Feeling the sharp pain in her arm, Karin's heart stirred with hatred, but she didn't dare reveal it. If she let even a trace of malice show in her eyes, these Grass Ninja would likely beat her senseless.
Their team had already lost their scroll once, forced to hand it over in silence to avoid elimination.
That humiliation had kept them in the exam, but now every glance at Karin made their resentment burn hotter. To them, she was nothing but dead weight, the cause of their misfortune. The more they thought about it, the angrier they became—until they turned on Karin to vent their frustrations.
After restoring their chakra, the two Grass Ninja moved against her, the same old pattern of bullying the weak.
Karin, who had only been taught basic chakra refinement and a little academy-level theory in Kusagakure, couldn't possibly resist. She didn't dare to. If word reached the village that she had fought back, her punishment would be far worse.
Skipping meals was only the beginning of what they'd do to her.
Just then, a kunai slammed into the ground between Karin and her tormentors.
"Who?!"
"Show yourself!"
The two Grass Ninja spun around, drawing their kunai, eyes darting warily.
High in the branches, Naruto looked down at them with a gaze as cold as death.
He leapt down from the tree, Sasuke and Sakura following close behind.
Sakura blinked at the red-haired girl before them. Was this Naruto's target? She wasn't sure.
Sasuke, however, recognized her. He remembered Naruto mentioning bits and pieces of the wider shinobi world—and this girl's name had come up. Uzumaki Karin.
She was Naruto's clanswoman. And Sasuke knew enough of Naruto's family to understand the weight of that name. Naruto's mother, Uzumaki Kushina, was the last princess of the Uzumaki Clan and the wife of the Fourth Hokage.
Now, standing before him, was another survivor of that clan. A pang of envy stirred in Sasuke's chest. Naruto still had family left in the world—while he… Thinking that far made Sasuke's eyes dim briefly. But he forced himself to regain composure.
"It's Konoha ninja!" one of the Grass-nin hissed.
They noticed the Leaf headbands and grew uneasy. Even without a scroll, crossing Konoha shinobi was dangerous.
"We already lost our scroll," one of them blurted, "so just leave us be!"
But their gazes shifted nervously to Sasuke. The Uchiha name carried weight, and even these lesser-nin had heard their elders speak of the clan's fearsome prestige.
Naruto, they didn't recognize.
Karin, however, stared at him with a sudden, inexplicable sense of familiarity. Something deep within her resonated with his presence—an instinct she couldn't name. Naruto, too, had felt it before: the pull of a natural Sage Body.
"Sasuke," Naruto ordered coldly, "take care of them."
Sasuke gave a short nod. In the blink of an eye, he was gone from sight. The next moment, both Grass Ninja crumpled unconscious to the ground, struck down before they could react.
Karin's breath caught. His speed and power shocked her. Instinctively, she staggered back. "Don't… don't come closer!"
Though her heart leapt at his strength, fear still bound her. She was a Grass Ninja, after all—what if they decided to eliminate her, too? And yet, standing before her was a boy with striking blue eyes and golden hair, far too handsome to be a killer.
Naruto raised his hands slowly, voice steady. "Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you. My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uzumaki…?" Karin repeated in disbelief.
Her gaze fell on his bright blond hair. That didn't match the red-haired image she held of the Uzumaki. Doubt clouded her eyes.
Naruto caught it instantly. "My mother was from the Uzumaki Clan, but my father wasn't. I carry her name. My mother's name was Uzumaki Kushina. Do you know of her?"
The moment he spoke the name, something flickered in Karin's memory. She thought she'd heard her mother mention it once, long ago. Her resistance softened, and belief settled in her chest—at least seventy percent.
"You don't need to return to that rotten village anymore," Naruto said firmly. "From now on, stay with me. As for these two… they're yours to deal with."
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who immediately dragged the unconscious bullies and tossed them at Karin's feet. Seeing them sprawled helplessly—the very ones who had tormented her—Karin couldn't help the thrill of vindication that surged through her.
Naruto stepped closer, gently lifting her sleeve. His eyes darkened at the sight: her arm was covered in deep bite marks, a cruel testament to the abuse she endured.
His jaw tightened. Death would be too merciful for those two.
"Don't move," he said softly.
Karin flinched, tugging her arm back, ashamed of the ugly scars. But Naruto's hand glowed with a soft green light.
The Mystical Palm Technique.
The green glow of Naruto's Mystical Palm Technique wrapped around Karin's scarred arm. Slowly, the angry bite marks faded, and before long, her skin was restored to a smooth, unblemished state.
"See? Nothing to be afraid of," Naruto said gently. His actions proved beyond doubt that he wasn't after her abilities.
Karin stared, stunned. "You… you're really a Konoha ninja? But… my mother always said Konoha shinobi were all bad… Yet, you… you're a good person."
Her words carried hesitant sincerity. At last, she believed him. If he had healing abilities of his own, there was no reason for him to covet hers.
Naruto rubbed his nose awkwardly. Did I just get handed a 'good person' card?
Still, her words revealed something important—Karin's mother had distrusted Konoha.
It wasn't hard to understand why. The Uzumaki Clan had been wiped out, and when their allies called for aid, Konoha hadn't answered. Scattered survivors had been left to fend for themselves, while only one—Uzumaki Kushina—had been brought into Konoha. And that had only been because she was chosen to succeed as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
"I'm from Konoha… and yet, I'm not," Naruto said at last.
He pulled out a slip of paper, quickly scribbling an address on it before pressing it into her hand.
"If you have nowhere else to go, head here. The people there will take you in. They won't use you, and they'll help you develop your abilities properly. You don't want to keep living under Kusagakure's thumb, do you?"
His voice carried quiet conviction. He wasn't saying this because he wanted a tool. At that moment, he was simply reaching out as a fellow Uzumaki.
"You… let me think about it."
Karin's voice trembled. She was moved—deeply. Naruto's words struck straight at her heart. She was exhausted from life in Kusagakure, from the constant exploitation and cruelty. Her mother's death had left her with nothing but hatred for that wretched village that devoured its own.
Naruto didn't press her.
"I understand you have doubts. But as your clansman, I swear—I won't harm you. Your talent is real, Karin. You've just never had proper guidance. Once you get there, someone will be waiting for you. Or… if you'd rather, I can arrange a safe place for now, and I'll return in a month to bring you myself. By then… I'll be leaving Konoha as well."
"Leaving Konoha?" Karin's eyes widened. "But… aren't you a Leaf ninja?"
"You don't need to worry about that," Naruto replied evenly. "With your senses, you should already be able to tell if I'm speaking the truth."
Indeed, Karin's chakra perception was already beginning to blossom. The Kagura Mind's Eye slumbered within her, and even in this half-formed state, she could sense the emotions behind chakra—truth and falsehood alike.
Her eyes wavered, then hardened with resolve. "I'll trust you. Just… don't betray me."
Naruto gave a small, knowing smile. He had no reason to lie. And even if Karin feared betrayal, the truth was simple: she had already decided.
After all, anything was better than returning to that hell.
...
TN:
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