Kano was asking despite already knowing. She couldn't act like a mysterious person who knew everything, as she did with Orochimaru; that would only scare Karin.
"My name is Karin. The two people you just killed were my teammates..."
"I thought they were bad guys attacking you, so I stepped in and took them out. I didn't realize they were your teammates. I'm so sorry!"
"No, no, no, you don't need to apologize. It's normal for there to be casualties in the Chunin Exams." Karin didn't dare blame this konoha songstress who could kill in an instant. "By the way, why did you help me?"
"I saw your red hair and thought you might be from the Uzumaki Clan. I have a friend who is also from the Uzumaki Clan, so I wanted to save you and ask about the current situation of the clan.
He has never met another member of his clan."
"Actually, the only other member of the Uzumaki Clan I knew was my mother, and she's already dead."
As she said this, Karin's eyes dimmed.
"Here, take the scroll. My teammates are dead, so I won't be able to pass this exam anyway."
Thinking about the torture she would face back in Kusagakure, Karin couldn't help but shed tears. She might soon end up like her mother.
"Why are you crying?"
Kano hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and patted her head, even though Karin was slightly taller than her.
"It's nothing, sorry for worrying you. We're not from the same village, so let's part ways here."
Kano wasn't very good at comforting people, nor did she know how to coax them. Plus, she wasn't a heartthrob like Sasuke who could charm her with looks, nor did she have Naruto's eloquence to convince her with Talk no Jutsu.
However, Kano had other ways to make her stay.
"Do you want to stay in Konoha Village? Your past situation must have been terrible. Looking at the bite marks on your body, I can tell you have a special constitution where biting you triggers an effect, right?
I can help you hide your constitution. Once your bite marks heal, you can live like a normal person."
A normal person's life was exactly what she wanted. But the konoha songstress was an outsider after all; she could help for a moment, but not for a lifetime.
"But... I..."
If Kusagakure found out, her fate would surely be even worse. Moreover, the bite marks on her body had already scarred; they wouldn't disappear even when she grew up.
"No more 'buts.' Just listen to me. From now on, you'll follow me. Don't worry about Kusagakure coming after you; I'll help you fake your death so they won't look for you."
After saying that, Kano started taking action.
"Don't... don't pull my clothes! Please! Spare me! I'll do it myself! I'll do it myself, okay?!"
She used to be Ino's dress-up doll, and now she could actually treat someone else like one.
No wonder Ino laughed so lewdly every time she caught her; it turns out this really is fun.
Kano looked over Karin, who had changed her clothes, and nodded in satisfaction. As expected of the dress she chose herself, it was very cute! It was just that the bite marks on her body were too much of an eyesore.
"Kano, can you let me put on my underwear..."
"No, if someone comes to investigate, incomplete clothing could easily reveal your tracks."
Kano was talking nonsense with a straight face.
"Then, then can you give me a pair of underwear to wear?"
Karin clutched her pink lace skirt, her blushing face desperately trying to hide the fact that she was going commando underneath.
"I don't have any spare underwear either. This outfit is the one I just changed out of. I'm wearing pants now, so if you don't mind, you can wear my underwear..."
"Can't I just wear pants?"
Finally, after some discussion, Karin stripped a pair of pants off a corpse and put them on.
"Next is dealing with the bite marks on your body."
Kano opened the shop and bought some system-produced skin-care pills; they were very cheap.
"Eat this candy."
"Why eat candy now?"
"Just eat it."
Karin obediently swallowed a pill. She felt a warm current flowing through her skin, and the bite marks on her body vanished at a visible rate.
"Looks like one isn't enough. Eat two more."
This time, the bite marks disappeared completely, and even her originally rough skin became much smoother.
Karin's eyes widened as she looked at Kano with confusion. She didn't understand why someone would be so kind to her. In her eyes, Kano was so radiant.
"Are you willing to come with me now?"
Kano reached out her hand, inviting Karin to join her on the journey.
(Now that Kano's Shadow Monarch Ninjutsu is considered complete, whose shadow would you like to see her extract? Or what kind of shadow should she upgrade and cultivate?)
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