Anko leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, letting out a long sigh. Across the small room, Rina sat on the edge of the bed, holding her daughter close.
Grrr~
A soft but unmistakable rumble filled the silence.
Karin's cheeks flushed pink. She pretended to look elsewhere, as if the sound had absolutely nothing to do with her.
It had been a long time since either of them had eaten. Though the escape from Kusa had been swift, the journey from the Land of Fire's border to Konoha was not.
Karin was still a child—young, untrained, and hungry. The emptiness in her stomach was merciless.
Rina, meanwhile, fumbled through the folds of her worn clothes, searching in vain for anything edible. When her hands came up empty, she finally spoke—her voice soft and hesitant.
"Th-that… I'm very sorry, but could we… have a little food? Just a little?"
Anko blinked, then smacked her forehead. "Ah, seriously! I completely forgot!"
She pushed off the wall, groaning at her own oversight. "Wait right here."
A moment later, she slipped out into the hallway. Through the open door, her voice could be heard giving brisk instructions to the guard stationed outside.
Before long, a Konoha ninja returned carrying a small tray—a few rice balls, a thermos of water, and some fruit.
"Here," Anko said, setting it down. "It's simple, but it'll fill you up."
"Thank you… Thank you so much," Rina whispered, bowing her head as she accepted it.
She handed the first rice ball to Karin, letting the girl take a few hurried bites before offering her water. Only when she saw Karin's shoulders relax did Rina take one for herself, eating quietly and slowly.
The rice was plain, but to them it tasted like peace—warm, clean, and real.
Just as that fragile calm began to settle over the room, the door opened again.
Two figures stood in the doorway.
The first was Roshi, calm and unreadable as always.
The second—a blonde woman with a presence that immediately filled the space. She walked with quiet confidence.
Rina and Karin both froze.
Tsunade didn't have to say a word—her sheer aura was enough to draw eyes.
Rina instinctively set her rice ball aside, rising so quickly the bed creaked. She bowed deeply, her hands trembling.
Karin sensed her mother's fear but couldn't look away. There was something magnetic about the woman—strength and compassion intertwined beneath that commanding presence.
Tsunade's gaze softened as she took in the sight of them. Her original intention had been to wave off the formality—"Don't mind us, keep eating." But when she saw Rina's eyes, full of years of fear and submission, the words caught in her throat.
Her tone gentled. "No need to be nervous. Just tell me your names."
Rina kept her head bowed, her voice trembling. "Uzumaki Rina… and this is my daughter, Karin."
"I see," Tsunade said softly. "Rina and Karin. Understood."
She glanced toward Roshi, giving him a look that clearly said, step out. Once he obeyed, she crossed the room and sat beside the mother and daughter.
"Your arm," she said quietly. "May I see it?"
Rina stiffened. It wasn't that she didn't want to comply—years in Kusa had stripped her of that luxury. But for reasons she couldn't explain, the thought of showing this woman her scars made her feel… ashamed.
Still, obedience won over pride. Trembling, she rolled up her sleeve.
Tsunade's expression shifted the moment she saw the skin.
Rows of jagged bite marks covered her forearm—some healed, others fresh and raw. Tsunade's breath caught as she traced the scars with her eyes, moving from old to new, her expression hardening with every second.
She said nothing, but the weight in the room thickened until even Anko, outside, could have felt it.
After a while, Tsunade inspected other areas briefly, confirming what she already suspected. The marks were everywhere—evidence of years spent as a living source of healing.
Karin, sitting silently beside her mother, stared at the wounds with tearful eyes. She tried to stay quiet, but her small fists trembled.
Tsunade turned next to the girl, her tone softening again. She ran a hand gently through Karin's long red hair, then said, "You're safe here. Rest for now."
Her words were calm—but her face said otherwise.
She stood abruptly and walked toward the door, her pace quickening as soon as she stepped outside.
Roshi was waiting in the hallway. He didn't even have time to open his mouth before Tsunade grabbed him by the collar and hauled him around the corner.
He stared down at the toe of his sandal scraping away on the concrete, which had once again been a casualty of her temper. At this rate, he thought drily, I'll need a shoe budget.
Tsunade finally let go, pressing a hand to her forehead. She leaned against the wall and exhaled hard.
"I'm angry," she said flatly. "I understand it—I really do—but I'm still angry."
Roshi adjusted his collar, silent as ever.
Tsunade glanced sideways at him, her eyes heavy with something between frustration and pity. "To think the world still treats Uzumaki like this… after everything their clan gave to ours."
Her tone was low, but the emotion beneath it was unmistakable—a mixture of guilt, rage, and sorrow.
Roshi simply nodded. "Reality rarely matches what we believe it should be."
Tsunade's jaw tightened, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence between them wasn't empty. It was filled with understanding—and the quiet promise that what had been broken once would not be broken again.
Tsunade folded her arms, her earlier frustration cooling into sober focus.
"So, what do you plan to do with that mother and daughter?"
Roshi didn't answer directly. "What's your medical evaluation?"
Tsunade exhaled slowly, switching into her professional tone. "Uzumaki Rina's been subjected to long-term Chakra extraction. Her reserves are critically low, and her body's on the verge of collapse. The greater concern is psychological—trauma, exhaustion, dependency. She's in no condition to be a shinobi."
She paused before continuing. "As for the girl—Karin—she's malnourished but physically stable. Nothing serious."
Roshi nodded slightly. "Karin is young, adaptable, and shows potential. It's worth investing in her training."
Tsunade thought for a moment, then gave a small nod of agreement. "If we handle her development properly, she could become an exceptional medical-nin. Being an Uzumaki, she'll also have a natural affinity for sealing techniques."
Roshi's gaze didn't waver. "As for Rina, her physical foundation is too weak, and her mental state won't recover quickly. Given her past, if Konoha tries to treat her too kindly, it'll only make her suspicious."
He continued, matter-of-fact as ever. "Assign her an ordinary job—something simple so she can sustain herself. Keep her abilities confidential for now. Public attention will only draw unnecessary risks."
Tsunade frowned, then sighed. "...You're right. That's the most practical choice—and probably the kindest one too."
Karin's future was bright enough for both of them. That, in itself, was something.
"Alright," Tsunade said finally. "We'll go with your plan. But before that, the standard review procedures still apply. I'll have the Medical Corps and the Sealing Division run a full check—body and Chakra flow."
Her expression darkened slightly. "Kusagakure has strong sealing specialists. We can't rule out hidden seals."
She turned to leave, but before she did, she rested a hand on Roshi's shoulder. "You brought them here—so you explain everything to them. I'll handle the paperwork… and the old man."
Once she was gone, Roshi pushed open the dormitory door again.
Inside, Rina and Karin looked up at him warily.
"You'll remain in Konoha for now," Roshi said, his tone steady but not unkind. "You'll be examined by the Medical and Sealing Squads to confirm your conditions. Once cleared, you'll officially be residents of the Village."
He gestured slightly. "Uzumaki Rina—step out for a moment. I need to speak with you."
Rina glanced at her daughter, hesitant, but eventually rose to follow.
Outside, Roshi began without preamble. "As I said before, Konoha already has its own medical system. Your ability won't be required—at least, not under normal circumstances."
His words were blunt, his tone even. "But I can't promise there won't be exceptions."
Rina nodded faintly. She understood. That was why they had been brought here—because her ability still had value.
"The Village will arrange work for you," Roshi continued. "You'll receive wages and housing assistance. Until your first paycheck, the Village will cover basic living costs."
"If your unique ability is ever needed, compensation will be handled separately."
"J-job…? Compensation?"
Rina's eyes widened slightly. The words felt foreign—alien.
Roshi frowned. "Is there a problem?"
"N-no, I just…" she stammered. "I don't know what I can even do."
Her voice trembled. After years of being treated as nothing more than a living tool, the idea that her life had options was almost incomprehensible.
"The Village will assign you suitable work," Roshi replied simply. "Do you have any questions?"
"…No," she whispered. "No questions."
Not being caged, not being bitten—this alone already exceeded anything she had ever dared to hope for.
"Then that's all for now," Roshi said. "Rest. The Medical Squad will come for you soon."
He didn't mention Karin's future; that could wait until they both had time to breathe. For now, peace—even temporary—was enough.
He turned to Anko. "Let's go."
"Yes, Captain."
They started to leave, but Karin suddenly darted forward, her small hand clutching the edge of the door.
"W-wait!" She called, her voice timid but determined. "The Captain's… name. What's your name?"
Roshi didn't turn around. As he walked out the door, his voice drifted back—calm and distant.
"Roshi."
The girl repeated it softly under her breath. "Roshi…"
—
Life in Konoha didn't change with the arrival of two new residents. But for the Uzumakis, the world had turned on its axis.
After a thorough medical and sealing inspection, the mother and daughter were officially registered as citizens of Konohagakure.
The process was exhausting. The bureaucracy, the people, even the kindness—it was all foreign to Rina. She had been accustomed to simplicity, even cruelty; the sudden gentleness of this new life felt almost unreal.
But what she had once yearned for, and no longer dared to dream, was slowly becoming reality.
Under Tsunade's arrangements, Rina was given light work in the Hokage Building—cleaning, sorting, helping with errands. It wasn't difficult, and the flexible schedule allowed her to care for Karin.
They were also provided a small apartment in the residential district, the first month's rent covered by the village. Naturally, Tsunade had filed an official report—nothing of this scale could bypass the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen raised no objections. Accepting the remnants of the Uzumaki Clan was both politically sound and symbolically right. Still, the phrase in Tsunade's report—"forcibly brought back from Kusagakure"—made him pause.
He had long understood Roshi's competence. Now, he was beginning to grasp his audacity.
The matter of the Uzumaki mother and daughter concluded quietly.
Soon after, Tsunade called Roshi to her office again.
"The old man's made his decision," she said, arms crossed. "The investigation into Kusa's movements will be handled entirely by Danzo and his Root."
Roshi's brow twitched slightly. That was… expected.
Tsunade continued, "Also, he confirmed something Root uncovered. The Grass elders are after a certain relic—something tied to the Sage of Six Paths. They call it the Box of Paradise."
Roshi nodded faintly. "I see."
He had already suspected as much. The "Box of Paradise"—a legendary tool said to grant any wish—was no mere myth. Kusa's first attempt to use it, he recalled, had ended in failure.
And now, with Root interfering, their chances of success would be even lower.
History will repeat itself, he thought. Only this time, Konoha will make sure the curtain drops faster.
As these quiet calculations took root, another change began unfolding across the Village.
Delegations from the other great nations were arriving for the upcoming Chūnin Exams.
The first to reach Konoha came from the Land of Wind.
And leading them—to everyone's surprise—was not just any jonin.
It was Chiyo, the legendary elder of Sunagakure herself.
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