Forest of Death.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"...
Accompanied by several piercing whistles, several black figures flashed past the tree trunks in quick succession.
They were all dressed in Konoha Anbu gear, following closely behind a black-haired woman in a trench coat.
With her black hair tied up, the woman looked carefree and capable. Black mesh guards covered her thighs and upper body, lending her a distinctive charm.
As this unusual squad moved through the Forest of Death, one of the Anbu members at the rear, wearing a White Tiger mask, asked calmly, "Captain Anko, I heard you once served under Orochimaru?"
As his words fell, the other Anbu members continued onward, paying no heed to their conversation. Anko, however, frowned slightly and turned to glare coldly at White Tiger.
"If I remember correctly, your codename is White Tiger. You're right—I did once follow Orochimaru. Are you worried that this might affect the mission!?"
Anko stopped atop a towering tree trunk, her voice stiff and cold.
Hearing her words, the Anbu ninja codenamed White Tiger fell silent for a moment before slowly replying, "That's not it. I merely wished to learn more about Orochimaru from you."
"After all, this operation came far too suddenly, and our opponent may very well be one of the legendary Sannin. If we don't obtain enough intelligence beforehand, it could cause serious trouble later."
At his words, the chill in Anko's expression eased slightly. She hesitated for a moment, lowered her gaze, and said softly, "Even so, I'm afraid I can't provide much useful information."
As she spoke, she slowly turned around, her voice calm.
"It's been many years since I followed Orochimaru. So much time has passed now; given that guy's personality, the information I know is probably all outdated."
At that, a self-mocking smile curled