Cursed Seal

Akashi felt a phantom pain just watching; to be bitten into the neck by someone, teeth sinking into skin, saliva even dripping onto the body... Wait? Why was it a little nauseating?

But considering the various techniques of Orochimaru, one eventually gets used to things being even more disgusting.

A moment later, Orochimaru straightened his body, his tongue flicking across his lips as if wiping them clean.

On Shinnō's neck, a faint mark emerged, gradually taking shape: three tomoe.

The Heaven Cursed Seal!

Even Akashi was taken aback. He knew Orochimaru had experiments he wanted to conduct, but he never expected it to be the "Cursed Seal."

The Cursed Seal was something Orochimaru planted to allow a vessel to withstand his Sage Art chakra. It possessed the ability to strengthen the physical body and store a backup of the soul; it was also a vital ninjutsu that allowed Orochimaru to achieve immortality.

As long as the Cursed Seal existed, Orochimaru could be resurrected from it.

This could be done with the help of an outsider, or simply by waiting for the vessel's chakra to be exhausted.

However, had Orochimaru really developed the "Cursed Seal" to this stage already?

Akashi couldn't help but review the historical timeline he knew.

According to Kabuto, the power of the Cursed Seal came from Jugo, and Orochimaru discovered Ryūchi Cave because of Jugo's natural energy, but this explanation was clearly flawed.

Jugo's birth year was similar to Kimimaro's, around the 46th year of Konoha. When Orochimaru defected, Jugo was only five years old, and Orochimaru hadn't even abducted the young Kimimaro yet, so there shouldn't have been a scenario where Kimimaro subdued Jugo. Yet, Anko had been branded with the Heaven Cursed Seal right before Orochimaru's defection, creating a significant contradiction with the timeline described by Kabuto.

Regardless, the seal on Anko was hard evidence.

Furthermore, the Sannin who struck fear into the hearts of those on the battlefield, along with the summoning beasts of the three great holy lands, proved that they had each signed contracts with Shikkotsu Forest, Ryūchi Cave, and Mount Myoboku.

Perhaps Orochimaru had already found members of Jugo's clan at this moment and had begun researching Sage Transformation, only it wasn't perfected yet. Jugo's clansmen were like the Iburi Clan; some were researched to death, while others lived in seclusion.

Jugo was one of them, later found by Kimimaro.

Later still, Orochimaru formally practiced Sage Art and perfected his Cursed Seal, but due to the research into the Reincarnation Jutsu leading to a mismatch between body and soul, he could not achieve a perfect Sage Transformation. However, Orochimaru also discovered that a Cursed Seal infused with Sage Art chakra could carry a soul, which inadvertently accelerated the resolution of the vessel problem and led to the successful development of the Living Corpse Reincarnation.

Cell activation, physical regeneration, the Cursed Seal, the Living Corpse Reincarnation... they formed a perfect closed loop.

If his hypothesis was correct, then it made perfect sense for Orochimaru to possess the Cursed Seal now.

Most likely, this Cursed Seal was not yet a finished product.

Watching Shinnō pass out, Akashi suddenly felt a chill on his own neck and felt a flicker of fear.

Orochimaru walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder: "This is a technique I've newly developed, called the Cursed Seal. It originates from natural energy and can strengthen the body, but its controllability remains to be verified, and the mortality rate is quite high."

"What if he dies? Don't you still need his regeneration technique?"

"Observe him for the night. If he's fine by tomorrow morning, he's survived."

Orochimaru glanced sideways at Shinnō and turned to leave: "If he can't survive it, I have no interest in such a regeneration technique."

The door closed behind him, and the room instantly turned cold and quiet.

Akashi had told his family in advance that he was on a special mission and wouldn't be returning tonight, so he had plenty of time to wait it out with Shinnō.

He yawned and found a spot to lie down, sleepiness washing over him: "The theoretical survival rate of the Heaven Cursed Seal is one in ten, but the actual survival rate is two out of two. Hope you survive, good night."

?

Drip...

Drip...

A dark green liquid slowly dripped from the reagent tube, hitting the bottom of the glass vessel and splashing into beautiful droplets. Several thin, white snakes quickly raised their upper bodies and began to writhe frantically.

Akashi, wearing a white lab coat and holding a report folder, wrote with flying speed.

<Feasibility Study on Activation Stimulants for Snakes> Experiment No. 101—Success.

"Whew... finally done." Akashi closed the transparent cabinet, a look of relief on his face as he let out a long breath.

He looked up at the clock; it was already 7:00 AM.

Shinnō lay on the operating table, twitching frequently, still not having opened his eyes.

This was definitely not an act; he believed the man was truly in agony, having let out many muffled cries for help in his sleep.

Black markings appeared and disappeared several times, as if a battle were raging within his body.

The stability of this initial Cursed Seal was likely not even as good as the one implanted in Sasuke.

"Good thing I wasn't the one being experimented on; it's pure torture, tsk tsk."

Just as he was lamenting, Akashi saw Shinnō wake up.

Because observation was required, Shinnō hadn't been restrained, so he sat up the moment he regained consciousness, his eyes filled with shock and joy.

The feeling of being reborn rushed to his head.

And a powerful force was coursing through his entire body.

"What is this?" Shinnō looked at his hands, feeling it was incredible.

Akashi coughed twice and said shamelessly: "This is a modification for you, to grant you greater power in exchange for your secret regeneration technique. You aren't losing out. How about it? Doesn't it feel good to cooperate with us?"

"Cooperate? Is this how you people cooperate?!" Recalling the treatment he received last night, Shinnō almost cried out in grievance.

"At least you are still alive."

"So, what is your goal? Why do you want my secret techniques? Why did you establish an experimental base outside the village?"

Akashi's gaze was cold: "You ask too many questions!"

Shinnō's hair stood on end, and he laughed at himself: "It seems my biggest mistake was underestimating a Konoha ninja."

Akashi's smile returned: "You weren't wrong, you were just unlucky to have run into me. However, I happen to have an opportunity for us to cooperate."

"Hmph, I will never trust you Konoha ninjas again..."

Shinnō stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing: "You want the things in the library too! You are using me!"

Akashi did not admit it, instead changing the subject: "Those things are irrelevant. I know you harbor hatred for Konoha. Your true identity, your abilities, your demands... I know them all, but I don't care."

"Heh, things have already reached this point, and you still want to fish for information?"

"Why are people from the Land of Sky so reluctant to trust others?" Akashi shook his head.

This simple sentence struck Shinnō like a bolt of lightning.

Akashi pressed his advantage, continuing to expose Shinnō's secrets. Although he didn't know much, simply stating the history of the Land of Sky and Shinnō's true purpose was enough to serve as a deterrent.

Sure enough, Shinnō was stunned.

His beard trembled. He had hidden himself so perfectly, yet he had been seen through completely. This brat was even more terrifying than Orochimaru!

"What... what exactly do you want to do?"

"First, complete Lord Orochimaru's mission. Leave behind all the medical arts, ninjutsu, and knowledge you have acquired thus far. Second, I want you to use your position as a doctor to obtain some samples for me. Then, I will let you go."

Such candor left Shinnō at a loss: "I intend to act against Konoha. You would really let me go?"

Akashi replied: "I have no interest in the survival of Konoha. If you have the ability, feel free to try."

Shinnō was even more bewildered. He jumped off the operating table, his expression filled with surprise: "Aren't you afraid I'll leak your and Orochimaru's secrets?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a sharp pain flared in his neck, followed immediately by a mountain of heart-wrenching, liver-shredding agony. Having just touched the ground, he collapsed to his knees, one hand clutching his neck, the other bracing against the floor as he gasped violently.

Orochimaru walked in from outside the door, his cold pupils carrying an immense sense of oppression.

Akashi smiled: "Now you understand. The Cursed Seal is Lord Orochimaru's creation; he can make your life worse than death at any moment. Only if you perform well will you have hope of surviving, or even obtaining what you desire."

Shinnō understood.

The things he had stolen were now in Akashi's hands as well.

Weighing his options, he realized that no matter what, cooperation was the only path forward. He had no choice.