This Naruto is too easily persuaded.

I walked out of the Hokage Building.

The door behind him closed slowly with a muffled thud.

It was as if we were isolated from another world.

"You're still too naive."

Naruto stood on the steps, looking at the bustling street, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips.

He had clearly seen through the true nature of the village's higher-ups long ago.

They clearly knew that the so-called "Will of Fire" was as light as a feather on the scales of self-interest.

But just now, at the very moment when Karin's future was mentioned...

Deep down, he still harbored a sliver of unrealistic expectations for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

As it turns out, fantasy is just fantasy.

Naruto's gaze gradually cooled in the night.

Since Konoha's rules can't tolerate her, then I'll do it my own way.

"Naruto!"

Under the lights not far away, several familiar figures were waiting.

Sakura was jumping and waving, her pink hair standing out in the night.

Sasuke leaned against a tree trunk, hands in his pockets, looking impatient.

Karin shrank behind the two of them, her eyes timidly scanning everything around her.

Kakashi leaned against a lamppost, his face half-covered by the well-worn copy of "Icha Icha Paradise" in his hand.

Seeing Naruto come out, he lazily raised his dead fish eyes.

"So slow, Naruto."

Sasuke straightened up and snorted coldly.

Despite his usual sharp tongue,

But the moment Naruto appeared, the anxiety that had been lingering around him seemed to dissipate considerably.

Seeing this scene, Naruto's chill melted a little.

He stepped down the stairs.

"At least, these guys are still here."

Karin looked around at the crowds coming and going.

He seemed to be filled with curiosity about everything in Konoha.

She became even more nervous as Naruto walked in.

He gripped the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands, his lips moved a few times, but he didn't say anything.

His eyes were filled with hope and trepidation.

Although she didn't say anything, Naruto understood what she meant.

Hokage, will you agree to take me in?

Naruto walked up to her, reached out, and gently ruffled her long red hair.

His tone was calm and resolute:

Don't worry, everything will be alright.

This is Naruto's promise.

From now on, Karin's safety will not need Konoha's charity; Naruto Uzumaki will be responsible for it.

Karin looked at the determined-looking boy in front of her, and the panic in her eyes gradually subsided.

As if I had found a pillar of support, my heart became incredibly peaceful.

"Um!"

Naruto turned around and smiled at everyone:

"To celebrate our entire team passing the second exam..."

I propose we have barbecue tonight! Let Kakashi-sensei treat!

"That's right! We have to have a good meal!"

Sakura immediately agreed.

"Hmph, I agree."

Sasuke's lips curled slightly, and he unusually expressed his agreement.

Kakashi stumbled, looking helplessly at his wallet.

"Hey, hey... I didn't agree to that."

However, no one paid him any attention. The three students, along with Karin, were already heading towards the barbecue restaurant in a grand procession.

……

Crackling sound.

The charcoal fire crackled softly, and the aroma of roasted meat filled the small private room.

Kakashi flipped the grilled meat while glancing at Naruto seemingly casually.

"Speaking of which, Naruto, I've been wanting to ask you this since I was in the tower."

"You always seem to be protecting your neck, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Are you injured?"

Sasuke abruptly stopped pinching the meat between his fingers and looked up at Naruto's collar.

Naruto's expression remained unchanged.

"It's nothing, I just accidentally got bitten by a snake, I'm fine now."

"Are you alright?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, clearly disbelieving.

Karin, who was standing to the side, seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

She had seen the pain Naruto was in when he suppressed the cursed seal.

But she glanced timidly at Naruto's calm profile and ultimately wisely chose to keep quiet.

Click.

A crisp sound.

The chopsticks in the assistant's hand were forcibly broken in two.

He kept his head down, his bangs obscuring his eyes, making it impossible to see his expression.

Sasuke had by then begun to realize what was going on.

That terrifying man's initial target should have been him.

But... Naruto shielded him from the attack? And was even injured in the process?

A strong sense of shame and self-blame surged wildly in Sasuke's heart.

"It's happening again... He's clearly the worst student..."

"I'm the one burdened with the destiny of revenge..."

"Why... am I always the one who ends up being protected...?"

…………

After a hearty meal, the group strolled down the street.

"See you tomorrow."

Just as everyone was preparing to go their separate ways.

Several unsteady figures suddenly emerged from the izakaya next door and blocked the way.

They reeked of alcohol and wore headbands from the Grass Village.

It was the jonin from Kusagakure who were leading the team in the Chunin Exams, along with two genin who had miraculously survived.

"Hey, found it."

The leading Jonin let out a burp, his gaze sweeping past Naruto and the others, fixing intently on Karin, who was hiding at the back.

A sinister smile crept across his lips.

"I can't believe you're still alive, you piece of trash! We all thought you were dead in the Forest of Death."

Karin shuddered; it was a fear etched into her very bones.

She instinctively wanted to shrink behind Naruto.

"Since you're not dead, come back with us!"

Another member of the Grass Village, growing impatient, stepped forward, ignoring the Konoha members with an extremely arrogant attitude:

"Don't think you're safe just because you're hiding behind the Konoha ninjas. The village is waiting for you to go back and get back to work!"

"Aren't you coming over here right now?!"

As he spoke, he roughly reached out and grabbed Karin's striking red hair.

"what!"

Karin let out a short scream.

Sasuke and Sakura instinctively tried to move, but they were a step too slow.

It looked like Karin was about to be dragged away like an animal.

A hand gripped the grass ninja's wrist tightly, like an iron clamp.

Kusanagi was taken aback and turned his head to look.

A blond boy appeared beside him at some point.

Naruto put one hand in his pocket and grabbed the other person with the other.

The gentleness of the past was gone from his face, replaced by a cold indifference.

"Let go! Kid!"

Kusanagi was furious and tried to break free.

But he found that the other party had an astonishingly strong grip, and he couldn't budge the object no matter how hard he struggled.

"This is Kusagakure's internal affair. Do you intend to break the alliance between Konoha and Kusagakure?"

"An alliance?"

It would have been better if he hadn't said that.

Upon hearing this, a hint of savagery flashed in Naruto's blue eyes behind his glasses.

"What does that kind of waste paper have to do with me?"

Click!

"Aaaaaah!!"

The grass ninja let out a piercing scream.

His wrist bones were crushed by Naruto, resulting in a bizarre bend.

Naruto ignored the other's screams and tossed him aside like trash.

Kakashi's pupils contracted, and he was about to step forward to stop him, but he stopped in his tracks.

Sasuke stared at Naruto's retreating figure, his eyes filled with overwhelming shock.

Sakura gently tugged at Karin's hand and found that she was still trembling slightly.

Naruto forcibly suppressed the killing intent in his heart.

"Listen up, you trash from Kusagakure."

"She is mine now."

Naruto tilted his head slightly, a bloodthirsty red glint in the corner of his eye:

"Die here, or... get out!"