Improved Curse Mark

"Hehehehe, Josuke-kun, you almost moved me."

Orochimaru's snake-like eyes fixed on Josuke, making him feel as though he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Josuke was gambling—gambling that Orochimaru would agree.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, was considering it. Josuke, like Sasuke, seemed suitable to become one of his future vessels. He even appeared more talented than Sasuke. Once Orochimaru used his body-switching technique to take Sasuke's body, he could take Josuke's next. Hehehe.

It seemed he was getting quite the bargain.

But Josuke was still too young. Perhaps when he was fifteen or sixteen, he would be ready.

Then—

Orochimaru smiled.

"Very well, Josuke-kun. I have seen your sincerity, and I have decided to show you mine as well."

With that—

Orochimaru retracted his neck and bit Josuke on the neck. A curse mark identical to Sasuke's appeared on Josuke's neck.

It happened so quickly that Josuke had no time to react. Damn it, Orochimaru, are you even human?

Josuke felt a powerful force surge through him, accompanied by excruciating pain. The agony nearly made him pass out.

Orochimaru smiled as he looked at Josuke with satisfaction.

He muttered to himself,

"It seems the Improved Curse Mark was a success."

Yet after half a minute, the curse mark on his neck disappeared. Still, Josuke could feel that its power remained.

Josuke said coldly, "What did you give me? Is it the same one Sasuke has?"

Orochimaru shook his head.

"Josuke-kun, you guessed wrong. I would never give you something so inferior. What I gave you is the Improved Curse Mark. It is far stronger than an ordinary curse mark, and its side effects are negligible.

Unlike a normal curse mark, it does not consume your life force. It consumes your vital energy.

(Author's note: Vital energy is an invisible, intangible kind of true energy hidden within the human body. It is gained through eating, growing, sleeping, training, and so on. Running out of it will not kill you, but it will leave you weak. Vital energy can be replenished, and training is one way to increase the amount of vital energy we possess.)

It will not kill you. So, are you satisfied with this gift?"

After hearing Orochimaru's explanation, Josuke finally calmed down. So that was it. At that moment, he could feel the powerful effect emanating from the curse mark hidden on his neck.

"Then does it have any other flaws or side effects?"

Josuke touched his neck but could not find any trace of the curse mark.

Orochimaru gave a cold laugh.

"You cannot feel it. The Improved Curse Mark is hidden. As for side effects, you simply need sufficient vital energy. Its drawback is that your chakra reserves must reach the level of a chunin before the age of twelve in order for the curse mark to be applied.

So, I was actually gambling just now—gambling that Josuke-kun had reached chunin level. I did not expect to win. Hehehe."

Cold sweat ran down Josuke's back. This scientific lunatic.

He had actually been gambling. If Josuke had not possessed chunin-level chakra reserves, would he not have died?

Fuck.

"I cannot go with you right now," Josuke said.

Orochimaru stared at Josuke.

His eyes seemed to say: Since you accepted my curse mark, why will you not come with me?

Before Orochimaru could ask, Josuke explained,

"Now is not the right time. Give me three years. In three years, I will definitely go with you. Is that acceptable?"

Three years?

Orochimaru considered it, then could not help shaking his head.

"Why?"

"I still have some matters to deal with over these three years. I promised him." (Actually, he had not. Josuke was just making it up.)

So that was it. There were still bonds he could not sever, just like himself. The Hidden Leaf Village's yellow, gambling, and drugs—ptui, the Three Legendary Ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Orochimaru nodded, accepting Josuke's explanation. He did not linger any longer and said,

"Then three years it is. Come find me yourself when the time comes."

Orochimaru tossed out two scrolls.

One was a tracking scroll that could display Orochimaru's location. The other was a ninjutsu scroll containing two Fire Release techniques: Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet and Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique.

Damn, Uncle Snake really was generous.

Orochimaru was not afraid that Josuke would hand the tracking scroll over to the Hidden Leaf Village. He was brimming with confidence now—if one from the Hidden Leaf Village came, he would kill one; if a group came, he would wipe them all out.

If he could not beat them himself, he could always use Impure World Reincarnation. He had nothing to fear.

After giving Josuke the two scrolls, Orochimaru vanished into the dense forest.

"Phew."

Josuke let out a long breath. He was a rogue ninja now too.

After straightening his clothes and making sure the curse mark truly could not be seen, Josuke finally left.

During the time Josuke had been gone, events unfolded just as they had in the original story.

The Sound Ninja Trio saw that Sakura was the only member of Team 7 capable of fighting, so they decided to seize Team 7's scroll.

And so, this incident occurred.

By the time Josuke arrived, Team 10, led by Ino, had come to provide support.

However, they were easily defeated by the Sound Ninja Trio. Choji was knocked to the ground and could not move.

Six Paths Dosu—ptui.

Dosu sneered. "Looks like we got lucky without even trying! Kin, Zaku, let's finish them together!"

With that, he prepared to rush forward.

"Let me see who dares!"

The voice startled everyone present!

Shikamaru, Ino, and Sakura were delighted when they heard that familiar voice.

Josuke made his dazzling entrance.

"Boom!"

As the smoke cleared, three shadow clones stood before the Sound Ninja.

Josuke jumped down from a tree and walked over to Ino's side.

"Sorry I'm late."

Ino's little face flushed. How could someone be so handsome?

After confirming that everyone present was all right, Josuke turned to look at the three of them.

"Are you the ones who hurt my friends?"

Dosu still had not realized the seriousness of the situation. He said disdainfully, "So what if we are? What can you do to us?"

After saying that, he ran toward Josuke.

Josuke smiled. Three shuriken appeared in his hand, and he threw them at Dosu.

Using the recoil to propel himself backward, he shot toward Dosu like a missile.

Dosu was shocked and hurriedly shifted aside to evade the shuriken. When he looked toward Josuke again, Josuke had already vanished.

"Behind you."

He spun around sharply. Josuke had appeared behind him at some unknown moment. So fast!

Dosu did not even have time to react before Josuke kicked him flying.

"Front Lotus!"

Green chakra flared around Josuke's body. Beating up weaklings was what he did best. He could not defeat Orochimaru, but dealing with small fry like these was easy.

As Dosu flew away, Josuke immediately used Water Release: Water Mist!

Water mist filled the surroundings. At the same time, his three waiting clones moved, unleashing Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique toward Kin and Zaku!

Although Kin and Zaku were inside the mist, how could they fail to notice the light of the fireballs? They hurriedly dodged to the sides, only to discover that wind walls had already risen around them.

The two were stunned. When had these wind walls appeared? Josuke had completed the ninjutsu without them noticing.

This was Wind Release: Wind Wall, which used high-pressure air to form walls of compressed air. Once someone touched a wind wall, the powerful currents would slash their body.

Faced with the incoming Phoenix Flowers, Kin and Zaku were at their wits' end...