---
Ye Dou frowned, his expression serious.
That stance—combined with that look—was clearly seen by Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan.
Then came another wave of frustration. This is bullying. Is this guy deliberately humiliating me?
Sasuke's heart ached. He looked up and roared toward the sky, pulled out his chokutō Kumo, and lunged forward.
In that moment, the Curse Mark of Heaven burned like wildfire on his skin. The power surged—and with it, his sanity began to fray. His speed shot up dramatically, at least a notch faster than before.
But the result?
Ye Dou met him with a simple, unarmed punch. Just one. It sent Sasuke flying through the air again, like a sandbag caught in a gale.
Behind them, the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho—Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi—watched in shock. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads.
Damn… this guy doesn't hold back.
Everyone at the Academy knew about Ye Dou's monstrous taijutsu. No one could block his iron fists. But Sasuke had awakened the Sharingan—shouldn't that give him the upper hand? The Sharingan was said to be the ultimate tool for reading and countering enemy movements. So why was he still getting beat this badly?
Ino couldn't bear to look anymore. Sasuke Uchiha's handsome face was now swollen and bruised beyond recognition—like a pig's head. He looked so battered, he probably wouldn't even recognize his own mother if she walked up to him. And yet, Ye Dou had shown restraint. He wasn't trying to kill Sasuke—he was pushing him, trying to draw out more power.
Ye Dou finally stopped his assault. His iron fists dropped to his sides. The cursed runes on Sasuke's skin were fading, beaten into submission.
Sasuke lay sprawled on the ground, dazed and empty-eyed, looking like a broken doll.
"So this is as far as he can go," Ye Dou thought with some disappointment.
The Curse Mark of Heaven has two stages. The first stage, which Sasuke just entered, allows the user to absorb and wield a limited amount of natural energy. The markings spread partially across the body, igniting new power.
But the second stage—true transformation—requires a leap beyond pain. The runes must cover every inch of the body, triggering visible and grotesque changes in both form and chakra.
Entering that second stage demands surviving a trial known as the "Death State."
It's not literal death, but the agony mimics it—intense, unrelenting, like being torn apart from within.
One way to force the evolution is to use a catalyst: the drug Xingxin Pill.
If successful, the user's abilities—chakra, speed, strength—all skyrocket.
Ye Dou was especially interested in this transformation, since it mirrored the abilities of Jūgo, the original host of the Curse Mark's enzymes.
"Was that your full power?"
Suddenly, Sasuke—still lying on the ground—turned his head and asked hoarsely.
Ye Dou nodded. "Yes."
"You're not even using your sword... and you're still being honest with me?"
Sasuke's eyes burned with renewed fury, fueled by frustration and pride.
Ye Dou remained silent, turned, and walked toward the trio of Oto-nin.
"Hand over your scrolls," he said coldly.
"Y-yes!" The leader of the Oto-nin didn't hesitate and quickly handed over the Earth Scroll.
There was no room for resistance. If a curse-marked Sasuke couldn't stand up to this guy, what chance did they have?
"C-can we go now?" the Oto-nin asked nervously.
Ye Dou stashed the scroll and returned to Sasuke.
"Can you still walk?"
"I can," Sasuke gritted out, dragging himself upright.
"Then move." Ye Dou didn't offer further explanation. He stepped into the tree hollow, picked up the unconscious Naruto Uzumaki, slung him over his shoulder, and took off toward the central tower.
"No doubt about it now—our team is the weakest in this Chūnin Exam," said Shikamaru, finally exhaling as the trio from Team 7 disappeared into the distance.
The Ino-Shika-Cho team sank to the ground in exhaustion.
After a while, Ino spoke up first, shouting, "Damn it! I came here to team up with Yetou and Sasuke! Now they're gone—what are we supposed to do!?"
"Well, they already got both scrolls, so it's not like they needed us," Choji offered weakly.
"So now what!?" Ino snapped.
"What else?" Shikamaru sighed. "Keep searching. Maybe we'll find another team we can actually beat."
He didn't sound hopeful. There might be more teams, but not all of them were monsters like Ye Dou.
---
Meanwhile...
Despite carrying an unconscious teammate, Ye Dou moved quickly through the forest. Naruto, barely over 100 pounds, was no heavier than the training weights he wore every day.
Sasuke, however, remained silent. Something heavy was weighing on his heart.
By around eleven in the morning, Team 7 reached the Central Tower.
They hadn't been unchallenged. They encountered wild beasts and other genin, but nothing that could stop their advance.
Soon, they reached the entrance. Aside from the groggy rambling of a now-awake Naruto, everything was quiet.
"What does it say on the wall?" Naruto muttered, looking up at the writing across the main hall.
He tried reading aloud—but quickly realized the kanji were beyond him.
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