Time dragged on rather slowly. Sakura studied quietly while Mizuki occasionally served customers and adjusted the shop's displays. Although still somewhat unfamiliar with these tasks, he managed to perform them adequately.
Around noon, Tsubaki arrived carrying boxed lunches for several people. The three of them casually ate lunch around a small table.
Sakura asked curiously, "How did you and Teacher Mizuki meet?"
"We've known each other since childhood," Tsubaki readily answered. "We grew up together as childhood friends."
[Does this little girl already have a knack for gossip? Mizuki couldn't help but internally side-eye Sakura.]
"Eh?" This simple response clearly didn't satisfy Sakura. "That's so nice, having feelings that developed from childhood. I wish things could go smoothly between me and Sasuke too."
"Don't you know that childhood friends usually can't compete against girls who fall from the sky?" Mizuki couldn't resist saying. "You'd better keep a close eye on your Sasuke, or he might be stolen away by some strange girl who suddenly appears out of nowhere."
"Is that true? What do you mean by girls who fall from the sky?" Sakura clearly didn't understand.
"Mizuki," Tsubaki scolded, "don't talk nonsense."
Then she comforted Sakura, saying, "Don't listen to his ridiculous theories. With how hardworking you are, Sasuke will see it."
...
They quickly finished their lunch. Sakura continued studying while Tsubaki pulled Mizuki aside like she had something to say.
"What's wrong? Any problem?" Mizuki asked Tsubaki.
"Your experimental subjects seem to have developed abnormalities?"
"What?" This was truly shocking news to Mizuki.
"I noticed some changes a few days ago. I thought it was normal at first, but today I realized something was really off."
"Did you bring them here?"
"I selected several samples and brought them back."
"I see," Mizuki turned to Sakura and said, "We need to leave for a bit. Would you mind watching the store for us?"
"Sure thing, Teacher Mizuki," Sakura agreed.
Back home, Mizuki hurriedly took the sealing scroll from Tsubaki and opened it immediately.
[Indeed something is very abnormal—the degradation is severe.]
If merely this alone wouldn't surprise Mizuki much, the atavistic effects induced solely through drug stimulation should have faded as they fully developed in the absence of external interference. These traits should have been superseded by more dominant characteristics. Just an empty flesh shell without corresponding power and internal support—mutations caused by power anomalies should disappear first.
However, these test subjects were obviously different. Judging by appearance, most of them seemed to be clones of Sasuke Uchiha. The vertical slit of the Third Eye originally on their foreheads had completely disappeared, and even the double horns on their heads had become almost indistinct. If those phenomena had still fallen within expectations, the overall abnormal aging and degeneration would have been utterly baffling. Given Sasuke's age and talent, his cellular vitality should far exceed Mizuki's. However, while Mizuki's clones remained alive despite repeated chakra overuse, Sasuke's clones had already begun deteriorating prematurely.
Completely defying all logic.
Could it be that such extreme ancestral regression mutation has consumed too much vitality? Without the proper foundation, trying to control such a powerful Cursed Seal inevitably leads to consequences like this?
Thinking for a moment, Mizuki took out some of the chakra collected during Sasuke's curse mark eruption and injected a small amount into a specimen that was small in size but showed severe signs of aging. In an instant, it began rapidly absorbing the nutrient mixture, growing at an alarmingly fast rate. Crimson-black markings swiftly covered its entire body, radiating an intense fluctuation so powerful that the barrier encasing the room couldn't suppress it at all.
At this very moment, deep within Konoha Hospital's VIP ward, Sasuke—who had been peacefully resting with his injuries stabilized—suddenly suffered an abnormal activation of his Cursed Seal. Stimulated by the distant fluctuation, the seal gradually broke free from the Evil Sealing Method's restraint. Intense pain immediately caused Sasuke to cry out in agony mid-dream, instantly alerting the Anbu on duty.
"What's going on?" Facing the unexpected situation, the confused Anbu could only stand helplessly. "Wasn't everything fine just now? Did his injuries suddenly worsen? Why did the cursed seal activate all of a sudden?"
Hearing the disturbance, Kakashi Hatake quickly arrived on the scene and asked urgently, "Did something unusual happen just now?"
"Nothing at all—it just suddenly went like this."
"I see," Kakashi thought briefly before giving orders. "Carefully search the area and check whether someone or something stimulated the cursed seal."
"Yes sir." The Anbu dispersed immediately.
Inside a civilian house near the hospital, Kabuto Yakushi—who had been observing the situation and preparing to target Sasuke Uchiha—saw the sudden increase in security, forcing him to temporarily postpone his original plan.
Far away in Otogakure inside the Land of Rice Fields, Orochimaru—who had been preparing for Kazekage assassination—also sensed the disturbance coming from Konoha.
What is this? This power of the Cursed Seal? Could someone have taken interest in my Sasuke? Danzo? Unlikely—the Third Hokage wouldn't entrust the village's last Uchiha to Danzo. That stubborn old Sarutobi wouldn't dare do anything sneaky either. Then perhaps...someone must've become interested in the Cursed Seal itself, trying to crack it?
Instantly, Orochimaru thought of the intruders from the Forest of Death.
I wonder if they're the same person. Never expected that even after being away from Konoha for years, there would still be such an intriguing individual lurking inside. I must pay them a visit next time to properly assess their abilities.
Inside Mizuki's house, two people were watching the terrifying transformation unfold with great alarm.
"Mizuki, exactly what did you do?" Tsubaki had absolutely no idea what was happening.
"I don't know myself," Mizuki replied bitterly with a wry smile. Who could've predicted that just a tiny amount of chakra containing the cursed seal's power would cause such a horrifying change?
Before their eyes, the clone rapidly grew and soon broke free from the constraints of the culture dish. The oppressive pressure radiating from its body intensified. Not long after reaching its physical limit, its body started to stabilize momentarily, but the consequences of rapid growth began to manifest, with its limbs' extremities visibly aging at an alarming speed.
As its physical exhaustion intensified, the dominant aura it emitted became increasingly stronger. From the aged extremities, the clone gradually transformed into a wisp of black ash drifting downward.
His whole body trembled slightly, radiating a sinister crimson aura. His tightly shut eyelids quivered, as if on the verge of opening, unleashing a dreadful aura of absolute dominance—the kind that had reigned at the top of the food chain since ancient times, causing others to submit without resistance.
"This isn't good," Mizuki muttered, struggling hard to suppress his rising fear. He yanked out a Kunai and hurled it with all his strength. The weapon shot forward, driving through the clone's eyes and instantly blinding it.
But it wasn't over yet. The blind clone opened his mouth wide, consumed by fury—rage born from never once seeing the real world since the moment of his birth. His body began to disintegrate faster; arms already reduced to dust, decay creeping steadily up past his torso.
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