She was even volunteering to "run away"?
That only made it more suspicious.
It felt less like retreat—and more like misdirection.
Inside the projection, Karin spoke with righteous conviction.
"Of course I was helping."
"You listen to me. I passed by a village the other day and saw a group of people bullying a kid named Naruko."
Naruto's expression changed instantly. His gaze snapped toward her.
Karin either didn't notice—or pretended not to.
"At first, I was going to leave. But then I heard some old men bragging. They said they'd split up Naruko's family's money, house, even the meat in storage…"
"There was this one guy showing off a scarf. Said Naruko's mother had knitted it for her. He took it. Said it was really comfortable."
Sasuke felt something go wrong in his chest.
He reacted immediately.
"Karin. Shut up. Don't spout nonsense here."
Neji's face turned pale as well. He looked at Naruto urgently.
"Naruto, don't listen to her. She's deliberately provoking you."
But neither of them noticed the faint dark gleam passing through Karin's eyes.
Nor did they see the red glow beginning to pulse beneath Naruto's lowered lashes.
Silence fell.
Every word Karin spoke struck with surgical precision—aimed at one person's deepest scars.
Sasuke's rebuke carried a thread of panic. He knew Karin never acted without purpose.
Neji tried to pull Naruto back with reason.
"Naruto, she's baiting you."
But Naruto…
He kept his head lowered.
When Karin casually described how they "divided up Naruko's money, house, and meat"—
When she recounted how a mother's scarf became a trophy—
That faint red flicker pulsed once.
Like an ember buried in ash, stirred by a malicious wind.
Karin ignored the warnings.
She puffed her cheeks, playing offended.
"I'm telling the truth! I'm the most honest person ever!"
Facing Sasuke's blazing glare, she pressed on—her tone turning sharper, more vivid.
"You don't believe me? I even heard the village chief say this."
"He was smoking, squinting, telling the others—'It's fine to bully Naruko, but remember—don't let her die.'"
"'Throw her some leftovers once in a while. Spoiled is fine. Think of it as… raising a stray dog. And assign a couple people to show her a little kindness now and then.'"
"The villagers nodded along, smiling."
"One of them even laughed—'Village chief, raising a watchdog costs more than raising Naruko. Don't worry. We get it. She's a tool for the village.'"
"'Exactly. It's like training a dog—beat it first, then toss it a bone.'"
"They even talked about the future."
"'Naruko's parents were strong. The kid looks tough too. Once she grows up and learns some skills, she'll protect the village like her parents did. Then our lives will be even more secure.'"
Training like a dog.
Cheaper than a dog.
Raise her to protect us.
Each phrase was a rusted blade—dull, slow, grinding into a heart long numbed.
Not sharp agony.
Something worse.
A suffocating, festering dissection.
The sour smell of spoiled milk.
The cold wind through broken walls in winter.
The disgusted stares of passersby.
Children shouting "monster" and throwing stones.
The crushing loneliness at night.
All of it surged back at once.
The red light beneath his lashes flared violently.
Naruto's body began to tremble.
At first, barely noticeable.
Then uncontrollable.
His clenched fists creaked as nails dug into flesh. Warm blood slipped through his fingers.
An invisible pressure radiated outward—not chakra.
Something heavier.
Something colder.
"Ka…rin…"
The voice scraped out of him like gravel dragged across stone.
Dry.
Broken.
Not anger.
Not accusation.
Just confirmation.
Karin stopped speaking.
The offended expression vanished.
What replaced it was feverish exhilaration.
Her scarlet eyes gleamed as she watched him—like an artist admiring a masterpiece nearing completion.
Sasuke could endure no more.
The suffocating pressure from Naruto was becoming unbearable.
"Shut up!!!"
He roared, thrusting out his remaining hand.
The last of his chakra surged forth, crackling into a spear of violet lightning that tore toward Karin.
He had to interrupt her.
Had to stop her from pushing Naruto over the edge.
The lightning screamed across the crater.
Karin did not move.
She merely tilted her head slightly.
The attack grazed past her hair and struck the ruins behind her—missing entirely.
She turned back to Sasuke, smiling sweetly.
"Sasuke~ how could you?"
"I was talking about something very important."
"That's so rude."
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