An intrigued glint flashed in Kai's eyes as he glanced over.
A blond little boy with whisker marks was bickering with another kid—this one had paint smeared on his cheeks and a puppy tucked in his arms.
Naruto and Kiba, huh?
Hearing Kiba's taunt, Naruto looked frustrated and yelled, "Kiba, just you watch! I'm definitely gonna pass the entrance exam tomorrow!"
Kai paused, then strolled over to the pair.
Both Naruto and Kiba noticed him approaching.
Looking up, Naruto asked, "Hey, old man, you need something?"
Old man?! That caught Kai off guard for a second, but he quickly chuckled. "You're… Uzumaki Naruto, right?"
Naruto blinked, scratching his head. "Yeah, that's me. You know me, old man?"
Staring at Naruto's messy blond hair and beaming grin, Kai couldn't help but see a shadow of Minato.
He crouched down, ruffling Naruto's hair with a smile. "Of course I know you. Your father and I were the best of comrades."
"My father?!" Naruto froze, then his face lit up with excitement. "Old man, you know who my dad is? Even Teuchi-ojisan and Iruka-nii don't know!"
To protect Naruto, the Third Hokage had sealed all information about him. In all of Konoha, barely anyone knew his true parentage. Even Kakashi, a formal jōnin and Minato's own student, had been kept in the dark. That's how tightly the secret was guarded.
Kai grinned. "How about some barbecue? I can tell you a little about your father."
Naruto's eyes sparkled as he swallowed hard and nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Yes, please!"
Kiba glanced at Kai, trying to look cool. "Hmph, I still gotta give Akamaru a bath and keep up my training. My dream is to be a ninja like Kai Mitarashi-sama. I don't have time for barbecue."
Kai's face twitched, an odd expression flickering across his features.
Had he already become someone's idol? With his strength towering over the entire shinobi world, it was only natural, he supposed.
Akimichi Barbecue Restaurant.
Chōza himself brought out platter after platter of their secret-recipe grilled meats, stacking them on the table. He grinned, "Eat as much as you want, Kai. This one's on me."
"Thanks, Chōza." Kai didn't stand on ceremony—after all, he and Chōza had faced death together more than once.
Picking up his chopsticks, Kai placed a slice of meat on the grill. Instantly, the sizzle filled the air, making everyone's mouth water.
"Old man, you sure have some pull," Naruto said, a little envious.
"Of course," Kai replied with a laugh.
"Oh, right—old man, you said you'd tell me about my dad." Naruto looked at Kai, eyes full of anticipation.
"Your father was a great shinobi—a hero who protected Konoha," Kai said softly.
Hearing that, Naruto grew even more impatient. "So who is he? Old man, tell me!"
"Not yet, Naruto." Seeing the disappointment on Naruto's face, Kai continued gently, "How about this—let's make a deal. If you become a genin, I'll tell you who your father is. Deal?"
Disappointment flickered in Naruto's eyes, but it was soon replaced by fierce determination. "Just you wait, old man! I'm gonna be Hokage! Becoming a genin is nothing!"
"I'll be waiting for you to make it, then. But for now, it's barbecue time." Kai smiled.
"Yeah, you got it, old man!" Naruto nodded vigorously—though if he could keep his chopsticks from hovering over the grill, it'd be even more convincing.
…
Time slipped by like a fleeting shadow.
Another two years passed in the blink of an eye.
The shinobi world remained eerily calm—so calm, in fact, that Kai sometimes felt he might rust away from boredom.
A new generation of young ninja had started to make their mark: Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha from Konoha; Darui from the Hidden Cloud; Kitsuchi from the Hidden Stone; Chōjūrō from the Hidden Mist…
But the legend of Kai Mitarashi, the God of Slaughter, hadn't faded one bit.
The Mitarashi residence.
Knock, knock, knock… A familiar voice called out, "Kai-sensei, are you home?"
A smile tugged at Kai's lips. "Itachi, come in."
Clack.Itachi slid open the wooden door and stepped inside. Seeing Kai half-reclined on the floor, he bowed respectfully. "Hello, Kai-sensei."
Kai sat up a little straighter. "What brings you here, Itachi?"
Two years ago, Itachi had joined the ANBU. His missions were relentless; except for holidays, he almost never had free time. If he'd come in person, it had to be something important.
Itachi remained silent, and Kai didn't press him.
After a moment, Itachi looked up, meeting Kai's gaze. "Kai-sensei, in your opinion, which is more important—family or the village?"
"Hm?" The question made Kai frown, his eyes narrowing as he studied Itachi. Instead of answering, he asked, "Did something happen, Itachi?"
Could it be that, even with his presence, the Uchiha were still planning a coup? Who gave them the nerve?
Itachi pressed his lips together. "No, but… there are choices that have to be made."
Kai was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "No one can give you a perfect answer to that question. Listen to your heart and make your decision. That's the only way you'll have no regrets."
Hearing this, Itachi lowered his head, disappointment and resolve mingling on his face.
After a long pause, he looked up at Kai. "Thank you, Kai-sensei. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. I'll visit again next time." With that, he rose and left.
…
Watching Itachi's retreating figure, Kai frowned. He vanished from the house—and in the next instant, appeared in the Hokage's office.
Seeing Kai appear out of nowhere, the Third Hokage looked startled. "Kai? Is something wrong?"
Skipping any pleasantries, Kai got straight to the point. "Lord Third, has the Uchiha clan shown any unusual activity lately?"
The Third Hokage looked puzzled. "Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, after the incident with the Land of Water, the Uchiha have been deeply estranged from the village. They even volunteered to move to the outskirts. Lately, though, there's been nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask, Kai? Did you notice something?"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
📚 📚 Join Our Patreon for More!
🔥 10 fan fiction novels updating regularly - this story is already at Chapter179!
✨ patreon.com/DarkGolds