Suigetsu's head liquefied into water, then quickly reformed as if nothing had happened.
"Y-You... Are you a human or a ghost?!"
Karin gasped in shock and immediately hid behind Sasuke.
"Hmph, this is the secret ninjutsu passed down through generations in the Hozuki clan."
Suigetsu grinned smugly.
The Hydration Technique allowed him to liquefy his entire body or specific parts, making him immune to physical attacks.
Fighting him head-on wasn't going to be easy.
Suigetsu squinted suspiciously at Karin. "Wait a second… Haven't you heard of this before?"
Then, as if realizing something, he clapped his hands. "Ohhh, I get it now! You're just pretending to be scared so you can get closer to Sasuke! You're really scheming, huh?"
"You—! Damn you, Suigetsu! What the hell are you saying?!"
Karin's face turned red as her real thoughts were exposed.
At that moment, the doors to the hall swung open, and a graceful yet imposing figure walked in.
Terumi Mei.
"Hmm? Sasuke, are these your new followers?"
Mei glanced at the two, observing them carefully. Then, with a sly smile, she stepped closer to Karin.
"Little girl, why are you clinging to Sasuke like that?"
Her voice was soft, but the underlying pressure was unmistakable.
Karin quickly let go of Sasuke and stepped back, but her gaze was inevitably drawn to Mei's figure.
"So big..."
Subconsciously, she compared herself, and her face immediately fell in disappointment.
Not only did Terumi Mei have an enviable figure, but her mature charm was something Karin felt she could never compete with.
Taking another step forward, Mei positioned herself next to Sasuke, as if declaring her claim.
Karin clenched her fists. If I want Sasuke to notice me, I need to work even harder!
"Sister Mei, have the others settle in Kirigakure for now," Sasuke said.
Kirigakure had suffered a major loss of elite shinobi due to the Blood Mist policies.
Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu were all powerful in their own ways and would help fill that gap.
Plus, Mei herself had a simplified version of the Immortal Body Pattern, which was more than enough to suppress Jugo if he lost control.
Mei nodded in agreement. "By the way, Sasuke, here's the genjutsu you asked me to gather."
She took out a scroll and handed it over.
"Oh? You worked fast. Thanks."
Sasuke's eyes glowed with excitement as he accepted the scroll.
After bidding farewell to the others, he left immediately.
The Birth of a New Illusion—Yuehua Realm
At Naka Shrine, Sasuke unrolled the scroll and studied the collected genjutsu.
Most of them were average—nothing extraordinary.
But Sasuke didn't plan on just learning them. He wanted to use them as templates to create his own ultimate illusion technique.
His mind worked rapidly, analyzing, refining, and improving upon the techniques.
[You have deeply studied numerous genjutsu and mastered their principles.]
[You have comprehended the core mechanics of illusions and begun refining them.]
[Using the strongest aspects of multiple genjutsu as inspiration, you have achieved an epiphany.]
[You have created an S-Rank illusion—Yuehua Realm!]
[Genjutsu: Yuehua Realm]
An illusion-based domain crafted using immense mental energy and the enhanced properties of the Sharingan. The affected area is determined by Sasuke's chakra influence. The illusion world is hyper-realistic, fully controlled by the caster, and traps enemies without them realizing it. Unlike conventional genjutsu, this technique does not require eye contact and can affect multiple targets at once.
Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.
He had finally created a true killer move!
Unlike Tsukuyomi, which required direct eye contact and had a limited, simplistic illusion space, Yuehua Realm functioned without the need for visual connection and created a vast, undetectable mental battlefield.
"Heh… If Obito had met me earlier, he wouldn't have had such an easy time scheming in the shadows."
A smirk crept onto Sasuke's face.
With Yuehua Realm, he wouldn't need unnecessary tactics. He could simply overwhelm his enemies with sheer dominance.
But his work wasn't done yet.
"Now, it's time to modify the Curse Seal."
---
Sasuke opened Orochimaru's research notes, meticulously dissecting the curse mark's mechanics.
[You have deeply analyzed the Curse Seal and discovered its fundamental principles.]
[You have improved upon its flaws and incorporated your own techniques.]
Soon, Sasuke created an enhanced version of the Curse Seal.
Unlike Orochimaru's version, which forcefully boosted power at the cost of stability, Sasuke's curse mark was fully integrated into his chakra system.
Those marked by him could never escape.
They would live under his shadow for eternity.
Additionally, Sasuke infused the Immortal Body Pattern's principles, ensuring that the curse seal wouldn't corrode the user's body. It provided power without the risk of losing control.
Most terrifying of all, Sasuke's new seal could connect with his own Immortal Body Pattern.
With just a thought, he could drain power from the marked individual, making them experience a fate worse than death.
Anyone who received this mark… would find betrayal an impossible thought.
"Let's test it on Orochimaru's old subordinates first…"
Although most of Orochimaru's strongholds had surrendered to him, some loyalists still secretly admired their old master.
That wouldn't be a problem anymore.
---
In an underground hideout, Yakushi Kabuto carefully handled a vial of potion when—
"Sasuke-sama, y-you scared me!"
Kabuto nearly dropped the bottle.
Ever since Sasuke had placed a Flying Thunder God mark on him, the Uchiha had a habit of appearing behind him without warning.
The stress was eating away at his sanity.
Sasuke chuckled. "Kabuto, you've been working hard."
Kabuto forced a smile. "Of course, Sasuke-sama. It is my duty."
"As a reward, I'll grant you my new Curse Seal."
Kabuto's expression stiffened.
"N-No need, really!"
He knew exactly what the Curse Seal meant. Once marked, escape was impossible.
"You don't have a choice."
With a playful smirk, Sasuke's palm lit up with black runes.
In a flash, he appeared before Kabuto and slammed his palm onto his chest.
A pulse of energy surged through Kabuto's body as the Curse Seal embedded itself into his very being.
"You…!"
Kabuto trembled as the horrifying reality sank in.
"Relax, my version is much better than Orochimaru's," Sasuke said. "No pain, no side effects. It'll only make you stronger."
Sasuke touched his chin in amusement. "Now then… I can't leave the others out, can I?"
With that, he disappeared.
Kabuto collapsed to the floor, his body shaking.
All his escape plans… were now meaningless.
---
With each passing day, Sasuke systematically took control of Orochimaru's entire network.
The strongholds fell one by one, and their leaders were branded with his Curse Seal.
Soon, he set his sights on Otogakure—Orochimaru's former village.
At this point, Sasuke had access to:
Konoha's Intelligence Network
Kirigakure's Hidden Forces
Orochimaru's Resources
And most importantly, his own rapidly growing power.
Now, it was time to hunt down Uchiha Itachi and Obito… and claim his revenge.