Chapter 191: Mother and Daughter
Uchiha Itachi moved lightly across the rooftops, guiding the two younger boys with practiced grace.
Not once did either of them stumble. Even Naruto — usually loud and impulsive — kept up without faltering.
Itachi allowed a faint smile. This proves Naruto's talent is no less than Sasuke's, he thought.
His mother had already told him about his father's decision — that he would personally guide Sasuke and Naruto in their early ninja training. Itachi didn't mind. Remaining in the village to mentor his brothers suited him fine. Whether he went on missions or not made little difference; Konoha had no shortage of powerful shinobi now.
Elite ninjas like Kisame Hoshigaki and Deidara had recently joined the village — both powerful enough to hold their own.
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Meanwhile — Grass Country
Far from the peaceful rooftops of Konoha, Uchiha Yashiro's team approached the borders of the Grass Village — the heart of the Land of Grass.
"Halt!"
Figures emerged from the surrounding brush, each wearing a headband engraved with a single grass-like emblem. The cautious tension in the air broke as they saw the unmistakable leaf symbols of Konoha glinting in the sunlight.
The leading Grass ninja quickly shifted his stance, forcing a polite smile.
"So it's our honored guests from Konohagakure," he said respectfully. "You've come a long way. May I ask what brings you here?"
Uchiha Yashiro raised a hand, signaling his team to lower their guard. He was not here to start trouble.
"We've heard your village took in two survivors from the Uzumaki Clan," Yashiro said evenly. "A mother and daughter. Is that true?"
The Grass ninja's expression froze for a brief second before he bowed again.
So… they really came for them.
Cold sweat trickled down his temple. As one of the few jōnin of the Grass Village, he knew about that pair — the red-haired woman and her little girl with similar crimson hair. Both carried the extraordinary vitality of the Uzumaki bloodline.
If these Konoha shinobi bore a grudge against them, it would be easy enough — hand the mother and daughter over, and the problem would be gone. But if the opposite were true — if Konoha had come to protect them — then the Grass Village could be in serious danger.
After all, even if Konoha had declined somewhat since the war, a weakened giant was still a giant. The number of jōnin in Konoha dwarfed their own.
Trying to hide anything would only make things worse.
The Grass ninja bowed again, trying to buy time. "Honored guests from Konoha, you must be tired from the journey. Please, come inside and rest. I will send word for that mother and daughter to meet you."
Yashiro exchanged a brief glance with his subordinates. They had been traveling for days with little rest — and the invitation was convenient.
"Very well," he said finally. "Lead the way."
The group followed the Grass shinobi into the heart of the small village.
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Inside the Grass Village
A short while later, in a dimly lit room deep within the village, a pale red-haired woman lay weakly on a narrow bed. Her once-lustrous crimson hair hung lifelessly over the edge, the ends dry and split.
Her breathing was shallow, her face drained of all color — the look of someone whose life was fading.
Kneeling beside her, a small girl leaned against the bedside, fast asleep.
The door suddenly banged open.
The little girl jolted awake in terror, instantly clutching her mother's arm, her small fingers brushing over the faint bite marks that lined it. Her red eyes widened in fear.
Please… not again.
She prayed silently that these men weren't here to take her mother. Her mother needed rest — not more pain.
The girl — young Karin Uzumaki — stood abruptly, placing herself protectively in front of her mother as two tall Grass shinobi stepped into the room.
"If you want to heal," she said through gritted teeth, "then take me! I can help too!"
The two men exchanged a brief, uneasy look. They remembered trying to draw healing chakra from the child before — it had worked, but far less effectively than with her mother.
The older ninja forced an awkward smile. "Don't worry, we're not here to use you. We brought a medical-nin to heal your mother."
Even as he spoke, the words sounded twisted in his own ears. Still, he gestured for the medic beside him to approach.
The medical-nin hesitated for a moment at the doorway, glancing nervously at the frail red-haired woman on the bed — and then at the small girl who stood in front of her like a cornered kitten, trembling yet unyielding.
It was his first time seeing them — the last remnants of the once-mighty Uzumaki Clan.
And in that quiet, dim room of the Grass Village, the faint scent of iron and salt lingered in the air — the scent of blood, chakra, and despair.
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