Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 191
Author's Note:
Hey guys!
Sorry for the delay—hope you enjoy the chapter! I've written over 4,000 words for this one, so sit back and enjoy the read!
Kushina gave him a small smile and slid the bangle onto her wrist. As soon as it was on, the bangle shrank slightly, adjusting itself to fit snugly, not too tight, just enough to stay in place.
Kaito reached into his pouch and pulled out another scroll. He unrolled it and unsealed a small tag—the Life-Pulse Regeneration Seal.
Turning to his mother, he held it up. "You ready, Mom?"
Kushina took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready, Kai-kun." She gave him a reassuring smile.
Kaito nodded back. "Alright. Just stay still, okay? Don't move too much."
He stepped forward, gently pressed the seal to her forehead, and stepped back.
Taking a deep breath, he counted down softly, "One… two… three… Kai."
The seal emitted a bright green light that enveloped Kushina's body. The room was illuminated by a soft yet intense glow, resembling a cocoon around her.
Kaito and Tsunade raised their arms, shielding their eyes from the sudden brightness.
After a few moments, the light began to fade, and the seal dissolved completely.
Kushina stood quietly in place, her expression slightly dazed as she blinked, as if waking from a deep sleep.
…
Kaito turned to Tsunade and asked, "Did it work?"
Tsunade glanced down at the tablet in her hands and gave a small nod. "Yeah. Her chakra coils are fully healed. and Everything looks to be normal."
Relief flooded Kaito's face as he walked over to Kushina. She hadn't moved yet. "Mom?" he called softly. When she still didn't respond, he reached out and gently shook her shoulder. "Mom… how are you feeling?"
Kushina blinked, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up at him, confused. "Huh… Kai-kun?"
Kaito quickly pulled over a chair and guided her into it. "Sit down, slowly. You okay? How are you feeling?" he asked, clearly worried.
Kushina blinked a few more times, flexing her fingers. Then she nodded slowly. "I feel… the same, ya know. But lighter. Like I lost a few kilos or something… and groggy. Like I just woke up from a really long nap." She yawned.
Tsunade stepped closer and placed a palm gently on Kushina's forehead. "Kushina, what's the last thing you remember?"
Kushina furrowed her brows. "Hmm… Kaito-kun pressing the seal to my forehead. Then… it got super bright, and I felt warm all over."
She paused for a second, then her eyes widened. "Wait—the seal! Did it work?!"
She shot up from the chair, her hands flying to her stomach. "I can feel my chakra… it's flowing again!"
Tsunade nodded while tapping on the tablet, noting something down. "Good. Your memory didn't regress. But you were dazed right after the seal activated. I'm marking that as a possible side effect."
She turned the tablet around to show Kushina. "Look here. Your chakra coils are fully functional again." A glowing 3D image of Kushina's chakra network shown on the screen.
Kushina's eyes lit up. "So… it really worked?" she asked, hopeful.
Kaito grinned. "Why don't you try using your chakra, Mom? Try making a chakra chain, ya know?"
Kushina looked at him, a bit unsure. "Chakra chains, huh? I haven't used those in a long time, ya know…"
She closed her eyes and took a slow, steady breath. In the next second, a chakra chain burst out from her back, glowing gold as it shot forward and slammed straight into the wall—boom!—leaving a solid hole right through the wall.
Her eyes flew open. "It worked!" she shouted, her face lighting up in pure joy.
Kaito practically jumped where he stood. "It worked!! You can use chakra again!!" he grinned wide and fist-pumped the air.
Kushina jumped in place too, beaming. "I can use my chakra again, ya know!" She pulled the chain back from the wall and looking at it. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, ya know!" she added happily.
Before Kaito could react, the chain lashed forward and wrapped tightly around him. "Eh—!?" he yelped as the chain yanked him forward right into Kushina's arms.
She caught him in a tight hug and planted a big kiss on his cheek. "Thank you! Thank you so much, ya know! You're the best son any mother could ever ask for!" she said, kissing his face again and again.
"Mom—haha—okay, okay, stop! That tickles! ya know" Kaito laughed, trying to squirm away as she smothered him with kisses.
Meanwhile, Tsunade stood off to the side, her eye twitching violently as she stared at the large, gaping hole now carved into her office wall.
Kushina finally let go of Kaito and turned to her. "It worked, Tsunade-nee—eh?"
She paused when she noticed Tsunade's gaze wasn't on her—it was fixed on something behind her.
Kushina turned around, saw the damage, then slowly looked back at Tsunade with a sheepish smile.
"Oops…" she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. "Hehe, I guess I'm a little rusty, ya know…"
Kaito blinked at the wall. "Eh… I'll fix that, ya know."
Tsunade sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "It better be fixed before the end of the day…"
Kaito nodded quickly. "Right, right!"
He formed a hand sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
The clone crossed its arms and glared at Kaito. "Hey, why am I stuck fixing this? You can do it yourself! I'm not cleaning up your mess, ya know!"
Then with a puff of smoke, he dispelled himself on the spot.
Kaito's eyebrow twitched.
Tsunade sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We are never doing this in my office again…"
Kushina laughed awkwardly. "Ehehe… maybe I should go find someone to patch that up—"
Before she could sneak out, Tsunade held up a hand to stop her. "You're not going anywhere yet. I still need to run a full check-up. Blood tests, chakra levels, everything. We need to make sure the seal didn't leave any hidden effects."
Kushina pouted a little but nodded as Tsunade turned and started walking out the door. "Come on. Follow me."
As she passed Kaito, Tsunade gave him a firm look. "Get that wall fixed."
Kaito gave a mock salute. "Yeah, yeah, I got it."
Kushina turned to him with a sheepish smile and gave him a gentle hug. "I'm really sorry about this, Kai-kun…"
He waved her off with a grin. "What? It's nothing, ya know. No worries, Mom. I'll get it done in a few minutes. I'm just so happy the seal worked and you're okay, ya know."
Just then, Tsunade's voice called from the hallway, sounding impatient. "Kushina, I don't have all day!"
Kaito looked at his mom and chuckled. "You better go before she explodes, ya know. I'll come find you once I'm done."
Kushina nodded. "Right! And when we're done, I'm treating you to something nice for being such a wonderful son, ya know." She leaned in and kissed his cheek again before hurrying out the door after Tsunade.
Still grinning, Kaito turned back to the busted wall. "Alright… let's get this done quick."
…
A few hours later, in a quiet hospital room…
Kushina sat on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling as she swung them back and forth, humming a soft tune to herself.
Tsunade stood by the counter, flipping through a medical report. "Hmm… everything looks fine. No hormone spikes, no chakra instability…" she muttered, nodding to herself.
A knock came at the door.
Kushina leaned to the side, peeking curiously. "Hmm? Wonder who that is..."
Tsunade didn't even glance up from the papers. "Come in," she called out, already knowing who it was.
The door opened, and Kaito stepped in, shutting it gently behind him.
Kushina's face lit up. "Kai-kun!" she cheered, waving at him.
Tsunade looked up from her files. "You done?"
Kaito nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, patched it up… but I had to repaint the whole wall. The patch stuck out too much, ya know."
He walked over and looked at Kushina, then at Tsunade. "Everything okay with Mom?"
Tsunade nodded. "Yeah, just waiting on the blood test results. Other than that, she's perfectly fine."
Just then, a loud rumbllllle echoed through the room.
Both Kaito and Tsunade turned toward Kushina.
Kushina laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "Hehe… guess I'm hungry. Kinda skipped lunch, ya know."
Tsunade let out a tired sigh. "I'll go check on the reports. Should be back in a few minutes—after that, you're free to go."
With that, she walked out of the room.
Kaito glanced at the clock on the wall. "Hmm… the academy lets out in a few hours. Maybe we can get Naruto, Karin, and the others and go out for dinner, ya know?"
Kushina smiled brightly. "Yeah, we should do that."
Then her expression shifted, a mischievous grin creeping across her face as she rubbed her hands together.
"Hehehe… I wanna sneak up on Naruto and the others with my chains, ya know. Maybe dangle 'em upside down for fun!" she said, cackling softly with an evil glint in her eyes.
Kaito smiled fondly, watching her. 'She's really happy… it's been a while since I've seen her like this, ya know,' he thought.
Then Kaito reached into his pouch and pulled out a small mirror. "Here, Mom," he said, handing it to her.
Kushina blinked, confused. "Huh? What's this for, Kai-kun?"
"Just look," he said with a smile. "Trust me, ya know."
Still puzzled, Kushina lifted the mirror and looked into it. Her eyes went wide. She tilted her head to the side, then gasped in shock—then pure joy lit up her face.
"I… I look like I'm in my twenties again, ya know!" she exclaimed.
Kushina twirled a strand of her red hair around her finger, still smiling. "Heh… I could pass as your older sister now, Kai-kun!"
She laughed and joked, "A lot of men are gonna be looking at me again, ya know~"
Kaito snorted. "Yeah, and I'll beat 'em off with a stick, believe it."
Just then, the door opened and Tsunade walked in holding the test results.
"Everything checks out," she said, sounding satisfied. "Your chakra network's stable, hormone levels are normal, no abnormal fluctuations. The seal worked perfectly. No side effects."
She looked at Kushina. "Your telomeres stretched back just like I expected. You've been physically de-aged, just like I said before."
Kaito glanced at Tsunade, then at his mom. "How old would you say she is now? Physically, I mean."
Tsunade rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she examined Kushina. "Mmm… my guess? Around twenty-three."
Kushina smirked proudly. "Hehehe, now that I've got my chakra back, I think I'm gonna go on missions again after Naruto graduates from the Academy, ya know!"
Tsunade nodded. "Yeah… but I'd advise you to take a year or two to train first. You've been out of the field for over a decade, Kushina."
Kushina huffed but smiled. "I guess you're right, ya know…"
Kaito, standing off to the side, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hey… Lady Tsunade. Do you think this seal could work on Itachi?"
Tsunade's expression turned serious. She shook her head. "It can revert physical damage and restore the body's condition, but it won't cure the root illness. With Itachi's condition… all you'd be doing is buying him more time, not healing him. And using it too many times on someone might have side effects."
She paused, then added, "Maybe… a weaker version of the seal, could help without overwhelming his body."
Kaito nodded slowly. "I see… has there been any progress on finding a cure for him?"
Tsunade let out a sigh and shook her head. "MPA is extremely rare… but theoretically treatable. We just haven't found the right method yet."
She straightened up and gave them both a light nod. "Anyway, you're free to go."
"Yatta~!" Kushina cheered, hopping off the bed with energy. "Alright, let's go!"
But Kaito held out a hand. "Just a minute, Mom."
Kushina paused, tilting her head in confusion. "Hm? What is it, Kai-kun?"
Kaito reached into his pouch and pulled out a scroll. He unrolled it and with a small pulse of chakra, unsealed a single tag: a Life-Pulse Regeneration Seal.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly. She recognized the seal tag.
"What's that for?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as Kaito stepped toward her.
Kaito held out the tag toward her. "It's for you."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, eyeing the seal in Kaito's hand. "Eh? For me?" she asked, confused.
Kaito nodded and stepped closer. "Yeah. It's for you."
She looked at him, still puzzled, then back down at the seal.
"You told me once that your Mitotic Regeneration jutsu shaves off your lifespan every time you use it," Kaito began, his voice calm but serious. "And when I'm in Sage Mode, I can sense the toll it's taken on you."
He paused, then added quietly, "I can also sense the transformation jutsu you've been using… to look younger."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly but said nothing.
"You said it yourself—the Life-Pulse Seal can rejuvenate the body. It resets the cells. Restores everything back to their prime. So I want you to have this one," he said, gently holding it out to her.
For a second, she didn't move.
Kaito looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're like a master to me, ya know? You've done so much for me… and for the village. "
Tsunade stared at him quietly for a long moment, the seal in his hand.
Kushina smiled gently and encouraged her, "Take it, Tsuna-nee."
Tsunade glanced at her, her expression softening. She looked conflicted, like she wasn't sure whether to accept or refuse.
Kaito smiled a little. "And besides… I'm also giving you this for the village, ya know? The stronger you are, the better it is for everyone."
Tsunade let out a long sigh, closing her eyes. "Alright, alright… I'll take it." She looked at Kaito and smirked lightly. "Just do it, brat."
Kaito nodded and stepped forward, gently placing the seal on Tsunade's forehead. Then he stepped back and asked, "You ready?"
Tsunade gave a small nod. "Yeah… let's just get this over with."
Kaito formed a half-tiger hand sign and quietly muttered, "Kai."
The seal flared to life, glowing with a bright green light that wrapped around Tsunade's body. Both Kaito and Kushina instinctively turned away, shielding their eyes from the intense glow.
As the transformation began, Tsunade's Henge no Jutsu broke. Her appearance changed instantly—her frame shrinking slightly, her skin paling, hair turning dull and thin. For a brief moment, she appeared as the frail woman she truly was underneath the jutsu.
In the shift, her top loosened, the sleeve slipping off one shoulder.
The green light pulsed for a few seconds longer than it had with Kushina… and then, finally, the glow and the seal faded away.
As the light faded, Kaito looked up toward Tsunade—and his eyes widened instantly.
Tsunade stood there, dazed and silent—but transformed. Her youth restored. Her figure sharp and defined again. But… in the process, her top had loosened and slipped down, revealing much more than she liked.
Kaito's face turned bright red. His brain short-circuited for a second. "E-Eh—!?" he stammered, frozen in shock.
"Ah—!" Kushina gasped and rushed forward, grabbing a nearby sheet and quickly draping it over Tsunade.
The sudden movement snapped Tsunade out of her daze. "Huh? Kushina—?"
Meanwhile, Kaito had already turned away sharply, hand covering half his face, ears glowing red. "… uh… maybe We should've done that while you were lying down, ya know…" he muttered awkwardly.
Tsunade looked down—and her eyes widened. "Oh—!"
She quickly pulled her top back up and covered herself properly, face flaring red. Her gaze snapped toward Kaito, who was still facing away with his back stiff and ears burning.
Kushina couldn't help but laugh. "Eh~ you kinda flashed Kai-kun, ya know," she teased, stepping back with a grin.
Tsunade groaned, tugging her top tighter. "You're lucky you didn't do that on purpose, brat," she muttered, glaring in Kaito's direction as she made her way over to the mirror resting near the bed.
While Tsunade looked away, Kushina leaned in close to Kaito and whispered with a sly grin, "Ne~ maybe you've got a thing for older women, eh, Kai-kun?"
Kaito flushed and jumped back. "Eh—! what no nothing like that, ya know!" he stammered, his entire face turning bright red.
Kushina burst out laughing, nearly doubled over. "Ohhh this is gold~ I've got so much new material to tease you with now, Kai-kun!" she said between laughs.
Tsunade, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly let out a shaky laugh—half-laugh, half-sob.
"Damn it… I wasn't ready for this," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as a single tear slid down her cheek.
Kaito and Kushina turned toward her.
Tsunade stood quietly in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. She reached up, fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. It was the first time in years she was seeing herself without the transformation jutsu—no tricks, no masks. Just her. Just Tsunade.
Another tear escaped, but this time she didn't wipe it away. She just breathed in slowly, eyes shining.
Then she turned from the mirror.
Her eyes were still damp, but her expression was calmer now—more steady. With quiet steps, she walked toward Kaito.
Kaito blinked and instinctively took a step back.
'Oh no, is she gonna punch me?' he thought, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face.
"E-Eh, sorry! I didn't mean to, ya know!" he said, closing his eyes and bracing himself as she got closer.
But instead of a fist—she hugged him.
It wasn't playful. It wasn't stiff. It was a real, heartfelt hug—the kind someone gives when words fall short.
Her voice was soft. "Thank you… You don't know what you just gave me."
Kaito stood frozen for a second, eyes wide—then slowly relaxed into the hug.
Just as suddenly, Tsunade pulled back and gave him a light punch on the arm.
"But if you tell anyone I cried," she said with a smirk, "I'll break your jaw."
Kaito rubbed the spot where Tsunade had punched him and let out a relieved sigh.
Kushina grinned wide, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Aww~ Tsuna-nee went soft~! Kai-kun, you're officially her favorite now!"
"Shut it, tomato," Tsunade grumbled, wiping the last of her tears as she crossed her arms.
Kushina just grinned wider.
Trying to steer the conversation to safer ground, Kaito cleared his throat and said, "Hey… you know, Lady Tsunade, you should think about learning senjutsu from Lady Katsuyu. You've already got more than enough chakra. Slug Sage Mode would give you all the benefits of the Hundred Healings technique—without any of the drawbacks, ya know. Even the regeneration part. Plus, it'd make you stronger in your base form too. A stronger Hokage's always a win for the village, right?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, thoughtful. "Hmm… that's not a bad idea. I'll talk to Katsuyu about it."
Just then, Kushina glanced up at the clock. "Hey, we've still got about two hours before the academy lets out. If we hurry, how about we hit the hot springs to celebrate? Then we can grab dinner once we pick up the kids, ya know?"
Tsunade hesitated. "I'm not sure…"
But Kushina didn't give her the chance to finish. She grabbed Tsunade's arm and started dragging her toward the door. "C'mon! It's not every day we get to relax and celebrate, ya know? Today's a happy day—for both of us!"
Tsunade groaned but didn't resist, letting herself be pulled along. "Fine, fine… but if that old perv Jiraiya's peeping again, I'm drowning him."
Kushina laughed. "I doubt Kai-kun would let him, ya know."
Kaito let out a long sigh as he followed after them.
….
Later, at the onsen, Tsunade leaned back against the smooth stone wall, her body submerged in the warm water. Steam rose gently around her as she sipped from a small cup of sake, letting out a long, tired sigh.
A tray floated in front of her with a bottle of sake and a neat arrangement of sushi and dumplings.
Beside her, Kushina sat comfortably in the water, her red hair tied up in a loose bun. She plopped a dumpling into her mouth and hummed while chewing. "Mmm, that's really good, ya know," she said, already reaching for another.
Tsunade looked at her for a long moment before speaking, her voice quiet. "I'm really envious of you, Kushina."
Kushina paused mid-bite and blinked at her, confused. "Huh? Envious of me?"
Tsunade sighed and looked at Kushina, her gaze distant, voice low. "Yeah… I'm envious of you."
Kushina tilted her head, still chewing. "Me? What for? You're the Hokage, the strongest kunoichi in the world!"
Tsunade gave a tired smile and shook her head slowly. "It's not about strength. It's about what you have."
She lifted her sake cup, staring into it like it held memories instead of liquor. "You've been through hell, Kushina. War, near-death, being a jinchūriki, losing Minato. But you still came out of it with a light in your eyes. And somehow… you raised a son like Kaito."
Kushina blinked, caught off guard.
Tsunade continued, her voice softer now. "He's… sharp. Kind. Strong, Loyal, perceptive maybe Too perceptive for his own good but He sees people, really sees them. And… he looks at you like you're his whole world."
Kushina blinked again, her lips parting slightly, dumpling forgotten in her hand.
"I used to dream about that," Tsunade murmured. "Having a kid. A little boy or girl with Dan's smile. Teaching them how to punch through boulders, lecture them about medicine, fall asleep next to them after long days…"
She trailed off, swallowing down the emotion building in her throat. The steam hid her face, but her voice cracked just enough to betray the hurt.
"But I gave up on that dream. Too dangerous. Too painful. Too much to lose."
Kushina reached out, gently placing a hand over Tsunade's. "Tsuna-nee…"
Tsunade finally looked at her, a wistful, tired smile tugging at her lips. "I saw the way Kaito looked at me today. Like… I mattered. Not just as the Hokage. Not as the 'Legendary Sucker.' But like someone he truly respected."
A tear escaped her eye before she could stop it. She brushed it away with a scowl. "I guess… a part of me wishes I had a son like him."
Kushina gave her hand a gentle squeeze, her expression warm… but then her lips curled into a playful smirk.
"Well, now that you've got your youth back," she said casually, "what's stopping you?"
Tsunade blinked, confused. "Huh?"
Kushina leaned in, whispering like it was some grand secret. "You could still have a kid, ya know."
Tsunade nearly dropped her sake cup. "W-What?!"
Kushina burst out laughing. "What? I'm serious! Your body's fully restored, your chakra's ridiculous, and you've got better genetics than half the village. Konoha wouldn't mind little Tsunade ya know."
Tsunade groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Kami."
Kushina waggled her eyebrows. "Oh, I haven't even gotten to the best part."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare—"
Too late.
Kushina grinned wide and leaned in even closer, voice sing-song "Maybe it's finally time to give Jiraiya a chance~."
Tsunade almost choked on her drink. "Kushina!"
"What? He's been loyal! He's patient! He clearly worships the ground you walk on—plus, if you ask me, the whole 'pervy' thing is mostly a cover. Deep down, he's serious about you."
Tsunade's face was red—not from the heat. "He's a pain in my ass, that's what he is. He'd probably write a book about it the next morning."
Kushina laughed so hard she nearly slipped under the water. "Come on! You two are already like an old married couple anyway!"
"I will drown you, tomato," Tsunade threatened, though her lips twitched with a reluctant smile.
Kushina grinned, unfazed. "At least consider it. You're strong, beautiful, and you have the body to do so. You deserve more than just carrying the village on your back. You deserve someone who sees the woman, not just the Hokage."
Tsunade fell quiet again, looking down into the sake cup now resting in her lap. "…Maybe."
Kushina smiled softly, this time without teasing. "You've still got time, Tsuna-nee. Don't close that door forever."
Tsunade looked over, then raised her cup and sipped.
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