The real Shinobi World...
After the Third Hokage agreed to take Karin in, Konoha quickly arranged a cozy little house for her, conveniently located right next to Naruto's home.
The location made it easy for the two to look after each other and let Karin feel the village's warmth and care. When Naruto heard the news, he jumped for joy and eagerly called Karin over, taking her through every street and alley in Konoha and introducing his new companion to his friends.
"Listen up, everyone! This is Karin, and she's a member of my clan!" Naruto patted his chest as he proudly announced it to Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, and the others.
Although the group knew little about the Uzumaki Clan, seeing Naruto so happy brought friendly smiles to their faces.
Sakura stepped forward and took Karin's hand. "Welcome to Konoha! We're friends from now on!" she said warmly.
Shikamaru waved lazily, though there was a smile on his lips. "That's one more troublesome thing to deal with, but... welcome."
Choji generously held out a bag of potato chips. "Here, a welcome gift!" Karin accepted it awkwardly, her eyes growing a little warm.
On her third day in Konoha, Karin learned that Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade of the legendary Sannin had returned to the village and had specifically asked to meet the newly arrived member of the Uzumaki Clan.
When Naruto came running over excitedly to tell her, Karin was arranging her new room, holding a stack of ninja uniforms she had just received.
At the news, she froze, her pupils contracting slightly and her heart tightening as though an invisible hand had seized it.
"R-really? Lord Jiraiya and... Lady Tsunade?" Her voice trembled a little, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes.
"Of course!" Naruto grinned, completely oblivious to her nervousness. "Pervy Sage might look like a slacker, but he's actually super strong! Granny Tsunade's temper might be a little scary, but she's really nice too!"
Karin forced a smile, but a storm was already raging inside her.
The legendary Sannin... Why would such important people specifically want to see me?
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Had her identity aroused suspicion? Or did Konoha's leaders not fully trust an outsider like her after all? Or perhaps... did they want her to relive what she had experienced in Kusagakure? Those days when she had been treated as a "tool," those painful memories of having her chakra drained...
No, calm down... She took a deep breath, trying to settle her pounding heart. The Third Hokage has already accepted me, and Naruto treats me as a member of his clan... There probably won't be any problems...
Yet her unease still followed her like a shadow. She lowered her gaze to her hands. The bite marks had healed, but the memories were deeply etched into her heart.
If... if they think I'm a nuisance...
"Hey, Karin? Are you okay?" Naruto leaned closer, his bright blue eyes full of concern. "You look a little pale."
"Oh... I-I'm fine!" She shook her head hurriedly, forcing herself to calm down. "I'm just... a little surprised. Important people like them want to see me, and I... I don't know how to face them..."
Naruto laughed and gave her shoulder a hearty pat. "Don't think about it so much! They're really nice, especially Granny Tsunade. She might look fierce, but she really cares about the younger generation! Come on, I'll take you to them!"
Karin bit her lower lip and finally nodded.
No matter what... I can't run away anymore.
She followed Naruto toward the Hokage's office, her heart beating faster with every step. Yet at the same time, a faint glimmer of anticipation welled up deep inside her.
Maybe... this could be a new beginning.
When Karin stood before Jiraiya and Tsunade, she was so nervous she could barely speak. Jiraiya rubbed his chin and studied her with a smile. "Oh? So this is the little girl from the Uzumaki Clan. Her chakra feels quite unusual." Tsunade stepped closer, her gaze falling on the scars on Karin's body that had yet to heal completely, and frowned slightly.
"Karin, right?" Tsunade's voice was unexpectedly gentle. "The Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan are distant relatives. Our clans have deep ties. Your mother... I've heard what happened to her."
Karin jerked her head up, a flicker of shock and sorrow crossing her eyes. Tsunade gently patted her shoulder. "Let the past stay in the past. From now on, Konoha is your home."
Tsunade then offered to treat Karin's injuries. Beneath the gentle glow of Medical Ninjutsu, Karin felt a warm current flow through her body, gradually dispelling the fatigue and pain that had built up over so long.
As she treated her, Tsunade said, "Your body's chakra has been depleted too much. You need to rest and recover for a while. If you're interested in the future, I can teach you Medical Ninjutsu. Your constitution is well suited to it."
Tears welled up in Karin's eyes. She nodded firmly, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you... I'll do my best!"
That night, Karin lay in her new bed, gazing at the unfamiliar ceiling, a jumble of emotions filling her heart.
In just a few days, her life had changed completely. She had companions she could rely on, a senior willing to teach her, and even a real "home." She remembered her mother's final words, and tears slipped silently down her cheeks.
"Mother... can you see me? I'm... happy now," she murmured, clutching a corner of the blanket. "I'll keep living... for both of us."
Outside the window, moonlight fell on Konoha's streets, peaceful and gentle. Karin closed her eyes, feeling a long-absent sense of peace for the first time. She knew her new life had only just begun.
In a room at Konoha's guesthouse, Orochimaru, disguised as the Fourth Kazekage, stood quietly by the window, his golden snake eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the red-haired girl walking beside Naruto on a distant street.
"A survivor of the Uzumaki Clan... and from Kusagakure, no less?" he murmured, a meaningful smile curling his lips.
How interesting...
He recalled the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools. That nation, once renowned for its powerful Sealing Jutsu, had ultimately been wiped out under a joint siege by several major ninja villages.
At the time, Konoha had been fighting other nations and lacked the manpower to spare, but given Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō's methods, they might not have been entirely helpless if they had truly wanted to send aid. In the end, however, they had chosen silence.
Heh... so much for allies when interests are at stake.
Later, Konoha had taken in Kushina Uzumaki and gained a wealth of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu and secret Ninjutsu as a result. The plan for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had also proceeded smoothly because of it.
And now, his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi had once again shown "great mercy" by taking in this girl named Karin...
Teacher, have you really grown old and softhearted?
Orochimaru's fingertips gently rubbed the window frame, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.
Or... are you scheming too?
He recalled the research he had once conducted in Konoha, his explorations into Kekkei Genkai and the essence of life. The Uzumaki Clan's constitution was exceptionally unusual: their chakra was vast and resilient, and their vitality far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Some could even heal others through being bitten. Such people were ideal research material.
If I could get my hands on that girl...
He lightly ran the tip of his tongue over his lips, a greedy gleam appearing in his eyes. But he soon resumed his calm, composed demeanor.
But... now isn't the time.
For now, his plan was to destroy Konoha, kill the Third Hokage, and take Sasuke's body. Karin was an unexpected find, but compared with the Sharingan, she was clearly a lower priority.
Still... once everything has settled, perhaps I can take her with me while I'm at it.
At that thought, Orochimaru chuckled softly, his laughter cold and pleased.
The Uzumaki Clan's bloodline... mustn't be wasted, Teacher.
Outside the window, the lingering rays of sunset fell on Konoha's streets, staining everything bloodred.
Training Ground 30
Sasuke breathed lightly, the black hair on his forehead soaked with sweat and plastered to his pale skin. He tightened his grip on his kunai, his Sharingan fixed on Kakashi's every movement.
"Again!" he shouted under his breath and lunged forward. Lightning Release chakra gathered in his palm, giving off a piercing sound like birds chirping—Chidori!
Kakashi kept one hand in his pocket, his only visible right eye narrowing slightly. Just as Sasuke was about to hit him, his figure suddenly vanished in a blur.
"Too slow." Kakashi's voice came from behind Sasuke, and a knife-hand strike tapped the back of his neck. "In a real fight, an enemy won't give you that much time to charge up."
Sasuke staggered a couple of steps and turned around, gritting his teeth. "Cut the crap!"
Kakashi sighed and tucked Icha Icha Paradise back into his ninja tool pouch. "Sasuke, that's not how you use Chidori." He raised his hand, and the same Lightning Release chakra gathered in his palm, but this time its form was more concentrated. "Watch closely."
The lightning in Kakashi's hand suddenly split into several thin arcs of electricity that moved through the air as though alive. The next second, the arcs formed a net woven from lightning, completely covering an area several meters across.
"What's that...?" Sasuke's Sharingan spun furiously as he tried to analyze the change.
"Chidori Stream: Lightning Net," Kakashi explained. "One of Chidori's advanced applications. It can be used for defense and can also restrict an enemy's movement."
Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly. He had never imagined Chidori could be used that way.
"Next is combat training." Kakashi suddenly formed hand seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Three Kakashis appeared at once, surrounding Sasuke in a triangular formation.
"Remember, a truly strong fighter must know how to adapt," the three Kakashis said in unison. "Now, try to break through this encirclement."
Sasuke took a deep breath, the Mitsudomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly. He could feel that today's training was noticeably more intense. But that suited him perfectly—only training like this could make him stronger faster, so he could... kill that man.
Lightning bloomed in his hand once more, but this time he began trying to change the shape of his chakra. Though he was still very unpracticed, faint signs of the electric arcs branching off were already visible.
The corner of Kakashi's mouth lifted slightly beneath his mask. His student was indeed exceptionally gifted.
In a gloomy underground base, Danzo slammed his cane against the ground, the dull impact echoing through the empty corridor. Suppressed anger burned in his single eye, and the wrinkles on his face looked deeper with rage.
"Again... again!" he growled through gritted teeth, his voice as cold as a hissing snake. "That old fool Hiruzen uses his position as Hokage to oppose me at every turn!"
His footsteps echoed heavily against the stone floor as his earlier argument with the Third Hokage replayed in his mind.
Every time he proposed a way to strengthen Konoha, Hiruzen rejected it in that loathsome, gentle tone; every time he advocated more radical measures, Hiruzen used his authority as Hokage to suppress him.
"Peace... the Ninja Way..." Danzo slammed a fist into the wall. "Weakness! Such naive ideas will only lead Konoha to ruin!"
His thoughts drifted involuntarily back to that unforgettable day decades ago, when the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had been leading them in retreat and they had been pursued by Kinkaku and Ginkaku's forces. Teacher Tobirama had needed someone to volunteer to cover their retreat...
Danzo's single eye narrowed slightly, the scene in his memory as clear as if it had happened yesterday. He remembered that he had indeed wanted to step forward, but in that instant of hesitation, Hiruzen Sarutobi had beaten him to it.
That single second had decided who would claim the Hokage Position!
"If only I had..." Danzo dug his fingers deep into his palm. "If only I had been a step faster..."
At the end of the corridor, several Root ninja knelt on one knee, silently awaiting orders. They wore masks and blended into the gloomy surroundings like emotionless machines.
Danzo stopped and coldly surveyed his utterly loyal subordinates. His lips suddenly twisted into a sinister smile. "Soon... very soon... Hiruzen, your era is about to end."
He turned and walked toward the secret chamber at the very back, where he had hidden the trump cards he had carefully prepared over the years—including the results of those forbidden experiments and his secret dealings with Orochimaru.
"What you stole from me back then..." Danzo's voice echoed through the chamber. "I'll take it back with my own hands. For Konoha's future, necessary sacrifices are unavoidable."
A trace of madness flashed in his single eye. In the darkness, he seemed to see the day he would claim the Hokage Position. And to achieve that goal, he did not mind making all of Konoha pay the price.