Uzumaki Miku

Inside the medical ward, a haggard woman listened silently to the foul language drifting in from outside.

Her expression was incredibly calm; it was not that she did not care about those words, but rather that she had long since become numb.

She was a member of the Uzumaki Clan who had drifted into Kusagakure, and she was the mother of Karin.

At this moment, she was silently stroking her own belly.

She had only recently discovered that she was pregnant, and she felt conflicted about the new life suddenly growing within her.

Given her current life, she felt it would be better if her child were never born.

After all, even if she brought this child into the world, its future would be the same as hers: living without dignity as nothing more than a blood bag.

However, the leader of the Kusagakure ninjas had forcefully ordered her to give birth, claiming that the village needed her bloodline.

Unable to resist, she had no choice but to carry the child to term.

Thinking of this, she shed tears in silence.

"My child, I am sorry. I am forcing you to come into this world and suffer alongside me."

Just as she sat weeping, waiting for the Kusagakure ninjas to come and bite her, their voices suddenly vanished.

The woman felt deeply puzzled by this.

But at that moment, a figure clad in black pushed the door open and entered.

That was not all; as the figure entered, he dragged the corpses of three Kusagakure ninjas inside with him.

Seeing this, the woman almost gasped, but she immediately clamped her hands over her mouth.

She knew that if this person could infiltrate this place so easily and kill three ninjas, his strength must be unfathomable.

If she cried out and drew other ninjas here, this person would certainly not let her go.

Watching the woman who was tightly covering her mouth, Sigurd smiled slightly and muttered, "At least you aren't stupid."

After closing the door, Sigurd took the precaution of placing a sealing jutsu on it to block out sound.

Having done this, Sigurd looked back at the woman and asked, "Hey, what is your name?"

Sensing that the man held no malice toward her, the woman lowered her hands and said tremblingly, "Uzumaki... Miku."

Sigurd looked deeply at Uzumaki Miku and continued, "Very well, Miku. I am here to save you. Are you willing to come with me?"

As he spoke, Sigurd extended his right hand, signaling for her to make a choice.

Though even if she refused, Sigurd would have taken her away regardless.

Looking at the hand extended toward her, Uzumaki Miku hesitated.

She was terrified, fearing that Sigurd was just like the other Kusagakure ninjas, wanting to use her as a mobile blood bag.

Seeing her hesitation, Sigurd said earnestly, "Don't worry, I am not like those Kusagakure ninjas."

And why would he be? He was merely a mechanical puppet; he had no need for the Physical Healing of the Uzumaki Clan.

However, that was a reason he could not voice.

Sigurd thought for a moment and added, "If you ask why? Perhaps it is because I also have the blood of the Uzumaki Clan in my body. Is that reason enough?"

Hearing Sigurd's words, the previously dull eyes of Uzumaki Miku brightened slightly, though they soon dimmed again.

After all, Sigurd's hair color was not the red characteristic of the Uzumaki Clan.

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

"I heard those ninjas talking earlier; it seems you are pregnant," Sigurd said with a light tone.

Upon hearing this, Uzumaki Miku immediately looked up, a flash of deep stubbornness in her eyes.

Seeing this, Sigurd sighed inwardly; the saying that a mother is strong is not without merit.

Ignoring her gaze, Sigurd continued, "You have stayed in this village for so many years; you should know exactly what kind of animals these people are."

"You wouldn't want your future child to suffer the same fate as you, would you?"

As soon as he said it, Sigurd paused. Now that he had uttered such a classic line, he felt like he was the villain instead.

"Come with me. I will ensure your child is born in good health."

Nonsense—this was Karin, one of the key characters of the original story, and the Uzumaki bloodline was exceptional. How could he not recruit such a person?

After hearing Sigurd's words, Uzumaki Miku felt her resolve waver. She remembered how she had come to this village seeking sanctuary.

But after arriving, while she had found shelter, it was built upon deep torture and suffering.

The current Uzumaki Miku was not yet the mother who would eventually sacrifice all her dignity for her daughter.

She was merely a young woman who had just conceived Karin. If she could, she truly wanted to escape this place of despair and hatred.

Thinking of this, Uzumaki Miku nodded firmly at Sigurd and said, "I am willing to go with you, but you must guarantee the safety of my child and me."

Karin was still just an embryo, so Uzumaki Miku naturally did not know if she was carrying a boy or a girl.

Hearing this, the corners of Sigurd's mouth rose slightly beneath his mask: "No problem. You will not regret your choice today."

With that, Sigurd extended his right hand once more.

Uzumaki Miku did not hesitate, immediately stepping forward and reaching out to take his hand.

Seeing this, Sigurd pulled back, dragging her directly toward him before lifting his left hand to scoop her up into his arms.

Uzumaki Miku was caught completely off guard by this sudden action.

However, as an expectant mother, the shyness in her heart was quickly suppressed.

Sigurd's movements were gentle; after holding her securely, he said slowly, "Don't be afraid, I'm taking you away from here first."

With that, Sigurd manipulated the moonlight, shaping it into two daggers to carve a hole directly through the roof of the medical facility.

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

His speed was so great that he reached an altitude of a thousand meters in a heartbeat.

Feeling that sudden ascent, Uzumaki Miku was startled, curling up tightly in Sigurd's embrace.

Only when she felt the ascent come to an end did Uzumaki Miku dare to peek her head out from where it had been buried in Sigurd's chest.

Looking at the Village of the Grass Shadow receding below and feeling the breeze in the sky, Uzumaki Miku felt a sense of freedom she hadn't experienced in a long time.

She truly hadn't expected that this man, who claimed to possess the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, would actually have the ability to fly.

One had to know that in the current Ninja World, the only ninja known to be capable of free flight was the leader of the village of the Earth Shadow, Ōnoki of Both Scales.

Of course, being confined in Kusagakure all this time, she was naturally unaware of such things.

"Don't worry, I'm taking you to a safe place first."

Sigurd's rich voice rang out beside Uzumaki Miku's ear, carrying a hint of tenderness that made her feel very much at ease.

Taking one last look at the now-chaotic Village of the Grass Shadow, Sigurd continued to fly toward the Land of Fire.

He planned to find a secure place for Uzumaki Miku within the Land of Fire, then wait for Tokiju to find Tsunade and come to collect her.

During the flight, Sigurd continued to absorb the surrounding Starlight Energy, using it to treat the bite marks on Uzumaki Miku's arms.

Given the vitality of the Uzumaki Clan, these bite marks should logically have healed quickly.

Yet now, even with Sigurd utilizing Starlight Energy, the marks were healing at an agonizingly slow pace.

This served as a testament to just how depleted Uzumaki Miku's body had become.

Under normal circumstances, such a depleted body would be unsuitable for childbirth; forcing a pregnancy would surely cause irreparable damage.

Fortunately, it was still early, as Uzumaki Miku had only recently conceived Karin.

Once Tokiju found Tsunade and brought her to treat Uzumaki Miku, that would be the safest course of action.