NARUTO: Starting with Hinata

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"Anything else you need?"

Konan put Shiki down and watched him fix his hair, thinking to herself that this little guy was quite vain.

"No, thank you." Shiki replied, shaking his head.

"Then please return the employer's certificate." Konan said, stretching out her hand.

Shiki pulled out a card and handed it to her. The so-called employer's certificate was given to him by the exchange agency to prove that the task had been completed. Konan could exchange the certificate for rewards, sparing Shiki the time and trip.

"If you have similar commissions in the future, you can come to me again." Konan said calmly, "You should know my code name, White Tiger."

Members of the Akatsuki organization rarely used their real names. In fact, Konan still didn't know what Shiki's real name was.

"Okay sister." Shiki nodded, adjusting his sunglasses.

Konan didn't seem to mind the name. She leaped into the air, spread her white wings, and flew into the sky like an angel. The wind lifted her Akatsuki cloak, revealing her fitted black pants underneath, resembling black stockings.

"Are you all right?" Shiki turned his gaze back to Karin and her mother. Their long red hair was slightly messy, a result of the high-speed flight.

"I'm fine." The young woman replied, shaking her head.

Karin hugged her knees, staring intently at Shiki. Shiki met her gaze and held it as she blinked, not looking away.

"For you." Shiki said, casually pulling out a lollipop and handing it to her.

"Thanks." Karin responded, looking curiously at the unfamiliar treat.

Noticing her hesitation, Shiki peeled the lollipop, held her hand, and brought it to her lips. As she tasted it, a subtle sweetness spread across her taste buds, and her eyes lit up. She took a bigger bite, savoring the sugary delight.

Shiki smiled faintly. The young woman beside them watched the scene, feeling as though she had finally returned to the world after a long time in hell.

"My name is Shiki." He said, noting her pale face. He felt a surge of sympathy—she seemed like an ideal candidate to use the Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass.

"I'm Chihori." The woman said, touching Karin's shoulder, "This is my daughter, Karin."

No mention was made of the Uzumaki surname, which suggested she had endured a lot. Shiki took out a leaf of the Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass and handed it to her, "Eat it." He said.

Chihori hesitated. Since Shiki had saved them, he clearly had an ulterior motive. Did he know they were from the Uzumaki clan? If Shiki were an adult, she might suspect him of other motives, but he was just a kid. It couldn't be because of Karin, could it? She quickly dismissed the thought. Only the ninjas of Kusagakure knew about her daughter's existence; Karin had never left the house since birth.

Still, Shiki's previous actions had earned her trust, so Chihori swallowed the vitality leaf. Her eyes widened as a warm current flowed through her body, bringing renewed strength. It felt as though a dry field was being watered, filling her with vitality.

Such a magical leaf—it deepened her impression of Shiki. Young, wealthy, and mysterious.

"How effective is it compared to the previous jutsu I used?" Shiki asked, observing her reaction.

"About a quarter of the effect." Chihori replied after a moment's thought.

Shiki considered this. Though a quarter might seem small, it was actually impressive, given the effectiveness of the Palm Immortal Technique. Only talented Chunin like Haruno Sakura could learn it. A leaf with even a quarter of that effect would fetch a high price.

"Um... Shiki, why did you save us?" Chihori asked hesitantly.

"Sealing technique." Shiki answered honestly. He held the upper hand and didn't worry about them running away, so there was no need to hide his intentions.

"Sealing technique?" Chihori's body trembled—so he did know they were from the Uzumaki clan.

"Sorry." Chihori said sincerely, "We haven't learned sealing techniques." Not all members of the Uzumaki clan were qualified to learn it.

Shiki nodded. He'd expected as much. If they really knew the sealing technique, they wouldn't have been treated as mobile blood banks. A sealing technique capable of restraining the Nine-Tailed Fox would have been more than enough to help them escape from Kusagakure.

"…?" Chihori looked at him, puzzled.

"I'll teach you the Sealing Technique. Once you learn it, you can help me." Shiki said with a smile.

"Really?" Chihori was surprised and hopeful. As long as she wasn't being drained daily like in Kusagakure, she could accept this situation, especially if they were learning something as valuable as sealing techniques.

"Why would I lie to you?" Shiki replied. This was the proper way to utilize the Uzumaki clan's talents. Kusagakure had treated them as mere blood bags, like killing the goose that laid golden eggs.

Chihori fell silent. She knew it was true. With his resources, Shiki could have easily killed them if he'd wanted to.

"Come with me." Shiki said, glancing at the sky. It was nearly noon. If he delayed, Tsunade and Shizune might think he'd gone missing and cause a big commotion in the Land of Fire.

In his previous life, he remembered people discussing a certain rumor about Tsunade. As a princess of Konohagakure, she supposedly had ties with the daimyo himself, receiving a level of treatment unique among female ninja in the five major villages.

After a few twists and turns, Shiki finally arrived at a place called Yume Pest Control.

"Uncle." He said, spotting his relative Kyohei from a distance.