Chapter 59: Saving Karin!

"The second round of the Chūnin Selection Exams... officially begins!"

As the start time arrived, Anko Mitarashi's voice rang out through the loudspeakers to all proctors and participants.

The proctors stationed at the gates immediately pulled out keys and opened the metal doors, calling to the genin: "Go in."

In a flash, the teams that had passed the first test either blurred into shadows as they dashed forward, took up the classic ninja run with fists pulled behind them, or simply strolled in without haste.

Team 8 belonged to the last group.

"Izayoi-kun, should we take the initiative?" Hinata asked.

"No rush. First, we need to find someone."

Activating his Tenseigan, Izayoi's gaze expanded to an overhead god-like view. He scanned the entire Forest of Death like a surveillance network, flipping from one squad to another.

Soon, the location of Karin and her two teammates came into focus.

"Follow me." Izayoi vanished with a flicker.

Hinata and Shino immediately followed.

"Izayoi-kun… are you going after that Grass girl?" Hinata seemed to have an idea of his plan.

"Mm. I can't let talent like hers go to waste." Izayoi nodded.

For this exam, Izayoi had prepared thoroughly—even putting on colored contact lenses to hide his Tenseigan.

He was going to change the fates of two people—one of them being Karin.

After his run-in with the black market, Izayoi realized how inconvenient it was to work alone.

If he hadn't kept Zabuza and Haku alive, he still wouldn't have a single human puppet to his name.

White was a decent tool, but loyal only to Zabuza. And Zabuza, as far as Izayoi was concerned, was untrustworthy—too risky to recruit a rogue like him.

But ever since then, Izayoi had been seriously considering building his own faction.

And Karin… was on his shortlist.

Despite the annihilation of her clan, the death of her parents, and the loss of any legacy, she still awakened every ability of the Uzumaki bloodline by the age of sixteen.

Even in the long history of the Uzumaki Clan, Karin's talent ranked among the best.

Even without altering her fate yet, Karin's current trait list already outshone many of the Rookie Nine:

Uzumaki Bloodline (Purple), Chakra Control (Purple), Medical Prodigy (Blue), Jōnin Potential (Blue), Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)

Just like how there are different grades within the Red tier, even though Naruto also had the Uzumaki Bloodline (Purple), Karin's red hair showed she had much higher purity—possibly even more than Naruto, despite him housing his ancestor's chakra.

And Izayoi was absolutely sure—those five traits weren't her limit.

He himself had unlocked Medical Prodigy (Blue) the moment he first studied medical ninjutsu.

The Uzumaki clan was naturally gifted with sealing techniques.

If Karin started learning fuinjutsu, she'd almost certainly unlock Sealing Prodigy (Blue) as well.

That would give her six powerful innate talents.

No way Izayoi was letting a gem like her end up in Orochimaru's hands.

Hinata and Shino didn't know Izayoi's full plan, but Shino caught on to a few things. He adjusted his sunglasses and warned:

"Izayoi, you're planning to recruit a ninja from another village? That's illegal."

"Will you report me?" Izayoi asked with a smirk.

Shino thought about it. "If you don't take her out of Konoha, I won't."

After all they'd been through, Shino already saw Izayoi and Hinata as comrades.

Izayoi never ignored him like Naruto and the others had. He genuinely liked Izayoi.

He wouldn't sell out a friend.

As long as that friend didn't betray the village.

Keeping a foreign ninja in Konoha without permission? That would be a serious diplomatic incident.

As heir to the Aburame Clan, Shino couldn't overlook that.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Izayoi nodded with a smile.

Seeing how quickly Izayoi agreed, Shino added, "If you need any help, just ask."

"You and Hinata can take care of the two other Grass Village genin."

At full speed, Team 8 quickly closed the gap between them and Karin's squad.

Meanwhile, Karin was being ordered around by her teammates.

"Hurry up! If we get found, we'll leave you here."

"S-sorry!"

"Useless trash. If it weren't for your healing jutsu, we wouldn't even bother bringing you."

"I-I'm sorry…"

Bullied and threatened by her team, Karin didn't even think to resist. She trembled as she set up traps, apologizing like she truly believed she deserved it.

Such was the fate of outsiders.

Though Karin had grown up in Grass Village, her mother wasn't from the village. Even as a kunoichi, she was always an outcast.

Despite possessing powerful vitality and Body Healing, Karin and her mother were used as nothing more than medical batteries.

Anyone injured would come and bite them to recover chakra.

In the end, Karin's mother—who had inherited the Uzumaki Clan's vitality—died young from overuse.

Now, Karin was a near-sighted, undernourished tool.

Grass Village had a knack for copying foreign jutsu, yet they never figured out what red hair and Body Healing actually meant.

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"

As Karin set another trap, a shout rang out behind her—followed by a powerful whoosh.

Before she could react, boom—one of her teammates was blasted against a tree like a painting on a wall, blood spurting from their mouth.

The other didn't even have time to scream before being swarmed by bugs and collapsing in agony.

Karin dropped to the ground in fear, face pale as snow.

Then a warm, gentle voice reached her.

"Yo, we meet again."

Looking up, she saw two boys and a girl standing before her.

The one in the middle—Izayoi—smiled at her.

Karin's eyes widened behind her glasses. "You're that guy!"

"Let me see your arm."

Hinata knelt down and gently pulled up Karin's sleeve.

Her expression instantly turned fierce.

Karin's arm was covered in bite marks—each one a different shape and size.

That wasn't what angered Hinata.

She and Hanabi bit Izayoi every day, absorbing his chakra—and not once had they left a mark.

Because their absorption rate never outpaced his regeneration.

But Karin only had two teammates, yet just one arm was full of marks—proof that her chakra recovery couldn't keep up with what was being drained.

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"

Hinata stood up and launched another strike, this time directly killing the critically injured Grass Village genin.

She hadn't spoken a word of comfort to Karin.

But her actions said everything.

Karin's eyes welled up with tears.

Since her mother died, this was the first time in years anyone had cared about her.

And the one who did… was an enemy.

~~~

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