The Birth of a Beautiful Madwoman

Her eyelids felt as heavy as if lead weights hung from them. She had to summon every ounce of strength just to force them open a sliver.

The first thing that entered her blurred vision was a dark crimson glow.

The source of that light was a black figure standing beside the hospital bed. He wore a mask devoid of any pattern, his posture ramrod straight like a black spear planted in the earth. One of his hands still bore an unfaded dark red sheen, like molten lava.

That hand had just clutched her throat and dragged her back from the gates of hell in an almost brutal manner.

It was him.

The man who had made her taste pain more terrifying than death, and who had also freed her from the torment of the curse mark...

Red Bean's lips moved, but her throat was so dry it felt ready to split, and no sound came out. Her gaze greedily, obsessively traced the black silhouette.

Fear?

Of course there was fear.

But even stronger was a primal, instinctive submission and dependence on that destructive power after surviving such a calamity.

Like a cub carried back to its nest by a beast—after witnessing the sharpness of its fangs, it instead curled up in the beast's embrace and felt an unprecedented sense of safety.

Yan noticed that she had awakened.

His Observation Haki clearly captured the drastic change in the girl's emotional spectrum.

The chaotic colors that had once been tangled with fear, pain, and hatred had now been scrubbed completely clean, leaving behind only a color so pure it was nearly pathological.

—Fanatical, fearful... worship.

"You're awake?"

Yan's voice remained calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.

He was simply confirming the results of his "experiment." That lava brand was not merely a physical seal, but a mental "anchor" as well. He had altered the "permissions" of Orochimaru's curse mark and left his own backdoor within it. Judging by the results, it had worked nicely.

Red Bean struggled to sit up, but her body was so weak that even moving a finger was exceptionally difficult. She could only stare unblinkingly at Yan with those eyes that had regained their black color.

"You... are..."

Her voice was hoarse, like two sheets of sandpaper rubbing together.

Yan did not answer her question.

He merely extended his left hand, whose skin had already returned to normal, and gently brushed aside the damp, tangled purple hair on her forehead, revealing her pale yet stubborn little face.

His fingertips were icy cold.

Yet when they touched Red Bean's burning skin, she let out a weak moan of comfort.

"Sleep."

Yan withdrew his hand, his voice carrying an unquestionable command.

"When you wake up, forget what happened today. You were only severely injured during a mission, and I saved you. Understand?"

It was a form of hypnosis.

Using absolute will to overwrite a memory that was far too intense.

Red Bean looked at him. Confusion flashed through her black eyes, followed by an even deeper obsession. She neither nodded nor shook her head. She only used the last of her strength to softly murmur one sentence.

"...Yes, Master."

After saying those words, her eyelids could no longer hold on and slowly fell shut.

Yan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly upon hearing the word "Master."

He slowly withdrew his hand and slipped it back into his pocket.

Beneath his mask, the corner of his mouth curved into a helpless smile.

"Troublesome."

He quietly spat out those two words.

[Ding—]

[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: The Birth of a Beautiful Madwoman!]

[Description: With absolute domineering power, the host reshaped Mitarashi Anko's core will amid destruction, causing her to develop irreversible loyalty and dependence upon the host that transcends all reason.]

[Reward: Magma-Magma Fruit Evolution Progress +10%!]

[Current Evolution Progress: 60%!]

[New Ability Unlocked: Abnormal Status Resistance (Beginner)—The host's resistance to negative statuses such as mental illusions, toxins, and curses has increased slightly. The Magma-Magma Fruit's pure positive energy will automatically purify some foreign energy that enters the body.]

Yan looked at the information that had appeared on the system panel. The words "beautiful madwoman" in particular made the corner of his eye twitch.

This damned system... really knew how to name things.

He did not stay in the hospital room for long. Once he confirmed that Red Bean's vital signs had stabilized and the medical unit had taken over, he turned and left.

He knew that, from this day onward, the name Mitarashi Anko would become entangled with his fate in an immensely twisted way.

He had saved her.

And... ruined her.

Or rather, he had remade her into the sharpest, most insane... blade that belonged to him alone.