Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

The Land of Whirlpools had once been a famous nation throughout the shinobi world.

For generations, it had maintained close ties with Konoha of the Land of Fire. Within its borders stood Uzushiogakure, home of the Uzumaki Clan, whose sealing techniques were renowned across the world.

But prosperity never lasted forever.

The power and uniqueness of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts eventually drew the fear and hostility of numerous nations and factions.

After the deaths of the First and Second Hokage, the shinobi world was plunged into one war after another. Konoha found itself overwhelmed and unable to spare aid.

At the same time, Uzushiogakure was suffering from a shortage of capable successors.

Seeing an opportunity, multiple nations and clans launched coordinated invasions.

The Land of Whirlpools fell with terrifying speed.

The Uzumaki Clan was nearly exterminated.

Only a handful managed to escape.

Most perished in the massacre that destroyed their homeland.

Karin's mother had been one of the fortunate survivors.

As a child, she had hidden among the ruins of the fallen nation for a long time.

Eventually, survival became impossible.

After enduring countless hardships, she finally escaped the Land of Whirlpools.

But salvation never came.

After arriving in Kusagakure, the Grass ninja discovered the unique vitality of the Uzumaki bloodline.

By biting her flesh, they could replenish chakra and heal injuries.

From that moment onward, life became another nightmare.

To secure a place where her daughter could survive...

To give Karin even the slightest chance at a peaceful life...

Her mother sacrificed herself willingly.

She became a living medicine cabinet for the Grass ninja.

Over time, they used her body again and again.

Eventually, her chakra was exhausted.

She died from endless pain and abuse.

During those years, Karin was consumed by despair.

She couldn't understand.

She couldn't understand how the glorious Uzumaki Clan her mother spoke of had fallen so far.

She couldn't understand why the Land of Fire and Konoha were so close, yet nobody came to save them.

She couldn't understand anything.

Living in fear and helplessness, young Karin spent her childhood in Kusagakure.

She never forgot her mother's death.

She didn't dare disobey the villagers.

What made things worse was that she had inherited the same special constitution.

The Grass ninja quickly noticed.

And so, just like her mother before her, Karin became a living medicine source.

For Karin, the future was a dark unknown.

Even during missions like this one, she wasn't qualified to know the objective.

The only reason she had been brought along was because the destination was the Land of Whirlpools.

As someone born there, she could serve as a guide.

Only because of that did these normally indifferent chūnin and jōnin bother speaking to her at all.

Maybe...

Maybe she was destined to die just like her mother.

Huddled at the back of the group, Karin suddenly heard the others talking.

"Listen up! I hear something out at sea!"

"They're finally here?"

"Took them long enough!"

"Notify everyone! The sailors and crew are our people. Don't accidentally attack them!"

"The targets are ninja from major villages. If we alert them, we're finished. Use every trick you've got—don't hold anything back!"

As the ambush force mobilized, Karin found herself roughly grabbed by a Grass chūnin.

She was so thin and light that he lifted her as casually as if she were a large ninja tool.

He didn't care whether she was comfortable.

I wish I could stab a kunai right through his face.

Karin glared at his ugly features.

Unfortunately, she only dared think it.

Actually acting on it would earn her a brutal beating.

After all, he was a chūnin.

She was only technically a genin because they found her useful.

In a real fight, she had almost no combat ability.

"You idiot! Why are you so late?"

The Grass leader cursed at the approaching chūnin.

"Everyone's already in position! The ship's about to arrive!"

The man hurriedly apologized and put Karin back down.

Why don't you yell at him even harder?

Karin complained internally.

Outwardly, she obediently followed the man to a concealed position.

Her chakra sensing ability was naturally exceptional.

Even without seeing anything, she could clearly detect the many chakra signatures hidden around the coastline.

Strong ones.

Weak ones.

Dozens of them.

The targets probably had no chance.

Yet Karin found herself feeling a little sympathy for them.

At least...

She was still alive.

"It's here!"

Not long afterward, a fairly impressive ship appeared on the horizon.

It moved quickly.

Fast enough that everyone could visibly see it approaching.

"Get ready!"

"The moment it reaches shore, we attack!"

"Wait..."

"Isn't it coming a little too fast?"

"Why isn't it slowing down?"

"Something's wrong!"

"It's heading straight toward us!"

The leader's expression changed instantly.

"Everyone near the shoreline, retreat!"

Karin stared in disbelief.

The ship wasn't slowing down at all.

It smashed directly onto the beach.

All the traps hidden along the coastline activated at once.

Tripwires.

Explosive tags.

Wooden stakes.

Kunai.

Shuriken.

Everything triggered simultaneously.

The problem was...

Every trap had been designed for people.

Nobody had considered the possibility of an entire ship charging straight through them.

The vessel remained mostly intact.

The Grass ninja, however, immediately found themselves caught in their own traps.

The shoreline descended into chaos.

Screams erupted everywhere.

Some were blown up.

Some were impaled.

Some were struck by flying weapons.

The ship continued sliding inland under its own momentum.

Several unlucky Grass ninja were flattened before they could escape.

Only after plowing all the way to the nearby treeline did it finally grind to a halt.

"Damn it!"

The Grass leader's face darkened.

"Are those bastards trying to double-cross us?"

"Boss, let's just kill everyone!"

The surviving Grass ninja quickly regrouped and surrounded the ship.

Karin, as the group's emergency medical resource, was dragged along as well.

There were still more than twenty Grass ninja present.

Yet when the ship finally stopped...

Only two figures appeared at the bow.

Neither paid any attention to the enemies surrounding them.

Instead, they immediately started arguing with each other.

"...Idiot. You should've told me you couldn't sail a ship."

"I did!"

"I literally said, 'Maybe I should give it a try.' If I knew how, why would I phrase it like that?"

"Couldn't you just say you didn't know how?"

"Someone had to try!"

"Nobody else was available! Hinata and Mei-nee were dealing with the people inside the ship!"

"How was I supposed to know that old captain couldn't sail either?"

"...That's why I specifically told Kakashi-sensei not to deal with him yet."

"Completely useless."

"Why do I feel like you're insulting me?"

Karin narrowed her eyes.

Then she blinked.

And blinked again.

For a moment, she wondered if her glasses had slipped.

Because standing there...

Were just two boys around her own age.

Nothing more.

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