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For the next several days, Ryūsei was never home, spending all his time training at a remote waterfall location.
During this period, only Sakura had visited Ryūsei's house.
As for Hinata and Ino, they had presumably begun their own hellish training regimens.
After creating the false impression through Sakura that he was away training, Ryūsei suddenly left a sign on his door that read, 'Away for training. Please leave a message if needed,' and quietly left Konoha.
In just over two hours, Ryūsei arrived at Tanzaku Quarter in the Land of Fire.
"Hmm?"
Just as he entered Tanzaku Quarter and activated his Byakugan's long-distance vision to locate Karin's position, he suddenly noticed something, causing his eyebrows to raise slightly in surprise.
A few seconds later, his eyes lit up, and he murmured to himself, "Could she have awakened that ability? This timeline seems to match up!"
So, Ryūsei stood still, as if waiting for something, or perhaps confirming a hypothesis.
"...Ryūsei-kun!"
Before long, the sound of a girl's joyful cry reached Ryūsei's ears.
Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw a girl with long red hair running towards him.
Watching Karin run over, Ryūsei had already confirmed his guess.
However, once Karin reached him, he still feigned surprise and asked, "Karin, how did you know I was here?"
"Hehe... Because I sensed your chakra, Ryūsei-kun!"
Karin's cheeks were flushed. Her wide grin as she looked at Ryūsei was extremely reminiscent of a obsessed fangirl Her tone was excited and full of admiration as she said, "Ryūsei-kun, your chakra is so powerful, it's as dazzling as the sun."
"When did you learn sensory techniques?"
"I never learned any sensory techniques. Besides giving me basic ninjutsu scrolls, the Grass Village never taught us outsiders any other ninjutsu."
Karin led Ryūsei towards her residence as she spoke, a slightly bewildered expression on her face. "I don't know what's been happening these past few days, but whenever I close my eyes, I can sense the chakra nearby, and the range keeps getting wider and wider."
"Just now, an incredibly astonishing mass of chakra suddenly appeared in my perception, and then your characteristics, Ryūsei-kun, automatically surfaced in my mind. It was like my heart had grown an eye."
Actually, Karin felt too embarrassed to say that she had been worried these past days that Ryūsei wouldn't come for her. She had lingered near the entrance of Tanzaku Quarter every day, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ryūsei's figure. At the same time, she was afraid that if he came, he wouldn't be able to find her, so she only returned to he lodgings each night.
Then, one day upon waking up, Karin suddenly discovered she could see other people's chakra.
Even with her eyes closed, she could perceive the chakra around her. When she focused her sensing, the characteristics of the chakra's owners would even vaguely manifest.
"A suddenly awakened sensory ability, really?" Ryūsei pretended to be pleasantly surprised as he looked at Karin.
"Mhmm."
Seeing Karin nod, Ryūsei couldn't help but raise his hand and gently pat her head, praising her, "Amazing! I never expected, Karin, that besides your Physical Pulse Healing, you would also awaken the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. You truly are a descendant of the Uzumaki clan!"
"Mind's Eye of the Kagura?"
Karin, who had been enjoying the head pats, immediately tilted her head and looked at Ryūsei quizzically.
Ryūsei slowly explained, "It's common knowledge in the shinobi world, just like the Uchiha clan possessing the Sharingan and excelling in Fire Release and genjutsu, or the Hyūga clan possessing the Byakugan and excelling in the Gentle Fist! The Uzumaki clan was once one of the great noble clans of the shinobi world. Besides being most renowned for their fuinjutsu (sealing techniques), they also possessed several unique abilities."
"These abilities are: the healing-type Physical Pulse Healing, the sensory-type Mind's Eye of the Kagura, and the sealing-type Adamantine Sealing Chains. These three unique abilities, even within the Uzumaki clan, could only be awakened and used by a few geniuses, and they had to be red-haired descendants."
After finishing, Ryūsei also felt a pang of regret for Karin's original fate in the storyline.
These unique abilities that other Uzumaki clan members weren't guaranteed to awaken even one of, Karin had awakened all of them spontaneously.
With talent like this, placed within the Uzumaki clan, she would have been a genius among geniuses.
If the Uzumaki clan hadn't been destroyed, Karin would absolutely have been this era's Mito Uzumaki.
If, in the original story, after leaving Konoha and not daring to return to the Grass Village, she had encountered Tsunade instead of Orochimaru during her wandering, and received Tsunade's full guidance, learning Tsunade's Strong Fist and medical ninjutsu, plus the fuinjutsu left behind by Mito Uzumaki, then Karin would have been one of the new Sannin.
This... was also the reason Ryūsei had Karin stay temporarily in Tanzaku Quarter.
Tanzaku Quarter was the place of Tsunade's first appearance, and also the site of the Sannin's long-awaited reunion years later.
Ryūsei had Karin stay here precisely to lie in wait for the rabbit to bump into the tree stump (a idiom meaning to wait idly for opportunities).
For Karin to join Konoha, she had to be brought in by Tsunade.
Only if Tsunade brought her into Konoha would Danzō Shimura dare not entertain any ideas about Karin.
Otherwise, Danzō Shimura would absolutely move against Karin—one hundred percent certainty.
The Uzumaki clan members were the best containers for Jinchūriki. If one also awakened the Adamantine Sealing Chains, they could suppress Tailed Beasts just like the Sharingan.
If he could obtain Karin, Danzō Shimura would dare to set his sights on Naruto.
Once Jiraiya and Tsunade were out of the picture, no one would be left to protect Naruto, and Ryūsei believed Danzō would absolutely make a move against Naruto.
Therefore, Ryūsei had to make sure Karin clung tightly to Tsunade's coattails.
As long as Karin had Tsunade's protection, then the 'what-if' version of Karin truly had a chance of appearing.
At that time, Ryūsei would gain a loyal hound far more powerful than Haku and Kimimaro.
"So that's how it is…"
Of course, Karin was unaware of Ryūsei's plans for her.
Hearing Ryūsei's words, she nodded in sudden understanding, her heart filled with joy and anticipation.
With this ability, she could be useful to Ryūsei.
If she could also awaken that ability called Adamantine Sealing Chains, she could definitely become Ryūsei's best tool.
Just thinking about Ryūsei keeping her by his side in the future, biting her when he was injured, using her as a sensory machine—that feeling of being needed and utilized by her prince charming made Karin break into a foolish grin.
Ryūsei, likewise, was unaware of Karin's thoughts.
Watching the obsessed fangirl smile reappear on her face as she drifted into her own world, Ryūsei once again employed the lethal head pats technique on her and said, "The Chunin Exams only have the final test left. It begins one month from now. During this time, I will stay in Tanzaku Quarter to train, and I'll also teach you some ninjutsu, Karin."
"Really?"
Karin's eyes lit up as she looked at Ryūsei in surprise.
"Mhmm."
Ryūsei nodded slightly and said with a smile, "If you want to join Konoha, you'll need a certain level of strength. So, be prepared to endure some hardship during this time."
"Mhmm, mhmm... I definitely won't disappoint you, Ryūsei-kun!"
Karin nodded repeatedly.
This was her moment to prove her worth. No matter how difficult or exhausting it was, Karin would grit her teeth and persevere.
The girl who had emerged from darkness now feared not death, but the disappointment and abandonment of the saving light that had pulled her from the abyss!
Just like Haku towards Zabuza Momochi, and Kimimaro towards Orochimaru!