Anko's Choice

Konoha.

In Orochimaru's secret base.

A secret experiment was underway at a frantic pace.

Danzo lay on the operating table.

Orochimaru personally performed the operation, secretly carrying out a Hashirama Cells transplant.

This was the price Danzo paid for funding Orochimaru's research all these years.

The laboratory was running out of materials.

Orochimaru had no choice but to satisfy Danzo's demands and carry out the experiment they had arranged long ago.

In truth,

Orochimaru understood that Danzo was wary of him.

But he naively thought that as long as he didn't compete to become the next Hokage, his close relationship with Danzo could surely continue.

If Danzo became the next Hokage,

he would have access to even more resources for his experiments.

Still, Uchiha Ao's warning had lodged in his heart like a thorn, causing a dull, persistent ache.

Before long,

the well-prepared experiment was completed without incident.

Danzo covered his right eye and slowly rose from the operating table.

"Orochimaru, I never expected your skills to become this refined. Why did you make me wait so long?"

After getting up, Danzo made no attempt to hide his annoyance. He straightened his clothes, concealing the Wood Pattern Skin showing on his chest.

"I wanted to make sure the experiment went smoothly."

"I couldn't let you face any unnecessary risks this time!"

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

I have to thank Ao for the ideas he proposed. They gave me a deeper understanding of the First Hokage Cells.

Several Root Medical Ninjas quickly gathered around the operating table. One of them held out hands glowing with green Chakra and moved toward Danzo's chest.

Orochimaru glanced over and noticed the wound on Danzo's chest healing at a visible speed.

He really had come prepared!

Five medical ninjas and more than ten Jonin were stationed around the laboratory.

If anything went wrong with Danzo on the operating table,

those people would surely fight him to the death.

Orochimaru sighed inwardly. Danzo, the only person in the village who could cover for his research, had become wary of him. It seemed Konoha was no longer a place he could stay.

Though he had already prepared himself for that,

Orochimaru gave no sign of it.

He calmly asked, "When will you send the next batch of materials?"

Danzo used bandages to cover the Sharingan in his right eye.

The First Hokage Cells inside his body had taken effect.

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

Danzo's mouth curled into a smile as he realized that the Sharingan, which had constantly drained his Chakra, had finally settled down.

The Yang Release Chakra produced by the First Hokage Cells had helped ease the Sharingan's Chakra drain.

His strength had returned to its peak.

"Just wait. Once the village stops inspecting things so strictly, I'll send it over."

Danzo waved a hand and replied dismissively.

He no longer wanted to keep up the act with Orochimaru.

"By the way, remember to hand over that Uchiha in your base. He may well have been the attacker during the Nine-Tails Incident! You'll get the next batch of supplies as soon as you hand him over."

Danzo glanced at Orochimaru and reminded him once more.

His voice was full of menace.

Before selling Orochimaru out, he intended to take one more person from him.

Orochimaru's slit pupils swept across the room.

Danzo had more people on his side.

I'll put up with this for now.

I'll settle the score when I get the chance!

A cold smile curled his lips, and his figure vanished in a blur.

"Lord Danzo... aren't you going to keep him here?"

Yamanaka Fu emerged from the shadows, hidden nearby, and asked in confusion.

"Orochimaru is no weakling. We could keep him here, but Root would suffer heavy casualties."

"Let Sarutobi Hiruzen deal with him."

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

After leaving Root, Orochimaru did not return home.

He stopped by the Uchiha Clan compound on the way.

He had planned to visit Uchiha Ao's family before leaving and give them some money.

But when he noticed the Anbu spies hidden near the Uchiha compound, he hesitated. Not daring to risk it, he stayed out of sight and went home.

When Orochimaru returned to his house in the village,

he saw Anko waiting outside his door.

Two of her peers were with her. One seemed to be Kurenai Yuhi, Yuhi Shinku's daughter. The other... was the teacher's youngest son.

Orochimaru glanced at them. His gaze lingered on Asuma for a few seconds.

"Lord Orochimaru, you're back!"

Anko exclaimed excitedly, a smile on her face.

She hadn't seen Orochimaru for a while. Guilt flickered in her eyes, but it was soon replaced by a resolute thought.

Teacher, I'll help you... I'll make sure you become the next Hokage!

Anko thought to herself.

Even if her teacher misunderstood her, she had no complaints.

Though her strength had improved and her friends admired and envied her, she couldn't bring herself to feel happy.

Because she had realized Uchiha Ao was gone.

The teacher's secret base had also been attacked, leaving the laboratory in disarray.

The secrets of the laboratory might have been exposed.

To keep the teacher's forbidden research from coming to light and frightening the villagers,

she had taken steps to make amends.

She had told the Third about the experiments in advance.

And she had secured the Hokage's approval, giving Lord Orochimaru a chance to turn himself in.

"Lord Orochimaru."

Kurenai Yuhi greeted him respectfully.

But Orochimaru ignored the two of them and turned to Sarutobi Asuma. "What are you doing here? Asuma, aren't you only twelve or thirteen? How did you end up with such a huge beard..."

"Is your body developing abnormally? Hmm... Interesting."

Orochimaru's gaze shifted as he looked at Asuma, like a greedy snake sizing up its prey.

Asuma felt a chill run down his back.

He instinctively took two steps back.

He waved a hand and stammered, "O-Older brother! I came with Kurenai to visit you... Anko hasn't seen you in a long time, and she was worried about your safety."

That one look had been enough to make him feel as if death were looming over him.

It was a terrifying sensation.

Asuma had never liked his senior, Orochimaru, and had no affection for him.

Seeing Asuma frightened,

Orochimaru's lips curled with disdain.

That kid Ao had never looked so pathetic when facing him.

How had his teacher raised such a useless son?

He was even worse than that kid Shinnosuke.

Orochimaru shook his head slightly, then turned to Anko. He examined the Cursed Seal on her neck, and his eyes narrowed.

The Five Elements Seal...

That had to be the Third's handiwork!

He sighed inwardly.

Anko had chosen the village after all!

So much for the bonds between teacher and student.

The last remnants of Orochimaru's bond with his student shattered completely. He didn't answer Anko and walked toward his house, his expression cold.

"Teacher, the Hokage wants to see you..."

"Come with me to see the Hokage!"

Anko ran after Orochimaru's retreating figure and fell to her knees outside his house, calling out to him in a voice full of sorrow.

She tried to prove her feelings for her teacher through her desperate plea.

Her eyes were full of hope.

She wanted to pull her teacher out of the darkness.

She hoped he would take her advice and confess everything he had done to the Third.

With the Third's protection,

nothing bad would happen to her teacher.

But she had no idea what Orochimaru truly wanted.

From that moment on, the two of them would only drift farther and farther apart.

Orochimaru paused as he stepped inside.

Then he quietly closed the door.

"Come on, Anko! Lord Orochimaru doesn't want to see you. He didn't even bother to greet you. It's obvious he doesn't care about you..."

Kurenai Yuhi watched as Orochimaru walked away without a hint of emotion. His indifferent gaze was more than she could bear, and she couldn't help trying to reason with Anko.

"He won't even obey the Hokage's orders. Why would he listen to you?"

"He's so reckless that he'll only bring about his own destruction!"

"He has such poor judgment that he even took a dead last like Uchiha Ao under his wing. He can't see your talent at all. Don't keep following him down a path that leads nowhere."

She couldn't stand seeing her friend so heartbroken.

Ever since Anko began following Orochimaru, he had never shown her any real attention. She had only ever trailed after him.

She had tried every means to please him, hoping to draw his attention.

But Orochimaru had always treated her with the same cold indifference.

He kept everyone at arm's length.

Leaving him now was the best choice!

After all, at only twelve years old, her friend had already surpassed everyone her age except Kakashi. She was as strong as a Jonin, and her future prospects might well be as bright as Orochimaru's.