Chapter 299: Karin
"Shark-faced bro, stay here for now. Tomorrow, when we select the owners for the other three ninja swords, someone will come to get you."
Having settled Kisame, Masahiko looked at the two children with a bit of a headache.
Ever since leaving Zabuza's side, the expression on Haku's little face hadn't been quite right.
And looking at Kimimaro, clinging tightly to his sleeve, looking as if he'd never let go...
Actually, the best method would be to let them take care of each other, arrange them together, and let them gradually break away from this unhealthy 'dependency'.
But this... a proper orientation needs to be cultivated from a young age. It would be better to arrange a girl into their team tomorrow and see.
As for today...
"If I don't enter hell, who will?"
Thus, tonight in Masahiko's room, one little boy turned into two.
...
Meanwhile, in the central area of the Land of Rain.
The ninjas of Konoha Village, the Rock Village, and the native Rain Village had a tacit understanding not to attack each other. They searched everywhere, but their only harvest was half a salamander and some traces of battle.
And in another space they couldn't see, two men and two women lay sprawled out like corpses.
"Yahiko, this time I finally understand why you brought these two little guys along," Ameyuri Ringo spoke weakly.
Yahiko sat up. "He is, after all, a ninja known as a demigod; he wasn't that easy to deal with. If it weren't for his old age, and Obito using... that move, we likely wouldn't have been able to retreat unscathed."
"Hehe." Obito laughed foolishly a couple of times.
Rin also sat up and lightly pounded her little fist on Obito's leg, making Obito swallow his foolish laughter.
"Big Brother Yahiko, why did we hide in the space? Aren't we going to take control of the Land of Rain's regime?" Obito asked.
"We have to rest in the space for a day. The Land of Rain is still a battlefield right now. As for taking control of the regime, having him is enough." Yahiko looked to the other side, where Hanzo's corpse lay.
Ameyuri Ringo struggled to sit up straight, glanced at Hanzo, and then at Hanzo's flattened foot. "Brat, where did you learn such a dirty trick?"
"Hehe." Obito continued to laugh foolishly. "Rin, I miss Master."
"Mm, Master hasn't been seen for two years. After the war ends, I hope Master can return to Konoha," Rin replied, then turned to Yahiko. "Big Brother Yahiko, what are you going to do next?"
They still didn't know that Hagoromo was Masahiko...
Yahiko glanced at her. "Once our injuries are healed, we will take over the regime of the Land of Rain and lead this country out of the chaos of war."
"Obito, what about us?"
Obito scratched his head and spoke with slight embarrassment, "Big Brother Yahiko, the two of us can only help you for a while longer, then we have to return to Konoha."
Although they owed him their lives, assisting in the siege and killing of Hanzo had largely repaid that debt. After all, Obito still had his friends and ideals in Konoha; he couldn't just join Akatsuki on a whim.
Of course, the most important reason was—he still hadn't shown off his newly acquired Mangekyou Sharingan to Kakashi.
Yahiko closed his eyes slightly. "Konoha, huh. Go back then."
That was one of the main culprits that brought pain to the Land of Rain, but it was also Teacher Jiraiya's and Obito and Rin's village...
...
The next day, early morning.
Masahiko groggily opened his eyes, rolled over, and almost fell to the floor.
Sitting up straight and seeing his surroundings clearly, Masahiko smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Two insecure children were sleeping on Masahiko's large bed, with a thick partition added in the middle by Masahiko.
As for what Masahiko was sitting on, it was three chairs placed side by side. This was where he slept...
It wasn't that he hadn't thought of using Earth Release to make a 'kang' (heated brick bed), but cleaning that kind of thing up was too troublesome. Masahiko was just making do for one night. Once the two children overcame their initial fear of arriving in the Land of Whirlpools, Masahiko didn't plan to stay by their side constantly, letting them slowly adapt on their own.
Waking up the two little boys, Masahiko took them to eat some breakfast, then brought them to Kushina's house.
"Great Ancestor!" Naruto had been educated quite well by Kushina, knowing to take the initiative to greet him. Then his eyes darted around and stopped on Haku's face.
Seeing his curious look, Masahiko chuckled and shook his head. Sometimes, the truth is despairing...
Letting the three children get to know each other, Masahiko pulled Kushina aside.
"Are there any naturally talented little girls in the Land of Whirlpools recently? I want to add her to the team with those two children."
Kushina was startled. "These are the two children you brought back from the Mist Village? There's no need to specifically add another person, right? Just the two of them is fine, isn't it?"
Masahiko smiled and spoke in a low voice, "They are both boys."
"What's wrong with boys?" Kushina carefully observed Masahiko's expression, then put on a look of 'Great-Grandpa, you're overthinking it'.
"It wouldn't go that far, right?"
"Ahem, this kind of thing... it's better to be safe than sorry."
Kushina smiled helplessly. "Alright then. Speaking of girls, I do know one who might be suitable. She's a first-year student at the Ninja Academy, almost seven years old."
"Oh?" Masahiko was delighted. He originally just came to Kushina to tentatively ask. If she didn't know anyone, he would go ask elsewhere. He didn't expect to actually get a result.
"Great-Grandpa, after becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, I also gained some sensory abilities. That girl feels a bit similar to you in my perception. I've been meaning to tell you."
"Similar to me?" Masahiko's mouth twitched. Could it be that Kaguya Otsutsuki disguised herself and infiltrated the Land of Whirlpools...
"What's her name?"
"Karin Uzumaki."
Masahiko was stunned, muttering inwardly, "So it's her, no wonder."
He looked at Kushina. "It seems you've been paying attention to this child for quite a while?"
Kushina smiled. "This child suits my temper quite well. When she graduates from the Ninja Academy, I want to take her as my disciple. And although she's a bit older than Naruto, her talent is good, so I was thinking..."
"Stop, stop, stop." Masahiko's face darkened, hurriedly interrupting. "How old is Naruto? Besides, aren't you playing matchmaker a bit too arbitrarily?"
"How is it arbitrary..."
"Whatever you want. It's still early, classes shouldn't have started yet. Take me to find her."
Kushina nodded, told Naruto to stay home and behave, and led Masahiko's trio to the Ninja Academy.
Naruto even politely said goodbye. "Goodbye, Great Ancestor! Goodbye, Big Brother and Big Sister!"
Masahiko scratched his head. He didn't really mind Naruto calling Haku 'Big Sister'. Instead, he looked at Kushina. "Keep a close eye on Naruto. I keep feeling that him suddenly becoming so obedient is somewhat suspicious."
"I feel the same way..." Kushina deeply agreed.
Under Kushina's guidance, Masahiko met little Karin.
"Auntie Kushina!" Karin greeted, her gaze ignoring Masahiko and staring straight at the two children behind him.
When she saw Kimimaro, two words jumped into her eyes: Handsome guy!
When she saw Haku, another two words jumped into her eyes: Love rival!
Masahiko's headache worsened.
☆☆☆
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