Kenshin could only smile cheerfully and enjoy the harmless sibling spat. But Karin was dead serious, so with a huff, she declared:
"For starters, I'll show you the first techniques of the future goddess of ninjutsu!" she said, chin raised, gracefully shifting from foot to foot, making Kenshin unable to hide his smile.
"Doton: Chidokaku!" Karin shouted after prolonged seal-forming. The entire floor cracked, and large voids formed in the earth, eager to swallow an careless shinobi and crush him into meat paste.
Seeing this technique, Forty Second merely raised an eyebrow slightly, still unimpressed, as its speed and danger were very low and could only catch a Genin or inexperienced Chunin off-guard. Plus, he spotted an untouched patch of ground to safely wait it out.
But what happened next surprised him even more. As soon as the previous technique finished, Karin formed more seals and activated another.
"Doton: Kaido Shokutsu!" Karin squealed shrilly, slamming her palm to the ground.
Suddenly, a massive stone spike erupted from that very safe patch, aiming to rip an unlucky shinobi apart or shatter his bones. Forty Second couldn't look at this harmless little girl without surprise, noting her impressive skills.
"Good girl!" Kenshin praised with joyful laughter. He knew her ninjutsu potential well but was still thrilled at how quickly the little one learned.
Karin beamed and purred contentedly, throwing herself into her loving father's arms. After a few seconds, she wriggled free and said: "That's not all!"
"Hm?" Kenshin asked in surprise, unable to imagine what else his beloved daughter wanted to show.
Karin said nothing, adopting a focused expression, slowly approaching the stone pillar, taking a deep breath, closing her eyes, and tensing.
Kenshin raised an eyebrow in surprise, not understanding what she planned. Seconds later, as he was about to ask, her body suddenly shrouded in chakra mist, and two golden chains burst from her upper back.
There were only two chains, and their speed left much to be desired, but it was more than enough for two whipping strikes that shattered the stone column into pieces.
"I-incredible!" Kenshin exclaimed in shock, and seeing little Karin collapse from exhaustion, he instantly appeared behind her and caught her in his arms.
"Everything's fine, don't worry. It's just fatigue," Hitomi said calmly after examining little Karin.
"Uh-huh, Dad, I'm okay, sorry..." Karin whispered softly from the bed.
"No need to apologize, sweetie. You're amazing, and your ability is simply incredible! But you must promise not to use it without my permission. Alright?" Kenshin said tenderly, stroking her head.
"O-okay..." she purred, drifting into deep sleep.
Once she was asleep, Kenshin finally checked her status to clarify the situation.
Name: Nakayama Karin
Age: 11 years
Talent Level: 45
Chakra Quality: 5
Chakra Amount: 14100
Chakra Control: 27%
Adamantine Chains Lvl 1
Even in this worrying situation, he couldn't help smiling at the red-haired little one's progress. Her chakra reserves were unimaginable and promised even greater growth upon reaching higher ranks.
Leaving the room, Kenshin decided to discuss it with Hitomi and fully calm his anxious heart.
"Those chains definitely don't harm her health?" he asked, sitting opposite his beloved white-eyed woman.
"We should observe her for a few days just in case, but I'm almost certain this kekkei genkai type only increases fatigue and doesn't affect health otherwise," Hitomi replied thoughtfully, looking at him with her pure white eyes.
As Kenshin was about to say more, Keiko burst in, looking at him in alarm. He stood, stepped toward her, and enveloped her in his arms.
"Karin's fine, she's sleeping," he whispered in her ear, making her exhale in relief.
"What happened?" she asked seconds later.
Kenshin briefly recounted events, completely stunning the worried red-haired mother. Keiko was so shocked she struggled to find words.
"Simply incredible... Adamantine Chains are the mark of the purest, most talented Uzumaki. In Uzushio, she could be a candidate for future clan head..." Keiko said in awe, immensely proud of her beloved daughter.
"Tell me about these chains," Kenshin said succinctly.
"Mm... I don't know much, just that they vary in quality. The weakest are bronze, then steel, and the best—silver. Grandma Mito and Kushina-san had those," Keiko said with a smile, then asked: "Did you notice our little one's?"
"Hm... They look like pure gold. See for yourself," Kenshin replied thoughtfully, touching her head to transmit the image of Karin attacking the pillar.
"G-golden! I-it can't be!" she exclaimed in shock, staring at him wide-eyed.
"Is that bad?" he asked, sensing her extreme agitation.
"Bad? Of course not, it's magnificent! Golden chains are the manifestation of Uzushio royal blood! God, our girl really awakened the legendary golden chains..." Keiko whispered with tears in her eyes, hugging Kenshin tightly.
"Royal blood? Wasn't the Uzushio royal family exterminated centuries ago?" Hitomi asked in surprise.
"Exactly! Since then, no one could awaken golden chains due to impure lineage. The highest geniuses of the Uzumaki clan could hope for was silver..." Keiko declared enthusiastically, bursting with pride for her daughter.
"I told you, my girl will become an incredibly strong kunoichi!" Kenshin declared with joyful laughter, embracing both wives and feeling wonderful.
That evening, a grand feast celebrated the Nakayama Family children's achievements, with refreshed Karin as the star. She joyfully accepted praise and promised to become a strong kunoichi, looking utterly adorable.