"Damn it!!"
Sasuke's eyes blazed scarlet as he recklessly charged straight at Orochimaru!
But the gap between their strength was like heaven and earth!
In a single instant.
Orochimaru casually struck.
Thud!
Sasuke was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, slamming hard into the ground as searing pain shot through his bones.
Naruto and Sakura went deathly pale. Watching Sasuke get crushed in an instant, they rushed forward to help without a second thought, frantic with worry.
But the outcome was just as inevitable.
Orochimaru shifted slightly.
Two soft thuds followed.
Naruto's and Sakura's vision went black. Both were knocked unconscious on the spot, collapsing to the ground.
The woods fell completely silent, leaving only Sasuke, who fought through the agonizing pain and struggled to rise.
He braced himself against the ground, his scarlet Sharingan locked on Orochimaru, his entire body radiating hostility.
Like a honey badger, he still refused to admit defeat and wanted to keep fighting.
But a moment later, Orochimaru flickered and appeared right in front of him. One hand clamped precisely around his neck, pinning him firmly in place.
No matter how wildly Sasuke struggled or roared in fury, it was useless.
Ignoring his overwhelming rage and hatred, Orochimaru leaned close to his ear and murmured words that made Sasuke's heart skip a beat.
"Missing an arm simply won't do."
"How can you take revenge with an incomplete body?"
"Still, there are ways to restore your left arm!"
Sasuke shuddered, the madness in his eyes instantly replaced by an overwhelming longing.
He stared fixedly at Orochimaru, his voice hoarse and trembling. "You... can restore my arm?"
"There are very few people in the shinobi world who can replace your arm."
"And I happen to be one of them." Orochimaru chuckled softly, his tone utterly certain.
Without the slightest hesitation, Sasuke gritted his teeth and asked, "What price do I have to pay?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, clearly somewhat surprised.
He had expected the brat to be afraid, to hesitate.
But all he saw was an obsession with revenge that would stop at nothing.
Sasuke raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his expression fanatical and crazed.
"I was already finished."
"A crippled Uchiha doesn't even have the right to seek revenge."
"I lost sight of my revenge long ago."
"As long as you can restore my arm, as long as you can make me stronger and let me kill Itachi."
"Take whatever you want! I don't care about anything else!"
For revenge, he would abandon all dignity, every boundary, and his entire future!
Orochimaru's smile deepened, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Very good."
"Then make sure you prove your worth."
"When you come to me of your own accord next time, I'll tell you what you need to pay."
With that, Orochimaru released his grip on Sasuke.
Looking at the battered, hate-filled boy, his lips curled into a sinister smile.
"But before that, I'll give you a gift."
Before Sasuke could react.
Orochimaru's neck suddenly stretched, and he lowered his head, sinking his sharp fangs viciously into the side of Sasuke's neck!
After leaving the mark, Orochimaru vanished, leaving only a few words behind. "Don't disappoint me. Don't die!"
"Hiss-!!"
Excruciating, soul-rending pain instantly swept through Sasuke's entire body!
Strange black markings spread wildly from the bite, crawling across Sasuke's neck in an instant!
This was the Cursed Seal of Heaven!
The intense agony ravaged his body, tore at his nerves, and burned away at his will!
"Aaaaaah-!!"
Sasuke let out a frantic, heart-wrenching scream, his body convulsing and trembling as he curled up on the ground.
Wave after wave of pain battered his consciousness.
After only a few breaths.
The young Uchiha, consumed by obsession and hatred, could no longer withstand the Cursed Seal's agonizing backlash. His vision went black, and he passed out from the pain, collapsing onto the cold forest floor.
Wind swept through the dense woods, rustling the branches and leaves.
The Forest of Death fell deathly silent.
Beyond the Sky Screen, however, the entire shinobi world had already erupted into an uproar.
Everyone was filled with curiosity and shock, their discussions rising one after another.
"My god! How can Orochimaru stretch his neck that far?! What kind of bizarre ninjutsu is that?"
"A human body can't possibly twist like that! It's terrifying!"
"Why did he have to bite Sasuke's neck? What exactly are those black markings?"
"Is it a seal? A secret technique? Or some kind of forbidden technique? What does it do?"
Countless shinobi were baffled. They had never seen such a strange Cursed Seal before.
Even more people felt a pang of sympathy as they watched Sasuke lying unconscious on the ground, his body twitching.
"That boy Sasuke really has the worst luck..."
"He's been crippled and humiliated, and now Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, has set his sights on him."
"How has every step of this child's life been a brush with death? It's unbelievable."
Meanwhile, inside Konoha's Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage, Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu all wore deeply grave expressions. Rather than dwelling on the Cursed Seal, they focused on the deeper scheme behind it.
They did not believe for a moment that Orochimaru had infiltrated Konoha solely for Sasuke.
Mitokado Homura spoke gravely. "Orochimaru defected years ago, but he's never come back."
"He certainly wouldn't risk sneaking into the Forest of Death just for Sasuke."
Utatane Koharu nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Orochimaru must have another objective."
Danzo narrowed his lone eye without speaking, his thoughts unreadable.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows knitted tightly, his heart heavy.
He knew Orochimaru better than anyone.
After all, Orochimaru had once been the student he was proudest of.
Orochimaru's true objective was certainly no simple matter.
"We can only tighten security and begin taking precautions years in advance," the Third Hokage ordered gravely.
"Keep a close watch on the village perimeter and thoroughly investigate all outsiders. We must not let Orochimaru's scheme succeed."
Everyone in Konoha High Command was on edge, braced for action.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, the focus of Konoha's quartet, was positively beside himself with excitement.
His eyes burned as he stared at Uchiha Itachi beside him, his long, slender tongue constantly licking his cheek, undisguised greed and fervor filling his gaze.
Itachi's body, his Mangekyo Sharingan, and his talent had long left Orochimaru salivating.
I want them so badly!
Orochimaru smiled as he asked, "Itachi, did you need something from me?"
Uchiha Itachi, who had remained silent throughout, said nothing.
Only his eyes, fixed on Orochimaru, were bone-chillingly cold, cold enough to send shivers through anyone.
But Orochimaru paid it no mind. His eyes shifted toward Sasuke, unconscious from pain in the Sky Screen, and he chuckled as though he had guessed the reason.
"I see."
"You came to see me because I attacked your little brother in the Sky Screen?"
"How interesting. I'm rather curious about this little brother you spared even when you slaughtered your clan."
"What exactly makes him so special to you?"
As his words faded.
Uchiha Itachi, silent until now, finally spoke slowly, his voice indifferent and merciless.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
Just four simple words.
Before you continue