Bleach x Naruto: Shinigami in Konoha

Sasuke stepped out from behind the black bear's corpse, his expression calm and cold. Only now did he begin to understand why he found Karin more likable in the present compared to what he remembered. She now bore almost no visible bite marks on her body. In the original timeline, when Sasuke formed Taka, Karin had already been used extensively for her healing abilities—her arms and body were covered in bite marks.

That alone spoke volumes about how she had been treated in Kusagakure.

Karin blinked in disbelief as she turned to him, the corners of her eyes still glistening with tears.

Sasuke didn't say much. He simply took her cold hand and disappeared with a flicker of Shunshin no Jutsu. By the time they reappeared, they were already in front of the two Kusa-nin. At Sasuke's current level of speed—amplified by both training and the Sharingan—their eyes couldn't keep up with his movement.

"This traitorous girl is colluding with Konoha shinobi! Kill—"

Before the lame Kusa-nin could finish shouting, a gleaming Zanpakutō-like blade, forged by Sasuke himself using chakra metal and Kenjutsu principles, pierced cleanly through his back.

Sasuke kicked him away, the blade sliding out smoothly as the man's body crashed into a nearby tree with a sickening thud before sliding down, lifeless.

Only then did the other Kusa-nin, who had an injured arm, realize what was happening. Gritting his teeth, he began to form hand seals.

"You're seriously trying to use ninjutsu when my sword is already at your neck?" Sasuke said coldly.

With a swift motion, the blade slashed across the Kusa-nin's throat. Blood spurted out, and the body collapsed in a heap.

Sasuke found the situation almost laughable. If you can't weave at least six hand signs a second, don't bother trying to cast ninjutsu with a blade already inches from your jugular. Did he think just slapping his hands together would be enough?

After shaking off the blood from the blade, Sasuke returned it to its sheath and turned to face Karin.

She stood frozen, tears still trailing down her cheeks, stunned by what had just happened. It was as though she hadn't expected anyone to ever come to her rescue.

"You're from the Uzumaki clan, aren't you?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Hearing those words, Karin instinctively looked down. Her mother had told her many times to hide that truth. The Uzumaki name had brought them nothing but misery. Once a proud clan known for their powerful chakra and sealing techniques, they were now hunted. Kusagakure had only kept them around to exploit their vitality and healing ability.

To her, the Uzumaki bloodline was less a legacy and more a curse.

"I have a friend from the Uzumaki clan... Actually, never mind that. Would you be willing to join my team? We're short one person."

Sasuke stumbled slightly with his words but eventually got his message across.

With Minato Namikaze still alive and holding considerable influence in Konoha, and with Kushina's chakra residing within Naruto, bringing Karin into the village shouldn't be difficult. Not under current conditions.

Karin stared at him, stunned. This was the first time someone had acknowledged her bloodline and not tried to harm her for it.

She had only heard fragments from her mother—about how Uzushio was destroyed because the other great nations feared their Fuinjutsu. Konoha, supposedly their ally, had done nothing. Ever since then, the survivors had been hunted like animals. Kusagakure only gave her shelter in exchange for using her body as a tool. Her mother had died a painful death because of it.

"But... I'm not a Konoha ninja," she said hesitantly.

"That doesn't matter. I'll handle the logistics. You only need to answer one question: do you want to come with me?" Sasuke replied calmly.

Part of his decision was based on sympathy. But another part—admittedly—was influenced by the fact that she was attractive, though poorly dressed.

Their current team was all male. Karin could help balance the dynamics and serve a critical sensory role.

"Then... okay," Karin nodded, still not quite believing it. Then, a little more timidly, she asked, "Why? Why go through so much trouble for me? Isn't it a burden?"

She didn't care about the deaths of the two Kusa-nin. She had seen far too much death to be fazed by it anymore. They had only ever seen her as a tool.

The man before her, however, had just saved her life.

"I already told you," Sasuke said, looking back at her. "We're short one member. You're a good fit."

Without elaborating further, Sasuke walked over to the black bear's corpse, unsheathed his blade again, and sliced off one of its massive paws.

Karin followed silently, her thoughts still circling around the offer she had just received.

The bear's paw was almost as large as Sasuke's torso. After singeing off the fur using a controlled Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu, he lit a fire and prepared a basic grill. Though it was still daylight, he wasn't worried. He had sensed no nearby hostiles, and even if they appeared, they wouldn't be a threat.

"Um… my name is Karin Uzumaki. What's yours?" she asked quietly as she sat beside him.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he answered.

To be honest, aside from his mother Mikoto, Karin was probably the female who had shown him the most genuine loyalty. Even after he joined the Akatsuki to capture the Eight-Tails, she helped him despite being nearly killed by him later. She had used her sensory skills repeatedly to assist him and had even tried to save his life during the Fourth Great Ninja War after sensing his chakra vanish.

Sometimes, it seemed a pretty face really could endure even the coldest betrayals.

After exchanging names, silence returned. Karin was clearly more reserved now, unlike the bolder version of her that would emerge in later years. Right now, she was cautious and wary of everything around her.

Sasuke finished assembling the fire pit and skewered the bear paw on a makeshift spit, turning it over the flame with practiced ease.

Then, Karin suddenly stood up.

"There's chakra heading this way—fast," she warned.

Sasuke didn't flinch. "Let them come. Why so nervous?"

He was quite satisfied already with Karin's performance. Her sensory skills were clearly advanced—better than his usual method of relying on Chidori: Senbon or animal tracking. With Karin around, he wouldn't need to use auxiliary tools like Ninken or waste chakra on recon techniques. A sensory-type on the team was invaluable.

Upon hearing his words, Karin relaxed and sat back down.

A few moments later, a lone shinobi with a Konoha forehead protector stepped out of the dense brush in front of them.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, disappointed. He had been hoping for an enemy to show up so he could obtain another scroll. But it turned out to be someone he already knew.

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