Encountering the Enemy

As the words fell, the Kunai in the hand of Anko Mitarashi drew a fraction closer, its sharp tip glinting with a cold light that sent shivers down the spine.

The two people before her had long since turned pale with fright, trembling all over; they had never imagined that Anko Mitarashi could be so terrifying.

Looking at the people who had been scared witless, she couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain in her heart.

She knew that killing was forbidden within the village, or she would face the pursuit of the Anbu.

Thus, she sighed helplessly and said, "Since I can't kill you while we're in the village, get lost!

As for your trashy squad, I won't be returning; it saves me the eyesore of looking at you two wastes."

Having said that, Anko Mitarashi put away her Kunai and turned to leave, leaving the two of them staring at each other, their hearts filled with fear and regret.

The two were so terrified by the intense killing intent radiating from Anko Mitarashi that they had practically wet themselves!

They stared blankly at her retreating back, and only when they were certain she had truly left did they collapse to the ground in relief, as if every ounce of strength had been drained from their bodies.

A long, long time passed before they finally regained their senses, beginning to blame and curse each other: "What's she so high and mighty about?

Isn't she just a useless wretch abandoned by Orochimaru!

Hmph, she can only act arrogant in front of us."

While they were venting their fear, they failed to notice that just outside the alley, Anko Mitarashi, who should have been long gone, was standing there silently!

Hearing these words drifting from the alley, an uncontrollable rage surged within her.

She wanted to rush in and teach those two ignorant fools a lesson, but just as she lifted her foot, a bone-chilling pain struck her shoulder—the Cursed Seal left behind by Orochimaru was acting up!

Anko Mitarashi's expression shifted slightly; she knew all too well how severe the consequences of the Cursed Seal's activation were. Not only would her combat prowess plummet, but she could also find herself in grave danger.

Suppressing her fury, she decided to ignore the two people still spewing filth and turned to hurry away.

After all, it would be disastrous if those two in the alley discovered her while the Cursed Seal was active.

With that thought, Anko Mitarashi chose a secluded path without hesitation, walking quickly toward the outskirts of the village. She did not notice that not far behind her, a figure was following silently.

On the other side, after watching the show, Uchiha Chen intended to turn and leave.

He knew clearly that this was not the best time to introduce himself.

After all, even if he walked up to her, he wouldn't know what to talk about.

Furthermore, if she found out he had been watching the spectacle, she might just release a snake to bite him! Thinking of this, Uchiha Chen decided it was better to leave.

However, the moment he turned, he happened to see Anko Mitarashi's stumbling gait as she left, and it seemed there was a figure trailing closely behind her.

Looking closely, this figure was the same person who had been peeking from the side just moments ago.

His brow furrowed slightly as he began to consider whether he should follow to see what was happening.

After all, a considerable amount of time had passed since Orochimaru's defection, and Anko Mitarashi had already successfully passed the village's trials; logically, there should no longer be Anbu personnel monitoring her in secret.

So, what was the motive of the person tracking this unwell girl? The more Uchiha Chen thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.

Considering that Anko Mitarashi was a target he intended to pursue in the future, if something were to happen, he could intervene in time and incidentally lay a good foundation for their future relationship.

In the end, Uchiha Chen decided to follow and get to the bottom of it.

As they walked one after the other into the desolate forest outside the village, Anko Mitarashi slowly stopped in front of a small wooden cabin.

This house had been built after Orochimaru's defection, during the time she was suffering from the torture of the Cursed Seal; the area nearby was where she would vent her restless emotions after the pain subsided.

The perspective shifted to the land, riddled with craters from Ninjutsu—proof of the angry outbursts she unleashed after enduring the agony.

The village high-ups were well aware of this, but they chose to turn a blind eye.

After all, Anko Mitarashi had passed her assessment; as long as she didn't cause trouble in the village, they left her to her own devices.

Upon reaching the cabin, Anko Mitarashi felt as if she had arrived at a place of security, and her body gradually went limp.

However, as her mind relaxed, the Cursed Seal on her neck seemed to sense something and began to spread rapidly.

A wave of intense pain struck, followed by a blood-curdling scream that erupted from her throat.

Just as Anko Mitarashi was about to lose consciousness, a Kunai suddenly cut through the air with a sharp whistle, shooting straight toward her.

The once-imposing Anko Mitarashi, now too weak to resist due to the Cursed Seal, could only watch helplessly as the Kunai sliced through her delicate fishnet stockings and buried itself deep into her smooth thigh.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the ground red.

By now, Anko Mitarashi had been tortured by the agony to the point where she couldn't even let out a whimper. Her body, which should have collapsed limply, began to spasm and tremble uncontrollably.

Seeing Anko Mitarashi completely stripped of any defense inside the cabin, the figure who had been trailing her appeared before the house as if he had received the best news in the world.

He glared at the frail Anko Mitarashi with hatred, a hideous grin spreading across his face.

He laughed maniacally, "Hahaha! Anko Mitarashi, do you still recognize me?" As he spoke, he ruthlessly pulled the Kunai from her leg and stabbed it viciously into her other thigh.

He stood there, quietly admiring the wretched state of the person before him, waiting for her response.

After a long while, Anko Mitarashi finally recovered, blinking her eyes as her gaze slowly focused on the man who had calmed down after a moment but still wore a gloomy expression.

She scrutinized the man before her; he appeared to be nearly thirty years old, wearing the standard vest of a Chunin. His skin was as pale as if he hadn't seen the sun in ages, his short hair was messily scattered over his forehead, and his lips were slightly pursed, forming a strange, mocking expression, while his eyes were filled with an unprecedented deadness.

Anko Mitarashi's eyes were somewhat dazed; clearly, she did not recognize him and did not understand why this man would treat her this way.

However, before she could ask, Suzuki Hiroki read everything from her puzzled gaze. He said softly with a mocking smile, "It doesn't matter if you don't recognize me; I will help you remember slowly..." Before he could finish, he twisted the Kunai in her leg fiercely again, seemingly wanting to vent his inner rage and pain through this method.

Suzuki Hiroki took a deep breath and continued, "My name is Suzuki Hiro, just an unremarkable Chunin.

But I had a very lovely daughter; she was innocent, kind-hearted, and gentle—all the beautiful words in the world wouldn't be enough to describe her.

Her name, I believe, should not be unfamiliar to you—her name is Suzuki Sakura." At this point, Suzuki Hiroki's voice dropped slightly, and a flash of sorrow crossed his eyes.

Anko Mitarashi, who had not yet shaken off her confusion upon hearing the name Suzuki, felt her pupils suddenly constrict at the mention of Suzuki Sakura. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then slumped and fell silent.