Curse Mark

Bang!

With that deafening sound, the Kunai stopped just centimeters from the heart of Anko Mitarashi.

However, at this critical moment, a powerful and malevolent chakra suddenly erupted.

Bolstered by the curse mark, Anko Mitarashi's right hand lashed out with astonishing speed and force, striking Suzuki Hiro squarely.

The immense power contained in this blow instantly transformed into a massive shockwave, sending Suzuki Hiro flying.

Suzuki Hiro's body traced an arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.

His internal organs suffered severe trauma, and a mouthful of blood gushed uncontrollably from his lips.

Suzuki Hiro was stunned, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.

Victory had been within his grasp; how could the situation have undergone such a cataclysmic shift in an instant?

At this moment, the wounds all over Anko Mitarashi's body began to heal slowly, supported by the potent chakra.

Although she had not yet fully recovered, it was no longer enough to hinder her from continuing the fight.

She stared silently at Suzuki Hiro, whom she had just sent flying with a single punch, a trace of bewilderment on her face.

"Although I still feel nothing but disgust for Orochimaru, I must admit that the curse mark he left behind is truly useful. I am quite satisfied with it!"

Anko Mitarashi muttered to herself.

Then, she turned her gaze toward Suzuki Hiro and said coldly, "Also, thank you for all that incessant chatter earlier.

While I sympathize with your plight, since it is clear that you are the enemy, then go to hell."

Before she had even finished speaking, Anko Mitarashi's figure vanished like a bolt of lightning, reappearing instantly above Suzuki Hiro.

Her fist, like a cannonball, smashed fiercely into him.

Having suffered another heavy blow, Suzuki Hiro began to gasp for air; his body trembled, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

After all, even without Anko Mitarashi using the curse mark, the gap in their strength was not significant.

However, once Anko Mitarashi activated the curse mark, her strength and speed began to surge wildly, like a volcanic eruption.

Feeling his life slipping away, Suzuki Hiro felt no anger or fear in his heart; instead, he was filled with peace and serenity.

It was as if he had long been prepared to welcome death, as if he were about to return to the Pure Land to reunite with his family.

A look of relief graced his face as he whispered, "Tobi, Sakurako, I'm coming to find you..." As his voice faded, Suzuki Hiro's presence gradually dissipated.

Anko Mitarashi stared quietly at the corpse that no longer held any breath, the tension in her heart finally easing.

The power fluctuations brought on by the curse mark were also slowly suppressed under the control of her formidable willpower.

As the power of the curse mark receded like a tide, Anko Mitarashi's body went limp, and she collapsed heavily to the ground as if she had lost all support.

She struggled to open her eyes, attempting to make sense of her surroundings through her blurred vision.

Feeling the dire state of her body, Anko Mitarashi couldn't help but curse, "Damn it!

I've lost so much blood; even if the enemy didn't kill me this time, I'm afraid I'll die from blood loss..." Before she could finish, she suddenly felt a strange force lifting her body.

Startled, she turned her head to look and saw a figure wearing a green Jonin vest, his tousled hair dancing in the wind, holding her.

His refined features appeared exceptionally dazzling amidst the dappled light filtering through the woods; Uchiha Chen's deep eyes and sharp profile made him look remarkably handsome.

A faint blush instantly rose to Anko Mitarashi's cheeks. Just as she was about to say something, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and everything before her began to blur.

Seeing Anko Mitarashi faint from excessive blood loss, Uchiha Chen's heart tightened. He cursed himself for arriving too late; if he had arrived just a little sooner, perhaps this could have been avoided.

Originally, he had been following Anko Mitarashi, and according to the plan, he shouldn't have appeared so late.

However, on his way here, he had encountered a teammate he had previously performed missions with.

At first, he hadn't intended to engage in much conversation, wanting only to reach Anko Mitarashi as quickly as possible.

But for some reason, his attitude—so different from the original owner's—seemed to encourage the other party, who kept holding him back and talking incessantly.

Having finally shaken off that persistent teammate, he had sprinted over, but he was still a step too late.

At this moment, Uchiha Chen held Anko Mitarashi tightly, feeling her weak breathing and her cooling body, his heart filled with worry.

He knew he had to find a safe place to treat her as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unimaginable.

Thus, he picked up Anko Mitarashi and rushed toward Konoha Hospital, hoping to find a medical ninja to treat her immediately.

Just as the two had not yet left, the chakra fluctuations that erupted here had already been sensed by Konoha's barrier team, who quickly reported it and notified the nearby Anbu to investigate.

The Anbu arrived just after the two had left, and upon seeing the dead Suzuki Hiro and discovering he was a Konoha ninja, they began to track the trail.

On the other side, Uchiha Chen was rushing forward in a state of extreme anxiety, racing against time. Finally, just as Anko Mitarashi's breathing grew increasingly faint, he successfully delivered her to Konoha Hospital.

Staring at Anko Mitarashi as she was quickly wheeled into the emergency room by medical ninjas, the heavy stone in his heart finally fell.

After all, he had carefully checked her injuries on the way, discovering that they were caused solely by excessive blood loss.

As long as she was delivered to the hospital in time for a blood transfusion, it wouldn't be long before she regained consciousness.

He looked up at the sky; it was still early. To avoid missing this excellent opportunity to draw closer to her, Uchiha Chen decided to wait quietly by her side.

Meanwhile, the Anbu who had tracked them to the hospital had already investigated who the person receiving treatment was.

However, given that this involved a member of the Uchiha clan, coupled with the fact that Anko Mitarashi was the grand-student of the Third Hokage, they dared not act with the slightest bit of rashness.

Consequently, one of the Anbu was dispatched to report the situation to the Third Hokage, while the remaining Anbu were tasked with guarding the two individuals.

It was not long before news reached the Third Hokage, and upon hearing the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried over.

He stood outside the hospital room, looking at Uchiha Chen, who had saved Anko Mitarashi, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he spoke softly: "You must be Uchiha Chen!

Thank you very much for saving Anko. Would it be convenient for you to tell me how everything transpired?"

Uchiha Chen looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi before him; although he did not have much affection for the man.

Considering his current status, he still made an effort to keep his expression calm before opening his mouth to reply:

"Reporting to you, Lord Third Hokage, I had originally intended to find a suitable place for training on the outskirts of the village. I happened to pass by this area and discovered the two of them by chance.

By the time I noticed them, one of them was already dead, and this young girl had fallen into a coma due to excessive blood loss. I hadn't even had the chance to ask about the specific circumstances before she fainted, so I had no choice but to bring her to the hospital first.

I was just about to report this upward, but I did not expect you to have arrived already."