Uzumaki... Naruto?
Karin's eyes widened slightly. This name seemed to carry a peculiar magic, gently stirring the deepest, most desired part of her heart.
Clan members.
She had once fantasized that one day, clan members would rescue her and her mother from the hellish Kusagakure.
She never expected to actually meet a clan member here.
Karin looked at the golden-haired boy before her, whose hair shone like the sun, and a trace of doubt instinctively arose in her heart.
Aren't all members of the Uzumaki Clan, like her and her mother in her memories, supposed to have red hair?
Why was his hair golden? But this thought was fleeting, quickly overshadowed by another, more direct and intense feeling.
His Chakra... it's so warm.
Unlike the cold, rough, or predatory Chakra of the Ninja from Kusagakure.
The Chakra aura of the boy who called himself Uzumaki Naruto, even in its unintentional leakage, was like the warm sun in winter, carrying a vibrant vitality and a reassuring sense of inclusiveness.
That warm sensation, subtly transmitted through the air, seemed to relax her cold, stiff body slightly.
Moreover, he bore her no ill will.
Karin had grown up amidst malice and bullying, and her perception of emotions was almost instinctively acute.
She could clearly discern that there was none of the greed, disgust, or pure indifference in this boy's eyes that the Kusagakure Ninja showed her.
In those azure eyes, there was concern, inquiry, and a... resonance? that she couldn't fully comprehend, yet it made her heart slightly warm.
It was like suddenly seeing a tiny but steadily burning flame in a long, cold, dark night.
A faint, yet real, light flickered involuntarily in Karin's purplish-red eyes, which had been dulled by long-term malnutrition and fear.
It was the light of hope, a tremor like rain after a long drought.
She looked at Naruto's outstretched, clean, and warm hand, struggling intensely within.
One voice urged her to seize this possibly sole opportunity, while another screamed, reminding her of her 'identity,' her 'unworthiness,' and her suspicion of Naruto.
Ultimately, that faint light overcame the fear.
She trembled, very slowly, extending her thin, scarred hand, covered in old and new wounds, towards Naruto's palm.
However, just as her fingers were about to touch that warmth, the sleeve of her ill-fitting new clothes slid down with her movement, revealing a bony forearm.
It was densely covered with overlapping old and new bite marks of varying depths.
Some had scabbed over and turned black, while others were still red and swollen, with clear outlines of teeth marks, a truly shocking sight!
Those were the marks left from being used as a 'mobile blood pack' and wantonly bitten by the Kusagakure Ninja, and the most direct proof of all her pain and humiliation!
Karin's pupils constricted as if she had been burned by a hot iron, and all color drained from her face.
Extreme shame and self-abasement flooded over her like a tide.
How could she... how could she use such a dirty and ugly arm to touch such a clean and warm hand?
She abruptly tried to pull her hand back, to hide those humiliating marks back under her tattered sleeve.
But, faster than her movement, was Naruto's hand.
The moment she recoiled, Naruto's warm and firm palm, without hesitation, reached forward and steadily, yet exceptionally gently, grasped her bite-marked hand that was trying to escape.
There was no disgust, no hesitation. His palm was warm and dry, the grip just right, neither allowing her to break free nor hurting her.
Karin froze, as if caught by a paralysis Jutsu.
She stared down blankly, watching her ugly arm being firmly held by that clean, beautiful hand, feeling an unprecedented, genuine warmth continuously flowing from the contacting skin, almost scorching her.
She slowly raised her head and met Naruto's eyes.
In those blue eyes, there was none of the shock, disgust, or pity she had expected.
Only a heavy, heart-wrenching tenderness, and a burning, almost tangible anger.
That anger was not directed at her, but at those who had left those marks on her, at all the suffering she had endured.
Naruto tightened his grip on her hand, as if to transmit his strength and determination.
His voice was low and clear, every word like a bedrock promise, falling heavily:
"You... suffered a lot in Kusagakure, didn't you?"
It wasn't a question, but a statement.
He saw it, understood it, and deeply remembered it.
Then, he gently pulled Karin, who was still somewhat stiff and bewildered, up from the corner.
His gaze swept past her, glancing at the two unconscious Kusagakure scoundrels on the ground, then returned to her face, revealing a smile that, though heavy, was still full of sun-like power.
"Come with me."
He held her hand and turned towards the door, his steps firm.
"From now on..."
"Konoha will be your home."
Naruto, holding Karin's small and cold hand, carefully led her around the two unconscious Kusagakure Ninja on the ground, leaving the cramped room filled with oppression and pain, and stepping onto the cool streets of Konoha at night.
The moonlight spilled onto the quiet road, a stark contrast to the violence and despair in the room just moments before.
Karin followed closely beside Naruto, her head bowed, her other hand nervously tugging at her tattered sleeve, trying to cover the scars on her arm.
She still felt a sense of unreality, as if she were walking on clouds, only able to cling tightly to Naruto's warm and firm hand pulling her forward.
However, just as they exited the Kusagakure compound and stepped onto the relatively open street, Naruto's footsteps paused slightly.
It wasn't due to any external anomaly, but originated from deep within him, in the deepest part of the Sealing space.
An extremely strong, wild, and restless Chakra sensation, like a huge stone thrown into a calm lake, violently impacted his consciousness.
Following this was Kurama's deep and serious voice, echoing directly in the depths of his mind, with a hint of rare vigilance and confirmation:
"Naruto!"
The Nine-Tailed's voice was not as lazy or irritable as usual; it was tense.
"I smell... that Tanuki's scent."
Tanuki? Ichibi Shukaku!
"Very clear, and full of instability and... rage."
"Shukaku? I understand."
Shukaku was a crucial part of the Konoha Crush Plan, and Naruto was not surprised by this.
The immediate priority now was to take Karin to see the Sandaime, although it would be easier for Karin to settle in later if Tsunade became the Fifth Generation Hokage.
However, it's better sooner than later for such matters.
Karin currently lacks a sense of security, so the most urgent task is to quickly get her registered.
Karin will be a great helper in the future.
As a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, she should also have talent in Sealing Techniques.
Under the moonlight, the golden-haired boy led the red-haired girl through the quiet streets, heading towards the Sarutobi Clan's compound.