Divergent Paths of Training and Eyes Watching from the Dark

After the preliminaries ended, the Hidden Leaf Village seemed to return to its usual peace on the surface, but tense undercurrents surged in the dark. The genin who had passed the preliminaries each began a month of special training, and even the air seemed filled with the scorching heat of cultivation.

Team 7 faced a choice. Kakashi looked at Sasuke and Ling before him, his expression grave. Though the curse mark on Sasuke had not been directly planted, Orochimaru's chakra clung to him like a parasite, constantly corroding and tempting him; and the curse mark on Ling's shoulder, suppressed yet still present, was an even greater hidden bomb.

"Sasuke, your Sharingan and Chidori need to go a step further, but Orochimaru's curse mark is an enormous threat," Kakashi said in a low voice. "I'll give you special training, focusing on controlling the Sharingan, and I'll find a way to seal or suppress the curse mark's influence."

Sasuke clenched his fists, his eyes full of thirst for power, and nodded without hesitation.

Kakashi then turned his gaze to Uchiha Ling. "Ling, your situation is even more unusual. The curse mark inside you... seems to be in a strange suppressed state, but I can feel the danger hidden within it. Ordinary sealing jutsu may have limited effect, and might even break the current balance. Your chakra control far exceeds that of ordinary people, and your battle intelligence is also excellent. This month, you need to rely on yourself and find a way to coexist with this state, or even control it. At the same time, consolidate the abilities you already have, especially the Lightning Release nature transformation you're currently exploring."

"I understand, Kakashi-sensei," Ling replied calmly. He knew that the system's suppression of the curse mark was the best way to handle it for now. What he needed to do was adapt to this state, and use this period to improve in all areas.

And so, Team 7 temporarily split up to train. Kakashi took Sasuke to a specific training ground outside the village to apply a sealing formula. Naruto, meanwhile, was taken away by Jiraiya and began his own unique training.

Uchiha Ling chose a secluded creek valley near the edge of the Forest of Death as his training ground. Few people came here, and the quiet environment was suited to calming his mind as he sensed and controlled the power inside him.

At the start of training, he sank most of his focus inward and carefully observed the curse mark bound behind his left shoulder by the system's power. The dim three-tomoe mark was like a living thing, pulsing faintly as it constantly released cold, violent threads of energy, trying to seep into his meridians and mind. The invisible barrier formed by the system blocked and wore away most of it, but a small amount still escaped.

He tried to actively guide this escaping energy. At first, it was extremely difficult to control, filled with a destructive and chaotic will. The slightest carelessness would stir the brutality in his heart. But with his powerful mental strength and willpower, Ling tried bit by bit to merge it into the flow of his own chakra, like taming a wild horse.

The process was painful and difficult. Sometimes, when the energy went out of control, it would throw his chakra into disorder and stab pain through his meridians. Sometimes, negative emotions surged up, and bloody illusions flashed before his eyes. But he persisted, treating every loss of control as a tempering of his state of mind.

[Ding! The host has actively attempted to guide and adapt to the escaping energy of "Curse Mark (Unactivated · Suppressed State). Mental resilience increased. Chakra control slightly enhanced.]

The system prompt gave him confidence. A few days later, he made some progress. Although he still could not actively use the curse mark's energy, he could better withstand its effects. Even in its suppressed state, his normal chakra activity and bodily functions had gained an almost imperceptible improvement. When he used Lightning Release, that faint arc of electricity also seemed to carry a sharper, more violent quality.

Aside from adapting to the curse mark, he did not put aside his other training. At dawn, he practiced dual-wielding and integrated Hidden Leaf-Style Swordsmanship Basic Insights into it, making his blade work simpler and fiercer. In the morning, he studied Lightning Release nature transformation in depth, trying to attach more stable Lightning Release chakra to kunai, and even to his hands and feet, for attacks and acceleration. In the afternoon, he trained chakra control and perception, while repeatedly studying Basic Medical Ninjutsu Manual and Gentle Fist Disassembly Diagram to deepen his understanding of chakra, meridians, and the human body's acupoints.

Within his mindscape, his resonance with Asauchi also deepened day by day. Under the slight stimulation of the curse mark's energy—the system had isolated its negative will, leaving only the pure energy stimulus—his mental strength seemed to become more active, and that thread of connection to Asauchi grew clearer and clearer. The outline of the blade had almost solidified.

However, he was not entirely alone. One evening several days later, after finishing a round of training and washing up by the creek, a graceful figure appeared at the mouth of the valley.

"So you really were here." Temari had the massive Three-Star Fan on her back as she looked at the shirtless Uchiha Ling, sweat still drying on his skin. Her face carried a hint of curiosity and appraisal. "I heard you performed well in the preliminaries, and... something seems to have happened to you?"

Uchiha Ling quickly put on his clothes, his expression calm. "Temari. What is it?"

"Just curious." Temari walked a few steps closer, her sharp gaze sweeping over the dim mark half-hidden by the clothing behind his left shoulder. "That mark... is very unusual. It feels a little similar to certain things on Gaara, but different too." She paused. "Looks like your path through the Chunin Exams won't be very smooth either."

[Ding! Check-in target detected: Temari]

[Interaction level: Conversation + information probing]

[Check-in reward: Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique Notes (insight experience)]

Techniques for chakra form transformation and key points for practical use regarding Wind Cutter Technique flooded into his mind, perfectly cross-referencing the Wind Release: Speed Attack Technique he was currently training.

"Same to you," Ling replied flatly, revealing no further information.

Temari did not press the matter either, and instead said, "There's still a long time until the official exam. You can't just bury your head in hard training. Want to have a practical spar? I need to get familiar with the way Hidden Leaf ninja fight too."

After a brief moment of thought, Uchiha Ling nodded in agreement. Fighting ninja of different styles was exactly what he needed.

The battle that followed was fierce and brief. As Temari swung the Three-Star Fan, sharp wind blades sliced through the air over a vast range. Uchiha Ling used his speed and newly comprehended Lightning Release activation to move around her, his two blades searching for gaps in the wind, occasionally using Lightning Release to disrupt the trajectory of her Wind Release. Neither of them used their full strength. It was more like a mutual probing and tempering.

After the battle ended, Temari panted lightly. Looking at Ling, whose breathing was still steady, a hint of admiration flashed through her eyes. "Fast reactions, and your blade work is special too. Looks like you're much stronger than you appear on the surface. I look forward to fighting you in the official exam." With that, she turned and left.

Uchiha Ling watched Temari's departing back, his gaze narrowing slightly. The Hidden Sand Village's people had taken the initiative to make contact. Was it just a simple probe, or did they have another purpose?

In the days that followed, he occasionally encountered other examinees who were training, such as Tenten and Rock Lee, and they would have simple exchanges or sparring matches. But he could feel that there was always a cold gaze watching him from the distant darkness—it was Gaara. That chakra, filled with hatred and loneliness, was like a beacon in the night, impossible to ignore.

One month flew by in tense training. Uchiha Ling had basically adapted to fighting and training while the curse mark was suppressed. His Lightning Release nature transformation steadily improved, his dual-wielding became more polished, and his overall strength made great progress. But the mark on his shoulder, as well as the gaze watching from the dark, reminded him that the true test was about to arrive. And Kakashi and Sasuke had still not returned.

On the night before the official exam, Uchiha Ling stood in the creek valley and looked up at the starry sky. The curse mark on his left shoulder faintly heated up, as if anticipating the feast of slaughter to come.

"Tomorrow..." he murmured, a flash of lightning passing through his eyes.

(The twentieth chapter, end)