The Land of Grass, a small border town.
Sora stood on a hillside outside the town, looking down at the simple, crude streets below.
At his feet, a small, blue-grey snake emerged from the grass, its tongue flicking lightly as it emitted a faint hissing sound.
This was a messenger snake from Ryūchi Cave, sent half a year ago to secretly protect Karin and her mother.
"In that wooden house at the southeast corner, a mother and daughter with red hair, correct?"
Sora asked in a low voice.
The little snake nodded, then vanished in a puff of white smoke.
Sora's gaze shifted toward the southeast corner of the town, where a few dilapidated wooden houses stood. In front of one of them, several pieces of clothing so washed out they couldn't get any whiter hung to dry.
He didn't go over immediately.
According to the intelligence provided by the White Snake Sage, Kusagakure had recently also taken notice of this mother and daughter with their unique chakra.
To ninja, the Uzumaki clan's constitution was an excellent "power bank" and source of healing; in the eyes of a small, resource-poor village, it was undoubtedly a valuable "resource."
Because of her powerful healing abilities, Karin was viewed by Kusagakure as a mobile medical kit.
Her mother, even more so, had lost her life because they excessively drained her chakra.
This kind of treatment was why Karin would later harbor deep-seated vigilance and hatred toward Kusagakure and the entire ninja world.
Right now, Naruto had only just been born not long ago, and Karin was probably just a one-year-old little girl.
...
Night gradually fell.
The town fell into silence, yet Sora continued to wait quietly.
Sure enough, about two hours later, three figures silently appeared in the woods at the edge of the town. They were Kusagakure ninja, at about Chūnin level.
They had clearly come prepared, heading straight for Karin and her mother's wooden house.
In the grass around the house, several lurking snakes stirred slightly, as if preparing to act, but after sensing Sora's presence, they quieted down again.
"A little longer."
Sora murmured to himself.
If he acted now, he could certainly deal with these three Kusagakure ninja easily, but doing so would only make Karin and her mother see him as a stranger who happened to help, their gratitude limited.
What he wanted was to appear at their most desperate moment.
Only then could he maximize the loyalty and trust he gained.
"Sometimes you have to play to people's hearts..."
Sora shook his head lightly, yet felt no trace of guilt.
Surviving in the ninja world, especially for someone like him who wanted to build his own power base, sometimes required using certain methods.
Down below, the three Kusagakure ninja had already reached the door of the wooden house.
One of them made a hand signal, another quietly circled around to the back of the house, and the remaining one gently pushed open the wooden door—
"Who's there?!"
A woman's alert, sharp voice came from inside.
"Don't be nervous. We're ninja from Kusagakure, on a routine patrol."
The lead Kusagakure ninja replied.
Candlelight flickered inside the house. A woman with long red hair held a little girl protectively in front of her, staring nervously at the three by the door.
"We're just ordinary residents. We haven't broken any rules..."
"We didn't say you broke any rules."
The Kusagakure ninja stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the woman and the little girl, lingering for a few extra seconds on their red hair.
"It's just that the border area hasn't been safe lately. We need to screen for suspicious individuals. You... aren't originally from the Land of Grass, are you?"
The woman's face paled slightly: "We fled here from the north as refugees. We've lived here for three years..."
"Refugees?"
The Kusagakure ninja gave a light laugh: "Then we definitely need to check more carefully. Come on, come back to the village with us to register. It'll be quick."
They said it was registration, but everyone knew what the fate of this mother and daughter would be once they entered Kusagakure.
The woman clenched her teeth, hugging the little girl tightly in her arms, despair already creeping into her eyes.
She knew there was likely no escape today.
These three ninja were clearly after their special constitution. Talk of patrols and registration was just an excuse.
"Don't waste any more time. Take them away."
The lead Kusagakure ninja, having confirmed the situation, waved his hand impatiently.
Two of them stepped forward, preparing to take them by force.
Just then, a glint of resolve flashed in the woman's eyes. She suddenly bit her finger and formed hand seals—
"Seal—"
"Huh?!"
The Kusagakure ninja's expression changed, and he immediately moved to interrupt her.
But the woman seemed prepared. Her other hand swung out sharply, scattering a cloud of white powder from her sleeve!
"Lime powder? Fall back!"
The Kusagakure ninja hurriedly retreated while covering their mouths and noses.
Seizing this brief moment of chaos, the woman grabbed the little girl, smashed through the side window of the wooden house, and dashed out!
"After them!"
The Kusagakure ninja, furious at being outwitted, quickly gave chase.
Sora watched this scene quietly from the tree.
Karin's mother reacted faster than he had anticipated; it seemed her years of fleeing and hiding had accumulated considerable survival experience.
Unfortunately, against real ninja, such petty tricks were of limited use.
Sure enough, the mother and daughter hadn't even run a hundred meters before one of the Kusagakure ninja caught up, pressing a kunai against the back of Karin's mother's neck.
"Run? Why don't you run now?"
The Kusagakure ninja sneered coldly: "We were trying to be polite, but since you're so ungrateful, don't blame us for using force!"
Karin's mother shielded Karin, her eyes filled with despair.
Karin clung tightly to her mother, tears streaming down her face, clearly terrified.
"Mom..."
"Karin..."
Karin's mother stroked her daughter's head with a pained expression, her heart full of sorrow.
She had heard some rumors—of Uzumaki like her being imprisoned, becoming tools for others to drain chakra!
If that were the case, she would rather die.
But if she died, what would happen to Karin?
Involuntarily, a seed of despair began to take root in her heart.
...
"About time for me to make my entrance."
Using the Transformation Technique to assume his original appearance, Sora leaped down from the tree and landed softly on the ground.
The three Kusagakure ninja immediately spun around, staring warily at this suddenly appearing white-haired ninja.
"Who are you?!"
The lead Kusagakure ninja barked sternly.
Sora didn't answer. He simply continued walking forward slowly, his gaze passing over the Kusagakure ninja to look at the captive Karin and her mother. He said calmly:
"Let them go."
"Kid, are you asking for death?"
One of the Kusagakure ninja drew a kunai and charged straight at Sora!
Sora didn't even look at him. He simply raised a hand and waved—
"Bang!"
That Kusagakure ninja flew backward even faster than he had charged, slamming heavily into a tree trunk in the distance and immediately losing consciousness.
The pupils of the other two Kusagakure ninja contracted sharply!
They hadn't even seen how Sora made his move!
"Who... just who are you?!" The lead ninja's voice trembled slightly.
Sora still didn't answer, just kept walking forward.
Each step carried an invisible pressure.
Cold sweat beaded on the lead ninja's forehead. He suddenly pressed his kunai hard against Karin mother's throat:
"Don't come any closer! One more step and I'll kill her!"
Finally, Sora stopped.
He raised his head, a crimson glint flashing in his eyes.
A scarlet pattern slowly spun within his gaze, and the lead Kusagakure ninja instantly froze, his whole body feeling as if it were dragged into an endless abyss, his consciousness blank.
"Thud."
He crumpled limply to the ground, completely unconscious.
Seeing this, the last Kusagakure ninja turned and fled in terror!
Sora didn't give chase. With just a look, black flames immediately erupted on the fleeing ninja's body, turning him to charcoal in moments.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—this was the extent of its power!