Karin Uzumaki

After Orochimaru departed.

Su Yu kept tracking his movement direction using the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.

Before long.

Orochimaru and Anko Mitarashi collided.

After a brief skirmish between the two.

Anko Mitarashi's chakra signature grew somewhat weak.

Su Yu hesitated for a moment before rushing toward her location.

By the time he arrived, he happened to see Anko Mitarashi surrounded by several tigers.

Su Yu formed a hand seal, and a small fireball smashed into them.

Instantly, the tigers were frightened away.

Seeing Su Yu's attire, Anko Mitarashi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Go tell the Third Hokage quickly; tell him Orochimaru has appeared in the forest."

"I am not yet an official member of the Anbu. My superior is Uzuki Yugao, and I came here to secretly protect my girlfriend," Su Yu said, removing his mask.

"You are that Su Yu?" Anko Mitarashi looked at Su Yu in surprise.

"Yes." Su Yu began to cast a Healing Technique.

Anko Mitarashi said nothing more, simply observing Su Yu quietly.

Within her circles.

Su Yu's name had already spread far and wide.

As a subordinate of Uzuki Yugao who had only recently graduated, he had passed the Anbu Chunin assessment in a short time, marking him as an exceptionally talented individual.

Even Kakashi held him in high regard.

After finishing the treatment, Su Yu hoisted Anko Mitarashi onto his back and headed toward the Heaven and Earth Tower.

The healing could only stabilize her injuries; it could not help her recover her chakra.

"Which one is your girlfriend?" Anko Mitarashi asked curiously while lying on Su Yu's back.

"That is none of your business," Su Yu said indifferently.

"Honestly, I am quite interested in you. If you won't tell me who your girlfriend is, then I'm going to start pursuing you," Anko Mitarashi said with a laugh.

"I am quite interested in you as well. As it happens, I've been reading the books written by Lord Jiraiya these past few days. If you don't mind that this place is secluded, shall we do it here?" Su Yu stopped and said.

Upon hearing this, Anko Mitarashi's face flushed red.

"You brat, keep moving!"

"You are a bit heavy, which is why I'm moving slowly," Su Yu said bluntly.

"What did you say?" Anko Mitarashi wrapped her arms around Su Yu's neck.

"Could you not press yourself against my back? It makes me think of some inappropriate things," Su Yu reminded her.

Hearing this, Anko Mitarashi was both embarrassed and angry; she silently distanced herself from Su Yu and loosened her grip.

"I thought that a Jonin like Anko Mitarashi wouldn't care about such things. I didn't expect you to be as shy as an ordinary girl," Su Yu continued.

"I... I don't care about such things at all," Anko Mitarashi said, pressing herself back against Su Yu's back.

Su Yu stopped talking and moved forward at full speed.

Before long.

The two arrived at the Heaven and Earth Tower.

Anbu members hidden there appeared and blocked their path.

"I am the proctor for the second stage of the Chunin Exams, Anko Mitarashi. I have a very important matter to report to the Third Hokage," Anko Mitarashi said seriously.

"I am Anbu Chunin Su Yu," Su Yu added.

The two Anbu ninjas exchanged a glance and quickly cleared the way.

Su Yu carried Anko Mitarashi all the way to the door of the room where the Third Hokage was located before setting her down.

"Thank you," Anko Mitarashi said softly.

"You're welcome. Thanks for the hospitality," Su Yu looked at Anko Mitarashi.

Anko Mitarashi was stunned.

By the time she realized what he meant, Su Yu had already walked away.

"That brat!" Anko Mitarashi's face turned red as she understood what Su Yu's words implied.

In the quiet forest.

Su Yu watched the three people not far away.

They were a team from Kusagakure, and among them, the red-haired woman was Karin Uzumaki.

Karin Uzumaki would be eliminated during the second stage of the Chunin Exams, and immediately afterward, the Kusagakure jonin would lead their team away.

And during this exam.

She would encounter danger, be saved once by Uchiha Sasuke, and subsequently fall in love with him.

This turning point would be the departure of the other two Kusagakure ninja.

As Su Yu was thinking this, he saw the two Kusagakure ninja leave, handing the scroll in their hands to Karin Uzumaki and telling her to hide.

His two Shadow Clones gave chase.

Su Yu's main body, meanwhile, approached Karin Uzumaki.

Karin Uzumaki was crouching on the ground, her face full of helplessness.

And behind her, a large bear appeared.

Karin Uzumaki turned her head and saw the large bear right in front of her.

The bear let out a roar at her.

Su Yu flashed, descending from the sky and landing in front of Karin Uzumaki.

He activated his two-tomoe Sharingan and immediately used the Hell Viewing Technique.

The bear's body stiffened, and it collapsed to the ground.

Karin Uzumaki stared blankly at the Su Yu before her, sensing a familiar and intimate aura coming from him.

Su Yu turned around, crouched down, and removed his mask.

"You are of the Uzumaki Clan, aren't you?"

Karin Uzumaki nodded subconsciously.

"I am also of the Uzumaki Clan. I know Kusagakure hasn't treated you well; those two ninja have already been dealt with by me. When the Kusagakure jonin comes to take you away from Konoha, someone will rescue you—go with him. After the Chunin Exams end, I will come to find you. When that time comes, we will act together. I will make you stronger, and no one will ever bully you again," Su Yu said earnestly.

Karin Uzumaki was stunned for a few seconds.

Then, she nodded heavily.

Su Yu extended his arm and placed it near her mouth.

"I possess the same constitution as you."

Karin Uzumaki understood what Su Yu meant instantly, but she was hesitant to bite his arm.

"I want us to trust each other," Su Yu said, looking at her.

Hearing this, Karin Uzumaki no longer hesitated and gently bit down on Su Yu's arm.

When she felt the chakra, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement in her heart.

Su Yu escorted her from the shadows.

He accompanied Karin Uzumaki all the way to the Heaven and Earth Tower.

Without her teammates, Karin Uzumaki was effectively out of the competition.

Fighting was prohibited inside the Heaven and Earth Tower.

The Konoha ninja who had been monitoring the situation discovered Karin Uzumaki and brought her to a separate room.

The jonin from each village would gather here in a few days.

During this period, there was nothing to worry about.

Karin Uzumaki looked at the forest outside the window, hugging her knees with a smile and a sense of anticipation on her face.

She had always longed for someone to save her.

Unfortunately, she had never waited for anyone.

Now, she had finally found someone—someone who, like her, was of the Uzumaki Clan.

This feeling was as if she had finally found her home.

Meanwhile.

In a tree hollow in the forest.

Haruno Sakura was taking care of Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke.

Fortunately, she had learned Medical Ninjutsu previously, so she could be of some help now.

Otherwise, she would likely have been forced to just watch.

Not far from the tree hollow.

Three ninja from Otogakure appeared.

They were observing Uchiha Sasuke's condition.

Uchiha Sasuke had just been branded with the Heaven Curse Mark by Orochimaru and was currently in agony.

Once he adapted to the power of the curse mark, they would be able to go up and test him.

To be honest, the Otogakure trio was very dissatisfied with this mission, but unfortunately, given their rank, they could only obediently follow orders.

(End of chapter)