The sun rose slowly over Konohagakure, casting a gentle golden light across the rooftops of the recovering village.
High above it all, perched on Hokage Rock, Kai sat cross-legged beside his now-disassembled RV. He exhaled slowly, feeling the faintest trickle of chakra flowing through his body.
It was… underwhelming.
After a full night of dedicated chakra refinement, he had produced only a meager amount of chakra. Not even enough to keep a Transformation Jutsu running for more than a few minutes. By Genin standards, it was laughable.
Still, he wasn't discouraged.
Kai understood the problem: his physical and spiritual composition simply didn't belong to this world. Compared to the humans native to the Naruto world—who had more than triple the cellular density and innate chakra pathways—he was underpowered by default.
The average shinobi here had evolved for generations under the influence of chakra-rich bloodlines and war-forged bodies. They weren't just people—they were biological weapons.
He wasn't.
Yet.
"But that's fine," Kai muttered to himself. "I'm not here to win with brute strength."
He had the system, the Rinnegan, and soon, a network of elite shinobi across multiple timelines working under him. He didn't need to become a battlefield god—he needed to be the one who controlled them.
And besides, his Universal Pouch was stuffed with tools and tactics far beyond this world's norm.
Stretching, Kai stood and walked toward the edge of the cliff. Below him, the damaged village was a mosaic of rebuilding crews, medical tents, and crumbled homes. The Night of the Nine-Tails had left scars.
Scars he had helped minimize.
Time to check on the results.
Without bothering to wave at the ANBU still observing from a distance, Kai opened the Universal Pouch at his hip. With a flick of his fingers and a twist of chakra, his entire RV shimmered, compressed into glowing light, and vanished inside the pouch.
The Konoha surveillance team stiffened. Their eyes bulged.
One of them whispered, "That's… that's some kind of advanced sealing technique, right?"
Another muttered, "No seals. No hand signs. No way to track it. That's something else…"
Kai ignored them.
He activated World Teleport, targeting his next destination.
[World No. 4 — Parallel Timeline]
Konohagakure, 7:02 a.m. — Namikaze Residence
Swah—
Kai reappeared at the doorstep of a modest, two-story home tucked into a quiet district near the Hokage complex. There were cracks in the walls, scorched roof tiles, and the faint smell of smoke lingering from the Nine-Tails' rampage just hours earlier.
He raised a hand and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
He could have teleported straight in—but basic courtesy mattered.
Especially if the person on the other side was Uzumaki Kushina, who'd just given birth.
After a few seconds, the door cracked open.
A familiar voice gasped, "Ah! Sir Kai!"
Kushina stood in the entryway, her red hair a bit disheveled, cheeks flushed, but otherwise upright and alert. Despite giving birth and nearly dying the night before, she was walking on her own.
Classic Uzumaki resilience.
"You're already up and moving?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's thanks to your help last night," she said with a warm smile. "Really, if you hadn't shown up, Minato and I… and Naruto…"
Her voice trembled.
Kai gave her a polite nod. "I'm glad I arrived in time."
"Come in, please!"
He stepped inside.
The house felt lived-in—cluttered, warm, and slightly chaotic in a comforting way. Baby blankets were strewn across the couch, half-read scrolls on the floor, and the smell of food simmering in the air.
"Where's the Fourth?" Kai asked casually.
"Minato? He didn't come back last night," she said, ushering him toward the table. "He stayed at the Hokage Building—coordinating the recovery."
That made sense. Even with the Nine-Tails sealed again, the village was in chaos. Thousands displaced. Dozens dead. Intelligence to suppress. Villages to defend against.
A war-sized disaster—without the war.
"He spent a few hours with me and Naruto right after… then rushed back out," she said, checking a pot on the stove. "He's probably still dealing with fallout."
"How's Naruto doing?"
Kushina smiled. "Sleeping. He's strong. Didn't cry once this morning."
She didn't say it, but Kai could tell—she was still shaken. If Kai hadn't interfered, Naruto would have grown up an orphan. Hated. Alone.
Instead… this timeline had changed.
"Thank you again," she said quietly. "I don't care what world you came from. You're our family now."
Kai blinked. That kind of sincerity was rare.
But before he could reply, the scent from the kitchen hit him hard.
Rich pork broth. Salted noodles. Garlic and simmered eggs.
"You cook?"
"I'm making bone broth ramen," she said proudly. "It's Minato's favorite!"
Kai's eyebrow twitched. "Isn't that your favorite?"
Kushina laughed. "You caught me."
"I hope you're hungry," she added, turning off the stove. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not yet. Two bowls, please."
Kushina grinned and set to work.
A few minutes later, the table was set. Two deep bowls of steaming ramen, garnished with sliced scallions and soft-boiled eggs, were placed before them.
Kai picked up his chopsticks. "You sure this isn't from Ichiraku?"
"Better," she said with a wink.
He took one bite. Then another. The broth was thick and silky. The noodles had bounce. The flavor exploded on his tongue.
"Hmm, it taste good!"
Kushina looked pleased.
As they ate in silence for a while, the moment's peace felt surreal—just hours after chaos.
Then, her voice came softly.
"Sir… last night, Minato said something about the masked man."
Kai didn't look up.
"He said it was… Obito?"
"It was," Kai said.
"But… how? That boy was so kind. Clumsy. Gentle. He wouldn't hurt anyone."
"Time changes people."
"But that much?"
Kai looked her in the eye. "We'll talk about it when Minato returns. It's not a simple answer."
Kushina nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll wait."
Meanwhile, not far away…
At the Hokage Building, Minato Namikaze stood in a war room surrounded by leaf shinobi.
Casualty reports, supply lists, and surveillance logs covered the table. The reconstruction was underway, but the morale was shaky.
Villagers were scared. Clans were nervous. The Daimyō's officials were on edge. And worst of all—no one knew the masked man's identity, save a few.
Only Minato, Kakashi, and a few trusted others had been told the truth: the enemy who unleashed the Nine-Tails… was their comrade.
Uchiha Obito.
And now, Kai had returned.
A masked ANBU leaned close. "Lord Hokage, the wandering sage has appeared. He's at your house."
Minato didn't hesitate.
He vanished in a flash of yellow.
Back at the Namikaze residence—
Kai was sipping the last of the broth when the air shimmered.
Flash!
Minato appeared in the living room, kunai still glowing from Flying Thunder God activation.
"Sir Kai," Minato said, exhaling.
Kushina jumped slightly, then smiled. "You're back."
Kai stood. "Perfect timing. She has questions. And I assume so do you."
Minato gave a grave nod. "We need to talk."
Kai gestured toward the hallway. "Let's check on the baby first."
As the three of them stepped into the nursery, the golden sunlight pouring in through the window lit up baby Naruto's face—still peacefully sleeping.
But outside that room, across the village, the winds of change were stirring.
Because the truth about Obito was about to surface.
And when it did… it would shake the shinobi world.