Half an hour ter, the Forest of Death, tral Tower, Medical Room.

  "I hought I’d see you again like this."

  Anko Mitarashi clutched her shoulder with one hand while her other, pierced by a kunai, rested on a baable. Sweat beaded her face as she spoke.

  Link calmly pressed his hand against hers, releasing a steady flow of chakra to treat her injuries. His tone was measured: "You’re a Special Jōnin and the proctor for the sed stage of the in Exams, right?"

  Yes, that was a jab. The person who’d randomly struck up a versation with him st time wasn’t going to get his goodwill so easily.

  "Hey, you have no idea what I—" Anko started, then remembered the boy in front of her had survived an actual fight with Orochimaru. She sighed. "You really are a hateful brat."

  She hesitated before tinuing, her tourning serious: "That man… Orochimaru has infiltrated the vilge. Be careful."

  So it’s just like in the manga. He’s targeted Sasuke, huh…

  As Link tinued healing her hand, he replied nontly: "Don’t worry. Judging by your dition, maybe you should worry about yourself first."

  "Tch!" Anko let out a pained grunt, her whole body trembling. The veins on her hand bulged as she pressed it against her shoulder.

  "In your state, are you still fit to fulfill your duties as an examiner?" Link inquired.

  "Stop nagging," Anko snapped between bored breaths.

  The injury—a simple puncture wound—was soon healed. Link released her hand and said, "You seem to be in a lot of pain. Do you mind if I check your shoulder?"

  "It’s pointless," Anko said, visibly struggling. Still, she moved her hand aside, revealing the three dark, a-shaped marks of a curse seal.

  Despite her resistance, she decided to trust the boy who had faced Orochimaru and lived. "It’s one of Orochimaru’s forbidden teiques. It corrupts the user’s body. Only a sealing jutsu … ugh!"

  The moment Link’s chakra-infused fiouched the seal, Anko trembled violently, her neck muscles spasming as if in a seizure.

  "The curse mark is rejeg external chakra," Link observed.

  He already khe truth about the curse seal—it was an inplete version of Sage Mode. But he wao test if he could dispel it, knowing from the Freat Ninja War that Orochimaru could resurrect himself through it.

  If he could sever that lifeline early, it would be a signifit blow to his enemy.

  He gathered chakra, f the translut Chakra Scalpel in his hand.

  "Hey, you’re not pnning to cut my shoulder open with that thing, are you?" Anko, dazed from the pain, snapped back to focus at the sight of the glowing bde.

  "It’s a special teique," Link said, demonstrating by passing the scalpel through his own hand without harm. "It cut chakra without damaging physical tissue."

  Anko exhaled in relief but still muttered: "Even so, it looks dangerous."

  "Don’t worry. In a couple of days, the Third Hokage use the Evil Sealing Jutsu… " she trailed off as the curse mark fred, pushio the brink of unsciousness.

  "The seal is leaking a unique chakra," Link noted.

  Ready to make his move, he instinctively activated Mystical Palm Teique, ensuring his hands were faster and steadier. He pced his free hand on the curse seal.

  "Huh?"

  Even before cutting, he felt something under his palm—a distinct, tangible sensation. It was as if he were pressing against a flowing liquid encased in her skin.

  The curse mark, previously erratic, immediately ceased its activity.

  "Iing…"

  He adjusted his palm to fully cover the seal. It felt like he could effortlessly manipute the strange energy, pushing it away from her shoulder.

  "Ugh~" Without the curse mark’s interference, Ankained sciousness. She quickly assessed the situation, her voice tinged with disbelief: "You… suppress the curse mark?"

  "irely," Link replied, though inwardly he was astonished.

  What exactly was this curse mark? At its core, it facilitated a transformation akin to Sage Mode, abs natural energy.

  If his hand could suppress this transformation… then the energy he had just dispced…

  He restrained his thoughts, gripping the Chakra Scalpel tightly. "Are you ready?"

  Despite her initial refusal to let the boy tamper with the seal, the tangible suppression of the curse mark ged her mind. Even the Evil Sealing Jutsu couldn’t fully ralize it.

  After a moment of internal flict, she resolved: "Do it."

  There was ation. She wanted nothing more than to rid herself of Orochimaru’s torment.

  Link partially lifted his palm. "I’ll begin now. Please ehe pain."

  The translut scalpel silently pierced into her shoulder.

  …

  Konohagakure, High Ptform.

  "Sunagakure is prepared, Lord Orochimaru."

  Kabuto k on one knee, delivering his report with deference.

  Leaning against a pilr, Orochimaru gazed at the bustling streets of Konoha in the distance. He remained silent.

  Kabuto rose, smiling slyly. "You’ve returned so soon, Lord Orochimaru. Aren’t you going to py with Sasuke a bit more?"

  "Hmm…" Orochimaru’s tone yful yet menag. "With Link-kun around, being too reckless could be dangerous."

  He turned slightly, eyes narrowing. "Kabuto, I’ll leave Sasuke to you."

  "Uood. You t on me," Kabuto replied, bowing deeply.

  Orochimaru’s gaze returo the lively streets below. "This pce hasn’t ged. A stagnant windmill, so detestable. Just thinking about its immi destru…"

  "Hehe, Lord Orochimaru, are you hesitating?" Kabuto asked with amusement.

  To him, the ruthless and calg Orochimaru showing aional wavering was a rare and fasating sight.

  "…" Orochimaru turo his subordinate, preparing to retort, but his expression suddenly shifted.

  "Hmm?"

  Bleam