Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 168
"So…" Tsunade began, eyeing them with a skeptical look. "He's your long-lost cousin from your father's side…" —she gestured at Sasuke— "…and this is his sensei? They're traveling performers who came here to check if he had any relatives in Konoha. That about right?"
Her sharp gaze shifted to Kaito, who stood at the front of the group, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Yeah…" he admitted, a sheepish smile on his face.
Boruto shuffled uncomfortably under Tsunade's stare, while Sasuke remained still, his face unreadable.
Tsunade raised a brow, leaning back in her chair, unconvinced. "And you just happened to run into them while heading back to the village? Convenient." Her eyes narrowed further. "And you're sure he's your cousin… just because his chakra signature feels similar to yours, Naruto's, and your father's?"
Kaito gave a nervous nod. "Umm… yes, that's right."
She stared at him for a long moment. She knew he was hiding something—but after a sigh, she finally leaned back with a tired groan. "Look, I don't really care about the full story. Just make sure they don't cause any trouble. If they do, you're the one who's gonna answer for it."
She waved a hand dismissively. "I've got paperwork to get back to. You're dismissed."
Kaito grinned, relief washing over his face. "Thanks, Grandma Tsunade! I promise they won't cause any problems. You can count on me, ya know!"
Tsunade didn't even look up as she waved him off again, already diving back into her stack of documents.
…
Kaito walked down the road with Boruto and Sasuke by his side, the afternoon sun casting long shadows ahead of them.
Sasuke glanced sideways at him. "Is it really necessary for me to come along for dinner?"
Kaito shrugged casually. "Already asked my mom to cook for all of us. Would be a waste if you didn't come, ya know. Plus… Lady Tsunade would probably have my head if I let you roam around the village alone."
Sasuke sighed but didn't argue.
Kaito looked over at him again. "Boruto can stay at my house, but you might need to get a hotel or something," he said, pulling out a small stack of ryo from his pouch. He handed it to Sasuke. "That should last you about a week. I doubt money from the future's gonna be accepted here."
Sasuke took the money with a quiet nod.
Boruto, with his hands stuffed in his pockets, turned to Kaito. "Is it really okay for me to stay over?"
Kaito gave him a look. "I get the feeling you cause trouble wherever you go. It's better to keep you nearby, ya know."
Boruto frowned, indignant. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Am I wrong?"
Before Boruto could argue, Sasuke calmly chimed in, "No, you're not."
Boruto huffed and crossed his arms, muttering under his breath while Kaito chuckled.
Soon, they arrived at the Uzumaki residence.
Kaito stepped up onto the porch, slid off his sandals, and placed them neatly to the side. Sasuke and Boruto followed his lead, removing their footwear and lining them up next to his.
Kaito slid open the door and called out, "Mom, I'm home! And I brought guests!"
From the kitchen, Kushina poked her head out, wiping her hands on a towel, a warm smile already forming. "Just in time! I just finished cooking, Kai-kun. Go wash—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Stepping out with a ladle in hand, Kushina froze the moment her eyes landed on Sasuke and Boruto.
Sasuke gave a polite nod. "Good evening, ma'am. Thank you for having us."
Boruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "Umm… thanks for having us over, oba—" he quickly corrected himself, "—ma'am."
Kushina just stood there, frozen, mouth slightly open, staring at Sasuke and Boruto.
Kaito tilted his head, confused. "Mom? Are you okay?"
Kushina's eyes began to mist over. Then, without warning, her knees buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor. Spreading her hands over her face, she began to weep.
"Mom!" Kaito dropped to his knees beside her, panic flooding his voice. "What's wrong?! Are you hurt?" He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Talk to me!"
But Kushina only cried harder—loud, heart-wrenching sobs escaping her. Kaito hadn't seen her like this in years. Maybe never.
Suddenly, a commotion came from the kitchen.
Naruto came running out, followed closely by Karin, Kimimaro, Haku, and Guren. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Kushina on the floor in tears.
Naruto's voice echoed through the house. "Mom?! What's wrong? Why are you crying?!" His face twisted in confusion and fear—he had never seen her like this.
Karin quickly followed behind. "Aunt Kushina, what happened?!"
Haku knelt beside her, gently offering a handful of tissues. "Please don't cry, lady Kushina…"
Guren and Kimimaro stood near the doorway, completely still, not sure what to do or say.
Sasuke and Boruto exchanged awkward glances, both standing silently, unsure of what had triggered such an emotional reaction.
"Uhh… ma'am?" Boruto asked quietly. "Are you okay?"
Kaito gently rubbed his mother's back, trying to comfort her. "Mom… come on, you're scaring us." He pulled back slightly, meeting her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong? You can tell me."
Kushina reached out and accepted the tissues from Haku with a trembling hand. "T-Thank you…" she mumbled.
She wiped her nose, still staring at the floor, her voice barely a whisper. "That kid…" She slowly raised her hand and pointed at Boruto. "He's… he's…"
She couldn't finish. Her throat closed up as her emotions surged again.
Kaito blinked, confused. He turned to look at Boruto. What about him? Did he remind her of Dad or something?
Boruto, just as confused, looked around. "Huh?"
Naruto, seeing his mom cry and realizing it had something to do with Boruto, snapped.
"Hey, you!" he yelled, storming up to Boruto. "What did you do to my mom?! Why is she crying like this?!"
Boruto backed up quickly, startled. "I-I didn't do anything! I swear!" he stammered.
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes at Boruto. "If you didn't do anything…" he said slowly, "…then why would Kushina-sama point you out?" As he spoke, a sharp bone blade emerged from his palm.
Naruto nodded aggressively. "Yeah! You must've done something!"
Following their lead, Karin stepped closer, glaring at Boruto while standing protectively near Kushina.
Haku's usually gentle eyes narrowed, and the air in the room grew colder.
Guren's eyes flicked between Boruto and Sasuke, her fingers twitching, chakra beginning to stir.
Kaito stood in the middle of it all, looking around in disbelief. What are they doing?!
Boruto gulped, taking a shaky step back. "Wait! That doesn't make any sense! I didn't do anything!" he stammered, looking over at Sasuke for support.
But Sasuke was just staring at the group, eyes wide. The reaction from the younger generation clearly caught him off guard.
Kaito let out a sigh. "Alright, that's enough! All five of you, calm down!" he said firmly.
Naruto pointed at Boruto, his face still scrunched in frustration. "But, Kai-nii! He made Mom cry!"
Just then, Kushina raised her hand gently. "It's alright, you guys… I'm fine." Her voice was soft, but steady, enough to pull everyone's attention back to her. She gave them a weak smile, wiping her face with the tissue.
She looked back at Boruto… then turned to Kaito, her eyes glassy. "Tell me the truth, Kai-kun…" she said, her voice trembling. "…That kid… he's your father's son, isn't he?"
Kaito's eyes widened, finally understanding why she broke down the moment she saw Boruto.
Everyone froze.
"EHH?! Wait—what?!" Boruto shouted, looking absolutely stunned.
Sasuke let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Here we go…"
Kushina turned her gaze back to Boruto, her eyes studying him closely. "He looks exactly like Minato…" she whispered. "Same hair… same eyes… his face is a bit rounder, but… it's like looking at a younger version of him."
She trembled again, hugging herself. "How could Minato do this to me…?" Her voice cracked. "That's why you didn't say anything about who you were bringing for dinner, right, Kai-kun? You were acting all shifty because of this."
She began to sob again. "I should've known… Minato was always going on long missions…"
Naruto blinked, completely confused. "Wait, wait—what? What do you mean 'Dad's son'? Mom, that doesn't make any sense…"
Kaito let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "No… he's not Dad's son," he said carefully. "He's Dad's cousin…"
Kushina's face twisted as fresh tears welled up. "Even you're lying to me now?" she cried, her voice cracking. "Kaito, why?"
Kaito winced. He stepped forward, crouched down beside her, and whispered softly into her ear, "Mom… he's not Dad's son. He's Naruto's son."
Kushina blinked, stunned. She looked at him, confused.
Kaito leaned in again, whispering, "He's Naruto's son… from the future. Look closely at his face. He has the same whisker marks—the same ones me and Naruto have. You told us we got those from you… because you were the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. But Boruto? He has them too… because Naruto's the host now."
Kushina's tears slowed. Her sobs softened. She turned her head, her gaze locking onto Boruto again, really looking this time.
Still unsure, she furrowed her brow.
Kaito leaned close once more. "Look at the guy next to him. That's Sasuke Uchiha. Itachi's little brother. Doesn't he look like an older version of Sasuke? Hair's longer, face more mature... but it's him."
Kushina slowly nodded.
Then, before anyone could react, she was suddenly in front of Boruto.
The boy blinked as she grabbed his face, tilting his head from side to side, inspecting him intensely. She looked into his eyes, examined his hair, then rubbed a thumb across one of his whisker marks—trying to see if it would come off.
Boruto stood frozen, eyes wide. "Uhh… ma'am? Are you okay?"
Suddenly, Kushina's eyes lit up. She pulled him into a hug, rubbing her cheek affectionately against his. "You look so cute!" she beamed.
Boruto looked completely lost. "Ehhh??"
Everyone else blinked in confusion at Kushina's sudden change in mood.
She finally pulled back, wiping her eyes and laughing lightly. "I'm fine, ya know!" she said, rubbing the back of her head, clearly embarrassed. "Just a big misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about, ya know!" Her usual peppy energy returned like the flip of a switch.
Then she clapped her hands together and smiled. "You guys must be starving! I just finished cooking. Come on, come on!"
Kaito sighed at his mom's antics, walking over to her and leaning in close. "Mom… we need to keep their identities hidden, ya know."
Kushina's playful grin softened into a serious nod. "Got it."
Then, just as quickly, she turned and started ushering everyone toward the dining table. "Alright! Let's eat while it's hot!"
…
After dinner, Haku, Guren, and Kimimaro were already in the kitchen helping with the dishes.
They always insisted on doing the dishes whenever they were over for dinner or lunch. It had become their way of thanking Kushina—for her home-cooked meals, and more than that, for treating them like part of her extended family.
Helping out with small chores gave them a sense of balance—like they weren't just taking from the kind woman who always gave so much.
At first, Kushina had tried to stop them. She didn't want her guests doing housework. But the three of them had kept insisting, and eventually, she gave in when she saw how genuinely happy they were to help in any way they could.
Karin turned off the tap, and Haku handed the last clean plate to Guren.
Guren dried it off with a soft towel and set it neatly on the rack. Then she placed the towel on the kitchen counter and turned around. "All done with the dishes, Aunt Kushina."
Kushina smiled warmly. "Thank you so much, dear."
Haku stepped forward and gave a polite bow. "Thank you for dinner, Lady Kushina," he said gently, also bowing to Kaito.
In response, Kushina reached out and flicked him lightly on the forehead.
"Ow—!" Haku flinched, rubbing the spot as he looked up in surprise.
"How many times have I told you, Haku-kun?" she scolded playfully. "Don't call me Lady Kushina. Just Aunt Kushina—or even just Kushina, honestly!"
Haku just smiled sweetly in return. "Sorry. It's a habit."
Kushina sighed dramatically, though her smile never left. "Well, I guess it's still better than what Kimimaro-kun calls me…"
Right on cue, Kimimaro entered from the back door, having just taken out the trash. "We're done, Kushina-sama."
Kushina's eye twitched.
Kaito chuckled and leaned back in his seat. "Just give up, Mom. Those two are never gonna change, ya know."
Meanwhile, Naruto had completely dozed off at the dining table, face resting on his folded arms. The moment he finished eating, he knocked right out.
Haku gave a small bow once more. "We'll be heading out now. Thank you again, Lady Ku—err, Aunt Kushina. Kaito-nii."
Kushina got up and walked over to them with a few wrapped containers in hand. "Here. I packed up some leftovers for you, just in case you get hungry tonight."
Kimimaro accepted his with a nod. "Thank you, Kushina-sama."
Guren smiled and waved. "We'll see you tomorrow morning, Kaito-nii!"
Kaito looked up at Guren as she said her goodbye and asked, "Huh? Don't you guys have classes tomorrow?"
Haku tilted his head slightly. "It's Saturday tomorrow."
Kaito blinked. "Saturday…?" He groaned and slumped back a little. "Ugh, do you guys mind if we train in the afternoon instead? Not sure I'll wake up early tomorrow."
Haku smiled softly. "It's okay, if you're too tired, kaito nii"
Kaito waved it off. "Nah, I'll i don't mind helping you train. Let's just make it afternoon."
The three nodded in agreement.
Kushina sighed as she and Karin walked them to the door. "Alright, get home safe, ya know! Don't go wandering around the village at night ya know!"
As soon as they left the kitchen, Sasuke turned to Kaito. "Those three... They're not from here, are they?" His gaze was steady, sharp.
Kaito gave him a knowing look. "I assume you've met them in your timeline?"
Boruto turned toward Sasuke, curious. "Wait… you know them?"
Sasuke nodded. "We met… in the past."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—Orochimaru?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded again.
Kaito leaned back. "I met them during a mission to the Land of Water. I'm guessing the situation in the land of water played out the same way in your timeline?"
Sasuke gave another small nod.
Kaito continued, "well i met them on that mission, I met Haku and Guren. Later on, I managed to rescue Kimimaro just as Orochimaru got to him." He paused, glancing at Sasuke. "I assume they were his subordinates in your timeline?"
Sasuke nodded grimly. "Kimimaro and guren yes. Haku was with Zabuza."
Kaito nodded.
Boruto scratched his head. "Wait—who's Zabuza?"
Before anyone could answer, Kushina and Karin walked back in.
Kushina sighed when she spotted Naruto snoozing at the table. "Wake up, Naru-chan. Go sleep in your bed or your neck's gonna hurt, ya know."
Naruto groaned sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "Okay, okay…" he mumbled, slowly trudging off toward his room. "Good night, Mom… Kaito-nii…karin"
Kushina turned to Karin. "You too, Karin-chan. You must be tired."
Karin yawned and nodded. "Good night, Aunt Kushina. Night, Kaito-nii." She followed Naruto out of the room.
Once the house had quieted down, Kushina sat beside Kaito and turned eagerly to Boruto, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Now that we're finally alone… tell me everything about my boys," she said, grinning. "How many grandkids do I have? Who did my babies marry?" She leaned in, nose almost touching Boruto's face.
Boruto laughed nervously, leaning back slightly with an awkward smile. "Uhh…"
Sasuke stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "We can't tell you that."
Kushina blinked, confused. "Huh? Why not?"
Sasuke explained, "Knowing too much about the future could change it."
Kushina's smile faltered, her excitement fading a bit. "Oh…"
Kaito let out a sigh. "In this case… it wouldn't."
That made everyone pause.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing there was more behind Kaito's words.
Kushina looked at him, confused. "Huh? What do you mean by that, Kai-kun?"
Kaito ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly. "Because our timelines aren't the same. A lot has changed between their world and ours. There's no guarantee that Boruto would even exist in this timeline. And even if he was born here, he and this boruto would have completely different lives, different upbringings… different personalities."
Kushina tilted her head, trying to follow. "Wait… you said Boruto is from the future, didn't you?"
Kaito nodded. "Yeah. But not our future."
He turned toward Sasuke. "The turtle said that in your timeline… I don't exist. And Mom doesn't survive the night of the Nine-Tails attack."
Kushina's breath hitched slightly.
"That means Naruto grows up all alone. No parents. And probably hated by the village. Used and manipulated by Hiruzen—raised like a weapon under the illusion of love."
Kushina, still staring, looked between Kaito, Boruto, and Sasuke. Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "So… does that mean… in your timeline… Kai-kun and I… we're not alive?"
Sasuke didn't speak, but his silence said enough.
Kaito continued, his voice calm but firm. "And then there's the Uchiha Clan Massacre. The turtle said that it didn't happen in this timeline. But in yours... I assume the tension between the Uchiha clan and the village wasn't resolved."
He glanced at Sasuke. "And since you're standing here, it means you either survived the massacre… or were one of the few who did. But knowing Danzo and Hiruzen, if they were the ones behind it, they wouldn't have let anyone survive. Which means…"
He paused for a moment, locking eyes with Sasuke.
"Someone close to you—someone within the Uchiha—was the one who carried it out."
Sasuke didn't move, but his eyes darkened slightly.
Kaito went on, steady and unflinching. "And because I didn't exist in your timeline, Shisui wouldn't have had anyone to watch his back. Danzo took his eye… and without help, Shisui probably didn't survive either."
He paused again, letting that sink in.
"That only leaves one person. Your brother—Itachi."
Everyone was silent.
"I'm guessing the Third and Danzo gave him an ultimatum," Kaito continued. "Wipe out the clan and let you live… or they would do it themselves and no one would survive—including you."
He studied Sasuke carefully. "And knowing Itachi… he chose to protect you, even if it meant bearing the burden of killing everyone else."
When Kaito finished, he looked at Sasuke and Boruto with a faint, knowing smirk.
Boruto stared at him, slack-jawed. "Wait… what…?"
Sasuke frowned, his eyes narrowing as he processed everything.
Kaito gave a small shrug. "That's what I can piece together. Based on what I know about our world, and the little that turtle told me about theirs."
He turned back to Sasuke. "Am I wrong?"
Sasuke closed his eyes for a brief moment, then let out a long sigh and shook his head. "No. You're not."
Boruto turned to Sasuke, his voice shaky with disbelief. "Wait… what he said… that was all true? The Uchiha Clan… was wiped out by your brother? On orders from the village?"
He looked completely stunned.
Kaito raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sasuke. "He doesn't know?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No. The truth was deemed classified… to protect future generations."
Kaito snorted. "Tch. Politics, huh."
Kushina, who had been silently taking it all in, covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. "My poor baby… had to go through all of that… alone?" she whispered. "He must have suffered so much…"
She turned to Sasuke, wiping her eyes. "Is Naru-chan… is he happy now? In the future?"
Sasuke's expression softened. He gave a small nod. "He is."
Kushina let out a shaky breath of relief… but her eyes shifted to Boruto. "So… that means Boruto-kun won't be born in this timeline?"
She sounded heartbroken.
Kaito shook his head. "I don't know. If Naruto ends up marrying Hinata in this timeline, then maybe. But even if he is born… he wouldn't be the same as this Boruto."
Boruto blinked, then turned to Kaito with a startled look. "Wait—how do you know who my mom is?!"
Kaito smirked. "Your chakra has traces of Hyūga chakra signature similar to hinata's families. And your face? Same shape as Hinata's. Plus, your name—Boruto—means bolt. That's clearly in honor of her cousin Neji, whose name meant screw. That tells me Neji dies in your timeline… probably saving Hinata, or Naruto, or both."
Boruto's mouth dropped open.
Kaito went on, smirking as he delivered the final blow. "And judging by how you looked at Hinata when we met up with my team… yeah, it's her."
Boruto stood there, gaping.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. This kid… he thought.
Then Kaito turned to Sasuke. "And I'm guessing… you married Sakura?"
Boruto completely lost it. "HOW the hell did you figure that out?!"
Sasuke looked genuinely surprised too. "Seriously… how did you know?"
Kaito shrugged casually. "You were surprised when we ran into my team. But not just surprised—amused. Especially at how Sakura kept glancing at you. I just took a guess." He grinned, clearly enjoying their reactions.
Boruto just stared at him like he had mind-reading powers. "You're insane…"
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