Swirl Phosphorus
Inside the Kusagakure Hospital.
"Hurry up, I almost broke my arm! Let me jump in line—I need treatment immediately…"
"Why should you go first? My injuries are worse than yours."
"Hmph, your wounds will heal in ten days with rest at home. There's no need for you to be here."
"Mind your own business. If I can't complete missions for ten days, will you compensate me for my lost earnings?"
"I'm thinking about the future of Kusagakure. If that girl dies like her mother, who will heal us then?"
"Let's worry about the future later. The higher-ups won't abandon us."
Injured Kusagakure shinobi lined up, chatting in the hospital corridor.
Unlike the major hidden villages, which relied on skilled medical-nin like Tsunade or Kabuto for advanced treatments, Kusagakure's method was far more primitive. Healing required nothing more than biting into a living blood pack—Uzumaki Karin.
She had long grown used to the arguing and cursing of the wounded. Expressionless, she extended her arm, allowing each shinobi to sink their teeth into her flesh. As their wounds closed before their eyes, her own vitality drained away.
Once the treatment ended, Karin coldly ordered them to leave before shutting the infirmary door. She stood motionless, staring at the photos on her desk.
Her indifference was a mask. Beneath it, she was just a helpless girl.
But in a war-torn minor village like Kusagakure, where survival meant proving your worth, weakness was not an option. Acting tough had earned her a private medical room—small victories in a cruel world.
Hidden in the shadows, Naruto observed the red-haired girl.
This Karin was nothing like the lovestruck girl he had encountered in his memories. She was stronger—more hardened. But was this her true nature, or was it just another layer of her defense?
Sensing her chakra, Kurama scoffed. "Naruto, don't tell me you came to Uzushio just for sightseeing. You're interested in this girl, aren't you? Her chakra… it's almost identical to yours."
Naruto nodded. "I really did come here to travel. Meeting a clan member was just a coincidence. But judging by the White Zetsu underground, the Akatsuki have their eyes on this village."
Kurama wasn't buying it. "Hmph. If that's the case, why not just take her? You'd rather watch her suffer? Doesn't the Uzumaki Clan need talent?"
Naruto didn't answer. His gaze remained fixed on Karin.
Her story was tragic—her mother, an Uzumaki survivor, had died after years of abuse. Her father was nonexistent. She was nothing more than a tool, forced to give away her life force for others.
But suffering was common in the shinobi world. Small nations were filled with people like her.
Yes, she was an Uzumaki, but saving her wasn't enough. He had to ensure she had the resources to grow.
As Karin wiped her tears, she pulled out a medical textbook from her desk.
She despised Kusagakure. She despised being a human blood bank. But she had made a deal with the village's elders—one her mother had arranged before her death. As a registered ninja academy student, she had access to education.
Kusagakure refused to teach her combat techniques, but medical ninjutsu had power of its own. With enough mastery, even healers could kill.
Boom boom boom.
The infirmary door burst open.
Karin quickly masked her emotions, meeting the gaze of her latest patient—a high-ranking Kusagakure shinobi.
He wasn't strong, yet he held power due to his connections. Among Kusagakure's many corrupt officials, he was one of the worst.
As Karin studied him, he studied her.
He had orders. The leader had decided—it was time to take Uzumaki Karin.
For years, Kusagakure had treated her like livestock, confident the Uzumaki Clan was extinct.
But rumors of Uzushiogakure's revival had changed things. If even half of what they had heard was true—that the village's leader had strength rivaling the Five Kage—then Karin had suddenly become valuable.
At first, the village elders thought to recruit her. If she remained loyal, they could use her connection to Uzushiogakure to their advantage.
But they soon realized… Kusagakure needed her.
The Uzumaki Clan's vitality and healing abilities were irreplaceable. Losing Karin meant losing their biggest advantage—cheap, effective medical treatment. Without it, their economic model would collapse.
So the elders decided.
Karin wouldn't be allowed to leave.
She would disappear from the world, locked away as Kusagakure's eternal medical tool.
As the high-ranking shinobi stepped forward, Karin sensed the shift in atmosphere. Her fingers twitched. She took half a step back, hand reaching for the table.
In one swift motion, she grabbed a kunai from the drawer and aimed it at the man.
But he wasn't fazed. He looked at her the way one looks at a caged animal. She had no escape.
Then—suddenly—he collapsed.
Karin froze. Carefully, she stepped forward and inspected him.
He wasn't dead—just unconscious. But tucked within his robes was a mission scroll.
She unrolled it. As she read, her expression darkened.
Fingers tightening around the kunai, she hesitated.
Kusagakure planned to imprison her. If she killed this man, they would hunt her down. If she didn't… her fate was sealed.
Naruto, still hidden with Ryūchi Cave senjutsu suppressing his presence, also read the scroll from a distance.
So his actions had changed things. By rebuilding Uzushiogakure, he had unknowingly altered Karin's destiny.
Kusagakure dared to imprison an Uzumaki.
He wasn't the only one watching. If Akatsuki caught wind of Karin, Nagato wouldn't protect her—he'd destroy Kusagakure just to make them suffer.
Shaking off his thoughts, Naruto refocused on Karin.
Would she fight? Or would she submit?
After a long pause, Karin finally raised her kunai—then drove it into the shinobi's heart.
Dragging his body to the corner, she took a deep breath before cautiously addressing the empty room.
"Master ninja… I know you're here. Will you reveal yourself to me?"
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