Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

The battle was pretty much over at this point, because both Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji were now bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, completely unable to break free.

The three people standing in the distance walked over at a brisk pace, their footsteps rustling against the crushed stones.

They stopped beside Uzumaki Karin, their gazes falling upon the chained Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji, looking them up and down.

Uzumaki Karin turned her head to look at them, the corners of her mouth turning down into a somewhat disappointed expression.

"I'm a little disappointed. They're so weak."

Her tone was casual, as if she were stating a very ordinary fact.

The tall man among the three shook his head. He had a scar running from his left eyebrow all the way to his right cheekbone, but it didn't affect his expression.

"Not at all. It's just that you are too strong, Lady Karin. In the ninja world, not everyone possesses your level of talent."

Another person nodded—a woman with short hair and freckles on her face. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets, her posture relaxed.

"Indeed. In truth, these two aren't weak at all. They're both around twelve years old. One is an Uchiha with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the other is from the Hyuga Branch House who can even execute the ultimate secret of the Gentle Fist. For their age, they are actually quite exceptional."

The third person was a short man, barely taller than Sasuke and Neji, with very short hair and small eyes. His hand rested on the ninja tool pouch at his waist, his fingers tapping lightly against the opening.

"It's just that their horizons are too narrow, making their abilities seem merely average."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sasuke and Neji.

"Just as that lord said, the current Konoha has stagnated. It's impossible for any decent powerhouse to emerge from there in the future."

The three of them chimed in one after another. Their words held no intention of belittling Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji, but they didn't hold them in high regard either. Their tone was flat—so flat it sounded like they were evaluating two decent, but unremarkable, students.

Listening to their words, Uzumaki Karin nodded slightly, her red ponytail bobbing behind her head.

"You guys make a lot of sense."

Her expression grew a bit more serious.

"I shouldn't be so arrogant."

The tall man shook his head, the scar on his face twitching slightly with the movement.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Lady Karin. Actually, from our perspective, you have every right to be proud."

The short-haired woman nodded.

"Exactly. As a disciple of that lord, you've mastered forbidden jutsu like the Adamantine Sealing Chains at this age, and even developed two S-rank forbidden jutsu on your own. Looking across the entire ninja world, no one could have done better at your age."

The short man didn't add anything, but his mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something before swallowing it back.

Hearing these words, a smile unconsciously crept onto Uzumaki Karin's face, showing a hint of bashfulness from the praise.

She raised a hand and scratched her head, her fingers running through her red hair a few times.

"Ahaha, is that so? You flatter me."

She paused, her grin widening even further.

"Ahahahaha."

Unable to hold back her smile, her eyes curved into two crescents. With her chin slightly raised, she completely shifted from the imposing administrator she was moments ago into a giddy young girl floating on cloud nine from the compliments.

Then she noticed the gloomy faces of Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji.

Both of their faces were dark. Uchiha Sasuke's lips were pressed into a thin line, and Hyuga Neji's brows were knotted together. Both of them were glaring at Uzumaki Karin, their eyes filled with anger, unwillingness, and an inexplicable sense of irritation.

Uzumaki Karin's smile abruptly vanished.

"Ahem."

She coughed twice, clearing her throat. Her expression shifted from the giddy, floating state back to a serious, business-like demeanor.

"Well, are you convinced now?"

Her gaze darted back and forth between Sasuke and Neji, her chin slightly raised.

"It's not that you guys are weak; it's just that I'm too strong."

She paused, puffing out her chest a bit.

"Yeah, that's right."

Her tone was firm, so certain it sounded like she was stating an unquestionable fact.

But her eyes betrayed her—they held an obvious smugness she couldn't even hide.

The two boys remained silent.

They both stared at Karin. Their bodies were still bound by the chains, unable to move, but their gazes refused to yield.

Uzumaki Karin looked at them, waited for two seconds, and then spoke.

"Still refuse to state your purpose?"

Her tone was as flat as before.

"In that case..."

Before she could finish, Hyuga Neji interrupted her.

"We came here to find Uchiha Taiga."

His voice wasn't loud, but he spoke clearly, enunciating every single word.

Uchiha Sasuke turned his head and looked at Neji, the three tomoe in his eyes slowly spinning.

"You!"

His voice was a bit urgent, carrying a mix of surprise and reluctance.

Hyuga Neji didn't look at him. His gaze remained fixed on Uzumaki Karin, his white pupils devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Uzumaki Karin's reaction caught both of them off guard.

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and her entire demeanor shifted into one of eager anticipation.

"Really?"

Her voice rose significantly.

"Is that really true?"

The two boys were left speechless.

Uchiha Sasuke opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Hyuga Neji didn't reply verbally; he just looked at Uzumaki Karin and nodded.

Uzumaki Karin broke into a wide grin. The smile was far more genuine than when she was being praised earlier, stretching almost from ear to ear and revealing two neat rows of teeth.

"I knew it! The Uchiha who came before said the exact same thing."

She spoke with a smug tone. "I told you, someone as amazing as my teacher would definitely still have legends circulating in the ninja world, even after being inactive for ten years."

As she spoke, the golden chains at her lower back began to retract.

The two chains loosened from Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji, unwinding loop by loop until they completely withdrew into her lower back, disappearing beneath her clothes.

Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji's bodies were simultaneously freed. The former's arms dropped to his sides, his fingers trembling slightly. The latter's shoulders slumped as his chest heaved with a breath.

The two stood still and exchanged glances, their expressions complex—a mix of surprise, confusion, and bewilderment.

Uzumaki Karin stepped forward, walked right up to Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji, and slapped them on the shoulders.

*Smack.* It was a loud sound.

Their bodies swayed slightly, and they furrowed their brows.

"Are you guys admirers of my teacher?"

Her voice was loud, carrying an obvious excitement. She looked at the two of them, waiting for their answer.

The two exchanged another glance, both seeing the oddity in the other's eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke gritted his teeth and nodded, as if making a very difficult decision.

With his lips pursed and his brows furrowed, Uchiha Sasuke's expression looked rather aggrieved at the moment.

Hyuga Neji didn't speak. His expression remained as calm as ever, but his silence served as a tacit admission.

Seeing this, the smile on Uzumaki Karin's face deepened.

"Admiration is great."

Her tone was casual, as if she were talking about something completely ordinary.

"You should have said so earlier. Why suffer all that for nothing?"

She turned around and started walking toward the west.

"Come on, I'll take you to see him."

Her pace was brisk, her red ponytail swishing back and forth behind her head.

Uchiha Sasuke was startled. His eyes widened abruptly, the three tomoe spinning rapidly in his sockets for a few rotations.

He stared at Karin's back, his mouth open as if wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Hyuga Neji stood rooted to the spot, unmoving.

"Are you sure?"

He paused, still finding it hard to believe.

"But, why would you do this?"

Hyuga Neji's tone carried an obvious wariness; it was only natural to be suspicious in this situation.

Uzumaki Karin stopped in her tracks. She turned around to look at Neji, raising a hand to wipe her nose, her expression showing a hint of insecurity.

"Of course I'm sure. As for why..."

Her voice dropped, so low it sounded like she was sharing a secret.

"Ahem, well... Teacher found me annoying and wouldn't let me go back."

After saying that, she turned back around and continued walking forward.

Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji stood in place, looking at each other.

Both of them were utterly speechless.

Uchiha Sasuke's mouth opened and closed, while Hyuga Neji's brows knotted together, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Uzumaki Karin walked a few steps, stopped, and looked back.

"Are you coming or not?"

Her voice was loud.

Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji exchanged one last glance, then simultaneously stepped forward and followed her.

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