Karin

Inside the Tsuchikage Office, Ōnoki held a border patrol report in his hand.

Shifeng and Yeying stood before the desk, having just finished reporting on their previous mission.

Jingxin stood to their side, and after Shifeng finished his report, he stepped forward: "Lord Tsuchikage, there is something I wish to report to you."

Ōnoki looked up: "What is it?"

"It concerns intelligence regarding Kusagakure." Jingxin paused to organize his thoughts: "On my way from the Land of Fire to the Land of Earth, while passing the border of the Land of Grass, I stopped at a small town for supplies. There, I heard some rumors."

Shifeng and Yeying both looked at him. Ōnoki signaled for him to continue.

"The rumors say that Kusagakure has recently taken control of a mother and daughter from the Uzumaki Clan," Jingxin said: "The mother is named Uzumaki Chinatsu, and the daughter is named Karin, about ten years old."

Ōnoki's eyes narrowed: "The Uzumaki Clan... that bloodline which was nearly wiped out. Is the intelligence reliable?"

"I heard it from some merchants chatting; they said this news originated from within Kusagakure," Jingxin replied: "Considering the special value of the Uzumaki Clan, I felt it necessary to report it to you."

Shifeng asked: "Why speak of it only now?"

"I wasn't sure of the truth of the intelligence before, nor was I certain if Iwagakure would be interested in this matter," Jingxin answered honestly: "But after these recent Anbu missions, I have learned that the village has always placed great importance on valuable talent and bloodlines."

"The Uzumaki Clan is indeed very valuable," Ōnoki's tone carried a hint of excitement: "Their sealing techniques, powerful vitality, and chakra are all precious resources for a ninja village."

"If this mother and daughter are truly being oppressed in Kusagakure, then rescuing them is both morally right and beneficial to Iwagakure."

He looked at Shifeng and Yeying: "What do you think?"

Shifeng pondered for a few seconds: "Kusagakure is a small village with little strength. If we act carefully, it shouldn't be difficult."

"The key is the subsequent relocation. If Kusagakure discovers it was us, it could trigger a diplomatic dispute."

Yeying's voice was filled with skepticism: "Do they have the guts?"

Shifeng shrugged: "They have nothing to lose, after all."

"Then it is decided," Ōnoki finalized: "Your next mission: infiltrate Kusagakure and bring back the Uzumaki mother and daughter."

"Mission Rank: S-rank, classified."

"Do not reveal your Iwagakure identity, and leave no evidence behind."

"Understood," the three replied in unison.

"Make full preparations before departing," Ōnoki added: "Although Kusagakure is not strong, it is still someone else's territory. Proceed with caution."

"Understood."

Two days later, Land of Grass.

Jingxin and the others were lurking on a hillside, overlooking Kusagakure below.

The village was not large; most buildings were wooden structures, with simple perimeter walls and guard towers.

It was late at night, and there were only sporadic lights in the village, with most areas shrouded in darkness.

"According to what I've gathered over the past few days, they should be held near the medical facility on the east side of the village," Shifeng whispered: "We must be quick. The Land of Grass is in a state of war, and they could be transferred to the front lines at any moment."

"Yeying, go scout the exact location."

Yeying nodded, her figure merging into the darkness as she silently infiltrated the village.

Jingxin and Shifeng remained in place to wait.

Half an hour later, Yeying returned.

Her voice came through her mask, carrying a hint of gravity: "Found them. There is indeed an isolated building on the east side of the village that looks like a medical facility."

"There are four hidden sentries around it, and the situation inside is unknown."

"But I sensed two distinct types of chakra: one very weak but with tenacious vitality, and the other very unique—full of life but completely untrained in control."

"That must be them," Shifeng said: "Mission plan: I will create a distraction to draw attention, Yeying will clear the sentries, and Blood Gold will infiltrate to rescue them. Once successful, we withdraw immediately and rendezvous at the designated location."

"Remember, do not use Earth Release, and do not reveal the Sharingan."

Not using Earth Release was to ensure the act could not be traced back to Iwagakure.

Not revealing the Sharingan was to keep Jingxin's existence hidden.

The Uchiha Clan was extremely rare in the ninja world today. Once news of a Sharingan appeared here, Konoha would immediately lock onto this location after ruling out others.

At that point, they would likely follow the trail and uncover specific intelligence about Jingxin.

Jingxin nodded: "Understood."

"Begin the operation."

Shifeng was the first to charge down the hillside, his figure leaping a few times before entering the western wall of the village.

The next second.

A painful scream echoed through the night sky, instantly alerting the entire Kusagakure.

"Enemy attack!"

"West side! We have intruders!"

The Grass ninja jolted awake from their slumber, rushing one after another toward the source of the commotion.

Searchlights from the watchtowers swept across the western perimeter as the alarm sirens wailed.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Yeying and Jingxin slipped into the eastern side of the village simultaneously.

They skirted around the patrol squads, navigated through narrow alleyways, and soon arrived before the isolated building.

It was a modest two-story structure with a crude exterior and windows boarded up with planks.

There were no guards at the entrance; clearly, the Grass ninja believed their hidden sentries were sufficient.

Yeying's figure merged into the darkness, dispatching the sentries one by one.

Jingxin circled around to the back of the building and located a ventilation window.

He carefully pried off the wooden slats and vaulted inside.

The interior was pitch black, with only a single oil lamp at the end of the corridor providing a faint, flickering light.

The air was thick with a strange, pungent mixture of disinfectant and the metallic tang of blood.

He moved along the hallway, his Sharingan providing him with a clear view through the gloom.

The ground floor consisted of several empty rooms, cluttered with various medical supplies.

There were sounds coming from the second floor.

Jingxin climbed the stairs without making a sound.

There were three rooms on the second floor; two of the doors were tightly shut, while the third was left slightly ajar, light spilling out from the gap.

He approached the room and peered inside through the crack.

The room was small and sparsely furnished.

A red-haired woman sat on the edge of the bed, wearing a tattered white hospital gown, her arms connected to several tubes that led to the equipment beside her.

Her complexion was pale and her eyes weary, yet one could still discern the beauty she once possessed.

Her long red hair draped over her shoulders, the ends dry and split.

This was Uzumaki Chinatsu.

Sitting by the bedside was a young girl, roughly ten years old.

She also possessed a vibrant mane of red hair and a very frail frame, her eyes holding a melancholy that belied her age as she kept her head down, fiddling with something.

Karin.

Jingxin took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Chinatsu and Karin looked up simultaneously, both freezing when they saw Jingxin.

Jingxin was still wearing his Fox Mask and Anbu uniform, his entire presence radiating a cold and dangerous aura.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here to rescue you," Jingxin said, his voice lowered.

Chinatsu's first instinct was to shield Karin behind her, her eyes filled with wariness: "Who are you? Is this another round of tests from the Grass ninja?"