Naruto SI: Kaito Red Lightnin Chapter 221
The air was warm, carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh grass. New leaves clung to the branches overhead, sunlight filtering through in soft patches that dappled the forest floor.
Beneath one of the trees sat a tall, thin young man. He had pale golden eyes and brown hair that fell to his shoulders, parted to the side so that a thick portion of his bangs covered the left half of his face.
He wore a long, light blue kimono, loose and open at the chest, with a small emblem of three bubbles stitched onto the back. Grey pants were visible beneath it, held in place by an orange sash. Resting beside him was a bamboo jug filled with a soap solution, along with a simple pipe.
He reached into his yukata and pulled out a wrapped parcel, carefully unwrapping it on his lap.
Onigiri.
He picked one up and took a slow bite, chewing in silence.
A squirrel darted nearby, pausing to watch him. He broke off a small piece of the onigiri and set it down on the ground.
The squirrel hesitated, then crept closer and took it.
Just then, Kaito landed lightly in the clearing, his presence barely disturbing the air. He lifted a hand in a lazy wave.
"YO," he said casually. "It's been a while, Utakata."
…
"YO," he said casually. "It's been a while, Utakata."
Utakata's eyes widened. hearing kaito voice
Utakata moved instantly. He jumped to his feet, flute snapping into his hand as his body twisted around. The sudden movement sent the onigiri tumbling from his lap, scattering across the dirt.
The squirrel bolted, vanishing into the underbrush in a blur of grey fur.
Utakata barely noticed.
He stood there, flute held like a kunai, eyes locked on the red-haired shinobi standing a few steps away.
His gaze swept over the surround forest, searching for anyone else. Nothing.
Kaito scratched the back of his head, offering an awkward smile. "Eh, sorry about that i didn't mean to startle you, ya know " His eyes flicked down to the food scattered on the ground. "Ah and I'm Sorry about that too."
"…huh," he said, eyes narrowing. "It's you."
'His that Uzumaki kid from the chunin exams, ' Utakata thought, jaw tightening. 'Why is he here. Where did he come from? I didn't sense him at all.'
Utakata didn't lower the flute. while thinking, ' I heard that mist and leaf have signed a treaty. Could Konoha have sent him to capture me at the request of kiri'
"What do you want?" he asked. His stance stayed tense, ready to move at a moment's notice.
Kaito raised both hands slightly, palms open, keeping them where Utakata could see them. "Hey, relax. I'm not here to fight—and there's no one else around," he said easily. "If I were, we wouldn't be talking right now, ya know."
Utakata's grip tightened, then loosened slightly. "Then what do you want? "
Kaito tilted his head, studying him for a second, then shrugged. "I'm just here to talk. I was passing by, felt your chakra, so I figured I'd pop in and say hi, ya know."
That earned a brief pause.
Utakata frowned. "You just… dropped by to say hi?" One eyebrow rose slightly.
'Is this guy serious?' his thoughts churned.
'I really should've thought this through first,' Kaito thought. He shifted awkwardly. "Well… kinda. I also wanted to talk to you about something."
"…Talk to me… about what?" he asked flatly.
Kaito scratched the back of his head again, glancing aside. "Eh… It's not you I want to talk to. Not specifically."
Utakata blinked. Before he could respond,
Utakata froze. His eyes widened, body going completely still, as if speaking to someone
After a moment, his gaze snapped back to Kaito. "You're… here to talk to the Six-Tails?"
Kaito chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Kinda."
He stepped forward and casually held out a fist, stopping a short distance away.
Utakata stared at it, confusion plain on his face. "…What?" he asked.
Kaito wiggled his fist slightly, grinning. "Give me a Fist bump, ya know."
utakata started at the first for a second before he said no
Utakata stared at the fist for a second longer, then said flatly, "No."
Kaito lost his footing at that, stumbling forward and barely catching himself before face-planting.
Utakata turned and started walking away.
"—Hey, wait!" Kaito hurried after him, stepping into his path.
Utakata stopped. He looked up at Kaito, expression unreadable, flute still in his hand. "Tch… you're persistent," he muttered.
Kaito looked annoyed. "Come on, man. It'll only take a few seconds. I just wanna talk to them for a bit, ya know."
He went still again, clearly speaking to the Six-Tails internally.
After a moment, he focused back on Kaito, frowning. "And how exactly do you plan on meeting the Six-Tails?" His eyes flicked to Kaito's hand. "And what's with the fist bump?" he added, clearly annoyed.
Kaito brightened. "Oh—uh. It's just a way to share chakra. I'll project mine into your mindscape. Nothing weird, I promise."
Utakata hesitated, eyes narrowing.
Then, he sighed and said, "Alright. Let's just get this over with." he raised his fist, and their knuckles touched.
…
The moment their knuckles touched—
The world shifted.
Kaito and Utakata found themselves standing in a dark space. Beneath their feet was water—still at first, then slowly rippling outward, soft rings of blue light spreading from where they stood.
Kaito opened his eyes, standing opposite Utakata.
Then he felt it.
A presence loomed behind Utakata.
Kaito looked up.
Towering over them was the Six-Tails.
Saiken's massive form rose from the darkness, its slug-like body shimmering faintly. Bubbles drifted lazily through its frame, floating upward before popping. It was enormous—filling the space without crushing it, overwhelming without feeling hostile.
Saiken's voice echoed through the mindscape—high-pitched, uneven, broken in places, yet calm.
"So… you be the kid… Kurama was speaking of, hueh."
"Yeah," Kaito said easily. "Guess that'd be me—unless he mentioned my brother instead." He turned fully toward Saiken and gave a small wave. "Uh… nice to finally meet you, Saiken."
He paused, scratching the back of his head. "You don't mind if I call you that, right? Kurama was kinda touchy about people using his name, ya know."
Saiken tilted its massive head slightly. "…Me… don't mind."
Utakata frowned, eyes flicking between the two of them. "…Saiken?" he repeated, looking up. "That's your name?"
Kaito blinked and turned toward him. "Huh? You didn't know?"
Utakata crossed his arms. "No."
"You never asked," Saiken replied calmly. Its body shifted slightly, bubbles drifting upward as it looked down at Utakata.
"… really?" Kaito stared at him for a second. He glanced between them, confused. '…Huh. I didn't they have a good relationship.'
Kaito remembered vaguely that when Naruto met Saiken and Utakata, they looked like friends, though he might be remembering it wrongly because he doesn't remember every little detail
Utakata clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. "It never came up. I didn't even know tailed beasts had names."
"Well… they do," Kaito said slowly. "All the tailed beasts have names. People just kinda forgot over time, ya know."
He looked at Saiken as he spoke, then back at Utakata. "They're not really the mindless monsters everyone thinks they are."
Saiken listened quietly.
"They think. They feel," Kaito continued. "They remember stuff. Hold grudges. Care about things. Same as us—just… longer lifespans and a lot more chakra." He shrugged lightly. "If you actually talk to them, treat them like people, you don't just get power."
He paused.
"You get a friend for life."
Utakata was quiet. He looked up at Saiken again, expression unreadable. "…I see."
Kaito turned back to the Six-Tails, scratching the back of his head again. "Uh… Saiken. Sorry about dropping your name like that. Should've asked first."
"It was… never that important," Saiken replied, one massive limb shifting slightly, as if waving it off.
A low, strange sound escaped the Six-Tails—something like a soft hum. "Kurama spoke well of you. Said you were… different from the rest."
Saiken's gaze settled fully on Kaito.
"I can see why."
Kaito smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Eh… I'll thank Kurama later."
Saiken's tone shifted, more focused now. "So what the fox said… was true, then?"
Kaito nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yeah."
The water beneath them rippled again as the silence stretched.
Saiken raised one massive limb, extending it toward Kaito. "Then…" it said slowly, "I will lend you my strength."
Utakata's eyes widened at the sight.
Kaito didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and extended his fist.
Their knuckles met.
A heavy surge of chakra flowed into Kaito, dense and calm, pouring directly into the seal on his palm. He exhaled slowly, steadying himself. "Thanks, Saiken. I appreciate it."
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head again. "Kurama told me a bit about you. Said you were… calmer than the others. I get it now. You're… kinda cool, ya know."
"…I am simply doing my part," Saiken replied evenly. "Just make sure we win."
Kaito nodded, expression firm. "I will."
He turned toward Utakata. "Well. I should get going before you get any more annoyed at me, ya know."
Then he looked back up at Saiken and bowed slightly. "Thank you again. For trusting me."
Saiken watched in silence as Kaito's chakra began to fade, his presence dissolving from the mindscape.
Utakata lingered for a moment, glancing up at Saiken hesitantly—
Then he faded as well.
…
Kaito's consciousness snapped back into place.
At the same moment, Utakata stirred as well.
Kaito was already pulling his hand back from the fist bump, grinning as he looked at him. "Thanks for that, ya know."
"Yeah, yeah," Utakata replied, clearly annoyed. Then his expression sharpened. "What was that about anyway? Why did Saiken give you his chakra?"
Kaito glanced at him and shrugged, "Well… you'll find out eventually, so."
Before Utakata could press further, chakra chains erupted from Kaito's back, slamming into the ground around them.
Utakata jumped back instantly, foot lifting as his eyes widened. He tracked the chains as they spread outward, forming a domed barrier that sealed off the entire clearing.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, stance tightening.
Kaito waved a hand casually. "Relax. I'm just sealing off the area so no one eavesdrops on us, ya know."
He crouched and placed his palm against the ground.
A seal matrix spread out beneath his hand, racing across the clearing in black kanji. For a brief moment, the kanji glowed white before fading away.
Kaito stood up and dusted off his hands, looking back at Utakata. "Alright. That should do it."
Utakata raised an eyebrow. "Was that really necessary?"
Kaito nodded. "Yeah. Better safe than sorry."
He let out a small breath, then said evenly, "Alright. There's a group that's gonna start hunting Jinchūriki in about two… maybe three years."
Utakata's eyes widened slightly. "What?"
Kaito nodded. "Yeah. The group's made up of S-rank shinobi. They call themselves Akatsuki."
Utakata frowned. "S-rank?"
"And that's not even the worst part," Kaito continued. He met Utakata's gaze. "Their leader's said to be stronger than the current Five Kage put together."
Utakata's eyes widened further. "…You're sure?"
Kaito nodded. "Hmm."
Utakata muttered a curse under his breath.
"I'm not sure what their goal is," Kaito continued. "But anyone who goes around collecting all the Bijuu isn't doing it with good intentions." He paused briefly. "Unless they're trying to free them, but I'm pretty sure that's not what they're planning."
Utakata clicked his tongue quietly. "Great." He turned away, running a hand through his hair. "So let me get this straight. Kiri's already after me. Now there's a whole group of S-rank missing-nin coming too."
"Yep," Kaito said. "Pretty much."
Utakata was silent for a moment, then spoke again, irritation clear. "And their leader is stronger than the current Kage put together?"
Kaito shrugged. "That's what I heard. But… it makes sense." He tilted his head slightly. "Why else would nine or ten S-rank shinobi work under one person? He's gotta be strong enough to keep them in line—even if all of them turned on him at once."
Utakata sighed, running a hand down his face. "Great." Then he looked back at Kaito. "Is that why Saiken gave you his chakra?"
Kaito nodded, then shook his head slightly. "Kinda."
The two of them stood there in silence for a moment,
Kaito watched him, then said carefully, "I think… You should go back to the Hidden Mist."
Utakata didn't answer. He just looked at him.
"I don't know why you left Kiri," Kaito went on. "Well—actually, I can think of a few reasons." He paused. "One of them being Yagura. But Kiri isn't the same anymore."
Utakata scoffed. "Oh? And how would you know?"
Kaito shrugged. "Well, I've met the new Mizukage. I don't think she'd do the same things Yagura did."
Utakata frowned. "Wait. New Mizukage?"
Kaito blinked. "Huh? You don't know?"
"I heard rumors," Utakata said slowly. "Didn't think much of them."
Kaito shrugged. "Well… It's Terumi Mei. I think she was the one who escorted you when you came to Konoha during our Chūnin Exams."
Utakata looked surprised. "Huh… so she became the Fifth, then."
He was quiet for a moment, then shook his head. "Doesn't really matter." His voice hardened. "I can't go back. They've been sending hunter-nin after me. Tracker units, too. They tried to kill me before anyway."
Kaito frowned slightly. "When was the last time you ran into them?"
Utakata paused. "…About a year and a half ago. I usually avoid them." He looked away. "That time, I couldn't. I had to fight my way out and flee."
Kaito nodded slowly. "Still… you should try talking to them if you run into them again. From what I know, Terumi-san only took office about a year ago."
Utakata shook his head. "There's no point." His hand clenched into a fist. "Even if they want me back… I'm not going."
Kaito sighed quietly. "Look. I'm not gonna pretend I know what it's like being a jinchūriki."
That got Utakata's attention.
"But my brother's a jinchūriki," Kaito continued. "And my mom was one too. I've seen what it does to people—the isolation, the fear, the way villages treat you. I've seen it."
He met Utakata's eyes. "So I get why you ran."
The clearing fell quiet again.
"No one's saying you have to trust them right away," Kaito added. "But running forever? That just keeps you alone. And with what's coming… that's dangerous."
Utakata didn't respond. But he didn't walk away either.
Kaito let out a slow breath—
Then he blurred.
One moment, he was standing there, the next he was right in front of Utakata, a palm pressed firmly against his stomach.
Utakata's eyes widened—but he couldn't react. Kaito was already there.
Kanji spread out from where Kaito's fingers touched, lines branching into an intricate pattern that crawled across Utakata's abdomen.
Utakata grunted as the force hit him.
The instant the seal finished forming, Kaito pulled his hand back.
Utakata jumped away, clutching his stomach with one hand, flute raised in the other, fury flashing across his face. "What did you do?!"
Kaito waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. I just placed a seal on you."
Utakata stared at him. "A… seal?"
"It'll keep you alive even if Saiken gets extracted," Kaito said calmly. "And at the same time, it'll teleport you somewhere safe."
Utakata looked down at his stomach, then back at Kaito, confusion written all over his face. "…What?"
"Don't think too hard about it," Kaito said. "It's a seal I made to protect my brother." He paused. "Just make sure you create a new identity when you wake up. Otherwise, you'll just get hunted again." He added, "The seal only works once."
As he finished speaking, the domed barrier around them dissolved. The chakra chains faded away, leaving the clearing open once more.
Kaito lifted a hand in a casual wave. "Well, I should get going. It was nice meeting you again, Utakata."
And then he vanished.
Utakata stood there in silence, staring at the empty space where Kaito had been just a moment ago.
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