Chapter 28: successful manipulation

As Karin stared at him with a blank expression, Sato couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart. However, he maintained a gentle demeanor as he asked again.

"Ah... Are you okay?"

Karin, snapped back to reality by his voice, blushed and lowered her head, murmuring, "I... I'm fine."

Grateful for his help, Karin mustered up the courage to look up at Sato and said, "Thank you... thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome," Sato replied casually, glancing at Karin with suspicion. "But I'm curious, why didn't you run away? Don't they teach you the Body Flicker Technique in your ninja village?"

Embarrassed, Karin's face turned even redder as she bowed her head. "I... I forgot."

Yes, she had forgotten.

Ever since awakening her healing abilities, Karin had been more of a support role in battles, never really engaging in combat with human or beast alike. This was her first time venturing out of Kusagakure and facing such a life-threatening situation, which explained her embarrassment.

"You even forgot how to escape? How dare you participate in the Chūnin exams?" Sato clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Judging by your forehead protector, you must be a ninja from the Kusagakure, right? With your current strength, I suggest you return to your comrades quickly."

"I... I got separated from my companions," Karin replied, her voice on the verge of tears. "I can't find them, and I have no idea where they are."

"If you can't find them, then you should proceed to the central tower and wait for them there..."

Seeing the tears welling up in Karin's eyes, Sato intentionally paused for a moment before sighing, pretending to be helpless. "Oh... forget it. Come with me!"

"Eh?"

Confused, Karin stared at Sato, unable to comprehend his intentions.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and catch up," Sato urged.

"Okay!"

Finally realizing that Sato intended to guide her to safety, Karin quickly stood up.

Rather than rushing, Sato led Karin towards the central tower. "My name is Sato, a Genin from Konoha. What's your name?"

"I'm Karin, a Genin from Kusagakure," she replied, blushing and looking away.

This shy demeanor was quite similar to Hinata's.

In truth, this wasn't Karin's true nature. She was actually quite fiery and stubborn. However, just as Sakura would act violently in front of Naruto and timidly around Sasuke, Karin, too, unconsciously displayed a more ladylike behavior in front of Sato – the hero who had saved her. Of course, shyness played a role as well.

"Don't you have a last name?" Sato asked, feigning surprise as he looked at Karin.

"Um..."

Momentarily taken aback, Karin nodded vigorously, her gaze towards Sato growing softer.

In this world, there were only two types of people without surnames. One, those whose parents were orphans, resulting in their offspring having no surnames. Two, orphans themselves, who lacked surnames. Sato's question left only one possibility.

Learning that Sato shared the same circumstance as herself, Karin immediately felt a sense of sympathy, further deepening her affection for him.

After exchanging a few words, Karin and Sato had developed a certain bond. Sato didn't increase his pace, instead, he guided Karin towards the central tower, proceeding steadily.

"Ah!" Suddenly, as they leaped from one tree to another, Karin let out a scream, as if she had discovered something.

"What's wrong?" Sato stopped pretending to be puzzled, turning to face Karin, whose eyes widened in shock as she covered her mouth, gazing at something on the ground.

"M-my... my companions are right there!" Karin stammered, her eyes welling up with tears, pointing towards two lifeless bodies lying beneath a tree.

On their foreheads, they wore the Kusagakure forehead protectors, just like Karin.

"This is not good!" Sato's complexion changed momentarily. Without saying a word, he swiftly approached Karin, embraced her like a princess, and promptly retraced their steps. With a grave expression, he stated, "There has been a battle here. The enemy might be lying in wait ahead."

"What should we do now?" Karin, still a novice, appeared lost and bewildered.

She never could have imagined that Sato's plan would run so deep. To win her favor, he had orchestrated the elimination of her companions using Shadow Clones, followed by using illusions to control beasts and attack her. Then, he emerged as the elegant savior.

Now completely caught up in Sato's scheme, Karin regarded him as her pillar of support.

"Your companions are all dead. With your current strength, even if you manage to pass the second exam, I doubt you'd make it through the third," Sato calmly analyzed. "I suggest you withdraw."

After contemplating for a moment, Karin understood Sato's reasoning and nodded vigorously. "Yes... I'll listen to you."

"To avoid any further mishaps, I'll escort you back to the entrance," Sato said.

Karin was once again captivated by Sato's gentleness.

Held in his arms like a princess, she couldn't help but gaze at him with adoration, murmuring, "Thank you, Mr. Sato."

"You're welcome. It's a pleasure to encounter a beautiful girl like you in the Death Forest," Sato replied, throwing a straight ball.

The impact of his words hit Karin, making her feel dizzy as her mind filled with the phrase, "It's a pleasure to meet such a beautiful girl like you."

Only when Sato brought her back near the entrance and gently set her down did Karin regain her composure.

Staring at the entrance ahead, Karin reluctantly looked at Sato and asked, "Mr. Sato, will we meet again in the future?"

"Definitely," Sato assured her.

Using his height advantage of 1.63 meters, Sato placed his hand on Karin's head, employing the head-touching technique often used by charismatic men to win over girls. He then took out a stack of banknotes from his pocket, placed them in Karin's arms, and smiled. "Now that you're the only one left from Kusagakure, consider this money a loan to help you return home. You can pay me back in the future."

With those parting words, Sato turned around and sprinted back into the forest.

However, after running a short distance, Sato halted and glanced sideways at Karin before making a promise. "If you encounter any trouble in Kusagakure and can't stay there, come find me in Konoha."

Finishing his words, Sato ran a few more steps before disappearing from sight, leaving Karin standing there, gazing blankly at his receding figure.

"Mother..." Karin muttered in a daze, clutching the money given by Sato tightly in her hand. "I feel like I've found the meaning of my existence."

Under Sato's successive maneuvers, Karin was slowly turning into a person molded by his influence, much like Kimimaro falling under Orochimaru's manipulative techniques during his childhood. She was beginning to take on Sato's traits.

Of course, this scheme wouldn't work on just anyone. It required not only strength but also a handsome appearance.

After all, appearance is justice, a universal truth that holds across worlds