"Overnight…"
"Our homeland became ruins."
Mina's voice trembled.
"Most of the clan died."
"And those who survived scattered in every direction."
Naruto clenched his fists tightly.
He had never imagined that his mother's clan had gone through such a devastating destruction.
"Kushina was only ten years old at the time."
Mina continued.
"Konoha shinobi rescued her."
"My parents took me and fled to the Land of Hot Water."
"Later, they both died from illness."
"And I was left alone."
"You've lived here all these years?"
Sasuke asked.
"Yes."
"The Land of Hot Water is relatively safe."
Mina gave a bitter smile.
"And people here don't ask too many questions."
"But I've always been waiting."
"Waiting for the day I could return home."
A flame seemed to ignite in Naruto's eyes.
"Aunt Mina!"
"That chance is here now!"
"We're rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools."
"Will you come back?"
"Rebuild the Land of Whirlpools?"
Mina stared at him in disbelief.
"How could that possibly happen?"
Sasuke briefly explained the reconstruction plan.
By the time he finished—
Mina had already risen to her feet in excitement.
"Is that true?"
"You're really going to rebuild our homeland?"
Tears poured from her eyes again.
"Of course I'll go back!"
"Even if I die there…"
"It would still be better than wandering outside forever!"
"You're not going to die."
Naruto patted her shoulder.
"I promise."
Mina wiped away her tears.
"Wait here."
"I'll pack my things."
"And I know where several other clansmen are."
"We can go find them together."
And just like that—
Their group gained another member.
Mina closed down the inn and joined them on the road to search for the rest of the clan.
Their next destination was a small town near the border of the Land of Wind.
According to Mina—
A man named Uzumaki Uzumaki ran a weapon shop there.
"Uncle Uzumaki has a strange temper."
Mina warned them.
"Be careful when you meet him."
"He's very unfriendly toward outsiders."
The town stood at the edge of the desert.
Yellow sand swept through its streets all day long.
When they finally found the weapon shop—
They happened to see a burly man arguing with several customers.
"I already said I'm not selling!"
"These weapons aren't meant for trash like you!"
The burly man roared and drove several mercenaries out of his shop.
"Uncle Uzumaki!"
Mina rushed toward him excitedly.
The man turned.
The moment he saw her—
He froze.
"Mina?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to take you home!"
Tears filled Mina's eyes.
"We're rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools!"
Uzumaki's expression became complicated.
"Rebuilding?"
"Don't joke around."
"The Land of Whirlpools disappeared a long time ago."
"But we're still here!"
Naruto stepped forward.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"You should know my mother, Kushina."
Uzumaki looked Naruto up and down.
Gradually—
His gaze softened.
"You look a lot like her."
"But kid…"
"Rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools isn't some game."
"I know it'll be difficult."
Naruto's expression became serious.
"But we have to try."
"That place is our roots."
"We can't just abandon it."
Uzumaki remained silent for a long time.
Finally—
He sighed.
"Fine."
"I don't have much tying me down here anyway."
"If there really is a chance to rebuild our homeland…"
"I'm willing to try."
Over the next several days—
They found three more descendants of the Uzumaki clan.
An elderly woman working as a doctor in the Land of Water.
A young shinobi serving in the Land of Lightning.
And a middle-aged merchant in the Land of Earth.
Each reacted differently after hearing about the reconstruction plan.
But in the end—
All of them chose to return.
"We have seven people now!"
Mina counted excitedly.
"It isn't many…"
"But at least it's a beginning."
"Still not enough."
Naruto shook his head.
"We need more clansmen."
"Naruto."
Sasuke reminded him.
"Did you forget something?"
"There's still one locked up in Konoha's prison."
"Right!"
"Karin!"
Naruto smacked his forehead.
"Let's hurry back!"
…
By the time they returned to Konoha—
Night had already fallen.
Inside the prison—
Karin sat inside her cell, staring blankly into space out of sheer boredom.
"What are you two doing here?"
The moment she saw Naruto and Sasuke—
Her expression became complicated.
"We came to take you home."
Naruto got straight to the point.
"Home?"
Karin sneered.
"I don't have a home."
"Don't forget…"
"I'm a criminal."
"You're a descendant of the Uzumaki clan."
Naruto looked at her seriously.
"The Land of Whirlpools is your home."
"We're rebuilding it."
"And we need the strength of every clansman."
Karin froze.
"Rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools?"
"Are you insane?"
Sasuke briefly explained the situation.
By the time he finished—
A trace of hesitation had appeared in Karin's eyes.
"Even if you really are rebuilding it…"
"You don't need someone like me."
She lowered her head.
"I've done a lot of bad things."
"So what?"
Naruto waved it off.
"I was a problem child when I was little."
"Sasuke was even a rogue ninja."
"Let the past stay in the past."
"But…"
"No buts."
Naruto cut her off.
"You're one of us."
"That's enough."
Tears welled up in Karin's eyes.
From the day she was born—
No one had ever accepted her so unconditionally.
"I…"
"I'll go with you."
Her voice choked.
Kakashi quickly completed the paperwork for her release.
Early the next morning—
The group set out for the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools.
…
Across the land—
Ruins and wild grass stretched as far as the eye could see.
The once-prosperous settlements had long since lost their original appearance.
Only crumbling foundations remained.
"This…"
"This was our home."
Mina stared at the scenery before her.
Her voice was filled with sorrow.
"Twenty years…"
"And it still looks like this."
The clansmen stood among the ruins.
Every expression was complicated.
This land carried their memories.
And it had also witnessed their suffering.
"So what now?"
Uzumaki asked.
"Where do we start rebuilding?"
Naruto looked around.
Then pointed toward a relatively flat patch of land.
"Let's start over there."
"We need somewhere temporary to live first."
Once the decision was made—
They immediately got to work.
Naruto summoned a massive number of Shadow Clones.
They began clearing away the rubble.
Sasuke used Fire Release to burn away the weeds.
Everyone else contributed with whatever skills they possessed.
Karin's abilities proved especially useful.
She could sense chakra fluctuations beneath the ground—
Helping them locate anything that might still be buried beneath the ruins.
"There's something here!"
She pointed toward a pile of shattered stone.
"Something's buried underneath!"
Everyone worked together to move the debris.
Beneath it—
They discovered a sealed cellar.
Inside were several ancient scrolls from the Land of Whirlpools.
Along with records concerning sealing techniques.
"These are treasures!"
Mina excitedly flipped through the scrolls.
"This is our clan's sealing arts inheritance!"
Sasuke also moved closer to inspect them.
His brows gradually furrowed.
"These sealing techniques…"
"They're far more complicated than I expected."
"Of course they are."
An aged voice suddenly came from behind them.
"That is the culmination of a thousand years of wisdom from the Uzumaki clan."
Everyone turned around.
An elderly man with white hair was slowly approaching with the help of a walking stick.
"Who are you?"
Naruto asked in confusion.
The old man smiled.
"My name is Uzumaki Nagato."
"I am the gravekeeper of this place."
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