Anko's Choice

Konoha.

Inside Orochimaru's secret base.

A secret experiment was being conducted in full swing.

Danzo lay on the operating table.

Orochimaru was performing the surgery himself, secretly completing an experiment to transplant Hashirama Cells.

This was the price for the years of funding Danzo had provided for Orochimaru's research.

Now, the materials in the laboratory were running low.

Orochimaru had no choice but to satisfy Danzo's request and complete this long-scheduled experiment.

In reality.

Orochimaru understood Danzo's wariness toward him.

But he naively thought that as long as he didn't compete for the next generation of Hokage, his close relationship with Danzo would surely continue to be maintained.

If Danzo could become the new Hokage.

The experimental resources he could obtain would be even greater.

However, the warning given to him by Uchiha Ao was like a thorn, stuck in his heart, throbbing with pain.

Soon.

The well-prepared experiment proceeded without any accidents.

Danzo clutched his right eye and slowly stood up from the operating table.

"Orochimaru, I didn't expect your technique to be so proficient already. Why did you make me wait so long?"

After standing up, Danzo made no effort to hide the complaint in his tone. He straightened his clothes, covering the Wood Pattern Skin exposed on his chest.

"To ensure the experiment could proceed smoothly."

"This time, I couldn't let you take any unnecessary risks, could I?"

Orochimaru picked up a clean white cloth and wiped the blood from his hands.

He thought to himself that this experiment owed much to the ideas proposed by Ao, which had given him a deeper understanding of the First Hokage Cells.

Several Root Medical Ninja quickly crowded toward the table, one of whom had cyan-green Chakra manifesting in their hands as they approached Danzo's chest.

Orochimaru cast a slight glance, noticing that the wound on Danzo's chest was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

What thorough preparations!

Five medical ninja and over a dozen jonin were all surrounding the laboratory.

If anything had gone wrong with Danzo on the operating table, these guys would definitely have fought him to the death.

Orochimaru sighed inwardly. Danzo, the only person in the village who could cover for his experimental research, had become wary of him. It seemed he really couldn't stay in Konoha much longer.

Although he was mentally prepared, Orochimaru did not reveal a single trace of it.

He asked with a calm expression: "When will the next batch of materials be sent over?"

Danzo covered the Sharingan in his right eye with a bandage.

The First Hokage Cells within his body had already taken effect.

The Yin Release Chakra produced by the Sharingan in his eye socket had clashed with the First Hokage Cells transplanted in his chest, eventually forming a dynamic balance.

Danzo curled his lips, discovering that the Sharingan, which had been consuming his Chakra every moment, had finally calmed down.

The Yang Release Chakra produced by the First Hokage Cells helped him alleviate the Chakra consumption of the Sharingan.

His strength had returned to its peak.

"Wait! After the village stops checking so strictly in a while, I will send the things to you."

Danzo waved his hand, speaking perfunctorily.

He no longer wanted to play any games with Orochimaru.

"By the way, remember to hand over that Uchiha clansman in your base. He is very likely the attacker from the Nine-Tails incident! When you hand him over to me, that is when you will receive the next batch of supplies."

Danzo glanced at Orochimaru and reminded him once more.

His tone was filled with threats.

He intended to extract one more person from Orochimaru before selling him out.

Orochimaru's vertical pupils swept across the surroundings.

Danzo had too many men.

He would endure it for now.

I'll get my revenge when the opportunity arises!

A cold sneer curled his lips as his figure blurred into an afterimage and vanished.

"Lord Danzo... are we not going to keep him here?"

Yamanaka Fu emerged from the shadows, hidden in the darkness, and asked with a puzzled expression.

"Orochimaru's strength is not to be underestimated. While we could certainly keep him here, the Root would suffer heavy casualties."

"It is better to leave him for Sarutobi Hiruzen to deal with!"

After covering his right eye, Danzo donned a black kimono with the help of a female subordinate, took the cane that had been prepared for him, and limped out of the Root training grounds, heading straight for the heart of Konoha—the Hokage Building!

After leaving the Root, Orochimaru did not return home.

He made a detour to the Uchiha clan compound.

He had intended to look after Uchiha Ao's family before leaving, providing them with some money.

But when he noticed the Anbu surveillance hidden near the Uchiha district, he hesitated. Not wanting to take the risk, he did not show himself and turned back toward his home.

When Orochimaru returned to his house in the village.

He saw Anko guarding his doorstep.

She was accompanied by two peers; one seemed to be Kurenai Yuhi, the daughter of Yuhi Shinku, and the other... was the youngest son of his teacher.

Orochimaru swept his gaze over them, his eyes lingering on Sarutobi Asuma for only a few seconds.

"Lord Orochimaru, you've returned!?"

Anko said excitedly, a smile on her face.

She hadn't seen her teacher, Orochimaru, for some time, and a flash of guilt crossed her eyes, though it was quickly replaced by a firm resolve.

Teacher, I will definitely help you... I will make sure you become the next Hokage! Anko thought silently to herself.

Even if she were misunderstood by her teacher, she would have no complaints.

Although her strength had increased and she had earned the awe and envy of her friends, she could not bring herself to be happy.

Because she discovered that Uchiha Ao had gone missing.

Her teacher's secret base had also been attacked, leaving the laboratory in a state of chaos.

The secrets of the laboratory were very likely exposed.

To prevent her teacher's forbidden research from being revealed and causing panic among the villagers.

She had taken some remedial actions.

She had informed the Third Hokage of the experimental contents in advance.

She had even gained the Hokage's approval, securing a chance for her teacher, Orochimaru, to turn himself in.

"Lord Orochimaru."

Kurenai Yuhi bowed respectfully.

However, Orochimaru ignored both of them entirely, looking instead at Sarutobi Asuma beside them, and said, "What are you doing here? Asuma, I recall you are only twelve or thirteen, so why do you already have a face full of stubble..."

"Could your physical development be this abnormal? Hiss... this is somewhat interesting."

The way Orochimaru looked at Asuma changed, appearing like a greedy viper.

Asuma felt a chill run down his spine.

He subconsciously took two steps back.

He waved his hands, stammering, "B-Brother! I am just accompanying Kurenai to visit you... Anko hasn't seen you in a long time and was very worried about your safety."

A single glance was enough to make him feel a sense of mortal danger.

This feeling was terrifying.

Asuma had never liked his senior brother Orochimaru, nor did he have any affection for him.

Seeing Asuma so frightened.

A trace of mockery appeared at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth.

That brat Ao had never displayed such a pathetic performance when facing his gaze.

How could his teacher have raised such a useless son?

He was not even as good as that brat Shinnosuke.

He shook his head slightly, turned his gaze toward Anko, and took a careful look at the Cursed Seal on her neck, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

Five Elements Seal...

This was the handiwork of his teacher, the Third Hokage!

He sighed in his heart.

Anko, in the end, you chose the village!

The so-called bond of master and student.

It was nothing more than this.

The last remaining shred of master-student connection in the heart of Orochimaru shattered completely; he did not respond to the words of Anko, walking toward his front door with a cold expression.

"Teacher, the Hokage is looking for you..."

"Come with me to see the Third Hokage!"

Anko ran toward the back of Orochimaru, kneeling at the threshold of his home, calling out in a voice filled with sorrow.

She was attempting to prove her feelings for her teacher through her own pleas.

The girl's eyes were filled with expectation.

She was trying to pull her teacher out of the darkness.

She hoped that her teacher would listen to her advice and go confess everything he had done to the Third Hokage.

With the protection of the Third Hokage.

Her teacher would surely be fine.

But she did not know what the true pursuit of Orochimaru was.

From this moment on, the relationship between the two would only drift further apart.

The figure of Orochimaru paused as he entered the house.

Then, he gently closed the door.

"Let's go, Anko! Lord Orochimaru doesn't want to see you; he didn't even offer a greeting, which clearly shows he doesn't hold you in his heart at all..."

Kurenai Yuhi witnessed the calm departure of Orochimaru, and that look of indifference was more than her pride could bear, leading her to urge Anko.

"He won't even listen to the orders of the Hokage, so how could he possibly listen to you!"

"To be so willful and reckless will only lead to his own destruction!"

"His judgment is so poor that he even took a dead-last like Uchiha Ao under his wing; he is completely incapable of realizing your talent, so you shouldn't continue down this dead end with him."

She did not want to see her friend in such a sorrowful state.

Ever since Anko had started following Orochimaru, she had never received any attention, merely following blindly behind him.

She used all sorts of methods to please him, attempting to attract the notice of Orochimaru.

But Orochimaru always maintained this cold, distant attitude.

Keeping everyone at arm's length.

Leaving now was the best choice!

After all, at the age of twelve, her friend had already surpassed all her peers except for Kakashi, possessing the strength of a jonin; her future development would not necessarily be any worse than that of Orochimaru.