Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Akaden Chapter 126

Kaito paid them no mind as he reached for Ao's left eye. As he attempted to extract it, a seal activated, blocking his efforts.

"Tsk," Kaito clicked his tongue, tearing through the seal to reveal the Byakugan hidden beneath.

Shisui landed behind him, concern evident in his voice. "Kaito, what are you doing? This wasn't part of our mission."

Anko and the other shinobi arrived moments later, eyes wide as they took in the scene.

Calmly, Kaito plucked the Byakugan from Ao's eye socket. "Just taking back what doesn't belong to Kiri," he said, showing the eye to Shisui.

Retrieving a sealing scroll, he secured the eye within it. Turning to Shisui, he asked, "Can you alter their memories? Make them think he lost the eye to a rogue shinobi on their way here?"

Shisui sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I can do that." Activating his Sharingan, he cast a genjutsu over the captured Kiri shinobi, altering their memories as requested.

….

The sky over the Hidden Leaf Village began to darken, heavy clouds gathering as rain threatened to fall.

In the Hokage's office, four individuals stood before the Third Hokage, delivering their mission report.

Hiruzen sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair, listening intently as he took a drag from his pipe.

"That's all, Hokage-sama," Shisui concluded, finishing the rundown of their mission.

Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So, they were sent to create disturbances in the Land of Fire to keep us distracted?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes. Going through some of their memories, it seems they were ordered to make themselves appear strong and to hide any internal issues they might have."

The Third Hokage took another puff from his pipe. "I see." He then turned his sharp gaze toward Kaito. "kaito why did you attack the Kiri shinobi? I specifically instructed that this situation should not be escalated."

Kaito gave a casual shrug. "The Kiri shinobi had a Byakugan. That would have given Kiri an advantage, especially since we had no idea they possessed it. I didn't want one of Konoha's kekkei genkai falling into their hands, and it could be a real threat if used against us. Besides, I knew Shisui could alter their memories, I've worked with Itachi before, so I was confident in that."

Hiruzen studied Kaito for a long moment, his eyes sharp and calculating. Finally, he nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke from his pipe. "I take it you'll be handing it over to the Hyuga clan, then?" he said, already assuming Kaito's course of action. "Very well, see to it. I expect a written report on my desk by tomorrow. The rest of you, except for Shisui, are dismissed."

Shisui remained standing while the others bowed respectfully. "Hai, Hokage-sama," they responded in unison, with Kaito adding, "Hai, Sandaime-sama," before they turned and filed out of the office.

As they walked out, Kaito couldn't help but think, The old monkey's definitely keeping Shisui back to discuss the Uchiha clan's situation. With a quiet sigh, he made his way toward the exit.

That's when Kaito felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and heard an irritated voice snap, "Hey, brat, where do you think you're going?"

Turning around, he saw the hand belonged to Anko. Kaito tilted his head, confusion clear on his face. "Huh?" he asked, genuinely puzzled about what she wanted.

Anko looked even more annoyed. "What do you mean, 'huh'? You promised to remove this damn seal, you brat!" she practically shouted, her hand gripping the back of her neck.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Oh, right! I completely forgot about that," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, which only made Anko's eye twitch in irritation.

Thinking quickly, Kaito tried to placate her. "Alright, how about this? Come over to my place for dinner. I'll need to let my mom know first. Also, you might want to clear your schedule for the rest of the week, just in case the removal knocks you out for more than a day or two."

Anko hesitated, looking a bit awkward. "Uh... I think it's fine. I'll come over after dinner; I don't want to intrude."

"Mom won't mind," Kaito assured her. He then asked, "You know where I live, right?" When Anko nodded, he continued, "Great. Be there by 7:30. That'll give you a few hours to clear your schedule and freshen up."

They continued talking as they exited the Hokage building.

Anko gave a final nod. "Alright, I'll be there," she said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Kaito let out a sigh, and with a body flicker, he vanished as well.

Hopping from one tree to another, Kaito made his way toward the Hyuga clan compound.

Landing gracefully in front of the gate, he entered, waving lazily at the guards with a smile. "Hey there, Iroha-san, Hoheto-san. Is Hiashi-sama in?"

The two guards nodded in response, and Hoheto replied, "Oh, hey there, Kaito-san. Yes, Hiashi-sama should be in his house right now."

Kaito nodded back. "Mind if I go in to see him? I have something I need to discuss."

Iroha gave him a nod and said, "You don't need to ask, Kaito-san. You're an honored guest of the Hyuga clan."

Kaito grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks," he said with a slight bow. "I appreciate it." With that, he walked past them, heading toward the clan head's house.

As Kaito approached the house, he sensed the presence of Hotaru, Hinata, Hiashi, Hitomi, and even little Hanabi, along with Hizashi and Neji.

He raised an eyebrow at sensing Hizashi and Neji there but quickly shrugged it off; after all, Hizashi was Hiashi's brother.

Reaching the door, Kaito knocked and waited.

A moment later, the door opened to reveal Hitomi. Upon seeing Kaito, she smiled warmly. "Ah, Kaito-kun! It's so good to see you. How have you been? Didn't I tell you to visit us more often?"

Kaito returned an awkward smile at the affection in her voice. "It's good to see you too, Lady Hitomi. We've been well. I hope you and Hanabi-chan are doing alright. I'm sorry I haven't visited; I've been busy with missions, ya know"

Hitomi smiled and ushered him in. "Come in, don't just stand outside. Can I get you some water?" Kaito nodded, and she led him inside.

Handing Kaito a glass of water, Hitomi continued, "We've been well, thank you for asking. I heard and you must have just gotten back from a mission by the looks of it. Are you here to see Hotaru-chan?" she asked with a teasing glint in her eyes as she led him to the dining table.

Kaito scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yes, I just got back from a mission, but I'm actually here to see Hiashi-sama," he replied, taking a sip of the water.

Hitomi stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oh? Here to see my husband? Isn't it a bit early to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage, Kaito-kun?" she said with a mock-bewildered expression.

Kaito choked violently on his water, coughing and thumping his chest a few times to clear it. Finally getting his breath back, he frantically waved his hands. "It's not like that, Lady Hitomi! I'm here to see Hiashi-sama about something else!"

Hitomi couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth as she giggled. "Calm down, Kaito-kun, I was just teasing you."

Kaito let out a deep sigh, though he was a bit annoyed. "Right... So, can I see him?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Still smiling, she nodded and led him toward the courtyard of the house.

As they reached the courtyard, Kaito saw Hiashi and Hizashi standing on the porch, watching as Hotaru sparred with both Neji and Hinata.

Hiashi stood on the porch, cradling a baby in his arms, while Hizashi had his hands clasped behind his back.

Hotaru, Neji, and Hinata, their Byakugan activated, were fully focused on their sparring session. However, Hotaru caught sight of Kaito and tilted her head curiously. "Huh? Kai-kun?" she called out, stopping the spar. Her gaze then shifted to Kaito and Hitomi, prompting both Hiashi and Hizashi to turn their attention to him as well.

Kaito approached them and gave a slight bow. "Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "Kaito-san, what brings you here?" he asked.

Hitomi, now standing beside her husband, gently took the baby from his arms. "Oh, Kaito-kun came here to see you, dear," she said. Then, with that familiar mischievous glint in her eye, Kaito could already tell she was about to say something embarrassing. "He's here to ask for your permission to marry Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru's face instantly turned beet red. "W-What?! M-Mom, K-Kai-kun!" she stammered, practically steaming at the ears.

Hinata, eyes wide, whispered in a meek voice, "Hotaru-nee is getting married?" Her cheeks flushed as the words sank in.

Neji nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "Well, Kaito-san is strong, and Hotaru-san does have a crush on him, so it does make sense," he mused, nodding to himself as if confirming his own reasoning.

Kaito sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'Hitomi-san's antics are almost as bad as mom's...' he thought, dreading what might happen if the two of them ever joined forces.

Hizashi simply watched the scene unfold, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Hiashi cleared his throat, casting a stern look at his wife. "As amusing as that might be," he said, shooting a quick glare at Hitomi, "I believe Kaito-san is here for something else."

Kaito sighed and stepped forward. "Yes, Hiashi-sama. I'm here to give you this," he said, handing Hiashi a sealing scroll. "During my recent mission, we encountered a Kiri shinobi who possessed a Byakugan."

Hinata gasped, covering her mouth, while Hotaru's expression turned serious. Neji, on the other hand, looked contemplative and confused.

The room fell into stunned silence until Hitomi spoke up. "How could this be? All Byakugan are sealed after the person dies!"

Kaito shrugged. "It's possible it was taken while the Hyuga clan member was still alive, or it might have belonged to a main branch member who died during the Third Shinobi War. I'm not entirely sure, but I managed to retrieve the eye from him."

Hiashi nodded, his expression grave. "Thank you, Kaito-san, on behalf of the Hyuga clan, for recovering the stolen Byakugan," he said, offering a slight bow in gratitude.

Kaito gave a respectful bow. "It's alright, Hiashi-sama. I'll be leaving now," he said calmly.

Before he could take a step, Hitomi intervened. "Oh, please stay for dinner, Kaito-kun. It's the least we can do for everything you've done for us."

Kaito scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. "I'm sorry, Lady Hitomi, but I'm afraid I can't. I promised someone I'd help them with something, and I haven't even informed my mom yet. But I'd love to join you another time," he said, politely declining the offer.

Hitomi nodded, though a bit disappointed. "Ah, that's a shame. How about the day after tomorrow at 7, then? Your whole family is welcome," she proposed, glancing at Hiashi. He gave a slight nod in agreement. "Yes, that sounds good."

Kaito nodded back. "I'll let Mom know and confirm as soon as possible," he replied as he began to walk toward the exit.

Hotaru quickly followed him to the front door. "Kai-kun, training tomorrow at the usual time?" she asked, now fully recovered from her mother's teasing.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, bring Hinata and Neji along. They can train with Naruto and Karin," he said, getting an enthusiastic nod from Hotaru.

With a final wave to her, Kaito disappeared in a body flicker.

….

After showering, Kaito came out of his room, a towel draped over his head as he dried his hair. He made his way toward the kitchen, drawn in by the delicious aroma filling the house.

Upon entering, he saw his mother, Kushina, placing a pot of curry on the table while Karin helped with the plating.

"Mm, that smells amazing, Mom. What did you make?" Kaito asked, breathing in the scent.

Kushina smiled warmly. "I made katsu curry with miso soup," she replied proudly.

Naruto, growing impatient, whined, "Come on, Mom, how much longer? I'm starving, ya know!"

"We're having a guest over, Naru-chan, so be patient, ya know!" Kushina chided playfully. She glanced at the clock. "What time did you say she'd be here, Kaito?"

"I told her to be here by 7:30," Kaito replied, looking at the clock, which now read 7:40.

Just then, they heard a knock on the door. "That must be her," Kaito said. "I'll get it, Mom." He walked over to the door.

Opening it, he was met with Anko, who looked noticeably annoyed.

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Why do you look so annoyed?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Anko grumbled something under her breath about the Anbu.

Kaito shrugged, figuring the Anbu might have questioned her about why she was here. "Come on in," he said, leading her to the dining room.

"Mom, this is Anko Mitarashi," Kaito introduced, gesturing to Anko. Then he turned to Anko, adding, "And this is my mother, Kushina Uzumaki. Those two are Naruto and Karin Uzumaki."

Kushina smiled warmly and ushered Anko to the table. "Ah, you're just in time, ya know!"

Anko smiled nervously and gave a slight bow. "Thank you for inviting me to your home, Lady Kushina, and for helping me with the seal."

Kushina waved her hand. "It's alright, Anko-chan. We're happy to help!"

As they began eating, Naruto and Karin eagerly started asking Anko about her missions. She entertained them with stories of some of her most thrilling mission while Kushina listened with a smile. Meanwhile, Kaito sat quietly, lost in thoughts.

After dinner, one of Kaito's clones took care of the dishes while Kushina put Naruto and Karin to bed. Once they were settled, she returned to the kitchen to help clean up.

Kaito stood up, stretching slightly. "Alright, let's get this over with," he said, glancing at Anko as he moved toward the sealing room.

Anko followed him, entering the room quietly. Kaito walked over to a table, pulling out several scrolls. "Anko-san, please sit in the center," he instructed.

She did as told, then asked, "So, how is this going to work?"

While preparing the ink, Kaito said calmly, "First, take off your shirt."

Anko's eyes went wide, and she immediately jumped up, covering her chest with her arms. "You—you perverted brat!" she shouted, pointing a finger at him.

Kaito blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes. "Do you want the seal removed or not?" he asked flatly.

Hearing the commotion, Kushina walked in. "What's all the shouting about, Anko-chan?" she asked, glancing between the two.

Anko, still flustered, pointed at Kaito. "He's asking me to take off my shirt!"

Kushina sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Anko-chan, for the sealing to work, the kanji need to be painted directly onto your skin. For that, you'll need to be... well, topless."

Anko's face turned red as she sputtered, "Then why can't you do it?"

Kushina smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Anko-chan. I'm the one who's going to paint the kanji on you, but Kaito will be the one performing the actual sealing."

Anko looked incredulous. "Why can't you do both?" she asked, frustration evident in her voice.

Kaito sighed, trying to keep his cool. "She can't," he explained patiently. "Her chakra coils are damaged." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a blindfold. "Here, I'll use this," he said, holding it out to her. "I'll blindfold myself, okay?"

He then tied the blindfold around his eyes.

Anko frowned, clearly still confused and frustrated. "How are you going to do the sealing if you can't see? I don't want to die if you mess this up!"

Kaito let out a slow breath. "Trust me, I've practiced enough that I can do the sealing by sensing chakra alone. You'll be safe, I promise."

Kushina sighed, understanding Anko's hesitation. "Don't worry, Anko. I'll make sure he doesn't make any mistakes. You can trust us, ya know."

Anko glanced between the two for a moment, then grumbled under her breath before sitting down and reluctantly taking off her shirt.

Kushina examined the seal on Anko's neck, her expression turning serious. "This is a nasty piece of work. What was the old man thinking? He should have brought you to me sooner."

Kaito nodded as he brought the ink over. "The worst part is, there's a fragment of Orochimaru's soul embedded in it."

Anko's eyes widened in horror. "W-What?!" she stammered, looking back and forth between Kaito and Kushina.

Kushina's lips tightened into a thin line. "Yeah. That madman really went too far with this... this abomination of a seal, ya know."

Anko, now visibly worried, asked, "You can remove it, right?"

Kushina gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course. This seal is nothing an Uzumaki can't handle. Now, stay still."

For the next ten minutes, Kushina carefully painted the kanji on Anko's skin, the symbols trailing from her neck down her body and onto a scroll that contained the seal matrix.

Kushina stood up, wiping her hands. "Alright, Kai-kun, you're up."

Kaito nodded, moving to sit in front of the sealing scroll. "Okay, brace yourself. This is going to hurt... a lot."

Anko took a deep breath. "Bring it. I can—ahhhh!" Her words turned into a scream as Kaito slammed his hand onto the seal matrix, initiating the sealing process.

The entire procedure took about two minutes, and by the end, Anko slumped to the ground, completely unconscious.

Kushina glanced at Kaito with a deadpan expression. "Did you really have to do it when she wasn't ready?"

Kaito just shrugged, offering a tired smile. "I'm exhausted, Mom. I just wanted to get this over with."

Kushina sighed, walking over to Anko to help put her shirt back on. "Fine. But you can sleep after you carry her to the guest room."

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