Cursed Seal

"Sasuke? You're awake?"

Sasuke did not answer.

His gaze was somewhat vacant, as if he had just crawled back from somewhere very deep. The next moment, the Cursed Seal on his neck suddenly stirred, black markings creeping up his skin toward his face.

Sakura's expression changed.

"Sasuke, you..."

Sasuke slowly sat up.

His eyes first fell on the unconscious Naruto, then on the blood on Sakura's arm, before finally stopping on Chiya in Ino's arms.

Chiya's face was deathly pale, and blood was still seeping from his shoulder.

Sasuke's fingers slowly clenched.

"Who did this?"

His voice was very low.

Sakura opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a branch in the distance suddenly shook.

Everyone abruptly looked up.

Kin stood on a thick branch, dragging Zaku with one hand and supporting Dosu with the other. Both were badly injured. A large patch of clothing on Zaku's back had been blown to pieces, while half of Dosu's body hung over the branch. He clearly had yet to recover.

She had wanted to leave, but she was injured herself and had two people with her. She had not gotten far at all.

The instant Sasuke saw them, his expression turned completely cold.

Sakura's heart tightened, and she reached out to pull him back.

"Sasuke, wait!"

Slap.

Sakura grabbed his wrist.

"You're not right right now. Calm down first."

Sasuke looked up at her.

In those Sharingan, black Cursed Seal markings had already crawled over half his face.

"Let go."

Sakura bit her lip.

"I won't."

Sasuke's fingers tightened slightly.

Shikamaru frowned beside them.

"Hey, Sasuke, take a good look at what you're doing first."

Sasuke suddenly turned his head.

At that single glance, Choji instinctively stepped forward, placing himself between Sasuke and Shikamaru.

Ino held Chiya, and her expression changed as well.

"Sasuke, don't do anything reckless."

Seeing this, Kin hurriedly tried to retreat, dragging Zaku and Dosu with her.

The moment she moved, Sasuke vanished.

Whoosh!

The next instant, he appeared on the branch and kicked at Kin's wrist.

Kin did not react in time. Her hand loosened, and Dosu nearly fell from the tree.

"Ah!"

Kin staggered from the kick and cried out before flinging several senbon needles backhandedly.

Clang, clang, clang!

Sasuke swept them aside, pushed off with his foot, and charged straight at her.

Zaku gritted his teeth and raised his arm, the hole in his palm aimed at Sasuke.

"Don't get too cocky!"

Boom!

A blast of sound waves erupted.

Sasuke twisted aside to evade it. Cursed Seal markings suddenly spread across his body, and Sasuke cried out in pain. But once they covered half his body, his speed became terrifyingly fast!

Bang!

His fist slammed into Zaku's abdomen.

Zaku doubled over and crashed into the tree trunk, nearly passing out.

Sasuke grabbed his neck and forcibly lifted him up.

Kin's face went completely pale.

"Stop!"

Sakura rushed forward too.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke seemed not to hear her.

His fingers slowly tightened, and Zaku's face turned purple.

At that moment, a green figure suddenly rushed out from the side.

With a bang, Rock Lee kicked Sasuke's hand away.

Sasuke stepped back, and Zaku fell onto the branch, gasping for air.

Lee landed on the other side of the branch and took a stance, his expression deadly serious.

"Sasuke, please stop."

Sasuke stared at him.

"Move."

Lee did not move.

"You don't look like yourself right now."

The coldness in Sasuke's eyes deepened.

"I said, move."

The moment his words fell, he pushed off the ground and shot forward.

Lee raised both arms.

Bang!

Their fists and kicks collided, and the branch shook violently.

Sasuke's strength was far greater than before. Lee was jolted half a step back, cracking the bark beneath his feet.

Lee frowned.

"What incredible strength."

Sasuke gave him no time to catch his breath. With a flash, his next punch was already in front of Lee.

Lee tilted his head aside. The next instant, Sasuke twisted his wrist, and a kunai slid from his sleeve, stabbing straight at Lee's shoulder.

Lee's pupils contracted as he abruptly leaned back.

Whoosh!

The kunai sliced past his clothes.

"Sasuke!"

Lee's expression darkened.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Sasuke did not reply.

His knee shot forward. Lee raised an arm to block it, but the blow sent him staggering back several steps.

Crack.

The branch beneath his feet split.

Lee pushed off and leaped onto another branch. The moment he landed, Sasuke was already pursuing him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The two exchanged blows continuously between the branches.

Lee was fast. But Sasuke was even faster, and his attacks grew more and more vicious!

Shikamaru's face darkened as he watched.

"This is bad. He really wants to kill someone."

Up in the tree, Lee was kicked in the shoulder by Sasuke and slammed into the trunk with a bang.

He grunted, then quickly steadied himself.

"Sasuke, this ends here."

Sasuke raised his hand as black Cursed Seal markings crawled up his arm, covering his skin.

"You're in the way."

With a flash, he charged straight at Lee's chest.

Lee gritted his teeth and crossed his hands before him.

Bang!

That punch shattered the branch beneath Lee's feet.

The two fell toward the ground together.

Before they landed, Sasuke twisted in midair and kicked at Lee.

In the blink of an eye, Lee raised his hand to block it, used the force to flip backward, and retreated three steps after landing.

Sasuke landed steadily, his gaze still chillingly cold.

Sakura looked at his back, a chill running through her heart.

"Sasuke..."

Lee blocked Sasuke's attack again, his feet carving two tracks across the ground. Sasuke raised his hand to continue, but Sakura suddenly rushed over.

"Sakura!" Shikamaru's expression changed.

Sakura threw her arms around Sasuke from behind, locking them tightly around his waist.

Sasuke's body abruptly stiffened.

"Let go."

Sakura held on even tighter.

"No."

The Cursed Seal on Sasuke's arm still writhed, his fingers slowly curling into a fist.

Sakura's voice trembled, but she did not let go.

"Sasuke, enough already."

Sasuke did not speak.

Lee stood some distance away, breathing heavily, but he did not move again.

For a moment, the forest held nothing but the sound of wind.

Sakura buried her face against Sasuke's back and said through tears,

"Chiya and Naruto definitely wouldn't want to see you like this. Please stop, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes flickered.

He slowly turned his head and looked into the distance.

Naruto was still unconscious.

Chiya lay in Ino's arms, his chest barely rising and falling.

The coldness in Sasuke's eyes finally eased a little.

The Cursed Seal slowly retreated to his neck.

He closed his eyes, and his body swayed.

"Sasuke..."

Sasuke lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"I'm fine."

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Kin hurriedly dragged Zaku and Dosu backward.

Shikamaru suddenly blocked their path.

"Hand over your scrolls, then get lost."

Kin's expression turned ugly, but she did not dare talk back. She swiftly pulled out a scroll from her clothes and tossed it to the ground, then supported the two of them as they disappeared into the shadows of the trees.

Lee lowered his stance and walked over to Sakura.

"Miss Sakura, are you all right?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Thank you."

Lee's face reddened slightly, but he still said seriously, "Let's find somewhere safe first."

Shikamaru scratched his head and sighed.

"Let's get out of here first. That commotion was so loud, more people will be coming soon."