Uzumaki Friend

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Naruto narrowed his eyes when Tanuki and his team had finally left his line of sight. Tanuki was surprisingly skilled than he thought, and he had an extremely rare and dangerous Kekkei Genkai. That Sai guy had a unique Jutsu to bring his drawings to life. While the girl in the mask was a complete mystery to him. She didn't say a word, but Naruto could tell she specialized in Genjutsu. Her chakra levels were Chunin Level, and like Sai, he couldn't sense any emotion coming from her.

But he did feel a glimpse of sadness and despair in her heart. Like she was in constant pain. Naruto will need to investigate her identity later, but until then, there is still one person who he can help now. Naruto and Shikamaru went to approach Karin, who Ino was treating for any wounds.

Naruto then knelt down to her eye level."Karin, are you alright?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, just a little shaken up, that's all," Karin reassured with a sad smile.

"Well, let's not linger here any longer. Our fight with Tanuki and his team was not really subtle. Let's get back to that tree earlier. It seemed like the safest place at the moment." Shikamaru suggested.

"Yeah, you're right," Naruto agreed, but then he noticed Karin was still weak from the chakra drain, so he then gently grabbed her and held her bridal style.

"EEEPPP! N-Naruto? W-What are you doing?" Karin asked, with a huge blush on her face. But Naruto ignored her question, as he was the first to jump onto the tree branches and quickly head towards the large tree where they had been earlier, thinking it was the safest place to be at the moment.

As they jumped, Karin couldn't help but gaze upon Naruto's face, as her blush deepened at how calm and handsome he looked. And the fact that being in his arms made her feel safe and warm gave her butterflies in her stomach.

Ino could only pout at the 'romantic' scene before her as she and Shikamaru ran alongside Naruto. Her control over her jealousy has improved lately, but this is just ridiculous. How could anyone NOT be jealous at this?!

When they arrived at the tree, Naruto gently placed Karin on the ground. After confirming the area was secured at the moment, Shikamaru decided to lay back and relax while Naruto, Ino, and Karin were eating their lunch. They were currently enjoying some homemade rice balls made by Ino's mum.

Karin, however, was having trouble eating, as she couldn't stop thinking about her dead teammates. Naruto noticed this and decided to console her.

"I'm sorry about your teammates, Karin," Naruto said. Karin was quiet at first until she finally spoke.

"....They may be bone-headed and unconsidered assholes...but they were still my teammates. And they didn't deserve to die the way they did.....and it was all because of me. Those guys came after us because of me." Karin said as she started to cry out tears of guilt.

"This is not your fault, Karin," Ino said reassuringly as she patted the redhead's back to console her.

"Exactly. You didn't do anything wrong. This was all Tanuki and ROOT." Naruto said with venom in his voice.

"W-Who...who are these people? What do they want from me?" Karin asked.

"Tanuki is an agent of ROOT. It's a subdivision of our Village's ANBU organization. But the thing is, they don't take orders from the Hokage. Instead, they only serve one man, Danzo Shimura." Naruto explained, as he literally spat when he said the old war hawk's name.

"Isn't he one of Konoha's Village Elders?" Karin said as she recalled her studies in Konoha.

"That's the one. But unlike Sarutobi Sensei, Danzo doesn't see shinobis as humans. Instead, he only sees them as disposable weapons. He even forcefully educates his agents with this philosophy by wiping out any trace of human emotion in them. Making them a 'perfect tool.'" Naruto said.

Karin felt a cold chill crawling up her spine when she realized what could've happened to her if she had been captured.

"So you're saying if they had taken me...." Karin started.

"You would've been brainwashed into becoming a ROOT agent.....whose mind, body, and soul will solely live to obey Danzo's every command," Naruto finished.

Karin was beyond shocked. How could someone so evil live freely in Konoha and not be arrested or, better yet, executed?

"W-Why doesn't the Hokage do anything about this?! What this Danzo is doing is inhumane, and he has to be stopped!" Karin demanded to know.

Naruto wanted to say that the Hokage they had wasn't exactly the best, but he held his tongue for now, knowing his teammates were there; his actual thoughts would be better to be hidden for now.

"Without solid evidence, Sarutobi Sensei can't prove that ROOT is still active when on paper, it is disbanded. Besides, it's not like we haven't tried. Every time we capture or kill a ROOT agent, their bodies would just burst into flames until only ash remains. Whatever Fuinjutsu Danzo used, he made sure never to leave a trace. That bastard also has the backing of the other two elders and the fucking civilian council...." Naruto said frustratingly, but then an interesting thought came to his mind.

".....But I think we finally got him this time," Naruto said, with his eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked.

"That dumb son of a bitch, Tanuki, just admitted out loud that he was acting under the orders of Danzo. And we ALL heard it." Naruto explained excitedly.

"But....that's still not really solid evidence, Dattebayo. It's just your word against his." Karin pointed out.

Ino was also skeptical until she finally realized what Naruto was trying to say.

"...Unless I heard it," Ino said in shock at the revelation.

"Bingo. Ino-chan is a Yamanaka. They are blessed with superhuman mental strength and resistance. Her memories can't be tampered with or altered, making her the perfect witness. And once her father, the head of Konoha's T&I department, sees her memories of this encounter, that old war-hawk is dead in the water." Naruto explained his near-flawless plan.

Shikamaru, who was listening to their conversation, had to admit, whether it was a long shot or not, Naruto's idea could possibly work against the near-impossible scenario of taking down ROOT once and for all.

"That...could actually work, Naruto. Holy shit, even for me, that's pretty smart." Shikamaru admitted.

"Hehehe, well, for now, let's not bet all our money on this. We still don't know where ROOT's secret headquarters is. But right now, I'll settle for Danzo being removed from any position of power in Konoha. That will, at least, be a start." Naruto said as Ino and Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

Karin was happy that her new friends were able to find some hope in her grave misfortune. It gave her comfort that her teammate's death meant something in the long run.

"So....what now?" Karin asked the trio.

"Well, we actually came looking for a Heaven Scroll until Naruto sensed you were in danger. So I guess we just pick up where we left off." Shikamaru explained.

This made Karin blush once more. "You....you came.....just to help me, Naruto?" Karin asked with a blush on her face.

"Yup. I knew those guys were bad news, and I didn't want anything to happen to you. But...I'm really sorry that we were too late to save your teammates, Karin." Naruto apologized.

"It's okay, Naruto. I'm still very grateful that you saved me. And...as a show of gratitude, here." Karin reached into her pouch and pulled out a Heaven Scroll.

"A Heaven Scroll! That's exactly what we need." Ino said excitedly as she takes the scroll out of Karin's hand.

"Yeah, I...I don't really need that anymore now. I guess I'm disqualified from the exam since I lost both my teammates," Karin said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Karin." Naruto couldn't help but apologize once more.

"Tee-hee, stop apologizing, Dattebayo. The only reason I want to become a Chunin in the first place is so I can have more options when it comes to missions outside of Kusa. And hopefully, find other Uzumakis like me." Karin said as she locked her eyes with Naruto's.

"..... And yet, you found me," Naruto said smoothly as he looked into her red orbs.

".....And yet, I found you," Karin repeated as she continued to look into his blue orbs.

'...DAMN IT!' Ino pouted in her mind as another cute girl had been added to her boyfriend's life.

"Karin, can I ask you something?" Naruto asked out of the blue.

"Sure, anything," Karin answered.

"Are you happy? In Kusagakure?" Naruto asked, which surprised her by his bold question, but she decided to answer him honestly.

"....Honestly, no. My parents managed to escape when Iwa, Kumo, and Kiri destroyed Uzushiogakure (Hidden Eddy Village). My dad passed away a few years later from an incurable disease, leaving my mother and I to fend for ourselves. We were allowed to take refuge in Kusagakure, but only on the condition that she healed the village's wounded." Karin explained her past.

"So your mother is a medical ninja?" Ino asked.

"Not exactly. As Uzumaki, we are blessed with immense longevity and tremendous reserves of chakra and vitality. My mother and I, however, were special, as we had inherited a much stronger life force that also grants powerful healing capabilities, allowing me to mend wounds and regenerate quickly. Even more, by biting myself and consuming some of my chakra.

But...we can also heal others....by letting them bite us." Karin explained.

"So.....they just bite her?" Shikamaru asked.

"....Bite US," Karin corrected as she showed the many bite marks on her right arm.

"By the Sage of the Six Paths," Ino was beyond shocked when she saw them.

"But.....what happens to your mum?" Naruto asked. Karin immediately tensed at the question, remembering it as the worst day of her life.

"....One day, the village suffered many casualties following a surprise attack. My mother upheld her duties and healed the wounded at the Kusagakure hospital. But.....she died.....after transferring too much chakra to the wounded. Immediately afterward, the duty was passed down onto me." Karin said sadly.

"....How old were you then?" Naruto asked.

"I was only eight. She just bought me my new glasses the day before. And when I saw her body, I only had a few seconds to mourn her before they dragged me away to heal the wounded. I still remember the first time they bite me. I didn't even get a say as they sank their teeth into my skin and sucked out my chakra..... it was even worse when I had to do it with so many wounded at the same time...That was the day I felt so empty. I just...I just want...." Karin couldn't finish her sentence as she let out a few tears.

Naruto then instinctively pulled her into a warm hug.

"I'm so sorry, Karin. You and your mother didn't deserve to be treated that way." Naruto whispered in her ear.

".....I'm still treated that way, Naruto. I called my teammates assholes because they treated me just like everyone else in the village. An outsider. A tool. A fucking piece of meat whose only value is being bite on so that they could feel better and stronger. So no. I'm not happy in Kusagakure." Karin said as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

Naruto then pulled away from the hug and looked at her in a serious manner.

"What if I say I can offer you a place in my home?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"You have a home?" Karin asked, slightly surprised.

"Like you, Karin, I've been trying to find other Uzumaki survivors. And hopefully, with their consent, bring them to my home, so they can be safe from those who wish to exploit us. And since you're not happy in Kusagakure, how do you like to make my home your new home?" Naruto asked.

"I....I...I don't know if it's even possible, Naruto. I'm still a registered Genin of Kusa and a highly valuable asset to them. If I leave, I'll be branded a Missing Nin. I'll be hunted my entire life." Karin said sadly.

".....Not unless they think you died in the Second Test," Naruto said with a smirk.

"D-Died??" Karin asked fearfully.

"Yup. If I recall correctly, it seems that your late teammates looked like they had been mauled by a large vicious animal, and their bodies are now barely recognizable." Naruto started.

"....And it is possible that said animal was carnivorous and managed to consume you whole." Ino continued.

"...And the only thing that remains of you is your headband. Proof that you had died alongside your teammates." Shikamaru finished.

While Team 10 were smirking at each other for a job well done, Karin felt slightly disturbed.

"Do you guys...fake people's deaths often?" Karin asked. Naruto, Ino, and Shikamaru looked at each other awkwardly as they realized their very quick, out-of-the-box idea made their character look slightly shady.

"ANYWAY..." Naruto decided not to answer. ".....The point is that this is your best way out. So....what do you say?" Naruto asked with hope in his eyes, which Karin was able to notice.

No one has ever done something so genuinely kind for her, ever since her mother passed away, except her master. She had always felt alone and unwanted. And seeing how much her fellow Uzumaki hoped she could live with him immediately made her heart skip a beat. She then instantly hugs Naruto in a tight embrace.

"Are you kidding? Of course, Dattebayo! But there's still one problem. If I go to the Tower with you guys, they will register my name, and my 'fake death plan' goes out the window." Karin pointed out.

"Not a problem." Naruto said as he made a cross-sign seal with his fingers."Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A single clone appeared next to Naruto. "My clone will teleport you to the home. For your safety, you'll need to stay home until the exams are over. And don't worry, there's plenty of food and supplies in the pantry. I'm sorry you couldn't bring any of your belongings from Kusa, though." Naruto said.

"Actually, I have them all right here," Karin said as she pulled a storage scroll from her back pouch.

"You packed all of your stuff in a Sealing Scroll, already?" Ino asked.

"Well, I don't really have any friends or anyone I trust in Kusagakure. Also, in case I managed to make it to the survival stage of the exam, which I did and got myself killed somehow, I rather not have my precious belonging ransacked by those Kusa parasites. They've stolen enough from me already." Karin explained.

"Then I guess you don't have to worry about leaving anything behind then," Naruto said.

".....Except for my mum's grave, but I'm sure she'll understand. I hope." Karin said.

"As long as you're safe and happy, your mother will rest in peace in the Pure World. And as long as you remember her in your heart and mind, she will always be with you." Naruto said with a smile, which made Karin smile as well.

Feeling a great sense of comfort from his words, Karin happily hugged Naruto once more.

"Thank you so much, Naruto," Karin said.

"Hey, we Uzumakis gotta stick together, right? And don't worry about ROOT. The House is protected by powerful security seals. Only those I allow may enter. Which reminds me." Naruto said as he grabbed Karin's hand and placed the Entry Seal on her palm.

"Think of this as a key only you can use," Naruto explained. Karin nodded in understanding and walked towards Naruto's clone.

"Are you ready?" The clone asked. When he said that, Karin immediately took off her Kusa headband and threw it away.

"I am now....." Karin answered the clone with a smile and then turned to Naruto.

".....I'll see you in five days, Naruto-kun. Good luck in the exam, Dattebayo!" Karin said happily as she and the clone teleported away.

"And just like that, another cute girl is now on your list," Ino said, slightly annoyed. Not at the fact that Naruto had offered Karin a new home, but now said home has two pretty girls who like him. One of them was Anko, one of the most beautiful women in Konoha.

"So what should we do now? We have the scrolls?" Naruto questioned, his teammates ignoring Ino's comment.

"Better than staying here any longer," Shikamaru added.

"Yeah, let's..." Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence, as he felt one of his clones just dispelled and relayed a very disturbing message.

".....son of a BITCH!" Naruto cursed.

"Naruto, what's wrong now?!" Shikamaru asked. And what Naruto said next made both Ino and Shikamaru extremely worried.

"....Team 7 was attacked....by Orochimaru."