171. A New Companion

Everyone was confused as to who exactly Izumi was looking for. But when they asked, Izumi didn't give a definite answer. So they didn't ask again.

"Is he looking for Kabuto, to finish him off?"

"I don't know. I only understand the storyline, I just don't really understand the details of the story."

Hiiro asked Kuroneko. Hiiro had just joined the Chat Group, and because he was more interested in novels, Hiiro didn't know much about the shinobi world.

Even Kuroneko wasn't sure. Kuroneko herself thought hard about who the unique characters were during the Chūnin exam. What she remembered, apart from the ninja from Konohagakure, only Orochimaru and Gaara stood out.

A few minutes later, Izumi appeared with a red-haired girl. Kuroneko knit her brows in wonder. Then she remembered that the character of red hair had definitely come from the Uzumaki clan. A clan that was famous for various kinds of Fuinjutsu. Feeling that the Uzumaki clan was getting more and more dangerous, some countries banded to destroy the Uzumaki clan. And what Kuroneko knew, there were only 3 or 4 people from the Uzumaki clan who were still alive.

Izumi patted Karin's back and said.

"Well, why don't you introduce yourself?"

"M-my name is Uzumaki Karin. Nice to meet you." Nervously, Karin introduced herself. Like the color of her hair, her eyes are also red. She also wore a Kusagakure forehead protector.

Kuroneko pondered.

"How come Uzumaki Karin took the Chūnin exam this time? Wasn't in the first anime season, Karin was never shown at all?"

Well, unfortunately, no one answered Kuroneko since she was asking herself.

"Uzumaki?"

Sasuke and Sakura immediately turned to Naruto. They have the same surname, perhaps they know each other. But Naruto himself was also surprised.

Izumi already told Naruto that one of his parents came from the Uzumaki clan. However, he didn't know the exact identity.

Except for Konohagakure's higher-ups, no one knew Naruto's true identity. The unfortunate thing was, Danzo revealed the nine-tailed fox's seal on his stomach that causing everyone to call him a child of a monster.

"Naruto, do you have distant relatives?" Sakura's question made Naruto even more confused. He scratched his head and answered.

"I don't know. I heard the origin of my name not long ago, and it seems one of my parents was from the Uzumaki clan."

"Eh, y-your name is Uzumaki?" Karin seemed surprised to hear Naruto say that. Then Naruto introduced himself and asked.

"Yeah, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Since you have the same surname as me, are you perhaps know my father and my mother?"

"S-sorry, you're the first person I've met who shares the same surname other than my late mother."

"Is that so? Unfortunately, the Uzumaki clan is no more."

Dejectedly, Naruto didn't ask again. Naruto actually wanted to know who his parents were because he had been an orphan since he was a baby. He wanted to feel what it was like to have parents. Sometimes when Naruto was walking around Konohagakure, he saw many people his age looking cheerful while walking with their father or mother. This made him envious. [Why am I the only one who doesn't have parents?] That question was always on his mind when he saw people having fun with their families.

Izumi who saw Naruto's sadness patted his back and said.

"Cheer up! Not having parents doesn't mean you can't live happily. Just look at Luffy and Hiiro."

Izumi pointed his finger at them, then continued.

"Hiiro has been an orphan since childhood. But he is steadfast in living his life even though he likes to be alone. And even though he may not admit it, he's ecstatic to have friends to go on adventures with. Well, he is such tsundere, you know that."

"Oi, who are you calling a tsundere?"

Izumi ignored Hiiro's shout, and added.

"As for Luffy, he has never met his parents either. Even so, he is still cheerful because he has many friends."

"That's right, durian head, cheer up. I once thought that I didn't have a parent. Until Izumi said that he met my father. As long as your friends are with you, you can still be happy. You can still have fun with your friends."

Not only Naruto pondering Izumi and Luffy's words. Even Sasuke was thinking the same way as Naruto. Sasuke had the same feelings as Naruto for losing his parents and clan. This caused Sasuke to be a quiet and cold person after the incident.

"Oh right, I also have a grandfather. And my big brother as well."

"Your grandfather is surely your blood relative. But, Ace is not, isn't he? He is your sworn brother."

"Who cares? Even he's not related by blood. We're still a family."

Naruto smiled and said.

"You're right, I can't be trapped in my past. Now that I have friends, Kakashi-sensei, and Iruka-sensei who care about me. Even if they are not related by blood. They're like family to me." Then Naruto glanced at Sakura for a moment. But then Naruto looked away while continuing. "I have to keep moving on and looking to the future."

Izumi and Luffy's words made Naruto realize that there were other people who had saved him from loneliness. Naruto felt relieved and grateful that there were still people who were willing to be friends with him even though the adults in the village told their children not to approach Naruto due to the rumor of the nine-tailed fox's son.

Sasuke himself agreed with what Naruto said. But still, his desire to take revenge on his older brother who massacred his clan and killed his parents still hadn't faded.

Sasuke turned to Izumi and his group. He asked.

"I wonder, how come all of you can be so strong?"

Izumi and the others looked at each other. Izumi said first.

"Since I might be thrown in a dangerous place, I have to become stronger. I could be thrown at Majin Buu or Broly's place if I'm not lucky."

Previously, Izumi had told Majin Buu that it had a strange name, but the trio from Team 7 were confused as to why Izumi mentioned broccoli too.

"Broccoli?"

"Not broccoli, but Broly." Izumi correcting.

"Miyamura, don't raise the flag!" This time it was Kuroneko who spoke with a warning to Izumi.

"Oh right, I forgot. Sorry. No need to think about what I just said. Anyway, I have to become stronger so that there is no incident like my relatives or friends being in danger or being killed. So, training every day is a must." Izumi turned to Sasuke and said matter-of-factly. Well, naturally it was thanks to the system from the chat group, which made Izumi and the chat group members become even stronger.

Then he added inwardly.

"Not just to save my family. Perhaps, purging the world full of corrupt people is also doable."

Since Izumi would be traveling from one world to another, there would definitely be powerful enemies that could destroy a city, or a country in an instant. And lately, the mission that appeared was like forcing the members of the chat group to carry out the mission. Well, although Izumi didn't seem to mind that he could go to another world, he didn't know what others' opinions were.

"I'm trying to get stronger because I want to be the Pirate King."

"I'm trying to be stronger because I want to live freely."

Luffy and Hiiro gave their opinion. However, Kazuma and Kuroneko remained silent.

Kazuma wanted to say that he wanted to become stronger to defeat the demon lord, but if he did, it would sound strange. Moreover, he thought that why would he defeat the demon lord if the world he lived in was peaceful? Wouldn't it be better if he just slept at his mansion?

Meanwhile, Kuroneko didn't plan to become stronger, but she would rather make her delusions become reality. Becoming an actual Queen of Nightmare. That was why she couldn't say it bluntly.

Seeing that Kuroneko and Kazuma gave no reason, Izumi turned to Sasuke and said,

"Each person has the intention of getting stronger. Either for himself or the others. No need to go that far. Look at Naruto! I believe each of you once said that he was talentless, the lowest grade, or stupid. Well, I can't deny that he is still dumb. But his strength and level already par, or perhaps surpass you. Why don't you try asking, what's his reason for striving to get stronger?"

Izumi's words echoed in Sasuke's head. For some reason, Sasuke felt reluctant to ask Naruto. Whether it was because of a sense of rivalry or something else, Sasuke himself didn't understand at all.