Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 226
Kenji slipped his hands loosely into his pockets. "We wrapped up training. Then I ran into Jiraiya."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Jiraiya?"
Kenji nodded. "He invited me to lunch. We had yakiniku."
She leaned back slightly in her chair. "So. What did he want with you?"
Kenji's tone remained steady. "He asked how I was doing. How reintegration was going. How I was adjusting to being back in Konoha."
Tsunade's brow lifted slightly. "That's all?"
Kenji shook his head once and gave a small chuckle. "No. He also warned me."
Her eyes narrowed just a little. "Warned you?"
"Yeah," Kenji said. "He told me if I hurt you, he'd hunt me down."
There was no tension in his voice when he said it.
Tsunade looked away toward the window, a soft, almost fond smile touching her lips.
"That idiot," she murmured.
Kenji chuckled quietly. "He's a good friend. He cares about you."
Tsunade nodded once. "He does."
The room grew quiet.
Her gaze lowered again.
Her hands rested lightly over her stomach.
Kenji noticed.
She lifted her head slowly.
There was something different in her expression now—more serious, and just a little uncertain.
"Dan…" she said quietly. "There's something we need to talk about."
…
It was late morning in Konoha. the village was busy as ever. Shinobi moved across rooftops, shopkeepers called out to customers, carts rolled over stone streets. The air carried the usual mix of voices, footsteps, and distant hammering from a construction site somewhere deeper in the district.
A bird flew low over the rooftops and landed on a tree in front of the Konoha Hospital. It chirped a few times, tilting its head, then took off again.
Inside the hospital, on the second floor facing the inner courtyard, sunlight filtered in through the tall windows, casting a soft glow across the quiet corridor.
Kushina walked ahead, holding a neatly wrapped bundle of bento in both hands. She wore a loose green dress with a white shirt underneath. Her long red hair flowed freely down her back, swaying lightly with each step.
Beside her walked Kimimaro, dressed in a simple white kimono bearing the crest of his clan, black pants tucked neatly beneath. His posture was straight, expression calm as always.
Kaito walked slightly behind his mother, dressed in his usual mission gear, hands tucked into his pockets, gaze steady as he took in the hallway.
As they reached the top of the stairs, Kushina slowed her pace slightly and glanced at Kimimaro.
"Are you feeling nervous, Kimi-kun?" she asked gently.
Kimimaro looked at her, calm as ever. He shook his head politely.
"No. Should I be?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, genuine curiosity in his voice.
Kushina smiled softly.
"No, of course not. But it's fine if you are," she said. "You don't have to worry, ya know. Tsuna-nee is the best there is."
Kimimaro nodded once. "Hai."
Kaito glanced at him from the side, studying him quietly for a moment, but said nothing.
They reached a door labeled "Chief of Medical Corps."
Kaito lifted his hand and knocked.
"Come in," Tsunade's voice called from inside.
Kaito pushed the door open and stepped in, Kushina and Kimimaro following behind him.
Tsunade was seated at her desk, back straight in her chair. A tablet stood upright on the table in front of her as she read through a report. In one hand she held a pair of chopsticks, in the other a small plate. She was multitasking without pause—eyes scanning the screen while casually lifting another bite of food.
She didn't look up immediately.
Kushina walked up to the desk and placed the bento carefully beside the tablet. "Tsuna-nee, we brought you lunch, ya know," she said warmly.
"Hm. Thank you, Kushina," Tsunade replied, nodding once without looking up. She took another bite from her plate, eyes still on the report.
Kaito stopped beside his mother and stared at what was on Tsunade's plate.
"…What is that." He pointed. what looked like grilled eel… covered in sweet red bean paste… with a thick layer of mayonnaise on top.
Tsunade didn't even glance up. She calmly took another bite. "My breakfast."
Kushina leaned in curiously. "What are you eating, Tsuna-nee?"
Tsunade finally looked up at them, completely casual. "It's unagi. With red bean. And mayonnaise."
Kaito blinked slowly. "…Why."
Tsunade turned her gaze back to the tablet and took another bite. "Because it tastes good," she replied flatly.
Kaito stared at her for a long second.
Kushina leaned in a little closer, peering at the plate. "Is it really?"
Tsunade looked up again, then lifted a portion with her chopsticks. "Here. Want to try some?"
She held it out toward Kushina.
Kaito's eyes widened slightly. "Eh, Mom."
Kushina sniffed it curiosity. Then she opened her mouth and took the bite.
Kaito watched like he was observing a high-risk medical procedure.
Kushina closed her eyes.
She straightened slowly, one hand rubbing her chin in thought. There was a brief pause.
Then she hummed lightly and nodded. "…It's actually good, ya know."
Kaito blinked. "Wait. Really?"
Tsunade's lips curved faintly. "Told you."
Kushina nodded again, more certain this time. "The red bean paste is sweet, but not too sweet. It balances perfectly with the eel and the mayonnaise," she said thoughtfully. She tilted her head slightly, considering it. "Hmm… maybe I'll get some later, ya know."
Kaito looked between the two of them slowly. 'What is wrong with both of them.'
Tsunade lifted her chopsticks toward him next. "Here. Try some, brat."
Kaito took a small step back. "Eh… I'm good, ya know."
Tsunade shrugged. "Suit yourself."
She finished the last piece and set the empty plate aside.
Then her attention shifted fully.
Her gaze moved to Kimimaro.
"Ready to get started, kid?"
Kimimaro stepped forward slightly and bowed his head. "Hai, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade rose from her chair smoothly. "Good. I've already prepared everything."
Her eyes flicked briefly to Kaito. "Have you removed the seal you placed on him to suppress his kekkei genkai?"
"Yeah," Kaito replied evenly. "I removed it yesterday."
Tsunade nodded once. "Alright then."
She walked toward the door, motioning for them to follow. "Let's not waste time."
Kushina picked the bento on the table and followed tsunade out the office. Kimimaro followed calmly.
Kaito fell into step behind them.
They left the office and headed down the corridor toward the prepared room.
The treatment room was larger than the others along the corridor.
Aside from the equipment Kaito had designed—two upright tablets resting on a reinforced stand—and the scroll unrolled neatly across a metal table, it looked like a normal examination room.
Tsunade walked over to the table, stopping in front of the tablets and the Watered-down karma seal inscribed across the scroll. The formula was layered and precise, lines of ink intersecting in controlled patterns.
She didn't waste time.
"Sit down on the bed."
Kimimaro obeyed immediately. He stepped out of his sandals and sat upright on the edge of the examination bed, back straight, hands resting neatly on his knees.
Kushina moved to a chair beside him and sat down quietly. Her hands folded over her bento, but her eyes stayed fixed on Kimimaro.
Tsunade picked up a thin metal bracelet from beside the tablets and handed it to him.
"Put this on."
Kimimaro accepted it without hesitation and slid it over his wrist.
The bracelet clicked softly as it sealed into place, a faint pulse of chakra running through it before stabilizing.
Kaito stepped up beside Tsunade, eyes scanning the tablet screen.
"You told me the seal works," he said evenly. "But you haven't said how you're going to fix his problem."
Tsunade tapped the screen once.
The display shifted, revealing a detailed diagram of the human body layered with faint chakra pathways. Portions of the skeletal system were highlighted in red.
"This," she said, pointing to the glowing sections along the bones, "is his problem."
Her gaze shifted to Kimimaro.
"Your Shikotsumyaku doesn't just allow you to manipulate bone. It replaces it through rapid regeneration."
Kimimaro listened without blinking.
"When you use it," Tsunade continued, "your body accelerates bone regeneration at an absurd speed. You can replace entire structures in seconds when you pull out a bone."
She tapped again.
The red spread outward on the diagram, bleeding toward the organs.
"But your organs can't keep up. Your heart. Your lungs. Your liver. They're forced to compensate for the strain."
Kushina frowned slightly. "So his body's burning itself out, ya know."
"Exactly," Tsunade replied.
She zoomed further in. The highlighted areas pulsed faintly.
"Your cells regenerate too fast. It looks impressive in battle. But every time you replace bone, you're shortening your lifespan."
Kimimaro nodded, absorbing the information without outward reaction.
"If we do nothing," Tsunade said calmly, "you won't live long. It would be a miracle if you reach your twenties."
Silence settled over the room.
Kimimaro didn't flinch.
Kushina's hands tightened slightly in her lap. Kaito's gaze remained on the screen, thoughtful.
Tsunade looked directly at Kimimaro. "There are two ways to deal with this."
She lifted one finger. "First option. I remove the kekkei genkai entirely."
Kimimaro's eyes lifted slightly.
"I rewrite the genetic cluster responsible for Shikotsumyaku," Tsunade continued. "You lose the ability. Your body stabilizes completely. If we do this, you have a one hundred percent survival rate."
Kushina glanced at Kimimaro quietly, searching his face.
"And the second?" Kaito asked, crossing his arms as he thought it through.
Tsunade's eyes shifted briefly to him before returning to Kimimaro.
"Second option. We fix it."
She tapped the alternative branch on the tablet. The diagram shifted, showing adjusted pathways. "I stabilize the gene instead of removing it. I regulate the regeneration triggers. Slow the growth. Limit full skeletal replacement."
She held Kimimaro's gaze. "If we do this, your Shikotsumyaku won't be the same as it is now."
Kimimaro remained silent.
"You'll still be able to manipulate bone density and reinforce its structure," Tsunade continued evenly. "You'll still be able to pull out your bones and use them as weapons… but only the smaller ones."
She paused briefly. "And you won't be able to do it endlessly. Every time you pull out a bone, it'll consume a large amount of chakra. Your chakra reserves become the limiter."
She folded her arms. "So you won't be able to spam Shikotsumyaku."
Kaito rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So it limits the Shikotsumyaku… but it won't affect his lifespan?"
Tsunade nodded once. "If he manages his chakra and doesn't push past the safety threshold, his body will remain stable. Overuse will exhaust him, not kill him."
Her gaze returned to Kimimaro, sharp and serious.
But," she added quietly, "your body will shut the ability down on its own. You'll be forced to recover before you can use it again."
Kaito gave a small nod, understanding clicking into place.
"So… similar to how overstraining the Byakugan can leave the user temporarily blind until it recovers."
Tsunade nodded. "Yes. Like that."
she then added her tone easing slightly. "Also… if you have children someday, they'll inherit the edited version. It'll be stable from birth."
Kimimaro blinked once. "…I see."
Kushina smiled softly at that, warmth returning to her eyes.
"But" Tsunade added, her tone more serious, "The success rate for the second option is only around sixty to seventy percent at best. Gene editing is still new. You'd actually be the first to try it. Removing something is easier than adjusting and stabilizing it."
"And if it fails?" Kimimaro asked calmly.
"If it fails, it means your body rejects the adjustment," Tsunade replied without softening it. "If that happens, I'll have to stop immediately and remove the kekkei genkai entirely… or you could die."
The room went quiet again.
Kimimaro closed his eyes briefly and nodded "I will go with the second option," he said.
Kushina looked at him at once. "Are you sure, Kimi-kun…?"
Her brows drew together slightly as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to rush this, Ya know. you can think about it more."
Kimimaro nodded slowly, his eyes still closed.
"I know," he said quietly. "But if there is a chance that Lady Hokage can fix what is wrong with me, I want to take it." He opened his eyes then, calm but resolute. "I… want to get stronger." There was no hesitation in his voice now. "I need to get stronger. I want to be able to protect the people I care about."
Kushina's expression softened completely. "…Alright. If that's what you want."
Kimimaro opened his eyes and gave a small nod. "Hai."
Tsunade studied him for a moment longer, weighing his resolve.
Then she nodded once. "Alright. Let's get this over with. Remove your shirt and lie down on the bed."
Kimimaro did as he was told, untying his kimono and setting it neatly aside before lying flat on the examination bed, hands resting at his sides.
Tsunade picked up one of the tablets from the table.
"I've already adjusted the base parameters," she said. "This won't take long."
She stepped closer to the bed and looked down at him. "Ready, kid?"
Kimimaro nodded once.
Tsunade nodded back and activated the seal through the tablet.
The seal responded almost instantly.
Glowing kanji spread across Kimimaro's body, crawling over his skin as they converged at his chest, just below his collarbone, forming a neat circular mark shaped in the pattern of the Kaguya clan crest.
As the shape finalized, the kanji's glow dimmed and settled into a visible black seal etched faintly against his skin.
Kimimaro didn't flinch.
Tsunade looked at the tablet, eyes scanning the flowing script one last time. After a few seconds, she gave a small nod.
"Alright. All done."
"Wait. That's it?" Kushina asked, blinking in confusion.
Kimimaro slowly pushed himself upright on the bed, looking equally puzzled.
"Yeah," Tsunade replied simply. "I'll have to keep him under observation for at least an hour. After that, you're free to go."
She set the tablet down and looked toward Kushina.
"The seal will slowly rewrite the unstable portions of the gene over the next six months."
Her gaze shifted back to Kimimaro, firm and direct.
"You'll need to come in every three days for monitoring. No exceptions."
"Hai," Kimimaro said as he reached for his shirt and pulled it back on neatly.
"And you do not use your kekkei genkai during this period," Tsunade continued. "If you stress it while it's being rewritten, you'll ruin the process."
"I understand," Kimimaro nodded as he stepped off the bed and stood straight.
Then he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. "Save that for when you're actually stable."
Kushina stood and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You feeling okay?"
"Normal," Kimimaro replied honestly.
Kushina smiled softly. "Well, since we have to stay here for at least the next hour, how about we eat lunch, ya know?"
She lifted the extra bento she'd brought. "I mean… I packed extra just in case, ya know."
Tsunade shrugged lightly.
Kaito, meanwhile, was still studying the readings on the tablet, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Ya know… I still haven't named the seal yet," he said without looking up. "How about we call it Uzumaki Woven Reconstruction Imprint Transformation Engine. 'U.W.R.I.T.E.' for short."
There was a pause.
Tsunade stared at him.
Kushina blinked once. Then she chuckled and reached over to pat Kaito lightly on the shoulder. "Oh, Kai-kun… I told you before. You're good at many things, but naming isn't one of them. You inherited your father's lousy naming sense."
Kaito immediately crossed his arms defensively "Hey, it's a good name. I think it has a nice ring to it." He turned to Kimimaro. "You think so too, right?"
Kimimaro nodded without hesitation. "Yes. It is a good name, Kaito-sama."
Kaito looked back at Kushina with a small, triumphant grin. "See? He agrees that it's a good name, ya know."
Tsunade rubbed her temple and exhaled slowly through her nose. "Why am I always surrounded by idiots?"
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