Seeing the two brothers talking so closely, Rengoku pulled Karin along and left the room.
Orochimaru was outside, operating some machine, his eyes fixed on the data on the screen.
When he saw Rengoku come out, he reminded him, "The only sage mark suitable for Sasuke requires a large amount of natural energy. In this environment, he won't succeed."
"I know. No rush. I'll figure something out."
Rengoku had pulled Karin over while she was eating, naturally because he wanted to spend time with his fiancee.
"Can you still handle it?"
He was, of course, asking about her life force.
Although Karin's face looked flushed and she hadn't lost much, she liked it when her master showed concern for her.
Karin lightly patted her stomach, "Can't handle it anymore, I'm starving."
Rengoku smiled, "Then let's go, eat something."
Karin wrinkled her nose, "I was just eating with Shion. I left her there."
"We should go find her first."
"Alright. I'm hungry too. Let's go together."
Rengoku had just fought Might Guy, so he was a bit hungry.
———
[Konoha Commercial Street]
After Konoha expanded, more and more people flooded in. As the population grew, shops sprang up everywhere like bamboo shoots after rain.
Not only was an outer city added, the inner city was also reorganized.
Each district was divided into several commercial streets, making it convenient for everyone to shop and eat in concentrated areas.
[Inside a Tempura Shop]
Shion bit down hard on the fried shrimp in her mouth.
Even though it tasted great, she wasn't happy at all.
Karin had been sitting beside her just moments ago, but now all that remained were dozens of stacked empty plates.
The shop owner nearby kept smiling as he watched Shion, afraid she might disappear like her companion the moment he looked away.
Although dine-and-dash wasn't common in Konoha, that red-haired girl had vanished in a way that was too strange.
The owner didn't dare relax.
Shion understood the look she was getting and felt a bit awkward.
She had come with Karin, so she couldn't exactly say she didn't know her.
Seeing the pile of plates Karin had eaten, she had no appetite left.
After finishing the shrimp, she had no choice but to prepare to pay.
Just now, the Fourth Hokage had appeared and taken Karin away in less than a second.
Karin had left cleanly, but someone still had to pay for all those plates of tempura.
She had planned to go shopping for clothes later, but now that wasn't happening.
Thankfully, Rengoku had given her a bit more money earlier. Otherwise, with her shopping habits, she might have ended up stuck here unable to pay.
She didn't know whether Karin would come back, or when.
So she paid.
"Please come again."
After leaving the shop, Shion took out her cute cat-shaped wallet, opened it, counted the money, and said with a mournful face, "My wallet's empty again!"
———
When Rengoku brought Karin out, he didn't rush to find Shion. After all, some time had already passed.
Shion might have already left.
Rengoku was walking around with Karin. She still had a childlike nature, liking either food or small toys.
By now, Rengoku was holding two candied fruit skewers and a box of fried potatoes.
The candied skewers were made with strawberries instead of hawthorn, and the fried potatoes were small round ones, each about the size of a quail egg.
Their wrinkled, crispy skin was coated with chili powder and salt, making them look very appetizing.
Karin held a skewer, speared a potato, and brought it to Rengoku's mouth.
"Shishou… ah!"
Rengoku naturally opened his mouth and ate it.
Sharing your favorite food with someone you like was a simple kind of happiness.
As it happened, everything Karin liked to eat, Rengoku liked as well.
"Konoha has changed a lot over the years," Rengoku said casually while chewing.
The fried potatoes had a crispy outer layer and a soft, powdery inside. With the chili powder and seasoning, they made his mouth water.
Karin skewered three potatoes at once and stuffed them into her mouth.
"Speaking of it, (chew chew chew) before, Konoha (chew chew chew) didn't have this many (chew chew chew) snacks. Now you can find (chew chew chew) specialty foods from other countries here too."
With her cheeks puffed out, she pointed to a shop across the street.
On the sign was a yellow lizard and brown sea buckthorn fruit, indicating it was a business from the Land of Wind.
Sand lizards were a broad category, but most of them had the ability to shed their tails to survive.
And in the Land of Wind, there was a popular snack, grilled sand lizard tail.
Since it was living flesh and could regenerate endlessly, it was very popular.
Rengoku shifted the candied skewers to one hand and used a piece of paper to wipe the chili from the corner of Karin's mouth.
"Don't stuff so much in at once. Look, you've even got it on your face."
Karin shook her head indifferently.
"Eating big bites tastes better, and it makes you feel more satisfied."
As she spoke, she quickly skewered all the remaining potatoes from the box Rengoku was holding, five in total.
"Shishou, here. Eat them all!"
Since she had already brought them to his mouth, Rengoku had no choice but to open up and take them all in.
With his mouth completely full, he had to chew slowly to keep anything from falling out.
He had to admit, Karin's way of eating made some sense. Taking big bites really did bring a sense of satisfaction.
"You really know how to eat."
Rengoku smiled after swallowing, then handed the candied skewers to Karin.
After something savory, something sweet, that was also Karin's habit.
Karin took the skewer and jabbed it toward Rengoku's mouth, calling out, "Shishou, take this!"
Rengoku laughed and turned his head, biting off one of the candied strawberries.
"Hehe…"
The two of them wandered around, joking and playing.
As they walked, Rengoku suddenly stopped.
He saw someone familiar.
Nohara Rin.
She was walking over from across the street with a girl dressed as a medical ninja.
Even though five years had passed and Rin had grown taller, the purple markings on her face made Rengoku recognize her at a glance.
Thinking about Kakashi's strange expression earlier, Rengoku decided to ask Rin directly what was going on.
"Rin!"
Rengoku waved.
Nohara Rin turned her head in confusion. The first thing she noticed was Karin.
After all, there weren't many red-haired people in the village.
Only then did she notice Rengoku waving.
Rengoku currently had a disguise on his face, so Rin didn't recognize him.
She looked at his Uchiha clan clothing, then at Karin beside him.
A flash of realization crossed her mind.
'Could it be?'
She turned to the girl beside her and said, "A friend is looking for me. You head back first."
Chizuru didn't mind, "I'll go back to the hospital first. Come back early, don't be late."
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