"Izayoi-kun, she's so pitiful."
Watching Karin leave with the Shadow Clone, Hinata said with a sympathetic expression.
She had thought that when she was little, she had already been timid and humble enough in front of Izayoi.
But compared to Karin, she still fell a little short.
The look in that girl's eyes was heartbreaking.
"Pitiful people like her exist everywhere. There are plenty who are even more pitiful than she is." Izayoi stroked Hinata's head and smiled. "We can't help everyone. All we can do is protect the important people by our side."
"Mm."
Hinata nodded vigorously.
She was not some saint. It was only because Karin was one of Izayoi's clansmen that it stirred her feminine sensitivity.
Looking at Shino Aburame as he returned, Izayoi asked, "What scroll did they have?"
"The Scroll of Heaven," Shino Aburame replied.
"Perfect. We have the Scroll of Earth."
Izayoi took out his team's scroll and tossed it to Shino Aburame. "You'll keep these two scrolls, Shino."
Hearing that, Shino Aburame seemed to catch something and asked, "Now that we have both scrolls, aren't we going straight to the Central Tower?"
Izayoi turned to look in a certain direction. "No rush. There's still one troublesome matter to deal with."
Hinata's expression shifted slightly. Recalling what Izayoi had said in the bathroom, along with the information she had gathered with her Byakugan, she could not help asking, "Izayoi-kun, are you going to deal with that Sand Ninja carrying the gourd?"
"No, someone stronger than him."
Izayoi shook his head and instructed Hinata and Shino Aburame, "You two go wait outside the Central Tower first. Once I deal with that trouble, I'll join you."
"Yes."
Knowing just how powerful Izayoi was, Hinata obediently nodded.
Seeing that even Hinata did not insist on coming along,