Karin, who hadn't gone too far, heard a series of harsh sounds from behind her, and her small, delicate body trembled constantly.
"You can insult me, but you can't insult my mother!"
Karin's eyes widened, bloodshot, and her hands clenched tightly into fists.
But she could only endure the insults, silently bearing them.
If only...
How wonderful it would be to have power!
Karin lowered her head and silently walked towards the river.
"Yo, she still looks unresigned."
"Hehehe, if it weren't for the rule of the second exam that all three people must reach the tower together, I would really throw this burden away."
"I don't understand, why bring such a weak burden to participate in the Chunin Exams?"
"How about... we deliberately get separated from her, scare her, and have some fun?"
"That suggestion sounds interesting, let's hide quickly."
The two Grass Ninja saw Karin's trembling, slender shoulders and again burst into a series of harsh sneers.
All the way, they not only failed to fulfill their responsibility as teammates but also constantly took pleasure in ridiculing Karin.
"Hehehe—"
"What two fools, do you understand the preciousness and function of the Whirlpool Clan's bloodline?"
At this moment, a cold, emotionless voice sounded behind them.
"What!?"
The two Grass Ninja were greatly surprised.
Their Ninja instincts made them want to use the Instantaneous Body Technique to create distance and simultaneously throw kunai and shuriken in retaliation.
But their opponent was Naruto.
How could he give such weak ants a chance?
No!
Naruto didn't even need to make a move.
Hinata leaped down from the branch above, landing between the two, and struck out with both hands. Her Eight Trigrams Palm, enveloped in Chakra flames, hit the two Grass Ninja, sending them flying. They vomited blood in mid-air and, upon landing, their internal organs were shattered, and they died instantly.
"So—so powerful—"
"Hinata, you..."
Ino Yamanaka, who had been following by leaping through the giant trees and ancient woods, widened her eyes.
Hinata, who usually seemed shy and timid, was more decisive and clean when she fought, not at all ambiguous.
Hinata retracted her palms, pouting a little angrily.
"They are not good people!"
Naruto nodded, saying, "Both bad and stupid."
If he were the leader of the Grass Hidden Village, he would definitely control Karin and her mother, treating them as breeding machines, using the pure Whirlpool Clan bloodline to improve the Grass Hidden Village's bloodline.
But the Grass Hidden Village was good.
Not only did they not restrict Karin's personal freedom, but they also let her out to team up with two Grass Ninja to come to Konoha Village for the Chunin Exams.
Actually, controlling Karin had no meaning.
In the Fire Shadow World, without top-tier strength, it's still not enough.
Does the Land of Whirlpools lack the Whirlpool Clan's bloodline?
But what was the result? The Land of Whirlpools, the Village of Whirlpools, and the Whirlpool Clan were almost a trinity, yet they still couldn't escape the tragic fate of destruction.
If only a "Whirlpool Hashirama" had been born, the Land of Whirlpools would not have been destroyed.
Naruto put away his distracting thoughts and looked at Karin, who was already drawing water by the river.
"Roar—"
A giant bear with a spiral horn on its head appeared beside the forest, roaring at Karin.
Karin turned to see the giant bear pouncing, startled, lost her balance, and immediately fell towards the river.
At this moment.
A handsome, sunny blond boy suddenly appeared, grabbing her arm with one hand and pulling her into his embrace, instantly saving her from falling into the river.
Karin shrank her neck, her hands clasped to her chest, leaning against Naruto's embrace, her heart pounding.
Before she could react to what was happening, her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of the approaching giant bear, standing on its hind legs, roaring and swinging its paw, larger than a palm leaf, down towards them.
"Be careful!"
As Karin exclaimed, Naruto had already turned his head to look, his azure eyes becoming cold and emotionless, his gaze shooting out like tangible ice blades.
"Scram!!"
"Naruto~"
The giant bear, which had been ferocious a second ago, was now like a startled puppy, tucking its tail and fleeing, disappearing into the depths of the forest at top speed.
"My name is Naruto, what's yours?"
Naruto released his embrace and introduced himself to Karin.
"I—I—"
Karin frantically tidied her slightly disheveled red hair, her eyes flickering, and replied, "Kar—Karin—"
It was still out of the deepest vigilance in her heart.
She didn't say her "Whirlpool" surname.
Naruto smiled brightly and said, "Karin, you have beautiful red hair just like my mother."
"Red—red hair?"
Karin suddenly stopped, as if a glimmer of hope had ignited within her. She quickly grabbed Naruto's hand, asking excitedly and expectantly, "What—what's your mother's name?"
"Uzumaki Kushina."
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Uzumaki... Kushina... Uzumaki... Naruto..."
Karin stumbled back a few steps, then, after muttering, cried out ecstatically, "Uzumaki Kushina, Uzumaki Naruto!"
"That's great, I'm not alone, I'm not alone!"
"I—I'm not alone, no, no, no—"
Suddenly, Karin burst into tears, large drops rolling down from the corners of her eyes.
She kept raising her hands to wipe away her tears.
However, the more she wiped, the more tears flowed, and the more smeared her face became.
"You are not alone; you still have your clan members."
Naruto's voice was deep, firm, and gentle.
"Don't cry, don't cry."
Hinata pulled out a clean, white handkerchief and helped Karin wipe away her tears.
Karin's slender shoulders trembled continuously; she looked so small and helpless.
That's right.
She had suffered too much injustice, too much loneliness, and too many hardships.
After her mother died, her only support was gone. Karin thought she was the last bloodline of the Whirlpool Clan, and that despair and loneliness tormented her day and night.
Now, knowing that she was no longer alone, no longer the only "Uzumaki," she had clan members!
That kind of happiness, that kind of joy, made her feel as if she had been reborn, finding her pillar and hope again.
"Oh, right, you two hurry up and leave, my teammates are still nearby."
"They just had a scroll taken from them, so they'll definitely try to get two more scrolls."
Karin remembered something and quickly urged them.
The rules of the second exam meant that every Genin team could become an enemy.
"Are you talking about those two guys hanging on the tree?"
Ino Yamanaka put one hand on her hip and pointed to the Grass Ninja hanging like paintings on the tree trunk in the distance.
"They're dead—"
Karin breathed a sigh of relief, feeling relieved, but also a little lost, unsure where to go.
She was wearing a Ninja headband and was still a Grass Ninja.
She was definitely eliminated from the Chunin Exams. Did she still have to return to the Grass Hidden Village?
Naruto grinned, extended his hand, and said, "Karin, you can follow me from now on."
He pointed his thumb at himself.
"I guarantee you'll live a good life and never be bullied by anyone again!"
"Can—can I?"
"Of course you can!"
Naruto actively took Karin's slightly hesitant and retreating small hand.