Ch 168

I knew Sasuke and his team were here. Somewhere in this town.

I walked along the main street at an unhurried pace, blending in with the steady flow of people moving from shop to shop.

Nothing about me stood out. My posture was relaxed, my expression neutral, my steps measured. Just another passerby with nowhere urgent to be.

It had been about half an hour since I arrived. Not long enough to draw attention. Not long enough to grow impatient. Just enough time to observe.

I had lost his chakra signature the moment I entered the town. It had been faint to begin with, and now it was gone entirely.

Well, more like suppressed, hidden.

They were being careful. That didn't mean they had left. If anything, it confirmed they were still here.

I let my gaze drift casually across storefronts and narrow alleys, taking in details without lingering on any one place for too long.

My own chakra stayed tightly contained, pulled inward until it was nearly undetectable. Years of caution made it second nature.

I wasn't going to risk alerting them—not when I was this close.

I saw her before she saw me.

Karin stood a short distance away, half-turned as if she had been about to move on.

The moment I noticed her, something about her presence caught my attention—not just the sharp awareness in her posture, but her hair.

Bright red.

It pulled a memory to the surface without warning.

Kushina Uzumaki...

The resemblance wasn't exact, but it was enough. The colour alone carried something strong and unmistakable.

Uzumaki blood had a way of announcing itself.

It was beautiful.

I watched her for a second too long. And then she stopped. Slowly, she turned her head directly toward me.

Our eyes met.

I blinked once, mildly surprised. Then again, not really.

Of course she noticed. She was a sensory type. Not just trained, gifted. She could feel chakra in ways most people couldn't even comprehend.

My suppression was good, but not perfect. Not against someone like her.

The moment stretched for half a heartbeat.

Then I acted.

I slipped her into a genjutsu the instant after our eyes locked. It wasn't complex. It didn't need to be.

And as expected, she broke it almost immediately.

But that wasn't the point.

All I needed was that pause.

I moved. The distance between us vanished in an instant, my body appearing directly in front of hers before she could fully recover.

No dramatic entrance. No force behind it. Just precision.

She stiffened.

I didn't reach for a weapon. Didn't maneuver into a fighting stance. I simply stood there, close enough that she had no room to ignore me.

Still, her tension spiked. That was expected.

I gave a small nod, casual, almost polite. "Hello, Karin," I greeted.

Her eyes widened slightly. "We haven't met," I continued, my tone even, "but you must know my name."

She stared at me. Not with confusion. With shock.

I tilted my head slightly, studying her reaction. "Do you think I'm here to avenge Orochimaru?" I asked.

The question seemed to snap her out of it, just enough for her to respond cautiously. "...Are you?"

I shook my head without hesitation. "I would never."

That answer only seemed to deepen whatever was running through her mind. I watched her closely. She was surprised I was here, that much was obvious. But that wasn't what had shaken her.

No. There was something else in her expression. Something more specific. Something tied directly to me.

Whatever she was sensing, whatever had put that look on her face... It wasn't fear. That made this more interesting.

Recognition, maybe. Or expectation. Either way, it wasn't simple. And wasn't something I cared to have answered at this moment.

I let the silence sit for a moment, unbothered by her unease. My posture remained relaxed, my attention steady but not aggressive. 

 "I'm not here to hurt anyone," I said calmly. "I just want to see Sasuke."

Karin didn't relax. If anything, she grew more guarded. Her eyes searched my face, looking for something—deception, maybe, or intent that didn't match my words.

I let her look.

Then I added, a little more plainly, "It doesn't really matter if you bring me to him or if I find him myself."

Her shoulders tensed.

"I'm going to meet him either way," I continued. "Whether you like it or not. And there's nothing you can do to stop it."

The words weren't a threat. Just fact. There was no reason to beat around the bush, she couldn't stop me, and she knew it.

Karin's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might argue. Or call for the others. Her chakra flared slightly, betraying the spike in her nerves.

Then she took a slow breath. And then another. When she opened her eyes again, the hesitation was still there—but it was something more controlled. "...Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "Follow me."

I nodded once. She turned without another word, and I fell into step behind her as she led me through the town.

We moved into a nearby building, slipping inside without drawing attention. The space was quiet, dimly lit, the kind of place meant to be temporary.

Up the stairs. One level. Then another. As we got closer, I let my chakra loosen. There was no point in hiding it anymore. They would sense me before I even reached the door, might as well announce myself first.

The moment I stepped into the room, the tension snapped tight. Suigetsu Hozuki and Jugo were already in front of him, positioned protectively with weapons drawn, their focus locked entirely on me.

Behind them, Sasuke Uchiha lay unconscious.

I took it in at a glance—and smiled.

"Relax," I said lightly. "I'm not here to hurt him."

Neither of them lowered their guard. I let my gaze shift to Jugo, studying the subtle tension in his posture, the barely restrained instability beneath the surface.

"Now wouldn't be a good time for you to lose control," I added calmly. "Sasuke's still out. He won't be able to stop you if you go berserk."

That made all three of them pause. Karin, standing slightly behind me now, stiffened. Suigetsu's grip on his sword didn't loosen. Jugo's breathing steadied, just slightly.

They were thinking. Good.

Suigetsu's eyes narrowed. "So you really aren't here for anything shady?"

I shrugged. "Could you stop me if I was?"

Silence.

The question wasn't arrogance. Just reality. Could they really stop me if I were here to kill, I don't think so. But that wasn't the point.

To make it easier for them, I reached down and unfastened my belt, sliding it free. All my tools—kunai, tags, everything—came with it.

I held it out toward Karin. "Will this do?" I asked. "Or do you need more?"

Karin hesitated before taking it, her fingers brushing against the weight of it as if confirming it was real.

The three of them exchanged a look. A silent conversation. Then Suigetsu let out a small exhale and lowered his sword. "...That'll do. For now."

Without another word, I stepped past them. None of them tried to stop me.

I moved to Sasuke's side and lowered myself to sit beside him. Up close, the damage was clearer. His breathing was steady, but his body was worn down, pushed too far.

Even unconscious, the strain lingered in his body.

Quietly, I reached out and placed my hand against his cheek. Warm. Alive. I let my fingers rest there for a moment, grounding myself in that simple fact.

This was why I came.

At first, I told myself it was to decide something. To test the line I had been avoiding for so long.

If it came down to it... could I kill him to save Itachi?

I already knew the answer.

I exhaled softly, my hand still against his skin.

No. I couldn't.

No matter how many times I ran through it in my head, no matter how logical it seemed, I couldn't bring myself to follow through with it.

I had watched him grow up. Watched the pieces of his life fall apart, one after another. I understood too much. And because of that, I could never bring myself to be the one who ended it.

A/n Of course you know me, I am going to keep writing until I run out. Or until I have another assignment I have to do. This is seriously the first week I've had to myself since reading week, no joke. Enjoy~