Chapter 20: The Curse Seal

Sasuke seemed to have lost his temper. After seeing the blood, a surge of excitement overwhelmed him. Regaining his composure, he noticed the stunned expressions of Naruto and Sakura. He realized they were scared by his actions.

"I was just letting you see blood in advance. It'll benefit you in the long run," he said, attempting to rationalize his behavior.

"Sasuke, aren't you afraid of being disqualified from the exam?" Naruto's innocent question brought a smile to Sasuke's face.

"Killing is implicitly allowed here. You didn't think about that, did you?" Sasuke replied calmly.

"Ah? How is that possible?" Naruto looked incredulous.

"Our mission is to snatch the scroll. You don't expect others to hand it over without a fight, do you? In this forest, even ninjas from the same village might kill each other if necessary."

Sasuke wiped his sword clean, sheathed it, and continued walking.

Naruto stared blankly at Sasuke's back. He felt that Sasuke had become very strange recently, yet somehow more authentic, as if this was his true nature all along.

"Sakura, we..."

"Let's go! Follow Sasuke," Sakura interrupted. To her, Sasuke was the most important, and the one he killed was a Sound ninja who had attacked them first. Sasuke was just defending them.

Blood, such a beautiful thing! The cold wind against his face made Sasuke feel a long-lost thrill. The burden he had carried for so many years seemed to lighten.

That's it. His hatred for Konoha was like a seed that had now grown out of control.

Boom!

Ten meters ahead, a giant earth-gray snake emerged from the ground and charged toward Sasuke. He formed a seal calmly but kept his focus on the presence behind him.

Do you plan to sneak in from behind?

"Fire Release - Great Fireball Technique!"

"Jie Jie... Sasuke-kun, your fire release is impressive!" a voice mocked. "But can you withstand this abyss of fear?"

"Stop pretending to be a ghost," Sasuke scoffed, shrugging off the heavy pressure. He disappeared in an instant, and the sword he wielded, charged with lightning, slashed backward.

Swish!

The twisted body of the feminine Sound ninja was cut in half, but his mouth quickly opened to spit out a new body. This was Orochimaru's true form, a figure with purple eye shadow and a youthful, delicate face.

As long as a ninja reaches the level of a Kage, they naturally develop an aura. Those who aren't mentally strong can easily lose their fighting spirit. Orochimaru hadn't expected Sasuke to be unaffected. How old is he? To have such a tough mind and impressive strength already!

He had never seen the rapid breathing style Sasuke had just used, combined with the lightning attack. Could it be a new technique Sasuke had developed himself?

"That's truly remarkable, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said, introducing himself. "I am Orochimaru. You can think of me as a scholar who enjoys research."

Sasuke sheathed his sword and said, "The two behind me are almost here. Let's talk somewhere else."

"Hahaha, it seems Sasuke-kun is interested in me as well," Orochimaru laughed. The two moved swiftly through the forest, disappearing from sight within moments.

When Sakura and Naruto arrived, they only saw a mess of shrubs and gravel.

"Is Sasuke-kun okay?" Sakura asked, worried.

Naruto clenched his fists, hating himself for being too weak to help his companions.

Sasuke and Orochimaru stopped at a cliff. Orochimaru, seeing Sasuke's relaxed demeanor, was increasingly satisfied with his strength. He didn't abandon his plan despite Sasuke's impressive performance.

Who was he? One of the "Three Sannin" renowned in the ninja world for years. If he couldn't even captivate Sasuke, he might as well find a beast to summon and end his own life.

"What are you looking at, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked. The view from the cliff provided a clear sight of the Forest of Death.

"Orochimaru, what do you want from me? I can't imagine what a ninja like you would need from me," Sasuke replied, feigning ignorance.

"Sasuke-kun, join me! Let's explore the secrets of immortality together. Human life is too short, and your talents shouldn't be wasted in a small place like Konoha," Orochimaru's seductive, magnetic voice offered.

"Orochimaru, I've heard you know the exact location of Ryūchi Cave. Is that true?" Sasuke inquired.

"Hmm," Orochimaru responded cautiously. How did Sasuke know he had found Ryūchi Cave?

"How do you know that, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke remained calm. "Jiraiya and Tsunade, both Sannin, have been to the Holy Lands. It stands to reason that you, Orochimaru, are no exception."

Orochimaru laughed wildly. "So Sasuke-kun is trying to seek me out. Yes, I do know about Ryūchi Cave. Jiraiya can go to Mount Myōboku, so why should I, Orochimaru, be any less capable?"

"How about it? If you join me, I can give you the opportunity to go to Ryūchi Cave. I'll spare no effort to train you. However, there's one condition—you must accept a curse seal."

The curse seal was just a flawed version of Sage Mode. Sasuke, undaunted, replied, "Then it's settled."

Their agreement was reached. Orochimaru's politeness stemmed from his understanding that Sasuke was formidable, his strength likely surpassing Kabuto's.

This only intensified Orochimaru's desire to acquire Sasuke. What an extraordinary talent, no less than Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke felt the curse seal spreading from his neck and twisted his head. The Heaven Curse Seal was the most advanced seal Orochimaru had mastered, bringing him closer to the power of nature. It had slightly enhanced his strength.

The only downside was the fragments of Orochimaru's soul within, but Sasuke wasn't worried. He wanted to experience the power of the Ryūchi Cave in advance.

After placing the curse seal on Sasuke's neck, Orochimaru no longer doubted him. He even proactively asked, "By the way, Sasuke-kun, are you interested in participating in the plan to destroy Konoha?"

Orochimaru elaborated on the plan, his attention almost entirely on Sasuke.

"Of course, I'm interested. I've received so much love from Konoha over the years, I can't miss this opportunity to repay it."

Seeing that Sasuke easily suppressed the curse seal's backlash and quickly mastered it, Orochimaru was shocked. This Sasuke wasn't just a genius; he was a prodigy.

But regardless, this kind of talent was worth investing in.

"Sasuke-kun, I look forward to your performance."

---