Return Of The Flash

Chapter 15

He didn't mince his facts. The whole room turned to face Sasuke, who had adopted a scowl. Naruto continued his explanation, "I felt a strange chakra emanating from him. It felt very...evil, for the lack of a word. It also caused him to become extremely ruthless while under its effects. What's more dangerous is that the feeling of that chakra was quite similar to what I felt from Orochimaru."

Both Hiruzen and Kakashi had wide eyes at what had happened. Naruto seemed not to notice their shock as he still continued speaking, "He was covered in strange black marks that were spread over the left side of his body. Judging from his euphoric and ruthless behavior, I'd say he was under the effects that are quite similar to when shinobi receive a major boost in power. However, an accidental slip caused him to get knocked out and while it was only for a fleeting moment, I saw the marks receding to underneath his left collar."

That confirmed Hiruzen's and Kakashi's worst suspicions. Hiruzen turned to Sasuke and asked, but it was more like an order, "Sasuke-kun, can you please remove your shirt for a moment?"

"...Hai, Hokage-sama," came the quiet response from the boy. Sasuke deftly pulled his shirt off and all the occupants in the room were wide eyed, including Naruto, when they saw a strange mark on the left hand side of his neck, its appearance not unlike the three tomoes of sharingan.

"Oh kami," Hiruzen breathed out. This was not good at all. Orochimaru had come into the chunin exams and had put his curse mark on Uchiha Sasuke of all people, who was a major flight-risk. Orochimaru knew that Sasuke carried a deep, revenge fueled desire within him to avenge his clan by killing his brother. He had offered a source of power and gave a glimpse of its effects to Sasuke. Hiruzen became even more worried that Sasuke will go to Orochimaru in hopes of controlling that power.

Naruto curiously asked in disgusted fascination, "What the hell is that?" He had a feeling that this was quite familiar.

Hiruzen turned to Naruto, "That...is the curse mark of Orochimaru. I'm sure you know of this Naruto," he gave a knowing look that confused the others in the room.

Naruto furrowed his brow in thought and it immediately came to him. Anko-sensei had showed him the same thing once on her neck! "Oh damn," he breathed out.

Sasuke was starting to get irritated that the others were talking about him as if he was not even in the room. "What are you talking about?!" He near snarled at the three.

Naruto turned and walked towards Sasuke, pressing two fingers to the seal. While his sensory abilities were still blocked, being in contact with the seal negated the handicap. For a moment he just felt it out, brushing against it with a tiny amount of his chakra. He ignored Sasuke's flinch at the burn of the seal and thought for a moment on how to explain it to someone who did not even know the 'F' of fuinjutsu.

"This seal.....it might sound extremely bad on my part, but it's quite a beauty. It's so complicated, so intricate that it will take years of study to try and find a counter to it. It's like a storage seal that can only be activated by you. If I had to make a guess, judging from when I previously observed you using this seal, it has Orochimaru's chakra in it. Not exactly the same, but just enough to tell that it's similar," he laid out his analysis.

Hiruzen nodded, "Very good analysis, Naruto-kun. That's exactly what it is. However, there is a risk in using it. A grave one."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "What is the risk?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at not just Sasuke's question, but also the way he asked it. He could not say with certainty, but he almost felt like Sasuke was considering using that chakra.

Naruto cut in before jiji could speak, "In the short time that you used it, it probably must have felt euphoric to you. A rush of power so potent and heightened, unparalleled by anything you've felt ever before. Am I wrong?"