"Naruto, I've already absorbed some of her blood. She'll recover soon. There's no need for resuscitation," Karin said nonchalantly.
She glanced at him with disdain. "Also, you were pressing the wrong spot. Didn't it feel a little... too soft?"
Naruto awkwardly pulled his hand back. "I-I was only trying to help. After all, Anko is a Jōnin of Konoha. Do you really think I'd take advantage of her?"
Despite his words, a trace of regret lingered in his tone. Maybe... it was too early to try anything with Sakura...
Sakura's still too green… Compared to Anko—yeah, no contest!
Haruno Sakura's eyes twitched. "Damn it, Naruto, you pervert! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
Yamanaka Ino folded her arms and smirked. "I told you, the only reason Naruto ever liked you was because he hadn't seen what a real woman looked like. Who'd want a body so flat you can see your feet when you look down?"
Ebisu adjusted his glasses with righteous indignation. "Naruto dared to touch a Jōnin? Outrageous! A low-level Genin like him will never have my approval!"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Is that really how you feel, Ebisu?"
Ebisu broke down instantly. "I'm so envious! I'm so jealous of Naruto! Waaaaah!"
Mitarashi Anko blinked, still dazed. "...What's going on?"
She narrowed her eyes at Naruto. "Listen here, brat. I have zero interest in guys like you. One wrong move, and I'll devour you like a lioness with prey."
Ebisu panicked. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean it! Jiraiya-sama! This is all your fault!"
Terumi Mei chimed in with a teasing tone, "I never imagined Konoha's kunoichi were hiding such... assets. I'm actually kind of jealous of Anko. I wonder what she eats to maintain such a figure."
Anko proudly answered, "Me? I love Konoha's tri-colored meatballs!"
Uchiha Itachi: "...!!!"
---
As Anko lay unconscious, Karin turned to Naruto with curiosity.
"I've been wondering… Why did you say you wanted to rebuild the Land of Whirlpools?"
"Didn't I already tell you?" Naruto replied. "Because I'm the last surviving member of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Oh? But your hair isn't red."
Naruto blinked. "...???"
Karin noticed his confusion and began explaining everything she knew.
"To be clear, just because someone has red hair doesn't mean they're from the Uzumaki Clan. But if someone is from the Uzumaki Clan… their hair will definitely be red."
Naruto looked puzzled. "But then… how am I—?"
Even Nagato, watching from afar, furrowed his brow. Naruto's supposed to be an Uzumaki… but why is his hair blond?
Naruto scratched his head, frowning deeply. "Wait… could it be that I'm not really from the Uzumaki Clan?"
"Nonsense!" a deep, booming voice echoed in his mind.
It was Kurama—the Nine Tails.
"I watched your mother carry you in her womb, and I saw your birth with my own eyes. I even greeted you with my claws the moment you were born!"
Naruto turned toward his inner self. "You greeted me? Wow, so polite!"
Kurama scoffed. "Hmph. I wasn't being polite—I was trying to kill you. But that damn Fourth Hokage sealed me before I could finish the job."
Naruto glared. "You bastard fox! You tried to kill me?!"
"I was under the control of that masked man at the time," Kurama explained grumpily. "Besides, you were just a baby. Not worth my effort."
The Fourth Raikage interjected, "Still… why isn't Naruto's hair red?"
Kurama's voice echoed again. "Naruto, haven't you already guessed parts of your own past?"
Naruto lowered his gaze. "Yeah… I'm not that dumb. I've thought about it a lot."
"My dad… he must have been the Fourth Hokage. Am I right, big fox?"
Kurama fell silent for a moment. He could feel Naruto's sorrow. Anyone who had suffered as much injustice as he had, simply because of who his parents were, would have built up a lot of anger.
While Namikaze Minato was praised as a hero, Naruto had only ever been seen as a demon.
"That's right," Kurama finally said. "Your father was the Fourth Hokage. He's the one who sealed me inside you. That Rasengan you use—he created it."
Kurama didn't know why he felt compelled to say more than necessary. Maybe it was because he could feel Naruto's swirling emotions—pain, anger, grief, and a deep, bitter loneliness.
But Naruto didn't cry. Instead, he turned to Karin and gave her a dazzling smile.
"That's right. I am an Uzumaki!"
Karin blinked. "But… but your hair…"
"Don't ask me that again," Naruto said with a cheeky grin. "Don't you think I look even more handsome with blond hair?"
"...Handsome?"
Karin stared at Naruto. Sunlight filtered through the treetops and danced on his golden hair. His innocent smile and glowing eyes made her heart skip a beat.
He really is… kind of handsome.
Suddenly, Naruto grabbed her hand and leaned in.
"What's the matter? You're blushing now? I know another girl who blushes all the time—Hinata!"
"Y-You idiot!"
"Huh? Why are you yelling at me now?"
"Because… you're so damn slow!"
"Slow?! I'm the fastest Genin in Konoha!"
"That's not what I meant!"
"Then what did you mean?"
"I—I'm not telling you!"
"..."
As their playful banter filled the forest, sweeter than even Anko's beloved meatballs, the Jōnin slowly stirred awake.
Anko opened her eyes, still uncertain. Should I say I'm awake… or keep pretending to sleep?
Before she could decide, Naruto turned to her.
His instincts were incredibly sharp.
"Hello, Sister Anko. Looks like you're finally awake!"
"...Sister Anko?"
Anko blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to call her that. But she didn't dislike it. In fact… she kind of liked it.
"You… Naruto, right? Did you save me earlier?"
Naruto shook his head. "Not really. I just happened to pass by and saw you lying unconscious. I'm not sure what happened."
Anko frowned. That wasn't how she remembered it. In her mind, Naruto had charged in with a massive sword and saved her from Orochimaru.
But… Naruto was just a Genin. Could he really have defeated someone like Orochimaru?
Maybe I was hallucinating… Maybe I was just too injured.
There's no way Orochimaru would lose to a mere Genin... right?
Orochimaru: "..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled. "It seems Anko still underestimates your power, Naruto."
Orochimaru sneered. "Hmph. I was conserving my strength so I wouldn't reveal myself too early. Had I used Impure World Reincarnation, what could Naruto have done?"
Hiruzen: "I wonder… if Naruto went all out with the Nine Tails, could he have stood a chance?"
Tsunade: "I think he might. The Nine Tails seems to actually like Naruto."
Tobirama Senju frowned. "No. The Nine Tails is simply using Naruto to gain freedom. Just like the Uchiha… and the Uzumaki. You can't trust either of them!"
Madara Uchiha: "Hmph. The Uchiha never needed Konoha's trust. If my clan had followed me, the massacre would never have happened."
Madara Uchiha: "Get too close to Konoha, and you're bound to die."
Uzumaki Mito: "…"