Anko watched Orochimaru disappear into the shadows, her fists clenched in frustration.
"Damn it…!!"
She slammed her fist against the tree trunk, her heart burning with unwillingness. The gap in strength between her and a Sannin was simply too vast—she was nothing more than a plaything in his hands.
Her fingers instinctively touched the curse mark on her neck, and a shiver ran down her spine.
No… The more I use this, the more it will consume me… until I completely fall into Orochimaru's grasp.
She gritted her teeth, trying to suppress the ominous feeling stirring deep within her body.
---
Under a towering dead tree, Team 7 sat around a small bonfire, the flickering flames casting long shadows across their faces.
"Ugh, I'm starving…" Naruto groaned as he held up a fresh catch.
Using his Shadow Clones to catch fish had been surprisingly efficient. He grinned as he handed out portions to his teammates.
"Heh, turns out my clones are useful for more than just fighting!"
As Naruto skewered the fish and placed it over the fire, his stomach growled in anticipation.
Meanwhile, Sasuke stood up.
"Naruto, Sakura, you two keep watch. I need to train for a bit."
"You're training again?" Naruto blinked in surprise.
Sasuke nodded. "After fighting Orochimaru, I realized something. I need to figure it out."
"Got it! You can leave it to us!" Naruto flashed a thumbs-up.
Sakura, on the other hand, was filled with admiration. As expected of Sasuke! He's already learning from the battle.
Without another word, Sasuke stepped into the hollow of a tree and sat cross-legged inside.
---
As time passed, Sasuke concentrated, letting his chakra circulate throughout his body.
He could feel the Curse Mark of Heaven pulsing with sinister energy. But instead of suppressing it, he analyzed it.
So this is how it works… Orochimaru's will is mixed within the chakra flow…
Suddenly, a realization struck him.
[You have deeply analyzed the Curse Mark of Heaven and understood its fundamental structure.]
[You recall Sage Mode and begin establishing a connection with the curse mark, leading to an epiphany.]
[You have identified flaws in the curse mark and attempted to improve it…]
[You have created Immortal Body Pattern!]
Sasuke's eyes widened.
This… This is an upgraded version of the Curse Mark?!
He quickly checked its properties.
[Immortal Body Pattern]
A perfected version of the Curse Mark that allows the user to automatically absorb natural energy without negative side effects.
Greatly enhances ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu while maintaining balance between natural energy and chakra.
Eliminates the risks of petrification associated with improper Sage Mode use.
Sasuke's lips curled into a rare smile.
It worked! This is essentially an automatic Sage Mode!
The original Curse Mark was derived from Jūgo's unique ability to absorb natural energy, but it was unstable, causing violent outbursts and even corroding the user's body.
But the Immortal Body Dao Pattern had none of those drawbacks. It absorbed nature energy passively and maintained perfect balance—meaning no risk of losing control.
In some ways, it was even superior to Sage Mode.
Normally, using Sage Mode requires remaining perfectly still to gather natural energy. But with this… I can keep fighting while absorbing it.
The more Sasuke thought about it, the more excited he became.
If I can fully awaken the Sage Body and combine it with this technique… How strong will I become?
Determined to test his theory, Sasuke let chakra flow through his body, forming intricate patterns across his skin.
Golden, flame-like markings spread across his arms, chest, and face.
[Immortal Body Pattern – First Stage]
Instantly, the world around him changed. He could sense the flow of nature chakra like never before. It surged into his body effortlessly, enhancing his power to terrifying levels.
This… This is incredible!
----
Outside, Naruto and Sakura were happily eating grilled fish by the fire.
"Damn, this is good!" Naruto grinned. "Sasuke's method for grilling really makes a difference!"
Sakura nodded, savoring the warm, smoky flavor.
But neither of them noticed the three pairs of eyes watching them from the darkness.
A wicked smirk spread across Dosu Kinuta's face.
"Looks like we finally found them."
Beside him, Zaku Abumi cracked his knuckles.
"That's them, alright. But where's Sasuke?"
Dosu's sharp gaze scanned the area and landed on the hollowed-out tree behind Naruto and Sakura.
"He's probably in there… Tch, typical Uchiha, always acting superior."
Zaku grinned. "Should we go in and kill him now?"
"No," Dosu said coldly. "We take out his teammates first."
Jin, their third teammate, pulled out a handful of deadly steel needles.
"Hmph, let's see how long Uchiha Sasuke can stay cool when his friends are dead."
Zaku clenched his fists, preparing his Air Cutter Wave attack.
"Time to crush them."
Dosu raised his arm and flicked his Melody Arm Guard—and the sound-based attack blasted toward Team 7 in an instant!
--
(A/N: Advance Chapters Are Available On My Patreon... Please Think Of Joining It)