It was well known that members of the Uzumaki Clan had iconic red hair. Kano only remembered this because she was so close, and she even felt that the girl looked a bit like Karin.
Facing Kano's careful scrutiny, Tayuya was incredibly frustrated internally, but due to Orochimaru's orders, she could only hold it in.
"I don't know, I don't know who I am either. I was taken by Lord Orochimaru for experiments when I was a child. Just say what you have to say and stop being so long-winded."
Well fine, if she didn't know herself, then forget it. It seemed there were quite a few people with red hair; Sasori had red hair too.
"I want your Ninjutsu. Just give me all the Ninjutsu you've mastered."
"What a pain. Do you have paper and a pen? I'll write them down for you."
Kano took out an empty scroll and a pen and handed them to Tayuya. Tayuya didn't waste any time, sitting on the ground and starting to write. She wrote a great deal, her hand aching from the effort.
"Write it in more detail! I can't understand it when you just gloss over it like this!"
"So annoying! Do you want me to teach you personally?!"
Kano, who had been nitpicking, also felt she was being a bit excessive and obediently shut her mouth.
After recording most of the music-based Ninjutsu, Kano asked Tayuya to perform that Genjutsu, Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains, one more time. Meanwhile, she pulled out a reward from the system, an item capable of recording and instantly learning a piece of music.
Why is it just a Voice Recorder?
[It fits the function's image perfectly, doesn't it? (˵¯͒♦¯͒˵)]
But the pills you took out before were all ethereal and immortal-looking. I thought you'd give me something more fantasy-like.
[So you do know those pills looked ethereal (◦`~´◦). Yet you insist on calling them useless-sounding names like Melatonin or Lutein (o｀ε´o).]
When the recording of the piece was finished, the Voice Recorder disappeared directly. Kano instantly understood how to use this Genjutsu, and she could now release it perfectly.
As expected of a system product, it's reliable.
[Naturally! ᕙ(`▿´)ᕗ]
"Alright, my request is complete. Can you chat with me for a while?"
"No."
"You were taken by Orochimaru for experiments, right? Have you ever thought about running away?"
"Run? Run where? Staying by Lord Orochimaru's side is the only way to gain power. How long would I survive if I fled outside? I have nowhere else to go but there. I can't go back to how things were."
"Alright then, you can go back."
Watching Tayuya's departing figure, Kano suddenly thought of many things.
For those who were taken, even if they survived after all these years, did they still have a place to return to? Did they still remember the way back?
Perhaps they were just as Tayuya said; they could no longer go back to the way things were.
In the future, she should forbid Orochimaru from kidnapping people for human experiments at will. If he wanted experimental subjects, he could choose from prisoners, or pick people who were willing to be subjects for the sake of power... The scene shifted to Naruto's side. This was a deserted forest area, but most of the terrain had been leveled by the aftershocks of the battle, leaving a large open space.
"Why is this guy so strong..."
At this moment, Gaara had been defeated by Naruto and was lying on the ground, looking resentfully at Naruto not far away. Naruto wasn't doing much better; his whole body was exhausted, but he was still struggling.
"Don't... don't come over!"
"The pain of being all alone... it's not just an ordinary pain, is it?"
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!