Chapter 245

Not far away, Kakashi struggled to rise, blood streaming from his empty left eye socket.

As Gensou pondered the possible location of Mount Myōboku, the sound of movement caught his attention.

"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"

A sudden gust accompanied a powerful spinning kick aimed directly at Gensou's head.

Gensou raised an eyebrow but remained calm, raising his hand to block.

Smack!

Gensou stood unshaken, his palm effortlessly catching the attack.

He looked down at the leg he had caught and saw Might Guy, his body radiating blue steam, his Seventh Gate fully opened.

Guy spun mid-air, his other leg delivering a more forceful strike.

Uninterested in prolonging the skirmish, Gensou tightened his grip and hurled Guy like a cannonball.

Guy was flung through the air but managed to stabilize himself mid-flight, landing beside Kakashi.

"What incredible strength!" Guy said, his expression grim as he glared at Gensou.

Even with his immense physical power and the boost of the Seventh Gate, the pain from Gensou's grip lingered.

The Seventh Gate isn't enough, Guy thought, his hand hovering over his heart, prepared to unlock the final gate.

He glanced at Kakashi, seeing his comrade in such a dire state for the first time.

Guy's eyes brimmed with tears—tears instantly evaporated by the heat of his body. He asked, "Kakashi, can you keep going?"

"You're here, Guy," Kakashi replied, his voice steady despite his condition. "I'll manage, but I'll likely be a burden."

"No worries! Leave the enemy to me!"

Guy gave Kakashi a thumbs-up, his dazzling white teeth shining through a determined smile. For the first time, his exuberance was tinged with an unprecedented resolve.

"Guy, you—"

Kakashi's face shifted as he realized what Guy intended.

Guy beamed at him and said, "Retreat isn't an option for youth, Kakashi. To unleash all my passion is my youth! Besides, this is our home!"

With those words, Guy pressed his hand against his chest, ready to force open the Eighth Gate.

On the other side, Gensou's expression twitched slightly.

"Now's not the time to witness the full power of the Eight Gates."

With a clap of his hands, Gensou unleashed a storm of wind blades toward Guy and Kakashi.

Guy didn't flinch at the blades, but he couldn't ignore Kakashi's condition. He halted his attempt to open the Gate of Death, grabbing Kakashi and dodging the oncoming assault.

Seeing this, Gensou decided it was time to leave. With a burst of speed, he vanished from sight.

For Gensou, Guy in the Eighth Gate posed the greatest threat—especially the near-apocalyptic Evening Elephant. Even without attaining the power of the Six Paths, Gensou knew that one misstep could send him back to the afterlife.

The risk wasn't worth it, especially with his plans so close to fruition. With his objective clear and Naruto not in Konoha, Gensou chose to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Moments later, Guy obliterated the last of the wind blades. Assured that Kakashi was safe, he scanned the area but found no sign of Gensou.

"Huh? Where'd he go?" Guy scratched his head in confusion, searching the surroundings.

Gensou was already long gone.

As he moved toward the suspected location of Mount Myōboku, something caught his eye—a purple-haired woman devouring dango nearby.

"Orochimaru…"

Gensou's eyes glinted. In a flash, he appeared behind the woman and knocked her unconscious with a swift chop.

Lifting her collar, he exposed the Heaven Curse Mark on her pale neck.

Without external interference, the fragments of Orochimaru's soul embedded in the mark couldn't activate on their own.

That had been Gensou's assurance after eliminating Orochimaru—his loyal and capable subordinates were gone, and those remaining were clueless about the Curse Mark's secrets.

Still, seeing Mitarashi Anko, Gensou decided to eliminate this potential threat.

As he had once done with Sasuke, Gensou unsealed the Heaven Curse Mark on Anko's neck. Placing his hand over the mark, he activated the Human Path's soul-extracting ability.

In one swift motion, a fragment of Orochimaru's soul was pulled from the mark.

"Orochimaru…"

The soul fragment glared at Gensou, writhing with hatred and desperation.

Without a word, Gensou crushed it in his grasp.

With the task complete, he continued on his way, focused on uncovering Mount Myōboku's location.

Ten minutes later.

Anko woke up with a groan, clutching her neck in pain. Her first thought was for her crushed dango.

"My dango!!"

Naturally, Gensou hadn't been kind enough to set her down gently. The skewered dango had been flattened under her weight.

Tearing up, Anko reluctantly discarded the ruined treat, her mind racing to piece together what had happened.

"Someone… knocked me out!"

Her face darkened.

Though a Special Jōnin, she knew few could incapacitate her so effortlessly.

What were they after?

Frantically checking herself, Anko found nothing missing—no marks, no residual traces of jutsu.

But something felt off.

Touching her neck, she froze.

The Heaven Curse Mark was gone.

"How is that possible?!"

The Curse Mark had baffled even Konoha's best, who could only seal it to prevent its activation.

Yet now, it had vanished completely.

A mix of relief, confusion, and unease filled Anko.

"Who could erase the Curse Mark in such a short time? Could it have been Orochimaru?!"

Anko's thoughts turned grim. If Orochimaru had returned to Konoha, the consequences would be dire.

Her face hardened as she sprinted toward the Hokage's office to report the incident.

Elsewhere, Guy carried the injured Kakashi, also making his way to the Hokage's office.

Meanwhile, Iruka, having regained consciousness and sensing something amiss, headed there as well.

Only Teuchi of Ichiraku Ramen remained blissfully unaware, mulling over new recipes.

After all, food never betrays.

(End of Chapter)

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