As the time allotted for the Chunin Ninja Exams ticked away.
All the remaining teams converged on the central tower.
Those who had obtained both the Heaven and Earth Scrolls advanced cautiously.
Those who had yet to collect both scrolls hurried desperately, hoping to secure favorable positions for an ambush.
Meanwhile.
Mitaraishi Anko, the chief examiner stationed outside the Forest of Death, was eating dango.
Suddenly, the Cursed Seal of Heaven on her shoulder, which had already been sealed, began to flare violently.
Alarmed, she hurriedly pressed a hand over the Cursed Seal.
At the same time, a familiar phantom sensation surfaced in her mind, and she involuntarily recalled what her mentor had done to her as a child.
"Orochimaru... how is this possible?"
Anko swallowed her last two dango in one bite, then rushed into the Forest of Death.
"The Cursed Seal has been quiet all these years. Why is it suddenly reacting?" Anko's expression darkened, fear and hatred filling her eyes. "Whether it's real or not, I have to investigate myself. If it really is him..."
At that, killing intent flashed in Anko's eyes. "I'll kill him, even if it costs me my life!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, Anko had become Snake Aunt's last personal disciple, and within a short time, she had become his capable little research assistant.
Back then, Snake Aunt had been obsessed with life science research. While still in Konoha, he had developed the imperfect Cursed Seal of Heaven.
Why was the Cursed Seal of Heaven considered imperfect?
Because once the Cursed Seal was implanted back then, its bearer could faintly sense the caster's presence through the seal on their body.
That was also why, in the original story, Anko often served as one of the intelligence operatives tasked