Training Field No. 44.
"Sasuke, any requirements for our new teammate?" Naruto nudged Sasuke with his elbow.
Sasuke remained calm, replying in the simplest way: "Just don't be a burden."
Kakashi lounged against a tree, lazily flipping through "H-The Paradise", occasionally glancing toward the field's edge.
"I wonder what kind of Root ninja they'll assign," he thought.
Before long, "Ting" appeared outside the training grounds, leading a Root ninja wearing a mask. "Ting" nodded to Kakashi, who acknowledged him. Then "Ting" simply vanished in a teleportation move—no words exchanged. When his gaze flicked toward Naruto and lingered on Sasuke for a moment, Kakashi sensed something, but "Ting" was gone.
Now relieved (especially after the "Ting"-"Kappa" incident that strained his relationship with Danzo), Kakashi spoke up:
"Introduce yourself."
The masked ninja slowly removed her mask. At that moment, even Sasuke couldn't help but be drawn in.
"Wow—what beautiful eyes."
Her black hair brushed her shoulders, framing finely chiseled features. Most striking were her ruby-red eyes.
"A Root ninja. Codename 'Xin'."
"You can also call me Karin."
"Nice to meet you—please, be kind to me."
Her energy was bright and infectious—nothing like typical Root stoicism. That smile—even Kakashi froze, sensing an echo of the Fourth Hokage.
Out of view of the others, she cheekily stuck her tongue out at Naruto. So, Karin was joining Team 7.
Her hair was dyed black with special Root pigment—roots can't be removed with ordinary chemicals. Red like the Uzumaki clan—too conspicuous if left unmasked.
The Root of today was a different beast: Danzo's grip was broken; now Root was divided—some loyal to him, some to Naruto. Still, as long as Naruto agreed, Danzo's orders held.
More than just Karin—"Ting" was also someone Danzo never expected inside Root.
Whoops.
In no time, Karin's charisma and acting skills allowed her to blend into Team 7—even Sasuke and Sakura accepted her.
Under her subtle guidance, the fractured team began to gel, tensions eased.
"She's easy to get along with," Kakashi thought, leaning on a tree. "Though… can she be that genuine? After all, Root ninja aren't simple."
"Karin, Xin—you're up." Sasuke strode forward, hands in pockets, looking cool. "Let's see if you're strong enough to stay with us—or do we send you off?"
Naruto, copying Sasuke's words internally, sighed: "He means, prove your strength before we accept you… definitely excluding Sakura."
Sasuke, brimming with confidence after holding his own against Kakashi, believed he was truly strong—enough to beat any jonin-level ninja below. Among peers? No one stood a chance.
He tightened his grip on a kunai. "Let the match begin."
But Naruto knew better—Karin was one of his trainees too, even sparred with "G" and the Uchiha—her chakra far exceeded Sasuke's.
"Go ahead," she replied with a brilliant smile.
Sasuke hesitated for a split second as he saw her grin—a grin strangely reminiscent of Naruto when he tricked him.
"Probably just a coincidence," he steeled himself.
He launched forward without activating his Sharingan, wielding only a kunai.
"Let me show you there's more to a Root ninja." He thought, stepping confident.
Then—BAM!
A fierce strike to his abdomen left Sasuke doubled over. A huge fist filled his vision; Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi watched as he was sent flying.
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