Chapter 123: You're All Good People
The group silently advanced rapidly until the sun set westward and darkness fell. Only then did they stop.
Everyone found an open space and began resting.
Shinobi rest was simple—directly take out rice balls and eat. Without rice balls, ration pills worked too.
To prevent enemy discovery, shinobi basically never made fires outdoors. For sleeping, they'd just find tree branches or grass and lie down—done.
Unless protected targets accompanied them, other miscellaneous matters needn't be considered.
After everyone stopped, Yasushi had them set down the mother and daughter pair. From his pack, he took out rice balls, distributing several to the mother, daughter, and Haku each. Then everyone ate their own.
Uzumaki Shinyo first carefully looked around. Seeing the three Uchiha Yashiro not eating, she hastily snatched the rice ball from Karin's hand. Trembling fearfully, she held the rice balls up before the three, smiling apologetically: "Shinobi-sama, please eat."
Yashiro glanced at the rice balls, turned his head away, snorting coldly and saying impatiently: "Given to you means eat. Where's all this nonsense coming from?"
"We're not hungry yet..." Uzumaki Shinyo laughed awkwardly.
"Not hungry—still eat!" Yashiro said harshly.
Shinyo took the rice balls back, bringing them to her mouth, eating in small bites.
Karin also happily reclaimed her rice ball, eating in large bites.
When traveling, Yasushi never mistreated his stomach. Though called rice balls, they contained fish, meat, and vegetables—tasting far superior to ordinary rice balls.
After finishing one rice ball, just as Karin licked her mouth, another rice ball appeared beside her.
"Eat. There are enough rice balls." Haku said gently. "Lord is very kind. He never skimps on food."
Karin stretched her neck, swallowing saliva. Her gaze swept toward Yasushi. Seeing him say nothing, she grabbed the rice ball and again ate in large bites.
Uzumaki Shinyo remained too restrained. After eating two rice balls, she didn't dare eat more, also not allowing Karin to continue.
Yasushi didn't manage them—eat or don't eat, whatever.
After eating, rest time arrived. Everyone lay down on the ground preparing to sleep. The three Impure World bodies took night watch duty.
Yasushi lay on the ground, watching Karin curled in her mother's embrace. He tilted his head, giving Yashiro a look. Yashiro understood, disappearing briefly.
Moments later, Yashiro returned carrying a large pile of dry wood, dumping it on the ground. He casually spat a small fireball, lighting the pile.
Firelight rose. The environment warmed accordingly.
Uzumaki Shinyo's face immediately showed gratitude. Holding Karin, she moved several steps closer to the fire before lying down again.
This time it was indeed much warmer.
Under the warm firelight's reflection, Uzumaki Shinyo seemed to return to her girlhood days.
Back then, Uzushiogakure still existed. Parents, family, loved ones, friends—all still alive. No need to worry about safety, lack of food, beatings, or cold. Everything was so wonderful.
With daughter in arms, Uzumaki Shinyo smiled as she entered dreamland.
After many years, she finally slept soundly again.
Though just in the wilderness, it made her feel more secure than Kusagakure.
Next morning, everyone rose. After breakfast, they continued forward.
This time, Karin became lively again.
She first turned her little head, looking everywhere. Whenever she saw beautiful scenery or lovely birds, butterflies, animals, she'd open her mouth wide, making sounds like "Oh," "Ah," "So amazing."
She'd been raised confined in Kusagakure since small, only seeing that palm-sized sky. Never left the village once, never witnessed so much beautiful natural scenery or the colorful outside world.
Today, leaving the village for the first time, gaining experience—naturally she wanted to see everything.
Especially riding on Uchiha Inabi's back, flying among treetops—this excited her tremendously. She kept shouting loudly, making Uchiha Inabi frown continuously.
After seeing more, interest somewhat diminished. She lowered her head and began bothering Uchiha Inabi.
"Hey, Uncle, where are we going?"
Inabi ignored her. She changed questions.
"Uncle, are you a rogue ninja?"
"Why become a rogue ninja?"
"Isn't Konoha good?"
Inabi's head throbbed from the noise. He twisted around, shouting loudly at her: "Shut up!"
"Talk more, I'll kill you!"
"Oh!" Karin shrank her neck, behaving briefly before reverting, bothering him again.
"Hey, Uncle, I haven't seen you eat since yesterday. Aren't you hungry?"
"You've been carrying me continuously. Aren't you tired?"
Inabi finally couldn't take it. He turned his head, asking viciously: "Aren't you afraid of me? I'll kill you!"
"Well..." Karin smiled cunningly, gently extending her hand to push Inabi's face away. "Uncle, I know you're a good person. You won't kill me!"
"Who says I'm a good person? Am I not fierce enough?" Inabi's neck flushed red, eyes blood-red—looking terrifying from any angle.
"Because..." Karin said somewhat embarrassedly: "Because you didn't hit me."
"What?" Inabi paused, not understanding.
Karin lowered her head, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Before, in Kusagakure, whenever we did anything slightly wrong or said something wrong, those shinobi lords would hit me and Mom."
"Sometimes we did absolutely nothing. Just because they were in bad moods, they'd hit us."
"And Uncle, you gave us rice balls. Many rice balls."
"Those Kusagakure shinobi lords only snatched our rice balls. Never gave us extra."
"So I know clearly—Uncle, you just look fierce and have a bad temper, but..."
"You're all good people!"
Inabi immediately froze, unable to say a word.
Not just him—the other Uchiha all froze too.
Everyone stopped, silently looking at little Karin.
After a long pause, Uchiha Yasushi finally slapped his thigh hard, cursing loudly:
"Even fucking children understand this principle, but those bastards in Konoha don't!"
"Indeed, Nagato was right. We must make them feel pain!"
"Only after feeling pain will they truly sense who's genuinely good to them versus who's just talking!"
Yasushi's gaze swept across Karin's face. He opened his mouth wanting to praise her, but what came out was:
"No wonder there are so many lolicons in the world. Truly has its inevitable reasons!"
"Hmph, dead tsundere." Hiruko spoke coldly from the side.
"Who are you calling dead tsundere!" Yasushi immediately got angry.
"I'm saying you Uchiha are all dead tsunderes."
"What 'you Uchiha'—it's 'us Uchiha'!"
"Don't count me. I dislike being embarrassing."
"What's embarrassing?"
"Lolicon."
"What's wrong with lolicons? Lolis are so cute!"
The two bickered as they continued running forward. Inabi and the others hurried to follow.