Uzumaki Miku

At that moment, inside the medical facility, a haggard-looking woman silently listened to the vile words outside.

Her expression was very calm. It wasn't that she didn't care about those words; she had simply grown numb to them long ago.

She was a member of the Uzumaki Clan who had ended up in Kusagakure—and, in fact, Karin Uzumaki's mother.

At that moment, she was silently stroking her belly.

She had only recently found out that she was pregnant. Her feelings about the new life that had suddenly taken root inside her were complicated.

Given her current life, she felt it would be better not to bring her child into the world.

After all, even if she gave birth to the child, the child would be treated as a blood bag just like she was, living without a shred of dignity.

But the leader of the Grass Ninja had insisted that she give birth, claiming that Kusagakure needed her bloodline.

Unable to resist, she had no choice but to give birth to the child.

Thinking of this, she silently shed tears.

"My child, I'm sorry. I'm making poor you come into this world and suffer alongside me."

As she wept silently, waiting for the Grass Ninja outside to come and bite her, their voices suddenly fell silent.

The woman was deeply puzzled.

Just then, however, a figure dressed in black suddenly pushed open the door.

But that wasn't all. As the figure entered, he dragged in the corpses of three Grass Ninja.

At the sight, the woman was about to cry out, but immediately clamped both hands over her mouth.

She knew that if the other person could sneak in so easily and kill three Grass Ninja, his strength must be unfathomable.

If she shouted and drew the other Grass Ninja over, he definitely wouldn't spare her.

Looking at the woman who was still covering her mouth, Sigurd smiled faintly and murmured, "At least she's not stupid."

After closing the door, Sigurd, just to be safe, placed a Sealing Jutsu on it to keep sounds from getting through.

Once he had finished, Sigurd looked back at the woman and asked, "Hey, what's your name?"

As if sensing that he meant her no harm, the woman lowered her hands and said timidly, "Uzumaki... Miku."

Sigurd gave Uzumaki Miku a long look, then continued, "Good. Miku, I'm here to rescue you. Are you willing to leave with me?"

As he spoke, Sigurd held out his right hand, leaving the choice to her.

Though even if she refused, Sigurd would take her with him anyway.

Looking at his outstretched hand, Uzumaki Miku hesitated.

She was terrified, afraid Sigurd might be like those Grass Ninja and want to use her as a walking blood bag.

Seeing Uzumaki Miku hesitate, Sigurd said seriously, "Don't worry. I'm nothing like those Grass Ninja."

That was true. He was a mechanical puppet and had no need for Uzumaki Miku's Physical Healing.

But he obviously couldn't tell her that.

Sigurd thought for a moment, then continued, "Want to know why? Maybe it's because I have Uzumaki blood in me too. Is that a good enough reason?"

Hearing Sigurd's words, a faint light returned to Uzumaki Miku's dull eyes, but soon they darkened again.

After all, Sigurd's hair wasn't the red color of the Uzumaki Clan.

Seeing that she was still somewhat hesitant, Sigurd decided to use a stronger incentive.

"I just heard those Grass Ninja say that you're pregnant," Sigurd said lightly.

At his words, Uzumaki Miku immediately looked up at him, a deep, stubborn resolve flashing in her eyes.

Seeing this, Sigurd couldn't help thinking that the saying "a mother grows fierce for her child" really did have some truth to it.

Ignoring Uzumaki Miku's gaze, Sigurd continued, "You've been in the Village of the Grass Shadow for so many years. You should know exactly what these beasts are like."

"You don't want your child to suffer just as you have, do you?"

As soon as he said this, Sigurd froze for a moment. Hearing himself deliver that classic line, he somehow felt like he was the villain.

"Come with me. I'll make sure your child is born healthy."

Of course. Karin Uzumaki was one of the original story's major characters, and the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline was exceptionally strong. How could he not bring someone like her into his fold?

After hearing Sigurd's words, Uzumaki Miku began to waver. She remembered coming to the Village of the Grass Shadow in search of protection.

She had found protection here, but it had come at the cost of profound torment and pain.

Uzumaki Miku wasn't yet the woman she would become—the mother who would give up all her dignity for her daughter.

She was only a young woman who had just conceived Karin. If she could, she truly wanted to escape this place, which filled her with despair and hatred.

Thinking this, Uzumaki Miku nodded firmly at Sigurd and said, "I'll go with you, but you have to promise that my child and I will be safe."

Karin was still at most an embryo, so Uzumaki Miku naturally had no way of knowing whether the child was a boy or a girl.

At her words, Sigurd's lips curved up beneath his mask. "No problem. You won't regret your choice today."

With that, Sigurd held out his right hand again.

Uzumaki Miku didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and took it.

Seeing this, Sigurd pulled her toward him, then lifted his left arm and swept her up into his arms.

Uzumaki Miku was flustered by the sudden move.

But she was now an expectant mother, and the embarrassment in her heart was quickly suppressed.

Sigurd moved gently. Once he had her securely in his arms, he said softly, "Don't be afraid. I'll get you out of here first."

As he spoke, Sigurd manipulated moonlight, transforming it into two daggers, and cut a hole straight through the medical facility's roof.

Then he formed thrusters on his back and feet, and shot into the sky in an instant.

He moved so fast that he reached an altitude of over a thousand meters in the blink of an eye.

The sudden ascent startled Uzumaki Miku, and she curled up tightly in Sigurd's arms.

Once she felt them stop climbing, Uzumaki Miku finally dared to lift her head from his chest.

The Grass Ninja village was gradually receding below them, and the breeze in the sky made her feel free for the first time in a long while.

She truly hadn't expected that the man before her, who claimed to have Uzumaki blood, could also fly through the sky.

As far as she knew, in the current Ninja World, the only ninja publicly known to fly freely was the Tsuchikage of the Tsuchikage Village, Ōnoki of Both Scales.

Of course, since she had been locked up in Kusagakure all this time, she naturally didn't know that.

"Don't worry. I'll take you somewhere safe first."

Sigurd's rich voice sounded in Uzumaki Miku's ear, carrying a hint of warmth that made her feel at ease.

After taking one last look at the Village of the Grass Shadow, now thrown into chaos, Sigurd continued flying toward the Land of Fire.

He planned to find Uzumaki Miku a safe place to stay in the Land of Fire, then wait for Tokiju to find Tsunade and come pick her up.

As they flew, Sigurd absorbed the Starlight Energy around them and used it to treat the bite marks on Uzumaki Miku's arm.

Given the Uzumaki Clan's vitality, those bite marks should have healed quickly.

But even with Sigurd using Starlight Energy, they were still healing extremely slowly.

This showed just how depleted Uzumaki Miku's body was.

Ordinarily, a body this depleted wasn't fit to bear a child. If she forced herself to give birth, it would certainly cause irreversible damage to her body.

Fortunately, there was still plenty of time. Uzumaki Miku had only recently conceived Karin.

Once Tokiju found Tsunade, having her help Uzumaki Miku recover would be the safest option.