30 Unexpected Acquaintance

In the cave under a tree….

Sakura sat near Sasuke who slept on the ground. She dipped a towel in the water and squeezed it a bit, after which she replaced the one that was on Sasuke before meanwhile Naruto sat in from of the cave as he looked towards the two scrolls placed in his hands.

"Naruto…" Sakura called out.

"Yes…"

"At this rate Sasuke might not get up until evening….." Sakura said as she stared at Sasuke who was unconscious after he took a few painkillers.

"Naruto….. Can you get some water from the river?" Sakura said as she took a small bucket that was nearby and handed it to him.

Naruto got up

< Shadow Clone Jutsu! >

(poof) a clone showed up, as it took the bucket from Naruto and left in the direction of the river.

"Sakura…." Naruto walked over…

"We might need to change the camping spot once again….." Naruto said as he looked towards Sasuke.

..

..

..

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(whoosh)

(whoosh)

Naruto (clone) jumped as he went in the direction of the river.

…

…

"Ah!" A girl let out a sound as a boy beside her bit onto her hand.

"Take this and hide" said another boy as he passed a scroll to the girl and bit on her hand too.

"Ah!" The girl let out a sound once again.

The second boy bit on her and then left the scene.

The trio were a group from the grass village.

The girl then bent down feeling her knees become weak from the chakra drain.

…

…

Naruto (clone) had filled up the bucket and was on his way back.

(ROAR!) A big bear showed up behind Karin and scared her.

Frightened, she started running away from the bear and tripped over a huge tree root.

Her glasses fell out of her face and so did the scroll from her hand as she fell down.

The bear closed in on her…..

At this moment.

Naruto stopped as he slowly dropped the bucket on the ground and vanished, instantly reappearing a metre above the big bear's head as he unleashed one drop kick.

(Boom!) The bear landed on the ground with a bit of blood appearing over its head.

Naruto turned towards the girl

("That red hair, isn't that Karin?") Naruto thought as he approached the girl.

"Hey, are you okay?" Naruto asked as he noticed that she had the Earth scroll with her.

"My glasses!" Karin said as she got up and wore them.

She stared at Naruto for a moment before she bowed.

"Thank you for saving me…." She said.

("So she was a part of the hidden grass village before huh?")

Naruto then walked towards her as he asked "Where are your teammates?"

"They went in that direction" Karin said as she pointed towards the place where the boys went to…

….

….

Karin wanted to run towards the boys, but before she could continue Naruto grabbed hold of her hand.

"Stop!" Karin did not continue as she turned towards Naruto, only to see him stick out his right hand as he pointed towards a particular spot.

Karin's eyes traced the hand's direction as she saw a White colour scroll that was opened.

"Looks like your team will be unconscious until the end of the exam..."

…

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…

Soon they walked back together while Naruto held the small bucket of water in his left hand.

"What is your name?" Karin asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto…..and yours?" Naruto replied.

"Uzumaki...."

"Are you serious?" Karin asked as though she had suddenly found hope.

"Why?"

"My name is Uzumaki Karin!" She stated causing Naruto to think back to how he had rarely spoken to Karin. Though he knew she was a Uzumaki, his clan was of no concern any longer as the eddy village had already been destroyed in the past.

"Oh….So you are an Uzumaki too huh?" Naruto said as he continued walking.

"But you don't have red hair?" Karin asked.

"I took, after my father….."

"So…, have you ever wondered what happened to the Uzumaki clan" Karin asked.

"After… the eddy village was destroyed… My mom came to Konoha, after that there was nothing about the Uzumaki clan that had significant importance….." Naruto said.

"Oh..." Karin reacted as she felt sorrow again.

"Cheer-up!" Naruto said

"There are some relations that go beyond blood ya know!"

"All you have to do is be patient as you search for it….." Naruto smiled causing Karin to become a bit infatuated.

At this moment Sakura saw Naruto from the cave chatting happily with Karin.

Feeling annoyed she turned towards the original Naruto and glared at him who had also witnessed the scene.

"I swear…I don't know….." Naruto said feeling he had wronged.

…

"Here Sakura" (POOF) the clone smiled as it disappeared after handing over the pail of water to Sakura.

Meanwhile Karin almost fell on her back after realising that all this time she was hanging around a clone.

Karin turned towards Naruto who finally understood what was going on after his clone had transferred the information of what had happened, upon its disappearance.

"Make yourself, comfortable!" Naruto smiled towards Karin.

"Naruto who is she?" Sakura asked.

"Karin this is Sakura a teammate of mine"

"And, Sakura this is Karin, a person who I saved when she was in trouble."

Naruto said, after which Karin waved towards Sakura.

…

…

Sakura replaced the water towel on Sasuke's head.

While Karin observed Sakura's actions.

Sakura also observed Karin, noticing the bite marks around her hand.

"Those bite marks….." Sakura brought her hand towards Karin.

Karin reacted by slapping her hand away

"It is none of your business!"

"You!..." Sakura felt annoyed, as she took the towels by the side and left the cave to dry them outside.

"Is he your teammate?" Karin asked Naruto.

"Yeah….."

….

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….

An hour passed by...

"Ugh!….." Sasuke made a sound trying to regain his consciousness.

He turned around cupping his ears with his hands.

"Sasuke!" Sakura ran towards him.

"Does it still pain?" She asked, to which Sasuke barely nodded.

..

"Make him bite my hand!" Sakura turned back to witness Karin presenting her arm, which was covered in bite marks.

"I can heal him!" Karin said after which Sakura looked towards Naruto.

Naruto nodded to Sakura indicating her to go ahead.

Sakura then lifted Sasuke and made him bite on Karin's hand.

"Ah!" Karin reacted, while Sasuke slowly started gaining vitality to his expression.

Soon…..

Sasuke had recovered as he turned around to see Naruto, Sakura and another girl by his side.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed excitedly as she pounced on him.

"You finally woke up….." Naruto added.

…

…

…

(Whoosh)

(Whoosh)

(Whoosh)

(Whoosh)

Four people jumped about in the night as they went through the forest and soon they cane across and empty spot.

"All right, we shall camp here" Naruto said.

After which the group started setting up their equipments.

"Sasuke, let's go and hunt some beasts down…" Naruto suggested to which Sasuke agreed.

The duo left, leaving Sakura and Karin alone.

There was silence for a while before Karin turned towards Sakura.

"Naruto seems to be a nice guy…." Karin said slowly.

"Mmm…" Sakura nodded as she arranged the backpack neatly.

….

…

….

"Naruto, who is that girl?" Sasuke asked while they set traps for a beast.

"Oh, Her name is Karin….." Naruto introduced her and started to talk about who she was to Sasuke back in his world…..

"She was also in the Akatsuki with me?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes!"

"Was she a strong fighter?"

"More like a super nerd version of Sakura who would shamelessly stick with you, along with her abilities to heal."

"It was you, who had rescued her from Orochimaru back then…." Naruto said.

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….

Soon the duo had returned.

Naruto started to set up the new catch on the bon fire, while Sasuke looked towards Karin.

However, the only difference was that Karin this time, did not seem to place him in her eyes as she watched Naruto set up the beast they had just caught.

..

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"Itadakimasu!" The group of four said at the same time as they began to dig into their food.

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Meanwhile.

"We've failed Orochimaru-sama" Dosu said as his squad together with him bowed down in front of him.

"It is all right!" Orochimaru said as he turned back wearing the wicked smile across his face.

"Kabuto!" He called out upon which a man in glasses landed on the ground from a tree.

"Yes! Orochimaru-sama"