Li Shang and his group easily passed the written exam, a simple test of basic information gathering. To him, it was nothing more than a child's game. However, while everyone celebrated their passing, his mind was elsewhere.
He wanted to follow Naruto, keep a close eye on the boy for protection, but he was already attracting too much attention. The number of individuals watching his training sessions had increased in recent weeks. Always shadows in the distance, discreet but present.
One idle day, while reviewing some scrolls in the library, he discovered a word that completely changed his perception:Jinchuuriki.
People used as vessels for tailed beasts. Weapons of war created by large villages to maintain the balance of power.
'I can't let them realize that I'm using their weapon of war as food for my cultivation…'
It was almost ironic. He, a cultivator from another world, now depended on the energy of a legendary beast to accelerate his evolution. If the village leaders found out, they wouldn't spare him.
That's why he decided to keep his distance from Naruto. At least outside of his training sessions.
But as if fate mocked his decision, Li Shang found himself in the current situation, watching the scene with his white eyes pulsing. Rock Lee, already injured, advanced without hesitation against the Sound Village trio, who were enjoying crushing Sakura in front of everyone. Naruto and Sasuke were lying motionless.
'Naruto and Sasuke's lives are not in danger… but something is strange.'
Li Shang's gaze fixed on Naruto. Normally, the fox's energy leaked out, flowing in small waves of orange chakra that mixed with his natural chakra. But now… it was contained, trapped, as if someone had reinforced the seal's chains.
'This isn't natural. The flow should be irregular, difficult to contain. Who messed with that?'
Looking away, he focused on Sasuke. The Byakugan revealed a stream of dense Yin Qi, concentrated in his neck. It was dark, unstable, pulsing like a venomous snake crawling under the skin.
'That… isn't ordinary chakra. It's condensed Yin energy… a seal? No. More than that. It looks like a parasite waiting for the right moment to awaken.'
As he pondered, the dry sound of bones and flesh being struck echoed.
BAM!
Lee was thrown against a tree, the trunk cracking from the impact. His body slid to the ground, but his eyes still burned with determination.
"Sakura!" he screamed, even though he was bleeding.
Sakura, fallen to her knees, tried to get up, but the enemy grabbed her by the hair and threw her back to the ground.
"Pathetic. Is that all Konoha has to offer?" one of the Sound ninjas sneered, kicking her in the stomach.
"If you touch her again, I won't forgive you!" Lee roared, staggering forward.
Li Shang remained silent, his calm expression hiding the storm of thoughts raging in his mind.
'Lee… even though he's rejected, he still fights for her. Foolishness, or courage? Maybe both. That impulsive flame is what separates warriors from mere survivors.'
But then the greatest of the Sound ninjas prepared a final attack. The arm distorted, vibrating with concentrated chakra that emitted a high-pitched hum.
"Sonic Punch!" he shouted, aiming at Sakura's defenseless face.
At this instant, Li Shang moved.
FWOOSH!
A figure dashed across the clearing, intercepting the blow with an open palm. The impact vibrated down Li Shang's arm, cracking the ground beneath his feet.
The enemy widened his eyes.
"What? You blocked it?"
Li Shang didn't answer. His white eyes shone, and his voice sounded calm, almost cold.
"You've had too much fun already."
The silence that followed weighed more heavily than any threat. Even the birds in the forest fell silent.
Rock Lee looked up, surprised.
'Neji… finally decided to fight.'
But for Li Shang, this wasn't just a fight. It was a calculation.
'Naruto can't move, the fox's energy is trapped... Sasuke is about to awaken something I don't understand. If I don't end this quickly, everything could spiral out of control.'
The Sound ninja retreated, preparing another attack. His companions advanced together, confident in their numbers.
BAM! BAM!
Two sharp blows echoed. Li Shang dodged the first punch, spun around, and struck an enemy in the stomach with surgical precision, sending him crashing into a tree. The second tried to attack him from behind, but Li Shang had already read his chakra flow. A well-aimed side kick sent him flying, spitting blood.
The third, the leader, took a few steps back, growling.
"Damn you… you're no ordinary gennin."
Li Shang just raised his hand, brushing the dust off his clothes.
"You missed your chance to retreat."
The veins in his Byakugan pulsed stronger. He didn't need to use the Juuken to win. His current strength, refined by cultivation and the fox energies he had absorbed, was more than enough.
The enemy charged forward in fury, but before he could land a blow, Li Shang moved. His hand grabbed the opponent's wrist, twisting it with precision. The sound of bones cracking echoed.
CRACK!
The scream of pain cut through the air.
Sakura, still fallen, looked up in shock. Lee, wide-eyed, muttered,
"Neji… still so different."
Li Shang threw the enemy to the ground and spoke in an icy tone:
"Get lost before I change my mind."
The two who were still standing, even though injured, quickly picked up their companion and retreated, disappearing into the vegetation.
The clearing fell silent again. Only Lee's heavy breathing and Sakura's faint moans filled the space.
Li Shang slowly turned around, looking at the unconscious Sasuke. The yin flow in his body was growing more and more unstable.
'That thing will wake up… sooner or later.'
Then, his eyes fell on Naruto. The fox's energy remained contained, motionless.
'Blocked. How, and by whom?'
He didn't show his doubts. He just walked over to Lee, who was still trying to stand his ground.
"You can rest, I'll take care of the rest."
For a moment, it seemed like the situation was under control. But then, a shiver ran down his spine.
BOOM!
A loud impact reverberated through the ground as if the air itself had exploded. The leaves on the trees trembled, and a dark, suffocating energy began to emanate from Sasuke's unconscious body.
'This chakra… no, this isn't ordinary chakra. It's something corrupted.'
Li Shang clenched his fists, his eyes fixed. The Yin energy that had previously flowed discreetly through the Uchiha's neck now exploded like an erupting volcano. The ground around him cracked, and the black aura, mixed with a deep red, made the forest tremble.
"Ah… hahahahahahaha…"
A low chuckle echoed as Sasuke opened his eyes. Black marks snaked across his skin, spreading from his neck to cover his arm, face, and chest. His gaze, once cold, now burned with an insane, almost bestial red.
Sakura, still on the ground, widened her eyes.
"S-Sasuke-kun…" His voice was shaky, mixed with fear and relief.
Naruto, even though he was unconscious, began to writhe, as if the violent energy around him was also affecting him.
Lee, panting, felt his legs weaken under the suffocating pressure.
'This power… it's like being faced with a hungry predator. Sasuke… what happened to you?'
Sasuke walked slowly, each step leaving marks on the ground, his distorted aura burning the air around him like embers. The smile on his face wasn't that of a teammate, but of someone consumed by an uncontrollable force.
He stood before Li Shang, his eyes fixed on him like sharp blades.
"It was you…"
Sasuke's voice sounded deep, almost guttural.
"Was it you who left my companion in this state, Neji Hyuuga?!"
[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!]