Sukuna strolled through the streets of Konoha, one hand in his pocket, the other dragging Karin along by the wrist. She didn't resist much—far better than Sakura—but her brows were furrowed in confusion.
"W-why are you dragging me around like luggage?" Karin finally asked, stumbling to keep up.
If it were someone else, like Naruto or Sakura, she would have flipped out long ago. The famous Uzumaki temper would have already erupted.
However, this was Sukuna.
Temper or no temper, the girl had long understood that he would take her wherever he wanted, no matter what.
"You'll see," Sukuna replied flatly, not even glancing back.
Karin puffed her cheeks, looked at the boy holding her hand, and then with a huff averted her eyes, pouting.
'Idiot.'
She wanted to be annoyed, but at the same time, she couldn't help the faint warmth in her chest. Being dragged around by him like this… it almost felt like she mattered to him.
She wouldn't say it, but she had come to somewhat depend on him. She now had more friends than ever in her life, but if anyone asked her who she would like to spend her life with the most, it would be two boys.
One was Naruto—strangely enough, the boy she fought with the most reminded her the most of home. He reminded her that she still had family left.
And then there was Sukuna.
She herself wasn't sure, but if possible, she would like to spend most of her time with this boy. With him, she felt safe.
"Hmph, if it's nothing good, then you better make it up to me," she grumbled.
"Sure sure. Count a bowl of ramen under my tab." Sukuna waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Heh, you're not getting away with this that easily." Karin shot back, not about to settle with just the usual one bowl of ramen.
One bowl hardly filled her up. She was still an Uzumaki and needed at least five bowls to feel full. Karin's food consumption had increased after coming to Konoha, and it showed.
The girl who had once been completely malnourished was now much healthier. Her complexion glowed as it should for a growing child, and she smiled more often.
This was why Sukuna didn't hesitate to pay for her and Naruto's meals sometimes.
Konoha gave allowances to the orphans in the village. It was just that, for Karin—a true Uzumaki—that allowance was far from enough. So Sukuna didn't mind paying.
Naruto didn't really need it though. He already got enough money from the Hokage. It was just that the bastard often tagged along with them to get free ramen.
Sukuna had suspended the majority of Naruto's allowance for him to use, especially on ramen. Every month, Sukuna basically snatched Naruto's monthly allowance, providing only a small portion of it for his ramen obsession while the rest went to stocking up Naruto's fridge with a more balanced diet.
When they reached the steps of Konoha Hospital, Karin blinked in surprise. The tall building bustled with patients and shinobi. And right at the entrance, she spotted Sakura, dressed in a nurse's apron, running around and helping with bandages.
Even Karin had to admit the little girl looked cute in that getup. But why the hospital?
In fact, Karin particularly didn't like places like hospitals, given her past experiences. Anything related to hospitals and healing made her recall her life in Kusa, her mother's death.
It was a nightmare Karin wished to forget. However, some memories are hard to lose.
The moment Sakura caught sight of Sukuna, her expression twisted. She stormed toward him, hands on her hips. "Where have you been?! Disappearing like that—did you know Aizawa-sensei was furious? He made me cover for you, and now you just show up like nothing happened?!"
Smoke erupted from Sakura's pink head, the furious little girl shouting at the top of her lungs, making Sukuna and Karin wince, two steps away from covering their ears. The rest of the hospital staff only sighed.
They had come to understand one thing: Sakura Haruno had impressive lungs.
'I wonder what this girl could do with those lungs once she's about to give birth. The doctor delivering her child better be ready for potential risk of deafness.' One nurse communicated silently with another nurse, using eye gestures—a skill they had developed after years of suppression from their boss against gossiping during work hours.
Now they didn't need words to gossip; eye contact was enough.
'I believe it's her husband who has to worry about that more,' the second nurse relayed with her eyes.
'Husband?' The first nurse blinked in confusion.
'He'll be the one knocking her up,' the second nurse rolled her eyes.
'OH~'
Unaware of what others thought of her, Sakura continued dishing out a verbal lashing to her brother.
Sukuna tilted his head, unimpressed. "Tch, annoying as ever. Learn how to take things easy, sister." He ignored her rant.
"You—!" Sakura's face turned red as steam, half from anger, half from embarrassment at being called out in front of Karin.
Karin, meanwhile, covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. She already liked watching Sukuna tease people, but seeing him tease his sister was on a whole other level.
'Why does this look familiar though?' Karin pondered, recalling her own interactions with a certain blond-haired idiot, a thought she promptly shook off.
"Anyway," Sukuna cut Sakura off, yanking Karin forward, "this one needs to learn medic jutsu. Start her training early, like you."
"Eh? Me?!" Karin's eyes widened. "Wait—why me?"
"What do you mean by 'Why you'? You have excellent chakra control and enough chakra. Not to mention you're an Uzumaki. You have natural talent in medical jutsu, girl," Sukuna said casually. "You're smart, and you don't even whine as much as Sakura."
Karin's cheeks turned pink at the compliment, her heart thumping faster than she liked. She tried to hide it by adjusting her glasses. "Y-you think so? Then… maybe I'll give it a try."
She didn't like places like this much, but if it really made her strong and useful, then she would give it a try.
Definitely not just because he asked her.
Not at all.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Don't let him butter you up, Karin. He only says nice things when he wants something. Ninety-nine percent of the time, he's a jerk."
Sukuna smirked. "Ah, then what about the rest 10%, dear sister? How am I in that 10%?" He leaned closer, a knowing, roguish smile on his face, closing the distance between them.
Sakura's face immediately flushed, red tint spreading. Her mind recalled what happened when this jerk wanted her to cover for him.
Thinking of it only made her face flush even more.
"Idiot, that 10% of the time you're a complete idiot. Baka!" she shouted and ran away.
Sukuna snickered softly, to Karin's confusion.
"Come on, Aizawa-sensei will be waiting." He grinned and dragged her with him again.
…
[Root Base]
Black Zetsu moved silently through the shadows, his body slipping in and out of the earth like smoke. Ever since Obito had fallen into a deep coma, Zetsu had been restless.
Restless and relentless in finding the culprit. Though who did it mattered far less than what they held. Obito no longer had his Mangekyo—it had been gouged out. This person definitely possessed Obito's Mangekyo.
This, Black Zetsu could not allow. He knew just how powerful Kamui was. He couldn't let this power fall into anyone else's hands when the plan was so close to fulfillment.
He searched everywhere after. He scouted the Hokage's office, watching Hiruzen and the Sarutobi clan. Nothing. He dug into the remains of Root and followed Danzo's activities. Again, nothing. He even crept back to the ruins of the Uchiha compound, searching for any survivors strong enough to wound Obito so severely. No answers.
So his only suspect was the man who had done it all. Itachi.
Who else could it be?
"It can't be anyone else," Zetsu whispered to himself as he slithered along a tree trunk. "If Obito's Mangekyo could give him Kamui, then what can Itachi's eyes do?" Zetsu didn't know, but that made him even more certain it couldn't be anyone else but Itachi.
"He's dangerous." That was all Zetsu had to say about Itachi.
Zetsu had no proof, but logic pushed him toward this suspicion. Hiruzen and Danzo were cunning, yes, but neither had the ability to leave Obito in such a state. Itachi, on the other hand, did. Until Zetsu discovered the exact power of Itachi's Mangekyo, he would remain the prime suspect. So Zetsu never let his gaze wander from him. Always watching. Always waiting.
Whether outside Konoha or later when he joined Akatsuki, Zetsu had Itachi monitored 24/7.
But then, new information reached him from a few White Zetsu he had left behind in Konoha.
Danzo was dead.
The news shocked even Black Zetsu. Danzo was too paranoid, too calculating to die so easily.
'It couldn't be just old age catching up, could it?' Zetsu doubted it.
He dispatched several White Zetsu clones to infiltrate Konoha to collect information.
They returned with very little—whispers of another Mangekyo awakening within the Uchiha clan, and a rumor of a masked figure moving in the dark.
Zetsu's sharp grin stretched wide. "Troublesome indeed." If another Mangekyo had appeared, then he had his work cut out for him.
Not that Zetsu didn't know something like this would happen. He had lived long enough to know exactly what triggered Mangekyo in the Uchiha clan.
"But who is this masked man?" He sank into the ground, his thoughts restless. "I have to find out."
…
A/N: What do you think? Mid-chapter, I'd say. There isn't much left to write before the timeskip. I'm just covering all the open ends before the timeskip takes place.
xxx
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