"My foolish Anko!"
"You really have no sense of alertness, do you?"
After parting ways with Tsunade, Orochimaru turned and arrived at Anko's home.
In truth, he didn't even know why he had come here.
Back in Otogakure, he had always lived alone—precisely to prevent his subordinates from bothering him at night.
Here in Konoha, he could have gone to an inn, to the Uchiha compound, or even to the Forest of Death.
There were plenty of places he could have gone.
So why... did he come here?
Looking at the sleeping Anko, who had completely let her guard down, Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
"Such a foolish disciple..."
Thinking this, Orochimaru suddenly raised his hand.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
His arm morphed into a giant serpent, striking out and biting Anko's neck.
"You—!"
Perhaps awakened by the pain, Anko's eyes flew open. Even though Orochimaru's appearance had changed, some instinct deep within her recognized him immediately.
"Orochimaru... you..."
Anko glared at him with hatred. She tried to move, but the nerves in her body had already been paralyzed—she couldn't even twitch a finger.
"My foolish disciple..."
Watching Anko struggle to attack him but unable to move, Orochimaru felt a strange satisfaction rise in his chest.
Yes, that expression.
Hate me.
Resent me.
Only then... will you be able to live on peacefully.
"Tsunade has agreed to let me stay in Konoha for the time being. You wouldn't dare defy her orders, would you?" As he spoke, he reached out and stroked Anko's face. His satisfaction grew as her expression twisted further with rage.
This was the feeling he sought.
"Impossible! Tsunade-sama would never tolerate you staying in Konoha!" Anko spat back. In her mind, someone as dangerous and vile as Orochimaru—were Tsunade-sama ever to lay eyes on him—would be crushed with a single punch.
Maybe they'd even build him a small grave next to Danzō's tree, so both could receive the 'gratitude' from the people of Konoha together.
"Frankly, I'm no match for Tsunade now." Orochimaru leaned back carelessly. He basked in Anko's venomous glare, utterly unbothered. "If she hadn't permitted it, do you think I'd dare remain in Konoha?"
He belittled himself while praising Tsunade.
Pride meant nothing to Orochimaru.
"That still can't be! Tsunade-sama would definitely kill you for the safety of Konoha!" Anko glared at Orochimaru with intense hatred, her loathing for him reaching its peak.
"My, my, foolish Anko. Why do you hate me so much?" Orochimaru looked at Anko with a grin, not feeling the least bit upset by her words.
Anko remained silent, only her eyes, filled with hatred, continued to glare furiously at Orochimaru.
"No matter. In my eyes, you've always been like this—utterly dimwitted." He waved a hand dismissively. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, you'll accompany me around Konoha."
"Like hell I will—!" Anko spat instantly. Death would be preferable to indulging Orochimaru.
"Hm? You won't?"
Orochimaru gently placed his hand atop Anko's head. "Remember when you were little and couldn't sleep? I used to do this to calm you." His voice carried something almost nostalgic. "You were my disciple, yet you resemble me so little."
Anko fell silent, her mind involuntarily dragged into the past.
Her parents had often been on missions when she was young. Timid and fearful, she had struggled to sleep, and Orochimaru had always been the one to soothe her.
Always.
When... did she begin to hate him?
"Sleep, my foolish little Anko."
Chakra shimmered faintly in Orochimaru's hand, and Anko drifted into unconsciousness.
For a fleeting moment, a trace of tenderness appeared in his eyes.
Anko saw him as family.
And in his own way... so did he.
But Orochimaru didn't want her following him through the darkness, living a life of endless wandering and shadows.
That was why he rejected her, why he sealed away all her memories of him.
Moonlight spilled through the window. Lost in thought, Orochimaru didn't notice how bright it shone upon him.
---
Morning came.
Anko's eyes opened, and she sat up instantly—her hands transforming into long snakes that whipped through the room.
'No one?'
'Where did Orochimaru go?'
'Or was what happened last night just a dream?' Thinking this, Anko yawned and headed towards the bathroom.
She slid the door open.
"Good morning, Anko-chan!" A familiar smile, a familiar gaze.
For a moment, Anko felt as if she had returned to over a decade ago, to when Orochimaru was still a gentle little snake.
No... that couldn't be.
It was an illusion. Orochimaru couldn't be gentle. That man... was too cruel, too detestable.
Even so, she didn't attack right away.
Realizing last night wasn't a dream, she felt a tiny, inexplicable warmth deep inside her heart.
"What are you doing in my house? Get out!"
Orochimaru, calmly washing his face, chuckled softly when he heard her words.
"I have no other family in Konoha. As my only disciple, letting me stay at your place isn't a big deal, is it?"
Not a big deal?
It was a huge deal!
Anko shot him a deadly glare. "Whose body are you using this time? Don't tell me you came here because you've got your eye on mine?"
"Oh, nothing like that." Orochimaru gave a faint smile. He would never choose Anko for his next vessel—not unless the shinobi world ran out of all other options.
"I simply have nowhere else to stay. Besides, with Kamizuki Hikari returning soon, I thought you might feel better seeing me under your own watchful eye instead of imagining things."
Sincere or not—it didn't matter. Even Orochimaru himself wasn't sure why he'd come.
Anko studied him, then crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'm going straight to Tsunade-sama. If she doesn't know you're here, you're dead. Tsunade-sama's gotten insanely strong—she even beat the Raikage and Tsuchikage! Yesterday she took down a bunch of strange guys too. Someone like you would be crushed in one punch!"
"Is that so?" Orochimaru replied without the slightest trace of fear. "Then go. I'll wait right here. I'm not running anywhere—I still need to see Tsunade... and Kamizuki Hikari."
Anko blinked. "I get why you'd want to see Tsunade-sama... but why Hikari?"
At that, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Ah, that's right. You were close with Kamizuki Hikari when you were young, weren't you? I heard he took good care of you after I left. How do you feel about him? You're all grown up and still not married—want me to play matchmaker for the two of you?"
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