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After the exams, Kaito walked down a familiar street, hands stuffed in his pockets, no particular rush in his step. Instead of heading toward his old apartment, he took a different turn...one that led nowhere near it.
Not that it mattered. He wasn't going back there anyway. Thanks to the money he made from his books, he could finally leave that dump behind and get himself a proper place to live.
His mind drifted back to the exams. 'Didn't expect a Root member to be in the graduation exams...' He let out a quiet sigh. The only reason he pointed out the lipstick on her teeth was to get a look at her tongue. And just as he suspected, for the briefest second, he caught sight of a black marking.
The only reason he even pointed it out was because of that question she asked—word for word, the same one Danzo asked Itachi in the light novel.
His favorite light novel in the Naruto franchise, by the way.
If he were still back on Earth, he was pretty sure those books were somewhere on his shelf, probably covered in dust. The thought made his steps slow for a moment. 'What did I even do to my body…?' He hadn't thought about it before, but they probably buried him. Or cremated him.
A strange shiver ran through him. It wasn't fear, just… unsettling. The idea that people were handling his body—doing whatever they thought was right with it—while he was here, living in an entirely different world. If you could even call it living.
"Hey, did you read when the Wraith fought Loki?"
A loud, excited voice cut through the air ahead of him.
"Yeah! It was so badass…" another kid replied, just as hyped.
Kaito sighed as he walked past them, listening to them go on about his book—completely unaware that the very author was strolling right behind them. Honestly, he hadn't expected his book to blow up this much. It had gotten big enough that the money rolling in was nothing to complain about.
After walking for a while, Kaito finally came to a stop in front of a house. A modern Japanese-style home, two stories tall.
He stepped forward, pushing open the front gate and shutting it behind him. Pulling out his key, he slid it into the lock, twisting the knob before stepping inside.
Stepping inside, the floors were polished wood, smooth under his feet compared to the uneven, scuffed mess of his old apartment. The walls weren't cracked, stained, or peeling—just a simple off-white, giving the house a warm and open feel.
To his right, the living room stretched out, furnished with a sleek black couch that actually looked comfortable—not the sagging mess he used to sit on back in his old place. A wooden table sat in front of it, perfect for kicking his feet up. With a chair...with a fucking chair! Finally...
And on the far wall? A bookshelf. An actual bookshelf, not a pile of books stacked in a corner because he had nowhere else to put them.
The kitchen was visible from where he stood, separated only by a counter. The cabinets were a dark brown, the countertops clean and smooth. And, most importantly, there was space. Enough for him to move around without feeling like he'd knock something over with every step.
His old place had been tiny, barely big enough for him to stretch out without hitting a wall. The air had always felt stuffy, no matter how much he aired it out. But here? he could breathe.
A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Yeah…this was way better." he mumbled to himself.
Kaito turned his attention to the stairs leading up, taking them two at a time before stopping in front of one of the three doors. With a twist of the handle, he pushed it open—only to see himself hunched over a desk, scribbling something down on a piece of paper.
"Yo, you done?" Kaito asked, stepping inside, arms crossed as he stared at his own back.
The clone barely turned its head, moving sluggishly, deep bags forming under its eyes like it had been up for days.
"Fuck you," the clone shot back, voice dry and exhausted. "You lazy piece of shit. You could've done this yourself. Why do I always get stuck with this crap?"
Kaito smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "Because you are me, and I know for a fact I wouldn't wanna be doing that either."
The clone groaned, dropping its head onto the desk with a thud. Before lifting his head, the clone slowly turned back to face him. "Did you at least pass?" it asked, voice laced with irritation.
Kaito shrugged, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Of course I passed...probably." he said, like it was obvious.
The clone scoffed, rubbing its temples. "Good. Now maybe you can start pulling your own weight instead of using me as your personal writer." It jabbed the ink-stained brush at him. "Do you even know how much writing you've made me do? My wrist is dying, man."
Kaito stepped closer glancing at the paper. "And yet, your handwriting is still better than mine," he teased.
The clone groaned, slumping over the desk. "I hate you."
"You love me," Kaito shot back, grabbing the finished pages before his clone could protest. He skimmed through them, nodding in satisfaction. "Alright, you did good. You can poof now."
The clone flipped him off before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Kaito blinked as the clone dispersed, and instantly, a flood of memories crashed into his head. The sensation was weird...like recalling something he hadn't actually done himself but still knew every detail of. Just one of the perks of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
He exhaled, rubbing his temple as the information settled. At his current level, he could only manage two clones at a time without completely draining himself. They took up half his chakra, so four was his absolute limit if he didn't use any other jutsu's. But since he had burned through some of his reserves during the exams, he had to play it safe and stick with two.
But now where was the second one? 'I remember sending him to train in the basement…'
Kaito made his way down to the basement, the creaky stairs groaning beneath his weight. The basement was fully customized to his liking...a fully equipped home gym. Boxing bags hung from the ceiling, free weights lined the walls, and in the corner, several weapons were neatly arranged on display. It was perfect—isolated, private, and everything he needed to train without worrying about anyone watching him.
Even though the public training grounds were technically safe, Kaito still felt uneasy there. It wasn't just about being cautious; he preferred the solitude of his own space, where he could focus entirely on his training without distractions.
As he entered the room, the loud sound of fists striking a punching bag filled the air. Kaito raised an eyebrow, his attention shifting to the figure in the center of the room.
It was his clone—no surprise there—but this one was going all out, his hands throwing rapid jabs and hooks into the punching bag, his shorts clinging to his thighs as he worked the bag with vicious speed. The clone's physique mirrored Kaito's, muscular and toned, but this one had a certain aggressiveness in his movements as he pounded the bag relentlessly.
"Ots! Ots!" The clone grunted, landing another punch, his sweat glistening under the dim basement lights.
Kaito didn't hesitate. With a swift hand seal, he dispelled the clone. Immediately, a flood of information rushed into his mind and everything the clone had experienced in the last day—all of it crashing into him at once. It wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but the rush of information still left him momentarily dizzy.
He took a few seconds to collect himself, shaking off the disorienting feeling. With his exams now behind him, and the results still days away, Kaito was free. No more waiting around. He had time to train, time to push himself even further.
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In a dimly lit office, an elder man sat behind a sturdy wooden desk. His black shaggy hair framed a face marked by time and battle, the most distinct feature being an X-shaped scar across his chin. Draped over his shoulders was a dark grey robe, its fabric heavy, concealing most of his body except for the white shirt beneath. The dim lighting cast deep shadows on his face, only emphasizing the perpetual frown that seemed less like an expression and more like a permanent state of being.
His cold eyes locked onto the figure standing before him. "Have you found any promising recruits?" His voice was low and raspy.
The subordinate opposite him remained still, clad in a long black cloak that concealed their entire body. A white snake mask covered their face, the edges of the eye holes tinged with red, giving the illusion of narrowed, angry eyes.
"Yes, Lord Danzo," the masked figure responded, reaching into their cloak with a gloved hand. From within, they retrieved a thin white file, stepping forward to place it carefully on the desk. "You've heard of her before. Izumi Uchiha."
Danzo's gaze flickered to the file for a brief moment before he slowly reached for it, his expression unreadable. The room remained silent, save for the faint rustle of paper as he opened it.
Danzo rubbed his chin, eyes scanning the pages in front of him. "Isn't this the girl who's close with Itachi?" His tone was flat, but there was a glint of interest beneath it.
The masked subordinate gave a curt nod. "Yes, sir. Aside from being an Uchiha, she's shown remarkable skill...enough so that they advanced her a year ahead."
Danzo hummed in thought, fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the file. "And do you believe she has the right disposition for Root?" His voice carried no hope, only expectation.
The subordinate shook their head. "No, sir. None of them do… except for one."
Danzo's gaze narrowed as the masked figure reached into their cloak once more, pulling out a second file. They handed it over without another word.
Danzo took it, flipping it open as his eyes scanned the name at the top.
Kaito.
Danzo grunted, flipping open the file. A photo was attached to the first page, a scrawny boy with messy dark hair and hollow cheeks.
His brows furrowed. "This kid? He looks pathetic." Disapproval laced his tone.
"That photo is from last year, sir," the subordinate replied. "I've included a recent one inside."
Danzo sighed, turning the page. His expression twitched for just a second before settling back into its usual grumpy state. "So what? He put on some muscle. That doesn't mean he's worth anything." He tossed the file aside dismissively.
"I understand your skepticism," the subordinate said. "But he recognized he was under a genjutsu faster than anyone else except for Izumi and a Hyūga boy, despite having no clan to fall back on. His performance in ninjutsu and taijutsu was far beyond the norm, even managing to land a hit on the examiner. His bukijutsu, while not the best, is promising. More importantly, he's the perfect mold for our cause."
Danzo's fingers drummed against the desk, eyes narrowing slightly.
The subordinate continued. "I even asked him the question you always pose."
Danzo's gaze snapped back to them, interest finally piqued. "And?"
"He gave the same answer as Itachi… No one else got it right," the subordinate finished.
Danzo rubbed his scarred chin, leaning back in his chair. "Hmmm... The same answer as Itachi, huh?" His fingers tapped against the armrest. "His resume is still sloppy, but since you vouch for him, I'll take your word for it."
The subordinate bowed. "Thank you, sir."
Danzo didn't respond right away, his gaze lingering on the discarded file. After a moment, he exhaled sharply. "Keep an eye on him. If he shows promise, we'll proceed accordingly. Dismissed."
The subordinate gave a final nod before vanishing, leaving Danzo alone with his thoughts.
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A few days later, Kaito found an envelope sitting in his mailbox. He grabbed it, headed back inside, and dropped onto the couch.
Staring at the envelope in his hands, he exhaled before tearing it open. His eyes scanned the paper inside, moving down until they landed on the words...
[ YOU PASSED! ]
Just as he expected. Kaito had officially passed the first graduation exam.
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