Misaki Uzumaki's fingers tightened unconsciously, squeezing Karin's small hand until it turned white. Her back was pressed against the hostile gazes of the Grass ninja—those looks were like they were shooing away a plague, wishing they would disappear immediately.
Why... why is [JIN] after us?!
Her throat tightened. The terrifying rumors flashed through her mind. The [JIN] organization refines living people into puppets, Menma's Nine Masked Beasts feed on human blood, and no one who sets foot in their base ever comes back alive...
"L-Lord Menma..." the lead Jonin's voice trembled, his head bowed. "The Uzumaki bloodline... is right here..."
He secretly nudged Misaki's back with his elbow and hissed, "Get over there! Don't get us all killed!"
But Misaki's feet felt rooted to the spot. If I go... what will happen?
The terrifying stories spread by the Hidden Cloud Village flashed through her mind. Some said [JIN] flayed the skin of Kekkei Genkai users, some said they used living people for forbidden jutsu experiments, and some even said Menma ate children...
Each version was more horrifying than the last.
"Mhm, very good," Menma's voice came from behind the mask. "You're much more sensible than the people from the Cloud."
He slowly swept his gaze over the trembling Grass ninja, finally settling on Karin and her mother.
"I will keep my promise."
The words were like a pardon. The tense bodies of the Grass ninja visibly relaxed. Someone collapsed to their knees, the cold sweat from their forehead dripping onto the ground.
"Then..."
Menma raised his hand. The inky black Spiraling Ring was still slowly rotating in his palm, emitting a heart-pounding energy fluctuation.
This action immediately made the just-relaxed Grass ninja tense up again. A few of the more timid ones had already subconsciously taken half a step back.
"This won't be needed anymore."
Under everyone's terrified gaze, Menma gently tossed the Spiraling Ring upwards—
The black sphere silently rose into the sky like a reverse meteor. The Grass ninja unconsciously looked up, their eyes following the shrinking black dot, their faces filled with confusion and unease.
What is he doing? Why would he throw something so dangerous...
BOOM—!!!!
A deafening roar suddenly tore through the sky. A violent shockwave exploded in the air, and a visible ring of air instantly expanded. The few Grass ninja closest to him were thrown back, and more instinctively covered their ears, the color draining from their faces.
When the blinding light faded—
In the azure sky, a "hole" nearly a hundred meters in diameter had appeared. The floating clouds had been completely vaporized, and the sunlight poured down unhindered, clearly illuminating everyone's pale faces.
Dispersed chakra control... the effect isn't bad.
Naruto silently assessed under his mask. This Spiraling Ring was less than half the power of the full version—without the Nine-Tails' chakra, it was essentially just a fancy firework. But for these Grass ninja, it was more than enough of a shock.
The Grass ninja stared blankly at the "hole" in the sky, then stiffly looked back down at Menma. When the hand that had held the Spiraling Ring was raised towards the Uzumaki mother and daughter, everyone unconsciously held their breath.
"Come, members of the Uzumaki clan."
Menma's voice was terrifyingly calm as he made an inviting gesture.
"Come with me."
The words were like flipping a switch. The Grass ninja immediately began to push the mother and daughter, their tones full of disgust.
"Did you hear him? Get over there!"
"Don't dawdle! Do you want to get the whole village killed?"
"Leave and don't come back!"
Misaki stumbled back, looking at the faces filled with hatred. The mouths that had once greedily bitten her arm were now spitting the most venomous words. Even after contributing all her chakra, even after enduring the pain of being bitten... in the end, she still couldn't get any protection?
"I know! We'll go on our own!"
Karin's sudden shout interrupted her mother's thoughts. The little girl slapped away the hands reaching for them, her head held high in defiance.
"Don't touch my mom!"
She squeezed Misaki's hand tightly and took a step forward. Her small back was straight, as if she were trying to shield her mother from all the malice with her own thin body.
The world twisted and reassembled in an instant.
The Uzumaki mother and daughter felt a blur, and the surrounding scenery shattered like a broken mirror. When their vision refocused, they both froze—the main gate of the Hidden Grass Village had been replaced by an elegant Japanese-style guest room.
The tatami mats gave off a faint scent of rushes, and the sound of a hot spring flowing could be heard from outside the paper door. A wooden sign hanging on the wall read "Inu-no-Yu," one of the most famous hot spring inns in the Land of Hot Water.
Was that... a Space-Time Ninjutsu?!
Misaki had heard of such techniques, but this was the first time she had experienced it herself.
"Rest for a bit,"
Menma's voice was suddenly much more casual, completely different from the oppressive air he had in the Hidden Grass Village. He sat casually by the low table.
"I've already notified Tanuma to come over. He'll arrange everything for you," Menma pointed at the tea set in the corner of the room. "I won't be here for long. If you have any questions, you can ask them now."
Misaki's throat tightened. She shielded Karin behind her and knelt heavily on the tatami mat.
"Lord... you need the Uzumaki bloodline, right?" her voice was resolute. "If... if it's for research... you can just use me... I beg you, please spare my daughter..."
"Mommy?!"
Karin tugged at her mother's sleeve in confusion. Unlike everyone else, she wasn't afraid of the man before her. Instead, she felt an indescribable sense of closeness.
So strange...
She secretly sized up Menma, a strange sense of security welling up inside her. This warm feeling was something she had only ever felt from her mother.
Menma shook his head helplessly. "I think you've misunderstood. You know, you two are some of the few 'of my kind' in this world."
"Of... our kind?" Misaki's lips trembled slightly. The term completely confused her.
Menma nodded slightly and said in a lighthearted tone, "Let me introduce myself properly—my name is Menma." He drew out the sound. "As for my surname..."
"Menma Uzumaki. A pleasure to meet you~"
To lighten the mood, Naruto's tone was cheerful, but Misaki remained frozen, until—
A golden chain suddenly snaked out from behind Menma, tracing a graceful arc in the air.
"This is...!"
Misaki's pupils suddenly contracted. As an Uzumaki, she was all too familiar with it—that shining chain, that unique chakra fluctuation...
"The Adamantine Sealing Chains..."
She breathed the name of her clan's secret technique, the light of the chains reflecting on her pale face, making her wide, shocked eyes sparkle.
-------
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