Chapter 30: Plans For Karin

"But as a consequence, I will expend an equal amount of Chakra as the person who bites me is injured. If my Chakra is depleted, it will consume my lifespan."

"My mother also possessed this ability, but she perished from exhaustion when I was very young."

"They claimed that my mother was actually a refugee, and I am not a native of the Country of Grass."

"So, upon discovering that I inherited my mother's ability, the senior officials of Kusagakure appointed me as her replacement..."

Walking side by side with Sato, Karin gazed down at the road as she recounted her life experiences.

However, her voice was no longer choked with emotion.

Unlike Hinata, whose shyness manifested as "cowardice," Karin was a stubborn girl who rarely displayed her vulnerable side.

Her recent emotional outburst was due to Sato being the only person in the world who had treated her so kindly after her mother's passing.

This made Karin, who, like Naruto, had been starved for love, unable to hold back her tears.

After regaining her composure, Karin refused to let the boy she had developed feelings for see her in such a humiliated state.

Yes, she had fallen in love with Sato.

He was the hero who had saved her, just like Sasuke had in the original story, when he helped her defeat the bear and won her heart.

Moreover, besides rescuing her like a hero, Sato had also managed to capture her heart.

Similar to how Sakura had been infatuated with Sasuke, Karin's affections had shifted towards Sato.

At this moment, she believed in whatever Sato asked her to do, and she would do it.

"I understand."

After listening to Karin's words, Sato nodded suddenly.

Then, Sato displayed his acting skills once again, placing his hands gently on Karin's shoulders and said with a serious expression, "If that's the case, Karin, you shouldn't return to Kusagakure."

Observing Sato's serious demeanor, Karin seemed to have an inkling of what he was about to say next. She averted her eyes and asked hesitantly, "Then... where should I go?"

"You should join Konoha, Karin," Sato declared.

"May I?"

Karin's face immediately brightened, but she still felt unsure. "Will Konoha accept ninjas from neighboring countries like me?"

"It is certainly possible," Sato reassured her, patting his chest. "Once this Chūnin exam concludes, I will definitely become a Chūnin. Then I can persuade Jōnin, and eventually recommend you to the Hokage for admission to Konoha."

"Furthermore, there's something about your ability that gives me a strange sense of familiarity, as if I've seen it somewhere before. Once I investigate further, I might be able to uncover the background of you and your mother."

After speaking, Sato exhibited a resolute side, placing his hand on Karin's head and saying, "That's settled then. You won't be returning to Kusagakure. I'll take you to a small town in the Land of Fire, where you can stay until the Chūnin exam concludes this year. I'll come pick you up afterwards."

"Um..."

Sato's dominant demeanor made Karin obedient, like a docile sheep.

Therefore, Sato brought Karin to a bustling street of the Land of Fire, where gambling thrived.

This was the place where Naruto and Jiraiya had found Tsunade.

Sato had his own plans for arranging Karin to be here.

As a traveler, his familiarity with the plot granted him a prophetic advantage. If he used it wisely, he could secure incredible benefits for himself.

The Uzumaki family had distant ties to the Senju family, and both had ancestral connections to Ōtsutsuki Ashura.

Even the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, had married a woman from the Uzumaki clan.

Therefore, Tsunade held a natural fondness for people with red hair.

As soon as Tsunade discovered Karin and sensed the Chakra within her, she would undoubtedly realize that Karin was a descendant of the Uzumaki clan.

At that point, if Tsunade learned more about Karin's life experiences, she would surely bring her to Konoha.

Even if Tsunade didn't encounter Karin by chance, Sato would take the initiative to present her to Tsunade.

Once Sato had decided to sever her ties with Orochimaru and Sasuke, he had already planned how Karin would develop and transform her into his own creation.

That involved utilizing the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan, along with Tsunade's unique power of the Slug and medical ninjutsu.

As a descendant of the Uzumaki clan with inherent regenerative abilities, Karin was better suited to become Tsunade's direct apprentice than Sakura.

Be it Slug techniques or medical ninjutsu, Karin would excel in both.

Once Karin learned all of Tsunade's skills and the Uzumaki sealing techniques, she would become a fusion of Tsunade and Uzumaki Mito.

With her newfound powers, she could stand alongside Naruto and Sasuke as the true Sannin of the new era.

Karin was unaware of the thoughts and plans Sato had for her.

Otherwise, this love-struck girl with a one-track mind would be even more moved and resolute.

Of course, Sato was now omnipresent in her eyes.

Her infatuation with him was stronger than that of Ino and Hinata combined.

This was what it meant to be in love with someone, especially for a girl like Karin who lacked love and affection.

If Sato, who was simultaneously teasing Ino and Hinata, aimed to achieve all the milestones, it would prove quite challenging.

Once he completed all the necessary tasks, Sato would easily convince Karin to join him—it would be a mere formality.

In terms of emotions, girls like Sakura and Karin were humble beings.

Using the terminology from my previous life, they were "suck-ups" among suck-ups.

The slightest bit of affection would satisfy them, and they would never dare to ask for more.

Hence, Sato harbored no fear of any tumultuous relationship dramas in the future.

Since the second exam started at 2:30 PM, it was already past 5:30 PM in the afternoon when Sato and Karin left the village.

After stirring Karin's emotions and molding her affections to his liking, Sato engaged in a brief conversation with her on the journey. He then used the Body Flicker Technique to transport her, arriving successfully at Book Street in the Land of Fire by 7:00 PM in the evening.

To demonstrate how well he cared for her, Sato personally purchased a small house for Karin to live in.

Having a permanent residence instilled a strong sense of security in her.

She believed that Sato would undoubtedly return to find her.

After buying the house, Sato accompanied Karin on a shopping spree to furnish and decorate it to their liking.

Furthermore, Sato asked Karin to reserve a room for him, causing her cheeks to flush as she let her imagination run wild.

In her mind, she might have already envisioned marrying Sato and having children, pondering whether Sato preferred boys or girls and what names they would give their children.

Karin knew Sato was completely trustworthy, and he proceeded to use medical ninjutsu after dinner to heal the bite marks on her arm. He taught her Sensing Technique, Genjutsu, and medical ninjutsu, leaving no stone unturned.

As for the Kirigakure ninjutsu he acquired from Zabuza and Haku, Sato withheld it from her to avoid any potential complications. He didn't want Tsunade to suspect that Karin had any connections to Kirigakure, as it might lead to reservations about accepting her as an apprentice.

Regardless, these three fundamental techniques deeply moved Karin.

If she weren't still young, she might have given in to her desires.

In the following days, Sato stayed with her to deepen Karin's affections for him. Reluctantly, he bid her farewell with a heavy heart and returned to Konoha in an instant.