🌟 HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BRAVE SOULS! 🌟✨
🔥 Let the drums of destiny roar as we welcome our newest LEGENDARY adventurers… ⚔️ Buddyschlym! ⚔️ and ⚔️ Moran! ⚔️🎉⚡️ Our journey just leveled UP with their arrival!
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Naruto stood at the edge of the forest, the path before him leading to what remained of the Land of the Uzumaki.
Once, this land had been home to his clan, a place of strength and unity. Now, it was nothing but ruins, a shadow of its former glory.
By his side, Karin walked quietly, her small hand clutching the edge of his cloak. Her crimson eyes were wide with curiosity, though her expression remained subdued. Naruto glanced down at her, his heart heavy. She was just a child, and yet she had already endured so much.
Their journey here had been slow.
With Karin in tow, Naruto had adjusted his pace, prioritizing her well-being over speed. They had stopped at a small restaurant along the way, giving the girl her first proper meal in what seemed like forever.
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The restaurant was bustling with activity, the smell of freshly cooked food wafting through the air.
Naruto led Karin to a table in the corner, keeping his mask on to avoid drawing attention.
"Order whatever you want," Naruto said, his voice calm but firm.
Karin hesitated, her crimson eyes darting nervously between the menu and Naruto. "Are… are you sure?"
Naruto gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course. Eat to your heart's content."
Her reluctance melted away as she began to order dish after dish, her small frame unable to hide the hunger that had been her constant companion for years.
When the food arrived, Karin ate with an eagerness that tugged at Naruto's heart.
As they ate, Naruto's sharp ears picked up the conversations around them. The other customers were talking in hushed tones, their words laced with concern.
"Did you hear? Konoha's in trouble."
"Three villages are readying for war. Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure—imagine the chaos if they attack at the same time."
"They say the Hokage is scrambling to prepare defenses, but after all those deaths… Konoha's not what it used to be."
Naruto remained silent, his expression unreadable behind his mask. *So the rumors have already spread this far.*
Karin looked up at him between bites, her cheeks puffed with food. "Is… something wrong?"
Naruto shook his head, placing a hand gently on her head. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just finish your meal."
Once Karin was full, they continued their journey.
----
Three days later, they finally arrived.
The Land of the Uzumaki was eerily quiet, its once-thriving villages now reduced to ruins. Crumbled stone walls, broken gates, and overgrown vegetation told the story of a place that had been abandoned for decades.
Karin's small hand tightened around Naruto's cloak as they walked through the desolate landscape.
"This is… the land of our clan?" She asked softly.
Naruto nodded, his voice tinged with sadness. "It was. Before it was destroyed during the First Ninja War."
They stopped at a small clearing near what remained of a village square. Here, Naruto gently laid down the body of Karin's mother, wrapped in a simple cloth.
"We're home now," Naruto said quietly, his voice directed at the lifeless form before him. "You can finally rest in peace."
Using his Wood Style, Naruto created a beautiful tombstone, with intricate carvings on its surface bearing the Uzumaki Clan's spiral crest. He dug a grave beneath it and carefully placed her body inside, ensuring it was done with the utmost respect.
Karin watched silently, tears streaming down her face as she clutched the edge of Naruto's cloak.
When it was done, Naruto placed a hand on the tombstone, bowing his head briefly in silent prayer.
"You deserved better than what the world gave you," He murmured. "But you're home now."
With Karin's mother laid to rest, Naruto turned his attention to the rest of the ruins. His spiritual senses spread outward, searching for anything of value or importance that might have survived the destruction.
It didn't take long for him to find it—a hidden temple buried beneath layers of rubble and overgrowth. Inside, he found what he had been looking for: the shinigami masks used in sealing techniques unique to the Uzumaki Clan.
"These will come in handy," Naruto muttered, securing the masks in a storage scroll.
Karin, who had followed him into the temple, looked around in awe. "This place… it feels powerful."
Naruto nodded. "Our clan was known for its mastery of seals. Even now, their work remains."
He knelt down in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're part of that legacy, Karin. Never forget that."
Karin's crimson eyes shimmered with determination as she nodded.
----
Once everything was settled, Naruto decided it was time to leave. Holding Karin close, he activated his teleportation ability, opening a swirling gate that connected directly to his home in Konoha.
In an instant, they were standing inside the Uzumaki household.
Kushina, who had been busy in the kitchen, turned toward the sound of their arrival. Her long red hair swayed as she whipped around, a cheerful, "Welcome back, Naruto!" already forming on her lips.
But the moment her eyes landed on Karin, her entire demeanor shifted.
Her warm smile froze, replaced by wide, astonished eyes. The spatula she'd been holding clattered to the ground unnoticed. She gasped audibly, taking a single step forward before stopping, as if she couldn't trust what she was seeing.
Her hands flew to her mouth. "Red hair…!"
Kushina's voice trembled slightly. "That shade… those eyes… That's—!"
She surged forward in a flash, all but falling to her knees before the startled Karin.
"Wh-Whoa!" Karin yelped, caught completely off guard as Kushina grabbed her hands, peering into her face with an intensity that was equal parts overwhelming and mesmerizing.
"You… You're an Uzumaki!" Kushina practically breathed the words, her voice filled with awe. Tears glittered in her violet eyes, and she beamed so brightly it was almost blinding. "I can feel it, that unmistakable energy… my clan's energy! You're one of us!"
Karin froze in the wake of such fervent recognition, her shy demeanor kicking in full force. "Uh… y-yeah… hi…"
"Hi! Hi?!" Kushina laughed, joyous and wild, suddenly pulling Karin into a tight hug as if she were a long-lost sibling finally coming home. "This is amazing! You have no idea how rare it is for me to meet another Uzumaki—another member of my family—our family! You're so beautiful, too—look at that hair! And those glasses! Oh, you're perfect!"
Kushina leaned back, holding Karin by the shoulders and taking her in as if she were a priceless artifact.
Naruto, standing to the side, chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, Mom, you're kinda scaring her…"
Kushina waved him off without breaking her wide-eyed stare at Karin. "Scaring her?! Nonsense! I'm adoring her!"
She then suddenly turned her head toward Naruto, fiery resolve gleaming in her eyes.
"Where did you find her?!" She demanded.
Naruto's expression darkened slightly. "Kusagakure. They… weren't kind to her or her mother."
Kushina's face hardened, her fists clenching. "What did they do?"
Naruto explained everything—how Karin's mother had been used until her death, how the village had treated them as tools, and how he had destroyed Kusagakure in retaliation.
By the time he finished, Kushina was visibly furious. "Those bastards… they deserved worse!"
She took a deep breath, her anger slowly giving way to sadness. "But you did the right thing, Naruto. Bringing Karin here, giving her mother a proper burial… you've done more for this clan than anyone could have asked."
Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not enough. Not yet. But it's a start."
Kushina nodded, her eyes shining with pride. "You've grown so much, Sochi."
She turned back to Karin, her smile returning. "You're going to stay with us now, okay? This is your home."
Karin's eyes filled with tears as she nodded, a small, grateful smile spreading across her face.
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