Let the Cursed Seal be placed on my dog.

Sasuke did not answer Itachi, instead stepping forward toward the corpse of Orochimaru that had been cleaved in two.

Itachi followed behind him, the two of them landing one after the other upon the scattered, messy fallen leaves.

Orochimaru's corpse was split open, with viscera and blood splattered everywhere.

Sasuke stared at the remains on the ground for a moment, preparing to turn and check on the status of his Shikigami.

The half of the corpse still attached to the head suddenly moved.

The mouth of the corpse snapped open, the jawbone dislocating with a grotesque tearing sound.

A pair of pale hands reached out from deep within the throat, gripping the edges of the lips.

Immediately after, a brand-new Orochimaru, covered in transparent slime, crawled out from that mouth.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, his hand reaching once more for his ninja tool pouch.

"Still not dead?"

Orochimaru stood upright, casually shaking the slime from his arms.

He watched Sasuke's guarded posture, his tongue circling his lips.

"Truly impressive, Sasuke-kun... It seems I can no longer provide you with any stimulation."

Sasuke furrowed his brows, his gaze darting back and forth between Itachi and Orochimaru.

"Stimulation?" Sasuke turned his head to stare at Itachi.

Itachi looked ahead with an expressionless face, not even blinking an eyelid.

"It is nothing." Itachi's voice held no inflection.

Sasuke tightened his grip on the kunai in his hand.

"At this point, what have you come to find me for?" Sasuke stared at Itachi's profile. "Do you want me to seek revenge on you again?"

Itachi lowered his head, his gaze falling upon Sasuke.

"As you wish." Itachi turned around, his back to Sasuke. "Sooner or later, I will make a move against you."

Sasuke let out a cold snort and sheathed the kunai back into his pouch.

He couldn't be bothered to guess what kind of scheme this pair of lunatics was plotting. He walked straight toward the three Shikigami lying on the ground not far away.

Black Dog, White Dog, and Escaping Rabbit were covered in wounds sliced open by wind blades; White Dog's hind leg was still twitching slightly.

Orochimaru stepped closer over the fallen leaves.

"See, I am not even making a move against you now; you should believe me by now." Orochimaru spread his hands.

"The Cursed Seal of Heaven is truly a wonderful thing. It can grant you power that transcends your limits, allowing you to no longer rely on those summons."

Sasuke crouched beside Black Dog, pressing his fingers against its wound without looking up.

"I don't believe you."

The smile on Orochimaru's face froze.

He lowered his hands, a dangerous light glinting in his golden slit pupils.

"Then I will make a move right now."

Sasuke stood up straight, raising both hands to his chest.

"Then I will just call that guy out again." Sasuke stared directly into Orochimaru's eyes.

Orochimaru's movements stalled instantly.

His peripheral vision swept over the old husk split in two on the ground, and the muscles in his neck tightened involuntarily.

Recalling the increasingly absurd adaptation speed of that white monster from just moments ago, he forcibly suppressed the urge to weave hand signs.

He was out of options.

He certainly couldn't fight anymore; while shedding his skin could achieve an effect close to resurrection, it required chakra.

His own chakra reserves could no longer afford it.

But if he didn't leave the Cursed Seal behind, the beating he took today would have been for nothing.

Sasuke looked at Orochimaru's frustrated expression and suddenly spoke.

"If it's really such a good thing, then put one on my summoning beasts."

Orochimaru was stunned.

He suspected something was wrong with his ears.

"...What did you say?"

"Didn't you say the Cursed Seal can increase power?" Sasuke pointed at the three Shikigami on the ground. "Give it to one of them."

Orochimaru looked at the two dogs and the rabbit, then back at Sasuke, his face full of question marks.

Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, planting the Cursed Seal of Heaven on a summoning beast?

Sasuke ignored Orochimaru's reaction and looked down at his Shikigami.

"Which of you is willing to go?"

The Escaping Rabbit's two long ears pricked up, and the White Dog also struggled to prop up its front half.

The Black Dog was the fastest; dragging its injured body, it took a large step forward, shielding the White Dog and the Escaping Rabbit.

"I will go." The Black Dog tilted its head up.

Sasuke nodded and looked toward Orochimaru.

"That one will do. Give it to him."

Orochimaru stood where he was, covering his face with both hands, and took a deep breath.

In his life, he had researched countless forbidden techniques, dissected countless geniuses, and bestowed the Cursed Seal upon countless followers who craved power.

But...

"I never imagined that I, Orochimaru, would actually have to bite a dog in this lifetime!"

Orochimaru lowered his hands, his expression incredibly grim.

He walked up to the Black Dog and crouched down.

The Black Dog tilted its head back, its golden eyes staring at him without a ripple of emotion.

Orochimaru's neck suddenly elongated, his mouth opened wide, and two sharp fangs pierced fiercely into the flesh on the side of the Black Dog's neck.

"ROAR—!"

The Black Dog let out a painful howl.

Black Cursed Seal patterns instantly spread beneath the Black Dog's fur, centered around the bite marks.

The Black Dog let out a muffled groan, its body trembling violently for a few moments before it forcibly steadied its footing.

Orochimaru retracted his neck, stood up, and reached out to wipe the dog hair and blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Done." Orochimaru's tone was filled with unconcealable disgust.

Sasuke watched the Black Dog's condition gradually stabilize, feeling the strange energy feeding back through the Shadow Channel.

"You all can head back now." Sasuke looked at his scarred Shikigami. "Getting beaten up like this by this stinking snake-man, go back and rest."

"Understood." The White Dog glared at Orochimaru. "Next time, I'll definitely snap his neck."

The Black Dog said nothing, merely nodding silently.

The Escaping Rabbit climbed up sluggishly: "...Okay."

"Stinking snake-man... remember, my name is Orochimaru." The corner of Orochimaru's eye twitched again.

The Black Dog panted heavily and nodded.

The three Shikigami simultaneously turned into black sludge, seeping into the shadows on the ground and dissipating completely.

Itachi glanced at Sasuke without another word, his body turning into a flock of Crow and flying toward the depths of the forest.

Orochimaru took one last look at Sasuke, his body sinking into the ground like melting wax.

On a towering rock far from the training grounds.

Itachi and Orochimaru stood side by side, overlooking Konoha below.

The wind whipped their black cloaks with red clouds.

"Do you really think this will keep him in Konoha?" Itachi spoke, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Hokage Rock.

"Given Sasuke's current personality, he would be more inclined to seek power in the outside world."

Orochimaru crossed his arms over his chest, a calculating glint flashing in his golden slit pupils.

"After Sasuke goes back, he will definitely investigate the Cursed Seal."

Orochimaru licked his lips.

"Anko and Jiraiya are all too familiar with this thing. With their intervention and guidance, Sasuke will naturally find the nourishment he needs within Konoha."

"...At least for these next few years, there won't be any problems."

Orochimaru turned his head to look at Itachi's profile.

"The bonds of Konoha are not so easily severed."

Itachi was silent for a moment.

"As an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha," Itachi's voice remained cold, "you certainly have a lot of faith in those people in Konoha."

Orochimaru laughed in a low voice, his raspy laughter scattering in the wind.

"Aren't you the same?"