Inside the operating room.
Tsunade grasped Karin's arm, her gaze fixed on the bite mark, and sternly questioned her disciple.
She could tell at a glance that Karin's method of healing Sasuke was not a medical ninjutsu.
"Tsunade-sama, I actually... have a special constitution. As long as someone bites me, they can absorb the Yang Release chakra from my body and thus heal their injuries," Karin explained nervously and cautiously.
"Why have you never told me this before?" Tsunade pressed, her eyebrows knitting together.
"Before I came to Konoha, I accidentally revealed my ability and was captured by a small ninja village. They used me as their medical kit, and I barely escaped later... Since then, I've been afraid of being targeted again, so I hid my ability," Karin said, her eyes dim with the memory of her traumatic past.
Hearing this, Shizune, Sasuke, and the others couldn't help but be moved.
Seeing her disciple looking so pitiful, Tsunade couldn't stay angry. She released Karin's arm, her tone softening somewhat:
"Karin, you're not a civilian, are you? Tell me, what is your surname?"
Out of instinct, Tsunade had a feeling that Karin's true identity might be linked to Sasuke's attack. Knowing the truth might be the key to solving this puzzle.
Karin might have her reasons for not wanting to answer, but Tsunade needed to know. Only by understanding her disciple's trouble could she help her resolve it before it was too late.
"I..."
Karin hesitated, unsure whether to reveal the truth.
When she first came to Konoha, she even dyed her conspicuous red hair black, always cautious to conceal her identity.
At that moment, a voice came from outside the operating room, followed by a loud bang as the door was pushed open.
"Her surname is Uzumaki, Uzumaki Karin."
Kakashi, Itachi, and five or six ANBU members burst in and surrounded Karin.
They're here.
Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, his mission complete.
Karin, however, immediately paled, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Tsunade noticed her disciple's reaction, her heart sinking. She asked again, "Karin, are you really from the Uzumaki clan? Why did you hide this?"
She didn't understand.
To Tsunade, Konoha owed the Uzumaki clan a great debt due to their destruction, partly because of Konoha's failure as an ally.
"Tsunade-sama, here's the situation." Kakashi stepped forward, handed Tsunade Konan's paper crane, and revealed the truth.
It turned out that Uzumaki Karin was a spy for the Akatsuki. She had approached Tsunade to gather Konoha's secrets.
Karin's reluctance to reveal her true identity was because her superior—the current leader of the Akatsuki—was the same boy once labeled a demon fox by Konoha.
Uzumaki Naruto.
The paper crane from Konan was a death sentence for Karin.
It's over.
Karin knew the situation was hopeless. With her current strength, she had no chance of escaping the ANBU. But she couldn't fall into Konoha's hands either.
If caught, she feared she might betray the organization and Naruto and Konan-sensei under severe interrogation.
With that in mind, she slipped a pill out of her sleeve, preparing to commit suicide.
At the right moment, if she swallowed the pill, she would die instantly, and even her brain tissue would be destroyed, leaving Konoha's intelligence unit helpless.
However, as Karin was about to take the pill, sweating profusely.
"Kakashi, are you really going to arrest my disciple based on a mere paper crane? Do you think that's appropriate?"
Tsunade said, holding the paper crane over an alcohol lamp, burning it to ashes before everyone.
Then, she shielded Karin, standing between her and Kakashi and Itachi.
This…
No one expected Tsunade to react this way.
Kakashi's expression changed, and he tried to persuade her:
"Tsunade-sama, please don't make this difficult for us.
If you are concerned, you can accompany us to the intelligence department and oversee Karin's interrogation. I assure you it will be fair and just.
If she is indeed innocent, I will take full responsibility as the head of the ANBU."
Tsunade, however, wasn't having it. She frowned and said coldly:
"Are you threatening me, Kakashi? And you, Uchiha Itachi, Karin just saved your brother, yet you repay her by arresting her? Don't you think that's too much?"
As soon as she finished speaking.
Boom.
A powerful surge of energy erupted from Tsunade, sweeping through the operating room.
Crack.
The ground beneath her feet cracked like a spider web, spreading across the floor and onto the walls.
The ANBU members, including Kakashi and Itachi, were all taken aback, instinctively stepping back.
Tsunade's imposing presence could make opponents tremble in fear without even lifting a finger.
"Tsunade-sama…"
Karin looked at Tsunade's protective back, her eyes welling up with tears.
Five years ago, she volunteered to leave the Akatsuki and become a spy in Konoha.
After some simple investigation, she targeted Tsunade.
From excelling at the ninja academy, showcasing remarkable medical ninja talents, to catching Tsunade's attention and passing her tests to become her disciple.
Karin's plan had gone smoothly.
Perhaps it was because of her exceptional talent in medical ninjutsu, or maybe her personality resonated with Tsunade, or perhaps Tsunade was lonely in her old age.
In any case, Tsunade showed special care for Karin, investing much time and effort in her, and treating her like a daughter.
As for Karin.
Since her mother's death, she felt motherly love from Tsunade for the first time in years.
However, for the organization's sake, she had to use Tsunade to gather intelligence on Konoha.
This left Karin in torment, living in pain and self-loathing beneath her seemingly cheerful exterior.
So, death might be a relief for her.
At this moment.
Seeing Tsunade protect her despite knowing she was a spy, Karin could no longer hold back her tears.
Her voice broke the tense silence in the room.
"Tsunade-sama, they are right. I am a spy for the Akatsuki. I've been lying to you. I'm sorry."
Karin stepped forward, breaking the silence, and then addressed Kakashi and Itachi, "Tsunade-sama had no knowledge of my true identity. Please don't make things difficult for her."
Despite Tsunade's determination to protect her.
Karin didn't want to drag Tsunade down, the woman who had been like both a teacher and mother to her.
"Karin, you…"
Tsunade grabbed her disciple's arm again, glaring angrily, but ultimately—
She slowly released her grip.
With Karin admitting to being a spy, even Tsunade couldn't protect her.
However.
Kakashi and Itachi didn't immediately move to arrest her. Instead, they exchanged glances and stepped aside.
Next.
An invisible and immense pressure surged from outside the door, filling the operating room, and making everyone feel like they were underwater a hundred meters deep.
Nearly suffocating.
Before the person even appeared, their presence was felt.
And the only person in Konoha with such an overwhelming presence was…
The Sixth Hokage, Uchiha Dan.
A towering figure walked into the operating room, like a deity descending.
Thud.
Karin collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear.
Even Tsunade turned pale.
The Sixth Hokage, Uchiha Dan, was considered by many to be the greatest Hokage in history, but also the laziest.
He never concerned himself with the village's affairs, leaving almost everything to his subordinates.
But now, his personal presence indicated the gravity of the situation.
Karin was doomed.
However.
The next development surprised everyone once again.
Dan's gaze swept the room, finally landing on Karin, with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
After a brief, suffocating silence.
"You can make your own choice, Uzumaki Karin."
Dan suddenly spoke, saying something that made no sense.
"Choose… what?" Karin looked up at this god-like man, trembling.
"Whether to stay or leave, it's up to you."
Dan's words shocked everyone, and he continued, "If you agree to sever ties with the Akatsuki and stay by Tsunade's side, we'll consider this incident never happened. If you want to leave, you can do so freely, without anyone stopping you."
When he finished speaking, everyone was stunned.
Ignoring their shocked expressions, Dan walked to a chair, sat down, and crossed his legs:
"I'll give you one minute to decide."
With that, he closed his eyes and began meditating.
Then.
All eyes turned to Karin, waiting for her decision.
The Hokage's offer to Karin was extremely lenient.
Her previous crimes would be forgiven if she betrayed the Akatsuki and sided with Konoha.
If she chose to leave, she could do so without any punishment.
Time passed.
Ten seconds, thirty seconds, fifty seconds.
This one minute felt both fleeting and interminable for Karin.
Logically, upon hearing Dan's offer, she shouldn't hesitate and could walk out of the room and leave Konoha immediately.
After all.
Naruto and Konan-sensei had rescued her from the hellish Grass Village, giving her a new life.
She couldn't be ungrateful.
But thinking of Tsunade-sama, her care and love over the years, and her recent actions to protect her…
Karin's heart was torn with intense struggle.
Finally.
"Time's up."
Dan said calmly, opening his eyes again.
Karin clenched her fists, her internal struggle evident, and finally looked at Tsunade, summoning all her courage to say:
"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama."
Then.
Before Tsunade could respond, Karin bolted for the window and leaped out.
"Karin…"
Tsunade murmured her disciple's name, clearly devastated. She collapsed onto a chair as if all strength had left her.
Silence.
The operating room fell into a deathly quiet, with no one speaking.
After a moment.
"Take Sasuke to the recovery ward."
Shizune spoke first, placing Sasuke on a stretcher and taking him to the ward.
Kakashi and Itachi exchanged looks, then bowed to Dan and led the ANBU out.
Leaving only Tsunade and Dan in the operating room.
After a long while.
"That child, her personality is much like mine. I understand now that she's from the Uzumaki clan. No wonder she's so hot-tempered and straightforward…"
Tsunade suddenly spoke, reminiscing about Karin, and finally sighed, "I always saw her as my own daughter."
Dan looked at Tsunade, puzzled:
"If you want a daughter so much, why not have one yourself? A biological child wouldn't betray their mother."
"Not necessarily. The ancestor of the Uchiha clan, the Sage of Six Paths, betrayed his own mother and sealed her on the moon, didn't he?"
Tsunade sneered, seemingly finding a scapegoat in Dan, and mocked, "And your daughter, Marisa, I've heard she's very rebellious. At a young age, she's always defying you. When she grows up, she'll probably betray you too."
Dan shook his head:
"No, that's just a game between us, a kind of fun. You wouldn't understand. You'll know when you have your own daughter."
"With whom?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes, asking irritably.
Dan, ever eager to help, spread his hands:
"Honestly, for the sake of our long-standing relationship, I can help you. Consider it an act of kindness, ensuring the continuation of the Senju lineage…"
"Get out!"
Before Dan could finish, Tsunade stood up and angrily shouted, cutting off his nonsense.
"Okay."
Dan's primary intention was to distract Tsunade and ease her mind. Having achieved that, he stood up, ready to leave.
However, just as he reached the door.
"Wait!"
Tsunade called out to him, sounding defeated, "Do you have time? Join me for a drink."
Since quitting gambling.
Facing such unhappy situations, it seemed that drowning her sorrows in alcohol was her only option.
Dan thought for a moment and said:
"I have a few good bottles of wine in my office, a fifty-year-old vintage from a wealthy Wind Country merchant."
"Let's go."
Tsunade strode past Dan, leading the way out of the operating room.
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