While Hinata delivered the finishing blow, Izayoi crouched down but didn't offer Karin words of comfort.
Instead, he rolled up his sleeve, extended his forearm, and smiled. "Take a bite. It'll heal those marks on your arm."
Tears already streaming down her cheeks, Karin's eyes widened in disbelief, a spark of joy flickering as she looked at Izayoi, her voice trembling. "Could it be… you too…?"
"Mm."
Izayoi nodded, spinning a white lie. "Our hair colors differ, but our ancestors were likely kin. I knew you were special the moment I saw you."
"That's… that's wonderful."
Karin bit her lip, muttering through choked sobs.
Her shoulders shook faintly.
Tears fell like rain, fogging her glasses and splashing onto the ground.
She was no longer an orphan.
She had family!
In that moment, Karin wanted to wail.
But, fearing her newfound kin might reject her, she stifled it to soft whimpers.
Izayoi said nothing, smiling as Karin vented her emotions.
Hinata stood silently nearby.
Shino Aburame, not wanting to intrude on their reunion, headed to the two corpses to search for their scroll.
Meanwhile, Shino's mind churned with guesses.
Red hair, unique healing ability, kin…
The keywords felt familiar, like something his father had mentioned.
Suddenly, Shino paused, as if struck by a realization.
He resumed walking toward the bodies, adjusting his sunglasses.
He might've figured out why Izayoi had such immense chakra.
Izayoi carried the Uzumaki clan's bloodline!
History books noted the Senju and Uzumaki were distant kin.
Before Konoha's founding, the Uzumaki lived in the ninja continent, also in the Land of Fire.
After Konoha was established, they didn't join but left for an island, founding the Hidden Eddy Village.
Konoha and the Hidden Eddy were eternal allies.
Izayoi's ancestors were either Uzumaki or had mingled with them during the Warring States, before Konoha existed.
Diluted over generations, their surname and traits faded, only to reawaken in Izayoi.
The more Shino thought, the more plausible it seemed.
No—it was the only explanation.
He understood why Izayoi wanted to recruit the girl.
Kagura Mind's Eye—Izayoi must've awakened that Uzumaki ability!
Karin cried for several minutes before seeming to realize something, gradually quieting.
"Here, wipe your face."
Hinata leaned down, offering a handkerchief.
"T-Thank you," Karin said softly, taking it.
After drying her tears, Izayoi extended his arm again. "Go ahead and bite. It'll heal your injuries."
"N-No need. I'll recover with some rest," Karin said, shaking her head.
Facing her kin, she was even more submissive than with her teammates.
Like Naruto, Haku, and Kimimaro when they first found "love," for tragic orphans, acceptance and care were light piercing their darkness.
Having seen that light, they couldn't bear the dark again.
She'd stifled her cries earlier for this reason and now hesitated to bite for the same.
Karin feared Izayoi might grow to dislike her.
Izayoi saw her fear and chuckled. "Go on, bite. My chakra's plenty strong. Get yourself back in shape, or I'll worry you'll keel over any second. Hurry!"
His tone hardened slightly at the end.
"Y-Yes!"
Startled, Karin gently grasped Izayoi's arm with both hands. She glanced at him, then at Hinata, who smiled warmly without a hint of displeasure, and whispered, "T-Then, excuse me."
Karin leaned in, biting his arm so lightly she barely broke skin.
"Harder. It's fine," Izayoi said encouragingly.
Meeting his supportive gaze, Karin blinked, gradually biting deeper.
Her eyes widened.
Her frail body, parched as if dying in a desert, suddenly drank iced spring water. It was like a starving ghost tasting a feast or stepping from winter's chill to a fireside. Warmth surged through her, flooding every limb.
The bite marks on her arm faded visibly.
Her malnourished skin gained a faint flush.
Her pale face took on color.
Even her nearsighted eyes saw more clearly.
It was… on another level entirely.
Karin's expression was one of shock.
She'd used Physical Healing on herself and absorbed her mother's chakra as a child.
But neither her nor her mother's chakra compared to Izayoi's.
If she needed to save a critically injured person, it might drain her chakra entirely, even costing her life.
For Izayoi, it'd likely take just a bit more than he'd given now.
What kind of chakra quality was this?
Izayoi, unaware of her thoughts, would've smiled if he knew.
Such was the caliber of noble Otsutsuki plus Physical Healing.
After restoring Karin, Izayoi stood, extending a hand. "My kin, want to follow me from now on?"
"C-Can I?" Karin asked, her face lighting up.
"Of course," Izayoi said, nodding with a smile. "But it means you can't be a ninja anymore. I'm not sure if I can get you into Konoha, either."
"I'm willing, I'm willing!"
Karin nodded eagerly.
Being a ninja meant nothing to her.
Her dream wasn't to fight—it was to have a home.
When her mother lived, the Grass Village was her home.
After her death, Karin had none.
Now, finding kin, she had family again.
"Great. Follow my shadow clone. It'll take you somewhere safe," Izayoi said, forming a seal to summon a clone. He pulled Karin up, patting her shoulder. "Once the exam's over, I'll come find you."
"Mm, mm…"
Karin nodded repeatedly, not the least bit worried Izayoi might betray her.
A few more days together, with her fondness growing, she'd probably help him count the coins if he sold her.
That's how loyal this world's orphans could be!
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