Naruto Uzumaki is a Rogue Ninja

A warm meat bun was handed to the child.

"Want to eat?"

"Mm."

"What's your name?"

Uchiha Thirteen Nights was drawn to the child with wolf-like eyes. She could feel the child's intense desire to live.

"I… I don't have a name."

"Is that so… Then, are you willing to come with me? To gain the power to survive in this world. If you're willing, follow me!"

Saying this, Uchiha Thirteen Nights turned and left. Watching her retreating back, the child with wolf-like eyes chased after her.

Similar situations were happening in many places, especially at the borders where multiple countries met. The Uchiha Clan, following Fugaku Uchiha's words, led these people towards Crow Mountain.

The village's population doubled, and its expansion was proceeding in full swing. Fugaku Uchiha looked at the rapidly developing village, a gratified smile appearing on his lips.

Fugaku Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan possessed the power to see through people's hearts. With a single glance, he could discern their true nature, and spies from other ninja villages attempting to infiltrate the village were dealt with immediately.

"Teacher Thirteen Nights!"

Uchiha Thirteen Nights looked with a headache at the girl following her. She had thought the child with wolf-like eyes would be a boy, but it turned out to be a cute girl.

"Hi~! Thirteen Nights, looks like you're being pestered by a child too."

"Yeah… You too, aren't you…"

Uchiha Thirteen Nights looked at the child peeking out cautiously from behind Kaito Uchiha, who had come to greet her.

"I just feel like I can't abandon this child…"

"I know what you mean…"

Uchiha Thirteen Nights and Kaito Uchiha exchanged a look and sighed together.

Having arrived in a new place, the children, lacking a sense of security, naturally saw the people who brought them there as their last resort, unwilling to leave their side even for a moment. It was understandable.

If Naruto knew the Uchiha Clan had developed to this extent, who knows what she would think. She'd probably exclaim: "Did you all learn from Orochimaru?"

The Hokage's biggest gold digger was about to change from Orochimaru to the Uchiha Clan.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Karin (1/2)

At the Akatsuki Organization's base, Deva Path Pain saw Konan returning, dusty from her travels.

"Konan, how was the investigation?"

"The ones who have been adopting stray children everywhere recently are the Uchiha Clan, who have left Konoha. They've also taken in many drifters into their village."

"Oh? The Uchiha Clan would be so kind?"

"I'm thinking, could they be trying to establish their own ninja village?"

"Crow Mountain, indeed, is a good place to establish a ninja village. For now, let's not bother with them."

"Konan, who do you think we can invite to join the Akatsuki Organization?"

"Nagato, we can invite them to join."

Since there was no one else around, Konan naturally called Deva Path Pain by his true name.

"Very well. Once we understand their movements, we can invite them." On Deva Path Pain's long list, Naruto Uzumaki's name was prominently displayed.

After a long journey, Naruto and her companions arrived in the Land of Grass. The Third Great Ninja War had previously occurred here, causing the Land of Grass to fall into decline. Traces of destructive ninjutsu from the past could still be seen on the land.

The ninja world's largest prison was also established in the Land of Grass, where serious offenders from various ninja villages were sent.

It was a massive castle-prison called "Ghost Lantern Castle." According to Yakushi Nonō's introduction, the castle lord was Mui, a Jonin from Kusagakure. Because he possessed ninjutsu that could restrain prisoners, he became the lord of Ghost Lantern Castle.

"Ghost Lantern Castle?"

It wasn't mentioned in the anime!

Naruto listened to Yakushi Nonō talk about Ghost Lantern Castle with a bewildered expression. Her pink lips parted slightly, and she was utterly stunned.

"Mui, the lord of Ghost Lantern Castle, can seal a ninja's chakra with his Fire Style: Heavenly Prison. This technique turns chakra into something like gunpowder. Once a person's chakra is sealed, they will suffer severe burns if they try to gather chakra, and they will spontaneously combust and die if they move too far from the caster."

Mui, I still have a 'wei' [care/concern]…

Naruto inwardly grumbled about the castle lord's name, and her eyes widened upon hearing the effect of Fire Style: Heavenly Prison.

"Wouldn't that be game over if you got hit by his jutsu?"

Isn't this jutsu too overpowered?

"No, although his jutsu is powerful, it has a fatal weakness: it's ineffective in water." Yakushi Nonō saw Naruto's shocked expression and smiled, pinching her cheek.

"Oh, right. If it didn't have any weaknesses, this jutsu would be too strong."

Having previously gathered intelligence as a spy in the Land of Grass, Yakushi Nonō was naturally very familiar with it. Under her guidance, the group arrived at Kusagakure.

Kusagakure, though small, had everything it needed.

Yakushi Nonō and Mikoto Uchiha disguised themselves as a couple, and Naruto naturally had to pretend to be their child. However, she felt like these two women were starting to take their roles too seriously, treating her as their own child! The overflowing maternal love made Naruto feel a bit overwhelmed.

Naruto, disguised as Shinobu Oshino, was meticulously dressed by the two women. The three of them then disguised themselves as traveling merchants taking their child on a tour, easily blending into Kusagakure.

In the barbecue restaurant, three portions of grilled meat were ordered, and the three sat there.

Watching the meat sizzling on the grill, Mikoto Uchiha looked up at Shinobu Oshino. After Naruto transformed into Shinobu Oshino, Mikoto Uchiha and Yakushi Nonō naturally changed their address for Naruto from "Naruto" to "Little Shinobu."

"Little Shinobu, what is your purpose for coming to Kusagakure this time?"

"To see if someone from the Uzumaki clan, like me, is doing well." Shinobu Oshino picked up a piece of grilled meat, dipped it in sauce, and put it in her mouth.

Regarding Karin, the anime only showed a few minutes of flashbacks. However, from those memories, it was clear that Karin wasn't living well; the ninjas of Kusagakure treated her like a blood bag.

It's just that, at the moment, Karin should be studying at the Ninja Academy and hasn't been discovered for her blood's healing properties yet.

Karin, living well in Kusagakure, probably won't leave with me, will she?

I wish I had Orochimaru's talent for tricking children. That damned old geezer was always spot on, only stumbling when it came to Sasuke.