Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 215
"Thank you, Kushina," Tsunade said with a smirk, taking the cup and pouring herself a generous serving of sake.
When everyone had settled, she finally spoke, leaning back slightly. "All right, brat—spill it. What did you call us here for?"
Kaito nodded. "Right…" he said quietly. Then he turned toward the hallway. "You can come out now, Dad."
The room fell silent.
Tsunade's brow furrowed, and across the table, Kakashi's visible eye snapped open. Shikaku straightened, confused. Fugaku and Hiashi both turned toward the corridor.
Then came the sound of footsteps. A tall figure stepped into the light of the doorway—Minato Namikaze, golden hair gleaming faintly, blue eyes calm and familiar. He paused at the edge of the tatami mat and offered a smile.
"Good morning, everyone."
For a moment, no one moved. The world seemed to narrow to the sound of his voice.
Kakashi's eye widened. "S-Sensei…" he breathed.
Fugaku's stoic mask cracked, a flicker of shock passing through his dark eyes.
Hiashi exhaled slowly. "Well," he murmured, "this isn't what I was expecting."
Shikaku stared for a beat, then sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Troublesome…"
And Tsunade simply froze. Her lips parted as her mind tried to bridge the impossible sight before her.
…
The midday sun hung high over Konoha, the sky a soft stretch of blue dotted with lazy clouds.
A bird glided over the Uzumaki compound, its shadow brushing the tiled roof before disappearing beyond the trees. A gentle breeze slipped through the courtyard, carrying the faint scent of flowers. A single leaf danced in the wind and drifted through the open window, landing quietly on the kitchen sill.
Inside, Kushina stood by the stove, her red hair tied loosely behind her back, humming a soft tune under her breath.
She dipped a wooden chopstick into the oil, watching it bubble around the wood. "Perfect," she murmured with a small smile, pulling the chopstick back.
Lifting the tray of prepared chicken katsu, she picked up a piece with the chopsticks and lowered it carefully into the hot oil. The sizzle filled the kitchen, followed by the faint crackle of golden breading crisping in the heat. She worked steadily, placing each piece in without crowding the pan.
Once satisfied, she adjusted the flame and moved over to the other stove, where a pot of curry was simmering quietly. Lifting the lid, she stirred with a wooden spoon, the rich aroma filling the room.
She scooped a small ladleful into a tasting spoon, blew on it, and took a sip. "Hmm… needs a bit more salt," she said to herself, reaching for the salt jar. She pinched a bit and sprinkled it in, giving it another gentle stir before tasting again.
A satisfied smile curved her lips. "That's better," she said softly.
She turned off the stove, carried the pot over to the table, and set it down with a light clink. Then, wiping her hands on her apron, she turned back to check on the katsu, the golden pieces now floating beautifully crisp in the oil.
The scene shifted to the living room.
Kaito stood before a whiteboard on wheels, markers in hand. Diagrams, formulas, and chakra flow models filled the board — a mix of complex seals and mathematical notations.
Minato stood beside him, leaning casually against the wall. His expression was thoughtful, occasionally nodding to help clarify certain points as Kaito spoke.
As he finished explaining, Kaito capped the marker and turned slightly, scanning the room. His blue eyes flicked toward the small group seated before him — Hiashi, Kakashi, Tsunade, Fugaku, and Shikaku. Each wore a different expression: curiosity, skepticism, or deep contemplation.
Kaito crossed his arms. "So," he said evenly, "you're following so far, right?"
The room was quiet for a few seconds — only the faint hum of the ceiling fan filling the silence.
Shikaku finally exhaled, leaning back in his seat with that familiar tired look. "Alright… let me see if I got this straight," he said, rubbing his temple. "You were practicing the Hiraishin: Guiding Thunder… and decided to use red lightning Kirin technique of yours — as the target to teleport. Because you needed something that could match the scale of a Tailed Beast Bomb."
Kaito nodded. "Huh-huh."
"And because," Shikaku went on, gesturing vaguely toward the whiteboard, "you miscalculated the formula — the jutsu overloaded the Hiraishin seal and… you ended up sent back in time to the day of the Nine-Tails' attack."
"Yep." Kaito popped the 'p' with a small grin.
Shikaku's brow twitched. "And once you were there… you interfered with events — of course you did — and by doing so, you saved your parents, stopped Minato from dying, and as a result, you and Minato got flung here when the timeline corrected itself."
Kaito's smile widened just a bit. "Pretty much nailed it, ya know."
Shikaku let out a low groan and rubbed his face. "it's never simple with you kid."
Tsunade folded her arms, frowning. "And you can't send him back, because if you do, you risk breaking time itself?"
"Yup," Kaito replied easily. "We tried, but every attempt gave off this… pressure. Like time itself was about to snap. If we force it, we could break the entire timeline, ya know."
Minato, quiet until now, gave a small nod beside him. "It's true. We ran simulations through sealing formulas. Each attempt ended with catastrophic readings."
Kaito looked around the group again, his expression turning serious. "You see, from what I've learned… Dad's death is what you'd call a nexus event. It happens in every single timeline, no matter what changes. Even in the timeline Boruto came from… Dad still dies during the Nine-Tails' attack."
That earned several blank stares.
Kakashi tilted his head. "...Boruto?"
Kaito blinked, glancing around. "Wait—you guys don't remember Boruto?"
Tsunade frowned, clearly irritated. "Who the hell is Boruto?"
Kaito rubbed his chin, "Sasuke must've wiped your memories…"
Fugaku straightened slightly at the name. "Sasuke?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Wait—someone wiped my memories?!"
Kaito nodded, tone calm. "Yeah. Remember that blond kid who stayed over? Said he was Dad's distant relative — that was about two years ago."
Tsunade frowned, brows knitting as she tried to recall. "That blond kid… right. He got admitted with you and Naruto after—" She trailed off, her voice faltering as she stared at him. "What were you admitted for again?"
Kaito sighed. "That blond kid was Boruto — he's from the future. Sasuke, Itachi's brother, is his teacher. The two of them were sent back into our timeline after chasing an enemy through time. We got caught up fighting that guy and got pretty messed up. Afterward, Sasuke erased everyone's memories of them before he left."
He crossed his arms, exhaling slowly. "That's all I can really say anyway. Even in Boruto's timeline, Dad still dies during the Nine-Tails attack."
The room fell into a thoughtful silence for a moment.
Shikaku finally broke it, rubbing the back of his neck. "Then… having Minato alive in this timeline — wouldn't that mess with the balance? If his death's a nexus event, like you said?"
Kaito shook his head. "It won't, ya know. Because I'm the anomaly." He looked around the room, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "In Boruto's timeline — the one they came from — I don't exist. Either I was never born, or I died during the Nine-Tails attack. Mom and Dad both died that night. The same would've happened here if I hadn't interfered. Everything connected to me happens differently because I'm not supposed to exist there."
That earned another round of silence.
Fugaku crossed his arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Then how did my son from the future — and Naruto's son — get back to their own timeline? Can't we send the Fourth back the same way?"
Kaito shook his head. "No. They returned using an ancient device. I don't know where it is, or if it even still works."
He glanced toward Tsunade with a half-grumble. "And I've already explained all this to you that day, ya know."
Tsunade shot him a sharp look, lips curling in annoyance. "It's not like I asked to have my memories wiped, brat!"
Before Kaito could reply, Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "So… you don't exist in the past you were sent to?"
Kaito shook his head. "No, I was sent back into our timeline — just to an earlier point in it."
Hiashi frowned slightly, confusion creasing his calm expression. "But… wouldn't saving the Fourth in the past mean that he wouldn't have died?"
Kaito shook his head again. "No. An event that's already happened can't be changed."
Minato stepped in smoothly, taking the marker from Kaito. "It doesn't erase the old timeline," he said, drawing on the whiteboard — a clean line representing time, then branching off sharply. "It creates a split. The moment Kaito stopped me from dying, that act branched a new timeline from that point onward."
Kaito nodded. "Exactly. And when the timeline tried to correct itself, it ejected both me and Dad forward — into this current version of our timeline, where the events hadn't played out yet."
Hiashi looked even more confused, his brow furrowed deeper. "So… you were displaced forward by time itself correcting the paradox?"
Kaito nodded again, "Pretty much, ya know."
Kakashi tilted his head, eye narrowing in mild amusement. "Huh. Makes sense in a weird, kind of way."
Fugaku, arms crossed, didn't look particularly fazed.
Shikaku finally leaned forward, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Alright, so I'm assuming you already thought up a plan for how you're going to explain Minato being back."
Kaito nodded. "Yeah. The story is that Dad's been in a coma this whole time — that he never actually died during the Nine-Tails attack. We'll claim the truth was hidden to protect him."
Hiashi blinked. "That's… surprisingly plausible. But you'll need the Third's cooperation for that."
"Yeah," Kaito replied, tone firm. "But we can say I sealed his memories when the he stepped down as hokage as a precaution to keep Dad's survival a secret."
Then he muttered under his breath, almost too low to hear, "And he'll be dead by then anyway…" No one caught it,
Kaito crossed his arms and nodded toward them. "With your testimony about the cover story, we can make it work, ya know."
Shikaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… that might actually work," he said, glancing over to Tsunade for her opinion.
Tsunade, however, just tossed back another shot of sake and sighed. "I don't care anymore," she muttered.
Fugaku, sitting with his arms crossed, opened his eyes slightly and shifted his gaze toward Minato, then Tsunade. "So," he said evenly, "with the Fourth Hokage officially returning… will you be taking back the position of Hokage?"
At that, Tsunade perked up instantly, sake cup halfway to her lips. "Wait—really? I don't have to wait two more years for the brat to take over? I can finally take a vacation?"
Minato chuckled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm afraid not."
Tsunade froze mid-motion, eyes wide. "What? Why not?! You're back — you can take over!"
Before Minato could reply, Kaito stepped in. "Because the masked man is still out there, ya know. If he finds out Dad's alive, he might act early. Our biggest advantage right now is him not knowing."
Kakashi tilted his head, eye narrowing thoughtfully. "So… you want to keep sensei hidden until Ob" He stopped himself before finishing, then added quietly, "—until the masked man starts moving."
Minato nodded. "Exactly. It's the best course. I won't take the Hokage seat back until then I'll serve under her as an ANBU until the time is right. Even so, I think Lady Tsunade you've been doing far better than I ever did as hokage."
Tsunade blinked, her shock softening into reluctant understanding. "Hmph. You always were too humble for your own good."
Minato smiled lightly. "Just practical."
Tsunade exhaled, leaning back in her seat. "Alright… but for how long?"
Kaito folded his arms. "Until the Akatsuki start moving openly. Once that happens, we'll reveal him. Until then, Dad stays under the radar."
Tsunade grumbled under her breath, pouring herself another cup of sake. "So two more years," she muttered before downing it in one go. "Just great."
Kaito chuckled quietly, and Minato gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Lady Tsunade," he said gently.
She waved him off with a sigh. "Yeah, yeah"
Shikaku nodded slowly, arms crossed as he leaned back. "I guess it's the best course of action. Unless, of course, there's some miracle way to send Minato back—but since that's off the table…" He shrugged.
Kaito gave a small nod. "Well, that about sums up everything, ya know."
Just then, Kushina stepped out of the kitchen, towel in hand, wiping her fingers. She smiled brightly at the group gathered in the living room. "I hope you all will be staying for lunch, ya know?"
The smell of curry and freshly fried katsu still hung in the air — warm, rich, and inviting.
Hiashi stood first, straightening his robes with quiet politeness. "Maybe another time, Kushina," he said gently. "I have some clan matters to attend to."
Fugaku rose next, expression as composed as ever. "Me as well. I promised Mikoto I'd be back by noon — she's waiting for me. I'm sorry, but thank you for the offer."
Shikaku stretched his arms with a groan as he stood. "I'd love to, but I've got a pile of work waiting on my desk. Postponed it just to be here." He gave Kushina an apologetic smile. "Next time, alright?"
Kushina frowned, her shoulders dropping slightly. "Ah, that's too bad…"
Minato nodded to each of them as they made their way to the door. "Thank you all for coming," he said warmly. "And sorry to make you juggle your schedules, ya know."
Meanwhile, Kaito was wiping down the whiteboard, sealing away the diagrams with a practiced hand.
Kushina sighed as the last of them stepped out, then turned toward Kakashi. "What about you, Kakashi? Don't tell me you're leaving too, ya know."
Kakashi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Eh… sorry, Kushina-nee. I promised Kahyo I'd take her out for lunch."
Kushina pouted, crossing her arms. "I made all that food thinking you guys would stay, ya know."
She turned toward Tsunade with a mock glare. "You better not be giving me any excuses now, ya know."
Tsunade shook her head, chuckling. "Relax. I've got the rest of the day free since the brat here told me to clear it. I'm not going anywhere." She stood, sake bottle still in hand.
Kushina grinned, satisfied. "Good." She turned and headed back into the kitchen, Tsunade following close behind.
Kakashi walked over to Minato, looking a little awkward as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's… good to see you again, sensei."
Minato smiled softly, turning to face him fully. "It's good to see you too, Kakashi. I'm glad you've been doing well. We'll catch up properly soon, I promise."
Kakashi nodded, then hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Actually, sensei… do you think we can talk?" He glanced around the room, then gestured subtly toward the door. "Somewhere more private."
Minato tilted his head slightly, studying him before nodding. "Of course. Right now?"
Kakashi gave a short nod.
"Alright then," Minato said with a faint smile. He stepped closer, placing a hand on Kakashi's shoulder — and in an instant, both vanished from the living room without a sound.
A short while later, Kaito stepped into the kitchen. Tsunade was already there, sitting at the table with her chin propped on one hand, watching Kushina intently as she finished preparing the last of the food.
Kaito smiled faintly and walked over. "Here, let me help, Mom."
Kushina glanced up at him with a grin. "Thanks, Kai-kun."
He took the tray of freshly fried chicken katsu from her and carried it to the table, arranging it neatly.
From her seat, Tsunade's golden eyes followed the two of them quietly as they moved around the kitchen — Kushina humming as she ladled curry into bowls.
Kushina brought over the bowls of rice, placing them on the table. "Kai-kun," she said, "do you know where your dad went?"
Kaito shook his head. "He went with Kakashi. Probably wanted to talk about something, ya know."
"Mm." Kushina nodded, then handed a bowl to Tsunade. "Here you go, Tsuna-nee. Eat as much as you want — I cooked a lot, ya know."
Tsunade took the bowl and chopsticks, giving a small nod. "Thanks."
Kushina handed another bowl to Kaito before finally sitting down herself.
They pressed their hands together. "Itadakimasu," all three said in unison before digging in.
The kitchen filled with the soft clatter of chopsticks and the smell of curry. Kushina and Kaito chatted casually — light, warm, ordinary — as if it were just another day.
But Tsunade wasn't eating much. Her eyes kept flicking between the two — from the way Kaito smiled when Kushina laughed,
After a while, Tsunade finally set her bowl down with a soft clink and leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Alright, brat," she said flatly. "How did you do it?"
Kushina froze mid-bite, her chopsticks hovering halfway to her mouth. Her eyes darted toward Tsunade, then to Kaito, before she forced a nervous laugh. "W-what do you mean, Tsuna-nee? Oh—you mean the katsu curry? It's good today, isn't it? I used my usual recipe, ya know, but I tried a new curry blend—"
Her words came out a little too quickly.
Meanwhile, Kaito look up calmly chewing another piece of chicken, completely unfazed, as if none of this concerned him in the slightest.
Tsunade gave Kushina a sharp, unimpressed glare. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Kaito swallowed his bite, set his chopsticks down, and looked at her evenly. "So… how'd you figure it out?"
Tsunade snorted, crossing her arms. "Please. I've known you long enough. The way Kushina's been acting around him? She wouldn't be like that unless it was her Minato. She's been practically glowing the past few days — and I think I know why."
Kushina's entire face went crimson. "T-Tsuna-nee!" she stammered, scandalized.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, still smirking. "And she wouldn't be acting like that if it wasn't her Minato. At least, I don't think she would." She raised an eyebrow at Kushina. "What? Am I wrong?"
Kushina turned a deep shade of red, throwing her hands over her face. "Tsunade-nee! Don't say that, ya know! Kai-kun is right here!" she squeaked, her voice muffled by her palms.
Kaito chuckled, setting his bowl down. "I guess that kinda gives it away, ya know."
He leaned back slightly and added with a small grin, "You're right. He is the real Dad — the one who died ten years ago. The whole time-travel story? I made that up, ya know."
Tsunade blinked, momentarily stunned. Then she exhaled and reached for her sake, taking a slow sip. "So I was right," she said finally, her voice low but steady. "Alright, brat… how?"
Kaito reached into his pouch and pulled out a neatly sealed scroll, setting it gently on the table. "I created a seal that can bring back the dead."
Before she could speak, he lifted a hand. "And no — I didn't come up with the idea myself. It's based on an existing mark that Boruto had. Long story short, it's how an alien race — the Ōtsutsuki — keeps themselves alive forever, ya know. I just recreated the process in a seal."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't interrupt.
Kaito continued, his tone calm but serious. "And yeah, I know how dangerous something like this can be. That's why I didn't tell anyone. The fewer people who know, the safer it is."
He looked at her directly. "I was planning to tell you after everyone left. I just… wanted to see how long it would take before you asked, ya know."
Tsunade arched an eyebrow, lips curling faintly. "Is that so?"
Kaito nodded. "Yeah. The reason I was going to tell you… is because I want to use it to bring back Dan and Nawaki for you."
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