The trace of hesitation and timidity that still lingered in Karin's eyes was rapidly swallowed up, replaced by a twisted expression woven from hatred, madness, and the exhilaration of rebirth.
"I'm not the same anymore…"
She slowly savored the three powers bestowed upon her by the so-called Demon God:
Absolute strength capable of crushing all opposition.
An undying trait—recovery through bathing in blood.
And… the devil's whisper, a power that seemed able to peer into hearts and draw out the darkness within.
Combined, these abilities felt as though they had been crafted solely for destruction and revenge.
"That's enough…"
A cold, cruel curve—utterly unfitting for her age—rose at the corner of Karin's lips.
"With this… it's already enough."
She stood up slowly.
The red eyes that had once been filled with tears and fear were now replaced by an icy glow, mingling hatred with the sharp clarity of rebirth.
She clenched her small fist.
A faint cracking sound rang out as her bones protested under the sheer force contained within.
A small body—
but overwhelming power.
Karin turned her gaze toward the window, toward the direction from which the Grass ninja's laughter drifted.
Her first target for "purification"… would be them.
Stepping out of the dark, damp building, Karin took a deep breath of the cold air outside.
It no longer felt suffocating with despair.
Instead, it carried something new—
a sense of freedom tinged with iron-sweet blood.
Mom… can you see this?
Karin whispered silently in her heart.
From today on, I'll never… never let anyone bully me again.
Just then, several unguarded voices drifted over on the wind—
like the most vicious curse, stabbing straight into her ears.
"Tch. I really don't know when that red-haired brat will finally be useful. I can't even afford to get injured on missions right now. What a pain," a hoarse male voice complained.
"Tell me about it!" another shrill voice chimed in, full of disdain and regret.
"Her mom was way too useless! She only lasted a few days of biting before she croaked! I barely got to enjoy that fast recovery feeling a few times—damn unlucky!"
"No choice," a third voice said coldly.
"We'll just wait until the little brat grows up a bit more. But this time, we need rules from above. We don't start using her seriously until she's grown up and had kids—make sure the 'supply' continues. Can't let the 'breeding stock' die out all at once like last time."
"Hahaha! Exactly!" the hoarse voice burst into a vile, cruel laugh.
"Let them serve the village generation after generation! One day, Kusagakure will rise to power on this!"
They discussed Karin—and her future children—as if they were livestock, speaking casually about breeding and exploitation, their greed masked as inevitability.
They had no idea.
No idea that the "little brat" they spoke of so freely was standing not far away.
Nor did they know that every careless word they uttered was pouring molten hatred onto the volcano raging inside Karin's heart.
Karin stood there quietly, head lowered, red bangs shadowing her eyes.
Her presence didn't explode outward—instead, it strangely collapsed inward.
Yet an icy, tangible killing intent spread silently from her body, freezing the air itself.
Even the wind seemed to still.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Within those crimson eyes, there was no trace of human emotion left—
only the purest, most primal urge for destruction.
She began to walk toward the source of the voices.
One step at a time.
Slow.
Steady.
Her shoes crunched softly against gravel—
each scrape sounding like a tolling funeral bell in the sudden silence.
The curtain of revenge was raised by her own hands.
And the sacrifices would be these… filths.
"The Demon God was right…"
Karin spoke softly. Her voice wasn't loud, yet it reached the Grass ninja's ears with chilling clarity.
"This world is filthy. It needs purification."
"Huh?"
The men frowned and turned around.
When they realized it was Karin, there was no guilt. No embarrassment.
Only irritation at being disturbed.
"Karin? What nonsense are you muttering?!" the hoarse-voiced ninja barked.
"Who let you out? Get back to your room! Stay put, grow up properly, and contribute to the village—that's your duty!"
Another added arrogantly, as if granting charity:
"That's right! Don't forget, the village took you and your mother in! You owe the village. You'll spend your whole life paying it back—understand?"
Their words were spoken with utter conviction, as though treating her and her mother as consumables was only natural.
Karin listened quietly.
She even nodded obediently.
The Grass ninja relaxed slightly at the sight.
But then she lifted her face and asked a question that made them freeze:
"Then… what if it can't be repaid?"
"What?"
They exchanged puzzled looks, clearly unable to comprehend her logic—or perhaps unwilling to even consider such a possibility.
Karin looked at their foolish, greedy faces.
A minuscule smile curved her lips—
subtle, yet colder than ice.
"Then… don't repay it."
"If the village itself disappears…"
"Who would there be left to repay?"
"You agree… don't you?"
"Karin! What the hell kind of crazy talk is that?!"
The hoarse-voiced ninja flew into a rage, stepping forward and reaching out to grab her, intending to teach her a lesson.
But before his hand could touch her—
Karin moved.
No hand seals.
No shout.
Just a single, impossibly simple motion.
She lifted her slender right hand and took a light step forward.
Too fast for their eyes to follow.
PA—!!!
A dull, wet sound—like a ripe melon bursting.
The hoarse-voiced ninja's head… was gone.
Under what seemed like a casual slap, his skull was crushed by an invisible, overwhelming force, exploding instantly. Red and white sprayed outward in all directions, splattering across the faces of his companions, who stared in frozen horror.
Warm, blood-soaked fragments splashed across Karin's face and clothes.
She didn't wipe them away.
She didn't even blink.
The fear and nausea she had expected never came.
Instead—
A rush of indescribable pleasure surged through her body.
A sensation woven from liberation, control, and annihilation, electrifying every nerve.
For the first time—
Karin smiled.
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