My daughter and I are fine here.
We Uzumaki don't need Konoha's pity....or your Hokage's concern.
Please, leave our home. It's not polite to intrude."
Her gaze shifted toward the wall, ignoring Arata entirely, as though the cracked plaster was more worthy of her attention than he was.
Arata sighed inwardly. Her reaction was exactly what he had expected.
The destruction of Uzushio had left deep scars. When the Uzumaki clan had called for help, Konoha delayed again and again, turning their back on their allies.
By the time aid came, the nation of whirlpools had already been drowned in fire and blood.
To the Uzumaki survivors, Konoha's "alliance" was nothing but betrayal.
It was no wonder they'd rather live in poverty and danger than ever rely on Konoha again.
Arata frowned slightly. He didn't want to resort to force....not yet.
He truly didn't wish to see this woman die such a pitiful death, drained until there was nothing left.
If persuasion failed, he could always use genjutsu to bring them back by force.
But first, he would try words.
Gesturing toward the little girl in her arms, Arata said gently, "We already know your situation before coming here.
You understand your condition better than anyone.....you're dying.
Even if you don't value your own life, you should think about your daughter's."
He glanced at Xianglin's small form, still sleeping peacefully.
Carefully, he tugged back her sleeve to reveal a few small bite marks on her arm.....raw and red against her pale skin.
"Is this what you want for her?" Arata's tone hardened.
"To die the same way you will.....slowly drained until nothing remains? As long as you live, you can still protect her.
But if you die, she'll inherit your suffering. You know exactly what kind of fate awaits her."
The woman's eyes trembled. She said nothing, but her grip on Xianglin loosened slightly.
Beneath the chill of defiance, Arata saw the flicker of maternal fear.....hesitation.
He pressed on softly. "If you come with us to Konoha, I can promise you both will be treated fairly. You can hide your name, live quietly as ordinary civilians.
Your daughter will grow up safely, without fear or pain. Isn't that what every mother wants?"
He paused, giving her a moment to absorb his words, then added,
"Tell me.....do you know someone named Uzumaki Kushina?"
The woman's head snapped up instantly, eyes wide. "You… you know Kushina? Is she alive? Is she well?"
Arata smiled faintly. Her reaction confirmed his suspicion.
The Uzumaki clan was small; of course she'd know Kushina..and perhaps, once upon a time, they had even grown up together.
For the first time since he entered the room, hope flickered between them.
Uchiha Arata's guess had been right...Uzumaki Kushina and Uzumaki Xiangling had indeed grown up together.
Before the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, both women were direct descendants of the Uzumaki main bloodline.
Kushina's selection as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki alone proved how pure her lineage was...just like Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
As for Uzumaki Xiangling, she possessed one of the rarest gifts in the clan—the ability of Physical Healing.
Even her daughter, Karin , had inherited not only this power but also the Kagura Mind's Eye.
There was no doubt.....they came from the truest branch of the Uzumaki bloodline.
As for why they had fallen so far, Arata could only sigh inwardly.
Without a homeland or a clan, even a princess becomes just another wanderer.
Meeting Xiangling's hopeful gaze, Uchiha Arata felt a pang of pity.
He hesitated for a heartbeat, then decided not to hide the truth.
"Kushina Uzumaki was a jōnin of our Konoha," Arata said softly.
"But… several years ago, she and her husband gave their lives to protect the village."
As soon as the words left his lips, the faint light in Xiangling's eyes dimmed.
Arata quickly added, "However… Kushina left behind a son...Uzumaki Naruto.
His life has been hard. Without parents, he's grown up an orphan, unloved and overlooked."
He paused, watching Xiangling carefully. "If you come to Konoha, you could look after him.You'd be doing something Kushina herself would have wished for."
Xiangling fell silent. She looked at her sleeping daughter… then at the wall, then back again.
Her expression shifted between doubt and grief, torn by a storm of thoughts.
After the time it takes for a cup of tea to cool, she finally exhaled deeply....as though releasing the last of her resistance.
Her eyes met Arata's, firm and resolute.
"Fine," she said quietly. "I'll go with you. I'll take my daughter and leave this place.
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