237.Too Annoying

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Morning at the Wooden Cabin.

As dawn broke, Itachi opened the door of his small wooden cabin, revealing Kaito's paper puppet stepping lightly through the dewy grass, entering from outside the barrier. 

"Good morning." 

Kaito, hands tucked into his sleeves, strolled leisurely toward Itachi and peeked into the cabin. 

"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" 

Itachi ignored him, turning back inside to fold up the bedding spread across the floor. 

"Just woke up, huh?" 

Without hesitation, Kaito stepped inside and settled onto a small stool near the fire pit. 

"The fire's about to go out. Let me add some wood!" 

With that, he grabbed a log from the pile beside the fire pit and tossed it onto the dying embers. Then another. And another. 

"What's going on?" Kaito stared at the now completely extinguished fire, looking baffled. "How did it go out completely?" 

Itachi walked over in silence, propped up the logs in an orderly stack, and began forming hand seals. 

"Hmm?" Kaito raised an eyebrow, watching him curiously. 

Deprived of his chakra by a seal, Itachi calmly abandoned the seals and reached for a matchstick instead. 

"For a moment, I thought you'd broken the seal," Kaito remarked with a smirk. 

Itachi said nothing, kneeling silently to light the fire. 

As the flames crackled to life, Itachi stepped outside with a bucket, heading to the forest's edge to fetch water from a nearby well. 

Kaito rested his chin in his hand, watching as Itachi returned to boil water, rinse rice, and cook porridge. 

"Just plain porridge?" 

Kaito peered into the iron pot hanging above the fire pit and stirred the bubbling rice. 

Itachi sat quietly nearby, sipping hot tea. 

"You couldn't pour me a cup too? Such poor manners. I know I'm just a puppet, but still." 

Itachi set his tea down, picked up the kettle, and poured a cup of hot water. 

Kaito eagerly grabbed the tea cup, holding it with both hands. 

After placing the kettle back by the fire, Itachi finally broke his silence. 

"What did you do last night?" 

"Hmm? Interested, are we?" Kaito arched an eyebrow, smirking. 

"Not particularly," Itachi replied flatly, stirring the porridge with a ladle. 

Though the words were left unsaid, his actions conveyed: *You're too noisy.* 

"Well, since you're so eager, I'll grace you with the details!" Kaito declared, his expression one of mock benevolence. 

Itachi stiffened momentarily, then turned fully away from him. 

"I wasn't that eager." 

"Why are you acting like Sasuke now, so standoffish?" Kaito muttered, displeased. "Fine, I'll tell you anyway. Last night, I had a chat with Hiashi Hyuga." 

"Hmm." 

Knowing better than to argue, Itachi kept silent. 

Boring, thought Kaito, pursing his lips. 

This guy's no fun compared to Sasuke or Izuna. 

"I'm considering collaborating with the Hyuga Clan," Kaito continued. 

Itachi turned back, his expression briefly puzzled. 

Collaborate with the Hyuga? What for? 

"The Hyuga, with their Byakugan, carry the purest traces of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's bloodline," Kaito explained. "Unlike the Sharingan, which was born of the God tree's power, the Byakugan is Kaguya's original dōjutsu." 

"Hmm." 

Itachi's response was curt, his disinterest palpable. 

Talking to someone this incurious is exhausting, Kaito thought, pouting. 

"I want to explore the limits of the Byakugan, see how far it can evolve," Kaito went on. "By studying the Hyuga and other clans descended from Kaguya, I aim to uncover the true nature of the Ōtsutsuki lineage. One sample, like Neji, isn't enough." 

"And," he added, "considering the connection between the Hyuga and Hamura's descendants on the moon, bringing a Hyuga along for a future moon expedition could yield unexpected results." 

As the water in his cup grew tepid, Kaito nonchalantly dumped it out, grabbed the kettle, and poured himself a fresh cup. 

"Oh, the porridge looks ready." 

He glanced at the bubbling pot. 

Itachi stood up, retrieved a bowl and chopsticks from the table, served himself a portion, and sat on a small stool to eat. 

"Not chatting anymore, then?" 

Kaito sighed dramatically at Itachi's quiet focus on his meal. 

"My real body needs breakfast too," he remarked, shrinking down into a small paper figure. The tiny puppet darted toward the cabinet in the corner, slipping inside through a crack. 

With the cabin now completely silent, Itachi glanced over his shoulder at the empty corner, then resumed eating his porridge in peace. 

---

At the Uchiha Estate in Mount Ōeyama 

"Today's breakfast better include my share!" Kaito shouted as he burst into the dining area, taking a seat at the table and looking expectantly at Chiri, who was carrying dishes out from the kitchen. 

"There's some for me, right? Right, Chiri-senpai?" 

"Hmph." 

Izuna emerged from the kitchen with another tray of food, scoffing as he eyed Kaito. 

"Just sitting there waiting to be served? You might as well rot into the ground!" 

Kaito glanced at Madara, who sat calmly like a lord at the table, and pursed his lips, swallowing his protest. 

"What are you staring at my brother for?" 

Izuna slammed a dish in front of Madara, shooting Kaito a glare as sharp as a kunai. 

"N-Nothing," Kaito stammered, quickly leaping to his feet and dashing to the kitchen. "I'll help bring out the food!" 

Madara chuckled quietly, casting an amused glance at Izuna. 

Izuna, flustered by his brother's indulgent gaze, turned slightly red. 

"What… What is it?" 

Madara shook his head slightly, smiling but saying nothing. 

Though Izuna's behavior had grown childish, seeing him so full of life filled Madara with a profound sense of relief. 

The image of Izuna's lifeless body, lying silently in a coffin with his eyes covered, had haunted Madara for years. 

This, he thought, was far better. 

"Nothing," Madara said at last, picking up his chopsticks. "Let's eat." 

"Okay." 

Izuna obediently sat down, calling over his shoulder. 

"Oi, Kaito! Hurry up with the soup!" 

"Coming!" 

Kaito soon returned, balancing a tray of soup bowls, and distributed them before taking his seat. 

"Let's eat!" 

He clapped his hands together and eagerly dug in, grinning after his first bite. 

"Miss Chiri cooking is the best!" 

"If you like it, eat more," Chiri said with a warm smile. 

"Don't mind if I do!" 

As Kaito reached out for another helping, his chopsticks clashed with Izuna's. 

The two locked eyes, sparks flying as they glared at each other. 

"Hmph!" 

Both snorted and began grabbing food at lightning speed, each determined to outpace the other. 

---

After the meal, Kaito and Izuna lay sprawled on the floor, clutching their stomachs. 

"Have some tea." 

Chiri approached with a tray of tea, setting it down beside them. 

"Thanks, Miss Chiri," Kaito said, struggling to sit up. 

"Much appreciated," Izuna added, also managing to sit upright. 

"You're welcome." 

Chiri smiled as she began clearing the table. 

Madara silently watched the two from his seat before turning toward the slightly barren courtyard outside. 

"Phew…" Kaito took a sip of tea, his eyes drifting toward the same view. 

"The plan's set," he said after a moment. "It's time to go after Nagato."