Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

As Kira sat in silence by the entrance, keeping watch, a sudden rustling made her whip around, her senses on high alert. Out of the darkness, one of Kenshin's shadow clones emerged, a large stack of firewood in his arms.

Kira stiffened, unfamiliar with the sight of a duplicate Kenshin, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What...?"

The clone gave her a small, weary smile, setting down the firewood. "Relax. I'm just a shadow clone. A jutsu Kenshin uses to make temporary copies of himself. Think of me as an extension of him, made out of his chakra."

She glanced from the clone to the real Kenshin, lying still on the moss, and back again, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face. "So... you can just talk and act like him?"

"Pretty much," the clone replied, moving toward Kenshin's still form. "Don't mind what he said earlier, by the way. He's just tired. Clones like me can just get dispelled when we're exhausted, but Kenshin has to deal with all the mental strain of everything he's been doing.

He had to use his most physically taxing ability twice in a row after a devastating fall and bring you back to life. That's right, you died. He brought you back to life. And he hasn't slept in days."

The clone reached into the jacket of his main body, carefully pulling out a storage scroll. The real Kenshin didn't even stir, his exhaustion so deep that he didn't notice being moved.

The clone glanced at Kira, his expression softened. "You're lucky he packed this scroll in his jacket. Shinobi usually keep things like this in their tool pouch. But he must've put this here by accident and forgot."

He unsealed the scroll, and with a soft puff of smoke, a steaming pot of cream stew appeared, its rich aroma filling the cave.

The clone ladled out a bowl and offered it to her. "Here. One of his best dishes. Mom loves it, especially when it's not fresh. You should eat something after being out for two days."

Kira's stomach growled at the smell, but after her first big spoonful, her face twisted in surprise as her stomach churned.

The food tasted delicious, but it was missing something—something vital she was used to. Unable to hold it down, she leaned forward, coughing and retching.

"What... what is this?" she managed to gasp, looking horrified. "Why can't I keep it down?"

The clone regarded her curiously. "It's just food. But this place barely has any nature energy compared to the Shikkotsu Forest. That's probably why it's affecting you." He paused, then added, "Even the place we're from has more nature energy. Must feel strange."

Kira scowled but forced herself to eat slowly, taking smaller bites to quell her hunger. She barely managed a bowl before handing it back to the clone, feeling a mix of gratitude and unease at the unfamiliar meal.

The clone sealed the pot back into the scroll, then placed it in her hands. "Take this, just in case. I'll relieve one of the other clones from duty to let them rest a bit. Every bit helps Kenshin manage his own strain. If they're not mentally exhausted, then that takes some of the strain off of the main one."

With that, the clone left, only for another one to appear a few minutes later, stepping into the cave and giving her a lopsided smile.

"Guess the other guy wanted me to keep you company. I don't mind if it gets me off guard duty for a while. I can't imagine the mental strain the real one's gonna feel when he deactivates us." He sat down beside her, his relaxed posture a stark contrast to the previous clone's solemnity.

For the first time, Kira felt a slight smile tug at her lips, feeling the first hints of ease she'd known in days.

The clone settled beside Kira, resting his arms on his knees as he looked out over the dim landscape beyond the cave entrance.

Kira shifted her gaze to him and hesitated before asking, "What... happened, exactly?"

The clone gave her a thoughtful look, as if choosing his words carefully. "When you two fell through that portal, he used Wind Burst to slow you both down. He could've gotten you down safely, but something struck him—something powerful and invisible. It threw off his grip, and that's why he lost hold of you."

Kira's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of worry crossing her face. "Something invisible?"

The clone nodded, his expression serious. "Whatever it was, it broke most of his major bones on impact. He was in bad shape—might've died within minutes if not for his right eye's Sharingan ability."

He paused, his voice softening as he activated the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, letting her see the glowing eye. "It healed him, but it took time. Half an hour of lying there, waiting for his bones to mend. He could've done it faster, but he held back to conserve enough chakra to find you."

Kira's eyes lingered on the clone's activated Sharingan, her expression solemn as he continued.

"Once he was healed, he used shadow clones to search the area. He found you… but you had just died, maybe a few minutes before. His right eye's ability let him bring you back and heal you."

Kira's shoulders tensed as she absorbed the words, a faint shadow of regret flashing in her eyes. "I didn't know… I thought he'd just left me. I went unconscious the moment I hit the ground."

The clone shook his head, his gaze gentle. "He didn't. He's a responsible guy. But you know what happened after that, right? The real Kenshin probably told you everything."

She nodded, her expression pensive, and for a few moments, silence fell between them.

Eventually, Kira looked up and asked, her voice softer, "Why did he come to the Shikkotsu Forest in the first place? What exactly is he healing from?"

The clone paused, as if gathering his thoughts before beginning.

The clone took a deep breath, as though steeling himself. "We were on a mission—something my village assigns to us shinobi. They're specific tasks, often for protection or retrieval, given in exchange for payment, and the village sends out teams with the right skills for the job. The team usually gets a portion of the payment."

Kira tilted her head, still processing this concept. "So… your village sends you out to do tasks for money?"

He nodded. "In a way, yes. During that mission, my mother—Kana—felt something familiar. We found out later it was Yukari, a family friend. But when we reached her, I learned she was being… violated by people in that village."

The clone's jaw tightened as he continued, his voice steady but grim. "When I caught some of them in the act, I… I lost control. Anger took over, and I didn't hold back. The people in that village turned against me, but they didn't stand a chance. They tried to fight, but civilians were getting caught in the chaos."

He hesitated, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes. "My sister, Akane, and my friend Maki tried to stop me, but even they couldn't get through. I was… I almost killed Akane." His voice faltered, and he looked away, a haunted expression on his face.

The clone clenched his fists. "But then, I saw her blood. It jolted me out of that rage, and I realized what I was about to do. I was seconds away from taking the life of the person I loved most… Akane. The woman I've loved in this life and… and in our past life too."

Kira blinked, her gaze softening as she noticed his distant, pained look. "Past life?"

The clone nodded, his voice a little quieter now. "I'm a reincarnate, and so is Akane. In our past lives, I loved her deeply, but I didn't know the extent of her suffering at the hands of her own family. She… she ended her life because of it, and I couldn't save her. That day, we both died, only to be reborn as siblings. We grew up apart, and only recently met again. And the rest is history."

The silence that followed was heavy, as Kira processed this revelation.

"Anyways, after that, I couldn't live with myself. I… tried to end my own life. But my right eye wouldn't let me—it healed me automatically." His voice was eerily calm as he said this, as though discussing something as mundane as the weather. "Afterward, the leader of my village, the hokage, decided I needed to heal, so she brought me here, to the Shikkotsu Forest, hoping I could find some peace."

Kira stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head, her voice soft but firm. "It's not your fault, Kenshin. With your strength, anyone could have lost control like that. It's Akane's fault if anything, for getting in your way. She should've evacuated the civilians instead of—"

"No," the clone cut her off gently, his gaze unwavering. "Akane was doing what she thought was right. And I was just an angry idiot. But… I appreciate your understanding."

A long moment of silence passed, the gravity of Kenshin's experiences settling between them. As the clone rose to leave, Kira reached out, her voice tentative.

"Wait. I… I'm sorry for how I've treated you these past few days. Could we… could we be friends?" She hesitated, then added, "I still don't trust humans completely, but… I want to trust you and the people you care about. And I want to know more about your people, beyond just what grandmother experienced."

The clone looked down at her, surprised, before a gentle smile softened his face. "I'd like that." Saying that, he left, as another clone replaced him.

As the day passed, Kenshin's clones continued their steady watch over the area, each appearing and disappearing every few minutes to give Kira some company as she rested.

Sunset approached, casting a warm glow across the forest canopy, and the final clone told Kira that he'd be gone for the night.

"You'll have to manage alone," he said with a faint smile, but there was a hint of reassurance in his tone. "You'll be safe. I'll be back tomorrow."

Shortly after the last traces of sunlight faded and the forest was swallowed in darkness, the real Kenshin awoke suddenly, his body tensing with an instinctive alertness.

He sensed something was wrong—one of his clones had dissipated, sending him the briefest image of a disturbance nearby, but none of the others had reported anything unusual before or since.

Without a second thought, Kenshin sprang up, rushing to the cave's entrance. Forming quick hand seals, he summoned a defensive "Dirt Wall" at the cave's mouth, its solid structure blocking the entryway completely. He turned to Kira, his expression serious. "Are you better with a weapon or without one?"

Kira blinked, startled by his urgency. "Without one. I never really trained with weapons."

He nodded, gripping the hilt of his sword and pulling it from her hands, his stance shifting into one of readiness. "Someone's coming. My clone told me, but… none of the others are responding. This shouldn't happen."

As he focused, activating his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, each second stretched painfully slow. The silence pressed heavily around them, and then, without warning, the wall shattered, sending fragments scattering.

Kenshin swiftly made a shadow clone which burrowed into the ground while the dust settled, quickly getting out of the cave.

Kenshin then braced himself, his gaze fixed on the shadowy figure that stepped into the dim light of the cave.

The woman before them was a cat-like figure, striking and terrifying in equal measure. She moved with a predatory grace, her sleek frame accentuated by a dark, flowing robe that hinted at her dangerous aura.

Tendrils of wind chakra, invisible to the naked eye, coiled around her like phantom limbs, although Kenshin could clearly see them with his Sharingan. Her lips curled into a mocking smile, her voice dripping with disdain as she looked directly at Kira.

"So, the little kitten who escaped death finally wakes up. I was beginning to tire of waiting… it will be so much more satisfying to end this with you conscious."

Kenshin cut in, his tone half-ironic, half-jesting. "Look, can we maybe reschedule this? It's been a long few days, and I'd rather avoid another fight if possible. Besides, someone as, uh, youthful-looking as you should show a bit more mercy to her prey."

The woman's expression shifted to one of pure disgust, as though he were something beneath her. "The pest dares to speak. I won't waste my time with human filth like you," she sneered. "I'll make this simple—hand over the cat, and I'll let you leave. Maybe I'll even grant you safe passage back to the human world."

Kenshin smirked with mock courtesy, his tone just as pointed. "I'll have to respectfully decline. This here is my cat," he said, glancing at Kira as if to reaffirm his commitment. "And I'll be protecting her until the Nekomata arrives. I happen to need her favor."

When he looked over at Kira, he noticed her face had turned an unexpected shade of red, her blush contrasting sharply with the usual confident look in her eyes.

Even their enemy seemed momentarily taken aback, her eyes narrowing as she registered the unexpected closeness between Kenshin and Kira.

Kenshin glanced at Kira in mild confusion. "Hey, what's with the blush?" he asked, his tone genuinely puzzled.

Kira hesitated, giving him a sidelong look, her face growing even redder. "You just said I'm your cat," she murmured, "which, in the cat tribe, means… well, it's basically a romantic claim."

Before Kenshin could fully process this, the enemy woman burst into mocking laughter. "You—of all people—claim that kitten as your own?" She sneered, amusement sparking in her eyes. "And you don't even know the first thing about our tribe, do you?"

Kenshin shrugged, unperturbed. "Kira's my friend, and that's all there is to it," he replied, smiling a bit to himself. "Besides, my heart already belongs to someone else." He thought of Akane, feeling a familiar warmth settle over him.

The woman's amusement evaporated, replaced by a look of contempt. As she prepared to attack, Kenshin held up a hand. "Wait. Before we get into it, can you introduce yourself? It's only polite."

She scoffed, her eyes narrowing as though sizing him up. "You want to know my name before I rip you apart?"

She let out a derisive laugh. "Very well. I am Kaede, elder daughter of Nekomata Yasora, and the rightful heir to the title of Nekomata. I was cast out and exiled here, robbed of my title by weaklings who couldn't handle my strength."

Her voice dripped with venom, every word laced with bitterness. "Instead, they gave it to my sister's son, a mere child, while I rotted in this prison. This dimension made by my mother, drier than a desert compared to the Shikkotsu Forest. And yet I've sucked this place for all the nature energy it could offer, and I'm certain I'm more powerful now."

As Kaede spoke, Kenshin's clone quietly positioned itself at a strategic distance, ready to strike the moment he gave the signal.

Just as Kaede's speech ended, the clone released a powerful Gust Bullet, a blast of wind chakra slicing through the air and tearing a clean, large hole through Kaede's chest. She staggered, her eyes wide in shock as she slumped to the ground.

Kenshin let out a relieved sigh, glancing at Kira. "Thank god she was dumb. I didn't think I'd be able to buy time so easily. I kinda feel like Subaru from Re: Zero. Buying time by making them talk."

But his relief was short-lived. To their shock, Kaede stirred, her fallen form starting to move. Her body, grotesquely but swiftly, began knitting itself back together as though the injury were no more than a scratch.

Within moments, the hole in her chest was gone, her flesh whole once more. She rose with an unsettling smile, her voice filled with dark amusement. "Did you really think a human trick would kill me?"

Kenshin shuddered, the ability seeming disturbingly familiar. 'Seriously?! I know that I just referenced Re: Zero, but bruh! She just had to be a knockoff Capella? How am I supposed to deal with this?'

Kenshin steadied his breathing, keeping his composure as he watched Kaede's body knit itself together in that grotesque, unnatural way.

He tightened his grip on his sword, feeling the familiar pulse of wind chakra flowing into the blade as he assessed his options. If Kaede's regeneration worked like he feared, this battle was going to be a long one.

However, he was not worried about stamina, as long as he didn't have to use extensive restoration multiple times.

"Kira," he said softly, giving her a sidelong glance, "stay sharp. Let's test how far her healing goes."

Kira nodded, her claws extending like sharp ivory blades. She positioned herself, her muscles taut as she prepared to attack.

Kenshin's clone kept its distance, poised to strike from afar, essentially his hidden sniper in the shadows. With the clone in place, Kenshin felt a bit more confident—Kaede wouldn't see the next attack coming.

Without another word, Kenshin charged forward, his wind-infused katana cutting through the air in a swift arc aimed at Kaede's midsection.

Kira followed his lead, slipping into Kaede's blind spot with silent agility. They moved in perfect sync, like they had practiced this countless times, despite this being their first fight together.

Kaede barely reacted; her hand shot out, gripping Kenshin's blade as it dug into her palm, stopping it with ease. A flick of her tail sent Kira skidding backward, her claws unable to land a mark.

Blood trickled from Kaede's hand where Kenshin's blade had sliced deep into her skin, but her expression remained unfazed.

Kenshin pulled his sword back, retreating a few steps to reassess. He noticed Kaede's chakra coating her tail, reinforcing it and increasing its power—a subtle enhancement, but one that made her tail as deadly as any weapon.

He also noted the blood, watching it drip from her hand, and, for the briefest instant, a flicker of pain crossed her face. 'So she can feel pain,' he thought, filing away the observation.

"If only I had Akane's decay ability… it'd be over in one move," he muttered under his breath. If decay could counter her regeneration or at least overwhelm her enough to surrender, this fight would be a different story.

Just then, Kaede's gaze sharpened, and she raised her hand, summoning tendrils of wind chakra—thick and invisible to ordinary eyes.

Kenshin could see them, however, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan picking up the chakra's distinct, white glow. 'Wind chakra…' he noted, recognizing the need for a defensive strategy.

With a swift movement, Kenshin summoned his adamantine sealing chains. Eight golden chains shot from his back, forming a barrier against Kaede's attack.

The tendrils clashed with his chains, the sheer force rattling his arms, but the adamantine chains held steady, blocking Kaede's assault.

Kira sprang into action again, her claws grazing Kaede's face in a fleeting swipe. But before she could retreat, one of the invisible wind tendrils shot through her shoulder, drawing a sharp cry of pain.

"Kira!" Kenshin called, reaching out with one of his chains and wrapping it around her waist. With a quick tug, he pulled her back to safety, bringing her close enough to heal her wound.

Placing his hand over the injury, he activated his right eye's ability, watching the wound mend as a faint, blue glow enveloped his eye.

Kira, gritting her teeth, gave him a shaky nod of gratitude. "Thanks, Kenshin… but what are we supposed to do? She's barely breaking a sweat."

Kenshin's mind raced, cycling through potential tactics. If Kaede could regenerate even severe injuries, their only hope was to find a way to surpass her healing rate or push her limits until she couldn't regenerate any longer.

'But how? There has to be a weakness somewhere,' he thought, casting a sidelong glance at his distant clone, which was waiting for his signal to attack again.

With a determined glint in his eyes, Kenshin gripped his katana tightly. "We're just getting started, Kaede. Let's see if that regeneration of yours can keep up."

Kaede's mocking laugh echoed off the walls of the cavern as she taunted Kenshin. "You vermin and your pet kitten actually think you stand a chance against me?" She waved a hand, beckoning them forward, her eyes glinting with sadistic enjoyment.

Kenshin tightened his grip on his sword, summoning a multitude shadow clones, each forming a Fireball Jutsu. A barrage of flames erupted from all sides, surrounding Kaede in a wave of searing heat.

Meanwhile, Kira darted toward Kaede's throat, claws extended. Kenshin leaped above Kaede, raising his sword, hoping to slice her in half from above. But Kaede was ready.

Despite her skin charring from the intense fire, Kaede's hand shot up, catching Kenshin by the throat mid-descent, and her tail lashed out, swatting Kira aside as though she were an afterthought.

The invisible tendrils of wind chakra snaked around, striking down Kenshin's clones, each one vanishing without transferring any memory back to him.

A cold realization dawned on Kenshin. 'She must have done the same to all the clones I had patrolling outside…' He barely had time to think as Kaede squeezed tighter, her grip like iron around his throat.

Desperate, Kenshin activated his left eye's ability, trying to dive into Kaede's mind in the hopes of finding some weakness.

But instead of the empty mindscape he was used to seeing, he found himself face-to-face with Kaede, standing in her own mindscape, smirking as she loomed closer.

Kaede moved with frightening speed, swarming Kenshin with inky black tendrils that coiled around him, restraining his every movement. He tried to struggle, but the tendrils held fast, immobilizing him.

Kaede stepped closer, dragging a claw along his chest before violently tearing his jacket and shirt away. Her claws glinted as she brought one to his skin, piercing him slowly, her grin widening with every pained gasp he made.

With a sadistic flourish, she plunged her claw deep into his chest, then slowly, methodically, pulled out his heart, dangling it by the veins in front of his eyes as he screamed.

Kenshin felt a blinding pain that brought him back to reality with a shudder, clutching his chest instinctively. The injury wasn't real, but the agony lingered, and he staggered before his body gave in, and he collapsed.

Kaede tossed him aside as her charred skin regenerated, seeming almost reinvigorated by the torment she'd just inflicted. But Kira darted to Kenshin's side, kneeling down to check if he was still breathing.

The sight of him motionless sent a surge of fury through her. She turned toward Kaede, her eyes narrowing, her whole body coiled with feral rage.

She pounced at Kaede, running on all fours, darting around the relentless assault of wind tendrils as she dodged and leaped, clawing at every opening she saw. She fought fiercely, landing glancing blows, though none could do any lasting damage.

At a distance, Kenshin's shadow clone observed, analyzing the situation, uncertain of Kaede's limits but waiting for the right opportunity. After a relentless battle, Kira's energy was nearly spent, her attacks growing slower, her movements more desperate.

Then, with a predatory grin, Kaede caught Kira by the throat, tendrils wrapping around her limbs, immobilizing her.

"Vermin," she hissed, tightening her grip as she lifted Kira off the ground. When Kenshin stirred, trying to push himself up, Kaede's smile grew wider. "Look at me, little worm!" she sneered, dangling Kira before him.

Then, slowly, she reached out a claw, pressing it against Kira's face before plunging it into her right eye, twisting as she pulled it out, the optic nerve stretching as she dangled the eye in front of Kenshin before crushing it.

Something snapped within Kenshin as he watched, horror giving way to fury. 'I have to protect her... Kira is family too!' Gritting his teeth, he forced his chakra into action.

He summoned his adamantine sealing chains, launching them at Kaede with terrifying speed, severing her right arm and freeing Kira from her grasp. In an instant, he pulled Kira toward him, sheltering her behind him.

'Come on...' Kenshin focused on his wind chakra, concentrating harder than ever to make it flow around his body. He'd never fully completed the chakra mode, but now he needed it—more than he ever had.

'I have to make this work. This chakra will listen to me!' His determination burned as he released a surge of chakra, forming a dense, flowing layer around his body. It lightened him, empowering him to move faster, sharper.

Meanwhile, Kaede's severed arm grew back, and she watched with an amused expression as Kenshin prepared to attack.

Kenshin launched himself forward, his movements nearly weightless, blazing across the cave with blistering speed.

He slammed his fist into Kaede's chest, caving it in, and she staggered back, momentarily frozen. But Kenshin didn't stop there. He leaped off the cave walls, hammering Kaede with blow after blow, shockwaves echoing with each impact.

In a flash, he grabbed his katana, slicing through Kaede with relentless strikes. Her wind chakra tendrils lashed out, but Kenshin, now cloaked in his perfected chakra mode, weaved through them, pressing his attack as Kaede's body struggled to regenerate in time.

Channeling a Fireball Jutsu mid-attack, Kenshin's speed sent him headfirst into his own flames, igniting his wind chakra. He gritted his teeth, manipulating the burning wind chakra to keep it off his body, turning himself into a blazing whirlwind.

Far away, Kenshin's clone saw the blazing figure and a spark of realization hit him. 'Compressed, burning wind chakra… if I add a strong Gust Bullet, it'll ignite into a big explosion. With the enemy weakened, this is our best shot.'

The clone took aim, timing the shot with precision. As Kenshin's burning wind chakra collided with Kaede's body, the clone fired a Gust Bullet straight at her, creating a pressurized pocket of wind.

The collision was instant and catastrophic. The cave shook as a fiery explosion engulfed Kaede, the shockwave blasting outward.

Kenshin barely had time to brace himself, and Kira threw herself down, covering her head as the inferno roared around them.

As the flames and dust settled, Kenshin and Kira looked up, breathing heavily. Kaede's charred and broken body lay on the ground, unmoving. But Kenshin didn't relax; he knew better than to assume it was over.

The silence that followed was oppressive, but Kenshin kept his eyes on Kaede, ready for anything.

And then, with a sickening crack, Kaede's body started to twitch, her wounds slowly stitching themselves back together as she began to rise again, an eerie grin spreading across her face.

"Not bad... vermin," she rasped, her voice ragged but filled with twisted glee.

As Kaede's body regenerated, she turned to Kenshin, who was barely standing, the remnants of his wind chakra mode dissipating as his control faltered.

He staggered, adrenaline giving way to exhaustion, as Kaede's invisible wind chakra tendrils shot out and pierced him repeatedly.

His body jolted with each strike, blood trickling down from fresh wounds. But even then, he tried to push through, still trying to stand despite the serious injuries.

As Kaede's body regenerated fully, she retracted her tendrils from Kenshin, letting his wounded form collapse to the ground. Surprisingly, she didn't press the attack further; instead, she gazed down at them with an eerie, detached amusement.

"It would be a waste to kill you both now," she taunted, her gaze briefly flicking to Kira. "I'll be back when your precious Nekomata decides to come for you, kitten."

Without another word, she turned and left, her figure vanishing into the shadows of the cave as her laughter echoed around them.

-----------------------------------

Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.