The Hokage's Office
After breakfast, Anko came straight here and waited for Tsunade to arrive.
As one of Konoha's few elite female shinobi, Anko's outgoing personality allowed her to get along well with most people.
"Why did you have to come here?! I'm here to see Tsunade-sama!" she snapped at the person beside her. The sight of Orochimaru standing there made her want to explode. She was desperate to know what was going on.
How could someone who was wanted by Konoha just stroll around the village freely? Had Konoha rotted from the inside out?
Orochimaru smiled faintly and pointed behind him. "The one you're looking for is here. Go on."
The moment he spoke, Tsunade appeared at the top of the stairs. The first thing that caught Anko's attention—unfortunately—was the impressive size of her chest.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Anko ran over at once, but before she could say anything, Tsunade reached out and patted her head affectionately.
"This guy's been staying at your place?"
Orochimaru was currently using another person's face, so to avoid causing a stir, Tsunade didn't speak his name aloud.
Anko nodded grudgingly. "He showed up last night, and he said you, Tsunade-sama, agreed to let him stay?"
Tsunade nodded. "That's right. Based on my calculations, Hikari should have finished dealing with the Three-Tails and is on his way back. When he arrives, we'll decide how to handle this man."
Anko glanced unhappily at Orochimaru, who was still smiling calmly. "But he's too dangerous. Every time I see him, I just want to attack."
Even though she couldn't beat him—that was truly heartbreaking.
Tsunade pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office and beckoned Anko to follow her inside.
"There's no helping it. If he leaves Konoha's territory, Akatsuki will hunt him down. And if he falls into their hands, the consequences would be disastrous."
As for simply killing Orochimaru—knowing his cunning nature, Tsunade wasn't confident she could truly finish him off.
If you don't kill the snake outright, it'll come back to bite you.
Orochimaru had already proven capable of manipulating the Three-Tails' chakra through technology. If she failed to kill him completely, and he recovered, he might very well turn to Akatsuki.
With his genius, they might not even need to capture the Nine-Tails—they could just clone one instead.
Too dangerous. Too great a risk. She wouldn't gamble on that.
"But... but..." Anko followed her, looking miserable, eyes starting to water.
"No buts, Anko. Until Hikari returns, your mission is to keep a close watch on him." Tsunade's tone left no room for argument.
---
"Can you stop following me already!?"
After leaving the Hokage's Office, Anko turned around, glaring at Orochimaru trailing behind her like a shadow. There wasn't a hint of joy on her face.
"Anko, this was Tsunade's order. You're supposed to keep an eye on me, right? So do your best." Orochimaru smiled cheerfully—so cheerfully, in fact, that he barely resembled the man he used to be.
In the past, he'd been gloomy, paranoid, needing to control every little thing to feel at ease.
But now, as he looked at Anko, he just wanted to tease her. Seeing her frown and pout brought him unexpected amusement.
Perhaps... this was their version of a master–disciple bond?
(Anko: If there's really a master-disciple bond, just let me kill you outright!)
Unable to win with words or fists, Anko stormed off toward Kurenai's house.
She needed to vent.
Orochimaru followed her from a moderate distance—close enough not to lose sight of her, but far enough not to provoke her further. As they walked down Konoha's bustling streets, nostalgia stirred in his chest.
How long had it been since he'd seen these familiar scenes?
---
"Kurenai, save me!"
Anko burst through Kurenai's door without warning, desperate for the comfort of her best friend's warm embrace to heal her battered spirit.
"Ugh, it's you again, Anko-nee. Can't you—huh? Why is he here?"
Yakumo appeared in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes. Her health had improved a lot lately; she'd even taken up light morning exercise—well, walks and light jogs, not actual taijutsu training.
"You... know me?" Orochimaru asked, instinctively taking a step back.
He studied Yakumo carefully. Just an ordinary-looking girl—so why did he feel a faint sense of dread from her?
"Of course I know you. Orochimaru, right?"
Yakumo descended from the stairs, completely ignoring Anko's shocked expression. She poured herself a glass of water in the living room and took a slow sip.
At the sound of his real name, Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply.
"Who are you?"
Only Tsunade, Kamizuki Hikari, and Uchiha Sasuke knew his current appearance. For Yakumo to recognize him instantly...
'Had Tsunade told her? Or Hikari? No way it was Sasuke... right?'
"I'm just an ordinary citizen of Konoha," Yakumo said calmly, sitting down on the sofa with her cup. A faint smile tugged at her lips.
"Of course, last time I saw you, I gave you a lovely dream—one where all your wishes came true. Don't you think you should thank me for that?"
'A dream... where all my wishes came true?'
Orochimaru's mind raced. In an instant, he recalled it—when he first returned to Konoha and met Uchiha Sasuke, he'd fallen under a genjutsu. Kamizuki Hikari had later broken it, and Orochimaru had assumed Hikari was the caster.
He never imagined it had been Kurama Yakumo.
That such a young girl could weave a genjutsu of that magnitude...
'She can't be allowed to live!'
The thought flashed through his mind—but before he could act, his vision blurred. The room melted away, replaced by the Hokage Rock under a round, hanging moon.
And beneath his feet—the Fifth Hokage's face had become his own.
"Genjutsu?"
The shock in his heart was quickly buried under a cold, furious voice.
"Of course it's genjutsu," Yakumo's voice echoed from all directions.
"In my presence, every ripple of emotion you show is mine to read. You were thinking of killing me, weren't you?"
Orochimaru fell silent.
Honestly, he regretted coming here.
He should've just stayed quietly at Anko's place. Now, who knew how long he'd be trapped in this illusion—
a day, a month... a year?
"Relax. I'm on good terms with Anko. I won't kill you. Just stay put for a while," Yakumo's voice said lightly.
---
Outside, Anko stared at Orochimaru's vacant, glassy eyes, then turned to Yakumo in astonishment.
"You... did this?"
Yakumo crossed one leg over the other, rolling her eyes. "Obviously. Who else would it be, you?"