As Jugo toyed with Sasuke, the boy grew increasingly enraged and began using more and more of his curse mark chakra.
He was even using some moves he'd copied from Lee, unfortunately, Jugo wasn't even taking it seriously.
If it were the Sasuke from Shippuden, Jugo would probably lose, even with his current strength, but the current Sasuke is just a slightly stronger brat.
Seeing that Sasuke had already used up too much of his power and was close to chakra exhaustion, Jugo stopped. -Enough, that's it for now.
With that, he turned and left without looking back.
Sasuke's eyes widened and just as he was about to fly into a rage and attack again, Jugo's figure vanished, not even his Sharingan could keep up.
Only Jugo's voice rang out in the dark forest. - We'll see you again soon, Uchiha brat.
When Jugo's voice faded, Sasuke finally couldn't take it anymore, falling as he felt the pain of the curse mark receding.
Neji glanced in the direction Jugo had left with his Byakugan, but didn't pursue. He knew that even if it were him, he couldn't outdo Sasuke. But that didn't make him feel any better. He clenched his fists as he stared at the injured Lee, still unconscious.
Jugo, on the other hand, met up with the team and left soon after. Dosu approached slightly and used a jutsu to send his voice into Jugo's ear, telling him what he saw in Karin.
Jugo looked at Karin lightly and said. -Don't use that ability again on anyone else. Also, you two, don't talk about it.
Dosu and Kin were a little surprised, but nodded. Karin widened her eyes and felt Jugo's gentle gaze, then nodded softly, still a little dazed.
She saw him smile and pat her head again, making her feel embarrassed.
She wanted to scream that she wasn't a child, but she didn't. She didn't want to admit it, but she liked it when he stroked her hair.
-Jugo-sama is so gentle... - Karin couldn't help but think.
Kin, beside her, narrowed her eyes, but looking at her cured and smooth arms and then at Karin. Remembering the bite marks on the girl, she looked away, pouting.
Dosu narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything. Ever since he'd been with Jugo, he'd realized he'd become a man of few words. But Jugo was truly dangerous, he didn't want to attract his attention. Even Kin avoided talking too much.
They knew Jugo had two states at this point, normally, he was calm and gentle, but when he went berserk...
The four quickly walked away, while Dosu began searching again, finding nothing. But Karin soon introduced herself and told them about her ability. Jugo sighed at the girl's innocence, even after everything she'd been through.
-Karin, don't say anything about your skills to anyone. - Jugo scolded her, ruffling her hair.
This made Kin even more envious and irritated. Dosu also looked at Karin with more appreciation.
-Well, Karin-chan, guide us from now on. - Jugo gently stroked the girl's hair, making her look away.
-H-hai, Jugo-sama. - Karin smiled at him.
-Call me Aniki. - Jugo said, poking her cheek.
Karin blushed even more embarrassed, but seeing his gentle gaze, she still called out. -Aniki...
Jugo laughed lightly and then continued on with Karin's instructions.
Ironically, the next team they encountered was Kabuto's team.
Kabuto, looking at them, paused for a moment. There were no strangers there except Karin, but precisely because of that, Kabuto wouldn't show he knew them.
He quickly raised his kunai, the two behind him mirroring him.
Jugo, on the other hand, simply spoke. - Kabuto, take this girl out of Konoha for me, safely.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes and glared at Jugo, before losing his attacking stance.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he spoke. -Jugo-kun, does this girl have anything worthwhile?
-Yes, but I'll take care of her myself. If anything happens to her, I'll kill you. - Jugo let his chakra enter the first stage of the curse to demonstrate his point, the lunatic smile returning to his face as Kabuto narrowed his eyes.
Kabuto was good, but unfortunately, Jugo was exactly the worst kind of enemy for him.
Poison? Ineffective.
Chakra scalpel? Jugo can heal extremely quickly.
Of course, Kabuto was important to Orochimaru, but so was Jugo, at the very least he wouldn't die for killing Kabuto.
Besides, Kabuto himself isn't the type to easily engage in unnecessary conflict.
-Fine, but wait for the second exam to end first. - Kabuto said, his glasses reflecting the sunlight.
Jugo nodded. The group on either side didn't speak, only Karin was a little startled by this development.
The next moment, the two sides parted ways.
Kabuto glanced slightly with a smile to where Jugo had left.
-Kabuto, that's...- Yoroi, the chakra-sucking guy, asked with narrowed, displeased, yet fearful eyes.
Jugo quickly moved on and continued following Karin's instructions. He still had four days. There were 50 teams at the start and he killed five himself. He wouldn't attack the four teams of Konoha brats, nor Kabuto's team.
Orochimaru's team had also already left, Gaara's team must have passed and they even killed a rain team.
So, excluding his own team, there were at most 36 more targets.
Of course, this is just an ideal number, it would be unlikely to reach that. Maybe half of them had already died and he also let two teams go without killing them, so... 34 targets at most.
Excluding those he had no intention of killing and those who had already been killed, it was difficult to advance to Werewolf during this exam.
But it didn't matter, he could speed up as much as possible.
Three days later, Jugo, Karin, Dosu and Kin reached the tower in the center. There was still a day left, but honestly, there was no point in continuing the search.
He managed to kill five more teams, 10 were ignored because they didn't want to kill and even then, he only reached about 75% of the potion.
After he began to limit himself, the Lunatic potion became much more difficult to advance.
Searching for a new team at this point wasn't easy and even if he found one, there was a high chance he'd have to let them go.
Thus, Jugo noticed the group's clear fatigue and decided to head to the tower.
Anko said that anyone who reached the tower without their team would fail, which was Karin's case. But that didn't mean they'd be expelled. So, she only had to report the incident and wasn't expelled, she simply stayed there until the end of the second exam.
Jugo also opened the scrolls with Dosu and Kin.
Even though he hadn't killed most of them, he still took the scrolls, so they had over twenty of them.
Jugo simply handed the remaining scrolls to the examiner, who looked at them strangely.
Opening a scroll of the earth and sky that intersected, a random Konoha chunin appeared and explained the purpose of the exam—a complete nonsense of body and mind. Jugo simply looked at him with clear disinterest, Dosu just glared at him with one eye and Kin pursed her lips in irritation.
The chunin wanted to quickly flee upon seeing this unfriendly trio, so he quickly led them to the rest area, waiting for the next day's exam.
Karin was also there, she quickly went to them, feeling relieved.
These days with Jugo were busy, but they were the most peaceful days she had had in years.
Jugo not only didn't mock or hit her, but he also protected her, caressed her and smiled at her.
Thus, Karin quickly developed a dependence, just as Jugo made her call him Aniki.
Despite being embarrassed, she still enjoyed using the title.
As soon as she approached, Jugo patted her head. -After the second exam, I'll let that guy take you to Otogakure. Don't worry. If anyone tries to mess with you, they can use my name or Kimimaro's. He's my best friend and he'll protect you.
Karin nodded quickly, a little wary and a little hopeful.
Dosu, at his side, wisely didn't mention that although Jugo was well-known, many people didn't take him seriously, including himself before Jugo unleashed his murderous intent on him. But Kimimaro? No one in Otogakure dares mess with him. The percentage of dead people who have dared to mess with him is 100%.
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+10 chapters of Jugo - Father of Devils on P_treon.
+20 chapters of The Legendary Mechanic - Triple Six on P_treon.
P_treon: March_Rain