The door of the thatched hut creaked open with a long, drawn-out "squeak."
A beam of sunlight streamed in, illuminating the figures of Karin and her mother.
Standing in the doorway was a man, and the sight of him filled both mother and daughter with fear.
They had heard the screams outside clearly. The sounds of battle had echoed through the air, and it was obvious that the Kusagakure ninja had encountered a formidable enemy.
The village had nearly a hundred shinobi, yet this man stood before them unharmed.
There was only one explanation—
The Kusagakure shinobi had been defeated!
Though those ninja had treated them as nothing more than tools, at the very least, they hadn't taken their lives.
But now that their captors had fallen, they had no idea what fate awaited them next…
"What are your names?"
The man's voice broke the silence. Swallowing her fear, Karin's mother forced herself to respond.
"My name is Ayako."
"And this is my daughter… Karin."
"We're useful. Please don't kill us."
Ayako dropped to her knees, pleading desperately.
She didn't care about her own life—but Karin couldn't die here.
Her daughter's life had barely begun…
...
Seeing Ayako's terror, Uchiha Mirai spoke calmly.
"I came because I heard about your situation and chose to intervene. You have nothing to fear."
"The Kusagakure shinobi are no longer a threat. Come outside."
Ayako froze at his words.
He… heard about their situation?
Impossible.
The Kusagakure shinobi had gone to great lengths to keep them hidden. They had never been allowed to leave this hut.
Noticing her skepticism, Mirai added, "I overheard two Kusagakure ninja talking. That's how I learned about you."
"My name is Uchiha Mirai."
"Uchiha Mirai…" Ayako murmured, before suddenly asking, "You're a Konoha shinobi?"
Mirai nodded.
At his confirmation, Ayako let out a bitter laugh.
Back when Uzushiogakure fell, Konoha had chosen to stand by and do nothing.
If Konoha hadn't broken its alliance, she and her daughter would never have ended up in this wretched state.
She had long held resentment toward Konoha's shinobi.
And yet, the one who had saved them today… was a Konoha ninja.
...
"Lord Mirai is kind and gentle. He won't harm you."
A bright, clear voice rang out.
Ayako turned to see a young girl—Ajisai—smiling reassuringly at her.
Snapping out of her daze, Ayako quickly said, "Thank you for saving us. We'll come out now."
She took Karin's hand and stepped outside.
Having spent so long in the darkness, their eyes instinctively squinted against the sunlight. It took a few moments before they could fully open them.
And then—
Their mouths fell open in shock.
Bodies lay scattered across the ground. Kusagakure shinobi, all of them, their corpses brutally bisected.
A short distance from the hut, an enormous tree had appeared, its thick branches covered in thorned vines.
Dozens of Kusagakure ninja hung suspended in the air, tightly ensnared. Their blood dripped down in a slow, steady rhythm, pooling into a crimson river below.
Limbs were strewn across the battlefield, completing the nightmarish scene.
But rather than fear, Ayako felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
This very scene had played out in her dreams countless times.
She had dreamt of vengeance, dreamt of seeing these Kusagakure shinobi torn apart.
And yet every time, she had woken up to the same cruel reality.
But now—
The ones who had exploited her, tormented her, were finally dead.
Their gruesome demise was nothing less than a balm to her soul.
She didn't know what the future held, but witnessing this moment in her lifetime… it was enough.
...
Mirai watched as Ayako clutched Karin tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
He remained silent, allowing her to grieve, to release everything she had held in for so long.
Her hair was dry and brittle, her complexion pale. Faint but unmistakable bite marks covered her exposed skin—a glimpse into the suffering she had endured.
After all these years, she had finally been freed.
Standing beside them, Ajisai wiped her own tears away.
She had thought her own past was tragic… but now she realized there were people who had suffered even more.
...
A long time passed before Ayako's sobs subsided.
She knelt before Mirai, pulling Karin down with her, and bowed deeply.
"Lord Mirai, thank you for avenging us."
Mirai spoke evenly. "Stand up. From now on, you'll live in Konoha with me."
Ayako hesitated.
She was an Uzumaki. If her identity was discovered in Konoha, it could bring them trouble.
In the worst case…
The Konoha shinobi might choose to silence them to protect their own reputation.
Seeing her reluctance, Mirai continued,
"With your special bloodline, no matter where you go, you'll always be treated as prey."
Ayako's heart sank.
So he had noticed.
Their unique abilities had been exposed once again.
Which meant their new 'savior' likely had the same intentions as the Kusagakure shinobi.
She had no illusions about human nature anymore.
He had saved them… but in the end, he probably just wanted to use them.
Still, if she wanted to survive, she had no choice but to move forward, no matter what lay ahead.
Just then, a warm hand rested gently on her shoulder.
Ayako froze, her entire body tensing in fear.
Was he testing her abilities?
As panic began to set in, a soothing warmth spread through her body.
A strange sensation washed over her—comfort, relief, something she hadn't felt in years.
Her once-dull red hair regained its luster, the bite marks on her skin vanished, and even her damaged organs healed.
In mere moments, she felt like an entirely different person.
"M-My body…"
Ayako stared at her hands, then at her arms, then at her hair. Everything had changed.
The vitality she had lost over the years—it was all back.
Just like when she had first arrived in Kusagakure… she was alive again.
"Lord Mirai… what are you?"
Ayako looked at him in astonishment.
She no longer feared him.
Because a man with the power to restore her life with a mere touch… had no reason to covet her insignificant abilities.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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