Elsewhere, Karin Uzumaki had already been cornered by a Sound Ninja.
Despair filled her face. Had she escaped a bear's jaws only to be killed by someone else?
She remembered her mother, who had died after endless bites drained every last drop of her chakra.
I'll be joining you soon, Mother!
Then a handsome face appeared in her mind.
The sunny young man who had saved her from the bear.
"Cheng Zhou, where are you?"
Karin Uzumaki trembled uncontrollably as she looked at the massive, immensely strong Sound Ninja.
She knew killing her would be as easy for him as crushing an ant.
"Heh, if you'd just handed over the scroll earlier, none of this would've happened."
"Now, die!"
The fat Sound Ninja slowly approached Karin, a kunai already gripped in his hand.
"Judging by your forehead protector, you aren't a Konoha shinobi. But blame yourself for hanging around with them!"
"Remember my name: Jirobo!"
He drove his kunai down, his eyes filled with bloodlust.
Karin Uzumaki closed her eyes in despair. Could she still not escape death?
I don't want to die!
But she waited and waited, and the agonizing pain of the kunai piercing her body never came.
She opened her eyes and saw a tall figure standing before her, holding Jirobo's kunai-wielding wrist in one hand.
Despite his immense strength, Jirobo struggled to pull his hand free. After several attempts, it still hadn't budged.
Karin Uzumaki's eyes widened, filling with tears.
It's him. He saved me again!
She wept with joy and choked out:
"Cheng Zhou!"
Zhou Cheng glanced back at Karin. Once he confirmed she was unharmed, he turned to stare at Jirobo, his eyes thick with murderous intent.
"Leave one hand behind, and I'll let you all go!"
Zhou Cheng wanted nothing more than to