Chapter 43: No Mark.

Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!

And like always, remember if you want to read up to 13-15 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 53 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 55-57

Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz

Enjoy you sexy bastards.

——————————————

[Arata Takeshi - POV.]

Knowing what I had to do, I created a shadow clone to take Anko to the hospital. Her unconscious form slumped against its shoulder. The clone nodded at me, understanding its mission and the urgency of the situation. "Take her straight to the emergency ward," I instructed, watching as the clone sped off towards the hospital.

I took a deep breath, turning my attention towards the Hokage's office. The events of the day had taken a toll on me, but I knew there was no time to waste. Orochimaru's actions couldn't go unreported, and one of the only people who could stop Orochimaru was his own sensei, the Third Hokage.

As I made my way through the village, I felt my neck burn a bit—not concerning, but ultimately annoying. The streets of Konoha were bustling with activity, the usual sights and sounds of the village doing little to ease my troubled mind. It seemed Orochimaru's betrayal hadn't been a large-scale event.

Arriving at the Hokage Tower, I approached the guards stationed outside the entrance. "I need to see the Hokage," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

One of the guards, a tall, stern-looking man, shook his head. "The Hokage is very busy right now. You'll need to make an appointment."

"It's urgent," I insisted, my frustration growing. "It's about Orochimaru."

The mention of Orochimaru's name seemed to change their demeanor instantly. The guards exchanged a quick glance before the stern one nodded. "Wait here," he said before disappearing inside.

I stood there, trying to keep my mind focused. Moments later, the guard returned, gesturing for me to follow him. "The Hokage will see you now."

I followed the guard through the corridors of the tower, my mind racing with thoughts of how to explain what had just happened. Honestly, it was hard to put into words. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the worried looks on the faces of the other shinobi in the tower. It seemed like everyone was on edge, and I had a sinking feeling that Orochimaru was at the center of it all. Perhaps I wouldn't have to explain much at all.

When we reached the Hokage's office, the guard knocked on the door before opening it and ushering me inside.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, looked up from his desk, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. The room was filled with scrolls and documents, the remnants of what appeared to be a long day of work. "Takeshi, what brings you here?" he asked, his tone gentle but firm.

I took a deep breath, stepping forward. "Lord Hokage, I need to report an incident involving Orochimaru. He... well, he attacked Anko and me a few moments ago. He tried to give her something, some kind of mark or seal. I managed to stop him, but..."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward, his attention fully on me now. "Tell me everything, from the beginning."

I recounted the events, starting from the moment I encountered Anko at the training ground to the confrontation with Orochimaru. As I spoke, the Hokage's expression grew grimmer, and I could see the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders. I described how Orochimaru had offered me power, how he had belittled Anko, and the terrifying moment when he tried to brand Anko with his cursed mark.

The Hokage's concerned expression only deepened further as I finished recounting the events. His eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on me, his gaze intense and filled with worry.

"Takeshi, show me where Orochimaru marked you," he said, his voice calm but firm.

I nodded, then pulled down the collar of my shirt to reveal the mark on my neck. The cursed seal was still there, a dark, ominous pattern that seemed to pulse with sinister energy.

Hiruzen leaned forward, examining the mark closely. He reached out a hand but stopped short of touching it, his brow furrowed in thought. "This is... troubling. This mark is a dangerous and highly advanced seal. Only a seal master would be able to seal it."

Well, fuck. "Are you by any chance a seal master?"

He had taught Jiraiya and the creepy Snake, both of whom knew a lot about seals, so there was reason to believe he was a master of the art as well.

Hiruzen sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I am, but the skill needed to deal with your mark far exceeds my skills. The only one that could work with this is Jiraiya." Before he could say anything else, however, the Hokage began staring at me in utter confusion. "You... aren't in pain?"

"Not particularly," I replied, moving my neck a bit. "If anything, I'm just stiff..."

Hiruzen looked at me, almost bewildered by my answer. "That is... unusual. According to the data Orochimaru left at his lab, the curse seal is supposed to be extremely painful, especially during and immediately after its application. It was made like that on purpose. The fact that you are not feeling any pain is... beyond unexpected."

"Well, Lord Hokage, to be entirely honest with you, I did feel pain during the first few moments after I was marked, but it wasn't long before I realized… my power was somewhat similar to the mark, so I… forced the foreign chakra back into the seal," I replied, letting out a sigh.

The Hokage's eyebrows arched high on his forehead, surprise flashing across his face. "You did what?" he asked, disbelief lacing his question. "To not only resist but manipulate the cursed seal like that... it's unheard of."

The only bad part of this somewhat temporary solution was that I couldn't use my Yoki without releasing the mark as well in the process. So, I suppose you win some, and you lose some.

"I need to contact Jiraiya immediately," the Hokage said, abruptly rising from his chair and turning to his desk. "He needs to inspect your seal and seal it before something happens."

Before I could respond to the Hokage, Teresa's voice echoed in my mind. 'You don't need anyone to deal with this situation, Takeshi.'

'Elaborate,' I asked her in my thoughts.

'Well… the answer is rather simple. Your Yoki is rather similar to the energy within the seal, which means you already hold the key to controlling it and therefore… destroying it,' her voice echoed once more, resolute and confident.

If Teresa was right, it meant I wouldn't have to deal with having a seal on my neck for the rest of my life, and more importantly, it would mean that, in the end, I had royally fucked up Orochimaru's plans...

I mulled over her words for a moment before asking, 'How?' 

'All you have to do is release your Yoki,' she began, answering my mental inquiry. 'You already forced the foreign energy back once, remember? This time, you simply need to focus on the mark as you release your Yoki until it burns away. Essentially, your Yoki will act like a powerful antibody, consuming the foreign energy and, in turn, breaking the mark. It's a delicate balance you have to maintain—too little, the seal remains; too much... well, let's just say Orochimaru will be the least of this village's concerns.' 

Meaning that, in the end, I would get the last laugh.

"Lord Hokage, would you mind if I try something?" I asked, a faint smile on my face.

The Hokage paused, his writing brush suspended above the paper. He gave me a wary look, clearly caught off guard by my sudden interjection. "What is it you wish to do, Takeshi?" he asked cautiously. "Whatever it is, you shouldn't exert yourself right now… we can't risk activating the mark, not without Jiraiya here."

Ok, I need to word this out carefully to avoid him having me subdued until Jiraiya comes.

"That's the thing. I think the reason why I am so… normal, despite this seal, is because I am naturally resistant to it," I replied, smiling at the Hokage. "And… ever since I came here, and the rush of the battle died out, I've been feeling like I can just… rip the seal out of my neck, like a band-aid."

The Hokage's stern gaze softened slightly, although his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That...sounds far-fetched," he stated, skepticism lacing his voice. "And dangerous."

"Let me try, Lord Hokage," I replied, taking a step forward.

His gaze held me under scrutiny for a beat longer before a sigh escaped him, his shoulders sagging as he ran a weary hand through his tangled gray hair. "I can't allow this… This is reckless, Takeshi. If anything goes wrong..."

'You should've just waited to be out of his sight to do it,' Teresa muttered in a somewhat amused tone.

As if they were going to let me out of their sights until Jiraiya arrived. I would probably have Anbu agents under my clothes until Jiraiya came.

"I understand that, and I'm willing to accept the risks," I replied, a firm conviction brimming in my voice. "All I want is a chance to rid myself of this curse."

I honestly doubted he was going to let me. Oh well, I can always convince Jiraiya to let me try. He seems like a more open person in general.

The Hokage sighed, his gaze never wavering from mine, a mix of worry, uncertainty, and perhaps even a glimmer of hope gleaming in his wise, old eyes, until eventually, he nodded. "Very well, Takeshi… against my better judgment, I will allow you to try."

Say what now?

"Really?" I asked, to which the old Shinobi simply nodded.

Smiling at him, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the mark before releasing my Yoki. I felt the familiar surge of power within me, all while the mark began to spread across my neck, bringing nothing but pain.

However, I pushed through the pain, directing all of my power, my Yoki, towards the mark, concentrating everything I had on it, as Teresa had instructed.

At first, nothing happened. 10%, 20%... Then, after reaching 25% release, I felt the mark begin to heat up, a burning sensation spreading across my skin. I gritted my teeth, focusing on maintaining control. The pain intensified, but I pushed through it, pouring more Yoki into the mark.

Suddenly, after reaching 30% release, there was a flash of light, and the mark on my neck flared up, the dark pattern that had begun to spread across my body hissing away like a dying snake as it burned away under the intense energy. I felt a final surge of pain, then... nothing.

No stiffness around my neck.

No pain.

Just the pleasurable sensation of my Yoki flowing through me.

The mark was gone.

I opened my eyes to find the Hokage watching me intently. "It's... it's gone," I said, my voice sounding... guttural, animalistic, unlike my usual tone.

The Hokage said nothing, simply staring at me in a mix of concern and uncertainty.

I tilted my head, feeling somewhat confused as I wondered why he was feeling like that, if I had gotten rid of the seal.

And like a bucket of cold water, it dawned on me. To burn away the mark, I had to release 30% of my Yoki, meaning that my face had to be distorted to some degree now, which would explain why he was looking at me like that.

"Give me a moment," I said, taking a deep breath.

I closed my eyes once more, focusing on the flow of Yoki within me. The savage torrent of power that had slammed through my veins moments earlier now diminished to a gentle stream. I imagined this power receding back into me, like water being drawn back into a well, until gradually, the weight of power began to lift.

The transition was not without its own brand of pain. Resealing my power was like walking away from pleasure itself, and not only that, but my Yoki wasn't all that eager to go back into obscurity. I could feel my power resisting every attempt to be reined in. However, with each passing second, I could feel it relent, until eventually, there was nothing.

"There we go," I said, offering the concerned Hokage a faint smile.

The Hokage watched me with a concerned expression, his gaze flickering from the area on my neck where the mark once was to my now undistorted face. "You seem... normal," he said, a hint of relief threading its way through his words.

I tilted my head, grinning at him. "Did you expect anything else?"

"The transformation... It was unlike anything I've seen before," he admitted, leaning back in his chair. "Your eyes... your face, it was… a new experience for me."

"Understandable," I replied, letting out a sigh. "Can I take my leave, Lord Hokage?"

"Yes," he nodded, his expression softening. "You may leave, Takeshi. Be sure to get some rest. As soon as Jiraiya arrives, I will have someone get you."

I inclined my head in acknowledgment, the semblance of a smile playing on my lips before I turned away, the door sliding shut behind me. I had a strong feeling there would be a lot of questions about what I knew about my power or kekkei genkai once Jiraiya arrived.