Karin

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

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

Jingxin stood beside them. Once Shifeng had finished his report, he stepped forward. "Lord Tsuchikage, there's something I'd like to report to you."

Ōnoki looked up. "What is it?"

"It's about intelligence on Kusagakure." Jingxin paused to gather his thoughts. "On my way from the Land of Fire to the Land of Earth, I passed through the border region of the Land of Grass. I stopped in a small town to restock supplies, and while I was there, I heard some rumors."

Shifeng and Yeying both looked at him. Ōnoki gestured 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 called Karin. She's about ten years old."

Ōnoki narrowed his eyes. "The Uzumaki Clan... That bloodline was nearly wiped out. Is the intelligence reliable?"

"I overheard a few merchants chatting. They said the news had spread from within Kusagakure," Jingxin replied. "Given the Uzumaki Clan's unique value, I thought it was worth reporting to you."

Shifeng asked, "Why are you only bringing this up now?"

"I wasn't sure whether the intelligence was true, or whether Iwagakure would be interested in the matter," Jingxin admitted. "But after working on Anbu missions for a while, I've learned that the village has always placed great importance on valuable talent and bloodlines."

"The Uzumaki Clan is certainly valuable." A hint of excitement entered Ōnoki's voice. "Their Sealing Jutsu, powerful vitality, and chakra are all precious resources for a ninja village."

"If this mother and daughter are truly being oppressed in Kusagakure, rescuing them would be both the right thing to do and beneficial to Iwagakure."

He turned to Shifeng and Yeying. "What do you think?"

Shifeng considered it for a few seconds. "Kusagakure is a small village in a small country, and it isn't very powerful. If we act carefully, it shouldn't be too difficult."

"The key is what happens afterward. If Kusagakure discovers we were responsible, it could lead to a diplomatic dispute."

Yeying's voice was full of doubt. "Do they even have the nerve to do that?"

Shifeng shrugged. "They've got nothing to lose, after all."

"Then it's settled." Ōnoki made the decision. "Your next mission is to infiltrate Kusagakure and bring back the Uzumaki mother and daughter."

"Mission rank: S. Classified."

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

"Yes," the three of them answered in unison.

"Make thorough preparations before setting out," Ōnoki added. "Kusagakure may not be strong, but it's still enemy territory. Proceed with caution."

"Understood."

Two days later, in the Land of Grass.

Jingxin and his companions lay hidden on a hillside, overlooking Kusagakure below.

The village was small, with mostly wooden buildings and a simple outer wall dotted with watchtowers.

It was now the middle of the night. Only a few lights shone in the village; most of it was shrouded in darkness.

"Based on what we've learned over the past few days, they should be held near the medical facility on the east side of the village," Shifeng said quietly. "We need to move fast. The Land of Grass is at war, and they could be transferred to the battlefield at any moment."

"Yeying, scout out the exact location."

Yeying nodded, melted into the darkness, and silently made his way toward the village.

Jingxin and Shifeng stayed behind to wait.

Half an hour later, Yeying returned.

His voice came through his mask, touched with a hint of solemnity. "I found it. There's a separate building on the east side of the village that looks like a medical facility."

"There are four hidden guards around it. I don't know what's inside."

"But I sensed two unusual chakra signatures. One is extremely weak, but has remarkable vitality. The other is very unusual, brimming with life, but completely uncontrolled."

"That should be them," Shifeng said. "Here's the plan: I'll cause a commotion to draw attention. Yeying will take out the hidden guards. Blood Gold will sneak in and rescue them. Once he succeeds, we'll withdraw immediately and meet at the designated location."

"Remember, don't use Earth Release, and don't reveal the Sharingan."

Avoiding Earth Release was necessary so no one could identify the operation as Iwagakure's doing.

Avoiding the Sharingan was necessary to keep Jingxin's presence secret.

The Uchiha Clan was extremely rare in the Ninja World. If word got out that the Sharingan had appeared here,

then once Konoha ruled out everyone else, they would immediately focus on this place.

They might follow the trail and uncover specific information about Jingxin.

Jingxin nodded. "Understood."

"Move out."

Shifeng charged down the hillside first. After a few quick bounds, he entered the village through the western wall.

The next second,

a pained scream rang through the night, instantly rousing the entire village.

"Enemy attack!"

"West side! Someone's broken in!"

The Grass Ninja jolted awake and rushed toward the source of the noise.

Lights from the watchtowers swept across the western side, and the alarm sounded.

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

They avoided the patrols, crossed narrow alleys, and soon reached the separate building.

It was a small, two-story building with a crude exterior and windows boarded shut.

There were no guards at the entrance. The Grass Ninja clearly thought the hidden guards were enough.

Yeying melted into the darkness and took them out one by one.

Jingxin circled around to the back of the building and found a small window.

He carefully pried the boards loose and climbed inside.

It was dark within, with only a single oil lamp at the end of the corridor providing a faint glow.

The air was filled with a strange mix of disinfectant and the smell of blood.

He proceeded down the corridor, the Sharingan giving him a clear view in the darkness.

The first floor had several empty rooms filled with medical equipment.

There were sounds coming from upstairs.

Jingxin climbed the stairs without a sound.

There were three rooms on the second floor. Two doors were shut tight, while the third stood ajar, light spilling through the gap.

He approached the room and peered inside through the crack.

It was small and sparsely furnished.

A red-haired woman sat beside the bed, wearing a worn-out white patient gown. Several tubes were inserted into her arm and connected to a machine beside her.

Her face was pale and her eyes weary, but she still had traces of the beauty she must once have possessed.

Her long red hair hung over her shoulders, its ends dry and split.

This was Uzumaki Chinatsu.

A little girl, about ten years old, sat beside the bed.

She also had a vivid head of red hair. She was very thin, and her eyes were filled with a gloom far beyond her years. At that moment, she was looking down and fiddling with something.

Karin.

Jingxin took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Chinatsu and Karin both looked up. They froze when they saw Jingxin.

Jingxin still wore his Fox Mask and Anbu uniform. His whole presence radiated a cold, dangerous air.

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

Chinatsu's first instinct was to shield Karin behind her. Her eyes were full of suspicion. "Who are you? Another round of tests from the Grass Ninja?"