Outside the walls of Konohagakure.
"Well, do you have a way to track Code by using these claw marks?" a Konoha ninja asked, looking at Naruto with anticipation.
Naruto squatted on the ground, rubbing his fingers over the "claw marks" on a tree trunk, which resembled belt impressions. According to Amado's intelligence, Code could use these "claw marks" to move himself or others between different locations. It wasn't a space-time ninjutsu, but rather a product of space-time ninjutsu combined with science.
"Regrettably, no," Naruto shook his head slightly. "Are there many traces like this?"
"We only found four on the outer village walls. None have been discovered inside the village so far," the ninja replied. "Furthermore, under Lord Sai's instructions, three-man teams have already been deployed to monitor each of the 'claw mark' locations."
"Your Excellency, the Seventh Hokage requests your presence," an ANBU operative suddenly appeared.
"What is it?" Naruto turned his head to look at him.
"'Claw marks' have also been discovered in other shinobi villages. The village is currently holding a meeting to discuss this matter," the ANBU operative explained.
"I understand."
Feeling the faint, probing gazes from all around, Kawaki lowered his eyelids slightly, looking at his empty left palm.
During this period, Konoha had not only resumed its surveillance of him, but rumors had also begun to spread widely among the villagers. Now, wherever he appeared, people would recognize him and cast looks of animosity his way.
In the end, you are just someone being used. There is no place for you here... For some reason, the words Otsutsuki Isshiki had spoken to him back then resurfaced in his mind.
"Just an outsider... In the end, was it all just my wishful thinking...?" Kawaki laughed self-deprecatingly. He had thought, more than once, that this place would become his home, a place he would protect with all his might.
He casually picked up a bottle of mineral water and a piece of bread from the side. This was his dinner. It was also among the few foods he could afford.
Perhaps, it's time to leave... The Seventh Hokage's kind figure involuntarily appeared in Kawaki's mind. He didn't want to make things difficult for him because of his own presence.
Teacher Namikaze's guidance these past few days had allowed him to vaguely understand why he was being treated this way.
Rip~
The cheaply processed bread was dry and tasteless, entirely lacking the unique aroma and soft texture of freshly baked bread. But paired with equally cheap mineral water, it was barely palatable.
Shwoop!
"Boruto's mom has already prepared dinner. What are you doing here?" The Seventh Hokage appeared behind him.
"...Isn't it nice like this sometimes?" Kawaki quietly averted his gaze, his eyes becoming resolute. He finished the bread in his hand in a few quick bites.
"Do you think such an obvious lie can fool me?" The Seventh Hokage sat down beside him. "After all, in our family, you're the one who eats most enthusiastically."
Kawaki didn't know how to answer and could only gaze out at the village. I really like this village that you protect, Lord Seventh. But it seems... there's no place for me here...
Knock, knock!
"Come in, the door's unlocked," Naruto's voice came from within.
Kawaki glanced at the Konoha ninja monitoring him from behind, then entered the room and closed the door without hesitation. He knew these people wouldn't dare to monitor him once he entered this room.
"Have you decided?" Naruto, seated cross-legged, looked directly into Kawaki's resolute eyes, seeming to understand his determination. He picked up the Kusabimaru sword resting across his knees and asked.
"I've decided. Re-imprint Karma!" Kawaki said in a deep voice.
"I understand." Naruto let out a light breath and stood up. "Leave a shadow clone of yourself, erase your presence. No problem, right?"
Although Kawaki was puzzled, he did as instructed.
"The entire village of Konoha is covered by a sensory barrier. If any chakra not recorded in the database appears within Konoha's range, it will trigger an alarm," Naruto explained the reason. "Although the barrier only checks when people enter Konoha, you are a 'high-priority surveillance target.' I can't guarantee that the Yamanaka clan isn't paying special attention to you."
"The shadow clone will return to the Seventh Hokage's residence on its own after half an hour." Naruto handed Kawaki's shadow clone a Flying Thunder God kunai. Even with his special status, he couldn't stay with the Seventh Hokage's family indefinitely, so Konoha had arranged this residence for him.
"I can give you a guarantee. If anything happens to you, Amado will accompany you in death."
Placing his hand on Kawaki's shoulder, the two of them vanished from the room.
"Has he made any moves?" the ninja taking over the surveillance shift asked.
"Same as before." The monitoring ninja shook his head slightly. Through the play of light and shadow on the curtain, they could clearly see Amado sitting at his desk, writing something.
"You guys go rest," the relief ninja said.
"He's moving!" The guards' eyes narrowed. They saw the shadow behind the curtain stand up. A moment later, the bathroom light turned on.
"Just going to the toilet." Seeing this, the guards relaxed back into their earlier leisurely posture.
"A sound-dampening barrier has already been set up." Naruto's gaze seemed to penetrate the walls, clearly seeing the movements of the several monitors.
"Kawaki, you actually came." Amado tapped the ash from his cigarette and smiled faintly.
"What do you mean?" Kawaki was very annoyed by his all-knowing gaze.
"Your feelings about Karma are not just the hatred you think you have," Amado said enigmatically.
"Please, Lord Namikaze. You should be able to sense the Flying Thunder God kunai I left in the laboratory."
Naruto nodded slightly, left a shadow clone, and led the two of them to the laboratory.
Click~
Amado's eyes seemed unaffected by the darkness; he easily found the light switch.
"Aren't you afraid of being seen?" Kawaki sneered.
"This laboratory is sealed," Amado said, taking a bottle of slightly dark liquid from a long iron box placed in the corner.
"What's this?" Kawaki's expression changed slightly.
"It seems you still remember it." Amado drew the liquid into a syringe. "But it's normal to remember; after all, you were soaked in it for a considerably long time."
"Care to explain it to me?" Naruto broke the unspoken tension between the two.
"After Jigen selected me, I was soaked in this liquid. During the [Infusion] process, the other children like me died one after another. I became one of the only two survivors, the sole [Suitable One]," Kawaki recounted the painful memories.
"This is actually a culture medium created from Otsutsuki Isshiki's cells. The reason he soaked you all in it was to precisely screen out bodies capable of bearing his Karma," Amado explained the full reason. "He was very weak at that time and couldn't brand too many Karma."
Hiss~
Amado squeezed the air out of the syringe. "This culture medium is specially made by me. It can stimulate the [Information] about Otsutsuki Isshiki within your body to the greatest extent."
Kawaki didn't hesitate and extended his arm to Amado.
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