Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Uzumaki Karin
Returning the sword to its sheath.
Naruto is still Naruto.
The ominous power did not cause any negative changes in him.
Haruno Sakura sighed in relief.
Sasuke raised his head, his tone heavy and full of longing: "Naruto, what power did you just use?"
"And what's with that sword?"
He also wanted to possess it.
As he spoke, his gaze settled on Naruto's waist.
There was another sword.
It could be placed alongside the "dark red sword."
It probably possessed the same power, no, it might even be stronger...
Naruto only used it when he became that ominous, more powerful form.
"Have you heard of that rumor?" Naruto placed his hand on his stomach.
Sasuke was stunned.
Haruno Sakura immediately recalled: "Is it about you?"
Naruto nodded, his tone very calm: "Sealed inside my body is a Demon Fox called the Nine-Tails. The power I just used was its."
The two of them opened their mouths but didn't know what to say.
Power was the source of his childhood tragedy.
Comfort?
Naruto didn't seem to need it.
And this attitude...
Sasuke felt that, at least he couldn't, with such a calm tone, talk about something that had caused him so much pain for so many years.
Naruto looked up, bypassing this topic, and glanced at a tree not far away: "Let's go."
"That man probably won't come back."
"And it looks like the exam won't be canceled."
His gaze was fixed on the huge canopy and lush branches, which concealed two masked Anbu.
"He noticed us."
"Jinchuriki have a very strong sensing ability, it's not surprising."
"That look in his eyes, so formidable, it made my skin crawl even from this distance."
"First find Anko, then report the news to Hokage-sama."
"What a hassle..."
The joint Chūnin Exam turned into such a serious incident.
The "S" class rogue ninja Orochimaru sneaked back into the village.
And compared to another issue—"the Jinchuriki secretly mastering the power of the Nine-Tails"—the latter would surely cause the village even more trouble than the former.
They might even have to say, "Thank you very much, Orochimaru-sama."
If not for him, they wouldn't have learned this information.
The undercurrents surged violently, not affecting the Chūnin Exam.
The "Forest of Death" became a bloody hunting ground.
The strong acted recklessly.
The weak had their own way of surviving.
Behind a tall rock wall.
Three grass ninjas sat together.
"Really too slow!" One bit a blade of grass and complained, "We were supposed to regroup after entering, where are the other three?"
He was referring to another group of Genin from the same village.
The person beside him frowned: "Could they have already been taken out?"
"It's not impossible." The one biting the grass sighed, "The others should be able to survive, but if they meet that red-haired kid from Sand, it's over."
"Forget it, let's change tactics."
"Waiting like this is a waste of time."
"Karin." He called out a name.
The red-haired girl answered nervously: "Yes, I'm here."
The grass ninja took out a scroll with the word "Heaven" on it: "Hold onto this."
Karin froze, letting out an "Ah" in confusion.
Such an important thing, these two actually trusted her to keep it?
She didn't want to accept it.
Anything unusual must be suspicious.
"Go out as bait." The person ordered bluntly, "When others see you alone with the scroll, they will definitely attack you."
"We will ambush from the side and launch a sneak attack then."
"It will surely be a great success!"
Karin pouted.
Sounds nice... what "great success."
If they met a weaker team, she would just get a little hurt.
But if they encountered a powerful opponent, they would definitely abandon her without hesitation.
"Hurry up!" The grass ninja urged impatiently, roughly shoving the scroll into her hand.
Karin reluctantly raised her hand.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch the scroll.
"This is a bit troublesome, it's better if we keep it." A voice rang in their ears.
A bright light flashed before their eyes, a golden flash.
The scroll was instantly gone from the grass ninja's hand.
A teenager of average height appeared silently before them and took it away.
The three were startled.
How did he appear? Such speed!
Damn it...
This was clearly not an enemy they could handle.
The three of them were paralyzed with fear, unable to move.
Following Naruto, the other two members of Team 7 landed.
Haruno Sakura looked at Karin: "Is she the girl you're looking for?"
Girl?
Are they talking about me?
Karin raised her head and met Naruto's gaze through her glasses, her red eyes full of confusion.
Why would a powerful Konoha ninja be looking for someone as unremarkable as me, a mere subordinate from Grass Village?
"What's your name?" Naruto asked.
Karin replied honestly, "Karin, Uzumaki Karin."
"Just as I thought." Naruto smiled brightly, "I'm Uzumaki too."
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
"We should be of the same clan."
Same clan?
"But your hair..." Karin raised her hand to point but stopped mid-sentence, her eyes filled with terror, and she instinctively warned, "Watch out!"
Her two teammates suddenly attacked.
They didn't dare to confront such a powerful enemy head-on.
But now...
This blonde guy actually turned his back to them.
Too arrogant.
Does he look down on them that much?
One grabbed a kunai, leaped up, and fiercely stabbed at Naruto's throat.
Shouting loudly, "You arrogant kid, die!"
But even as he landed, the kunai didn't pierce Naruto's body.
It was blocked by Naruto's finger.
A small chakra ball condensed at his fingertip, incredibly strong, making the kunai unable to penetrate.
"Bakudō #8. Seki (斥, Repulse)."
A technique to defend against physical attacks.
"Interrupting a family reunion is very rude." Naruto threw the scroll to Haruno Sakura, raised his left hand, and pointed at the grass ninja's forehead, "Behave yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, the technique was executed simultaneously.
"Bakudō # 1. Sai (塞, Restrain)."
The grass ninja's hands were no longer under his control, forcibly twisted and bound behind his back.
He fell to the ground in terror.
The other grass ninja was also pinned down and controlled by Sasuke in an instant.
With these two small troubles dealt with,
Naruto looked at Karin again, "What's wrong with my hair?"
"The Uzumaki clan's hair is usually red." Karin looked nervously at her two "teammates," "But yours is blonde..."
Naruto replied patiently, "My hair color is like my dad's."
"So, my mom's hair must be red too?"
"How beautiful."
Knowing that Naruto was complimenting her hair, Karin couldn't help but blush slightly.
She was about to say something.
Naruto's tone suddenly turned serious, "What's with your hands?"
He noticed that Karin's hands were covered with bite marks, varying in size and age, clearly not something she could have inflicted on herself.
"Naruto, you are in Konoha." Karin's gaze fell on the forehead protector on his left arm, "It's different from me in Grass Village."
She paused and then explained her situation.
After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, the Uzumaki clan lost their home. Those who survived the war scattered far and wide. Karin's mother was one of them, settling in Grass Village with Karin.
The Uzumaki clan's special body was the reason "Grass Village" accepted them, and also the source of all their suffering.
By biting them, one could restore chakra and heal injuries.
Medical ninjas are a rare resource.
They were abused.
Karin's mother was bitten to death by people from Grass Village.
After quietly listening, Naruto took a deep breath, "Is this how Grass Village treats you?"
Karin didn't look back, lowering her head, her mood dejected.
"I will rescue you from Grass Village." Naruto looked at her red hair, "I promise you!"
Karin raised her head, looking up at him.
He was smiling at her: "Just endure a few more days until the exam is over."
"And you'll be free from that cage."
Karin stared blankly, her eyes fixed.
She felt...
Naruto seemed to be glowing, his hair color spreading all over his body.
All golden.
~~~
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