Katio Chapter 38
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.
…
The warm sun shone down on the peaceful village hidden among the lush green leaves. Two small figures, no older than six years old, made their way through the forest surrounding the village at a relaxed pace. One of them was a young boy with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. The other was a girl with strikingly white, pupil-less eyes and dark blue almost black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. These two were none other than Kaito Uzumaki and Hotaru Hyuga, two children of powerful ninja clans.
"So where are we going, Kaito-kun?" asked Hotaru, looking up at her companion with curiosity in her gaze.
Kaito's smile widened as he replied, "To a training ground near the Uchiha compound. We're going to be training with Itachi today."
It had been a month since Hotaru had joined Kaito in skipping the academy, and both of them had been tirelessly training together ever since. Kaito found having Hotaru as his training partner incredibly helpful, especially with her exceptional skills in taijutsu. As a prodigy from the Hyuga clan, a clan solely focused on their own brand of taijutsu known as the Gentle Fist, Hotaru's abilities were unmatched. She was able to provide Kaito with a real challenge during their sparring sessions.
In fact, if Kaito were to rank her, he would place her just below Itachi in terms of skill when they both went all out in taijutsu. As they reached their usual training ground, they spotted Itachi waiting for them. Excitedly, Kaito shouted over to him with a grin, "Yo, Itachi! You don't mind me bringing along Hotaru, do you?"
Itachi turned his head towards them and replied calmly, "Oh, Kaito. No... I don't mind at all."
Hotaru smiled politely and slightly bowed her head before saying, "Good to see you again, Itachi-san."
To which Itachi greeted her back with a small nod of his head.
Kaito's piercing gaze met Itachi's as he posed the question, "So, what do you want to start with?" Itachi's confident voice responded, "I wanted to practice my shuriken jutsu." He turned his attention to the wooden target in front of them, readying himself for the challenge.
Kaito glanced at Hotaru and she nodded in agreement. "Well then, let's get started," Kaito said with determination. The three of them began their training in shuriken jutsu, each striving to be the best.
As always, Kaito issued a challenge to Itachi and Hotaru to determine who was the most skilled. As they trained, the sounds of kunai hitting the targets echoed through the clearing. Itachi's precise aim never failed to hit the center every time.
Kaito grumbled under his breath, "Those Uchiha's and their Shuriken jutsu, so annoying." Hotaru couldn't help but giggle at her friend's frustration.
As noon approached, Itachi emerged as the victor in their friendly competition. Hotaru and Kaito were tied for second place. With a small smile on his face, Itachi declared, "I win."
Kaito shrugged it off with a wave of his hand. "Yeah yeah... whatever. I'm hungry, are you guys hungry?" he asked while heading towards where they had left their belongings.
"Hai," Hotaru replied and followed closely behind him. Itachi joined them.
They settled onto a patch of grass, their legs stretched out in the warm sun. Kaito reached into his bag and pulled out a small scroll, carefully unsealing it to reveal a neatly packed lunch. Hotaru and Itachi followed suit, pulling out their own lunches from their bags.
Kaito opened his box with a satisfied hum, revealing a steaming bowl of ebi tempura donburi. "Hmmm...what did you guys bring for lunch?" he asked, glancing at his friends' meals.
"I brought katsudon," replied Hotaru between bites.
"And I have onigiri," added Itachi, taking one out from his lunch box.
As they ate, the trio chatted and laughed, enjoying the peaceful moment. But Kaito couldn't help but notice that Itachi was quieter than usual.
After they finished eating, Kaito turned to Itachi and asked, "What's on your mind?"
Itachi looked up at him, seeming startled as he was about to continue training with shuriken jutsu. "Huh?" he said.
"You've been more quiet than usual," continued Kaito. "And every time you're like this, I know something is troubling you."
Itachi let out a sigh and posed a deep question. "There is birth...and There is death...why does life flocks together?...what is a shinobi? What is a village? Why is there fighting in life?"
Hotaru looked puzzled at the sudden change in topic, but Kaito understood where Itachi's thoughts were coming from. "Why can't he have normal thoughts?" Kaito thought to himself with a sigh before speaking up. "You sure don't ask easy questions, do you?"
Kaito thought carefully before answering. "Well," began Kaito, rubbing his chin in contemplation, "Birth and death are natural processes in life. And living beings are social creatures by nature, so it's no surprise that they flock together."
"As for what a shinobi is," he continued, "it depends on one's perspective. Some see us as mere tools used for someone else's bidding, like during the warring states era when shinobi clans were hired by daimyos for their own purposes. But others see us as protectors, like how our village's shinobi protected us from the Nine Tails."
Kaito looked up at the vast expanse of the sky, his eyes searching for answers. "It really depends on your perspective, I guess," he mused thoughtfully. "As for what a village is... it was created to stop needless bloodshed and provide a safe haven for children to grow up in." He explained, his voice taking on a somber tone.
"Back in the warring states era, it was rare for a child to live past their thirties. They were often thrown into battles just to fill in the numbers," Kaito continued, both Hotaru and Itachi listening intently.
"And as for why there is always fighting in life..." Kaito paused, choosing his words carefully. "That too, depends. It's not as simple as people hating each other. Do you know the true reasons behind the shinobi wars?" He asked, studying both Itachi and Hotaru with a serious gaze.
They both nodded, prompting Kaito to continue. "The first shinobi war erupted after the death of the first Hokage. But that is only part of the story. After the fight with Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage, made the decision to sell the tailed beasts to other nations as a show of trust. He believed that distributing them among the villages would prevent further conflict. However, it had the opposite effect and fueled even more violence between nations."
Kaito's expression turned grave as he continued. "Our own third Hokage and the Fire Daimyo were driven by greed and arrogance, causing them to clash with the other nation over land expansion. This conflict paved the way for the second shinobi war." He shook his head. "So much was lost in that war due to our own selfishness."
His voice grew somber as he continued. "Even after the official end of the second shinobi war, tensions remained high and eventually led to the third shinobi war just a few years later. We were so desperate for manpower that children were sent into battle... disregarding why our village was founded in the first place."
Realizing he had strayed off topic, Kaito refocused on their original question. "But as I said before, there are many reasons why people fight. Some do it out of greed and arrogance, while others may see it as necessary for survival or protection." He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's never a simple black and white answer." Kaito glanced at Itachi, who seemed lost in thought, before finishing his explanation.
Kaito's sharp eyes narrowed as he suddenly turned his head towards a nearby tree, detecting the presence of someone watching them. "Come out now," he called out to the person.
Itachi and Hotaru were both startled and followed Kaito's gaze to the tree where a young boy around 8 or 9 years old emerged. He had messy black hair and proudly wore the Konoha forehead protector. His blue high-collared t-shirt was adorned with intricate designs and a tanto was strapped to his back.
"Oh, it's you...Shisui," Itachi recognized the boy as Shisui Uchiha.
Kaito also recognized the name Shisui Uchiha, known for his exceptional bodyflicker skills and mastery of the most powerful genjutsu in the future.
Shisui casually introduced himself to Kaito and Hotaru while Itachi continued throwing kunai. "I'm Shisui Uchiha, by the way," he said, flashing a confident smile.
Kaito also introduced himself and Hotaru. "I'm Kaito Uzumaki, and this is Hotaru Hyuga. We're friends of Itachi.".
"You three are very talented for your age," observed Shisui as he walked towards them, glancing at each of them intently.
Itachi paused from throwing kunai to look at Shisui. "I am no match for you, Shisui," he admitted.
Shisui chuckled, flashing a mischievous grin. "Oh come on...what's wrong? Does the academy bore you so much that you've resorted to ditching?"
"We're not ditching," clarified Kaito. "We're currently at the academy." He remained seated on a large boulder next to Hotaru.
With a mischievous glint in his eye, Shisui joined Itachi in training and showed him a new trick.
…
As the sun shone down on Konoha Academy, Kaito's clone lounged under a sprawling tree, enjoying a peaceful lunch. Hotaru joined him, the two of them chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their break from classes. Itachi soon appeared, accompanied by a group of boys including Kamano, a classmate of theirs. It was clear to Kaito that Itachi was being followed around by his fanboys.
Itachi looked lost and uncomfortable as he was followed around by his fanboys, much to Kaito's amusement. "So, how does it feel to have such devoted followers, Itachi?" Kaito teased, making Hotaru giggle.
But their lighthearted banter quickly turned serious when a group of older students - at least five years their senior - attacked them without warning. The leader instructed his group to "get them boys" and they charged towards Kaito and his friends.
Kaito easily dodged each attack, instead of fighting back, he urged Hotaru to simply dodge and avoid getting hurt. Itachi did the same, all three of them waiting for the teachers to arrive and handle the situation.
When the instructors finally appeared on the scene, Kaito calmly tripped himself and Hotaru, causing them to fall into the path of the punches aimed at them by the upperclassmen. and it dispelled them, This took everyone by surprise.
"What just happened? They disappeared..." the lead bully asked in confusion.
The instructor replied with shock in his voice, "They were clones... no... they were shadow clones." This revelation shocked both the other instructors.
...
Itachi froze mid throw, his arm poised to release a kunai from his hand. Kaito and Hotaru mirrored his stillness, their faces reflecting confusion the realization. They all turned to face each other, their eyes meeting in silent communication.
The memories flooded back into their minds, retrieved from the clones they had sent to the Academy. Itachi's expression remained stoic, but Kaito couldn't help but think "huh... it happens today", as he looked at both Hotaru and Itachi.
After a moment of silence, Kaito stood up from where they were seated and addressed Shisui, "Well... it was nice meeting you Shisui-san..." Hotaru nodded in agreement before standing up as well.
As they made their way towards the exit of the clearing, Shisui asked curiously, "What's the matter?"
"We have to get back," Itachi stated simply before leading them away.
"See you later," Shisui called after them as they left.
On their way back to the village, Hotaru couldn't contain her worry any longer and turned to Kaito and asked, "Kaito-kun... are we going to be in trouble for sending a clone to the academy?" Her fear was palpable.
Kaito reassured her with a nonchalant tone, "Relax... it's not likely. They'll probably just make us skip grades. Konoha needs manpower right now, so they might even ask us to graduate early." He threw his hands behind his head as they continued towards the academy.
Kaito knew that Itachi had been asked to graduate early because of this situation, and he saw this as an opportunity for himself as well. However, he also knew that convincing his mother to allow him to graduate would be the hardest part of this plan.
…
Meanwhile, at the Hokage building, Hiruzen sat at the mission desk, listening intently to the Academy instructor as he gave his detailed report. Surrounding him were members of the Village Elder Council - Shimura Danzo, Mitokato Homura, and Utatane Koharu. They all wore serious expressions as they listened to the instructor's words.
"Along with mastering the required Clone Jutsu for graduation, these students have also managed to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu - a forbidden technique," announced the instructor confidently. "They excel in all areas of study and there is no purpose in keeping them at the academy any longer."
Hiruzen furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I knew that Kaito-kun knows the Shadow Clone Jutsu, but the others...aren't they just freshmen?" he asked.
"That doesn't matter. This has happened before," replied Danzo coolly, glancing over at Hiruzen.
"But that was a different era. This is not a time of war," argued Hiruzen.
"Geniuses are rare, are they not?" chimed in Danzo, turning to face the instructor. "Have you ever seen students like them before?"
The instructor shook his head in awe. "Never in my entire teaching career."
"So it would benefit them to graduate early,?" mused Hiruzen, thinking to himself, "One genius is a rarity, but three in one batch...hmm."
….
As the sun began to set, Kaito made his way back to his house after a long day at the academy. The familiar sight of his home brought a sense of comfort and warmth to his tired body. He called out to his mom as he entered, the sound of his voice echoing through the empty rooms.
"Mom...I'm back," he said, heading towards the living room where he knew she would be with baby Naruto in her arms.
Kushina turned and smiled at him, her bright red hair framing her face like a halo. "Welcome back, Kaito-kun," she greeted him, gently bouncing Naruto on her hip.
Kaito returned her smile and reached out to ruffle Naruto's fuzzy blonde hair, eliciting a giggle from the little boy. "What's for dinner? I'm starving," he asked eagerly.
"I just finished cooking. We are having Curry with Rice," Kushina replied, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Go take a bath while I set up the table."
After a refreshing bath, Kaito joined his family at the dinner table where they enjoyed a delicious meal together. As they ate, Kushina asked about Kaito's day.
"So how was your day?" she inquired, taking a bite of rice.
Kaito chuckled nervously and replied, "Funny you should ask...I was actually asked to graduate early. They want you to come in for a meeting tomorrow." He absentmindedly scratched the back of his head while Naruto cooed happily in his high chair.
Kushina's expression turned incredulous. "Why would they ask you to graduate early? You just started the academy, ya know" she exclaimed.
Kaito nervously explained, "Well...they kind of found out that I've been sending clones to class instead of attending myself."
Kushina's eyes narrowed in disapproval, but before she could say anything, Kaito quickly added, "It wasn't just me though. Itachi and Hotaru were also asked to graduate early."
Kushina sighed and shook her head. "No, Kaito. I wont let you graduate early."
Kaito's voice trembled as he spoke, "Mom, there's nothing left for me to learn at the academy... you know that. And I won't be alone in graduating early."
As he looked over at baby Naruto beside him, Kaito's expression softened, then turned back to Kushina with a determined look in his eyes. "The masked man is still out there, Mom. He won't give up until he gets to you and Naruto. I need to get stronger to protect you both. But I can't do that at the academy."
Kushina's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she bit her lip in worry. "But you shouldn't have to-"
Kaito cut her off, his voice firm. "We already lost Dad because I wasn't strong enough to stop the masked man from taking you. I refuse to lose you and Naruto again because I wasn't strong enough to save you." His determination shone brightly in his eyes.
Feeling a wave of emotion, Kushina got up from her seat and hugged Kaito tightly. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.
After a moment, she released him and ruffled his hair playfully. "Okay, I'll allow you to graduate early. But only if your friends are graduating with you."
The rest of the night passed by in a blur as they discussed Kaito's plans. But one thing was for sure - he was determined to become stronger and protect his family at all costs.
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