He has even mastered Haki, and you say this is Naruto?

At this moment, the terrifying threat of death became real—this punch would kill.

If that punch landed, there was no doubt—it would be fatal.

In Gaara's eyes, Karin had completely transformed into an invincible monster. Her red hair seemed to turn into a blood-colored sky, and that punch felt like the entire sky was collapsing.

"BOOM!!"

The terrifying punch slammed down, the ground cracked inch by inch, caving in like a spiderweb spreading outward.

In the heart of the battlefield, dust and smoke exploded—one drop of blood splashed onto the earth.

From within the smoke, a massive claw blocked Karin's attack.

Her eyes were icy. The skin on her right hand had been ripped open, but within a single breath, it completely healed.

"You scum who trample on life don't deserve to live in this world."

"Why do people like you get to live, while other lives are deemed worthless?"

Karin's voice trembled with fury.

Why? Why could this kind of person still breathe? That look in his eyes, as if human life meant nothing—as if others were just objects—it made her sick.

Her life had been saved at the cost of her mother's. Those ninja had looked at them like tools, like medicine jars.

Because of their unique abilities, as long as someone bit their skin, they could restore chakra and heal injuries.

That was Karin's only "worth"—a living medicine container for ninja.

That cold, dehumanizing gaze—treating her as nothing more than a thing.

"Disgusting… people like you, who disregard life so casually… should just die."

Karin was never given special treatment in Grass Village, but for months, Orochimaru had secretly developed her potential.

Even Karin didn't fully realize it. She only knew that over the past few months, she had survived countless brushes with death.

Again and again, through the pain of near-death and constant combat, she pushed her Sensory Mind's Eye to its peak, awakening a form of reverse perception.

She locked down her life force and chakra, releasing her body's full potential.

This medicine jar had grown stronger—so strong that even Grass Village could no longer restrain her.

But this bastard dared to look at her like that!?

"Boom!!"

In that instant, her locked-down chakra merged fully into her body, pushing her strength beyond her limits.

The terrifying force of her punch erupted once more.

The ground split again.

Gaara's sand counterattacked—another claw emerged, reaching toward Karin.

But… too slow. Far too slow.

No, it wasn't slow—Karin had already foreseen all of Gaara's attacks.

Orochimaru had trained Karin according to the method "Madara" had given to Shanks.

Tempering her body, forging her will, dragging out her most painful memories right as she neared death.

She remembered her childhood, her mother's desperate gaze when she was taken, the cold stares of those who used her like an object.

Each time she faced death, those memories pulled her back. She had to survive. Even if it cost her life—she would defeat the enemy and live!

"BOOM!"

Dodging the sand, Karin's monstrous punch shattered the sandy claw, sending shockwaves through the air.

Each time Gaara tried to form sand defenses, Karin interrupted him. And every time his sand touched her, it was affected by the seal on her body.

She had locked her chakra and life force into herself. Any contact would spread this "lock" seal to others.

And the One-Tailed Shukaku inside Gaara couldn't be fully released in this state.

Gaara had passed out from Karin's first punch. Meanwhile, Shukaku had begun to rampage and take over the body.

But it didn't work—it couldn't.

There was no way to fully manifest a new body instantly. Karin's sealing aura was interfering with Shukaku's chakra through the sand.

If Shukaku didn't use sand to defend, Gaara would die for sure.

"Damn it! Why did it have to be someone from the Uzumaki clan—and one this terrifying!"

"I can't touch her! I can't even reach her—what kind of monster is she!?"

Shukaku was losing his mind. The sealing power was suppressing him, and now he had to face this lunatic.

Meanwhile, the chaos of the battle had caught Konoha's attention.

There was no avoiding it—the shockwaves from the fight were immense.

All of Konoha could feel the tremors. Cracks had spread out for hundreds of meters like a tailed beast attack.

Temari and Kankuro couldn't even approach due to the aftershocks.

Naruto, meanwhile, had been pulled away by Karin's two companions. They alone knew how terrifying she became in that state.

"Karin… is she gonna be okay?"

Naruto stared, stunned—the power she unleashed was terrifying.

Such terrifying power… and was that… Observation Haki?

"She's not okay. She can't keep this up long. Her fighting style trades her life for strength—it's a total death match."

"But we can't interfere. Karin never shows mercy to those who trample on life. That guy never should've provoked her."

The two Grass ninja spoke up. They hadn't known Karin long, but they understood what kind of person she was.

That girl… she was terrifying. She had monstrous strength and unshakable belief. But she was also gentle.

To Karin, every life deserved respect.

"She's… going to die, isn't she?"

Naruto stared in shock. Blood drenched the sand now—all Karin's. She had pushed her body to the brink with her very life.

At that moment, Naruto recalled what Zabuza and the pirates had told him in the Land of Waves:

"You don't even know what that girl carries on her shoulders."

"The weight behind the name 'Uzumaki'... it's too heavy, Naruto."

He hadn't even known the Land of Whirlpools existed before the Land of Waves.

But in Karin… Naruto finally saw what it meant to carry the will of the Uzumaki.

"I can't just stand here and watch her die!"

Naruto charged forward.

Seeing this, Kakashi quietly walked to the Third Hokage.

"That girl… she's from the Uzumaki clan, isn't she? At this rate… she'll die."

"Hmph. If she dies, she dies. She caused a scene in Konoha—her death isn't our problem."

The elder Homura Mitokado spoke coldly. This wasn't something they'd take responsibility for.

Kakashi wasn't surprised. His eyes drooped lazily, voice indifferent.

"True enough. Konoha treated the Land of Whirlpools the same way."

"Kakashi, you…"

The elders' faces twisted at his words. The Third's face was even more complicated.

Kakashi had ripped open Konoha's scar—exposing what they all preferred to ignore.

"Let's move."

The Third sighed and led the shinobi to intervene.

With the Third's order, Konoha's shinobi moved. A barrier locked the battlefield, and the Third stepped inside.

Within the barrier, Gaara and Karin had both gone berserk—no reasoning remained.

To stop them, only sealing could force them down.

Orochimaru watched from the shadows, expressionless. Under Konoha's shining surface… it was already rotten.

Kakashi's words were just a glimpse—Konoha's crimes went far beyond this.

The death of Sakumo Hatake. The death of Minato Namikaze. The massacre of the Uchiha clan.

And then—look at what happened to the Hyuga clan.

Years ago, Hiashi Hyuga had saved his daughter Hinata from a Cloud ninja, which strained relations between the two villages.

The result? Konoha apologized, and Hiashi's brother, Hizashi, died in his place. They even handed his body over to Cloud.

Even though it all began with Cloud ninja kidnapping Hinata.

But that's just the surface. Konoha's rot runs deeper—far deeper.

Orochimaru's expression grew colder.

The Will of Fire—endless rebirth? Not anymore. The Konoha tree was rotten to the core—it couldn't sprout new buds.

"Let's go."

Seeing Kakashi leave, Orochimaru turned as well.

His two Sound ninja companions were surprised.

"Lord Orochimaru, aren't we staying to watch?"

"No need. She's already at her limit."

Orochimaru already knew Karin's condition. He had done everything possible to draw out her potential.

But clearly, not every Uzumaki had Shanks' talent.

It wasn't that Karin's training was flawed—Orochimaru had copied it faithfully. Shanks hadn't hidden it from Madara, and Madara passed it on.

He may not have copied it 100%, but at least 80% was accurate.

But people differ. Always.

Just look at Madara and Sasuke.

Same Uchiha blood. Same Indra chakra.

But without Orochimaru's help or the Sage of Six Paths' blessing—could Sasuke ever reach Madara's level? Of course not.

Need more proof? Just look at Indra himself. He started at the top—and even then, it's hard to say if he could've defeated Madara.

"The rest… needs time to settle.

Not everyone has the will and ambition to become a Yonko like Shanks.

Even if they walk the same path—they won't make it far without that."

With that, Orochimaru and his subordinates vanished—more important matters awaited.

"Ambition and belief, huh?"

One of the Sound ninja murmured.

He didn't really understand. But if Lord Orochimaru said it, it must be true.

In truth, Orochimaru had all but given up on Karin.

Because no matter how he looked at it, Shanks didn't mind others copying him. He might even be promoting it.

Just look at the Blade-less Pirates.

They shattered the village-ninja clan system, broke the monopoly of old ninja arts.

Copying? Stealing? Meaningless.

This was Emperor Shanks.

If anyone dares walk his path—he'd be glad.

Because he wants to see whether the next generation can surpass him.