Gaara

Evil Sealing Method!

Kakashi formed several complicated hand seals. The special symbols drawn on the ground seemed to come alive, converging on the Cursed Seal on Sasuke's neck.

"Argh!!"

As the numerous blood-red symbols burrowed into the three black tomoe forming a circle on his neck, Sasuke felt as if the sealed spot were being scorched by flames. The searing pain made his body tremble uncontrollably.

I've drawn so much attention to myself, yet Orochimaru still hasn't come after me. He still planted the Cursed Seal on Sasuke first. Does he think my talent isn't good enough?

Yi Xiang stood to one side, assisting them, his face showing a trace of confusion. His original goal had been to attract Orochimaru and make him target Yi Xiang instead of Sasuke.

In the dim secret chamber, Kakashi wiped the sweat from his forehead. Simply sealing the Cursed Seal had taken a great deal of his energy.

"You've grown quite a bit, Kakashi."

Orochimaru appeared from behind a stone pillar behind them, though no one knew when he had arrived. His voice was sinister.

Yi Xiang guessed it might have been because Orochimaru had often changed sex through reincarnation. With his long black hair, vertical pupils like a snake's, and pale skin, his face always seemed somewhat androgynous.

"Uchiha Isho, since you're here, that saves me the trouble of coming to find you. You must be harboring a burning desire to avenge Uchiha Itachi. After all, you've already escaped the clutches of death once.

"If you're willing to accept my Cursed Seal, then with your talent and Sasuke's, Uchiha Itachi won't stand a chance against you two in a few years."

"Enough, Orochimaru. You're only here for your ridiculous ambition. They're my students, not fools you can manipulate as you please.

"What exactly have you come to Konoha for this time?!"

Kakashi's usually listless eyes sharpened with hostility. Yi Xiang, his Sharingan activated, curled his lips into a slight smile, unfazed by Orochimaru's powerful presence.

He had already decided to use the Elite Experience Card and team up with Kakashi to capture or seriously injure this bizarre, hard-to-kill monster.

"Three-Tomoe Sharingan. What marvelous eyes, so full of mysteries. Hahahaha, hahahaha!

"Yi Xiang and Sasuke, you'll come looking for me eventually."

Orochimaru smiled confidently, then suddenly turned and left as if nothing had happened. His slow footsteps seemed to suggest that the time wasn't right yet, and that the others were merely lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

"Tch, what are you putting on airs for? If I'd been born a few years earlier, you'd only be fit to serve as my punching bag. Hmph!"

The moment Orochimaru disappeared from sight, Yi Xiang sneered at him without restraint.

"Yi Xiang, do you not understand who that S-rank missing-nin was? He was once known as one of the Konoha Sannin—Orochimaru.

"Until you're strong enough to defeat your opponent with certainty, you should keep a low profile. If he'd heard what you just said, a fierce battle would have been unavoidable."

Kakashi had almost never seen Yi Xiang look afraid, even when facing opponents several times stronger than himself. Instead, he always seemed remarkably calm.

Kakashi often wondered where the kid got all that courage, as though he didn't know what fear was.

"Got it. I just can't stand the guy."

Yi Xiang nodded, unwilling to waste 100 Luck Points.

"Can't you ever keep a low profile?! At this rate, we won't even be able to tell people you're our friend, Uchiha Isho."

After hearing that Yi Xiang had threatened over a hundred examinees, Qiupu still couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. Whenever he went out, he had to scan the area, afraid someone from another village might attack him from behind.

Changyang hurriedly swallowed a mouthful of ramen, his eyes full of amazement. He'd also heard that the examinees who came to challenge Yi Xiang hadn't gained the upper hand.

"What are you going to do about the Chunin Ninja Exams, then? The next one won't be for another six months," Changyang asked, blowing on his steaming ramen.

"It's just the Chunin Ninja Exams. I can always skip them. They won't improve my strength at all. It's just a title."

The two beside Yi Xiang were once again struck by how little he cared about an honor others could only dream of attaining. Yi Xiang continued with a grin,

"Actually, the title of Genin is pretty nice. Once I reach Kage Level, I can beat someone in a fight while still calling myself a Genin. Wouldn't that make them even worse than a Genin? Hehehe..."

Qiupu and Changyang thought about it for a moment, then both froze. Come to think of it, Yi Xiang really was the kind of person who'd do something like that.

Even though Yi Xiang wasn't short on money, the two of them didn't like taking advantage of him. They still took turns paying whenever it was their turn.

After Qiupu paid for the ramen for all three of them, Yi Xiang, who had been enjoying a leisurely few days, accompanied Team Five to take on some D-rank missions.

A few days later, at a Konoha training ground.

"You're sure you want to fight me? I heard Gaara stole the show in the preliminary round. That was only because I, Uchiha Isho, was barred from participating."

Yi Xiang crossed his arms over his chest. Facing Gaara and his two companions, along with Neji Hyuga, he didn't seem at all worried about the four of them ganging up on him.

"Is that so? Then let me find out what your blood tastes like!"

Before Gaara had even finished speaking, yellow sand began pouring from the mouth of the gourd on his back. At his impatient command, some of it shot toward Yi Xiang at high speed.

Seeing Gaara make the first move, the three behind him immediately leaped back, intending to watch and see what Yi Xiang could do.

Since this didn't trigger a system mission, I might as well finish this quickly.

Yi Xiang felt a slight pang of regret, then suddenly used the Body Flicker Technique. When he reappeared, his right fist was already cocked and ready, aiming straight for Gaara's cheek.

Thud. Yi Xiang felt as if he'd punched a solid stone wall. Seeing that the sand could keep up with his near-maximum speed, he immediately activated his Sharingan.

So fast... Gaara looked slightly surprised. The sand swirling around him had barely managed to keep up and block Yi Xiang's attack. Under the impact, the sand wall looked as though it were about to crumble.

Just as the sand transformed into sharp blades and stabbed toward Yi Xiang, he dodged with a flash and delivered a side kick in midair, faster and more powerful than before.

Thump! The sand failed to form a complete defense in time. The kick sent Gaara spinning to the ground.

Yi Xiang pressed his advantage, suddenly pinning a Kunai against Gaara's throat.

"You lose."

Looking at Gaara's stunned expression, Yi Xiang spoke calmly. He then withdrew his Kunai and turned toward the three of them, who stood on separate tree branches, equally shocked.

"You... How can you be so fast?! I'll kill you!"

As Gaara roared, his right arm abruptly transformed into Shukaku's enormous claw. Sand gradually covered his contorted face as a large amount of it gathered around him.

"Stop, Gaara! This mission is crucial. You can't lose control here!"

Seeing that Gaara had transformed into a partial jinchuriki form, Temari hurriedly tried to stop him. But Gaara continued staring fixedly at Yi Xiang, so Temari added,

"Once the mission is over, you'll still have time to use your full strength and fight Uchiha Isho again."

As Temari panicked, Gaara gradually managed to suppress his murderous urges. He was like a machine that knew only how to fight, and didn't care what would happen to him.