In the vast, chilling underground chamber.
This place was once the highest-classified location of the Uchiha Clan.
It was a place where only a handful of people—like the Clan Head and the Elders—could enter freely. Other clan members required special permission just to step into the most critical areas. Yet, after the Uchiha were annihilated, this place had become a playground for the higher-ups of the Hidden Leaf Village to trample upon at will.
However, thanks to a specific agreement, neither the Uchiha Clan compound nor this special location had been destroyed. Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't the type to do such things. Danzo Shimura certainly wanted to, but he couldn't.
Because of this, that most unique stone tablet still existed within this forbidden zone.
Sasuke walked straight down, heading directly to the front of the stone tablet, his Sharingan activating immediately.
Two pitch-black tomoe appeared, reflected in his pupils.
Sasuke stared expressionlessly at the topmost content on the tablet, his right hand unconsciously clenching into a tight fist.
'This isn't the place for me to stay. Power... I need stronger power!'
Thinking back to the Chunin Exams just over ten days ago, recalling duel after duel—whether it was the massive monster Gaara transformed into, or the formidable chakra aura that erupted from Menma—that power far exceeded his current limits. Either of those two could have easily defeated him.
The current Sasuke didn't yet have a clear understanding of concepts like Tailed Beasts or Jinchūriki. From his perspective, he simply saw two peers possessing power he couldn't hope to reach. For the proud Sasuke, this was unacceptable.
Subconsciously, his hand moved to touch the peculiar Cursed Seal on his neck.
Sasuke took a deep breath.
Buzz!
With a thought.
In an instant.
The chakra was triggered. The Cursed Seal seemed to come alive in that split second. After a brief tremor, it spread rapidly, covering his entire body in pitch-black markings.
Sasuke's face immediately twisted in pain.
He bit his lower lip hard, struggling to suppress the agony. To keep himself from screaming, he bit down with excessive force, drawing blood.
It lasted less than two or three seconds.
Yet to Sasuke, it felt like he had endured an infinitely long period of torture.
By the time his body was fully covered in those pitch-black, utterly bizarre Cursed Seal markings, the pain gradually faded, replaced by a unique sensation that completely canceled it out.
The next second.
He felt an incredibly abundant power surging within him.
Sasuke's right hand clenched slightly, then relaxed.
A sinister look inadvertently slipped onto his face, but just a few seconds later, Sasuke's expression became utterly ferocious and terrifying.
'Not enough. Not enough! This little bit of power isn't nearly enough!!!!'
The power boost provided by just the first stage of the Cursed Seal could no longer satisfy the current Sasuke.
Now, whenever Sasuke closed his eyes, his mind was filled with images of Menma and Gaara rampaging through the arena.
What he needed was power that could rival, or even surpass, those two.
Because the height and intensity that that man had displayed were just that terrifying—just that unreachable.
The moment he thought of that reunion after so many years, which had occurred right after the Chunin Exams...
Sasuke's face contorted into something truly hideous and frightening.
The hellish, nightmare-like memories came flooding back, along with the fresh torture of his body and spirit.
'Damn it! Damn it! Damn it, Itachi Uchiha!!!'
The sheer gap in strength he had felt, raw and undeniable.
That chakra aura that had become even more terrifying.
Sasuke's anger threshold had hit its peak starting from that day. Even after ten days of recuperation under the highest level of medical care the Hidden Leaf could offer, fully healing his physical injuries...
The pain on the spiritual level continued to scorch Sasuke's heart.
Just thinking of Itachi Uchiha's cruel, indifferent demeanor caused massive waves to crash within Sasuke's soul.
Under this double stimulation, he had completely fallen into the abyss of craving power. His heart had long since been swallowed whole.
For power.
He was willing to make a deal with the devil!
'Since this place can't satisfy me, then I'll leave!'
Reflected in Sasuke's crimson and pitch-black Sharingan was the lanky figure of Menma. As his right hand clenched slightly...
A cold, ruthless gleam surfaced in his pupils.
This was the resolve he had made.
Even though changes had occurred compared to the original story...
Sasuke's inner thirst for power remained unchanged. The strength of Gaara and Menma, and the scenes from the Chunin Exams, were deeply etched into his heart.
He could no longer endure such slow growth.
He wanted to become stronger in the shortest time possible.
And Orochimaru!
He was clearly the best—and only—choice.
Thus.
On a night several days later.
When the Sound Four, under Orochimaru's orders and aided by spies still lurking within the Leaf, infiltrated the village once again and appeared before Sasuke.
"Let's go."
This time, the Sasuke of this timeline offered no refusal whatsoever.
Having already made contact in advance...
He looked at the Sound Four with a cold expression and spoke in a flat tone.
"Yes, Sasuke-sama."
The Sound Four, having received direct instructions from Orochimaru, immediately knelt on one knee, speaking with respect.
"This is something Orochimaru-sama prepared for you in advance. As long as you enter inside, you can awaken the second stage of the Cursed Seal and obtain power even greater than before."
Jirobo, the largest of the group, took down the barrel—large enough to fit a person—that he had been carrying on his back. He placed it in front of Sasuke and bowed his head as he spoke.
Hearing that it could make the Cursed Seal's power even stronger, Sasuke didn't hesitate at all. He stepped directly into the barrel.
He wasn't the least bit worried about any traps.
Because the current Sasuke truly feared nothing. He only craved power; that was his sole obsession.
Once Sasuke was inside, Jirobo sealed the barrel perfectly with special sealing talismans.
Then, he hefted it back onto his back.
The group of four leaped into action, speeding toward the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village. With someone covering for them...
The Sound Four, who had arrived with ease, left just as easily. They effortlessly evaded the Leaf's outer perimeter defenses and set foot on the road back.
They had to deliver this Uchiha boy, whom their Lord Orochimaru desired so greatly, back to base in the shortest time possible. This was the absolute order the four of them had received.