novelhk Chapter 256 Scarlet Guardian
Chapter 256 Scarlet Guardian
The rainforest on the border of the Land of Fire was perpetually shrouded in a humid mist. Karin's fingertips traced the bloodstains on the tree trunks, a wary glint in her crimson eyes. Her sensory network, like a dense red thread, covered the rainforest for ten miles, picking up the subtlest fluctuations of chakra with every breath. On this mission with Sasuke to track down the remnants of the Akatsuki organization, she felt a constant sense of unsettling malevolence lingering in the air, like the tongue of a venomous snake, glints against her skin.
"Don't be distracted," Sasuke's voice echoed from the front. The Kusanagi sword shone coldly in his hand, his Mangekyō Sharingan half-opened, golden lines faintly visible beneath his eyes. He could sense a disturbance in Karin's chakra, clearly sensing something unusual, yet he suppressed his worry. This girl, always following him, always prioritized his safety, even when she was in danger, to warn him to get out of the way.
Karin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly gathered her thoughts and adjusted the accuracy of her sensory network to the highest level. "Sasuke-sama, three miles northwest, six streams of chakra are rapidly approaching. Four of them carry the aura of 'Root' ANBU, and the other two... are very strange, like transformed curse-sealed ninja." Her fingertips began to turn white, and the chakra carried a familiar chill, exactly the same curse-sealed energy that Orochimaru had used to torture her. "They are targeting you, and their chakra is locked onto your Mangekyō."
Sasuke paused, his Mangekyo suddenly lighting up, the black flames of Amaterasu dancing on his fingertips. "Finally." He had long anticipated that Konoha's "roots" would not let him, a "traitorous Uchiha ninja," go. Especially after awakening his Mangekyo, he became a "threat" in the eyes of some. "Stay behind me, don't run around."
Karin did not obey, but took a step forward, and condensed light red chakra in her palm: "Lord Sasuke, my Uzumaki bloodline can help you purify the energy of the curse seal, and can also sense their attack trajectory. I am not a burden, I can help you." Her voice was a little stubborn, but her eyes were full of determination - three years ago in Sound Village, it was Sasuke who helped her break free from Orochimaru's control; a year ago in the ruins of the Land of Rice, it was Sasuke who blocked the ANBU's kunai for her; this time, she wanted to do something for him, instead of hiding behind him forever.
Sasuke's body stiffened, but he didn't protest. He remembered Karin's willingness to sacrifice her own life force to help him stabilize his Mangekyō; he remembered how she would rush to bandage his wounds after every battle, even if she was injured herself; he remembered her sensory network, which always warned him of fatal attacks at the most dangerous moment. His Adam's apple moved, but he finally nodded. "Don't force it."
As soon as he finished speaking, six dark figures suddenly leaped from the rainforest. Anbu ninjas' kunai, laced with blue Curse Seal chakra, shot towards Sasuke like poisoned ice needles. Two Curse Seal ninjas activated Orochimaru's Curse Seal within their bodies, their skin turning dark purple and their nails morphing into claws. They pounced on Karin—they knew that Karin's sensory network was Sasuke's "eyes." Eliminating her would render Sasuke blind.
"Sasuke-sama! Watch out for the kunai!" Karin's sensory network instantly locked onto the kunai's trajectory. Reddish chakra condensed in front of her body into a shield, blocking the two kunai launched at Sasuke's back. At the same time, her voice was filled with a hurried warning: "Cursed ninja on the left, gather chakra on your left arm and unleash your Wind Style!"
Sasuke's Mangekyō (likely a spell or spell) accurately predicted the attack, transforming Amaterasu's flame into a thin line that instantly ignited the Curse-Seal ninja's left arm. The black flames burned furiously, and even the opponent's attempts to extinguish them with Wind Style only intensified the flames. However, the other Curse-Seal ninja seized the opportunity to swerve behind Karin, clawing at her from behind with a cold, Curse-Seal energy.
"Look out!" Sasuke vanished instantly, his Kusanagi sword blazing with black flames as it slashed at the Cursed Ninja's claws. But the ANBU ninja seized this opportunity, simultaneously launching four kunai blasts imbued with explosive tags at Sasuke, creating an impenetrable killing tactic—their goal was to use Karin to pin Sasuke down, then detonate him with the kunai.
Karin's pupils suddenly constricted, the countdown for the detonating tag clearly visible in her sensory network. Without hesitation, she lunged at Sasuke, pushing him away while pressing her palms to the ground. "Whirlpool? Blood Pact Barrier!" A pale red mist erupted from her body, forming a semicircular barrier around them. The detonating tag exploded outside the barrier, the terrifying shockwave deforming it. Blood flowed from the corner of Karin's mouth, her crimson pupils fixed on Sasuke, fearing he might be harmed in the slightest.
"Idiot!" Sasuke's voice was filled with unprecedented panic. He looked at Karin's pale face, and saw the cracks on the barrier caused by the impact. The black flames suddenly surged, engulfing all the remaining Anbu ninjas and curse-sealed ninjas. "Who asked you to block for me?"
Karin's body swayed, and the barrier slowly dissipated. Seeing the anxious look in Sasuke's eyes, she suddenly smiled, the blood at the corner of her mouth glaring against her pale face. "Sasuke-sama's Mangekyō... isn't fully stable yet, so don't get hurt. My Uzumaki bloodline... has self-healing properties, so I'll be fine." She spoke, trying to stand up by holding onto the tree trunk, but found her legs had lost their strength—the barrier had drained so much of her vitality that even her sensory network began to blur.
Sasuke didn't scold her anymore. Instead, he walked over quickly and picked her up sideways. His movements were a little clumsy, but he was extremely careful, afraid to hurt her wound. The kaleidoscope clearly reflected Karin's frail appearance: the cold sweat on her forehead, her pale lips, and those eyes that were clearly in pain, but still showed peace of mind.
"Don't talk. I'll take you to heal." Sasuke's voice was soft, with a hint of tenderness that he himself didn't even notice. He held Karin in his arms, the Kusanagi sword clearing a path before him. The black flames burned through all the branches blocking the way, but he deliberately avoided the corner of Karin's clothes, fearing that the flames would burn her.
Leaning against Sasuke's chest, Karin could clearly smell the faint scent of black flame on him and feel the warmth of his chest. Though her sensory network was hazy, she could still detect Sasuke's heartbeat—much faster than usual, with a hint of panic, and a hint of... concern that she didn't dare to dwell on.
"Sasuke-sama..." Karin's voice was very soft, falling on Sasuke's ear like a feather, "My sensory network... can still cover a range of three miles. If there are any enemies... I will warn you."
Sasuke didn't turn around, only humming a soft "hmm." His pace quickened, his gaze scanning the road ahead, searching for a suitable cave to heal. The girl in his arms was light, yet weighed like a heavy stone on his heart. For the first time, he felt that his strength wasn't strong enough, that he couldn't even protect the people he wanted to protect.
It was already dark when they found the cave. Sasuke placed Karin on the hay-covered ground and took out the healing potion Ototake had given her from his ninja tool bag. He unscrewed the bottle cap and handed it to her: "Drink it."
Karin shook her head and pushed the potion back: "Sasuke-sama, your chakra is also very depleted. You drink... I will use my own blood to heal myself."
Sasuke frowned, his tone undeniably firm: "Drink it." He knew that although Karin's self-healing ability was strong, it took time. The battle just now must have left some curse energy in her body. If it was not removed in time, it would leave sequelae. "Don't make me say it again."
Seeing Sasuke's serious expression, Karin finally took the potion and drank it in small sips. The warm potion slid down her throat and quickly turned into a gentle chakra, repairing her damaged meridians and gradually regaining her sensory network.
Sasuke sat beside her, watching her face slowly turn rosy and her tense body relax. He remembered what Ototake had said: "Sasuke, you are not alone. Karin's Uzumaki bloodline is your 'backing', but also your 'weakness'. Don't always push her away, try to accept her protection."
He hadn't understood before, believing his path to revenge didn't require companions, much less protection. But now, looking at Karin, watching her willingly get hurt for him, watching her worry about his safety even in the pain, he suddenly understood—this girl who always followed him had become an indispensable part of his life.
"Sasuke-sama?" Karin's voice interrupted his thoughts. She saw Sasuke staring at her in a daze, her cheeks slightly red. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
Sasuke came back to his senses and turned his face away, but a blush quietly appeared on the tip of his ear: "Nothing." He stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave, with the Kusanagi sword stuck in the ground, "You rest well, I'll guard it."
Karin looked at Sasuke's back, and suddenly felt a corner of her heart soften. She knew that although Sasuke was a man of few words, he always cared for her in his own way. Just like this time, even though he called her "idiot", he still held her carefully, healed her wounds, and kept vigil for her.
Outside the cave, moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting a long shadow over Sasuke. Karin's sensory network gently spread out, covering the cave's perimeter, sharing the responsibility of keeping watch for Sasuke. She gazed at Sasuke's back, a faint smile playing on her lips—she didn't need Sasuke to reciprocate her feelings. Simply being by his side, sensing danger for him, and protecting his back was enough.
As the night deepened, the chirping of insects drifted through the rainforest. Sasuke leaned against the cave entrance, the Amaterasu flames fading from his fingertips. Occasionally, Karin's image would flash through his Mangekyo: the resoluteness of her blocking the Detonating Talisman for him, the obedient manner in which she drank the potion, and now, the quiet figure of her resting against the hay.
He suddenly felt that the road to revenge might still be long, but with Karin by his side, he didn't seem so lonely anymore. His black flame burned for revenge, and her scarlet flame shone for protection. Perhaps this was what Ototake had described as a "bond"—two lonely people, amidst the darkness of the ninja world, offering each other warmth, protection, and light.
The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight entered the cave, Karin was already awake. She looked at Sasuke, who was still guarding the doorway, and gently walked over to him, handing him a piece of wild fruit she had found with her sensory network. "Sasuke-sama, please have something to eat. We still need to continue our pursuit of the remnants of the Akatsuki organization."
Sasuke took the wild fruit and nodded: "Okay." His voice was much softer than usual, and there was a hint of imperceptible warmth in his eyes as he looked at Karin.
The two walked out of the cave side by side, heading deeper into the rainforest. The sunlight cast a long shadow on them, drawing them close together. Karin's sensory network spread out ahead, guiding Sasuke's direction; Sasuke's Kusanagi sword stood at his side, shielding Karin from any danger.