Seems like I got competition? Someone else is translating this fic, welp there goes my plan for two chaps a day........
Chapter 49: Clan Members
Uzumaki Misaki's fingers unconsciously tightened, gripping Karin's small hand until it turned white. Her back was pressed against the hostile gazes of the Kusa-nin—those looks were like driving away plague gods, wishing they would disappear immediately.
Why... why would Ember target us?!
Her throat constricted as terrible rumors flashed through her mind: the Ember organization refined living people into puppets, Menma's Nine-Faced Beasts fed on human blood, and no one who stepped into their strongholds ever returned alive...
"Men... Menma-sama..." The lead jounin's voice trembled as he bowed his head. "The Uzumaki bloodline... is right here..."
He secretly pushed Misaki's back with his elbow, squeezing words through gritted teeth. "Go over quickly! Don't get us all killed!"
But Misaki's feet seemed rooted to the ground. If she went over... what would happen?
Those horrifying stories spread by Kumogakure flashed through her mind—some said [Ember] would skin those with kekkei genkai, others claimed they used living people for forbidden jutsu experiments, and some even said Menma ate children...
Each version was more terrifying than the last.
"Good, very good." Menma's voice came through the mask. "You're much more sensible than the Kumo people."
He slowly surveyed the trembling Kusa-nin, his gaze finally settling on the mother and daughter.
"I will keep my promise."
This sentence fell like a pardon, and the Kusa-nin's tense bodies visibly relaxed. Some collapsed weakly to their knees, cold sweat dripping onto the ground.
"Now then..."
Menma raised his hand, the black Rasengan still slowly rotating in his palm, emanating heart-stopping energy fluctuations.
This motion immediately made the just-relaxed Kusa-nin tense up again, with several timid ones instinctively backing away half a step.
"This won't be needed anymore."
Under everyone's terrified gaze, Menma casually tossed the Rasengan upward—
The black sphere silently ascended into the sky like a reverse meteor. The Kusa-nin unconsciously tilted their heads back, following the increasingly small black dot with their eyes, faces full of confusion and unease.
What was he doing? Why throw such a dangerous thing...
BOOM—!!!!
An earth-shattering explosion suddenly tore through the heavens. Violent shockwaves erupted in the air, with visible ring-shaped air waves instantly expanding. The nearest Kusa-nin were directly blown backward, while others instinctively covered their ears, all color draining from their faces.
When the blinding light faded—
A "void" nearly a hundred meters in diameter appeared in the azure sky. The previously floating clouds were completely vaporized, with sunlight pouring down unobstructed, illuminating everyone's pale faces clearly.
Chakra dispersal control... not bad results.
Naruto secretly assessed behind his mask. This Rasengan's power was less than half the complete version—without Kyuubi's chakra support, it was essentially just a flashy firework. But for these Kusa-nin, it was shocking enough.
The Kusa-nin stared blankly at the "void" in the sky, then stiffly looked down at Menma. When the hand that had condensed the Rasengan lifted toward the Uzumaki mother and daughter, everyone unconsciously held their breath.
"Come, Uzumaki clan."
Menma's voice was terrifyingly calm as he made an inviting gesture.
"Come with me."
This sentence was like flipping a switch. The Kusa-nin immediately pushed the mother-daughter pair, their voices full of disgust.
"Did you hear? Go over quickly!"
"Don't dawdle! Do you want to get the whole village killed?"
"Leave and never come back!"
Misaki stumbled as she turned back, seeing faces filled with hatred. Those mouths that had once greedily bitten her arms now spat the most venomous words. Even after contributing all her chakra, even after enduring the pain of being bitten... in the end, it still couldn't earn protection?
"I know! We'll go ourselves!"
Karin's sudden outburst interrupted her mother's thoughts. The little girl fiercely slapped away the reaching hands, stubbornly lifting her head.
"Don't touch my mom!"
She firmly gripped Misaki's fingers and took the initiative to walk forward. Her small figure stood straight, as if using her frail body to shield her mother from all malice.
---
The world twisted and reformed in an instant.
The Uzumaki mother and daughter felt their vision blur, and the surrounding scenery peeled away like fragments of a shattered mirror. When their vision refocused, both froze in place—the original Kusagakure gates had somehow transformed into an elegant Japanese-style guest room.
Tatami mats gave off a faint rush grass fragrance, while the sound of flowing hot spring water could be heard faintly beyond the paper doors. A wooden plaque on the wall bore the characters "Inu no Yu"—one of Yu no Kuni's most famous hot spring inns.
That was... space-time ninjutsu?!
Misaki had heard of such techniques, but this was her first personal experience.
"Rest for a moment."
Menma's voice suddenly became much more relaxed, completely different from the oppressive feeling at Kusagakure. He casually sat by the low table.
"I've already notified Tanuma to come over—he'll make arrangements for you." Menma pointed to the tea set in the room's corner. "I won't stay here long, so ask any questions you have now."
Misaki's throat tightened. She protected Karin behind her and heavily knelt on the tatami.
"My lord... you need Uzumaki blood, right?" Her voice carried resolve. "If... if it's for research... using me alone should be enough... please spare my daughter..."
"Mom?!"
Karin tugged at her mother's sleeve in confusion. Unlike others' reactions, she not only wasn't afraid of this man but felt an inexplicable sense of closeness.
So strange...
She secretly observed Menma, feeling an unexplained sense of security welling up inside. This warm feeling, she had only experienced with her mother.
Menma shook his head helplessly. "I think you misunderstand. You should know, you're among the few of my kind left in this world."
"Kind...red?" Misaki's lips trembled slightly—this term left her completely puzzled.
Menma nodded slightly, speaking in a relaxed tone. "Let me properly introduce myself—my name is Menma." He drew out the syllables. "As for my surname..."
"Uzumaki Menma. Please treat me well~"
To lighten the atmosphere, Naruto's tone was cheerful, but Misaki remained frozen until—
A golden chain suddenly emerged from behind Menma, tracing an elegant arc through the air.
"This is...!"
Misaki's pupils suddenly contracted. As an Uzumaki clan member, she was all too familiar—those gleaming chains, that unique chakra fluctuation...
"Kongou Fusa..."
She spoke the name of this clan secret technique, the chains' light reflecting on her pale face, making her shocked, widened eyes sparkle.
***
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