She didn't know where this boy, who called himself Uzumaki Menma, would take her, nor what the future held, but the hand he held at that moment was like grasping a beam of light piercing through the darkness.
Tears finally streamed down from behind her thick glasses, and this time, it wasn't due to despair, but a strange, warm flutter.
Karin followed closely, her heart pounding in her chest.
She couldn't yet understand this unfamiliar flutter, but many years later, when she recalled this night under the cherry blossom trees of Konoha, she would finally understand—this was how the light of her life first shone in.
Since he had snuck out this time, Menma wasn't in a hurry to go back.
He leaned against a tree trunk, his gaze sweeping over Karin, who was curled up asleep by the bonfire. The flickering firelight illuminated her tender face, her vibrant red hair particularly striking in the night.
"The distribution of the Tailed Beasts..."
Menma clasped his hands behind his head, looking up at the starry sky and silently calculating, "The Ichibi is in Sunagakure, the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails are in Kumogakure, the Three-Tails and Six-Tails are in Hidden Mist, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails are in Iwagakure... As for the Seven-Tails, it seems to be in Takigakure..."
Thinking of the Tailed Beasts' world-destroying power, Menma's eyes deepened.
Such power must be firmly in his own hands.
However... he gently rubbed his chin, a slight frown on his brow. Although he was confident in his own strength, he had never fought against the top powerhouses of the other four great ninja Villages.
If he acted rashly, it might not be safe... "What's more, as the strongest weapons of each Village, the Tailed Beasts are certainly heavily guarded."
Menma muttered to himself, then his eyes lit up as if he suddenly thought of something, "Speaking of which, when the First Hokage distributed the Tailed Beasts back then, would the Second Hokage have..."
Given the Second Hokage's far-sighted personality, leaving a Flying Thunder God Mark on the Tailed Beasts was indeed very possible.
Just as he was considering whether to go and mark the Tailed Beasts of each Village first, Karin beside him suddenly cried out and lunged into his arms.
The girl's thin body trembled violently, clearly having a nightmare.
Menma subconsciously wanted to push her away, but felt a warm dampness on his shoulder. His Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end, he just sighed softly, somewhat awkwardly patting her back.
"It's okay, it's just a nightmare..."
Looking at the sobbing girl in his arms, Menma's gaze softened.
The matter of the Tailed Beasts could be planned slowly; for now, it was more important to bring this girl of his clan home.
His mom would probably be happy to know that there were still members of her clan in the world.
The next morning, on a street in Konoha Village.
Menma returned to the Village with Karin using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Karin clutched Menma's clothes tightly, her ruby-like eyes nervously scanning her surroundings.
Although it was a hundred times more prosperous than Kusagakure, it was unsettlingly unfamiliar to her.
"Don't be afraid."
Menma gently held her cold little hand, "This is my home, and it will be your home from now on."
Karin looked up at him, her red eyes behind thick glasses filled with unease and dependence.
She pursed her lips and said nothing, only gripping Menma's hand tighter.
"Menma-kun..."
A voice as soft as cotton candy suddenly came.
Karin turned to look, only to see a girl in a pale purple kimono standing not far away. The girl had snow-white eyes, and at this moment, she was shyly lowering her head, her cheeks flushed with a faint blush.
Karin keenly noticed that the unfamiliar girl's gaze towards Menma held the same affection as her own.
"Hinata?"
Menma stopped, "Are you going home?"
"Mm... I, I was just about to go back..."
Hinata's voice grew softer and softer. Every time she saw Menma, her heart fluttered like a startled deer, and she couldn't control it. Just as she was at a loss, she suddenly noticed the red-haired girl beside Menma.
Their tightly clasped hands made Hinata's heart clench, and that familiar pang of bitterness surged up again.
"Hinata?"
Menma looked at the dazed girl in confusion, waving his hand in front of her, "Well, I'm going now, see you another day."
Hinata remained standing there in a daze until Menma's figure disappeared around the corner.
A Hyuga Clan guard softly reminded, "Young Lady, it's time to go back."
Only then did she awaken as if from a dream, silently turning and leaving, a hint of loneliness flashing in her snow-white eyes.
Karin looked back at the retreating figure, then at the golden-haired boy beside her, instinctively leaning closer to him.
Menma felt her movement and reassuringly squeezed her hand: "We're almost there, my mom will definitely like you."
When Menma pushed open the door, a rich aroma wafted out.
He peeked in, only to see his mother standing at the stove, simmering soup, her long red hair casually tied back.
"Mom, where's Naruto?"
Menma looked around, asking deliberately.
"Menma?"
Kushina's soup ladle paused, and she turned around in confusion, "Didn't he go out with you?"
Seeing his mom's eyes gradually narrowing, Menma's heart sank—he almost forgot about the Wood Clones.
He quickly let out two dry laughs: "Ah... I thought he came back first..."
"Mom, guess what surprise I brought you?"
He quickly changed the subject.
"A surprise?"
Kushina blinked, her lips unconsciously curving upwards, "What surprise?"
"Close your eyes first."
As Kushina obediently closed her eyes, Menma gently pulled Karin, who was hiding outside the door, inside.
Karin stood awkwardly in the entryway, but the moment she saw Kushina, a sense of kinship, a connection of blood, instantly brought tears to her eyes.
Kushina opened her eyes, her entire body rigid as if struck by lightning.
Her lips trembled slightly, her gaze fixed on Karin's vibrant red hair.
"You..."
Kushina slowly knelt down, her trembling hand stroking Karin's hair, "Are you a child of the Uzumaki Clan?"
Karin's tears streamed down.
Although she didn't yet understand what was happening, this gentle woman reminded her of her mother. She nodded vigorously, tears wetting her clothes.
"That's wonderful!"
Kushina immediately pulled Karin into a hug, joyful tears streaming down her cheeks. At this moment, it was as if her heart, which had wandered for many years, had finally found its home.
"My name is Kushina, Uzumaki Kushina."
She cupped Karin's small face, her voice trembling with emotion, "What's your name?"
"Karin... Uzumaki Karin..."
Karin sobbed in response.
Kushina turned to Menma, her eyes full of pleasant surprise: "Menma, how did you find her?"
"Thanks to Brother Itachi's help."
Menma grinned.
"We must thank Itachi properly."
Kushina wiped the corners of her eyes and led Karin to sit on the sofa. She had a thousand words she wanted to say, but she just gently patted Karin's hand: "You two sit for a bit, the soup will be ready soon."
Menma looked at Karin, who was still a bit reserved, and said softly: "From today on, this is your home. Besides Mom and Dad, I also have a younger brother; he's very easy to get along with. I'll go tidy up your room."
"Mm..."
Karin nodded obediently, her small hand unconsciously stroking the soft sofa cushion.
The clatter of pots and pans came from the kitchen, and Kushina's busy figure humming a song came into view. All of this was so real that she was afraid it was just a beautiful dream.
As night fell, Minato returned home.
As soon as he pushed open the door, a warm aroma of food wafted out. He took off his Hokage's ceremonial robe and hung it in the entryway, but his gaze was drawn to the unfamiliar red-haired little girl by the dining table.
"This is?"
Minato looked at his wife in confusion.
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