose instead. “You asked for me, Headmaster?”

Dumbledore smiled kindly. “Ah, yes. First, I’d like to ask how you’ve been over the past month—particularly after the accident. And how are you finding your classes?”

Neville returned the smile and replied, “I’m doing well, Professor and the classes are fine.”

Dumbledore chuckled softly. “Yes, yes. I’ve heard from a few of your professors that you’re doing particularly well with your spell work. Minerva here,” he gestured to McGonagall, “says you’re quite the prodigy in Transfiguration.”

Neville sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I’m not sure about that, Professor, but thank you," he said, nodding to McGonagall, who gave him a kind smile.

He could almost feel Snape’s sneer without even looking at him. "If you’re done with the pleasantries, Headmaster," Snape drawled, his tone dripping with disdain, "I believe we called him here for something far more important."

Dumbledore’s expression grew more serious as he turned back to Neville. "Ah, yes. The reason we’ve called you into my office is that Professor Snape has lodged a few complaints against you. He claims that you’re not completing your assigned work properly and that you’ve been disregarding his authority."

Snape, clearly relishing the moment, placed a stack of papers on the Headmaster’s desk. “The boy completely ignores the assignments I set for the class, handing in barely half of what’s required. When asked to redo the work, this is what he produces—absolute nonsense." He practically threw the papers onto the desk. "And every time I assign him detention, he simply doesn’t turn up."

Dumbledore calmly took the papers and glanced over them before handing them to Professor McGonagall. She read through them, stifling a laugh as she returned the papers to the Headmaster, much to Snape’s irritation.

Snape’s glare intensified as he looked at Neville, who remained standing there, seemingly unfazed. "I want him expelled," Snape hissed, his voice full of venom.

The assignment in question was for the Herbicide Potion that they had learned to brew a week prior. It required students to define all the uses of the ingredients and the order in which they were used. When Neville handed in a rather short assignment, Snape had ordered him to rewrite it, demanding that it be the same length he had specified.

Neville thought to himself, You want padding? I’ll give you padding. So, he wrote about how each ingredient smelled, where he sourced it, why he chose it, and how he sliced and crushed some of the ingredients—answering questions like, “I don’t know; it says so in the book.” He filled his parchment with complete nonsense just to meet the exact length Snape had requested. This led to the loss of numerous Gryffindor house points and several detention sessions he didn’t attend, all culminating in this meeting.

Dumbledore placed the papers back on the table and looked at Neville. “Can you explain this, Mr. Longbottom?”

Neville nodded. “Sure, but I’d like to ask you a question first, Headmaster.”

Dumbledore inclined his head, granting him permission to continue.

“What is the purpose of assigning work to students?” Neville asked.

Before Dumbledore could respond, McGonagall chimed in, “To determine how well the lessons are being understood by their students.”

Neville nodded and said, “So what’s the point of writing 2 to 3 feet of parchment when it could be conveyed in just a few paragraphs? Especially if most of what’s written won’t even be read in the first place. It’s just a complete waste of time, Headmaster.”

He doubted that all the professors could possibly read through the assignments of all 600 students at Hogwarts.

Turning to Professor McGonagall, he added, “Professor McGonagall, when I handed in my assignment to you, you said that as long as I understood what I’d learned, that was enough.” She nodded in agreement.

Neville then turned back to Dumbledore. “Most of the professors don’t really have a problem with it as long as I grasp the material, do they?”

He pointed at his Herbicide Potion assignment. “That’s what Professor Snape requested: 4 feet of unnecessary wording.”

“You heard him, Headmaster! The brat thinks he knows more than us. You should expel him before the others start doing the same—set an example!” Snape sneered, his disdain evident.

Neville quickly responded, “I never said I knew more than any of the professors. I just don’t want to waste my time working on something that will be completely disregarded.”

Albus sighed and said, “While I understand your perspective, Mr. Longbottom, that doesn’t give you the right to completely disregard Professor Snape’s authority. As such, you will hand in the required length of his assignments, and you will serve detention under him.”

McGonagall interjected, “Actually, Professor Dumbledore, I think Mr. Longbottom should serve his detention under me. I’m afraid that if they are left alone together, things might get worse.”

Dumbledore acquiesced. “Very well. You will serve your detention under your head of house. Am I understood, Mr. Longbottom?”

“Yes, Headmaster.” Neville nodded, thinking, 'That piece of work. Well, it’s not like I didn’t anticipate this anyway.' He opened his bag, pulled out all the potion assignments he had completed, and handed them over to Snape. “Well, here you go, Professor. All the assignments are at your required length. I was going to give them to you in our next class, but I might as well hand them over now,” he said, watching as Snape reluctantly accepted the papers.

Then Neville took out two vials of potion and placed them on the desk. “While we’re here, Headmaster, could you and Professor McGonagall please tell me what’s wrong with these potions? Professor Snape gave me a troll for both, but he didn’t explain why they were faulty. I’d like to learn what mistakes I made.”

Snape’s scowl deepened as Neville asked the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall to examine the potions.

McGonagall took one of the vials, uncorked it, and sniffed it, followed by Dumbledore, who let out a sigh—he knew this was just Snape being petty.

After examining the potion, McGonagall remarked, “I don’t see anything wrong with this potion, Professor Snape. It’s a perfectly good potion. Why did you grade it a troll? It’s at least an Exceeds Expectations.” She shot a pointed look at Snape.

Snape glowered and opened his mouth to respond when Dumbledore interjected, “It seems that Professor Snape’s judgment might have been clouded by anger during that particular lesson.”

McGonagall glared at Snape, stating firmly, “He shouldn’t let anger interfere with his teaching or impact students’ grades. I would expect this sort of behavior from a new graduate, but not from a professor at Hogwarts.”

Dumbledore stepped in again, “I’m sure Professor Snape won’t let anger cloud his judgment in the future.”

Snape merely glared at Neville, then nodded curtly before stalking out of the office, his cape billowing behind him.

Sighing, Dumbledore turned to Neville. “Well, that should be all. You may return to your classes, Mr. Longbottom.”

Kaito Chapter 123

Kaito Chapter 123

Kushina, tired and a little disheartened, softly called out, "Tsuna-nee…," her voice trailing off.

Tsunade sighed heavily and looked at Kushina. "kushina…I’ll send you the medicine with Katsuyu."

Shizune, clearly conflicted, bowed her head in apology and stood up, hurrying to follow her sensei.

Kaito sat quietly, his gaze fixed on his tea, deep in thought, his expression serious.

Just as Tsunade’s hand grasped the door handle, Kaito’s voice cut through the silence. "What if I told you that the decline of the Senju wasn’t just bad luck?"

Tsunade froze, her fingers tightening around the handle as Kaito’s words echoed in the room.

….

Kaito sipped his tea calmly, completely unfazed by the stunned silence that followed his statement.

Everyone in the room stared at him in disbelief, still processing what he had just said.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical. He knew Kaito wouldn’t throw out a statement like this without some kind of proof, but it still made him cautious.

Kushina and Hotaru exchanged confused glances, both of them looking at Kaito with wide eyes, unsure of where he was going with this or what he was implying.

Shizune looked shocked, her gaze shifting between Kaito and Tsunade as if waiting for a response.

Tsunade, who had been half-turned towards the door, swung back around, fixing Kaito with a sharp, narrowed-eyed glare. Her voice was cold and serious as she asked, “What did you just say, brat?”

Kaito, setting his cup down on the table with a soft clink, replied evenly, “What if I told you that the decline of the Senju wasn’t just a stroke of bad luck?”

In an instant, Tsunade was beside Kaito, grabbing his shirt and lifting him off his feet so they were eye to eye. “What did you say, brat?” she demanded, her words sharp and deliberate.

Kaito didn’t flinch. He met her gaze calmly, gripping her wrist without a trace of fear.

Shikaku reacted swiftly, dropping into a crouch, his fingers already forming the trigger seal for his Shadow Possession Jutsu. "Let him go, Lady Tsunade," he said firmly. "I’m sure Kaito will explain what he meant." He was prepared to act if necessary.

Kushina had jumped to her feet, worry etched on her face. “Please let him go, Tsuna-nee,” she pleaded, her voice soft but urgent. "Kaito-kun wouldn’t say something like that without evidence." She knew her son well enough to trust that there was a reason behind his words.

Hotaru was also on her feet, poised to intervene if needed. She knew Kaito better than most—he never spoke without reason, and she was certain he had something to back up his claim.

Near the door, Shizune muttered softly, “Lady Tsunade…” but her words were lost in the tension filling the room.

Tsunade, still holding Kaito by the shirt, locked eyes with him. He didn’t flinch, staring back just as firmly. After a long pause, she let go, her tone firm as she said, “You’ve got ten minutes to explain yourself, brat.”

The tension in the room eased slightly, though everyone remained on edge, watching intently.

Kaito landed lightly on his feet, straightened his shirt with a calm nod, and took his seat again.

Tsunade returned to her chair, folding her arms, her gaze never leaving him as she waited for him to begin.

Once everyone was seated, Shikaku spoke up, his voice sharp but curious. “So, what did you mean by that, Kaito?”

Kaito glanced at Tsunade, his expression serious. “Like I said, the decline of the Senju clan wasn’t just bad luck.”

He reached into his pouch as he continued, “When I was little, I asked Mum about the other members of the Uzumaki clan. If they were allies of Konoha, why weren’t they around? She told me that the Uzumaki clan was destroyed at the end of the Second Great Shinobi War, attacked by three of the five great shinobi villages.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a scroll, and placed it on the table.

Kushina, Shikaku, and Hotaru all exchanged confused glances, unsure where Kaito was going with this—but they let him continue.

“When I first heard that, I was confused,” Kaito continued, his tone steady. “Mum told me that the Uzumaki clan’s village was protected by the whirlpool and that only those with the right knowledge could navigate. So how could three of the five great villages manage to destroy it Then? something didn’t sit right with me. It seemed too convenient that Konoha, who were losing the Second Great Shinobi War because they were stretched on all fronts, suddenly won right after the Uzumaki village was destroyed. The other villages suffered heavy losses from that attack.”

Kushina’s eyes widened at Kaito’s implication, her breath catching as the pieces started to fall into place.

Tsunade, too, stared at him, her eyes widening as her mind drifted back to the Second Shinobi War, recalling the grim history.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his voice. “Are you suggesting Konoha would do something like that to one of its own allies, Kaito?”

Kaito gave a small nod. “That’s exactly what I thought at first—that it was just a coincidence. Bad luck, perhaps. I wouldn’t have believed it myself... until one of my clones found a few files.”

With that, Kaito bit his thumb, smearing blood onto the scroll as he formed a series of hand signs. He placed his hand on the scroll, activating it.

Kushina’s eyes widened even further, a deep sense of dread filling her as she asked, “You don’t mean...?”

Tsunade’s gaze hardened, the weight of Kaito’s words sinking in, while Shikaku’s eyes shot open in shock, his mind racing to comprehend the implications.

Kaito nodded, his expression grim. “Two years ago, when Danzo tried to kill Kakashi, I snuck into the Root base. While I helped Kakashi, I sent a few shadow clones to snoop around, see if they could find anything interesting.” He pressed his palm to the seal, and with a puff of smoke, several dozen scrolls appeared, piled atop the open scroll.

“My clone duplicated all the files—mission reports, intel, everything they had,” he explained, picking up one of the scrolls and unrolling it, searching through the documents. “They were sealed with encryption seals, but nothing I couldn’t break.”

As Kaito found the file he was looking for, he smeared a bit of blood on it and unsealed its contents.

He continued, his tone steady but cold, “While going through these files, I confirmed my suspicions. It wasn’t just bad luck. The destruction of the Uzumaki village and the end of the Second Shinobi War were connected. Konoha… leaked the location of the Uzumaki clan to the enemy.”

Kaito took out a file, his face softening as he turned towards his mother. “I’m sorry, Mum, for not telling you about this sooner.”

Kushina hesitated, her hands trembling as she took the file from him. Slowly, she opened it and began to read. Her eyes widened in shock, and her breath caught in her throat as she gasped, one hand flying to cover her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as she absorbed the devastating truth written in the file, her heart breaking with each word.

Seeing Kushina’s emotional state, Tsunade swiftly snatched the file from her hands, her eyes scanning the contents. As she read, her expression hardened, and she muttered under her breath, "Those bastards..."

While the file was passed around the room, Kaito unsealed another set of documents and continued, “After finding that, I started looking through more of the files. Things that didn’t add up before suddenly made sense—like how one of the largest clans, a founding clan of Konoha, could just disappear into obscurity. How a clan that thrived during the Warring States era and the First Shinobi War could suddenly die out during the Second Great War.”

Tsunade’s attention was now fully locked on Kaito, her eyes narrowed as he sifted through the files with purpose.

Kaito pulled out another file and handed it to her, meeting her gaze. "Unless it was premeditated," he said, his voice steady.

Tsunade hesitated for a moment, then took the file from him, her hand trembling slightly as she opened it.

“And I was proven right,” Kaito continued. “The Senju clan didn’t fully support Hiruzen Sarutobi as the Third Hokage. They went along with it because it was Tobirama’s last decision, but things changed. When the old monkey, with the backing of the Daimyo, started the Second Shinobi War, the Senju openly opposed him, calling out his decision.”

Kaito’s voice grew more serious as he went on, “In response, the Senju shinobi regardless of their skills or specialties were sent to the front lines. They weren’t given proper consideration. They were systematically weakened."

Tsunade’s grip on the file tightened as her face grew visibly angrier, the paper crumpling in her hands.

Kaito handed Tsunade another file, his tone somber as he continued, “While all this was happening, the Third Hokage allowed secret experiments on the First Hokage’s body, trying to recreate the Mokuton. The Senju clan weren’t exactly thrilled about it.”

Tsunade’s eyes widened, her expression growing even more alarmed at the implications.

Kaito paused for a moment, then asked her directly, “Who do you think would be the perfect recipient of Hashirama’s cells, if not someone from his own clan?” He let the question hang in the air before continuing. “And so, with the Third Hokage turning a blind eye, Danzo began kidnapping Senju shinobi, experimenting on them, injecting them with Hashirama’s cells to see if any of them could awaken the Mokuton.”

Tsunade took the file he handed her, her hands trembling as she flipped through the pages. Her eyes began to glisten, the emotional weight of it all crashing down on her, and her grip tightened on the documents as if trying to hold back the surge of emotions.

Shikaku, meanwhile, was reading the file Tsunade had looked at earlier. His brow furrowed in a deep frown as he took in the contents.

Kaito shook his head, a deep sadness in his voice as he added, “Most of the ones experimented on were children, kids under the age of fourteen. While the adults were sent to the front lines, the children of the Senju were picked off and experimented on. That’s the real fate of the Senju clan.”

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Kaito’s revelations sinking in as everyone absorbed what they had just heard.

It was Hotaru who spoke first, her voice hesitant. “I... I don’t understand. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, Kai-kun, but if this is true, then why haven’t they done the same to the Uchiha clan? Why let them be until now?”

Shikaku, still flipping through one of the files, was the one to answer, his tone serious. “It’s because of the Uchiha Police Force,” he explained. “While the police force was a double-edged sword, it still benefited the Uchiha. It kept them relatively safe. Only the strongest were sent to the battlefield, while the rest managed the police force. After the Madara incident, the clan kept a low profile, avoiding any major conflicts under the Third Hokage’s leadership.”

As Shikaku spoke, Tsunade’s anger reached its breaking point. She slammed her fist down on the table, shattering it with a loud crack. “Those bastards! How dare they!” she shouted, fury radiating from her.

Without another word, she stood up abruptly, storming towards the door, her fists clenched in rage.

Shizune quickly jumped to her feet, following her master in a rush, concern etched on her face.

Just as Tsunade reached the door, Kaito’s hand shot out, grasping her wrist with a firm but controlled grip, preventing her from leaving. The others in the room hadn’t even seen him move. Shizune’s eyes widened in shock as she muttered, "Fast..."

Tsunade turned sharply, fury in her eyes. “Let me go, now, brat!” Her voice was full of authority and rage.

Kaito, calm as ever, shook his head. “And let you do what?”

“I’ll destroy those old geezers! I’ll kill them for what they’ve done!” Tsunade shouted, her fists trembling with anger.

“They hold most of the power in Konoha right now,” Kaito said, his voice steady. “If you go barging in, they’ll just brand you a traitor.”

Tsunade snorted defiantly. “I’m the granddaughter of the First Hokage and one of the Sannin. My word carries weight.”

Kaito didn’t waver. He shook his head again, then held out a file to her. “So did Sakumo Hatake. He had a greater reputation than the Sannin, but they still branded him a traitor. Turned him into a pariah, despite all he’d done for the village.”

Tsunade’s eyes flickered with a moment of doubt, the weight of Kaito’s words cutting through her rage.

Shikaku, already standing, added, “What Kaito is saying is true, Lady Tsunade. If you attack the Hokage, you’ll be branded a traitor.”

Tsunade’s eyes glistened with tears as she shouted at them both, “So you expect me to just let them go, just like that?” Even as she spoke, she knew Kaito was right.

Kaito shook his head gently. “You need to become the Fifth Hokage,” he said, finally releasing her wrist as she froze, considering his words.

Tsunade stilled, her heart racing at the thought.

Sighing, Kaito continued, “You don’t have to agree now. Just think about it.” He then gestured for the others to follow him.

As they left the room, Kushina wrapped her arms around Tsunade, holding her tightly. They both cried together for a while, sharing in the pain of the revelations.

Eventually, Kushina broke the hug, her heart heavy, and followed her son out. Left behind, Tsunade slumped to the floor beside the door, tears streaming down her cheeks as the weight of everything settled over her.

…

Early the next morning, the moon illuminated the surrounding forest near the Degerashi port. It was still two hours before sunrise.

Two lone figures could be seen leaving the port town, making their way down the road. It was Tsunade and Shizune, quietly stepping and making their way out of Degerashi port.

As they crossed the town’s welcoming sign, they noticed Kaito leaning against a tree at the side of the road.

Tsunade paused for a moment before she ultimately continued walking past him.

As she brushed by, Kaito called out, “So, you’re leaving just like that?”

Tsunade halted but didn’t respond immediately. after a few minutes, she said, “I’ll send Kushina’s medicine with Katsuyu.” With that, she began to walk away.

Kaito sighed, pushing himself off the tree. “Just don’t do anything stupid,” he advised, starting to head back into town.

Kaito Body Flicker before he disappeared.

As the morning sun rose, illuminating the port town, Kaito sat at the table in his room, lost in thought. “I thought it would be easier to convince Tsunade to become Hokage,”. He shook his head, he had hoped that Naruto’s declaration of wanting to be Hokage might inspire her, just as it did in the original timeline. But things hadn’t gone as planned. He had resorted to revealing the misdeeds committed by Danzo and Hiruzen against her clan, thinking that might sway her decision. Yet, she had still chosen to leave. It had always been Kaito’s intention to inform Tsunade about these injustices, but he had thought she would be more receptive once she had accepted the role of Hokage.

Kushina stirred awake, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. They were puffy from crying all night, and she had requested that both Naruto and Kaito sleep with her, feeling vulnerable after learning the truth about her clan’s betrayal. She had wanted to hold her sons close while she slept.

Looking at Kaito, she offered a faint smile and asked, “Ah… didn’t you sleep,” She walked over to him, sat down beside him, and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. she asked ” Kai-kun? What’s on your mind? You know you can tell me, right?”

Kaito sighed, his expression heavy. “Lady Tsunade left, Mum.”

Kushina’s smile faltered, and she gently pulled away, concern etched on her face. “Don’t worry, Kai-kun. She just needs time to think. I’m sure she’ll come back, ya know?”

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 11

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 11

Neville shrugged casually. "A foot and a half is just pointless, Hermione. The whole point of the assignment is to show we understand the subject. I don’t see the need to add unnecessary padding to reach some arbitrary length. As long as all the important information is there, who cares?"

Hermione frowned, clearly not pleased with his answer. "That’s not how you’re supposed to do assignments, Neville. You’ll get into trouble for not following the instructions."

Neville just shrugged again. "Well, I’m not going to waste time writing an essay longer than it needs to be. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Before Hermione could respond, the entrance to the common room opened, and Harry came in, looking completely exhausted, followed by the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

….

Neville walked down the stairs of the Gryffindor dormitories, adjusting his sleeves as he went. His hair was still damp from his recent shower.

As he reached the common room, he spotted Hermione sitting alone, as she often did. She had a hard time making friends with the other students, but Neville had managed to form a good friendship with her.

“Come on, Hermione,” he said with a smile as he approached her.

Together, they left the common room. On their way down, Hermione handed him the book he had lent her.

“Here you go, Neville. I’ve finished it,” she said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “It was quite interesting! I placed sticky notes on each chapter to summarise it like you asked for.”

Neville took the book from Hermione, offering her a grateful smile. “Thanks, Hermione,” he said, flipping open to one of the pages with the sticky notes. “This is brilliant! Now I don’t have to read the whole thing.”

Hermione gave him a mildly reproachful look. “You should still read the whole book, Neville. While I’ve noted down the key points, there’s a lot of other interesting stuff in there.”

Neville nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll bear that in mind. So, which book would you like to borrow next?”

Hermione paused, considering. “The Noble Wizard's Path: Etiquette and Duties of Heirs. I’m curious to see what it’s about.”

Neville nodded again. “I’ll get it for you later—it’s on my dresser. I’ve read it already. It’s mostly about manners and the etiquette expected of heirs, just like the title suggests. Bit boring, if you ask me, but you might find it interesting.”

As they reached the first floor, Neville turned to Hermione. “I’ll see you in the Great Hall, Hermione. I just need to pop by the hospital wing quickly.”

Hermione looked at him, puzzled. “Why? Are you hurt or feeling ill?”

Neville shook his head. “No, just a bit sore. Madam Pomfrey said she could give me a Wiggenweld Potion to help with it.”

Hermione nodded. “Alright, then. See you in the Great Hall.” She waved before heading down the stairs.

It had been a month since Neville had transmigrated into the wizarding world, and honestly, it hadn’t been as eventful as he’d expected. But what did he expect? It was a school for witches and wizards, after all.

Aside from learning magic, nothing particularly exciting had happened. However, in the realm of magic, Neville had made great strides. After mastering the Arresto Momentum spell, he had also learned the Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) with surprising ease. If he remembered correctly, it was the only spell Harry Potter seemed to use in the films—there were even memes about it.

He’d also learned the Freezing Charm (Immobulus), the Banishing Charm (Depulso), and the General Counter-Spell (Finite or Finite Incantatem), a powerful spell indeed. He recalled that when used by someone strong—or multiple people—it could counteract spells as powerful as the one Grindelwald had cast at the end of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

At present, he was working on the Summoning Charm (Accio), though it was proving trickier than expected. For the past week, he had been stuck, only managing to move objects ever so slightly. It was frustrating, and he couldn’t quite figure out why it wasn’t working.

As for Transfiguration, Neville's prodigious talent had become quite clear. He’d mastered nearly all the spells taught to first-years and was eager to move on to second-year spells. However, upon discovering that many of them involved transfiguring living creatures—like mice, beetles, and birds—into inanimate objects, he hesitated. He didn’t like the idea of tampering with living beings and decided instead to focus on perfecting the first-year spells.

His body had also adjusted to his workouts, and he no longer felt as worn out afterward. He had even found the perfect potion to help his recovery after training—the Wiggenweld Potion. It was part of the first-year Potions curriculum, and they’d be brewing it in about two weeks.

It was also the same potion Madam Pomfrey had given him the day he transmigrated into Neville’s body. After feeling sore from his workouts, he’d asked her for more, and she kindly obliged, with a warning: he mustn’t take it too often. Madam Pomfrey had advised him to only drink it every three days or so, as there could be side effects from overuse—like with any medicine.

With the potion's help and regular exercise, he had shed started some of his extra weight, and he could feel his muscles starting to develop.

After drinking the Wiggenweld Potion Madam Pomfrey had given him, Neville immediately felt a surge of rejuvenation. He thanked her, feeling refreshed, and made his way to the Great Hall.

It was Halloween at Hogwarts, and the castle was alive with a festive atmosphere. The corridors near the Great Hall were filled with the mouth-watering scent of baked pumpkin, blending perfectly with the crisp autumn air. The enchanted ceilings flickered with floating candles, casting a warm, flickering light over the castle.

When Neville finally reached the Gryffindor table, he greeted his friends, “Morning, everyone,” as he sat down next to Hermione.

By the time he'd returned from fetching the potion, it seemed everyone else had already arrived. They greeted him in return as they continued eating their breakfast. The long table was heaving with a spread of pumpkin-themed dishes—pumpkin pasties, pumpkin juice, pumpkin pie—but Neville wasn’t particularly fond of pumpkin. Instead, he opted for a more traditional English breakfast of sausages, eggs, and mashed potatoes.

While tucking into his meal, Neville pulled out the book Hermione had returned to him earlier and began to read, balancing a bit of sausage on his fork. As he scooped up a spoonful of scrambled eggs, Seamus leaned over, noticing the book.

“Hey, mate, what are you reading?” Seamus asked curiously.

Neville looked up from his book and replied, “Just one of the books my gran sent me. It’s about wizarding culture.” He then turned back to his reading, taking a bite of his scrambled eggs.

Ron, sitting across from him, raised an eyebrow. “Blimey, how can you read this early in the morning? You sure you weren’t meant for Ravenclaw?”

Neville shrugged without looking up. “It’s interesting, that’s all. You should give reading a go sometime, you know.”

Hermione snorted quietly at Ron’s remark, but she didn’t say anything. She hadn’t spoken to Ron or Harry for a whole month, ever since the incident at midnight.

Neville reached out and took the cup in front of him, lifting it for a sip. As soon as the pumpkin juice hit his taste buds, he grimaced, spitting it back into the cup.

“What is this? It’s awful!” he scowled.

“It’s pumpkin juice,” Hermione said, glancing at him with an amused smile from her spot beside him.

Neville scowled. “This is the worst drink I’ve ever had! How do you lot manage to drink this?”

He closed his book, placed it back on the table, and asked out loud, “Could I get some water, please?”

Knowing that the house-elves were responsible for cooking and cleaning the castle, he hoped that if he requested water instead of pumpkin juice, they would accommodate him.

His friends exchanged looks, as if to say he was being daft.

To his surprise, the cup of pumpkin juice vanished, and a cup of water appeared in its place.

“It really worked,” Neville thought with a smile, taking the cup and sipping it while the others looked on, dumbfounded.

Hermione, noticing what had just happened, asked, “How did you do that?”

Neville shrugged. “I don’t know—maybe magic?”

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her book, clearly not amused.

Finishing up his breakfast, Neville glanced at the clock and noticed it was only 8 AM. He packed his book away in his bag, stood up, and slung it over his shoulder. “Well, I’m off, guys.”

“Where are you going?” Hermione asked, looking up from her book.

“To the Charms classroom. I have something to ask Professor Flitwick.”

Having finished her breakfast, Hermione stood up as well. “I’ll come with you.”

Neville shrugged and began walking out of the Great Hall, Hermione at his side.

As they exited and reached the stairs, Hermione asked, “So, what is it you want to ask Professor Flitwick?”

Not seeing any harm in sharing, Neville replied, “I’ve been having some trouble with one spell and wanted to see if Professor Flitwick could help me with it.”

Curious, Hermione asked, “What spell is it? Maybe I can help.”

Neville shrugged. “It’s the Summoning Charm, Accio. I just can’t seem to get it right.”

Hearing this, Hermione stopped and looked at him incredulously.

Neville, climbing a few more steps, noticed she wasn’t beside him anymore and turned to see her staring at him in disbelief.

“What? Why did you stop?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Hermione exclaimed, “The Summoning Charm? You’re trying to learn the Summoning Charm?”

Neville moved closer to her, wincing slightly. “Shh, Hermione! Don’t shout! And what’s wrong with me learning the Summoning Charm?”

She looked at him incredulously. “Of course it’s not working, you dummy! That spell is taught to us in our fourth year. How are you so far ahead already?” Her whisper-yell was tinged with exasperation.

Neville shrugged as they began walking up the stairs. “Well, it’s one of the spells in the book my gran sent me.” He pulled out the book to show her. “The Essential Spells for Every Witch and Wizard.”

Hermione took the book from him, leafing through the pages as she read aloud. “Shrinking Charm, Engorgement Charm, Arresto Momentum, Disarming Charm, Freezing Charm, Banishing Charm, General Counter-Spell, Summoning Charm…” She looked up from the book, wide-eyed. “You’ve learned all these spells?”

Neville nodded, humming in agreement. “Yeah, those spells are really useful, just like the book says. They might come in handy.”

Hermione bit her lip, a hint of sadness flickering across her face.

Noticing this, Neville said, “If you want, you can join me, and I can teach you the spells I’ve learned so far.”

Hermione’s face brightened, and she nodded as they reached the Charms classroom.

Entering the classroom, which was already open, they spotted Professor Flitwick sitting at his table, seemingly marking papers.

“Good morning, Professor!” Neville greeted him cheerfully.

Hermione also greeted him, “Good morning, Professor Flitwick!”

Flitwick looked up from his papers and smiled. “Ah, good morning, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Granger!” He then glanced at the clock. “You’re both rather early today.”

Neville scratched the back of his head. “Well, you see, Professor, I wanted to ask if you could help me with a spell I’m having trouble with.”

“Ah, come, come!” Flitwick ushered them over to his desk. “Which spell are you having difficulty with, Mr. Longbottom?”

Neville took the book from Hermione’s hands and showed it to Flitwick. “It’s the Summoning Charm. I can’t seem to cast it.”

The diminutive professor exclaimed, “Ah, the Summoning Charm! That’s quite an advanced spell you’re trying to learn, Mr. Longbottom. We won’t cover it until your fourth year in Charms.”

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. “That’s what I said, Professor.”

Neville replied, “You know, there’s no harm in learning it in advance.”

Flitwick leafed through the book, glancing at the previous spells. “Have you learned the spells that precede the Summoning Charm?” he asked, flipping through the pages.

Neville thought to himself, Why did I show him the book? He sighed internally but nodded. “Yes, Professor.”

The diminutive professor looked up from the book, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Really? Can you demonstrate one of the spells, Mr. Longbottom?”

Sighing again, Neville nodded. “Which one, Professor?”

Flitwick hummed thoughtfully and asked, “Could you perform the Shrinking Charm on the quill on my desk?”

Neville sighed and took out his wand. Pointing it at the quill , he cast the spell. “Reducio!” The quill began to shrink until he spotted the spell’s effect.

Professor Flitwick jumped up and clapped his hands. “Excellent, Mr. Longbottom! That was a second-year spell! Ten points for Gryffindor for superb casting!” He examined the quill closely before asking, “Now, would you mind turning it back to its previous size?”

With a sigh, Neville cast “Engorgio,” and the quill enlarged back to its original size. He stopped the spell as soon as it was back to normal.

“Excellent, excellent, Mr. Longbottom! You seem to have fine-tuned the charm very well,” Professor Flitwick exclaimed, inspecting the quill again. “Ten more points for Gryffindor!” After a moment, he added, “Ah, how I missed out on having you two in my house—what a shame!”

He turned back to Neville and Hermione. “Now, what seems to be the problem you’re having with the Summoning Charm, Mr. Longbottom?”

Neville explained, “Every time I try to cast the spell, it doesn’t work. The most I’ve managed is to make the object shake a bit.”

The professor nodded thoughtfully. “Hmm. Why don’t you give it another go? Summon a pillow from the side of the classroom.” He pointed to a shelf stacked with small pillows.

Neville nodded, turning to face the pillows. Holding his wand, he made the movement described in the book and called out, “Accio pillow!” One of the pillows wobbled slightly before coming to a stop, not doing anything else.

Neville turned to the professor.

The diminutive professor said, “Ah, I see the problem. It’s your wand movement, Mr. Longbottom.” He took out his wand and demonstrated. “Your movement is just a bit off at the end. See this?”

Neville and Hermione watched closely as the professor executed the wand movement, and then they tried it themselves.

“Ah, that’s right! The half-circle at the end,” Flitwick encouraged. “Now give it another go.”

Neville nodded and tried again, this time using the wand movement that Professor Flitwick had shown him. “Accio pillow!” The pillow didn’t just shake; it moved towards him before falling to the ground.

Beside him, Hermione attempted the spell as well, calling out, “Accio pillow!” while making the necessary wand movement. One of the pillows on the shelf shook and moved a bit, but that was all.

“Excellent, excellent!” Professor Flitwick exclaimed. “As you can see, it was just the wand movement. With a bit more practice, both of you will be able to perform the spell flawlessly!”

Kaito chapter 122

Kaito chapter 122

Kaito replied, "You’re not just a Sannin; you’re also the granddaughter of the First Hokage. On top of that, you’re widely respected as the best medical ninja and have saved countless shinobi during the Second and Third Ninja Wars. Even the Uchiha clan respects you, despite you being a Senju."

He took out a scroll and placed it on the table. "We’re offering you 500 million ryo if you agree to become the Fifth Hokage."

Shizune's eyes widened at the amount of money being offered.

Shikaku raised an eyebrow at Kaito, clearly curious about where he got such a large sum.

Tsunade glanced at the scroll and said, "Do you really think putting me in the Hokage’s seat will magically solve everything?"

Kaito shook his head. "I never said it would. I know that even with you as Hokage, convincing the Uchiha clan will be tough. But I’ve come up with two ideas that might help restore their reputation and integrate them back into the village."

….

Tsunade eyed Kaito intently, taking a sip of her sake before asking, "And what are these ideas you’ve come up with?"

Shikaku turned to look at Kaito as well, clearly curious since Kaito hadn’t shared his plans with him yet.

After a small sip of his tea, Kaito began, "One way to better integrate the Uchiha clan into the village is by allowing other clans and shinobi to join the Uchiha police force."

Tsunade let out a snort, setting her cup down and reaching for the sake bottle. "Heh… good luck with that, kid. The Uchiha clan would never go for it. Their pride’s tied to that police force."

Kaito nodded, placing his own cup on the table. "True, but the Uchiha have to realize the police force is also one of the reasons they’re so resented right now."

Tsunade’s brow furrowed slightly as she listened. "Go on,"

He continued, "The Uchiha police force is a double-edged sword, something the Second Hokage put in place. On the one hand, it gave the Uchiha clan a sense of power, a role that seemed important within the village. But on the other hand, it created a lot of resentment. It placed them in a position where they were constantly enforcing rules and handing out punishments, which put them at odds with the rest of the village. And let’s be honest, it was also a way to keep them under surveillance, to keep them 'in check.'"

As Kaito explained, Kushina, Hotaru, Shizune, and Tsunade listened closely, Shikaku, arms folded across his chest, gave a small nod, clearly following Kaito’s reasoning.

Kaito continued. "By allowing other clans and shinobi to join the police force, it changes the dynamic. It becomes a shared responsibility. It stops being something that isolates the Uchiha and instead becomes a position that’s respected by the whole village. It could foster cooperation, break down the barriers between the Uchiha and everyone else."

Tsunade looked at Kaito and gave a thoughtful nod before speaking. "While it’s true the police force is part of the problem, there’s still the issue of convincing the Uchiha to allow others in. They’ll see it as the village stripping away more of their power."

Kaito acknowledged her point with a nod, then continued, "That’s why, even if other clans and shinobi are allowed to join, the police force should still remain under Uchiha control. That way, they won’t feel like they’re losing authority. It’ll be a compromise they can accept."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow but motioned for him to go on.

Kaito explained further, "We could also offer the Uchiha clan the position of the Sixth Hokage. By the time that happens, their reputation within the village will have improved. It shouldn’t be too hard to sell the idea."

He paused briefly before adding, "As for candidates, there are two Uchiha who would make excellent Hokage—Itachi and Shisui. Both of them have the qualities and the potential to lead the village."

Kushina looked contemplative, her brow furrowing slightly, "Itachi-kun?" After a moment of thought, she nodded.

Kaito nodded in agreement. "Itachi may be young now, but he’s already showing the qualities of a good leader. In a few years, he’ll be at Kage level." Kaito thought to himself, ‘A few years? He’s already practically there.’

Hotaru chimed in with a firm nod. "I agree. Itachi-kun could definitely make a good Hokage."

Shikaku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I can see it happening. Itachi’s calm, and intelligent, and in a few years, he’ll be more than capable of handling the role. As for Shisui, while I haven’t spent as much time with him, every time we’ve crossed paths, he’s been level-headed and has a solid reputation."

Tsunade, however, remained skeptical. "You really think they’ll just agree to this without any guarantees, kid? If so, you’re a fool."

Kaito nodded, his expression serious. "not if the fifth Hokage announces Itachi and Shisui as candidates, it will work."

Shikaku considered this, then nodded slowly. "It might work, but both Itachi and Shisui are quite young. They’d need at least another 5 to 10 years to be ready for the position."

Kaito agreed, "I know. That’s why I have another idea. We could create a new position directly under the Hokage—essentially, the second-in-command of the village. It would be a hereditary role for the Uchiha clan, similar to the police force. Think of it as a ‘Shadow Kage’ position. This could be the best way to convince the Uchiha clan. They’d likely agree to it."

Tsunade snorted, taking another sip of sake. "You’re planning to create a new position? That’s just going to destabilize Konoha and widen the rift between the clans."

Shikaku looked at Kaito with a thoughtful expression. "Lady Tsunade’s right, Kaito. The other clans won’t be happy about this, especially with giving the Uchiha’s a permanent position."

Kaito shook his head firmly. "Why not? The Uchiha clan is one of the founding clans still around. They’ve fought for Konoha countless times. This could help prevent the current situation from recurring and ensure stability."

Kaito turned to Tsunade, his expression resolute. "The opinions of the other clans wouldn’t matter if the position was granted to the Uchiha by the new Hokage as a gesture of goodwill. It would be an acknowledgment of all the mistrust the village has placed on them. Plus, the Third already did something similar with Danzo."

Shikaku shook his head, frowning. "But that’s exactly the problem. It’s already led to the situation we’re in now."

Kaito remained calm. "We limit the power of the position. Anything major would still need the Hokage’s approval. And it would serve a practical purpose too—when Konoha loses a Hokage, like with the Fourth, there would be someone ready to take charge until the next Hokage is chosen. It would stop power vacuums from happening."

Tsunade snorted again, her amusement clear. "That’s still giving too much power to the Uchiha clan. If one of them were to become Hokage, they’d have full control over Konoha. I doubt the other clans would ever agree to that."

Kaito shook his head, determined. "That’s why they should be given a choice. If the Uchiha decide that Itachi or Shisui should be the Sixth Hokage, then there’s no need for a 'Shadow Kage' position. But if they choose the Shadow Kage role, they forfeit the chance for any Uchiha to ever become Hokage."

He paused, then continued thoughtfully, "In the long run, I believe the Shadow Kage position would be better for them. Even if a Uchiha became Hokage, there’s no guarantee we wouldn’t face the same problems down the line. But a permanent position of power within Konoha’s government would not only give them influence, it would also stop them from being so isolated."

Kaito leaned forward slightly. "That brings me to my next point. Uchiha clan members should be allowed into the ANBU and other divisions. It would help them integrate more into the village. I still don’t understand why they haven’t even been allowed to work in the hospital."

He thought 'It’s probably because the Second Hokage wanted to keep them contained in the police force,'. Through his research, Kaito had found that no Uchiha was ever part of the other key departments ANBU, the barrier division, the hospital, or even T&I. They were restricted to the police force and the regular shinobi ranks.

Shikaku thought for a moment, stroking his chin. "Hmm... Allowing the Uchiha to integrate into the village, while also giving them a position of power… it might just work."

Tsunade downed the rest of her sake, then smirked slightly. "Well, it seems I’m not needed after all. The two of you have everything figured out for this plan to succeed. And I’m guessing you’ve already got other candidates lined up for the Fifth Hokage as well," she added, standing up with a nod.

Shikaku turned to her, his tone cautious. "Lady Tsunade…"

Before Shikaku could finish speaking, Tsunade cut him off. "As I’ve said before, I’m not interested in becoming the Fifth Hokage," she snapped, not even looking at them. "You’re wasting your time and mine." She turned towards the door. "Come on, Shizune, we’re leaving."

Shizune hesitated, torn between following Tsunade and staying with the others. She glanced at them, then back at her mentor.

Kushina, tired and a little disheartened, softly called out, "Tsuna-nee…," her voice trailing off.

Tsunade sighed heavily and looked at Kushina. "kushina…I’ll send you the medicine with Katsuyu."

Shizune, clearly conflicted, bowed her head in apology and stood up, hurrying to follow her sensei.

Kaito sat quietly, his gaze fixed on his tea, deep in thought, his expression serious.

Just as Tsunade’s hand grasped the door handle, Kaito’s voice cut through the silence. "What if I told you that the decline of the Senju wasn’t just bad luck?"

Tsunade froze, her fingers tightening around the handle as Kaito’s words echoed in the room.

Kaito Chapter 121

Kaito Chapter 121

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.”

….

Tsunade paused, her cup of sake halfway to her lips, and fixed Kaito with a serious look. She hadn’t expected this—Kaito asking her to become the next Hokage.

Across the room, Shizune, in mid-sip, choked on her drink, coughing as she quickly patted her chest. Hotaru, sitting beside her, leaned over and gave her a few supportive pats on the back.

Naruto, meanwhile, nearly choked on his food. His eyes widened as he turned towards his brother, stunned that Kaito-nii would suggest her for Hokage. Kushina, sitting next to Naruto, gave him a firm pat on the back as he swallowed, sighing in relief. She handed him some water, and he gratefully drank it, glancing around the room.

Tsunade’s gaze stayed locked on Kaito, then shifted to Shikaku. The room fell silent as her eyes moved between the two. She finished her sake in one swift gulp, then slammed the cup down on the table, her focus now on Kushina.

Kushina gave her a nervous smile, knowing all too well how sensitive the subject was for Tsunade.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her. "I thought the old man didn’t know you were here?"

Kushina raised her hands defensively. "He doesn’t, I swear! Tsuna-nee, I wouldn’t lie to you ya know!"

Tsunade’s eyes flicked between Kaito and Shikaku, her tone sharp as she asked, "So, if you’re not under the old man’s orders, who sent you?"

Kaito was quick to answer. "No one sent us, Lady Tsunade. The Third Hokage doesn’t even know we’re here, or that Mom’s left the village. We came to see if you could heal her... and to convince you to become the Fifth Hokage."

Shikaku chimed in, nodding. "The Third Hokage has grown old, and Konoha’s not in the best shape. That’s why the village needs a new leader—and why we’ve come to you."

Tsunade’s gaze hardened as she studied them both. "So, you’re trying to overthrow the current Hokage? You do realize, kid, that could be seen as treason. Who gave you the authority to make such a request?"

Kaito lazily waved her off. "It’s not treason. After Dad’s death, the Third Hokage was never officially re-elected. He was only chosen to fill in temporarily until a suitable successor for the Fourth could be found. But it seems like he’s forgotten about that. Us finding someone to replace him isn’t treason—it’s just overdue. And you’re the best choice."

Shikaku sighed, starting to explain, “There’s a reason why we—” but Tsunade cut him off.

“I decline,” Tsunade said flatly, not even looking at Kaito or Shikaku. “I have no interest in becoming Hokage. It’s a fool’s job. Only a fool would take it.” She took a sip of her sake. “Fools, all of them.”

Kushina frowned at Tsunade’s words, but Naruto, sitting beside her, reacted more sharply.

Hearing Tsunade mock the Hokage, Naruto shot to his feet, anger flaring. “Who do you think you are? How dare you mock the Hokage, especially my dad! He gave his life to save us—he was the greatest Hokage!”

Tsunade’s expression didn’t change. “And what did that get him? Where is he now? Dead. And for what? The village?” She took another sip. “All the Hokage, no matter how great, are dead. They sacrificed everything, and yet the village is no safer. My grandfather, your father—Minato—they all threw their lives away for the village. It’s a sucker’s bet.”

Naruto clenched his fists, shaking with rage as he let out a bitter laugh. Just as he lunged forward, a chakra chain, courtesy of Kaito, wrapped around his waist, holding him back as he struggled. Tears welled in his eyes as he shouted, “Let me go! I’ll make her take it back, believe it!”

Kushina quickly moved, her face pained but calm, as she pulled Naruto into her arms. “Calm down, Naru-chan,” she whispered softly, her gaze filled with disappointment as she glanced at Tsunade.

But Tsunade wasn’t looking at them.

Karin, sitting beside Hotaru, looked frightened by the tension in the room. Hotaru gently put an arm around her, offering comfort.

Shikaku sighed heavily, watching the situation unfold.

Kushina, having exerted some effort, felt a sharp flare of pain and let go of Naruto, crouching slightly while holding her abdomen. Naruto was still restrained by Kaito’s chakra chain.

Tsunade noticed Kushina in pain, and her expression softened a bit, but she didn’t make any move to help.

Kaito glanced at his mother, who gave him a strained smile in return.

“Calm down, Naruto,” Kaito said, holding his brother back.

Naruto, still crying and furious, shouted at Kaito, "How can you sit there and not say anything? She just insulted Dad!"

Kaito sighed. “I’m not angry because I know Dad didn’t die protecting the village.”

Looking at Tsunade, Kaito continued, "Why does everyone assume Dad died because of the Nine-Tails attack? Mom and I were the only ones there when it happened."

Kaito took a sip of his tea before speaking again. "The entire Nine-Tails attack lasted less than five minutes. Do you really think it would’ve been over that quickly if Dad was struggling against both the Nine-Tails and the masked man?" He paused, his gaze shifting to Tsunade. "There’s a reason Dad was chosen as Hokage over all the Sannin," he added, looking pointedly at Tsunade.

Kaito continued, "In those five minutes, Dad not only defeated the masked man—though sadly, he managed to escape before Dad could finish him off—but he also ensured the masked man could never control the Nine-Tails again by placing a contract seal on him. That’s why he hasn’t shown up since." He closed his eyes briefly. "All that, accomplished in less than five minutes."

Opening his eyes, Kaito focused on Tsunade. "Dad died because he chose to. He wanted to save Mom, and the only way to do that was to seal half of the Nine-Tails into her. To accomplish this, he had to split the Nine-Tails into two, and the only jutsu capable of such a feat requires the user to sacrifice their soul in return. He died because he wanted his wife to see her children grow up. He died for his family, not because he needed to save the village."

Kushina wiped her tears and managed a faint smile at Kaito.

Naruto nodded, his eyes still glistening with tears.

Karin, who hadn’t known much about Minato’s story, looked on in awe. All she knew was that Aunt Kushina was married to the Fourth Hokage.

Seeing Naruto calm down a bit, Kaito created a shadow clone and asked Naruto and Karin to follow it.

Naruto wiped his tears and, with renewed determination, pointed at Tsunade. “Just watch! Someday, I’ll be Hokage! That’s my dream, just like Dad’s and Mom’s! Believe it!”

Tsunade’s eyes widened in shock at Naruto’s bold declaration.

After Naruto and Karin had left, Shikaku noticed Tsunade’s somewhat dazed look, Shikaku said, “Please hear us out before you make a decision, my lady.”

Tsunade, though reluctant, nodded and took a sip of her sake.

Shikaku began explaining, “As you might have already figured out, there’s a reason we’ve come to you now. The situation in Konoha isn’t good. The Nine-Tails attack was orchestrated by a masked man with the Sharingan, and even after Lady Kushina and Kaito testified to the Hokage that the masked man wasn’t part of the Uchiha clan, you can probably guess what happened next."

Tsunade nodded. “The village started monitoring the Uchiha clan.”

Shikaku nodded in agreement. “Yes, the Uchiha were asked to leave their previous homes and relocate to a corner of the village. As you can imagine, that didn’t sit well with them, but they agreed and are now under constant surveillance. Tensions between the village and the Uchiha are at an all-time high, and the Hokage isn’t helping matters.”

Tsunade responded, “Well, there’s a simple solution to that. Just make one of the Uchiha Hokage. Surely, there must be someone capable among them. That should solve the issue.”

Kaito spoke up, “Ideally, selecting an Uchiha clan member as the next Hokage might be the best solution... but the Uchiha’s reputation is pretty tarnished right now. After the Nine-Tails attack, Mr. ‘I do everything for the village’”—Kaito made air quotes—“decided it would be best to spread rumors that the Uchiha were responsible for the attack and the Fourth’s death because they were opposed to Dad being Hokage.”

Tsunade snorted when Kaito air-quoted “everything for the village,” already knowing who that referred to.

Kaito continued, “As you can imagine, the Uchiha didn’t take this lightly. The people of Konoha began provoking them, which led to the police force retaliating, and things just escalated.”

Shikaku added, “It got even worse after Kaito exposed Lord Danzo for possessing a Sharingan he obtained by killing an Uchiha clan member.”

Tsunade and Shizune’s eyes widened in shock. Tsunade slammed her fist on the table, exclaiming, “What?”

Kaito nodded, explaining, “I sensed and informed the Third, Sensei, and Fugaku-sama that Danzo had an implanted Sharingan. Things deteriorated further when the Hokage merely gave Danzo a slap on the wrist and ‘disbanded’ Root on the surface, without genuinely addressing the Uchiha situation. The Third tried to suppress everything, but as you can imagine, this only worsened the relationship with the Uchiha clan.”

Tsunade turned to Kaito and asked, "How do you know that Danzo's Root wasn't completely disbanded?"

Hotaru was quick to respond, "Well, he sent Root to assassinate our team during the Chunin Exams."

Kushina, just hearing this, exclaimed, "He did what? How dare he!"

Kaito winced at his mother's reaction and said, "Relax, Mom. We handled it. He even lost an arm and half a face, so we're even."

Tsunade, Kushina, and Shizune looked at Kaito in disbelief.

Kaito nodded and added, "The Uchiha clan is on the brink of a coup, and Konoha is facing a civil war. A new Hokage, one who even the Uchiha respect, might help calm things down."

Tsunade looked at Kaito and asked, "Why me? If you want a Sannin, you could always ask Jiraiya."

Kaito replied, "You’re not just a Sannin; you’re also the granddaughter of the First Hokage. On top of that, you’re widely respected as the best medical ninja and have saved countless shinobi during the Second and Third Ninja Wars. Even the Uchiha clan respects you, despite you being a Senju."

He took out a scroll and placed it on the table. "We’re offering you 500 million ryo if you agree to become the Fifth Hokage."

Shizune's eyes widened at the amount of money being offered.

Shikaku raised an eyebrow at Kaito, clearly curious about where he got such a large sum.

Tsunade glanced at the scroll and said, "Do you really think putting me in the Hokage’s seat will magically solve everything?"

Kaito shook his head. "I never said it would. I know that even with you as Hokage, convincing the Uchiha clan will be tough. But I’ve come up with two ideas that might help restore their reputation and integrate them back into the village."

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 10

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 10

He then turned to Neville with a sneer. “I hope you don’t mess everything up as badly as you did in the last class.” The Slytherins around him snickered.

Hermione, clearly uncomfortable with Snape’s mocking, opened her mouth to speak. But Neville gently placed a hand on her arm, signaling her to stay quiet.

Neville and Hermione worked together to brew the Forgetfulness Potion. Their combined efforts resulted in a potion that Snape inspected with a critical eye. After a moment, he grudgingly said, “Passable. It seems losing your memories has made you a bit more competent.”

Relieved but still frustrated, Neville and Hermione submitted their potion vials. As they prepared to leave, Snape called after them, “Hand in an essay as long as two and a half feet before our next class.”

With that, he dismissed them, and the students shuffled out of the dungeon.

…

"Twenty-eight... twenty-nine... thirty," Neville muttered under his breath, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead as he pushed himself up from the ground, finishing his final set.

With a groan, he collapsed onto the grass, rolling onto his back to catch his breath.

Neville closed his eyes, breathing heavily, as the early morning sun slowly crept higher, casting a golden glow over the Black Lake. He lay there, still panting in his T-shirt and joggers. It had only been a week since he found himself transmigrated to the wizarding world as neville Longbottom. One of the first things he’d decided to do was get in shape—especially considering how he’d been a bit on the chubby side. Knowing what was to come in the next few years, he figured being fit might give him an edge.

Neville’s routine began at 6 a.m. sharp. He’d kick things off with five laps around the length of the Black Lake behind Hogwarts, then dive into some calisthenics—four sets of thirty push-ups, squats, and pull-ups.

After a few moments of catching his breath, Neville pushed himself up and began walking back towards the castle. "I really need to find a potion that helps with soreness," he muttered to himself, rubbing his aching arms and legs. It had only been a few days since he’d started working out, and his body was still adjusting to the strain, especially since the old Neville hadn’t been much into fitness.

Following his first day at Hogwarts, Neville had two days off from lessons, which he used to explore the castle and familiarise himself with its many nooks and crannies. On top of that, he’d finished all his homework with a bit of help from Hermione.

With the extra time, he also practiced casting some of the spells from the first-year textbooks. Transfiguration, to his surprise, had come naturally to him, and curious to see if other spells would be as easy, he gave them a go as well.

To his delight, most spells came almost instinctively to him. Neville found he could cast nearly all of the first-year spells on his first attempt.

Feeling pleased with his progress in Charms, he decided to try something more advanced from one of the books his gran, Augusta Longbottom, had given him—"The Essential Spells for Every Witch and Wizard" by Miranda Goshawk.

Neville found the book had some incredibly useful spells, most of which were taught to students in the upper years.

Feeling eager, he decided to try the first spell he came across—the Shrinking Charm, Reducio—which he reckoned would be one of the most practical spells to learn.

He headed to an empty classroom and cast the charm on a chair. It was noticeably harder than the first-year spells he’d practiced. It took him four attempts to get it right. The first time, nothing happened at all, and on his second go, the chair only shrank slightly before the spell fizzled out. It wasn’t until his fourth try that he finally managed to shrink the chair properly.

The same went for the counter-charm, Engorgio. Much like Reducio, it took more than one attempt, but Neville successfully cast it on his third try.

He realized these more advanced spells required much more focus. By the end of the session, he was worn out, having spent the rest of the time practicing both spells over and over until he felt confident in perfecting them.

Elated, Neville spent his Saturday and Sunday exploring the castle and practicing spells. But the excitement came crashing down the moment Monday arrived.

In his thrill at being in the Harry Potter world, he had completely overlooked one crucial fact—he was still attending school. And with school came all the tedious assignments and the inevitable annoyances that came with it.

"Pigsnout," Neville muttered as he reached the Fat Lady’s portrait on the seventh floor, giving the password to enter the Gryffindor common room.

The portrait swung open, and he stepped inside. Glancing at the clock in the corner, he sighed. It was only 7:15 a.m., and he still had two hours before classes began.

"You look like you’re about to keel over," came a familiar voice from his side.

Neville turned to see Hermione, already dressed and ready for the day. She’d clearly been up for a while, as usual.

He greeted her with a tired nod. "Morning, Hermione." Over the past week, the two had become good friends.

Hermione shook her head, clearly amused. "You’d better hurry and get cleaned up, or we’ll be late for breakfast."

Neville nodded, stifling a yawn. "Give me ten minutes."

Neville made his way up the stairs to the dormitory he shared with the other first-year Gryffindors. Harry was just waking up.

As he walked to his bed, Neville greeted Harry. "Morning, Harry."

Harry, still groggy from sleep as he climbed out of bed, nodded. "Morning, Neville."

Neville nodded in return, gathering his clothes and towel, which he’d neatly set aside before heading out for his morning workout. Without much further conversation, he gave Harry another nod and headed off for the showers.

After a refreshing shower, he returned to the dorm, adjusting his shirt cuffs as he walked in.

Seamus let out a big yawn and greeted him. "Morning, mate. Just back from your workout?"

Neville smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just got back and had a quick shower."

Ron, stretching and yawning loudly, gave him a look. "You’re mental, mate. Who in their right mind would torture themselves like that?"

Dean, who was sitting up in bed next to Seamus, chimed in, "Why are you even doing all that, anyway?"

Neville shrugged, stuffing his Charms, Herbology, and Defence Against the Dark Arts books into his bag. "Just trying to get in shape, you know?"

Seamus snickered. "Ah, for the ladies, is it? You sly dog."

Dean laughed along, adding, "More like for Hermione, I reckon."

Ron, shaking his head as he gathered his things for a shower, chimed in. "I dunno how you get along with her, mate. She’s a nightmare."

Neville gave them both a flat look, unimpressed. "I’ll see you lot later," he said, slinging his book bag over his shoulder and heading out of the dormitory.

Down in the common room, Hermione was already sitting with a book, fully immersed in reading.

"Come on, let’s go, Hermione," Neville said as he adjusted the sleeves of his shirt.

Hermione glanced up from her book, raising an eyebrow. "Took you long enough," she huffed as she stood up, slipping her book back into her bag.

Neville ran a hand through his hair, styling it as he and Hermione stepped out of the portrait hole. Just a few steps ahead, they spotted Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown.

"Good morning, Parvati. Morning, Lavender," Neville greeted them with a smile.

Both girls turned around, smiling back. "Oh, hey, Neville!" Lavender replied brightly, while Parvati gave a cheerful, "Morning, you two."

Hermione greeted them as well, and they all fell into step together, heading towards the Great Hall. The girls chatted amongst themselves, while Neville hummed quietly to one of his favorite tunes.

I really need to figure out a way to listen to music here, Neville thought as they approached the Great Hall.

When they reached the entrance, Neville pulled open the door and held it for the others, letting them go in first before following behind.

They made their way over to the Gryffindor table and took their seats. Neville quickly helped himself to some breakfast, grabbing a few slices of bread, eggs, bacon, and sausage to make a hearty sandwich.

As soon as Neville entered the Great Hall, he felt a familiar gaze on him. He didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

At the head table, Professor Snape sat, sneering in his direction. Neville could practically feel the disdain from across the room, no doubt because of what had happened last Tuesday in the Great Hall.

...

Earlier that week, Neville had sat down with his yearmates for a quiet breakfast, his body still aching from the exercise. He took a bite of his toast, hoping for a peaceful start to the day. Unfortunately, his reprieve was brief. A looming shadow fell over the Gryffindor table, and the greasy-haired Potions Master made his presence felt.

"Longbottom," Snape hissed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you think you can simply ignore a detention and get away with it?"

Neville raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. "Detention? Oh, that. I wasn’t about to waste my time on something so trivial." He lazily reached into his bag, pulling out a parchment and holding it up. "Here’s the assignment you wanted."

Snape’s face twitched in fury, his voice rising sharply. "You think handing in this pitiful excuse for an assignment excuses your blatant disregard for authority? For defying a direct order?"

Neville shrugged, taking a casual bite of his toast. "I didn’t defy anything, Professor. I just didn’t bother attending because it wasn’t worth my time."

By now, heads were turning, and whispers rippled through the hall as students watched the heated exchange.

"You're arrogant," Snape sneered, his voice loud enough for half the Great Hall to hear. "Forty points from Gryffindor for insubordination, and another detention for—"

"Excuse me, Severus," came Professor McGonagall’s stern voice as she swept over. Her sharp eyes glanced between the two of them. "What is going on here?"

Snape, his lips curling in distaste, turned to her. "Longbottom here seems to think he’s above attending detention for not submitting his assignment."

Neville set his toast down and stood up, unfazed by the confrontation. "Professor McGonagall, you know I’ve lost all of my memories. How exactly was I supposed to know about his assignment on Friday?" His voice was calm

Neville gestured towards Snape, frustration clear in his voice. "Professor Snape took points and gave me detention for something I had no control over. How’s that fair, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall’s brow furrowed deeply, her sharp gaze shifting to Snape. "Severus, is this true? You punished him for not remembering an assignment he couldn’t possibly recall because of his condition?"

Snape’s usual sneer faltered for a brief moment. "He’s been back in classes long enough to—"

"That is entirely beside the point," McGonagall cut in, her voice as sharp as a knife. She folded her arms, standing firm. "If Longbottom is missing memories, punishing him for forgetting something he couldn’t help is hardly just, is it?"

Sensing the conversation turning in his favour, Neville handed her the completed work. "Here’s the assignment, Professor McGonagall. I finished it the moment I found out about it, but I’m not attending any detention that isn’t deserved."

McGonagall’s stern expression softened slightly as she glanced at Neville, but her tone remained firm as she turned back to Snape. "Severus, you know better than this. Retract the detention immediately."

Snape’s face flushed with irritation, his lips thinning as he tried to hold his temper. Even he knew better than to challenge McGonagall in front of the entire Great Hall. "Fine," he spat, his voice barely above a whisper. "But this changes nothing—"

"It changes plenty," McGonagall interrupted curtly. "Neville, finish your breakfast. Severus, we’ll be having a word about this in private." Her tone left no room for debate.

With a swish of his cloak, Snape stalked off, his robes billowing dramatically behind him. McGonagall gave Neville a brief nod before following after Snape.

Neville sat back down, calmly returning to his toast. "Well, that went better than I thought it would," he muttered under his breath.

Ron leaned in, whispering excitedly, "That was mad, mate! I dunno what's gotten into you, but no one stands up to Snape like that!"

Seamus, sitting next to Ron, was wide-eyed with excitement. "Blimey, Neville, you've got some serious nerve! I thought Snape was gonna turn you into a toad right there in the Great Hall!"

Dean, across from Seamus, let out a nervous chuckle. "Or worse, take away even more points. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Snape that livid since we got here."

Harry nodded, his eyes wide. "Yeah, mate! I can’t believe you actually talked back to him. That took some serious guts."

Hermione, however, wasn’t nearly as impressed. She leaned forward, her brow furrowed in concern. "Neville, you do realize Snape’s not going to let this slide, don’t you? He’s probably already planning how to make things worse for you in Potions." She shot him a meaningful look. "He controls your grades, and he can make your life at Hogwarts miserable if he wants to."

Neville, still adjusting to everything but determined, sighed. "I’m not going to let him punish me for something I couldn’t possibly remember. How was I supposed to know about an assignment when I’ve lost all my memories?"

Seamus leaned in, grinning broadly. "Well, I’m just glad you stood up to him, mate. Someone had to. You’re already becoming a legend, and we’ve only been here a few weeks!"

....

A little while later, the rest of the Gryffindor boys strolled into the Great Hall and took their seats for breakfast, joining the other first years. They all settled down, chatting away as they ate.

After finishing his breakfast, Neville dusted off his hands and stood up. "Right, I’m done. I’m heading to class early—I've got a question for Professor Flitwick. Anyone fancy coming along?" he asked, glancing around at the others.

Hermione, who was sitting beside him, looked up from the book Neville had lent her. She checked her watch and nodded. "Yeah, I’ll come with you." The others just shook their heads, content to stay and finish their meal.

With a shrug, Neville left the Great Hall with Hermione in tow.

As they walked out, Neville turned to her. "So, Hermione, what’ve you learned from that book I lent you?"

Hermione’s face lit up with excitement. "Oh, it’s fascinating! I had no idea there were so many differences between the Muggle world and the wizarding world. Did you know that what we call Christmas is called Yule here? And all the traditions that come with it—it’s brilliant!"

Neville hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting. Well, when you’re done, could you make me a summary? That way, I won’t have to read the whole thing," he added with a cheeky grin as they climbed a flight of stairs.

Hermione nodded, about to respond when they heard hurried footsteps behind them. Turning around, Neville saw Harry and Ron sprinting towards them, Harry carrying a broom wrapped in a bundle.

The pair rushed past without saying a word. Hermione huffed, clearly unimpressed. She hadn’t spoken to Harry or Ron for nearly a week, and the sight of them racing past didn’t seem to improve her mood.

Neville, noticing the broom in Harry’s hands, thought to himself, So, Harry’s finally got his broom, then.

Harry and Ron reached the first floor but found themselves face-to-face with Malfoy. Neville and Hermione arrived just in time to hear Malfoy sneer.

"That’s a broomstick," Malfoy said, tossing it back to Harry with a mix of jealousy and spite on his face. "You’ll be in for it this time, Potter. First years aren’t allowed them."

Ron couldn’t resist. "It’s not just any broomstick," he said, grinning at Harry. "It’s a Nimbus Two Thousand. What was it you said you’ve got at home, Malfoy? A Comet Two Sixty?"

He shot a smirk at Harry. "Comets might look flashy, but they’re not in the same league as a Nimbus."

Malfoy’s face twisted in annoyance. "What would you know about it, Weasley? You couldn’t afford half the handle. I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could retort, Professor Flitwick appeared beside Malfoy, his tiny form barely reaching Malfoy’s elbow. "Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked in his usual cheerful tone.

"Potter’s been sent a broomstick, Professor," Malfoy said quickly, eager to stir up trouble.

"Yes, yes, that’s right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances. And what model is it, Potter?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," Harry replied, barely containing his laughter at the horrified look on Malfoy’s face. "And it’s really thanks to Malfoy here that I’ve got it," he added with a grin.

Malfoy’s scowl deepened, but he said nothing as he stormed off. Flitwick, after congratulating Harry, continued on his way, leaving Harry and Ron smothering their laughter.

"Well, it’s true," Harry chortled. "If he hadn’t nicked Neville’s Remembrall, I wouldn’t be on the team..."

Hermione, who had been trailing behind, suddenly piped up, her tone sharp. "So, I suppose you think that’s a reward for breaking the rules?"

Harry turned to her, surprised. "I thought you weren’t speaking to us?"

"Yes, don’t stop now," Ron added cheekily. "It’s doing us so much good."

Hermione huffed in frustration and marched off after Professor Flitwick, clearly not in the mood for their jokes.

Neville, catching up behind her, gave Harry a quick smile. "Congrats, mate," he said warmly before hurrying after Hermione as they made their way to Charms class.

...

After classes ended for the day, Neville excused himself from his yearmates and made his way to the empty classroom where he’d been practicing spells. It was about three in the afternoon, and Neville had chosen this spot over the Room of Requirement—it was too dangerous to use the Room with Quirrell and Voldemort somewhere in the castle.

As he entered the deserted classroom, Neville closed the door quietly behind him and walked over to one of the seats. He placed his bag on the table, pulling out the spell book his grandmother had sent him. "Alright, let’s see what spell I should learn today," he muttered to himself, flipping through the pages.

He skimmed past spells he’d already mastered before stopping at one in particular. "Ah, I remember this—Aresto Momentum. That’s the spell Dumbledore used to save Harry when he fell off his broom."

Reading through the description, Neville learned the charm was invented by a witch named Daisy Pennifold in 1711 to slow down falling Quaffles during Quidditch matches, giving Chasers a chance to catch them in mid-air. "So, something useful did come out of that game after all," Neville thought, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Right then, let’s give it a go," he said, placing the book on the table. He grabbed a nearby duster and tossed it into the air, aiming his wand at it. "Aresto Momentum!" he cast, moving his wand in the M-shaped motion as described in the book. The duster slowed, but only slightly, before falling to the ground.

Undeterred, Neville kept practicing the spell. After three more tries, he finally got it right on his fourth attempt, the duster floating gently to the ground at a much slower pace. Encouraged by his success, he spent the rest of his time refining his technique, casting Aresto Momentum again and again, each time with more confidence and precision.

Feeling satisfied with his progress after a good session of practice, Neville packed up his things, tucked the spell book back into his bag, and made his way out of the empty classroom. He headed back to the Gryffindor common room, ready to relax after a productive afternoon of spellwork.

When he arrived, he spotted Hermione at her usual table, deeply absorbed in her work. Walking over to her, Neville asked, "So, what are you working on there, Hermione?"

Looking up from her work, Hermione said, "The Charms assignment."

Neville nodded and sat opposite her, pulling out his own Charms book. "Might as well finish it early," he said.

For the next couple of hours, they worked in silence, focused on their assignments. Eventually, Neville stretched and stood up, feeling accomplished. "Well, I’m done," he announced, shaking out his arms.

Hermione looked at him, surprised. "How did you finish all your assignments so quickly? I’ve been working on mine for an hour before you even got here, and I’m just finishing up!"

She grabbed Neville’s parchment and scanned through it. "Hey, this isn’t even the required length. The professors asked for a foot and a half, and this is way too short."

Neville shrugged casually. "A foot and a half is just pointless, Hermione. The whole point of the assignment is to show we understand the subject. I don’t see the need to add unnecessary padding to reach some arbitrary length. As long as all the important information is there, who cares?"

Hermione frowned, clearly not pleased with his answer. "That’s not how you’re supposed to do assignments, Neville. You’ll get into trouble for not following the instructions."

Neville just shrugged again. "Well, I’m not going to waste time writing an essay longer than it needs to be. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Before Hermione could respond, the entrance to the common room opened, and Harry came in, looking completely exhausted, followed by the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Kaito Chapter 120

Kaito 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.”

Kaito Chapter 119

Kaito Chapter 119

As Shizune opened the door, she was met with the sight of a woman with long, vibrant red hair. Kushina greeted her with a warm smile. "Hello. I’m here to see Tsunade-nee."

Shizune, puzzled by the unfamiliar face, studied Kushina closely. "I’m sorry, but who are you?"

Kushina chuckled softly. "It’s Kushina Uzumaki."

At the mention of the name, Tsunade’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. "Shizune, who's at the door?"

Shizune turned back to Tsunade, still confused, and replied, "She says she’s Kushina Uzumaki…" She stepped aside, allowing Tsunade to see the person at the door.

When Tsunade saw Kushina, her shock was evident. "K-Kushina?"

Kushina’s grin widened as she stepped inside. "Hey there, Tsunade-nee."

…

Tsunade stood frozen, staring at Kushina as if she were seeing a ghost.

Kushina, smiling, walked past Shizune and moved closer to Tsunade. She waved her hand in front of Tsunade’s face and teased, “Hey, come on, Tsuna-nee! I thought you’d at least give me a hug, ya know,” her hands resting on her hips.

Without warning, Tsunade pulled Kushina into a bone-crushing hug, tears brimming in her eyes.

Kushina returned the embrace with a warm smile. “It’s good to see you again, Tsuna-nee.”

As she let go of Kushina, Tsunade wiped her tears and stared at her in disbelief. "Kushina... How are you even alive? I—I thought you died in the Nine-Tails attack!"

Kushina pulled Kaito and wrapping him in a hug. “Kai-kun here. he’s the reason I’m still alive.”

She chuckled softly. "But that’s a long story, Tsuna-nee. Maybe another time, ya know?"

Tsunade’s gaze shifted to Kaito, eyeing him curiously.

Kaito gave a polite nod. “It’s nice to meet you, Lady Tsunade.”

Tsunade’s eyes widened slightly. “Kaito? The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing.”

Kushina grinned. “Well, yeah, that was twelve years ago, ya know.”

Kaito blinked, slightly confused. Wait... she met me before? Must’ve been when I was asleep or something.

Tsunade then shifted her focus to the other two Uzumaki children standing nearby. "And who are these two?"

Kushina gave Naruto and Karin a gentle nudge forward. “This is Naruto, and this is Karin." She crossed her arms and pouted playfully. "You would’ve met them sooner if you’d ever visited, ya know!”

While Kushina and Tsunade were catching up, Jirocho strode over to the open door where Shikaku, Hotaru, and Shizune stood.

Seeing Jirocho approach, smiled at Shizune . "I’ll leave you to catch up, then," he said, excusing himself.

Before he could leave, Shikaku stopped him and asked. "Are you Jirocho Wasabi, head of the Wasabi family?"

Jirocho gave a nod. "Yes, I am Jirocho."

Shikaku acknowledged him with a nod of his own. "We’re the ninja assigned to your mission request," he said, showing Jirocho the mission scroll. "The one to eliminate the bandit group."

Jirocho nodded. "Ah, yes. I requested Konoha’s help. We’ve been having trouble with bandits targeting merchant caravans leaving Degerashi Port."

Shikaku handed back the scroll. "We’ll begin work on this tomorrow."

Jirocho nodded once more. "Very well. I’ll leave you to it, then." With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

After a while, everyone settled down in the room. The adults were drinking while the kids enjoyed their dinner.

As they drank, Tsunade looked over at Kushina. "Not that I’m not happy to see you, but why did you come looking for me?" Then, glancing at Shikaku, who was sitting nearby with a drink in hand, she raised an eyebrow. "And aren’t you that kid from the Nara clan? Why are you here with them?"

Shikaku sighed and nodded. "Yes, Lady Tsunade. I’m just here as their sensei," he said, pointing to both Hotaru and Kaito.

Before anyone else could respond, Kaito jumped in. "We came looking for you to see if you could help heal Mom."

Tsunade frowned slightly, turning her gaze back to Kushina. "Heal her? You look perfectly healthy to me. What’s wrong?"

Kushina sighed. "I’ve been having phantom pains," she explained.

Kaito quickly unsealed a scroll and handed Tsunade a copy of Kushina’s medical records from Konoha. "Here are her records."

Tsunade accepted them, her eyebrow raising even higher. "They gave you the records?"

Kaito grinned sheepishly. "Well... I sort of... duplicated them from the records room."

Shikaku muttered under his breath, "Of course you would."

Hotaru giggled at that, teasing her sensei. "You should be used to it by now, Sensei."

As Tsunade opened the medical records, she glanced at Kushina. "I’m surprised the old man even let you leave the village at all."

Kushina smiled awkwardly. "Yeah... sure, he knows I’m out here, ya know."

Tsunade looked up from the report, her expression flat. "You didn’t tell him, did you?"

Kushina looked away as Tsunade shifted her gaze to Shikaku, who just shrugged. "Not my idea," he said. "I told him to just bring you back to the village." pointing at kaito

Tsunade then turned to Kaito. He shrugged as well. "Just because they’re Jinchūriki doesn’t mean they’re prisoners of the village. Uzumakis aren’t Konoha’s property."

Shikaku muttered under his breath, "Tell that to the Raikage."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "The Raikage?"

Kushina laughed nervously. "Yeah... we, uh, kind of ran into the Raikage yesterday. That’s why we only got here today."

Tsunade’s eyes widened. "I treated the Raikage and his subordinate just the other day after they got into trouble stealing forbidden jutsu from some people. What did he do?"

Kushina smiled, dodging the question. "I’ll tell you later, maybe when we’re relaxing in a hot spring."

Tsunade gave a small nod. "We’ve got a lot to catch up on." She glanced back at the records, frowning as she read more closely. "This injury is worse than you’ve been letting on, Kushina."

Naruto nodded as he finished his ramen, setting his bowl down. "Mom always tries to hide it, but she’s in pain almost every day, ya know."

Kushina gave a strained smile. "It’s not always that bad, Naru-chan. Don’t worry, Tsuna-nee."

Tsunade closed the file, her expression serious. "I’ll need to check for myself." She downed her sake in one go and stood up. "Alright, follow me. You too, Shizune."

Kushina also got up, smiling softly. "It’s already late, Tsuna-nee. Maybe we should do it tomorrow, ya know?" She gestured to Naruto and Karin, who were yawning. "It’s past their bedtime already."

Tsunade thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, that’s probably for the best. I can focus better when I’m not drunk."

As they headed out of the bar, Tsunade asked, "Where are you staying tonight?"

Kaito spoke up. "I booked an inn for us."

Tsunade nodded. "Come to my place early tomorrow, then. I’ll have everything ready for you, Kushina." giving them the address

Kushina smiled warmly, stepping forward to give Tsunade a hug. "Thanks, Tsuna-nee. I’ve really missed you, ya know."

Tsunade hugged her back tightly before they parted ways, heading toward the inn.

The next morning, Kaito was already awake and ready for the day, standing in front of the mirror in the room he shared with Naruto.

He hadn’t slept well last night, nervous about what Tsunade might say—whether she could heal Kushina or not weighed heavily on his mind. Adjusting his headband, Kaito glanced down at Naruto, still fast asleep on the tatami mat beside him.

Kaito sighed in annoyance. He had woken Naruto up before his shower, but it seemed Naruto had fallen back asleep as soon as he left.

With a smirk, Kaito formed a small ball of water above Naruto’s face and dropped it.

Naruto jolted awake with a shout, "Ahhh!"

Wiping the water from his face, Naruto glared at Kaito and pointed a finger at him. "Hey, what’d you do that for?"

Kaito, deadpan, replied, "Who told you to fall asleep again? Come on, we don’t have much time. Hurry up and get ready."

Without waiting for a response, Kaito walked out of the room.

Stepping into the hallway, Kaito spotted Shikaku and Hotaru deep in conversation. He walked over, yawning as he greeted them. "Morning, guys."

Shikaku nodded in acknowledgment, while Hotaru smiled. "Good morning, Kai-kun."

Shikaku glanced at Kaito as he approached. "Kaito, Hotaru and I were just talking about the mission. We think it’s best if we handle it ourselves."

Hotaru nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let us take care of it."

Kaito frowned. "Huh? Why? We could just send my clones to deal with the bandits, ya know."

Shikaku shook his head. "This is to give you and your family some privacy, Kaito."

Kaito was about to argue when Hotaru chimed in. "Kai-kun, I know you want to be there when Lady Kushina gets examined by Lady Tsunade. You should stay with them. Sensei and I would just be in the way."

Kaito paused, then sighed, nodding in understanding. "Alright, I get it." He reached into his pouch, pulling out two tri-pronged kunai, handing one to each of them. "If you need any help, just channel your chakra into the seals on these."

Hotaru and Shikaku accepted the kunai. Hotaru smiled warmly before stepping forward to give Kaito a reassuring hug. "I’m sure Lady Tsunade will be able to heal Lady Kushina. Don’t worry," she said softly, releasing him from the hug.

Kaito sighed. Hotaru always seemed to know when something was weighing on him.

Shikaku gave a small nod. "We’d better get going. I don’t think the mission will take too long."

Kaito stood watching Hotaru and Shikaku leave when he heard the door next to him slide open. Kushina emerged in her kimono, with Karin following closely behind.

Kaito approached them, greeting them with a smile. "Good morning, Mom. And you too, Karin."

Kushina smiled back at him. "Good morning, Kai-kun." Then she noticed his tired expression and frowned slightly. "You didn’t sleep well last night, did you?"

Karin piped up with a cheerful, "Good morning, Kai-nii."

Kaito shrugged, brushing off her concern. "It’s nothing, Mom," he said, giving Karin a gentle pat on the head.

Kushina looked around, puzzled. "Hmm, where are the others? I thought I heard their voices."

Kaito explained, "Sensei and Hotaru went out to handle the mission. As for Naruto, well, ya know how he is."

Just then, the door to Kaito’s shared room slid open, and a grumpy Naruto stumbled out. His usual attire looked a bit disheveled.

Kushina walked over to him, adjusting his collar and shirt with a gentle touch. "Good morning, Naru-chan."

Naruto yawned sleepily and mumbled, "Good morning, Mom."

Kaito grinned and clapped his hands together. "Well, come on. Let’s go get something to eat."

They decided to grab breakfast at a local stall. As they ate, Naruto asked, "So, what are we doing today?"

Kushina replied, "Well, I have to meet Tsuna-nee for a check-up."

Naruto groaned. "But that sounds boring, ya know."

Kaito chimed in, "I can make a clone to take you and Karin around the village while Mom is with Lady Tsunade. We can regroup with Mom for lunch, okay?"

Kushina nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that’s a good idea, Kai-kun."

Naruto's eyes lit up with enthusiasm, and Karin nodded in agreement as well.

After breakfast, they split up. Kushina and the real Kaito headed towards Tsunade’s residence, while Kaito’s clone took Naruto and Karin to explore Degerashi Port. Kaito had already marked both Karin and Naruto with his Hiraishin marker, so he wasn’t too worried about their safety.

Reaching a large house in the residential area of Degerashi Port, they knocked on the door after Kaito confirmed Tsunade’s chakra presence inside.

Shizune opened the door, smiling as she greeted them. "Ah, good morning, Lady Kushina," she said, stepping aside to let them in.

Kushina returned the smile. "Good morning, Shizune."

They walked inside, where Tsunade was seated in the living room, going over Kushina’s medical report. She was dressed in a loose kimono.

Kushina greeted her warmly, "Good morning, Tsuna-nee."

Tsunade closed the file and stood up, her face brightening. "Ah, Kushina, good you here."

She then glanced around and asked, "Hmm, where are the kids?"

Kushina explained, "Naru-chan and Karin-chan are out exploring with Kai-kun’s clone."

Tsunade shrugged and said, "Well, come on," leading Kushina to one of the rooms.

Kushina glanced back at Kaito, who nodded. "I’ll wait outside, Mom."

Kaito leaned against the wall outside the room, his thoughts on his mother’s condition. He crossed his fingers and silently prayed, hoping Tsunade would be able to heal Kushina. He closed his eyes and used Kagura’s Mind’s Eye to keep watch over Naruto, and Karin ensuring they were safe in Degerashi Port.

After a while, Shizune opened the door and called out to him, "Kaito, you can come in now."

Kaito walked into the room to find Kushina adjusting her shirt as she sat up, looking at Tsunade expectantly.

Approaching his mother, Kaito turned to Tsunade and asked, "How is it, Lady Tsunade? Can you heal Mom?"

Tsunade’s expression was serious. She didn’t speak for a moment, then said, "I don’t know how to put this, Kushina, but given the extent of your injuries, you shouldn’t even be alive. Your chakra coils around your abdomen are completely destroyed. How you’ve survived this long is nothing short of a miracle."

Tsunade shook her head, her face filled with regret. "I’m sorry, but there’s not much I can do. If it were a simple wound, perhaps, but your chakra network is beyond my abilities."

Hearing this, Kaito’s face fell, and he looked down, his mind racing with the thought, If Tsunade can’t heal her, what do we do now? He had hoped against hope that Tsunade might be able to help, but he hadn’t prepared himself for the possibility that she might not.

Kushina, however, just smiled, having already anticipated the outcome. "Thanks for trying, Tsuna-nee," she said warmly.

Seeing Kaito’s sadness, Kushina gently ruffled his hair and said, "It’s alright, Kai-kun. Don’t be sad now."

Kaito looked at her and asked, "Mom, maybe we could try that again, ya know?"

Kushina placed a finger on his lips to shush him, then rested her forehead against his. "It’s alright, Kai-kun. I’m already grateful that I get to see you, Naru-chan, and Karin all grow up. I was only able to because of you. You’ve done enough for me, ya know?"

Their touching moment was interrupted by Tsunade, who asked, "What is he trying to do?"

Kushina smiled at Tsunade and explained, "The reason I’m alive now is because of Kai-kun here. That night, he awakened one of the Uzumaki clan’s kekkei genkai. That’s how he saved me."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I’ve never heard of any kekkei genkai that can heal. If it managed to save you, why not let him try again?"

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."

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 9

Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 9

Neville felt a warm sensation flowing through his hand and into his wand as he touched the matchstick. As soon as his wand made contact, the matchstick shimmered and transformed into a shining needle with engravings, just as Neville had imagined it.

Neville stared at the needle, then at his wand, wondering, “Was it supposed to be that easy?”

Hermione, from beside him, exclaimed, “Well done, Neville! You managed to do it on your first try!”

At that moment, McGonagall arrived next to Neville, took the needle from his desk, and examined it. “Well done, Mr. Longbottom. It seems you just needed a change of wands. This is the finest piece of Transfiguration I’ve ever seen a first year perform. Five points to Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom,” she said, handing the needle back to him.

Neville smiled and scratched the back of his head.

….

Neville was jolted awake by a gentle but persistent shaking, accompanied by a voice calling his name. “Neville, wake up. Neville, come on, wake up!”

Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and he blinked at the person standing beside him. It took a moment for the blurry figure to come into focus, but when it did, he saw it was Hermione, looking down at him with an expression of exasperation.

“Has the class finished?” Neville mumbled, still groggy as he rubbed his eyes. He glanced around the room, and sure enough, students were gathering their belongings and making their way toward the door. It was clear the lesson had ended without him realizing it.

Hermione’s expression shifted to one of disapproval. “Yes, of course, the class has ended. Honestly, Neville, you’d know that if you hadn’t slept through the entire thing,” she scolded, her voice tinged with frustration.

Neville stifled a yawn and gave her a sheepish grin. “I did try to stay awake, Hermione, I really did. But you can’t blame me, can you? That lecture was unbearably dull,” he said, as he started to gather his things, trying to sound more innocent than he felt.

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. “Boring or not, you should have at least made an effort to listen. Now you’re going to have to start from scratch,” she replied, turning on her heel to leave the classroom.

Neville hurried after her, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I can still catch up, Hermione. I’ll read the chapter in the textbook. It’s not the end of the world,” he reasoned, trying to keep up with her brisk pace. “But right now, I’m absolutely starving.”

As they walked out of the classroom, Neville paused at the junction of two corridors, looking a bit lost. He turned to Hermione with a sheepish smile and asked, "Erm, which way’s the Great Hall again?"

Hermione sighed, with exasperation. "This way, Neville. Just follow me," she said, leading the way.

As they descended a flight of stairs, Neville suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Hermione, I forgot to ask earlier, what other classes do we first-years have to attend?"

Hermione answered promptly. "Well, there’s Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Herbology. Then there’s Potions, which we have after lunch today."

Neville stifled another yawn and asked, "How many spells have we learned so far in Charms?"

Hermione replied, “Only one so far—the Lumos spell. It’s only been two weeks since the term began. We spent the first week on theory, and this week we’ve finally started with the actual spellwork.”

Neville hummed thoughtfully as they reached the entrance to the Great Hall and pushed open the door to step inside.

The hall was buzzing with activity, filled with students seated at their respective house tables, chatting and eating. Even some of the professors were present at the head table, keeping a watchful eye on the lively scene.

Hermione and Neville made their way over to the Gryffindor table and found seats among their fellow first years. Neville slipped into an open spot next to a boy he recognized as Seamus Finnigan—Professor McGonagall had called him “Mr. Finnigan” in class.

Hermione sat down beside Neville, just as Seamus turned to him with a friendly grin. “Hey, mate, where were you last night? We didn’t see you in the dorm this morning either.”

Neville, who had just reached for a piece of roast chicken, paused and hesitated. “Umm, yeah, I left earlier with Hermione. Your name’s Seamus, right?” he asked, playing the amnesiac.

Seamus frowned, looking a bit puzzled. “Huh? Of course, I’m Seamus,” he replied, sounding slightly offended. “What d’you mean ‘my name's Seamus’? Have you lost your memory or something?”

Before Neville could come up with a response, Hermione leaned in and said matter-of-factly, “That’s exactly it. He’s lost all his memories. He doesn’t remember a thing.”

A blonde girl sitting opposite Hermione perked up, her curiosity piqued. “Really? Did he actually?”

Meanwhile, an Indian girl sitting beside the blonde shook her head, looking skeptical. “Surely not?”

Hermione let out a small sigh, as though she’d been through this before. “Yes, it’s true. Neville lost all his memories after hitting his head in the nasty fall he had during yesterday's flying lesson,” she explained.

The group of students around Neville exchanged glances, trying to process the news. Parvati leaned forward, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "You’ve lost all your memories? What’s the last thing you remember?"

Neville nodded. "well I remember waking up in bed, and then meeting Madam Pomfrey," he said, his voice uncertain.

Further down the table, Ron chimed in, "It’s true, guys. The bloke was wandering around the castle last night, looking for the common room."

The group fell silent for a moment. Seamus glanced at Neville. “Blimey, mate. I didn’t know. Are you alright?” he asked, his voice softer. "So you don’t recognize any of us?"

Neville gave a helpless shrug. "Sorry, I don’t remember anyone’s name. I didn’t even know my name until Madam Pomfrey told me."

Lavender Brown, who had been listening quietly, asked, "Surely Madam Pomfrey has some way to help you get your memories back?"

Neville shook his head again. "She said I might get them back, or I might not. She wasn’t sure."

Dean, sitting beside Seamus, spoke up. "So that’s why you seem… I don’t know how to put it, but more confident, maybe?"

The others nodded in agreement, noticing the slight change in Neville’s demeanor.

Seamus, after a moment of reflection, extended his hand to Neville with a friendly grin. "Well, I’m Seamus Finnigan," he said, offering a handshake.

Neville accepted the handshake, feeling a bit more at ease. "Nice to meet you, Seamus."

Dean then did the same, and one by one, everyone around the table introduced themselves to Neville,

After the introductions, everyone returned to their lunches, occasionally asking Neville questions or answering the ones he had about Hogwart's life. The chatter around the table was lively, but Neville felt a bit more at ease now that he was beginning to put names to faces.

As they ate, Neville looked up and was surprised to see a massive owl soaring into the Great Hall, carrying what appeared to be a stack of books. The owl swooped down gracefully and landed right in front of Neville, placing the books on the table with a soft thud.

Neville blinked in surprise, then realized what this must be. "These must be the books Gran said she would send me," he thought to himself.

Spotting a letter attached to the bundle, he quickly opened it and confirmed it was from his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. The letter explained that she had sent these books to help Neville readjust to the wizarding world, especially now that he was back at Hogwarts.

Grateful, Neville offered the owl a piece of bacon as a thank you. The owl took the bacon, gave a soft hoot, and flew off back through the open windows of the Great Hall.

“Who sent you those books?” Seamus asked, eyeing the package curiously.

Neville glanced up at him and replied, “I asked my gran yesterday to send me some books about the wizarding world. Looks like she came through.”

Curious, Neville unwrapped the package and began to sift through the books. There were four in total, each one looking well-worn and full of knowledge: "Ages of Enchantment: A History of the Wizarding World" by Bathilda Bagshot, "The Noble Wizard's Path: Etiquette and Duties of Heirs" by Ignatius Prewett, "Magical Society and Its Unspoken Rules" by Septimus Burke, "The Essential Spells for Every Witch and Wizard" by Miranda Goshawk

As Neville read through the titles, a few of his housemates leaned over to get a closer look. "Blimey, those look proper serious," Ron remarked, his eyebrows raised.

Hermione leaned over and read one of the book titles, “Magical Society and Its Unspoken Rules.” Her brow furrowed in curiosity. “Hmm, I haven’t seen this one before,” she admitted, her tone tinged with intrigue.

Neville, aware of Hermione’s reputation as a bit of a bookworm, offered the book to her. “Here, you can read it if you want,” he said, hoping it might interest her.

Hermione’s eyes brightened with genuine excitement. “Really? You don’t mind?”

Neville nodded. “Yeah, I can’t get through all four books at once. Might as well let you borrow it while I read the others. Maybe you can give me a summary when you’re done?”

Hermione’s enthusiasm was palpable as she nodded eagerly. “Absolutely! I’d be happy to.”

With that, Neville’s attention shifted to the next book in his stack, “The Essential Spells for Every Witch and Wizard” by Miranda Goshawk. He opened it and began leafing through the pages, discovering a range of practical spells. There were useful ones like the cleaning spell and the umbrella spell, which Neville noted with interest.

As he scanned through, he thought to himself, “These spells could come in handy.” The book seemed to offer practical knowledge that would be useful in everyday magical life.

After lunch, all the Gryffindor first-years walked together in a group toward their Potions class. On the way, Neville turned to Hermione, who was deeply engrossed in the book he had lent her. "Where’s the classroom, Hermione?"

Without looking up from her reading, Hermione replied, "It’s in the dungeons."

Seamus, walking beside Neville, added with a hint of concern, "Just be careful with Professor Snape. He seems to always pick on Harry and you the most."

When they arrived at the dungeon, they joined the other students waiting outside the classroom. As they stood there, a blonde kid, flanked by two others, walked over. "I hear you’ve lost all your memories, Longbottom," he said, his tone dripping with disdain.

Neville, seeing the blonde kid, recognized him as Draco Malfoy. playing along, he responded, "Yeah, sorry, but I don’t remember you."

Malfoy sneered. "How pathetic. You really lost your memories, Longbottom?"

Ron and Harry immediately stepped in to defend Neville. "Oi, Malfoy, leave him alone!" Ron said, his voice edged with anger.

Seamus and Dean also jumped in, "Yeah, piss off, Malfoy. Mind your own business!"

Just as the situation was starting to escalate, Snape's dramatic entrance interrupted them. The Potions Master flung open the dungeon door, his eyes narrowing at the commotion. "Ten points from Gryffindor for shouting outside the classroom," he intoned coldly before instructing them to enter.

As they entered the Potions classroom, Neville turned to his friends and said, “Thanks, guys. You really didn’t have to, though.”

They waved off his gratitude, clearly more concerned with the situation than accepting thanks. “Don’t worry about it, mate” Seamus said, giving Neville a reassuring pat on the back.

The class settled into pairs, and Neville asked Hermione if she minded working together again. “Of course not,” she replied.

As the class settled into their seats, Snape addressed the students with his usual cold disdain. “I will not be explaining everything again. You should have learned what I’ve taught so far.”

His gaze swept across the room before landing on Neville. A sneer crept onto his face. “I hope you’re not as much of a dunderhead as before, Mr. Longbottom.”

Neville thought to himself, “This git is already picking on me.”

With a final, dramatic slam of the classroom door, Snape strode to the front of the room and announced, “Hand in your assignments.”

Neville, glanced around at his classmates handing in their work. He hadn’t a clue what the assignment had been, He sat there, clueless, as the others submitted their papers.

Noticing Neville’s hesitation, Snape’s eyes narrowed. “Are you waiting for an invitation, Mr. Longbottom? Where is your assignment?”

Malfoy and his cronies sniggered from their seats, clearly enjoying Neville’s discomfort.

Neville stammered, “Um, I didn’t… I don’t remember what the assignment was.”

Hermione, sitting beside him, jumped in to help. “Professor, Neville lost his memories. He doesn’t remember anything from before yesterday afternoon.”

Snape’s eyes flashed with irritation as he turned to Hermione. “Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. I didn’t ask you for an explanation, did I?”

He then turned back to Neville with a cold, calculating look. “That’s no excuse for not completing your work. You will serve detention for failing to hand in your assignment.”

Neville really loathed Snape. The git was incredibly selfish, he even begged the Dark Lord to kill a toddler and spare Lily just so he could swoop in and win her over. On top of that, he was a terrible teacher. People only like Snape because of Alan Rickman’s portrayal of him.

They might defend him as a good person and a double agent, but they conveniently forget that he only became a double agent after Voldemort went after the Potters. And let’s not forget, Snape was the one who told Voldemort about the prophecy the moment he overheard it. In Neville's eyes, Snape was nothing more than a bullying git who never grew up, and he wasn’t about to let Snape push him around.

Neville raised an eyebrow and said, “You expect me to remember your assignment when I’ve lost all my memories and couldn’t even remember my name at first?” His comment elicited a few chuckles from the Gryffindor students.

With a touch of sarcasm, Neville added, “Next time, I’ll be sure to write myself a reminder not to forget your classwork before losing my memories.”

Snape’s face darkened. “Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Longbottom. And you will serve two days of detention.”

Neville thought to himself, “Yeah, right. Like I’ll actually show up for your detentions.”

Snape flicked his wand and announced, “Today, you will be brewing the Forgetfulness Potion.”

He then turned to Neville with a sneer. “I hope you don’t mess everything up as badly as you did in the last class.” The Slytherins around him snickered.

Hermione, clearly uncomfortable with Snape’s mocking, opened her mouth to speak. But Neville gently placed a hand on her arm, signaling her to stay quiet.

Neville and Hermione worked together to brew the Forgetfulness Potion. Their combined efforts resulted in a potion that Snape inspected with a critical eye. After a moment, he grudgingly said, “Passable. It seems losing your memories has made you a bit more competent.”

Relieved but still frustrated, Neville and Hermione submitted their potion vials. As they prepared to leave, Snape called after them, “Hand in an essay as long as two and a half feet before our next class.”

With that, he dismissed them, and the students shuffled out of the dungeon.

Kaito Chapter 118

Kaito Chapter 118

Seeing him, Kushina and Hotaru rushed to him, enveloping him in a tight hug, both shouting, “Kai-kun!”

Kaito patted them on the back as he said. “Guys, need air. I can’t breathe.”

Shikaku sighed in relief and asked, “So it was your plan from the beginning. using the Hiraishin to teleport us out while you kept the Raikage distracted?”

Kushina and Hotaru released Kaito, and Kushina shouted, “What were you thinking, fighting him alone like that?”

Kaito sighed. “It was the best plan I could come up with, Mom.”

Shikaku then asked, “Where did you teleport us to?”

Kaito replied, “We’re near Hachō Village.”

….

The afternoon sun filtered through the dense forest, casting dappled patterns of light on the ground below. It was late afternoon, and several figures moved swiftly through the trees, breaking the tranquil silence of the woods.

Kaito led the group, leaping from tree to tree with his mother, Kushina carried piggyback. Kushina’s ponytail swayed behind her in the wind. Hotaru and Shikaku flanked him, with Hotaru cradling Pakkun in her arms. Naruto and Karin followed closely behind, positioned in the middle of the formation.

Karin, looking strained, struggled to keep up with the pace of the others. Naruto, accustomed to Kaito’s rigorous training, found it easier to maintain the speed. Glancing back and noticing Karin's difficulty, Kushina turned to Kaito and said, “Kai-kun, maybe we should slow down a bit, ya know?”

Kaito glanced over his shoulder at his mother, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Huh? Why, Mom?”

Kushina’s voice was gentle yet concerned. “Karin-chan is having a hard time keeping up with us.”

Kaito glanced back at Karin and said, “I’m sorry, Mom, but we can’t afford to waste any more time. We’ve already lost a day because of our run-in with the Raikage, and if we slow down now, we might lose Lady Tsunade’s trail.”

After their encounter with the Raikage and his group, Kaito had teleported them to the nearest Hiraishin marker he had, which was near Hacho Village. In the same village, he had previously relocated Mukai’s family.

Shikaku suggested they lay low in the village for the day, and Kaito agreed, though he didn’t let it show, he was exhausted. The strain of teleporting multiple people twice, using multiple shadow clones, performing a Wind Release Rasengan, and repeatedly using Hiraishin had taken a toll on him.

Another reason for Kaito agreeing with Shikaku’s suggestion was that Hacho Village, located in the Land of Fire, was farther from Lady Tsunade’s location. If they had left immediately, they would have had to travel through the night to reach the town where Tsunade was supposed to be.

Kaito had considered sending a shadow clone ahead to place a marker for easier teleportation, but he ultimately decided against it. He didn’t want to exhaust himself to the point where he might lose focus on the clone back in Konoha.

They hadn’t run into Mukai or his family in the village, as Mukai had already left to start his mission. They spent the night in Hacho Village and set off early the next morning,

Kaito slowed his pace to match Naruto and Karin’s. Glancing back at Karin, he asked, “You alright, Karin-chan? If you’re having trouble keeping up, I can have one of my clones carry you.”

Karin shook her head and replied, “It’s alright, Kai-nii. I can keep up.”

Kushina, her worry evident, asked, “Are you sure, Karin-chan?”

Hotaru, falling back to their level, offered with a smile, “It’s perfectly fine if you need a break, Karin-chan. I can carry you if you like.” Kaito looked at Pakkun, who was nestled in Hotaru’s arms, and asked, “How far away are we, Pakkun?”

Pakkun replied, "About an hour away if we keep this pace."

Karin nodded and said with determination, "Thank you, but like Kaito-nii said, this is training."

"That's right, this is part of our training, ya know!" Naruto added from beside them.

Kaito smiled and reassured her, “Alright then. Just let me know if you start having trouble, okay?” He then moved back to his position at the front of the group.

An hour later, they arrived at the small town where Tsunade was located at. Kaito landed on the path leading into the town, where a sign read "Yurakami Town."

Kushina slid off his back with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Kai-kun."

Shikaku and Hotaru landed beside him, while Naruto and Karin followed closely behind. Karin looked winded but managed a nod, and Naruto, brimming with relief, punched the sky and shouted, "Finally!"

Pakkun, who had been nestled in Hotaru’s arms, leaped down and began sniffing the ground. "It’s faint, but I can smell them. Follow me."

The group nodded and followed Pakkun into the bustling town. The streets were alive with activity, people going about their daily routines, and the atmosphere was vibrant.

Pakkun paused, his nose twitching as he took in the scents. "I can smell the Raikage’s scent."

Everyone stopped in their tracks at Pakkun’s words.

Kaito, using Kagura’s Mind Eye, sensed around for any signs of the Raikage. "Is he actually here?"

Pakkun sniffed the ground carefully. "The scent is faint. It seems he was here a few days ago, but he’s not around now."

Shikaku nodded and asked Pakkun, "Can you smell Lady Tsunade?"

Pakkun confirmed with a nod and led them to an inn with a large courtyard. As they approached, Pakkun’s keen nose picked up on a large stone slab that had been broken into pieces.

Pakkun pointed to the shattered stone and said, "The Raikage’s scent is mixed with Lady Tsunade’s. They must have had an encounter here."

Kaito examined the broken slab and remarked, "It looks like they might have had some sort of confrontation, maybe an arm-wrestling match." He then used Kagura’s Mind Eye to scan the inn for any large chakra signatures. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "I don’t sense anyone with a large chakra level in the town. Lady Tsunade must have already left."

At the mention of Tsunade’s name, a group of men nearby perked up. One of them called out, "Hey kid, did you say Tsunade?"

The man approached Kaito’s group, his face a mix of hope and desperation. "Do you know where Tsunade is? We’ve been trying to find her."

Shikaku shook his head. "No, we came here looking for her as well."

The man’s face fell. "We’ve been searching for her for the past few days. She borrowed ten million from us and then vanished after losing it all gambling."

Kushina, hearing this, couldn’t help but smile awkwardly. "Heh… That sounds like something Tsunade-nee would do."

Shikaku nodded sympathetically. "We were informed that she was last seen here, but it seems she must have moved on."

The man sighed deeply, clearly disappointed. "If you find out where she is, please let us know." With that, he and his group turned and walked away.

Kaito turned to Pakkun and asked, "Can you track her scent? Judging by what that guy said, she must have been here not too long ago."

Pakkun nodded. "Hai, I can follow the trail. There’s a scent leading out of the village. I also sense Bisuke’s scent going in the same direction." He began leading them towards the other exit of Yurakami Town.

Shikaku, observing the direction Pakkun was pointing, said, "The trail heads towards Degerashi Port. Is it fresh?"

Pakkun confirmed with a nod. "Hai, she and her companion left this morning."

Hotaru, processing the information, asked, "So she’s heading towards Degerashi Port?"

Kaito looked up at the sky and calculated their next move. "If we leave now, we should be able to reach Degerashi Port by nightfall."

He then turned to Karin, Naruto, and his mother. "Sorry guys, but we need to move quickly if we don’t want to lose Lady Tsunade’s trail."

Kushina nodded in agreement but then looked at Naruto and Karin with concern. "Are you two okay with that?"

Naruto, still full of energy, nodded eagerly. Karin, though winded, also nodded, determined not to hold them back.

Noticing Karin’s fatigue, Hotaru stepped forward. "Come on, Karin-chan, I’ll carry you."

Karin accepted gratefully and climbed onto Hotaru’s back. Kaito then picked up Kushina and turned to Pakkun. "Please lead the way, Pakkun."

Pakkun jumped onto Naruto’s head and gave a quick bark. "Hai, follow me!" He then guided them as they set off towards Degerashi Port, with Naruto and the others following closely behind.

They traveled for another two hours as the sun began to dip, casting a warm evening glow over the landscape. They finally arrived in front of a large gate with a sign that read, "Welcome to Degerashi Port."

As they approached, the port came into view—a bustling hub with multiple docks stretching out into the water. Being the capital of the Land of Tea, Degerashi Port was much larger than they had anticipated.

Kaito gently set his mother down from his back as the others landed around him. Kushina, stretching her legs after the long journey, thanked him. "Thank you, Kai-kun."

Hotaru did the same for Karin, helping her down with a friendly smile.

Naruto, panting heavily, looked around and exclaimed, "Finally, we made it! I’m starving! ya know Can we find something to eat now?"

Kushina shook her head with a smile. "Not just yet, Naru-chan. We still need to find Tsunade-nee."

Pakkun, who had jumped off Naruto’s head, sniffed the air and confirmed, "She’s definitely here."

Just then, a figure leaped out from the side of the road leading into Degerashi Port. It was one of Kakashi’s ninken, with tan-colored fur and brown highlights on his long ears and legs. The dog had the kanji for "shinobi" (忍) in the middle of his forehead and dark, circular markings around his eyes. He wore the standard outfit of Kakashi's ninken—a blue vest with the henohenomoheil seal and a Konoha forehead protector around his neck.

The new dog greeted them, "Hey, you guys finally made it!"

Pakkun nodded in acknowledgment. "We ran into some trouble on the way."

Kaito stepped forward and asked, "Bisuke, how long has it been since Lady Tsunade was here?"

Bisuke turned to Kaito and replied, "Hmm. She arrived just a few hours ago."

Kaito nodded in appreciation and handed Bisuke a packet of their favorite food as a thank you. "Here, this is for you. Thanks for your help."

Bisuke accepted the treat with a grateful wag of his tail. "Thanks, Kaito. I’ll leave the rest to you guys." With that, he dispelled himself, leaving them to continue their search.

Kaito then turned to Pakkun. "Can you lead us to her?"

Pakkun sniffed the air and confirmed, "Yeah, follow me."

The group followed Pakkun into the bustling town. As they walked through the lively streets, the sky darkened and the area was filled with people selling food and souvenirs.

Pakkun led them to a bar and stopped outside, his nose twitching. "She’s definitely inside."

Kaito nodded, his senses confirming Pakkun’s assessment. "Yes, I can sense someone with a Kage-level chakra inside. It must be her. She’s with someone, and they seem to be talking."

Naruto, eyes lighting up at the prospect of food, said, "Finally, we can get something to eat! Let’s go!" He started towards the bar, clearly eager to satisfy his hunger.

Kushina followed after him, calling out, "Hold on, Naru-chan!"

Kaito turned to Pakkun, offering him the treat as promised. "Thanks for your help, Pakkun. Here’s the treat I promised."

Pakkun gratefully accepted the treat. "Thanks, Kaito. I’ll be off now. Call me if you need any more help." before dispelling

Kaito followed the rest of the group into the bar. As they entered, Kushina glanced around and said, "Hmm, I don’t see her at all."

Kaito, standing beside her, replied, "That’s because she’s in one of the private rooms at the back, Mom."

Kushina’s eyes brightened with determination. "Well, alright then. Let’s go," she said, leading the way towards the back rooms.

Kaito pointed to a door at the end of the hallway. "That should be the room. From their chakra signatures, it looks like Lady Tsunade is with two other people—one of them is her apprentice, and the other is an older man."

He turned to his mother with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe we should meet her tomorrow. I can keep a shadow clone watching them to make sure we don’t lose track of her."

Kushina waved him off with a reassuring smile. "It’s alright, Kai-kun. She won’t mind. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, ya know."

With that, she walked over to the sliding door and knocked gently.

Inside the room, Shizune, holding her pet pig Tonton in her arms, looked towards the door at the sound of knocking. "I’ll see who it is," she said, standing up and walking over to open it.

Tsunade, with a slightly tipsy look, turned toward the door and mumbled, "Who could it be?"

Jirōchō Wasabi, glancing at the time and then at the door, said, "Maybe it's for me. I’ve been here long enough," and began to rise from his seat.

As Shizune opened the door, she was met with the sight of a woman with long, vibrant red hair. Kushina greeted her with a warm smile. "Hello. I’m here to see Tsunade-nee."

Shizune, puzzled by the unfamiliar face, studied Kushina closely. "I’m sorry, but who are you?"

Kushina chuckled softly. "It’s Kushina Uzumaki."

At the mention of the name, Tsunade’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. "Shizune, who's at the door?"

Shizune turned back to Tsunade, still confused, and replied, "She says she’s Kushina Uzumaki…" She stepped aside, allowing Tsunade to see the person at the door.

When Tsunade saw Kushina, her shock was evident. "K-Kushina?"

Kushina’s grin widened as she stepped inside. "Hey there, Tsunade-nee."