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[NSSSG] [ARC05] Chapter : 209 - Blade of the Uchiha
🕑 Added 2025-09-16 14:38:58 +0000 UTCKitazawa arrived at the Uchiha compound.
He hadn’t gone straight to the Anbu office—not just because it was after work, but because he didn’t want to risk attracting Danzo’s attention. The path to the Hokage Building was filled with wandering eyes, many of them Root’s informants. The Uchiha compound, by comparison, was safer. As an Academy teacher, a home visit after class wouldn’t raise suspicion.
“Kitazawa-sensei?”
Sasuke, training in the courtyard, spotted him first.
“Pause your practice for now.” Mikoto appeared, her voice soft but firm. “Kitazawa-sensei, you came at just the right time. Stay and have dinner with us.”
“I came to see Itachi.” Kitazawa lowered his voice. “By Lady Tsunade’s request.”
Mikoto’s eyes sharpened immediately. Though she lived as a housewife, she was still the clan head’s wife, and she knew how to read between the lines. If Tsunade was involved, this was serious.
“Let’s talk inside.” After a moment, she added, “Fugaku isn’t home yet. Do you want me to call him?”
“No need.” Kitazawa shook his head. Informing Fugaku would be the same as announcing to Danzo that something was brewing.
“Itachi, make some tea.” Mikoto turned to her elder son.
“Yes.”
Itachi stiffened slightly, sensing something unusual, but didn’t question it. He simply went to fetch the tea.
“Kitazawa-sensei?” Sasuke trailed into the living room, curiosity written all over his face. “Did you come for me?”
“It’s not about you,” Mikoto said gently, patting his head. “Go back to your room. Don’t disturb us.”
“…?” Sasuke hesitated, but Mikoto’s tone left no room for argument. Reluctantly, he obeyed.
A moment later, Itachi returned with steaming cups. “Kitazawa-sensei, please.”
“Thank you.” Kitazawa accepted the tea, sipped once, and said, “Itachi, Lady Tsunade is asking a favor of you.”
“Tsunade-sama?” Itachi’s eyes widened slightly.
“Itachi.” Mikoto gave him a pointed look.
Straightening, Itachi said firmly, “Please tell me. If it’s Lady Tsunade’s request, I’ll see it through—even at the cost of my life.”
Kitazawa studied him. As expected—Itachi was a blade honed to an extreme edge. The question was simply whose hands would wield him.
“Root has a researcher named Shigaraki Tanuki,” Kitazawa said plainly. “Lady Tsunade wants you to uncover what he’s working on.”
“I understand. I’ll investigate immediately.” Itachi agreed without hesitation. Anbu missions were his bread and butter.
“Good. But listen carefully.” Kitazawa’s gaze sharpened. “Once you find out, tell no one else. Disappear, cover your tracks, and come to me directly.”
Itachi’s heart stirred. The weight of Kitazawa’s warning made it clear: this was highly classified. His reaction wasn’t curiosity, but a quiet sense of pride. Tsunade had trusted him.
“Understood.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. Once this is over, Lady Tsunade will make sure you’re properly rewarded.” Kitazawa stood, offering a promise Itachi needed to hear.
For the boy who struggled to hold his clan and village together, Tsunade’s intervention was a glimmer of hope. Root had already pushed the Uchiha to the brink. If Tsunade could curb Danzo’s influence, maybe peace was still possible.
Kitazawa bid Sasuke goodbye before heading out.
“Mother,” Itachi asked quietly after Mikoto closed the door, “what do you think Lady Tsunade is aiming for?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted, then smiled faintly. “But anything that cuts into Root can only be a good thing.”
Root’s methods were so ruthless that even Mikoto, normally understanding, detested them.
“Mother,” Itachi warned, “don’t tell Father about Shigaraki Tanuki.”
“Why?” Mikoto blinked.
“If he sends people to investigate too, it could ruin Tsunade-sama’s plans.”
“Fugaku isn’t that reckless,” she countered. “He knows the stakes.”
“Even so,” Itachi’s voice was steady, firm. “No mistakes can be allowed when it comes to Lady Tsunade.”
Mikoto studied him, then nodded. “Alright. We won’t tell him—for now. If he asks, we’ll say Tsunade demanded secrecy.”
“He won’t blame us,” Itachi agreed.
Later that evening, Kitazawa returned home.
Inside the living room, Kurenai was bent over the coffee table, practicing the Sealing. Her form was focused… and her round hips presented an entirely different kind of distraction.
Kitazawa slipped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing against her curves.
“You start causing trouble the second you walk in?” Kurenai scolded, shooting him a glare over her shoulder.
“Forgive me,” Kitazawa murmured, before spinning her around and stealing a kiss.
Kurenai resisted for a heartbeat, then melted into him, arms curling around his neck. When his hand strayed, she gasped against his lips.
Breaking apart, she panted, “Aren’t you going to move your hand?”
“I… lost control for a moment.” Reluctantly, Kitazawa withdrew, though his expression betrayed how unwilling he was.
“Hmph. I’ll go cook. Sit there and don’t cause trouble.” She adjusted her clothes and headed for the kitchen.
“Wait.” Kitazawa suddenly remembered, handing her a scroll. “You’ve basically mastered the Four Limbs heavy Seal. It’s time for something new.”
“What kind of sealing technique this time?” she asked, taking the scroll.
“Not a seal. Two ninjutsu I created for Ino—but they suit you too.”
Kurenai’s lips curved playfully. “Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei.”
“You don’t want dinner tonight, do you?” he teased, rolling up his sleeves.
“Pervert!” she laughed, dashing off to the kitchen.
When she opened the scroll, her smile softened. Ninja Art: Hundred Petal Storm. Ninja Art: Moonlight Beauty. Both genjutsu-based. Both perfect for her. For a moment, she felt he had written them just for her.
She tucked the scroll away and set to cooking. Soon, she returned in an apron, carrying food to the table.
“That apron suits you,” Kitazawa said warmly.
Kurenai blushed, setting the dish down. She leaned in to kiss him lightly. “I’ll get the bowls. Wait here.”
Kitazawa’s chest tightened. Like this, she radiated the warmth of a gentle wife.
Once dinner was set, he said between bites, “After you master those two, I’ll give you another sealing technique.”
“Mm.” She nodded. “Genjutsu’s my specialty—it’ll be faster than seals.”
“My Kurenai is a true genjutsu master,” he praised.
“Eat, don’t flatter me.” She kicked him under the table, then asked, “Why are you an hour late today?”
“Tsunade-sama had something for me to handle.”
“No wonder.” She didn’t press further. “Asuma came by earlier. You missed him.”
“Oh?” Kitazawa raised a brow. “What for?”
“He said he’s been made an Anbu Captain. Told us if we ever need help, we can go to him.”
“Anbu…?” Kitazawa muttered thoughtfully. That hadn’t happened in the original timeline. Another butterfly effect. Still, it wasn’t unthinkable. Asuma’s own parents had been Anbu.
“Well, he’s a decent guy,” Kitazawa said finally. “And being a captain gives him real pull. If he’s serious about helping, he could solve plenty of problems.”
But deep down, Kitazawa preferred not to owe favors. Calling on Itachi was one thing—they shared mutual stakes. Asuma, though? That was different.
“I’ll do the dishes.”
After dinner, Kitazawa volunteered.
Kurenai had cooked, so making her clean up too felt unfair. Besides, he had a little request in mind for tonight.
He cleared the table, carried the dishes into the kitchen, and washed up quickly. When he returned, he found Kurenai sitting on the sofa, absorbed in the ninjutsu scroll he’d given her.
“Yuhi.”
Kitazawa leaned down, nipped at her ear, and whispered, “I gave you two new jutsu. How do you plan on repaying me?”
“What are you scheming now?” Kurenai shot him a glare, though she already knew the answer.
She’d been with him long enough to understand his tricks. He always had one more playful demand ready—and though she pretended to complain, she never truly resisted.
“Nothing too outrageous.” Kitazawa bent down and lifted her legs onto his lap.
With a resigned sigh, Kurenai shifted sideways on the sofa, perching with her legs draped over him.
.
.
.
The moon gave way to the sun. By the time morning light spilled through the window, Kitazawa stirred awake. Kurenai lay curled beside him, flushed and sleeping soundly, her body demanding rest. He dressed quietly, knowing she’d need half the day to recover.
It was Saturday. He still had to meet Yakumo next door for Tsunade’s therapy.
He fixed himself a simple bowl of ramen, and just as he finished, Karin arrived.
“Let’s go.”
Together they headed to Tsunade’s residence. Kitazawa knocked, and the door opened to reveal Karin.
“Good morning, Kitazawa-sensei.”
He reached out to pat her head. “Morning. You’ve been working hard.”
Her eyes lit up. “Sensei! I mastered the Finger Carving Seal!”
“Good. Next Tuesday, I’ll teach you the Fire Sealing Method.” He produced the scroll with a small smile.
Karin beamed. “Thank you, Sensei!”
Inside, Tsunade was already waiting on the sofa. After a few greetings, the treatment began. As always, they moved from dream into reality, Yakumo gradually unraveling the trauma.
By the end of the session, her genjutsu could now last a full ten minutes. Kitazawa judged it wouldn’t be long before Tsunade could finally displace the grief tied to Nawaki’s death.
When the session ended, Yakumo bowed politely. “Goodbye, Sensei.”
Kitazawa watched her leave, thoughtful. Three weeks into the school year… perhaps it was time to start her taijutsu training.
The next days blurred into training. Kitazawa devoted himself almost entirely to Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique.
Tuesday arrived.
Konoha had slipped into February—still chilly, but the air was warmer than before.
At the Academy training grounds, the Genius Class was already at work. Kosuke had arrived earlier and gotten them started.
Kitazawa called Karin over and kept his promise, teaching her the Fire Sealing Method. After half an hour, once she grasped the basics, he let her practice on her own.
Meanwhile, Yakumo and Lee were running laps. Predictably, Yakumo lagged far behind.
“Yakumo, come here.”
She stumbled over, panting hard.
“Today, I’ll teach you a taijutsu move—Leaf Whirlwind.”
“Is that the same one Naruto and Lee are always shouting?” she asked, tilting her head. “Do I need to yell it too?”
Kitazawa’s mouth twitched. “No. They’ve corrupted you. A proper shinobi doesn’t shout his moves.”
He strode up to a nearby tree and lashed out with a kick.
Bang!
The trunk shuddered, leaves raining down.
Yakumo’s eyes sparkled. This was the kind of ninja she dreamed of being—not just illusions, but strength that shook the earth.
“You try.”
She nodded eagerly and copied his stance, kicking out. But the tree didn’t even flinch.
Yakumo’s shoulders slumped.
“Don’t worry.” Kitazawa patted her head. “It takes time.”
“Mm!” She drew in a deep breath, determination flaring again.
Kitazawa watched for a while, then noticed another figure approaching.
“Kitazawa-sensei.”
It was Kabuto. “I’ve already mastered Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet.”
Kitazawa wasn’t surprised. He had given him that jutsu before the New Year. Kabuto was older and had a solid foundation, so picking it up in just over a month was expected.
Others weren’t progressing as quickly. Izumi had been delayed, studying with her clan after awakening her three-tomoe Sharingan, while Torune still relied heavily on his nano-poison insects, struggling to keep pace.
“Then it’s time for the advanced version,” Kitazawa said. “Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere.”
