An Unexpected Ending

Yang Xing frowned, swept a glance at the ground near the cave entrance, and walked toward Anko.

"He, is he dead?" Looking at the corpse ahead, Anko could not believe her own eyes. This was her teacher, the one known as the genius among the legendary Sannin of Konoha, Orochimaru.

"No. In that split second, he shed his skin and burrowed into the ground to escape. Well, in this situation, I can't exactly chase him." While untying Anko's ropes, Yang Xing spoke rather lightly. "Although he isn't dead, he should be severely injured and won't pose a threat to us for the time being."

Swallowing hard, Anko doubted she had heard correctly.

The idea of Orochimaru being severely injured was something that hadn't happened in years. Konoha had deployed so many Anbu forces to track and investigate him for so long, yet no one had ever been able to find him.

No one had ever been able to hurt him either, yet here was Yang Xing, who wasn't even as old as she was, actually managing to severely wound Orochimaru. Just what kind of person would this guy grow up to be?

Looking at Yang Xing's face, Anko's heart beat rapidly—the fluttering heart of a young girl.

Under the pitch-black night, amidst the large trees.

A man with jet-black hair and a face as pale as paper supported himself with both hands, gasping for air.

His entire body looked as if he had been drenched in rain, and his face was terrifyingly white.

"Hah... huff!" Orochimaru gasped, his expression extremely complex. "I almost had my true body injured by that guy. That brat... I never expected his Water Style ninjutsu to be so flexible. The power of that technique... it seems like something I've never seen before. Hahaha, to have such immense power, it's truly exciting."

Orochimaru curled his lips and actually laughed.

Just as Orochimaru was laughing, a bush nearby rustled. The person who emerged wore a mask, the cat-faced mask particularly conspicuous.

"Orochimaru?"

Seeing the newcomer, Orochimaru showed no fear; instead, he stood up, his expression extremely calm as he met the other's gaze.

Yes, it was indeed an Anbu ninja from Konoha.

"Lord Orochimaru, what happened to you?" Seeing Orochimaru's disheveled state, the Anbu ninja's face showed extreme shock.

Orochimaru waved his hand to signal he was fine, his voice raspy. "I was discovered. I'm afraid I cannot continue that plan for the time being. Tell that person in your household that I will return to this plan later."

"But..." The Anbu ninja hesitated, glancing at Orochimaru's weary face, and remained frozen in place.

"Go back and tell your master that when the time is right, I will contact you again. When that happens, I will come to take what I want myself." Orochimaru frowned slightly as he finished speaking.

Only then did the Anbu ninja nod, bowing deeply and respectfully. "Hai!"

Orochimaru turned and left, moving away with great speed.

Watching Orochimaru's retreating figure, the Anbu ninja was clearly unsettled.

"Looking at this, Lord Orochimaru seems to have been injured." The Anbu ninja muttered to himself, his tone trembling slightly. "No, that's impossible. In the current Konoha, there shouldn't be anyone capable of hurting Orochimaru. The Fourth Hokage and Third Hokage are on other missions, and the other two Sannin are away. There shouldn't be anyone who could defeat Orochimaru, let alone injure him."

"Who exactly is that guy?" Looking at the dark forest, the Anbu ninja hesitated for a moment before turning to leave. He leaped into the trees and sped away. "No, I must let that person know about this immediately. To think Konoha has someone this powerful—I must investigate this clearly."

The journey back to the inn was quiet.

Yang Xing's heart was a bit uneasy; he was debating whether to teach Anko a lesson to ensure her silence.

After all, he wasn't sure if Anko had heard Orochimaru mention the Sharingan. He pondered for a moment, and upon finding no abnormalities in the girl and confirming she hadn't revealed anything about the night's events, Yang Xing abandoned the idea of a "lesson."

At the very least, having been supported by him for the entire walk, Anko hadn't acted strangely, which suggested she likely hadn't heard that part clearly.

However, come to think of it, this girl really had potential. Not even fifteen years old, yet that area was already so well-developed and had such elasticity. Every time she bumped into his body, it made a beast roar in the depths of Yang Xing's heart.

Should he... secretly touch her?

Well, he might get hit, but that would be better than holding it in until he exploded. If he touched her secretly, she would surely notice.

Just as Yang Xing made up his mind, Anko, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

"Hey!" Clearly, compared to her attitude toward Yang Xing earlier, Anko had changed significantly. Her tone was much softer, completely devoid of the shouting from before. "Why do you think Orochimaru was here?"

She looked at Yang Xing with a serious expression, clearly seeking his opinion.

He hadn't expected this girl to change her tune. Seeing her shift, Yang Xing secretly withdrew the left hand he had been reaching out.

He gave a dry cough and looked ahead, saying calmly, "Probably because Konoha has a mole."

Well, that was a certainty. Considering Orochimaru had been in Konoha for so many years, he must have known many high-ranking officials and certainly had connections with some people. It was inevitable that he could infiltrate so easily.

Besides, when Orochimaru attacked Konoha in the future, someone would surely help from the inside. It was impossible for Konoha not to have moles.

"Hmm, that's true." Anko lowered her head, looking dejected for a few seconds before lifting her head again. She clenched a fist, looking full of spirit. "Yosh, I've decided. I'm going to become an Anbu member. I must make Konoha more harmonious, and one day, I will definitely catch that guy and finish him off with my own hands."

"Hai, hai. You talk a big game. Although I don't want to remind you..." Yang Xing glanced at her and interrupted impatiently. "Your legs were so weak earlier. Once you become an Anbu, the enemies you encounter will be much stronger than Orochimaru. When that time comes, don't end up unable to even walk; there won't be anyone there to support you then."

Anbu prioritized the mission above all else, with human life coming second; that was the fundamental truth of the Warring States era.

Although Anko understood Yang Xing's words, she refused to yield in her heart. She glared at him and retorted stubbornly, "Who had weak legs? That was just because I was hit by a genjutsu."

"Then why can't you walk on your own now?" Yang Xing looked with disdain at the girl who could barely stand without his support.

"I told you, the genjutsu hasn't worn off yet. You brat, you're not cute at all." Anko's face flushed slightly. She puffed out her cheeks, looking like a young girl as she glared at Yang Xing. "And let me tell you, I will definitely become a powerful Anbu ninja. One day, I—I will definitely be much stronger than you. Yes, that's it."

"Haha... is that so? Well, at least stronger than I am right now." Yang Xing laughed, almost chuckling out loud.

No wonder this girl had changed so much; it seemed her perception of his strength had shifted.

As expected, the standards of people in the era of war were just different.