Kitagawa Minamoto had little interest in Nagato's fate.
After all, he had already played the role of the "Crow Brother" once; what happens next could only be taken one step at a time.
That said, the things Nagato left behind were undeniably valuable.
"The Yin Release Chakra of the Rinnegan, huh?"
Kitagawa Minamoto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This was truly significant for him.
The potential of his eyes seemed to surpass even that of Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan.
With each new ability he gained, the versatility and power of his eyes grew exponentially.
"And I have a feeling… my eyes are about to evolve again."
Minamoto had always been keenly aware of the changes in his eyes. After absorbing a small amount of the Nine-Tails' Chakra, the rate at which his eyes absorbed energy had drastically increased.
Especially after acquiring the "Source of the Divine Tree," the evolution of his eyes had accelerated at an astonishing pace.
Although they were still in a state of rapidly absorbing Chakra, he could sense that this process was nearing its end, as if something was brewing within.
"It's just like the first time my eyes underwent a transformation."
He couldn't help but look forward to that day. The second stage of the Tenseigan was something he had anticipated for a long time.
"Are you sure Kusagakure is okay?"
While Minamoto was lost in his thoughts, Kakashi's patience was wearing thin.
Ever since hearing the "disastrous" news, Kakashi had fallen into an uncharacteristic silence.
Now, standing at the site of Minamoto's battle, his expression had darkened even further.
"Although Kusagakure has its issues—like aiding Iwagakure during the war—it's still a hidden ally of ours. You…"
"I don't know," Minamoto replied bluntly, giving the "perfect" answer.
After a moment of thought, he added, "It was Pain dragging me around. I had no idea what he was planning."
"You didn't know Kusagakure was nearby?"
"I'm bad at geography."
"Don't give me that nonsense. If I remember correctly, you're excellent at everything except math!"
Kakashi rubbed his forehead, unsure of what to say. He didn't even dare look in the direction of Kusagakure.
The surrounding area already looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster. He shuddered to imagine the state of the village itself.
His only thought now was to leave as quickly as possible and let the Hokage deal with the rest.
"I found it. Over there."
Just as Kakashi was lost in thought, Minamoto suddenly pointed in a direction.
"That Chakra is heading that way. If we hurry, we can still catch up."
"Sigh…"
Kakashi sighed deeply. Seeing Minamoto already running ahead, he quickly followed.
Despite his frustration, a sense of pride welled up in Kakashi as he surveyed the chaos around them.
He had watched Minamoto grow step by step.
Although Minamoto had been remarkably talented even upon graduation, his immaturity back then was still evident.
"Now he's grown into one of the village's pillars. It's truly incredible."
Of course, the fact that he was also a trouble magnet was another matter entirely.
With these thoughts in mind, Kakashi followed Minamoto to a desolate area.
The ground was riddled with craters, and flames still burned fiercely, evidence of the recent destruction.
Amidst the ruins, Kakashi soon spotted a figure in the distance.
"Is that the person we're looking for?"
Kakashi asked curiously. Minamoto nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, it's her. During the battle, I noticed her Chakra felt unusual—similar to Naruto's."
"Similar to Naruto's? And her hair color…"
Kakashi pondered for a moment, beginning to piece things together.
"Is she a member of the Uzumaki clan?"
Encountering descendants of the Uzumaki clan in the ninja world wasn't particularly rare.
After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools and the destruction of Uzushiogakure, the clan's remnants had scattered across the world.
Although there had once been an alliance promising mutual protection, Konohagakure had been too preoccupied with its own survival to intervene.
Over time, the alliance had been forgotten by most, and the Uzumaki clan became just another group of ordinary people in the eyes of many Konoha ninjas.
After all, Konoha already had its own "legitimate" Uzumaki descendants, from Mito Uzumaki to Kushina Uzumaki, and now Naruto.
"Do you think she's special?"
Kakashi asked, his tone neutral.
"Somewhat," Minamoto replied with a nod.
"In terms of Chakra, she's similar to Naruto. And since she's likely from Kusagakure, bringing her back might help explain things."
"Didn't you just say you didn't know the state of Kusagakure?"
"…"
"Say something!"
"Well… what's done is done. Let's focus on capturing her first."
After a brief exchange, the two quickened their pace toward Karin.
Meanwhile, Karin, who had been fleeing, had already noticed the commotion behind her.
She had been hoping to escape Kusagakure, regardless of where she ended up.
But now, she was being pursued—and not just by anyone.
"It's him! The owner of that Chakra!"
Even though the Chakra felt different, Karin was certain she wasn't mistaken.
This realization filled her with despair.
As the two figures behind her accelerated, Karin reluctantly slowed her pace, knowing she couldn't outrun them.
"Hey, I thought you'd keep running," a lazy yet clear voice called out from behind her.
"Well, this works too. Saves us the trouble."
Trouble? Was it really that much trouble to catch her?
Karin trembled as she turned around, only to see two white-haired men approaching her.
"What's your name?"
The older white-haired man asked curiously. Karin stammered nervously in response.
"M-my name is Karin…"
"There's no need to be so scared. We're from Konohagakure," Kakashi said, puzzled by her frightened demeanor.
"You're a ninja from Kusagakure, right? Konoha and Kusagakure have a decent relationship…"
"I'm not! I'm not!"
Karin reacted instinctively, her voice filled with panic.
She knew all too well that Konoha and Kusagakure's relationship could spell her doom if she were sent back.
"…"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her response.
Was she a rogue ninja?
Having dealt with the Akatsuki and Obito, Kakashi had no fondness for rogue ninjas.
"Don't… don't kill me!"
Suddenly, Karin seemed to sense something and crouched down, covering her head with her hands in fear.
"What an incredible sensory ability," Minamoto muttered, recognizing the cause of her reaction.
It was likely due to her heightened perception and a misunderstanding of their intentions.
"Is that Mind's Eye of the Kagura?"
Minamoto recalled that this was considered one of the strongest sensory abilities in the ninja world.
It allowed the user to detect enemies from miles away and even read their emotions through Chakra.
"Calm down, Kakashi-sensei. Look at her arm," Minamoto said, gesturing toward Karin.
Kakashi tilted his head, noticing the bite marks and needle scars on her arm.
"She must have some unique abilities. It seems Kusagakure didn't treat her kindly."
"I see…"
Karin's exposed arm confirmed Kakashi's suspicions. He began to understand why she was so resistant to returning.
"Her sensory abilities are exceptional, and she likely has other unique powers as well," Minamoto remarked, rubbing his chin.
"And she might know what happened in Kusagakure. Bringing her back would make things easier to explain."
Turning to Karin, Minamoto offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, we're the good guys."
"…"
Good guys? They didn't look the part at all!
Several days later, the group finally returned to Konohagakure.
"Kakashi-sensei, I'll leave the rest to you. I won't be involved."
Minamoto immediately distanced himself.
"Hey, you're a Jōnin now!" Kakashi said, exasperated.
"You brought her back. At least give a proper report!"
"I have a feeling the Hokage doesn't want to see me right now…"
"…Fine. Just go."
With a sigh, Kakashi gave up.
Back at his home, Minamoto quickly set up a barrier and summoned the System.
"Use the Yin Release Power of the Rinnegan!"
As the immense Yin Release energy surged through him, Minamoto felt his eyes swell with power.
The violent Chakra coursed through his body, igniting a familiar, exhilarating sensation.
"This feeling…"
It reminded him of the time his skin and hair turned white.
This transformation was going to be significant.
But then, a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait… this transformation… am I going to grow horns this time?"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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