Sukuna stepped out of the Haruno house with fast steps.
This was the second time he felt that instinct and impulse grinding onto him, which he had felt back in the Forest of Death.
However, while that was bloodlust, this one was... only lust.
"Get it together..." He grumbled to himself, he would have liked to put all the blame on his raging hormones, but he knew those weren't the reason.
He could only think that this was the curse mark which had made him hyper-aware and prone to his wild urges.
"Gotta do something about that... and fast." He muttered to himself as he moved further away from the house.
It was morning, the streets already alive with movement, merchants opening their shops and shinobi passing by with quiet purpose, and for a brief moment he paused, adjusting his sleeve, and then moved his hands around his neck where the curse mark remained sealed.
The seal he used was hasty, the mark was held back sheerly by his own mental fortitude.
Even without Orochimaru's soul inside to corrupt him, the nature energy was influencing him. Even after when he partially sealed the thing.
He could still feel it.
Not as a burning sensation, but as something restless, something alive beneath his skin that did not belong to him, and that was exactly the problem.
It wasn't lying dormant no matter how strong of a seal he used. It was obvious that the nature energy had an entirely different reaction with his cursed energy than what it would have with chakra.
The combination of cursed energy and nature energy was much more raw and easy.
While combining nature energy with chakra to create senjutsu chakra was harder, it turned out just that much easier in his case.
That was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because he didn't have to do much work to use that power, bad because the result of that was his raw cursed energy getting a chaotic amp which he didn't desire.
Power was fine, but not when he lost rationality to use it.
So his plan was simple.
Leave the village quietly, find an isolated area, and test it properly without risking anyone else, then figure out a way to either stabilize it or bind it under strict conditions, perhaps through binding vows that would restrict its activation or limit its influence over his mind.
It was a clean plan.
Unfortunately, it did not survive first contact with reality.
"Sukuna!"
He stopped.
Of course, since when anything had gone as planned in this accursed world.
Turning slightly, he found Karin jogging toward him, her red hair swaying behind her as she caught up, her expression already carrying a mix of determination and mild annoyance, as if she had expected him to try and slip away without telling anyone.
Which frankly speaking, he was meaning to do, but couldn't, he had already seen her and more importantly she saw that he saw her. So, there was no pretending that he didn't.
"Where are you going this early?" she asked, with a big smile on her face.
"Out," Sukuna replied, already knowing this was going to be troublesome.
How come every time when he wished to go out of the village, he found this girl? Is she always trailing him with her Mind Eye of Kagura or something?
Karin crossed her arms, clearly not satisfied with that answer, but instead of pushing further, she shifted the topic entirely. "Good. Then you can come with me. I need to buy some things."
"No... I'm..." Sukuna stopped midway, just realizing that if he were to tell her he was going out of the village, she would demand to go with him.
It had happened many times before and he didn't need that right now.
"You're coming," she said firmly, grabbing his sleeve before he could even take a step back.
Sigh... there was really no running away now.
"Do I have to?"
Karin's grip tightened slightly, and more importantly, her expression shifted, the usual sharpness softening just enough to reveal something more serious underneath.
"Yes."
Sukuna shook his head, completely helpless.
"Fine."
"Yay...!" She grinned, already dragging him away.
As they went ahead, toward the market, shopping like a couple, she finally opened up about why she wished to talk in the first place.
"I lost," she said, quieter this time. "In the Chunin Exams. I wasn't strong enough."
Sukuna clicked his tongue softly, looking away for a moment as if already bored of the topic, though he understood her actions now.
Karin was not weak actually, but that did not matter in a world where strength was measured in survival. And ever since her facing those Hidden Grass shinobi in the Forest of Death and then Orochimaru.
She had been obsessed with getting stronger. More than ever after losing in the preliminary rounds.
"I want you to train me," she continued, her voice steadier now, her resolve clear.
That made him pause.
Not because the request was unexpected, if anything he expected it for a long time, but because he had nothing to give her. At least, nothing useful right now.
He had already taught them everything he could, being a curse user unlike her who uses chakra.
What possibly more could he teach her, besides sealing which he was already doing. And it wasn't like he was some grand master in sealing either, he had learned what was available to him in Konoha, which didn't hold a candle to what the Uzumaki could have had at one time.
"You're asking the wrong person," Sukuna said bluntly.
Karin frowned. "What?"
"I can't teach you anything right now," he continued, his tone flat but honest. "I already did everything I could."
She looked frustrated, but she did not argue immediately.
Sukuna sighed quietly, this was a persistent issue with not only Karin but also with Sakura. While he could teach Kiyomi because of their similar condition.
Karin, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto were different. He had already taught everything he could to them, he had nothing more.
He thought for a while until suddenly he remembered something.
"Actually, I might know someone who can help you." He said with a thoughtful look.
"Really...?" Karin's eyes shone.
"Yeah... however, not now. I have some work to do, so that will have to wait for later."
Karin pouted but ultimately had to back down. She was going to hold him to his words though.
And that was the end of that, finally getting free from her grasp, Sukuna found a discreet place and teleported himself out of there.
-x-
The Hokage's office was quiet, filled only with the soft sound of paper shifting as Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed reports at his desk. The door opened without noise, and an ANBU operative stepped inside, kneeling immediately.
"Hokage-sama," the masked shinobi said, holding out a scroll. "A report regarding the situation with the Hidden Cloud."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened slightly as he took the scroll. "Proceed."
This was a matter he was following closely ever since the entire diabolical attempt with the Raikage trying to kidnap both Karin Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga took place.
"The disappearance of the Raikage has caused unrest within the Hidden Cloud," the ANBU began in a steady voice. "At first, their response was restrained, and there was little visible movement from their side, but that has changed recently."
Hiruzen unrolled the scroll slowly, his gaze scanning the contents while listening carefully.
"After confirming that the Raikage personally attempted to kidnap both Karin Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga, and nearly succeeded before going missing, the Cloud Village has started investigating more aggressively," the ANBU continued. "Their silence was likely to avoid panic or revealing weakness, but recent activity suggests they are now pursuing leads outside their borders."
Hiruzen's fingers paused slightly on the paper.
"I see…"
"The report confirms that Killer Bee has entered the Land of Fire," the ANBU said. "He is moving independently and is gathering information regarding the Raikage's disappearance."
That made Hiruzen lean back slightly, his expression turning more serious.
"The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki…" he murmured.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," the ANBU replied. "He was also seen near the area where Team 7 and 8 previously reported the Raikage's last known presence."
The room grew heavier with that statement.
Hiruzen closed the scroll halfway, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"So he has traced it that far already…"
"Yes," the ANBU confirmed. "It appears he is following the same trail."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, placing the scroll down on his desk as his mind moved through the implications.
This was not a simple disappearance anymore.
This was a problem.
A dangerous one.
The Raikage had vanished within the Land of Fire, and the only witnesses to that event were Konoha shinobi. If the Hidden Cloud came to believe that Konoha was involved—whether it was true or not—it would not matter.
"Konoha cannot afford another war," Hiruzen said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
The ANBU remained silent, waiting.
"Keep tracking Killer Bee," Hiruzen ordered after a moment. "Do not engage him unless absolutely necessary. I want to know everything he learns before he acts on it."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"And send word to our border units," Hiruzen added, his voice calm but firm. "Increase surveillance, but avoid any action that could be seen as hostility."
The ANBU nodded.
"As you command."
With that, the operative disappeared, leaving the Hokage alone once more.
Hiruzen looked down at the report again, his expression thoughtful.
If this situation was not handled carefully… the next report he received might not be about an investigation.
But the beginning of a war.
xXx
A/N : Got nothing but to say outside I'm gonna pick up the story pace from here on, don't have much side chapters on mind so will focus on main topics more now.
Please Consider Donating Power Stones if you like the Chapter.
"Thank you Very Much for All Your Support"
If you want to read up to 20+ Chapters in advance, check my Patreon on
Patreon.com/Kamidemond