Chapter 112

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Karin calmed down faster than anyone would have expected... although Naruto was still watching her out of the corner of his eye, occasionally throwing murderous glances at Karura. As if he expected her to do something inappropriate at any moment.

While that was happening, Naruto walked over to Tsunade with a firm stride. He had a calm smile on his face, confident, almost defiant.

"Don't you owe me something?" he asked, raising his hand with his palm open, waiting.

Tsunade looked down, bringing a hand to her neck. Her fingers trembled slightly as they touched her pendant.

The green crystal that had passed through so many hands. Her grandfather Hashirama. Dan. Nawaki...

Shizune had been right. Maybe the curse didn't exist.

But even so, the fear was still there, crouching deep in her heart. Like a shadow that refused to disappear.

"I won't die," Naruto said suddenly, with certainty. "I still have a lot to do."

Tsunade looked up.

Naruto's smile widened. He kept his hand extended, patiently, knowing she would give in eventually.

And yes, he was right.

Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. Then, with resolve, she took off the pendant from her neck and placed it in Naruto's open hand.

"You better not, brat," she muttered.

Naruto nodded, never losing his smile.

But then, Tsunade took the pendant back from his hand.

Naruto looked at her, confused.

"You need someone to put it on you," she said, motioning with her finger for him to turn around.

Naruto obeyed with a mischievous smile.

"Good thing you're a beautiful woman. I wouldn't turn my back on any man."

"Idiot," Tsunade murmured with a half-smile as she carefully put the pendant on him.

She did it with more gentleness than she expected.

When she was done, she rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment, letting him know he could turn around... and then, without saying anything else, she pulled him toward her and kissed him on the forehead with affection.

Naruto opened his eyes, surprised.

"See you in Konoha," said Tsunade, turning around before he could say anything else.

Jiraiya was already waiting a few meters away, with Nawaki beside him, playing with a stone as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

Tsunade walked toward them without looking back.

Jiraiya also waved goodbye from a distance, as did Nawaki.

And so, they left Naruto, Karin, and Karura behind, who stood silently watching as they disappeared down the path.

Only then did Naruto realize Karin was standing right next to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, not hiding his surprise. He hadn't expected her to stay.

He had always assumed she would return to the village with the others.

Karin crossed her arms, as if the question were a personal offense. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going with you."

Naruto blinked, then shrugged with a half-smile.

"Alright. It's not really a problem."

The trip would be much more entertaining with Karin at his side.

Although... he preferred not to think about Hinata and Reika's reaction when they found out Karin hadn't gone back to the village with Jiraiya.

"So... what are we going to do with him?" asked Karin, pointing her thumb over her shoulder.

Behind her, Kabuto was on the ground, completely tied hand and foot, with a tight gag. He could barely move. Or complain.

Naruto didn't even look in his direction.

"We're taking him with us. I told Jiraiya I needed him for some... business."

Karin glanced at him sideways.

"What business?"

Naruto smiled.

"I'm going to loot every secret base of Orochimaru's that we find on the way to Sunagakure."

Karin let out a short, slightly incredulous laugh.

"And you think he's going to help you?"

"He'd better. If not..."

Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets as he started walking, letting his words trail off, left to her imagination.

He knew Orochimaru had spent a long time infiltrating Sunagakure while posing as the Kazekage... so he was sure several of his secret bases would be along the way.

And if there was one thing he hated more than Orochimaru, it was leaving useful resources abandoned and unused.

Orochimaru's research, twisted as it was, might prove useful in the future. And Naruto had no intention of letting that opportunity slip by.

The rope tied to Kabuto tightened with each step, as Naruto walked calmly, holding the other end without even looking back.

Kabuto, fully gagged and resigned, could only look at the sky as he was dragged along the road, with no idea where they were taking him... or if he'd live to see the next day.

His glasses, already cracked, twisted a bit when they hit a rock, but he didn't even bother trying to adjust them.

...

In a dark, damp cave hidden in the mountains of the Land of Rivers, Naruto walked forward with a firm step, guided by Kabuto's directions. Orochimaru's former subordinate had decided to cooperate, knowing that if he wanted to stay alive, he had no other choice.

"So this is one of Orochimaru's bases...?" asked Karura, looking around with curiosity. Her eyes glowed softly in the dark as she scanned every corner with care.

After leaving Tanzaku District, the group had taken the southern route through the Land of Fire, crossing the border into the Land of Rivers. It was there that Naruto decided to stop at one of Orochimaru's supposed hideouts.

"After this, we could make a little visit to Takumi Village, Naruto," Karin suddenly suggested, as if they weren't about to break into a hideout possibly filled with deadly traps.

Naruto looked at her sideways. Even though Orochimaru was dead, he knew well that his bases wouldn't be unprotected.

And Kabuto... didn't exactly inspire trust either.

He was walking right beside them, free of restraints for now, his clothes in tatters and glasses askew—evidence of the long journey during which he'd been dragged like a sack of potatoes.

Even so, Kabuto allowed himself a smile as he adjusted his broken lenses.

"Orochimaru didn't come to this base very often. There are some interesting specimens, but nothing that poses a real threat."

Naruto didn't believe a word of it. The seals scattered on the walls weren't particularly complex, but they were enough to kill anyone who let their guard down.

Karin took charge of disabling them one by one, with a skill that made her talent with Fūinjutsu abundantly clear.

"As for Takumi Village..." Naruto said, looking ahead, "Don't even dream about it. I don't want to go anywhere near that place."

"Huh? Why not?" asked Karin, frowning.

"Because there's a group of idiots there who call themselves the Four Celestial Symbols Men. Their goal is to revive the founder of their village, Seimei, using the power of the Shukaku."

Karin looked at him, one eyebrow raised and arms crossed.

"And are they strong enough for you to be afraid of them?"

Naruto burst out laughing.

"I could kill them by flicking a booger at them."

Karin smiled, amused.

Kabuto, beside them, just rolled his eyes.

"Still," Naruto continued, becoming serious again, "They need the Shukaku's power for the ritual. And everyone knows I stole it—I did it in public, after all. I don't feel like those lunatics jumping me just for walking nearby."

"Mmmm... But I want to go," Karin insisted, not giving in, making puppy eyes at him.

Naruto rubbed his forehead, exasperated.

"Besides, Takumi Village is known for its blacksmithing and craftsmanship. We might find something useful and interesting," she added with a mischievous smile, trying to tempt him, knowing his fondness for weapons—despite not using them often.

Naruto looked over at Karura, who was silently following them from behind, alert like a guardian. She nodded calmly.

She wanted to see her children as soon as possible, yes... but she didn't mind a small detour. Especially if it gave her more time to convince Naruto to meet her daughter Temari.

She had already started thinking of ways to make that happen once they reached Sunagakure.

"Dealing with those four Celestial Symbol idiots is a huge pain but..." Karin's face lit up at his words, "since we're nearby... we'll stop there."

"Great!" she exclaimed, resuming her work with renewed enthusiasm, deactivating the seals like they were nothing more than cobwebs in the path.

Kabuto glanced at her sideways, frowning.

"She has a natural talent for Fūinjutsu..." he murmured.

Naruto didn't bother responding. He just shoved him by the shoulder to keep walking.

"Stop talking. Just lead us."

The deeper they went into the hideout, the more disturbing things came into view.

Naruto frowned as he passed by an old surgical table. Lying on top of it was the corpse of a young man, partially decomposed, with his torso cut open and organs exposed. The stench was unbearable.

Kabuto hadn't lied when he said Orochimaru barely visited this base.

It was a forgotten place, and that made it even more sinister.

Down the hallway, containment tanks lined the walls. Inside, human bodies floated suspended in thick liquid, most with eyes closed, as if they were asleep.

"Are they alive?" asked Karin, stopping in front of one of the tanks. Inside, a boy no older than ten floated motionless, hair covering his face.

"They're dead," replied Kabuto, his tone unchanged. "Orochimaru preserved the bodies to prevent decomposition. They were... research material."

Naruto glared at him. His indifference was almost as repulsive as the experiments themselves.

However, something caught his attention. Kabuto avoided looking at the child's tank. He passed by without turning his head, as if he didn't want to see it.

Naruto noticed immediately. Even he has limits, he thought. Though it didn't change anything.

To Naruto's eyes, Kabuto was complicit in everything. Even if he hadn't touched the children with his own hands, he had been there. He had seen. He had allowed it.

Who knew how many atrocities he had helped commit?

"We've arrived," Kabuto suddenly said, stopping in front of a large tank filled with clear water. At first glance, there was nothing inside.

"There's only one person alive in this base."

He pointed to the tank, his expression unchanged.

Karin and Karura exchanged confused looks. There was no one inside.

Naruto, on the other hand, stood still. His gaze fixed on the water inside the tank.

Could he be referring to...?