The Terrifying Curse Mark Troops

Boom!

Countless kunai and shattered ninja tools lay scattered across the ground. Dust filled the air everywhere, reducing visibility to almost nothing.

A fierce battle had taken place here.

Just moments ago, the two sides had exchanged several rounds of ninjutsu the instant they clashed. Orochimaru's techniques were stranger and more bewitching than ordinary chakra natures like wind, lightning, fire, and water, using all kinds of snakes as weapons of attack.

These things had practically surpassed their understanding. They were impossible to guard against!

"Damn it, if this keeps up, our casualties will only continue to rise."

Kakashi panted heavily behind an Earth-Style Wall. He had already pulled up the cover over his Sharingan, and the multiplied chakra consumption placed an even greater burden on his body.

As expected of a legendary Kage-level expert, he was not someone they could contend with so casually. The moment they exchanged blows, the pressure of a master bore down on them like a collapsing skyscraper, carrying a suffocating aura.

His exquisite ninjutsu, combined with his taijutsu, had thrown them into complete disarray. Several more Anbu members had been wounded, and in no more than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, their combat strength had already been greatly reduced.

At this rate, it would not be long before they were wiped out.

"Didn't I say earlier that someone should report this to Lord Hokage?"

Itachi pretended to be out of breath as well, complaining deliberately. This had been official business to begin with, and he was merely going through the motions.

After all, each use of the Mangekyō Sharingan inflicted enormous strain and backlash on his body. He was still young and needed to exercise restraint.

Besides, he was still considering how to negotiate with Orochimaru and thereby fulfill the system's objective.

Being able to relocate his entire clan to Ryūchi Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, would be an ideal outcome beyond anything he could ask for.

As for Chi, the burly Anbu man who had been attacked first, he had long since withered away atop that pile of necks. Perhaps because of the poison, his face had turned the ashen gray of a dead fish, while his body looked as though it had been completely drained dry.

The consequences of their mistake were right before them.

"I regret not listening to you sooner. If I'd known, I would have taken your advice."

Kakashi Hatake clenched his teeth and spoke with deep remorse.

As the commander of the Anbu squad, he could not escape responsibility for failing to fully anticipate how the situation would develop, resulting in losses among his members.

Moreover, every Anbu member was an elite ninja chosen from hundreds. Every loss was a devastating blow to Konoha.

Orochimaru's betrayal had been an outcome none of them had expected.

"Perfect. I'll collect some experimental data from you."

Orochimaru was starting to feel somewhat exhausted. For the sake of the experiment's progress, he had already expended a tremendous amount of mental and physical energy.

But why would he need to personally deal with a group of ants? A cold smile curled across his sinister lips.

His hands rapidly formed a strange seal. In an instant, something beneath the ground began to tremble violently. Even the Anbu squad members could barely keep their footing, some falling straight to the ground.

"What's happening? What kind of technique is this?"

It was as though some formation had been activated. The entire underground structure shattered beneath that terrifying force, and massive rocks slid down together with earth and dust, crashing thunderously to the ground.

Dust filled the sky.

Itachi flashed to Oda Misuzu's side and supported her. There was a torn wound beneath her ribs, where she had been bitten by the poisonous fangs of the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands. The venom had already begun spreading through her body, causing her to convulse uncontrollably.

Her Anbu mask had been shattered, revealing the pretty face of a mature beauty. Delicate brows, a fine nose, and white teeth—she truly was beautiful. Every eyelash cast a distinct shadow against her fair skin, as if all the beauty of time had settled upon her face. Her oval face was not quite enough to topple nations, but every frown and smile carried such peerless grace that time itself seemed willing to stand still for her.

"Don't worry about me. Running into Orochimaru means we've really drawn the short straw, but while they aren't paying attention, you should find a way to get out of here. Forget the Anbu mission and leave. Go, or we'll all be stuck here."

Oda Misuzu's lips trembled. Blood had already flowed from beneath her curvaceous figure, and perhaps because her body was growing cold, she shook and convulsed even as she spoke.

Her eyes had begun to lose focus. If she did not receive treatment soon, it would not be long before she—

"No. How could I leave you behind and escape alone? I'm not that kind of person."

Itachi held her hand, feeling the warmth passing between them. Gritting his teeth, he ignored the risk of falling debris and began treating Oda Misuzu's wound.

To keep her clothes from aggravating the injury, Itachi did not hesitate to tear open the fabric around her ribs and chest.

"Ah, you—"

Oda Misuzu cried out, startled by his sudden action. A blush flashed across her face as she wanted to strike the boy, but the determination that flickered across Itachi's face in that instant suddenly gave him a mature charm she had never noticed before.

"Don't worry. It's only a minor injury. I know a little about bandaging wounds. Just bear with it."

Itachi did not think much of it and focused entirely on doing what needed to be done.

The situation was gradually slipping beyond his control. Before that happened, he needed to free himself up.

"Thank you."

A blush crossed Oda Misuzu's pale face. She suddenly felt as if something within her heart had broken open, allowing a soft, warm current to slowly flow out and soothe her heart.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Just hurry up and finish."

Seeing Itachi's confused expression, Oda Misuzu hurriedly changed the subject to cover it up. She wished she could slap herself a few times. As an Anbu ninja, how could she develop feelings during a mission?

Even if he was only a child.

But Itachi really was... so adorable and handsome.

Aah, aah, aah, aah... I'm falling for him.

Suddenly, terrifying murmurs drifted over from the distance. The instant they entered his mind, his soul seemed to take a blow, leaving him with the sensation that his spirit was about to leave his body.

Itachi instinctively rose and went on guard. His Sharingan spun almost to its limit. In the darkness, every detail of the world seemed to pass slowly before his eyes frame by frame, like a movie played in slow motion, yet he could still feel a terrifying pressure.

"It hurts so much!"

"It's too painful."

"Kill them! Kill them!"

"I finally got out of that damned machine. I'll make you repay my suffering a hundredfold."

Those hair-raising voices echoed from within.

As the dust settled, Itachi's pupils abruptly contracted. He finally saw what had happened. The experimental creatures that had originally been imprisoned inside containers had all burst through their walls, with disgusting unidentified liquid flowing everywhere.

The skin of every test subject was covered in strange curse patterns, just like people undergoing Curse Mark Transformation.

Some had undergone enormous changes in appearance: horns, scales, massive bodies, and even horrifying regenerative mutations in certain parts. Describing them as having three heads and six arms would not be an exaggeration.

Others, whether because they could not control the energy within their bodies or because of the transformations themselves, constantly drooled saliva like lizards.

Clump after clump dripped onto the floor, thick and revolting.

No, this was clearly the phenomenon of Curse Mark Stage One.

And every one of them was a modified human!

There were nearly a hundred figures, packed densely together—a large force.

This was practically an army of Curse Mark Transformation users. Yet Itachi sensed that their own strength was too weak to control their newfound power. In other words, every one of them showed signs of going berserk.

The chakra energy in their bodies and the strength of their muscles had increased severalfold, perhaps even dozens of times over.

And once they went berserk, the consequences would be unimaginable!

In an instant, their squad was forced into a corner of the ruined underground chamber by this army of Curse Mark users. Their kunai and blades could not inflict any substantial damage on these beasts at all.

"What a pain, Orochimaru. He really prepared quite a welcome gift for us!"

"I'm afraid our chances are grim this time. You'd better prepare yourselves mentally."

Itachi could not help but smile bitterly. Honestly, he had barely met several of these teammates before. They only spent time together while carrying out missions, always wearing cat-faced masks and acting mysteriously. Even if they managed to break through the encirclement this time—

There probably would not be many survivors.

He too gave it everything he had, wielding a short blade so swiftly that not even water could pass through its defense. Yet even with such superb technique, when his steel blade struck those monsters, it only sank a few inches into their bodies. It was nowhere near enough to cut through their reinforced flesh!

"It's just a fight against a pack of beasts. What is there to fear?"

"Even if we have to risk everything today, we definitely won't let them get away with this!"

After this battle, the Anbu members had forged bonds of sweat and blood. They understood one another better now.

In their eyes, Itachi was not the evil member of the Uchiha Clan that Danzo and the Third Hokage had described.

Perhaps what they saw in him was more care and responsibility.

They had gradually come to acknowledge the figure before them. Though he was not imposing, he had already become someone capable of standing tall beneath the heavens.

"That's good."

Itachi slowly let out a breath. After all, for Anbu, this was not their most perilous situation. He patted Kakashi beside him, signaling for him not to stand there in a daze.

Back then, the White Fang of the Leaf had infiltrated an enemy camp alone, rescued his comrades single-handedly, and fought dozens of special ninja by himself. The legendary Yellow Flash had killed more than fifty ninja in an instant on a battlefield, deciding the war in a single battle. He had even turned the tide of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge afterward, securing victory in the later stages.

Could his own abilities and achievements truly be inferior to those two?

Then let's give it everything we've got!