After entering the base, Yosukeand Pakura were met with even more experimental subjects—humans who had failed to endure the Curse Mark and been transformed into monstrous forms.
Having completely lost their reason, they posed no real threat. Yosuke and Pakura dispatched them together with ease.
Yosuke noticed that every single one of them bore a black pattern on their necks. This had to be the Curse Mark Orochimaru was researching here.
He also realized that this Curse Mark was extremely unique—it contained a strange, mysterious power. It felt similar to chakra, yet distinctly different.
"Is it the same kind of unique chakra Jiraiya used back then…?" Yosuke muttered.
At the time, Yosuke did not know of the existence of senjutsu chakra.
However, when he had taken Itachi and the other Uchiha away from Konoha in the past, Jiraiya had appeared and stopped Deidara's incomplete Explosion Release. The chakra Jiraiya used then had felt very similar to this power.
As Yosuke and Pakura continued deeper into the base, they discovered that one person—who should have died after Pakura's Scorch Release evaporated all the moisture in his body—was still barely alive.
"You… your target must be Jūgo… Even if you're strong… you'll still be killed by that madman…"
With those words, the man breathed his last.
"Jūgo? Is he the strongest one in this base?" Yosuke frowned slightly.
Still, he didn't pay it much mind and continued onward.
From that point on, Yosuke and Pakura encountered no further attacks. It seemed that everyone in the base had already been dealt with.
When they reached the central area of the base, it was still completely empty. Pakura asked,
"There shouldn't be anyone left, right?"
"No. There's still someone here. Listen carefully," Yosuke replied.
With his exceptionally sharp hearing, he had picked up on a sound.
Pakura focused and listened closely as well, and faintly heard a bizarre voice.
"A woman… if she comes in, kill her…"
"If it's a man… kill him too…"
Following the sound, they arrived before an enormous iron door.
Five locks sealed the door, reinforced by two heavy chains. One glance was enough to tell that whoever was imprisoned inside was extremely important.
Yosuke used his katana to destroy all the locks and chains. Just as he opened the door a crack, a teenage boy—half of his body covered in curse-pattern markings—threw a punch straight at him.
Yosuke opened his palm and caught the boy's fist. The immense impact force warped the entire iron door inward.
The boy stared in shock at his restrained fist, then burst into maniacal laughter. His body began to change—like the humanoid monsters outside, half of him transformed. His arm mutated into the shape of an axe, which he swung fiercely at Yosuke.
"Sun Breathing — Vessel Form: Circular Dance!"
A flaming slash traced a beautiful arc through the air, severing the boy's arm cleanly at the root.
The boy staggered backward and slammed into the wall.
"You're strong… hahaha! This is fun! Come on—let's slaughter! Let's kill!"
His severed arm regenerated, but his entire body shrank significantly in size.
Just as he was about to attack again, he suddenly clutched his head.
"Leave! If that person isn't here… I can't suppress my urge to kill…"
It was as if the boy were engaged in a mental struggle—one moment wanting to fight Yosuke, the next forcibly stopping himself.
Pakura frowned.
"This boy… does he have a split personality?"
"Blood Demon Art: Dark Binding!"
Yang Jie formed ropes from his own blood, binding the boy tightly. He then placed his hand on the boy's forehead and sensed his condition.
After examining him, Yosuke discovered the root of the problem.
"This boy lost his sanity because he absorbed too much of that unique power. But he's different from the experimental subjects outside—this power is innate to him."
Pakura asked in confusion,
"Isn't he one of Orochimaru's test subjects?"
Yosuke withdrew his hand.
"Probably not. There are no signs of experimentation on his body."
The boy continued struggling, but the more he resisted, the tighter the blood bindings constricted.
Eventually, he stopped struggling and seemed to regain clarity.
Yosuke asked,
"Is your name Jūgo?"
Jūgo nodded.
In this state, Jūgo was capable of conversation. Yosuke released the Dark Bind and asked,
"Do you know what this base's Curse Mark research is about?"
"I'm the source of the Curse Mark. Everyone here… they're all failed copies of me."
Yosuke continued,
"With your destructive power, this iron door couldn't have held you. Why didn't you leave?"
Jūgo clutched his head in terror.
"I can't leave! I can't control my urge to kill—I don't want to kill anymore!"
So he had imprisoned himself… because he didn't want to hurt others.
Yosuke's gaze softened.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Jūgo became extremely agitated.
"I don't know when I'll want to kill again! Leave me alone!"
"I'll stop you," Yosuke said gently.
But Jūgo couldn't accept his words. He rushed back into the cell.
"The only one who can suppress me is Kimimaro! Without Kimimaro, I'm not going anywhere!"
Yosuke entered his Demon King form and stepped into the cell.
Jūgo stared blankly at Yosuke in that form, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
"Trust me, Jūgo," Yosuke said.
"I'm confident I can suppress your impulses. Everyone else here is already dead. Staying here will only lead to your own destruction."
He extended his hand.
"Come with me. If we can control that power your body automatically absorbs, your killing urges may be resolved."
Jūgo looked at Yosuke's sincere expression—and felt the terrifying yet overwhelming presence emanating from him. Almost instinctively, he reached out and grasped Yosuke's hand.
Yosuke pulled Jūgo up from the ground and led him outside the base along with Pakura.
Once outside, Jūgo asked,
"Why are you helping me?"
Yosuke replied with a smile,
"If I had to give a reason… it's because of your self-restraint."
Elsewhere, in an underground base within the shinobi world—
Kabuto Yakushi was reporting to Orochimaru about several bases that had been destroyed in succession.
"It's about time I meet Ubuyashiki Yosuke," Orochimaru said coldly.
"Kabuto, based on the route he's taken destroying my bases—where is his next stop?"
Kabuto spread out a map of the shinobi world and analyzed it.
"The next location should be the base on the island near the Land of Whirlpools."
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle.
"Kabuto, come with me to welcome our guest. I'm very much looking forward to the look on his face… when the hunter suddenly becomes the prey."
PS: Access the complete/finished chapters/series at Patreon: NanamiTL
Please drop some power stones support me at my Patreon