"NO!"
The desperate scream broke the tension in the air. Sakura, even exhausted and with her face covered in scratches and bruises, stumbled to Sasuke and hugged him from behind with all her remaining strength.
Her frail arms wrapped around his body, and tears fell onto his shoulder.
"Sasuke... he saved me..." Her voice shook between sobs. "What happened to you?"
The memory was still fresh in his mind. The fierce fight against that trio from the Sound Village, the battle that nearly cost them all their lives... and, above all, the strange gennin from the Grass Village. It was she who had sunk her teeth into Sasuke's neck, leaving a mark that seemed to burn like wildfire.
Sasuke's body shivered at Sakura's touch. His eyes, still burning red, lost their insane glow for a moment. As if waking from a nightmare, he stared coldly at Li Shang, his expression filled with anger, but also regret.
Then the black marks spreading across his skin began to recede, like smoke sucked back into the seal on his neck. Sasuke gasped, his knees gave way, and he fell to the ground, panting, sweating, struggling just to breathe.
Li Shang watched silently. His steady steps carried him to where Naruto lay. The blond moved slowly, his body recovering at an unusual speed for one so young. His wounds were already healing, as if some inner force was determined to keep him alive.
'This physique... really is different. His body is not ordinary, and it's not just the beast inside him.'
Li Shang crouched beside the boy, calmly checking his vital signs. Naruto was far from in danger. His body, no matter how injured, always seemed to find the strength to rebuild itself.
"Hey." Li Shang's calm voice broke the heavy silence. "Can you guys tell me what happened to your team?"
Sasuke, still panting on the ground, pretended not to hear. His eyes stared blankly, as if his mind was struggling with memories he'd rather not relive.
Sakura, however, took a deep breath and responded between sobs.
"We... we found a woman from the Grass Village. She... she was too strong to be a gennin. Sasuke tried to fight, but she..." The girl's eyes filled with tears again. "...she bit his neck. After that, he changed... he became like this."
Li Shang raised an eyebrow, absorbing every word.
—A Grass woman... too strong to be a gennin... and capable of altering Sasuke's body with a mark that releases such dense Yin energy.
A small smile formed on his lips, but he quickly wiped it away before anyone noticed.
"I understood."
He stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes with a light movement.
"If this woman exists, she may hold the key to reversing Sasuke's situation. Perhaps even a way to control this strange power."
The words made Sasuke jump to his feet, his cold gaze now filled with despair.
"I don't need your help, Neji Hyuuga!" His voice was deep, almost a roar. Fear lurked beneath his anger.
Li Shang, however, simply ignored him.
"Lee, Tenten. Stay here and take care of Team 7. They can't continue in this state alone."
"Neji, wait!" Tenten called, surprised by the sudden decision.
But Li Shang didn't wait for an answer. The next instant, his body disappeared like a blur, his speed shocking everyone present.
Sakura's eyes widened.
"He... disappeared."
Even Sasuke, still weakened, couldn't hide his surprise.
'That speed... when did he become so fast?'
Meanwhile, Li Shang was already moving through the forest trees, his white eyes active, every vein around him pulsing. The Byakugan's long-range vision allowed him to follow the energy trails Sakura had described. It was like retracing an invisible web of chakra left by the previous battle.
With each leap between branches, his thoughts became more intense.
'This power... the woman who imparted it... and the bite-shaped seal. It's not just an ordinary jutsu. It's something that alters the very essence of the body, something close to demonic cultivation.'
Her heart raced. The energy she'd seen pouring out of Sasuke still burned in her mind.
'If I can obtain this power... if I can absorb something like this...'
A glint flashed across his eyes.
'I need this.'
He accelerated even further, leaving only the sharp trail of wind in his wake.
'The tracks are stronger in that direction. She's close by... and she's not alone.'
He landed softly on the thick trunk of a tree. Ahead, an open clearing revealed two hooded figures. The woman's chakra was dense and snaking, reminiscent of a snake poised to strike. Beside her, a shorter figure with glasses reflected the dull afternoon light—Kabuto.
Li Shang narrowed his eyes.
'Kabuto? So he's involved in this too.'
As their feet touched the clearing, they both turned to face him. The wind blew hard, blowing dry leaves between the three of them.
The woman smiled, an expression that mixed charm and menace.
"What a surprise. A little Hyuuga far from the nest." Her voice was soft, but carried a cold venom.
Kabuto pushed his glasses up with a finger, patience dripping from his rigid posture.
"Sir, don't you need to waste your time with rubbish? Let me get this over with."
Li Shang slowly raised his hands, showing that he had no intention of attacking. His white eyes glowed faintly as he spoke:
"I didn't come to fight."
A heavy silence fell. Kabuto took a step forward, but the woman held up a finger and he stopped. She tilted her head to the side, curious.
"So, why are you here? Worried about your poor little friend, the Uchiha?"
Her mocking smile cut the air. It was clear she reveled in the fear and anger she caused.
"I want to know why you implanted that seal on him." Li Shang kept his tone calm, almost cold.
She laughed, the sound echoing in the clearing like a snake's whisper.
"Ah... a curious pup. You have no idea what that seal is." His eyes narrowed, filled with mischief. "But it's cute to see a Hyuuga caring so much about a little friend."
Kabuto snorted impatiently.
"Sir, please let me get this over with."
Li Shang's eyes widened slightly.
'Sir? I see... so this isn't the real face. A disguise.'
Her smile grew as she began to turn, the folds of her cloak swaying gently.
"Get this over with, Kabuto. I've wasted enough time."
But Li Shang's next words stopped his steps.
"I want that too."
She froze. Kabuto frowned in bewilderment.
"No matter your reasons," Li Shang continued, his voice firm. "I accept."
The woman slowly turned to face him. Her snakelike eyes scanned the boy in front of her as if she could read his soul. The mocking smile gave way to mild interest.
"You..." His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper. "Do you know what you're asking for?"
Li Shang didn't look away.
"If it's power, the price doesn't matter."
Kabuto took a step forward, but this time it was obvious he didn't know how to react.
"Sir..."
The wind blew again, stirring the leaves between the three of them. The tension in the clearing became suffocating.
'I need this.' Li Shang's thought burned in his mind. 'This power... this Yin energy... if I can get it...'
The woman's eyes gleamed with something that seemed a mixture of amusement and calculation.
"Interesting..." She smiled again, but this time there was a darker tone. "Maybe you're not as useless as you seem, Hyuuga."
Kabuto clenched his fists, but said nothing, he knew Orochimaru.
[Author's Note:This story was originally written in Portuguese, so there may be some translation errors. If you notice any, please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you for reading!]