But they moved quickly, causing no disturbance.
After the three entered the house, a sour, moldy stench assaulted them.
The entire room was gloomy, dark, and oppressive.
The wooden door was covered in scratch marks.
Two red-haired people sat on the bed, one older and one younger. They appeared to be mother and daughter.
The mother's expression had already grown dull. Her eyes were vacant and fixed straight ahead.
She had clearly suffered extensive abuse, and her mind was no longer entirely sound.
The little girl was only five or six years old. She lay against her mother, crying in fear.
Although the mother was not quite herself, her hands still made soothing motions, trying to make the girl stop crying.
Because crying would earn no sympathy. It would only bring harsher beatings, scolding, and abuse.
"My clanswomen, are you all right? I came too late."
When the little girl saw the three of them, she instinctively shielded her mother, spreading her tiny arms wide.
Her eyes were filled with fear. Seeing that small body standing in front of her mother made Mito's heart ache even more.
Even from the doorway, they could see the wounds covering her mother's body.
Her wrists, neck, ankles, and face were covered in bite marks. The clothes she wore had long since been torn to rags, stained with filth and blood.
"Little one, we aren't bad people. We came to save you."
Jiraiya clearly did not look suited to saying something like that, so Tsunade stepped forward to comfort her.
"Don't come any closer! Bad people! Don't hurt my mother!"
Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes. The little girl's body had begun to tremble. She was terrified, and there was a bruised handprint on her face.
Clearly, she had protected her mother