"Izayoi-kun, you're here!"
Izanami brought Hanabi outside the villa. Before they even entered, a familiar voice reached their ears.
With a sudden whoosh, Karin's figure appeared out of thin air in front of Izanami and Hanabi. Her red eyes, matching the vibrant color of her hair, locked onto Izanami. Then, as if realizing something, her expression lit up with a joyful smile.
"Yes, this time it's my main body," Izanami replied with a nod, smiling warmly. "You've worked hard during this time, Karin."
"Not at all, not at all." Karin shook her head repeatedly, her face filled with gratitude. "Compared to life in Grass Ninja Village, this place is paradise. Even though I only helped Izayoi-kun go to Hidden Sand Village to buy materials, I get to live in such a nice house and receive so much compensation. I really feel unworthy."
"No, you've been a great help."
Under Hanabi's pouting gaze, Izanami raised his hand and patted Karin's head, stroking her now-soft and glossy red hair—so different from the dry, brittle texture it had before. He smiled gently and continued, "There are very few people in this world I can truly trust, and you're one of them. I'm actually grateful for Grass Ninja Village's foolishness. If they hadn't been so shortsighted, I wouldn't have discovered my clansmen during the Chunin Exams."
"Hehe... Karin is also very lucky to have met Izayoi-kun. I definitely won't disappoint you!"
Karin blushed slightly as she enjoyed the affectionate head patting. Her silly smile was filled with determination and sincerity.
Watching her, Hanabi's gaze turned thoughtful.
So this woman is Oni-chan's clansman…
It seems Oni-chan wasn't cheating after all.
That's right—if he were cheating, he wouldn't have brought Hanabi along.
With that thought, Hanabi's earlier hostility toward Karin vanished.
After chatting at the entrance for a while, Izanami led Hanabi inside the villa. Along the way, he introduced Hanabi and Karin to each other.
Upon learning that Hanabi was Hinata's younger sister, who had taken care of her during the Forest of Death, Karin immediately felt a strong fondness and began treating her like a little sister.
"Hanabi, you can explore the villa with Onee-chan Karin. If you get bored, you can go out and play." Izanami stroked Hanabi's head with a smile. "Oni-chan is busy right now. I'll come play with you once I'm done."
"Mhm, mhm…" the mature Hanabi nodded repeatedly. "Oni-chan's matters are more important. I'll be fine with Onee-chan Karin."
"Then I'll leave Hanabi to you, Karin," Izanami said warmly.
"Izanami-kun, don't worry. I'll definitely take good care of Hanabi," Karin replied with a serious expression.
Leaving Hanabi in Karin's care, Izanami went alone to a locked door in the villa. Opening it revealed a descending staircase.
He walked down.
At the bottom was a spacious basement—currently quite crowded.
Rows of figures stood in neat formation.
A rough estimate put the number close to three digits.
And that wasn't all.
In one corner of the basement stood a table with several large sealing scrolls neatly arranged on top.
Each figure was clad in a uniform black cloak embroidered with red clouds. Most had their faces wrapped in bandages, their eyes lifeless.
They were puppets—some ordinary, others Human Puppets created from corpses.
Among them were members of the Black Hoe Family and various rogue ninjas that Izanami's Shadow Clone had hunted in recent times.
Looking at them, Izanami activated his Reincarnation Eye and walked among the figures, injecting chakra into their chakra cores as though charging batteries.
As he moved, he muttered softly, "Whether the system has hidden mechanics depends on you all. Whether the talent entry upgrades are hell difficulty or easy mode... also depends on you."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"But I'm sure the Akatsuki Organization and 'Danzo-sama' will love this grand gift that's coming their way."
After charging all the puppets and sealing scrolls, Izanami returned upstairs and brought Hanabi and Karin to Sakura Street to enjoy a stroll.
Along the way, he checked in again on Karin's condition.
"Karin, how is your recovery going?"
"I feel great now—full of energy," she replied cheerfully. "Thanks to Izayoi-kun's treatments and the medicinal meals your Shadow Clone prepared for me."
"Do you have any plans for the future?" Izanami asked. "We've secured plenty of materials. We won't need new supplies for a while. Do you want to keep living here and help look after my property, or would you rather continue walking the path of a ninja? Either way, I'll teach you ninjutsu and help you grow stronger."
"I'll do whatever you ask of me," Karin replied firmly. "Whatever Izayoi-kun needs, I'll do it."
"I like that answer," Izanami said, patting her head again. "But I want to hear your true thoughts. After all, you're not just my subordinate—you're my clansman. My family. No matter what you choose, I'll help you achieve it."
Looking at his sincere face, Karin felt her eyes growing misty.
Whether someone is truly kind to you isn't measured by words or promises, but by actions.
Karin had long seen the cruelty of Grass Ninja Village. She had even glimpsed her bleak future there—likely dying suddenly like her mother, worn down by chronic weakness.
If Grass Ninja Village had been a living hell, then the life she now had under Izanami's care was paradise.
After taking her from Konoha, Izanami's Shadow Clone had sent her to Sakura Street—not only allowing her to live in a luxurious villa but also giving her the key to the vault. Inside were hundreds of millions in gold coins, which she could use freely.
Knowing she didn't understand money well, the Shadow Clone even bought a large stockpile of ingredients and medicinal herbs. He hired a professional chef to prepare medicinal meals to heal her overdrawn body.
He took her shopping, too—outfitting her with customized clothes made from fabrics so rare and expensive she could never have afforded them on her own. The jewelry in the safe was hers to choose from freely.
Once her health improved, he taught her the foundational ninja techniques of Konoha—more comprehensive than anything she learned in Grass Ninja Village. He helped her master chakra control, including tree-climbing and water-walking.
He even lent her Kurosuki Raiga's Lightning Blade and guided her through Lightning Release nature transformation.
Once she mastered that, he planned to teach her the advanced technique of stimulating her cells with Lightning Chakra.
All of this… in exchange for a simple errand to the Hidden Sand Village.
He hadn't even gone with her—entrusting her fully, without fear of betrayal or theft.
This overwhelming trust and care often brought Karin to tears—tears of deep, wordless gratitude.
She had long been captivated by Izanami.
Like Haku or Kimimaro, she didn't mind sacrificing her life if it meant being useful to him.
He was her sky.
Her god.
Her everything.
After quietly wiping away the tears forming in her eyes, she looked up at Izanami with a radiant smile.
"Izanami-kun, I want to be a ninja."
As long as I can become an all-around ninja, I'll be able to help you even more!
Unaware of her internal thoughts, Izanami grinned. "Alright then. I'll help you become one of the strongest kunoichi in the world."
Just as the two exchanged smiles, a small voice spoke up between them.
"Oni-chan, what about Hanabi?"
Turning to his cute sister-in-law, Izanami couldn't resist pinching her chubby cheek.
"Hanabi will definitely be the most powerful female ninja in the future," he said with a chuckle.
"Hehe... I'll remember that!" Hanabi said mischievously. "When I go back, I'll tell Onee-chan that Oni-chan said I'm stronger!"
Izanami laughed. "Oni-chan said in the future. Right now, your Onee-chan is the strongest."
"Huh? How could you say that!"
He suddenly mimicked her voice from a few days ago, dramatically clutching his chest. "Hanabi tricked Oni-chan... my fragile heart is broken! It won't be healed without ten... no, a hundred massages!"
"Oni-chan, I was wrong!" Hanabi cried, throwing herself into his arms and rubbing her head against his chest.
She looked up at him with big, pleading eyes. "Hanabi promises! Will Oni-chan forgive me?"
"I was just kidding," Izanami laughed. "Come on, I'll take you to see the cherry blossoms!"
Unable to resist Hanabi's cuteness, he flicked her nose, then rubbed her soft cheeks.
Lifting her gently by the armpits, he swung her up onto his shoulders, expertly entering "mount" mode.
And so, carrying Hanabi and walking alongside Karin, Izanami set off to enjoy the cherry blossoms of Sakura Street—his family growing ever closer in this peaceful moment before the storm.
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