"I-I forgot..."
Anko was completely stunned. She was too busy trying to make a flashy entrance and had completely forgotten breaking windows means paying for them. With so many candidates this year, and so many exam sites, all those broken panes would add up. If fines got added in, she might end up selling herself into slavery.
"And besides those window repair costs, Anko-sempai, don't you think you should pay back the money you owe us too?!" Sakura pulled out a thick notebook from her Ninja Tool Pouch. "You've already filled up an entire notebook with debts from Ichiraku Sweet Shop and Ichiraku Dessert Shop. If you don't pay up soon, sempai, you'll end up getting sold into debt slavery!"
"Oh come on, Sakura, what are you talking about? You know how close we are. I'll definitely pay that back!" Anko quickly used the Shifting Body Technique to appear beside Sakura, throwing an arm over her shoulder like best buddies.
"Sempai, give me a definite answer today," Sakura said with interest, "or tomorrow I'm dragging you off to pay your debts through slavery. Tsk tsk, 'Orochimaru's Most Beloved Apprentice' should fetch quite a price!"
"Don't worry, Sakura, I'll pay it back. I promise in my master Orochimaru's name!" Anko said, thumping her chest. She loved sweets more than anything, especially the desserts from Ichiraku Sweet Shop and Ichiraku Dessert Shop—the very best treats those places offered. Unfortunately, those delicacies came with steep prices. If she weren't on good personal terms with Sakura, and if they didn't get along so well personality-wise, she wouldn't have been able to rack up debts on credit at both shops. But since she'd gotten so used to buying on credit, she'd carelessly accumulated a huge debt. She wasn't even thinking about the Chunin Exams anymore—solving this debt mess was her top priority.
"I don't believe you!" Sakura replied casually. "Orochimaru has already defected. While he did leave that sweet little kiss on you, he's a rogue ninja now, not one of Konoha's Sannin. His name doesn't carry much weight anymore."
"I swear I'll pay you back, or may Orochimaru-sensei turn into a girl!" Anko gritted her teeth and swore using Orochimaru's name, then pouted cutely. "Sakura, please, just give me a little more time. I'll work hard on missions and pay off my debts as soon as I can!"
"You don't need to swear for that. Your master has already become a girl—it was just a matter of time!"
Sakura looked deeply at Anko. Should I call you a jinx, or commend your prophetic abilities? Even you guessed correctly that Orochimaru would turn into a girl!
"Sakura..."
Anko's voice softened, tears swelling in her eyes until she looked totally pitiful. "Please, just give me a bit more time. Look how hard it is for me—alone, without any family, and my mentor deceived me and left me heartbroken after taking advantage of me. Just consider this charity for a poor soul, okay?"
"Stop! I'll agree already, sempai. Just stay away from me—it's too mushy!"
Anko's cutesy voice gave Sakura the creeps, making her step aside in a hurry.
All the examinees in the classroom were completely stunned by this sudden turn of events. When they heard Anko say that Orochimaru had tricked her into sleeping with him and then abandoned her, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. So one of the Legendary Sannin actually had such a scandalous past?
The Sand Trio, who had worked together with Orochimaru during the Konoha Destruction Plan, were especially shocked. Orochimaru had left the Leaf years ago—when he left, Anko should've still been just a little girl! Who would've thought Orochimaru could do something so outrageous? In an instant, Temari made up her mind: she must stay cautious around that pervert Orochimaru and never fall for his tricks.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows watching Sasuke Uchiha, Orochimaru's pale face darkened like a charcoal stove as he heard Anko's accusation. His eyes filled with ominous clouds. Very well then—it seemed his apprentice had become increasingly bold since their last meeting.
"Ah, about the money...?" Anko rubbed her fingers together with a sly grin.
"You can pay me back when you actually have money someday!" Sakura sighed helplessly. Anko was always like this—using her cutesy act to dodge debt collection. Yet somehow, Sakura never found an effective countermeasure. But during these upcoming Chunin Exams, she wondered how Orochimaru would treat his student now?
Sakura had already sensed a powerful, malicious chakra hiding nearby—a presence as cold and poisonous as a viper. That must've been Orochimaru, no doubt about it. Yet she hadn't anticipated Anko would actually say something so explosive. Somehow, it seemed Orochimaru's reputation as someone obsessed with underage girls wouldn't survive this incident unscathed.
"Anko-sensei," Sakura suddenly turned mischievous, "how exactly did Orochimaru trick you into sleeping with him?"
"That… Well, back then, he said he wanted to give me a gift. Then he hurt me badly for quite a while. When I woke up, I heard news of his betrayal!" Caught up in the joy of temporarily escaping her debt, Anko instinctively replied. Right, back then, Orochimaru had placed a cursed seal on her—wasn't that painful for a long time? And she'd fainted immediately afterward.
Gift, hurting, waking up—the group at the exam site exchanged knowing glances. There was no doubt about it: Orochimaru definitely wasn't normal. He'd really gone that far with his own apprentice?
Ibiki and others who knew the truth couldn't help but twitch their mouths slightly. Come on, even they almost misunderstood what she meant.
Right after Anko finished speaking, Sakura sensed a surge of rage from the hidden chakra signature, followed by an even heavier sinister aura.
"Anko-sensei, the exam—"
Feeling Orochimaru's fury, Sakura figured she'd better stop helping this debt-avoiding drama queen dig herself deeper into trouble and just whispered a gentle warning instead. After all, the exams were happening right now.
"Oh right, I got it!" Excitedly, Anko slung her [Green Dragon Crescent Blade] over her shoulder and strode toward the door, casually waving at the students behind her. "Hurry up and follow me!"
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