Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito chapter 37

Itachi remained deep in thought, oblivious to Izumi's enthusiastic congratulations. Meanwhile, Kaito chatted animatedly with Hotaru,

The rest of the spars, though conducted with passion, failed to match the intensity of Kaito and Itachi's duel. As the day drew to a close, Kaito exchanged farewells with his friends and left with his mother, his mind still buzzing from the day's events. The awakening of the Sharingan marked a significant turning point in Itachi's life, and Kaito, the catalyst for this change, couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and excitement for what the future held.

…

The sun peeked over the rooftops of Konohagakure, painting the village hidden in the leaves with a warm glow. It was early morning, a time of quiet anticipation before the bustle of the day set in.

At the Uzumaki residence, the familiar sounds of breakfast preparations filled the air. A gentle aroma of sizzling oil and savory spices wafted from the kitchen, where Kushina, her fiery red hair pulled back in a loose braid, hummed cheerfully as she cooked.

Kaito, burst into the kitchen, a yawn stretching across his face. He rubbed his eyes and greeted his mother with a sleepy smile. "Good morning, mom! What's for breakfast?"

Kushina, her face radiant with maternal love, turned to her son. "Good morning, sweetheart!" she replied. "Take a seat, I'm just finishing up the tamagoyaki."

Kaito plopped down at the table, his eyes drawn to the tiny figure playing beside him. Baby Naruto, barely a year old, giggled and cooed as he kicked his chubby legs and reached for a toy dangling within his grasp.

"He's quite active this morning," Kaito remarked, gently tickling his little brother's tummy.

Kushina chuckled, her eyes sparkling with affection. "Hmm, that's just Naruto-chan waking up," she said, nuzzling Naruto's soft cheek. "He's always full of energy."

With a practiced hand, Kushina dished up breakfast, filling Kaito's plate with fluffy rice, miso soup, and a generous serving of tamagoyaki. The scent of the perfectly cooked eggs, sweet and savory, made Kaito's stomach rumble in anticipation.

As she finished serving, Kushina carefully picked Naruto up, settling him comfortably in her lap. With a gentle hand, she began to spoon-feed him the soft rice, her voice soft and soothing..

"What are you going to do today, Mom?" Kaito asked between bites of his tamagoyaki.

Kushina glanced up from feeding Naruto, her brow furrowed slightly. "Hmm, I need to head to the Barrier Division to check on a few things," she said. "Other than that, nothing much."

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "I'll have a shadow clone accompany you then," he decided,

Kushina sighed, her hand reaching up to ruffle her son's hair. "You don't have to do that, you know," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I can handle myself just fine."

But Kaito was already halfway through making his clone. "It's no trouble at all, Mom," he assured her. "Besides, you'll have someone to help with errands and keep you company."

The clone, a perfect replica of Kaito, popped into existence and saluted him smartly. "Hai, boss!" it declared, its voice a tad too loud for Kushina's taste.

Smiling, Kushina handed Kaito his lunchbox. "Here's your lunch," she said, her voice warm. "I made chicken karage with rice today."

"Thanks, Mom," Kaito replied, pulling her into a quick hug. "I'm heading out to the Academy now."

"Have fun at school, sweetheart," Kushina whispered, hugging him back.

With a wave and a grin, Kaito left the house, the familiar path to the Academy stretching before him. But after walking a few blocks, he ducked into a secluded alleyway. There, he created another shadow clone

"You know what to do," he said, handing the clone his school bag.

The clone, a silent and serious copy, nodded curtly. "Hai," it muttered, and melted back into the shadows, heading towards the Academy in Kaito's place.

Kaito, meanwhile, performed a quick transformation jutsu. In a puff, his appearance shifted, hiding his true identity. With a secret smile, he set off towards the training ground he and Kakashi frequented.

Upon reaching the training ground, Kaito dispelled his transformation jutsu, declaring, "Alright, let's get to work." It had been three months since he started his journey at the ninja academy, an experience that left him feeling unfulfilled. Kaito deemed the academy a considerable waste of time, prompting him to deploy a shadow clone to attend in his stead, the clone sharing its memories upon dispersion. Nevertheless, Kaito still made occasional appearances at the academy.

Kaito started with physical training, pushing his body to its limits. and following that, he delved into dodging exercises. Kaito created five clones and instructed them to hurl balls at him while blindfolded, refraining from utilizing chakra to enhance his movements. Simultaneously, the clones were granted permission to utilize chakra. Kaito aimed to enhance his sensing and awareness, managing to endure the exercise for approximately an hour.

As he lay on the ground, panting and exhausted, one of the clones holding a stopwatch declared, "An hour and a half." Another clone handed him a water bottle, stating, "Here, that's a new record." Gratefully accepting the bottle, Kaito nodded.

After a short rest, Kaito rose, determination etched on his face. "Alright, you two," he pointed to two clones, "work on your taijutsu kata. You," he gestured to another, "practice shuriken jutsu. And finally, you" he turned to the last clone, "we are doing the third Water Nature exercise ".

With a nod of agreement, Kaito's clones dispersed, each disappearing into a different corner of the training ground to tackle their assigned tasks. The sun, now high in the sky, cast warm beams down on Kaito as he turned his attention to the third stage of his water chakra nature mastery.

He remembered the struggle of the first step. It had taken him a week, guided by his mother's patient instruction, to simply imbue the paper with his chakra and turn it damp. It was a delicate dance, requiring him to focus his chakra, coax it to flow, and then condense it into a precise form within the paper fibers. The hours spent hunched over the damp paper, sweat dripping from his brow, were a testament to his determination.

Another month of painstaking practice followed. He repeated the exercise until the dampness appeared effortlessly, his chakra dancing to his will. He didn't resort to clones for this initial stage, knowing that true mastery required his undivided focus and unyielding effort.

The first step, dampening paper with chakra, was a mere stepping stone compared to the behemoth that was the second: extracting water from a leaf. Even seasoned Jonin struggled with this feat, demanding an almost impossible level of control and precision. It had taken Kaito, fueled by his mother's tutelage and a relentless shadow clone, a grueling four and a half months to finally conquer it.

Now, months later, Kaito and his clone sat huddled on the training ground, an empty cup resting between them. This was the final stage, the pinnacle of water nature manipulation – filling that cup with water from the very air itself. Kaito knew the gravity of the task. Kushina had called it the "peak of water mastery," achieved by only a handful, even she herself succumbing to its difficulty after years of dedicated effort. The only success story she knew was the legendary Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

Frustration gnawed at Kaito. An hour of focused effort had yielded nothing. He flung the empty cup onto the ground, its clatter echoing his own exasperation. "Damn it!" he roared. "A month of trying, and not even a single drop!"

His clone, ever pragmatic, offered a calming voice. "What did you expect? Mom warned you this was the pinnacle of water nature transformation. Even she gave up after years of trying. And the only other one she knows who mastered it was the Second Hokage himself. Maybe we should move on, to our lightning nature."

Kaito sighed, his spirit momentarily dampened like his failed attempts. He knew the clone was right. But a shiver of fear ran down his spine. Madara, Kaguya, Isshiki – the names of these monstrous figures whispered in the shadows, harbingers of a future he desperately wanted to change. He had a plan, a grand strategy to rise to their level

With a resolute glint in his eyes, Kaito brushed away his despondency. "No time for excuses," he declared, picking up the empty cup. "Let's continue. We'll conquer this peak, even if it takes us years."

The sun dipped towards the horizon, casting long shadows across the training ground. Hours had melted away in a relentless pursuit of water mastery, and Kaito's body ached with the accumulated strain. He sensed his clone returning from the monotonous drudgery of the Academy, a welcome distraction from his own frustrations.

Looking up at the sky, Kaito estimated the time to be late afternoon, somewhere between two and three o'clock. He dismissed the rest of his clones, one by one, their memories merging with his, bringing a wave of fatigue that washed over him like a tidal wave. The experiences of the day, the frustration of the third step, and the countless failed attempts all flooded back, a vivid sensory overload.

"Damn," Kaito muttered, collapsing onto the ground, catching his breath. "And Naruto did that with two hundred clones?" he thought, a mix of disbelief and admiration swirling in his mind.

His clone landed beside him, concern etched on its face. "Any progress today?" it asked, handing him the schoolbag.

Kaito shook his head, the words caught in his throat. "Sadly, no," he admitted, dispelling the clone with a sigh. Then a smile graced his lip as he turned towards the direction the clone had come from.

Kaito's voice echoed through the training ground, a playful challenge aimed at the hidden figure. "I know you're there," he called out, his gaze fixed on a nearby tree. "You can come out, ya know."

Hotaru, the perceptive Hyuga, had figured out his little game. Hotaru Hyuga, her face a mix of curiosity and apprehension, stood before him. Kaito greeted her with his usual cheer, "So you figured out it wasn't the real me. How?".

she narrowed her eyes, a hint of hurt in her voice. "Hmm, the clone only had a quarter of your chakra," she observed.

Kaito chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Busted, I guess." He knew he couldn't hide anything from Hotaru's keen eyes. "Alright, alright," he conceded. "But why are you so curious about the clones anyway?"

Hotaru hesitated for a moment, the hurt in her eyes deepening. "Why have you been sending clones to the Academy every day?" she finally asked.

Kaito's smile faltered. "Not every day," he corrected sheepishly. "More like every other day." He sighed, knowing he owed her the truth. "Look, the Academy… it doesn't hold much for me. I already know most of what they teach. And honestly, the fan girls are driving me crazy."

He wasn't exaggerating. The display he and Itachi had put on during their first spar had turned them into overnight sensations. It only got worse when his lineage, as the son of the late Fourth Hokage, became public knowledge. Lunch breaks were a nightmare, filled with giggling girls and relentless autograph requests.

He and Itachi usually sought refuge during lunch, Hotaru often joining them for their secret escapes. It was in those moments of shared solitude that a genuine friendship blossomed between the three of them.

Hotaru listened patiently, a flicker of understanding softening her features. "So, you're sending clones to avoid the fuss and train in secret?" she asked.

Kaito nodded, a rueful grin spreading across his face. "Pretty much. Besides, who wouldn't want an extra pair of hands for training, right?".

After hearing Kaito's explanation, Hotaru immediately expressed her interest, saying, "Teach me."

Kaito, taken aback, responded with a puzzled "Huh?"

Hotaru, her eyes sparkling with determination, elaborated. "Teach me the shadow clone jutsu," she said. "I, too, don't find much value in the Academy's lessons, and I want to train with you." Her gaze locked onto his, her determination unwavering.

A slow grin spread across Kaito's face. "Gladly," he replied, his heart thrumming with excitement. The truth was, the only reason he endured the drudgery of the Academy in person was to spend time with Hotaru. Knowing that Itachi always sent clones to the academy, Kaito and Itachi would meet for sparring sessions whenever they skipped attending the academy. With Hotaru's request, Kaito realized he no longer needed to go to the academy.

Standing up, Kaito began to explain, "The Shadow Clone Technique is a forbidden jutsu. This technique allows the user to create one or more copies of themselves, and these are not illusory copies like the standard Clone Technique taught at the academy. It creates a physical copy by dividing your chakra in half. It's forbidden because it requires a large chakra reserve and good control."

Hotaru nodded, taking in his words. "I understand," she said, her voice firm. "But I'm a Hyuga. Our clan is known for our chakra control."

"Judging by your chakra levels, you can make 3 to 4 shadow clones, but I would recommend not making more than 3," advised Kaito, receiving another nod from Hotaru.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the training ground as Hotaru finally managed to form a perfect shadow clone. After an hour of sweat, focus, and frustration, she had successfully replicated herself, the duplicate standing tall and unwavering beside her.

"You got the hang of it in under one hour!" Kaito exclaimed, his practice-weary muscles groaning in protest. "Not bad for "

Hotaru, panting lightly, nodded with a satisfied smile. "Thanks, Kaito. I guess being a Hyuga has its perks." She dispelled the clone with a swirl of leaves, a sense of accomplishment washing over her.

Looking up at the sky, now ablaze with the fiery hues of dusk, Kaito announced, "It's getting late. We should head home. Come on, I'll walk you."

Hotaru, a warm smile gracing her lips, agreed readily. "Hai," she replied softly

The walk to the Hyuga compound was filled with easy conversation, They talked about trivial things – the weather, the Academy's latest gossip, and their shared dream of surpassing the limitations set for them.

Reaching the imposing gates of the Hyuga compound, Kaito stopped, his gaze lingering on Hotaru's face. "Meet me at the training ground tomorrow," he instructed,

Hotaru's eyes, bright with newfound purpose, met his. "Hai," she replied, her voice firm. "I'll be there."

And with that, Kaito Uzumaki, a grin etched on his face, turned and hurried back home.

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