Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 220
Minato looked up and smiled. "Yeah. It was nice meeting them." He paused for a moment before adding more softly, "I missed a lot of Kaito's and Naruto's lives growing up. It was nice getting to know more about his world… about who he's become."
Kushina's expression softened. She was just about to reply when—
Knock. Knock.
She blinked and glanced toward the door. "Huh? Who could that be at this hour?"
She stood and walked over to answer it.
Minato smiled faintly as he rose to his feet. He already knew who it was.
Kushina opened the door and froze. "Huh… Jiraiya-sama?"
Jiraiya stood there, scratching the back of his head, wearing a sheepish grin. "Oh—hey, Kushina. Mind if I talk to you about something?"
She stepped aside immediately. "Yeah, sure. I don't mind. Are you hungry? I still have some dinner left."
"Eh… well, if you insist," Jiraiya said, stepping inside.
He walked into the living room—
—and stopped dead.
Minato stood there, smiling. lifted a hand and waved lightly. "It's been a while, Sensei."
Kushina closed the door behind him and smiled warmly. "I'll go heat up the food. You two should catch up."
She headed toward the kitchen, leaving the teacher and the student standing across from each other.
…
The spring sun shone over the Hidden Leaf, light filtering gently through the leaves above. Late morning was nearing. A bird swooped down into a small clearing, landed on a branch, and chirped twice before taking off again.
In a training ground Naruto stood at one end of the field, rolling his shoulders as he loosened up, a confident grin on his face.
Across from him, Haku stood calmly, a soft smile resting on his lips.
Near the sideline, beside three worn training stumps, Kimimaro leaned back against one of them, arms crossed and eyes closed.
Naoki stood beside him, glancing between the two fighters. "So… who do you think's gonna win?"
Guren sat atop one of the stumps, her legs dangling freely, hands resting between them as she watched the field. "Haku, of course."
Karin sat on the ground between the stumps, leaning back against one of them. She pushed her glasses up with a finger. "Haku hasn't lost to Naruto yet, Only Kimimaro's beaten him before." Her eyes shifted back to the clearing. "Naruto always comes close, though."
Naoki blinked, clearly surprised. "That guy's really that strong?"
Guren huffed, unimpressed. "Not that much stronger. He's just faster than the rest of us."
Kimimaro didn't open his eyes, but he spoke calmly anyway. "Speed decides most fights."
Naruto raised a fist toward Haku, grin widening. "This time, I'm gonna win, ya know."
Haku's smile softened slightly. "I'll look forward to it."
Minato stood between them, hands relaxed at his sides, a light smile on his face. "Are you both ready?"
Naruto nodded and brought his right hand up in the seal of confrontation, his expression sharpening as he focused. "You bet."
Haku mirrored the motion, raising his right hand and forming the same seal.
Minato nodded once, then raised his hand. "Alright. Begin."
He jumped back out of the way.
Naruto burst forward, throwing a straight punch toward Haku.
Haku redirected the blow smoothly, guiding Naruto's fist aside with his palm. He followed up immediately with two quick kicks aimed at Naruto's side.
Naruto blocked both with his arm, absorbing the impact, then stepped back after the second kick.
Haku pressed the advantage, spinning into another kick.
Naruto leaned back just enough for it to pass in front of him.
Using the momentum of the spin, Haku dropped low and tried to sweep Naruto's leg out from under him.
Naruto jumped, twisting midair and kicking down toward Haku—but Haku blocked it with his arm. He rose smoothly to his feet and lunged forward, driving a punch straight toward Naruto.
Naruto blocked the punch, then ducked under another before pushing Haku's arm upward as he sidestepped a follow-up strike.
Haku answered with a sharp kick to Naruto's side. Naruto caught it on his arm, grunting as he absorbed the impact.
Naruto snapped his leg out in a counter, but Haku jumped back lightly, landing just out of reach.
Naruto didn't hesitate. He rushed forward and launched himself into a flying kick.
Haku sidestepped smoothly, twisting with the motion and sending a kick of his own straight toward Naruto.
The kick connected with Naruto's cheek, the impact sending him sprawling across the ground.
Naruto rolled once and popped back to his feet, rubbing his cheek with a scowl. "Damn it… he's faster than me, ya know."
He straightened, eyes sharpening. "Alright—Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Naruto formed a cross hand seal, and three more Narutos appeared in puffs of smoke.
Without hesitation, they rushed Haku one after another.
Minato stood off to the side, watching the spar with a small smile.
A moment later, Jiraiya landed in the clearing beside him, arms crossed.
Minato, having already sensed him, greeted him with a nod, eyes never leaving the fight. "Hey, sensei. What brings you here?"
"Just got back," Jiraiya said casually. "Figured I'd drop by and see how the kids were doing."
He let out a low whistle as he watched the exchange. "Damn. These kids are good."
Minato chuckled. "They all are. And they've got a lot of potential."
Jiraiya glanced at him, brow furrowing. "Hey… Minato. You standing out here like this—doesn't that kind of defeat the point of keeping your return hidden? Especially with Akatsuki spies crawling around?"
He looked genuinely puzzled by how openly Minato was present.
Minato chuckled again. "It's fine here, sensei. This training ground is sealed off." He gestured vaguely around them. "I'll know if anyone gets close. Not even the Byakugan can see through this barrier."
Just then, Naruto slid to a stop and rapidly formed two hand seals.
A wall of compressed wind spun up around him, cutting through the air as it blocked the incoming ice spikes from Haku.
Jiraiya whistled again. "Only two hand seals… that level of control over his chakra nature, and the kid hasn't even graduated from the Academy yet."
His eyes flicked back to the field, then narrowed slightly as he focused on Haku. "And that other kid—Haku. He's using one-handed seals like it's second nature to him."
Minato chuckled. "I'd say that's thanks to Kaito. He makes sure they master every jutsu they learn." His smile softened. "Honestly… I'm excited to see how strong they grow up to be."
Jiraiya snorted. "Leave it to that brat to find monsters with rare kekkei genkai."
Just then, Naruto formed three hand seals and spat out a Water Bullet straight at Haku.
Haku raised an ice mirror in front of him and slipped into it just as the jutsu hit. The water bullet slammed into the mirror, shattering it into fragments.
Naruto's eyes darted around. "Where'd he—"
An ice mirror formed above him.
Haku lunged out of it, senbon in hand.
Naruto reacted instantly, jumping back as he pulled out a kunai and channeled wind chakra into the blade. He surged forward again, meeting Haku head-on.
Wind-enhanced kunai clashed against a wind-enhanced senbon as they met in the middle.
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Wait—Naruto learned Water Release? When?"
Minato chuckled. "I believe Kaito started teaching him last year."
Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Two chakra natures at their age? I wasn't anywhere close. Hell, I barely had one." He studied the fight carefully. "I'd say Naruto's already around chūnin level… and the other kid's slightly above that."
Minato nodded, humming in agreement.
Jiraiya shook his head. "Though they still don't compare to you—or the brat."
"Well," Minato chuckled softly. "Naruto and the others are doing exceptionally well for their age."
"And honestly," Minato continued, more thoughtfully, "I think it's a bit unfair to compare them to Kaito, Jiraiya-sensei."
He paused. "Kaito is… different."
"He had to grow up early," Minato said quietly. "To protect Kushina… and Naruto. Because of that, he pushed himself harder than any child should have had to." There was sadness there—but also pride.
Then Minato smiled again, gentle and sincere. "Still," he added, eyes bright with anticipation, "I can't help but wonder how strong he'll become."
Jiraiya grumbled under his breath. "Still… I think the kid hates me. For not being there for him and Kushina. After you—"
Minato nodded quietly, not saying anything.
Jiraiya gaze swept the clearing. "Speaking of the brat—where is he?"
"Out on a mission," Minato replied.
Jiraiya was quiet for a moment, then spoke again. "Hey, Minato… remember I once mentioned that the Great Elder told me a prophecy?"
Minato nodded. "Yeah. About you guiding someone who would bring great change to the world."
Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah. That one."
Minato glanced at him. "What about it, sensei?"
Jiraiya exhaled slowly. "I think… Kaito might be the child of prophecy. Everything just seems to happen around him."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But the problem is, the Great Elder said I'd guide that person. And I didn't train Kaito. Hell, I tried—kid rejected me every time."
Minato chuckled softly. "Well… technically, you did train him."
Jiraiya looked at him, confused. "Huh? When?"
Minato smiled faintly. "When he was five. You taught him the Shuriken Shadow Clone. You even helped train him for a few days."
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Huh…"
Minato's expression grew more thoughtful. "Still, I don't think Kaito is the child of prophecy."
Jiraiya frowned slightly. "You don't?"
Minato shook his head. "No. Kaito's just… different."
Jiraiya was quiet, thinking, when a cheer from the sidelines caught his attention.
"That kid," he said, eyes narrowing slightly as he looked toward the red-haired boy standing with Guren, Karin, and Kimimaro. "The Uzumaki kid the brat found a few months back."
Minato hummed. "Naoki. What about him?"
Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "Doesn't he look a lot like Nawaki?"
Minato blinked once, then tilted his head. "Nawaki-san? You mean Lady Tsunade's brother?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya said. "That one."
Minato's smile didn't change. "I wouldn't know. I never met him."
That was true. Technically.
Jiraiya frowned faintly, not suspicious—just thoughtful. "Still… it's not just the looks. It's the way he moves. The way he talks. Everything feels similar to Nawaki."
Minato studied him for a moment, then said, "Maybe that's why Lady Tsunade allowed him to stay with her."
Jiraiya glanced at him.
"She might see her brother in him," Minato continued.
Jiraiya went quiet for a long moment. "…Yeah," he said finally. "That makes sense."
Minato shifted slightly. "How long are you planning on staying?"
"A few weeks," Jiraiya replied. "I've got a lead I need to follow up on."
He paused, then added, "And… I've been hearing some rumors."
Minato glanced at him. "What kind of rumors?"
"That the other villages are getting a bit antsy," Jiraiya said. "There's talk going around."
Minato's expression sharpened slightly. "Do you know why?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "Not sure. I'll have to check."
Minato nodded once. "Have you informed Lady Tsunade?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya replied. "Just came from her office."
"I see," Minato said, humming softly. Then he looked at Jiraiya again. "Sensei, mind doing me a favor?"
Jiraiya raised a brow. "Huh? What is it?"
"Would you mind telling Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima that I'll be training with them?" Minato said. "I haven't had the time to summon them yet, and I don't want them to freak out when I do."
Jiraiya paused. "You want to master senjutsu?"
Minato nodded. "Yeah. I'm thinking of finally fully mastering it. Right now, I can only hold it for a few minutes." He chuckled softly, then added, "Can't let kaito surpass me just yet, can I?"
Jiraiya laughed under his breath. "I suppose you can't."
just then A shadow passed overhead.
Minato looked up as a falcon circled above them—an unmistakable summons signal.
He let out a soft sigh, then turned back to Jiraiya. "Can you oversee their training for me?"
Jiraiya waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. I've got it."
Minato nodded once. His body flickered—and vanished.
Moments later, Naruto slammed into the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of him as Haku pinned him there, a kunai pressed lightly to his throat.
Jiraiya stepped forward, hands on his hips, grinning. "Looks like you lost, kid."
…
The Hokage's office was quiet in the late-morning lull, sunlight spilling through the wide windows and stretching across stacks of scrolls and paperwork that showed no sign of shrinking.
Tsunade sat behind her desk, one elbow resting against the armrest, fingers interlocked as she read.
Opposite her stood an ANBU shinobi, fully cloaked from head to toe. An owl mask concealed his face.
"Some of our shinobi have gone missing near the border of Takigakure," Tsunade said, her tone calm but clipped. "They were on routine patrol. Two teams have already searched the area, but they came back with nothing. No bodies. No signs of struggle."
The owl nodded slightly. "You suspect it has something to do with Root?"
Tsunade nodded. "That—or something else entirely. Either way, I want your team to investigate. Find out what's going on before it turns into something bigger."
The owl dipped his head. "Understood." His body flickered—and vanished.
Tsunade turned back to her paperwork, fingers drumming idly against the desk as she scanned another report. Her expression remained neutral, though a faint crease lingered between her brows—annoyance more than concern.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," she said without looking up.
The door opened, and Kenji stepped inside.
He paused briefly, then smiled faintly at the sight of Tsunade buried in paperwork. "Lady Tsunade," he said, bowing.
Tsunade looked up—and her expression immediately brightened.
"Ah, Kenji," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips before she even realized it. "You're back early."
"We managed to complete the mission ahead of schedule, ma'am." He shrugged lightly as he stepped forward, placing a scroll on her desk. "Here's the mission report."
Tsunade nodded, taking the report, then gestured vaguely with one hand toward the ANBU guards stationed in the room.
They vanished without a sound.
The moment they were gone, the tension in the office shifted. Kenji relaxed slightly, his shoulders loosening.
He raised an eyebrow. "We're making a habit of that."
Tsunade snorted. "Don't get used to it." She leaned back in her chair, smiling at him more openly now.
"No," Kenji chuckled. "I won't."
Tsunade gestured toward the chair across from her desk. Kenji took the hint and sat down.
"Looks like you're drowning again," he said, glancing at the paperwork.
Tsunade followed his gaze and groaned. "Don't remind me. I swear it multiplies when I'm not looking."
Kenji let out a soft chuckle. "You know, for someone who hates paperwork, you've gotten really good at it."
"That's not a compliment," she shot back, though there was a smile tugging at her lips. "That just means I've been suffering long enough."
They fell into an easy silence after that. No pressure, no awkwardness—just the kind of quiet that came from familiarity built over time.
Then the door opened.
"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune peeked in, a clipboard tucked against her chest. She paused when she noticed Kenji. "…Oh. Kenji-san?"
Tsunade didn't miss the brief flicker of surprise.
"What is it, Shizune?" she asked easily.
"I was going out for lunch," Shizune said. "I was wondering if you were coming, or—"
Tsunade shook her head, still smiling. "No, you go ahead. I'm going to stay a bit longer and finish this." She gestured toward the mountain of paperwork.
Shizune hesitated, her eyes flicking between Tsunade and Kenji. "Are you sure? You skipped breakfast."
"I know," Tsunade replied calmly. "I'll eat later."
Shizune nodded, though she didn't look entirely convinced. "…Alright."
She turned to leave, but not before giving Kenji one last, puzzled look.
The door closed behind her.
The silence settled back in.
Kenji exhaled quietly. "She's starting to notice."
Tsunade leaned back, folding her arms. "She probably would have sooner or later. Shizune's observant—she's not stupid. But she trusts me. That buys us time."
He studied her for a moment. "You're not worried?"
She shrugged. "We want them to eventually."
Then she raised an eyebrow, eyes sharp. "Or were you planning to keep our relationship a secret forever?"
"Not that," he said carefully. "I'm just saying… it might look like we're moving too fast."
He met her gaze, searching her expression.
Tsunade didn't look offended.
Instead, she sighed, lifting a hand to rub her temples. "After everything I—" she paused, then corrected herself quietly, "—everything we've waited through… I don't care how it looks."
She looked back at him, her voice lower now. "I'm tired of waiting."
Kenji stayed silent for a long moment.
Then he nodded once. "Alright."
A small smile returned to her face.
"Good," she said. "Now—help me survive this paperwork before I decide to burn it all, and then we can go out to eat."
He chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "I'll consider it hazard pay."
…
A clearing in the Land of Tea.
The air was warm, carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh grass. New leaves clung to the branches overhead, sunlight filtering through in soft patches that dappled the forest floor.
Beneath one of the trees sat a tall, thin young man. He had pale golden eyes and brown hair that fell to his shoulders, parted to the side so that a thick portion of his bangs covered the left half of his face.
He wore a long, light blue kimono, loose and open at the chest, with a small emblem of three bubbles stitched onto the back. Grey pants were visible beneath it, held in place by an orange sash. Resting beside him was a bamboo jug filled with a soap solution, along with a simple pipe.
He reached into his yukata and pulled out a wrapped parcel, carefully unwrapping it on his lap.
Onigiri.
He picked one up and took a slow bite, chewing in silence.
A squirrel darted nearby, pausing to watch him. He broke off a small piece of the onigiri and set it down on the ground.
The squirrel hesitated, then crept closer and took it.
Just then, Kaito landed lightly in the clearing, his presence barely disturbing the air. He lifted a hand in a lazy wave.
"Yo," he said casually. "It's been a while, Utakata."
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