I Really Don't Have Anything Left

The full moon hung in the sky, spilling silver light across the ground.

Picking an open spot in the woods, Akashi took out a kunai and tossed it to Shinnō.

"What's this?"

"After getting the Cursed Seal, you should feel like your body's brimming with strength, right? That urge to burst out of your own skin, and the desire to fight coursing through your blood."

"Y-Yes." Shinnō nodded.

He felt pain, but he was also consumed by it, suffering even as he savored the sensation.

Damn, it was kind of addictive.

Akashi didn't know exactly what psychological and physical changes the Cursed Seal caused. Everything he knew came from books, so it couldn't be trusted.

Only by seeing it with his own eyes could he truly grasp its secrets.

"Then let me help you. You can vent your bloodlust and experience the wonders of power."

"What do you mean?"

"To put it simply." Akashi spread his arms. "You can attack me now."

Shinnō was surprised. He'd never heard anyone make such a request.

He couldn't help getting excited. Great! He could settle old and new scores all at once. He'd give Akashi a proper beating! With that thought, he charged forward, kunai in hand, a vicious glint in his eyes.

Just then, Akashi suddenly disappeared.

He moved so fast that Shinnō could barely follow him with his eyes. Like a ghost, Akashi appeared right in front of him, and the two collided head-on.

Akashi raised a hand and landed a solid punch.

Thud!

The tremendous force passed through Shinnō's body with a dull thump.

His face twitched from the blow, and pain stabbed through his abdomen.

"Ugh—not... weren't you going to let me attack you?!"

"I never said I wouldn't fight back." Akashi shook out his hand, then swept out with a powerful kick and sent Shinnō flying.

Shinnō slammed hard into a tree trunk. Pain and anger surged through him, and the fluctuating emotions drove the Cursed Seal to spread rapidly!

The Heaven Cursed Seal unfurled, its black markings crawling outward.

Different Cursed Seals had different effects and patterns. Sasuke's markings resembled flames, while the Sound Four's were more like smooth, rounded spots.

Sparse, branching streaks of electricity crawled over Shinnō's body, splitting from his neck and spreading down his back and arms until they covered him entirely.

The Cursed Seal's first state.

Driven by the desires in the user's heart, it drew out the power buried within the body. This was one of the Cursed Seal's true functions.

"That's more like it." Akashi smiled in satisfaction.

He wanted to force Shinnō into the Cursed Seal state. Only then would he have a chance to study Natural Energy. He could sense a faint threat in the immense killing intent coming from his opponent.

Looks like he'd have to take this seriously.

Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!

Several snakes shot out from his sleeves. It was one of the techniques he'd just learned from Lord Orochimaru. It didn't take much chakra and was highly practical, making it very effective against ordinary ninja.

Shinnō, transformed by the Cursed Seal, roared. He paid no attention as the snakes coiled around him and bit into him. Grabbing one by the body, he squeezed with tremendous force. Pop! It burst in his hand.

Blood sprayed as Shinnō burst into wild laughter. "Hahahaha!"

Akashi darted forward and thrust his kunai at him, moving at incredible speed. But this time, Shinnō kept up with him. His laughter stopped, and he struck with his own kunai in an instant.

Clang—

The clash of metal rang beside them.

Then light and shadow flickered back and forth as the fight became a flurry of kunai strikes. Their blades chipped under the countless impacts.

Akashi switched to ninjutsu and relentlessly pressed the attack with his vast chakra reserves.

In the end, Shinnō was the first to falter and collapse.

The Cursed Seal's effects were limited. The moment his fighting spirit wavered, he couldn't hold on any longer.

Akashi finished the fight with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands: Fancy Binding.

But the intoxicating experience the Cursed Seal gave him left Shinnō incredibly excited. He had a vague feeling that the Cursed Seal had an even deeper state. If he developed it properly, it would become even more powerful.

Maybe this wasn't entirely a bad thing.

Dripping with sweat, he was just about to laugh when Akashi approached with a dubious smile.

"I should take some tissue samples for research. Don't move; it won't hurt much."

"Haah... haah..." Shinnō panted, eyes wide with fear. "Don't come any closer!"

Chomp—

As soon as he finished shouting, a snake bit a piece of flesh from his shoulder.

"Argh! You bastard! I even did gynecological work for you!" Shinnō trembled with anger.

After all the effort he'd put in, Akashi was still going to cut pieces off him!

Was there any justice in the world?

Akashi shrugged. "That was for your own sake. The sooner you help me complete my mission, the sooner you'll be free. Isn't that a good thing?"

As he spoke, the snake loosened its coils and lowered Shinnō to the ground.

"Here, don't say I never look after you. Take these Military Ration Pills and Hemostatic Pills."

"You think this makes up for what you did to me?" Shinnō glared at him, then honestly took the pills. "Don't think I'm after your handouts. With my wealth, I could buy as many as I wanted."

Akashi had heard the key word: wealth.

He sat calmly on the ground and gazed up at the stars, smiling.

"Mr. Shinnō, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just very interested in the Cursed Seal. As a fellow researcher, you should understand my curiosity and helplessness, right?"

It was the first time Akashi had seemed to bare his heart. He spoke as casually as if they were making small talk.

Shinnō had just come down from the Cursed Seal, and the fire in his heart had died down. Exhaustion brought him back to his senses. He sat down too.

"If you could use someone else as your research subject, then I'd understand."

"Hahaha, Mr. Shinnō, you're certainly honest and straightforward."

Akashi smiled. "By the way, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"What?"

"Do you know what matters most in research?"

Shinnō was a little surprised. The kid was finally asking a serious question. He was young, after all, and wanted to ask him for advice.

He suddenly regained some of his dignity and sneered. "The most important thing in research is naturally intelligence. Foolish people can only see the surface and will never touch the essence of anything."

"No." Akashi shook his head.

Shinnō was speechless. Was he wrong again?!

"Curiosity and imagination," he ventured.

"No." Akashi shook his head again.

"Surely you don't mean diligence and hard work?"

"No."

Akashi rejected the answer for the third time. Shinnō ground his teeth in anger, but Akashi had him over a barrel, so he couldn't lash out. He could only suppress his fury and force a smile. "Then what do you think it is?"

"Of course it's money!"

Akashi smiled. "All research consumes vast amounts of materials and time. Materials cost money, and time is money too. Take the research Lord Orochimaru is conducting now, for example. It was supposed to cost five million, but it's already cost over six million and still hasn't succeeded. So, Mr. Shinnō, you're such a generous person. Would you be willing to..."

At that, Shinnō's face tightened. A curse was stuck in his throat.

"I knew there was no good reason for this! I don't have any money!"

"You just said you could buy as much as you wanted with your wealth. Should I ask Lord Orochimaru to have a chat with you?"

"Don't—don't think you can threaten me like this! Do you know who I am? Hmph... how much do you want?"

"That depends on how much you have."

Akashi flashed a radiant smile.

Stars twinkled across the night sky.

Akashi followed Shinnō back to the inn. As soon as they entered, he casually sat down and poured himself a cup from the water pitcher on the table.

"You really make yourself at home," Shinnō sneered. "Aren't you worried there's poison in the water?"

"Why are you being so harsh, Mr. Shinnō? Just hand over the research funds so I can get home and go to bed. I don't want to keep you from writing your reports."

"Then I should thank you!"

"You're welcome."

Akashi smiled.

Was he thanking him? The kid was shameless enough to make Shinnō want to jump out of his skin with anger.

But when you were under someone else's roof, you had to bow your head. Shinnō obediently rummaged through his luggage and took out his entire fortune: five hundred thousand ryō. He offered it with both hands.

Akashi didn't even look. "Is that all?"

"That's all. How much money do you think a doctor can save?"

"You're not being very honest." Akashi stood and walked toward his luggage.

"Hey, don't go rummaging around... Fine, here's the last million ryō. Wait, that one isn't—this million is for my retirement. I really don't have anything left..."

Shinnō explained helplessly, watching the money being unearthed as his heart bled.

Holding two stacks of large-denomination bills, Akashi teased, "This still can't be everything, can it? But since I'm kindhearted, I'll leave you a little travel money."

With that, he stuffed two million five hundred thousand ryō into a bag and waved as he walked out.

A string of curses soon came from behind him, broken by pauses.