Karin carefully pushed open the door.
The morning sunlight filtered into the room through the crack in the door.
She tiptoed into the room.
The blanket on Naruto's bed was tucked in tightly, even his head was wrapped inside.
Eh~ Why did Naruto-kun cover his head while sleeping this time?
Karin hesitated; what if she woke Naruto up when she pulled back the blanket?
But she really missed Naruto.
Aunt Kushina and Grandma Mito were both very nice people, but Naruto was Naruto—he was different.
Even though her thoughts were hesitant, Karin's body was already in motion.
She quietly walked to the side of "Naruto's" bed.
Her fair, slender hand gently lifted a corner of the heavy blanket.
"I missed you so much, Naruto-kun!"
Karin's whisper was saturated with the sweetness of reunion and impatience. Her fiery red hair slid over her shoulder as she leaned down, her eyes behind her glasses curving into joyful crescents as she looked directly at the bulge in the bedding she was certain was the person she missed.
However, the brilliant smile on her face stiffened and froze inch by inch the moment she saw the situation inside the covers, like spring flowers encountering a cold current.
There was no dazzling blond hair inside the blanket, nor was there the familiar "Naruto-kun" who carried the scent of sunshine.
In his place was a curled-up, unfamiliar figure. It was a black-haired girl, sleeping soundly, her jet-black hair scattered on the pillow, highlighting the handsome and fair half of her face that was exposed.
She seemed to be disturbed by the sudden light and movement, moving unconsciously and letting out a muffled mumble:
"Mmm... Uzumaki Naruto, is it time for breakfast?"
Her voice carried the hoarseness and innocence of someone who had just woken up; she had clearly mistaken the movement of the blanket for a wake-up call from a certain someone.
This voice was like a cold needle, suddenly piercing Karin's eardrums and jolting her out of her astonishment, which was immediately replaced by overwhelming confusion and an indescribable irritability.
"You—who the hell are you?!"
Karin's voice rose sharply, her fingertip nearly poking the black-haired girl's nose. Her gaze behind her glasses was as sharp as a blade, scanning this intruder who had occupied the bed of the person she longed for.
"How can you be sleeping in Naruto-kun's bed?!"
"Naruto-kun's bed" — this realization made her tone full of the hostility of someone whose territory had been invaded.
The black-haired girl on the bed, Uchiha Hikari, was also completely startled out of her sleep by this unfamiliar female voice filled with questioning and anger.
Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times before she suddenly opened her eyes. There was still some drowsiness in her gaze, but it was mostly replaced by a bewildered alertness.
What was going on?
What appeared in her field of vision was not the expected face that always wore a bright smile, but a red-haired girl with glasses she had never seen before, glaring at her with an expression of shock and anger that almost looked like she'd caught a cheating spouse.
Eh? Wasn't she in an inn?
Why was the surrounding environment different?
Hikari became fully awake in an instant, her heart thumping heavily in her chest.
She instinctively sat up while clutching the blanket, her black hair cascading down as her gaze quickly swept across the room—Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
He clearly said last night that he would sleep on the floor... and why would an unfamiliar woman appear in the room she shared with Naruto so early in the morning? And why was she questioning her in that tone? Where was Naruto?
Two girls, one standing by the bed glaring, and one sitting on the bed in shock and suspicion. After a brief, dead silence, the air was filled with silent, intense sparks.
Karin's mind was racing with a series of interrogations: "Where did Naruto-kun go?", "Who is this woman?", and "What is their relationship?"
Meanwhile, Hikari's heart was a tangle of confusion and rising displeasure: "Who is this?", "What happened to Naruto?", and "What right does she have to ask me that?"
The morning light continued to spill in quietly, but it could no longer bring even a hint of tranquility.
Kushina, who had just finished ladling the miso soup out of the pot, vaguely heard a noisy commotion coming from outside.
Was it those energetic brats from the village chasing and playing again? She wiped her hands, her lips unconsciously curving into a gentle arc. Naruto was always like that when he was little, noisy and... wait.
Why was the sound getting closer? Moreover, it seemed to be mixed with the sharp and hurried arguments unique to girls. She could vaguely make out words like "Let go!" and "You let go first!" The direction... seemed to be right in the yard.
Kushina, wearing her apron, walked out of the kitchen to take a look.
In the yard, she saw Naruto with a head of messy blond hair from sleeping, his face still showing the fatigue of not being fully awake.
And his hands, one on the left and one on the right, were holding up two girls.
The red-haired Karin and the black-haired Hikari.
The scene was quite comical, yet it also held a hint of tension.
Karin was clearly at a disadvantage, being held by the back of her collar by Naruto. She was still flailing around, trying to reach Hikari with her feet while shouting, "Naruto-kun, who is she?!"
Although she possessed the Uzumaki Clan's signature abundant Chakra and resilience, her taijutsu and combat experience were clearly far inferior to Hikari, who had struggled to survive in a cruel environment and possessed the Uchiha Bloodline and the Mangekyo Sharingan.
If it weren't for that signature bright red hair of the Uzumaki Clan, Karin would probably have been dragged into the Tsukuyomi Space by Hikari with a single look to have a "good talk."
Hikari, on the other hand, had her wrist held by Naruto. Although she had stopped the direct conflict, her pitch-black eyes stared coldly at Karin, her entire body radiating a low-pressure aura that said, "Try moving again and see what happens."
The jacket she was wearing, which was clearly much too large and belonged to Naruto, looked even more conspicuous amidst the scuffle.
"Naruto, what happened?"
Kushina was still holding a soup ladle in her hand.
When she saw her son holding up two girls, "one in each hand," especially when her gaze fell on the black-haired girl, she couldn't help but be taken aback.
That girl... long jet-black hair, exquisite but slightly cold features, and those black eyes that seemed exceptionally calm even when she was angry... such a strong Uchiha Clan feel.
But why was she wearing Naruto's jacket?
"It's nothing."
Naruto sighed, most of his drowsiness dissipated by this scene. He let go and gently pushed the two girls forward a bit to let them stand firmly.
"Karin woke Hikari up."
The moment the restraint was lifted, Karin and Hikari reacted almost simultaneously.
They didn't continue to rush at each other. Instead, they both reached out, one on the left and one on the right, and tightly grabbed Naruto's arms, as if competing for some important possession, or perhaps seeking support and declaring their stance.
Both pairs of eyes were still fixed on each other, the air thick with silent gunpowder smoke.
"This is Uchiha Hikari, I found her outside the village."
"Hikari, this is my mother Uzumaki Kushina, who was just resurrected not long ago. And this is Karin, a clanswoman I found recently."
When Hikari heard the word "mother," her gaze toward Kushina instantly froze, her brain feeling as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.
What do you mean "just resurrected"?
Is this the language of the Ninja World?
Resurrection? Was it the meaning she understood?
What on earth had happened to this world?
She instinctively looked at Naruto, her eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.
Naruto noticed Hikari's confusion and immediately turned slightly, leaning close to her ear and whispering quickly in a volume only the two of them could hear: "I'll explain this to you in detail later."
His warm breath brushed against her ear, carrying a sense of reassurance.
"So it's Hikari-chan!"
Kushina's voice rang out at the right time, breaking the brief silence.
Her eyes lit up as her gaze swept over Hikari, filled with undisguised curiosity.
"Perfect, I just finished making breakfast."
Kushina's smile widened.
"We'll talk while we eat. Wait a moment while I go call Shizune."