Kanon's gaze fell upon the pale wrist before her.
For a moment, she was stunned, then she looked up in shock at the white three-eyed fox mask so close to her, her eyes darting over the mysterious figure's black hair.
"Sir..." She began, only to be cut off by a cold, sharp voice.
"I told you to bite." Menma's tone left no room for doubt.
"Your bloodline is far stronger than your daughter's. To unseal the Uzumaki Clan's hidden chamber, your bloodline is indispensable. That's why you can't die yet!"
Though his words sounded callous, as if he only intended to use her and her daughter, to Kanon, they carried a warmth she hadn't felt in years.
Trembling, she opened her pale lips and gently bit down.
The moment her teeth pierced the skin, a torrent of vitality surged into her mouth like a spring, rushing through her Chakra Pathway and flooding her limbs.
It was as if parched earth had been drenched by a sudden downpour… every inch of her flesh greedily drank in the life force.
Kanon felt her entire body rejuvenate. She tried to pull away, but a hand pressed firmly against the back of her head.
"Keep going." The voice above her remained cold, yet carried an undeniable authority.
Though she didn't know who this person was, why he had saved them, or why he was helping her and her daughter, this overwhelming life force and the unique method of healing could only belong to someone from the Uzumaki Clan!
Even if the masked man insisted he was only using her bloodline to unlock the Uzumaki Clan's treasures, his deliberately icy tone sounded strangely comforting to her.
Beside the bed, Karin knelt with wide eyes, unsure of what was happening. But her small eyes saw her mother's complexion visibly improving.
After a while, sensing that Kanon's condition had stabilized, Menma finally withdrew his hand, pulling back his right arm which is now marked with teeth impressions.
Though he was currently under a Transformation Technique, the transfer of Chakra and life force could still be directly conducted through this primitive method.
Late at night, the campfire crackled.
Menma used the cooking utensils left behind by the Missing-nin to boil water, then took out several pieces of bread from a sealing scroll he carried.
He brought them to Kanon and Karin, who were resting on the bed.
Kanon poured water into a cup, carefully blowing on it to cool it before feeding it to her daughter.
"Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go to unlock the Uzumaki Clan's hidden treasure." With those words, Menma stood and walked toward the fire.
He sat down against a ruined wall near the campfire.
On the side hidden from Kanon and her daughter, the little Nine-Tails poked her head out from the fur collar of Menma's cloak.
Little Nine-Tails glanced at Kanon, who was busy feeding her daughter, then leaned close to Menma's ear and whispered, "You act all tough, saying you're just using them, but you're softer than anyone."
From behind the mask came only the steady rhythm of breathing, as if its wearer had already fallen asleep..
The little Nine-Tails chuckled quietly and retreated back into the warm collar.
Not far away, after ensuring Karin had eaten her fill, Kanon began nibbling at the remaining food, her eyes occasionally drifting toward the masked figure sitting by the fire.
The flames cast an orange glow over the white fox mask, and Kanon found herself staring at that silhouette in a trance.
After years of imprisonment in Kusagakure, she had often fantasized about a hero who would rescue her and her daughter from that hellish cage.
Now that the hero had arrived, saving them both, Kanon feared this might all be an illusion.
This hero was ruthless in battle, effortlessly destroying half of Kusagakure. His voice was cold and unyielding, yet for some reason, Kanon couldn't shake the feeling that he might not be very old.
Once Karin had eaten her fill, she curled up under the covers beside her mother and quickly fell asleep.
Kanon held her daughter close, praying only that she could watch her grow up safely.
Exhaustion soon overtook her, and Kanon drifted into sleep with her daughter in her arms.
…
The next day, the first light of dawn spilled over Uzumaki Kanon's face.
She awoke slowly, only to feel an empty space beside her. When she couldn't touch Karin, a jolt of panic shot through her, and she scrambled up, only to see a sight she would never forget.
Near the extinguished campfire, a black-haired young man leaned against the ruined wall, with Karin sitting contentedly in his lap, playing with a fox mask.
Giggles drifted through the sea breeze.
The surreal scene reminded Kanon of yesterday's events… a mysterious masked man had destroyed Kusagakure and saved her and her daughter.
Yet now, watching this young man laughing and playing with Karin, it all felt like a dream. Slowly, tears welled up in her eyes, unstoppable.
"Mom!" When Karin saw her mother had woken up, she wriggled out of Menma's arms and bounded over.
The campfire was rekindled.
After a night's rest, Kanon's body had recovered somewhat, and she took the initiative to use the camp's utensils to prepare food.
"May I ask for your name, sir?" She handed a simple breakfast to the young man across from her.
The Uzumaki Clan's vitality recovery far surpassed that of ordinary people. Just yesterday, she had been on the brink of death, but after receiving an infusion of life force and Chakra, a single night's rest had allowed her body to begin healing on its own.
Soon, she would be as healthy as any normal person.
"Outside, call me 'Shura'." Menma replied, accepting the bowl of porridge-like food from her.
Then, he added, "In private, you can call me Menma."
"Yes, Menma-sama!" Kanon tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, her eyes filled with reverence.
…
After breakfast, Menma led Kanon and her daughter deeper into the ruins of Uzushiogakure.
"How much do you know about Uzushiogakure?" Standing in a stone chamber deep within the ruins, Menma glanced sideways at Kanon.
"Forgive me, Menma-sama." Uzumaki Kaori held Karin's hand and said in a hoarse voice, "I fled with my parents when I was six. We spent over a decade wandering, and because of this red hair… many misfortunes befell us. Karin's father died because of it, and we had no choice but to seek refuge in Kusagakure."
Uzushiogakure had been destroyed roughly seventeen years ago. Kanon had been very young then, and the years of hardship had left her memories fragmented.
She hadn't even learned many of the Uzumaki Clan's secret techniques.
After her parents died, she had no choice but to rely on a Ninja Village to survive.
"No matter. Try channeling your Chakra into this stone wall." Menma wasn't expecting much, just testing the waters.
"Yes, Menma-sama!" Kanon let go of Karin's hand and stepped forward.
She raised her right hand, pressed it against the stone, and poured Chakra into it.
A ripple of Chakra pulsed from the wall, and golden seals flickered to life like waves, illuminating the entire chamber in a radiant glow.
Menma sensed the Chakra Fluctuations of the Space-Time Ninjutsu, 'It seemed that the pure-blooded Uzumaki had unlocked the chamber's seal.'
A golden gate materialized before them.
As the Chakra continued to flow, the seal above the gate slowly peeled away.
The golden doors swung open, revealing a black-haired girl suspended in midair, her eyes closed.
Her face was like that of a sleeping beauty, her long black hair cascading to her waist. A dark blue robe concealed her figure, but the shackles and bandages around her ankles stood out starkly.
The girl slowly opened her eyes, and her pair of Mangekyo Sharingan bloomed like blood-red flowers!
"Tsk, I wanted to dig the secret treasure of the Uzumaki Clan, but I ended up digging this..." Menma watched as Uchiha Hikari gradually awakened, rubbing his temples in exasperation.